110 
The first Thursday and the 27th of the month Ar- 
jab are fast days. 
The night of the 15th of the month of Schaban is 
passed in prayers, and the following day is a fast day* 
Fasting lasts all the month of Ramadan. The nights 
are passed in prayers, and chiefly those of the 27th and 
of the 30th. 
Easter, called Eid seguir; or little Easter, falls on 
the first of the month of Schoual. On this day the 
paschal alms, of which we have already spoken, must 
be given, and the paschal prayers said at the Emsalla y 
which we shall notice by -and -by. After Easter day, 
six more days are spent in fasting, which may be cho- 
sen at option in any part of the same month. 
No part of the month of Doulkaada is observed. 
In the month of Doulhagea, the Mahometans who do 
not go to Mecca must fast the first nine days. On the 
10th, the season which is called Eid kibir> or great Eas- 
ter, begins, and lasts three days. On the first of these, 
Mussulmen must go in the morning to the Emsalla x» 
say the paschal prayers, and afterwards sacrifice at home 
a sheep, in commemoration of the sacrifice of Abra- 
ham. At this period the ceremonies of the pilgrimage 
to Mecca take place. 
The months are composed of twenty-nine or thirty 
days. The year has three hundred and fifty-four days, 
and therefore twelve of these months finish eleven or 
twelve days sooner than twelve solar months: hence it 
happens, that the Ramadan and Easter never fall again 
on the same day until the expiration of thirty- one to 
thirty- two solar years. The present year, being the 1218 
of the Hegira, has begun the 23d April 1803. 
