as the congregation
passes out through the gateway, the parents hold out their ailing
children; and well-nigh every worshipper, rich or poor, young or
old, turning his face downwards lets his prayer-laden breath pass
over the face of the sick child that needs his aid. A picturesque custom is
this, which illustrates two ancient and universal beliefs, namely that all
disease is spirit-caused and that the holy book is charm-laden. He who
repeats the inspired words of the Koran is purged of all evil, and his
breath alone, surcharged with the utterances of divinity, has power to cast
out the devils of sickness. Thus to this day all classes of Mahomedans, but
particularly the lower classes, carry their sick children to the mosques to
receive the prayer-laden breath of the Musallis (prayer-sayers): and
sometimes in cases of grievous disease a Pir or Mashaikh is asked to
perform the healing office, prefacing the brief ceremony with that famous
verse of the Koran:--"Wa nunaz-zilo minal Kuraani ma huwa Shifaun wa rah
matun lil moaminina" which being interpreted means, "We send down from the
Koran that which is a cure and a mercy unto true believers." So the mosques
of the City are homes of healing as well as of prayer.

* * * * *

Occasionally, when the prayer-breath of the ordinary worshipper has failed
to effect a cure, a Mussulman mother will take her sick child to some Syed
or other holy man in the city for what she calls "Jhada dalwana"
(_i.e._ the sweeping-over). The Syed questions her about the symptoms
and duration of the disease. "Ay me," moans the mother, "I cannot say what
ails the child, Syed Saheb! He was full of life and health till the other
day when I left him on the threshold sucking a sweetmeat. There came by an
old Wagri woman who stared at him, whining for alms. I gave her a little
bread, wishing her well away: but alack! no sooner had she gone than my
child sickened and hath not recovered since." The Syed then asks her to
drop a pice upon a paper covered with magic squares; which being done, he
consults a thumb-marked manuscript and decides that the child is a victim
of the Evil Eye. Accordingly he proceeds to pass the end of a twisted
handkerchief seven times over the child's body, murmuring at the same time
certain mystic formulae which he, as it were, blows over the child from
head to foot. This operation is performed daily for three or four days;
after which in many cases t