Chapter XX: Book VI: Notes

[b6.01] #Murghab# Murghab signifies properly an aquatic fowl, but is generally applied to a duck. There is also a river so called in the province of Khorasan.--Vide _Borhani-Kati_.

[b6.02] #island of Barzakh# _Barzakh_, according to the Furhang-i-Mathravi, is the intermediate stage between this world and the next--like the purgatory of the Roman Catholics.

[b6.03] #third watch# In the east, the most ordinary division of time is into watches, or rather was so formerly. In the astronomical day of twenty-four hours (or from sunrise to sunrise), there are eight watches, or [_Persian_] consequently every watch is at an average three hours. The day is divided into four watches, of which the second terminates always at noon, hence _do-pahr_ ([_Persian_]), _i.e._ two watches, is synonymous with mid-day; also _si-pahr_, or three watches, signifies the afternoon. The night is, in like manner, divided into four watches, the second of which expires at midnight. In Hindustan, the _pahr_ is divided into eight equal parts, called [_Persian_] _ghărī_, each equal to twenty-two minutes and a-half. We may add, that in Hindustani, the phrase _ath-pahr_, or eight watches, signifies perpetual.

[b6.04] #Kibla# The Kibla is that spot to which the Musselmans direct their face in prayer, which is now the temple of Mecca. Jerusalem was the Kibla of the Mahommedans in the early part of Mahomet’s life, as it had been of the Jews and Christians previously; but in the second year of the Hijra, the Caaba of Mecca was fixed upon as the Kibla of the Musselmans, and in that direction (as nearly as they can discover) they turn their faces at prayer, in whatever quarter of the world they may be situated.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES.

The last two pages of Book IV (pp. 216-217) were missing from the source text. Until a complete copy can be found, the missing text has been supplied by the 1830 edition published for the Oriental Translation Fund. If you can provide the missing pages please contact Project Gutenberg Support.

The translator’s use of both accented (_e.g._ Munīr Shamī) and unaccented (Munir Shami) names has been preserved.

Text-version only: “#” is used to indicate bolded text.

Alterations to the text:

Add TOC.

[Footnotes]

Add several footnotes from the 1830 edition.

Convert footnotes to endnotes.

[Book I]

Change “and her being beloved by _Muneer_” to _Munir_.

“man who exclaims in the words _above mentioned_” to _above-mentioned_.

[Book II]

“There is a fairy named _Mah-pari_” to _Mahpari_.

[Book IV]

“Sam Ahmar and _Kalmak_ soon recovered their senses” to _Kamlak_.

[End of Text]