Page 107 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (2)

(
NEGLECTED AHA El A

The riles of the various orders differ. First, there is the rue
uf initial ion and enrollment, including the oath of allegiance. In
one case it is required of the novitiate to repeat 60,000 times the
Moslem Creed. Secondly, among the rites of the orders arc
peculiar dress or distinguishing marks on their vesture. Thirdly,
the practices of the various orders by which they are chiefly dis­
tinguished may" be divided into three: (1) Complete obedience (as
die corpse in the hands of those who wash it), (2) /solution or
f
seclusion for the purpose of meditating upon God. This is gen­
erally done in a mosque but also frequently in a desert or far from
human habitations, (J) The united meeting of members of the i *
urder which is called the ”Zikr. Of this there are two kinds-
the daily service and the weekly. The ritual of each order reg­
ulates with great care every movement, attitude, tone of the voice
and gesture of these religious exercises.
Thy run the entire gamut from the silence of the orders whose
meetings resemble those of the Quakers and the violent perform­
ance of the Isuzvia, which I witnessed at Bugia. Beside the Zikr,
which is obligatory, the ritual of the orders include other devo­
tions which take place daily and are called “Wird” and “llisb."
The former consists of the repetition thousands of times of a short
prayer, generally taken from the Koran. The latter consists in
the reading of other portions of the Koran or the repetition of
the ninety-nine names of God.
The fact that these Dervish orders cover as with a spiritual
network the whole of Arabia, North Africa and Central Asia areas
raises the question of the relation between Moslem mysticism and
the Gospel message. There is no doubt that there are many points
uf contact which the missionary needs to study and use with can
dun it is true, but also with confidence. b
First of all we may learn from them the importance of itineration • \ i x
j
and the need of work for children.
Thousands of these mendicants wander about the Moslem world. • i
They travel great distances. One may see a Baghdad dervish ai
Sainarkhand, or one of these saints from the I’uujab surrounded by
a crowd of urchins in Morocco. They write talismans, sell amulets,
cast out demons, and exercise a superstitious inlluence generally
oil ignorant people. Our illustration shows two marabouts preach­
ing jihad, or religious warfare, to the children of Algeria, The
photograph was taken in Kabylia.
"To the left,” writes Miss Trotter, “stands a tall while figure,
with outstretched arm—a traveling preacher uf Islam.” And
.fitting in front, looking up at him with eagerness, reverence, as-
xriil on every face, are a score of native boys. Instead of being
led into the light, they are being led into the darkness, with a
dicker of a will-o’-the-wisp of imitation truth to lure them on.
Instead ot bread they are being given a stone—a scorpion, rather,
fur hitter poison lies in the message of their teacher, poison against
ill that we hold most dear. The mystery of the Holy Incarnation.