he dustha-khawn[20] (a large square of calico) on the
floor of the room near her father, placed empty plates before him, then
retired to her station for prayers; spreading her mat in the direction of
Kaabah, she prostrated herself to the earth before God in the humblest
attitude, imploring His merciful aid, in this her moment of trial.
Fatima's fervent prayer was scarcely finished, when a savoury smell of
food attracted her attention; raising her head from the earth, her anxious
eye was greeted with the view of a large bowl or basin filled with
sulleed[21] (the Arabian food of that period). Fatima again bowed down her
head, and poured out in humble strains that gratitude to God with which
her heart overflowed. Then rising from her devotions, she took up the
savoury food and hurried with it to her father's presence, and summoned
her husband and the children to partake of this joyous meal, without even
hinting her thoughts that it was the gift of Heaven.

'Ali had been some time seated at the meal, when he, knowing they had no
means of procuring it, looked steadily on Fatima, and inquired where she
had secreted this delicious food; at the same time recurring to the two
days' fast they had endured. "Rebuke her not, my son," said Mahumud;
"Fatima is the favoured of Heaven, as was Myriam[22] (Mary), the mother of
Esaee[23] (Jesus), who, living in her uncle Zechareah's[24] (Zachariah's)
house, was provided by God with the choicest of fruits. Zechareah was poor,
and oft he hungered for a meal; but when he entered Myriam's apartment, a
fresh supply of rare fruits was wont to greet his eye. Zechareah asked,
Whence had ye these precious gifts? Myriam answered, An angel from God
places the fruit before me; eat, my uncle, and be satisfied."'

The writer thus leaves the story of the miraculous food to Fatima's prayer,
and goes on as follows:--

'At another season of the fast, this family of charity endured a severe
trial, which was miraculously and graciously rewarded. Fatima had a female
slave, who shared with her equally the comforts and the toils of life.

'The food allotted to every member of Ali's family was two small barley
cakes for each day; none had more or less throughout the family. The
labour of domestic affairs was shared by Fatima with her female slave, and
each took their day for grinding the barley at the chuckee,[25] with which
the cakes were made.

'On the--day of Rumzaun, the corn was ground as usual, the cakes