Meer Hassan Ali, B.: Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: descriptive of their manners, customs, habits, and religious opinions ; made during a twelve years residence in their immediate Society (Band 1) (London, 1832)

EXTRA PRAYERS. 151

Hadjee Shaah has often declared to me, that he
has witnessed the benefit of this exercise by the
happiest results, in many such cases.

The Khoraun, it is commanded, shall be
read. A person perhaps dies before he has been
awakened to a love of sacred things ; his friends
therefore engage readers to attend his grave,
and there to read the Khoraun for the benefit
of the departed soul.

They have a firm belief in the efficacy of
prayer by proxy ; and the view they have of
departed spirits is still more singular. They
believe the soul hovers over the body in the
grave for some time, and that the body is so far
animated, as to be sensible of what is passing ;
as when the Maulvee is repeating the service,
the angels visit in the grave, or when the
Khoraun is read; hence the belief in the effi-
cacy of prayer, and reading as substitutes for
neglected or omitted duties whilst on earth.

There are in all the mosques men retained to
do the requisite service there, that is, to keep
it clean, and to prevent any thing that could
pollute the sanctuary from entering; to call at