’A learned man, a moollah[23] or head-teacher and expounder of the Mahumudan law, resided in a village six koss (twelve miles English) distant from Lucknow, the capital of Oude.  This moollah was married to a woman of good family, by whom he had a large progeny of daughters.  He lived in great respect, and cultivated his land with success, the produce of his farm not only supporting his own family, but enabling the good moollah to distribute largely amongst the poor, his neighbours, and the passing traveller.  A hungry applicant never left his door without a meal of the same wholesome, yet humble fare, which formed his own daily sustenance.  Bread and dhall he preferred to the most choice delicacies, as by this abstemious mode of living, he was enabled to feed and comfort the afflicted with the residue of his income.

’This moollah was one of the most pious men of the age, and alive to the interests of his fellow-mortals, both temporal and eternal.  He gave instruction gratis to as many pupils as chose to attend his lectures, and desired to acquire from his matured knowledge an introduction to the points of faith, and instruction in the Mussulmaun laws.  Numbers of young students attended his hall daily, to listen to the expounding of the rules and maxims he had acquired by a long life devoted to the service of God, and his duty to mankind.  In him, many young men found a benefactor who blended instruction with temporal benefits; so mild and persuasive were this good moollah’s monitions, that he lived in the affection, venerations and respect of his pupils, as a fond father in the love of his children.

’The wife of this good man managed the domestic affairs of the family, which were very little controlled by her husband’s interference.  On an occasion of solemnizing the nuptials of one of their daughters, the wife sent a message to the moollah, by a female slave, requiring his immediate presence in the zeenahnah, that he might perform his allotted part in the ceremony, which, as elder of the house, could not be confided to any other hands but his.  This was to “tie the naarah to the moosul".[24]

’The moollah was deeply engaged in expounding to his pupils a difficult passage of the Khoraun when the slave entered and delivered her message.  “Coming”, he answered, without looking at the messenger, and continued his exposition.

’The good woman of the house was in momentary expectation of her husband’s arrival, but when one hour had elapsed, her impatience overcame her discretion, and she dispatched the slave a second time to summon the moollah, who, in his anxiety to promote a better work, had forgotten the subject of tying the naarah to the moosul.  The slave again entered the hall, and delivered her lady’s message; he was then engaged in a fresh exposition, and, as before, replied “coming”, but still proceeding with his subject as if he heard not the summons.

’Another hour elapsed, and the wife’s ordinary patience was exhausted; “Go to your master, slave!” she said with authority in her voice and manner; “go ask your master from me, whether it is his intention to destroy the peace of his house, and the happiness of his family.  Ask him, why he should delay performing so important a duty at this ceremony, when his own daughter’s interest and welfare are at stake?”