very severe trials of a
domestic nature. She trusted in God for relief, and followed in the way
she had been instructed, keeping fasts and holy days; testifying her
respect for the prophets, by observing those days for extra prayer and
giving alms, which the Khoraun and commentaries represent as worthy to be
done, by the devout Mussulmauns.

Amongst the number of days strictly observed by this pious lady during her
troubles, was the Nativity of Jesus Christ, for whose sake she fed the
hungry, clothed the naked, and gave alms to the necessitous. I was the
more delighted when first hearing of this circumstance, because I had
judged of the Mussulmaun faith by common report, and fancied they rejected,
with the Jews, our Redeemer having come. They, on the contrary, believe,
according to their Prophet's words, 'that He was born of the Virgin Mary;
that He worked miracles; that He ascended after His earthly commission had
ceased, to the seventh heaven; that He will again visit the earth (when
their Emaum Mhidhie will also appear), to cleanse the world of its corrupt
wickedness, when all men shall live in peace, and but one faith shall
prevail, in the worship of the true God'.

The Mussulmaun work, 'Hyaatool Kaloob' (which I have so often referred to),
contains, with the lives of all the prophets, the Life of Jesus Christ,
His acts, and the Ungeel[15] (Gospel). The Gospel they have is in many
things different from ours; it is not formed into books by the apostles,
neither are the miracles united with the Gospel, but are detailed as the
acts of Christ Jesus. What they understand by the Ungeel, is, 'the Word of
God by the mouth of Jesus';--for instance, the Sermon on the Mount, or, in
other words, the precepts of Jesus. I am indebted to the Meer for this
information.

The Mussulmauns say, 'All power belongs to God.--Who would dare dispute
the miracle of Christ's birth? Is there any thing difficult with God? God
first formed Adam from the dust; and by His word all things were created.
Is there any thing too great for His power? Let no man, then, dispute the
birth of Christ by a pure Virgin.' They believe that Jesus Christ was the
Prophet of God, but they believe not that He is God; and they deem all who
thus declare Christ to be God, as unfaithful both to God and to Christ.

I have said the Mussulmauns of each sect have extra prayers, beside the
Namaaz, or daily services of prayer. I suppose there are a greater variety
of pray