His is the kingdom, to Him be
praise, and He over all things is Almighty." There is a grand ring of
Old Testament truth about these words, though of a melancholy half
truth only.
The men who make the Mecca pilgrimage are not regarded by the English
who know them as a "holy lot"; in fact, they are said to lead idle
lives, and to "live like leeches on the toil of their fellow-men,"
inciting the people "to revolt or to make amok." Doubtless it adds to a
man's consequence for life to be privileged to wear the Arab costume
and to be styled Tuan hadji. Yet they may have been stirred to devotion
and contrition at the time as they circled the Kaabeh reciting such
special prayers as, "O God, I extend my hands to Thee, great is my
longing towards Thee. Oh accept Thou my supplications, remove my
hindrances, pity my humiliation, and mercifully grant me Thy pardon;"
and "O my God, verily I take refuge with Thee from idolatry, and
disobedience, and every hypocrisy, and from evil conversation, and evil
thoughts concerning property, and children, and family;" or, "O God, I
beg of Thee that faith which shall not fall away, and that certainty
which shall not perish, and the good aid of Thy prophet Mohammed - may
God bless and preserve him! O God, shade me with Thy shadow in that day
when there is no shade but Thy shadow, and cause me to drink from the
cup of Thy apostle Mohammed - may God bless him and preserve him!
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