Page:Muhammad Diyab al-Itlidi - Historical Tales and Anecdotes of the Time of the Early Khalîfahs - Alice Frere - 1873.djvu/285

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256
ʾILÂM-EN-NÂS.

of this well is medicinal, and will heal many bodily distempers. Taken copiously, adds the same tradition, it will heal all spiritual disorders, and procure an absolute remission of sins.

¹⁰ A stone upon which Abraham stood whilst rebuilding the Kaʾabah, and which, as the walls grew higher and higher, was miraculously raised from the ground to form a platform upon which he might stand to work.

¹¹ The pulpit whence the Friday's sermon is preached.

¹² The Corner. Every corner in the Kaʾabah has a name, but this is par excellence The Corner, as it contains the stone said to have been one of the precious stones of Paradise which fell to the earth with Adam, and became black on account of the iniquity of mankind. Pilgrims kiss this stone with great devotion, believing that at the end of time it will return to Paradise and bear witness to the faith of true believers.

¹³ A semicircular wall built to the height of a few feet, which encloses a portion of ground belonging to the Kaʾabah though not within its walls, and which the pilgrims are in duty bound to circumambulate when making the round of the building.

¹⁴ All those places at Mekkah where any particular ceremony takes place during the pilgrimage.

¹⁵ The hereditary right to hold the office of Guardian of the Kaʾabah.

¹⁶ The desert plain surrounding the city of Mekkah.

¹⁷ The faithful witness. Surname given by the Prophet to Abu-Bekr.

¹⁸ The Divider or Distinguisher. Surname given by the Prophet to ʾOmar-ibn-el-Khattâb upon the following occasion. A wicked Muslim having a dispute with a Jew, appealed from the adverse decision of Muhammad to ʾOmar. The latter, greatly angered that any one should dare to prefer his judgment to that of the Prophet himself, cut the Muslim in two with one blow of his scymitar. El-Farûk alludes both to the division of the pleader's body and to ʾOmar's distinction between truth and falsehood.