They make their Sunday prayers in the mosque of the Prince of Believers, Ali.  I once attended the prayers in this mosque; and when the preacher arose and began to recite the sermon, he made numerous and evident faults.  I was surprised thereat, and spoke of it to the judge Hodjat-ed-deen, who answered, “In this city, there is no longer an individual who has any knowledge of grammar.”  This is an instruction for whoever reflects thereon, and let us praise God, who changes things and reverses the face of affairs!  In fact, this city of Bassora, the inhabitants whereof had obtained preeminence in grammar, which there had its origin and received its development,—­this city, which gave to the world the master of this noble science, whose priority no one contests,—­does not now possess a single preacher who pronounces the Sunday sermon according to grammatical rules!

’The mosque has seven minarets, one of which, according to the belief of the inhabitants, shakes whenever the name of Ali, son of Abou Talib, is invoked.  I ascended to the terrace (roof) of this mosque, accompanied by one of the men of Bassora.  There I saw, at one of the corners, a piece of wood nailed to the minaret, and resembling the handle of a mason’s trowel.  He who was with me took hold of it, saying, “By the head of the prince of believers, Ali, shake thyself!” Therewith he shook the handle, and the minaret trembled.  In turn, I placed my hand upon it, and I said to the man, “And I say, by the head of Abou Bekr, successor to the Ambassador of God, shake thyself!” Therewith I shook the handle, and the minaret trembled as before.  The people were very much astonished.’  The amanuensis, Ibn Djozay, here interpolates the following remark:  ’I have seen, in a town in the valley of Almansura, in Spain,—­which may God defend!—­a tower which shakes without the name of a caliph, or anybody else, being mentioned.’

At the city of Idhedj, in Irak, then the capital of one of the many Mongol sultans who at that time reigned in southern Persia, Ibn Batuta gives another proof of his boldness.  Calling upon the Sultan Afrasiab, who was notorious for his drunken and dissolute habits, the traveler found him seated upon a divan, with two covered vases—­one of gold and one of silver—­before him.  A green carpet was brought and placed near him, upon which the traveler was invited to take his seat, after which the sultan asked him many questions concerning his travels.  ’It seemed to me, however,’ says Ibn Batuta, ’that he was quite intoxicated, for I had been previously apprized of his habit of giving himself up to drink.  Finally, he said to me in Arabic, which he spoke with elegance.  “Speak!” I said to him, “If thou wouldst listen to me, I would say to thee—­Thou art one of the children of Sultan Ahmed, celebrated for his piety and devotion; there is no cause of reproach to thee, in thy manner of life, except that!” and I pointed with my finger to the two vases.