These observances serve to convince us that they believe in the constituted Sabbath; still there is not that strict respect for the holy day which could satisfy the scrupulous feelings of a Christian; the servants are quite as much employed on Friday as on any other day;—­the dhurzie[10] (tailor), dhobhie[11] (washerman), and indeed the whole establishment of servants and slaves, male and female, find their work undiminished on the Sabbath.  The ladies amuse themselves with cards or dice, the singing women even are quite as much in request as on other days; and all the amusements of life are indulged in without once seeming to suspect that they are disobeying the law of God, or infringing on their actual duties.  Indeed, I believe they would keep the day strictly, if they thought doing so was a necessary duty:  but I have often observed, that as Friday is one of their ‘fortunate days’, works of any importance are commenced on this day;—­whether it be building a house,—­planting a garden or field,—­writing a book,—­negotiating a marriage,—­going a journey,—­making a garment, or any other business of this life which they wish should prosper.  With them, therefore, the day of rest is made one of the busiest in the calendar; but I must do them the justice to say, that they believe their hearts are more pure after the ablutions and prayers have been performed.  And that as nothing, however trifling or important, according to their praiseworthy ideas, should ever be commenced without being first dedicated to God,—­from whose mercy they implore aid and blessings on the labour of their hands,—­they set apart Friday for commencing whatever business they are anxious should prosper.  This was the excuse made by the pious Meer Hadjee Shaah.

Mahumud’s biographers notice in many instances the strict observance of the Sabbath, at the period in which he flourished; they also say he selected Friday to be observed as the Mussulmaun Sabbath in distinction from the Jews, who it would seem were jealous of Mahumud’s teaching, and annoyed both him and his followers in every way they could possibly devise.  And the Khoraun commentators, on the subject of Mahumud’s mission, declare, when speaking of the place to which the Mussulmaun bow in prayer, ’That when Mahumud first commenced his task of teaching the ignorant Arabians to forsake their idol worship, and to turn to the only true God, he was often reviled and insulted by the Jews; who even ridiculed the presumption of the Mussulmauns in daring to bow down, in their worship, towards Jerusalem, in the same direction with them.  Mahumud was sadly perplexed whether to abstain or continue the practice, as he was unwilling to offend the Jews:  in this trial he was visited by the angel Gabriel, who brought the following command to him from God:—­

’Turn from Jerusalem; and when thou bowest down to Me, face that Holy House of Abraham, the place of sacrifice:  that shall be thy Kiblaah, O Mahumud.’