akbar [God is most great]," sighed Abdullah. "No matter what the rest of the Moslem world does, we shall remain true Moslems."
In spite of these modernistic tendencies Mohammed Beg felt sure that there were millions who were still unshaken in their faith in Mohammed and in the holy Koran. In fact, he met many on his journey across India who did not believe that their religion was in danger, and who were sure that in the end the way of Allah would prevail.
Still his experience in India had disturbed him greatly, and he was glad that they would be moving on very soon. What a relief it would be to board the pilgrim ship for Mecca, and be once more among true believers, who were not contaminated by these modern ideas.
Mohammed Beg and Abdullah had been depressed by the fact that they found very few people talking about the pilgrimage in India. Here and there they met an old man who was planning to go; but for the most part people seemed to be too busy with their own affairs to think about the obligations of their holy faith. It was daily being impressed upon them that there was a new age an age about which Kashgar knew nothing at all!
When the day of sailing from Bombay arrived Mohammed Beg and Abdullah were full of joy and enthusiasm. They went to the dock as early as possible armed with their inoculation certificates, a requirement which British authority in India has introduced
