uch a hold over the people at large, and in many ways are so useful
to the propagation of Islam, that the Mullah find it more politic to
overlook their heresies and use them in the promotion of religious
zeal and fanaticism.

It will be found that the underlying current of religious thought in
nearly all these orders is that of Sufism, and Sufism is the product
of the aspiration of the Mussalman soul, wearied with the endless
repetition of forms and ceremonies, after something more spiritual;
and in its search after this spirituality it has drawn most on the
pantheistic philosophies of Hinduism.

Pantheism is, of course, the antithesis of the Judaic theocracy of
Islam, and we read of a faqir who went about calling out, "Ana hu,
ana el haqq" ("I am He, I am the Truth"), being put to death for
blasphemy; but all the same, these Muhammadans, who feel most the
aspirations of the soul for Divine communion, find it in a greater
or less assimilation of pantheistic doctrine.

Most of the faqirs one meets with in Afghanistan are lazy fellows, who
abhor hard work, and find they can make an easy living by begging, and
acquire at the same time, what is so dear to many natures, the homage
and respect of the credulous and superstitious. When one does meet
with one who is willing and able to converse on spiritual topics, one
usually finds that he is a disciple of Hafiz, the great Sufi poet of
the Persians. Like the Hindu Sadhus, they are much addicted to the use
of intoxicants (though rarely alcohol), and charras and bhang (Indian
hemp) are constantly smoked with tobacco in their chilams. When thus
intoxicated they are known as mast, and are believed by the populace
to be possessed by divinity, and to have miraculous powers of gaining
favours from heaven for those who propitiate them.

When such a faqir dies he is buried in some prominent place, often at
the crossing of roads, and his tomb has even greater efficacy than he
himself had when living; and those who wish to obtain his intercession
with the Almighty for themselves bring little earthen cups full of oil,
with little cotton wicks, which they burn at his grave, as a Roman
Catholic burns candles at the shrine of a saint. The most propitious
time for doing this is on Thursday night, and at such times one can see
the tombs of most renowned sanctity a veritable illumination with the
numbers of little lamps burning far into the night. At the same time
offerings are given to the