DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14563#0131
CHAPTER XIII.
sabbaths on the nile-a missionary incident.
The land of Egypt has no Sabbath. In all the principal
towns the Christian Sabbath is the great market day, when
the people of the village bring their stock and produce to
exchange for clothing, and other articles at the bazaar.
Friday is the Mohammedan Sabbath — the'special prayer
day, when the mosques are open also for preaching. The
day is kept after the fashion of a Sunday in continental
Europe. The more scrupulous and devout close their little
shops during the hours of prayer, and resort to the mosque
— perhaps leaving some one upon the look-out for customers
— and either return from the mosque to business, or give
up the remainder of the day to lounging. At Ekhmim, one
of the principal towns of Upper Egypt, where I chanced
upon a Friday, though many shops in the bazaar were open,
yet the large mosque was crowded with men who seemed
devout in prayer and singing ; but no women were present,
though these are sometimes admitted into secluded galleries.
Generally a stranger finds no difficulty in entering a mosque
if attended by some official of the place ; but he must put
off his shoes at the door, and not tread the sacred ground,
with what has touched the common dust. On Friday, work
goes on in the fields as upon other days. Yet in Cairo, it is
difficult to transact business on a Friday in the Mohamme- p
dan quarter, or on Saturday in the Jews' quarter, while on
sabbaths on the nile-a missionary incident.
The land of Egypt has no Sabbath. In all the principal
towns the Christian Sabbath is the great market day, when
the people of the village bring their stock and produce to
exchange for clothing, and other articles at the bazaar.
Friday is the Mohammedan Sabbath — the'special prayer
day, when the mosques are open also for preaching. The
day is kept after the fashion of a Sunday in continental
Europe. The more scrupulous and devout close their little
shops during the hours of prayer, and resort to the mosque
— perhaps leaving some one upon the look-out for customers
— and either return from the mosque to business, or give
up the remainder of the day to lounging. At Ekhmim, one
of the principal towns of Upper Egypt, where I chanced
upon a Friday, though many shops in the bazaar were open,
yet the large mosque was crowded with men who seemed
devout in prayer and singing ; but no women were present,
though these are sometimes admitted into secluded galleries.
Generally a stranger finds no difficulty in entering a mosque
if attended by some official of the place ; but he must put
off his shoes at the door, and not tread the sacred ground,
with what has touched the common dust. On Friday, work
goes on in the fields as upon other days. Yet in Cairo, it is
difficult to transact business on a Friday in the Mohamme- p
dan quarter, or on Saturday in the Jews' quarter, while on