. AT KUSIYICH. to obtain anv reliable information from the people themselves as to why they attach so much magic to antiquities. Originally there may have been some belief in reincarnationâthe stepping over the tomb- shaft and the bones suggest thisâbut there is also the idea that baraka is attached to anything that is old or sacred, or even peculiar. The word baraka means " blessing," and bariika is " a lucky coin," " a thing to bring good ; This quality is often attributed to the tombs of Sheikhs, and such buildings are consequently visited by people who ha
. AT KUSIYICH. to obtain anv reliable information from the people themselves as to why they attach so much magic to antiquities. Originally there may have been some belief in reincarnationâthe stepping over the tomb- shaft and the bones suggest thisâbut there is also the idea that baraka is attached to anything that is old or sacred, or even peculiar. The word baraka means " blessing," and bariika is " a lucky coin," " a thing to bring good ; This quality is often attributed to the tombs of Sheikhs, and such buildings are consequently visited by people who have some special request to make, hoping in this way to obtain a "blessing "or "good ; Women who have no children will sometimes visit a Sheikh's tomb entreating him to intervene on their behalf and vowing to make some return if their wish is granted. A cord or cords are often to be seen hang- ing across the inside of such a building, and from it are suspended a variety of objects, including coloured hand- kerchiefs. These are in many cases the votive offerings of women, which they have hung up in tlie tomb when their prayers for offspring have been answered. Lane ^ records the practice of visiting tombs or ^Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians. London, 1895, pp. 246 it. A cheap edition has been published in " The Everyman's Library"; see same page therein. mosques to obtain a blessing, or to urge some special petition, such as the gift of children. He states that the suppliants believe that a more favourable reception of their prayers will be granted them if offered up in such sacred places. It has been recorded by Mrs. Haris H. Spoer,^ that in Jerusalem childless couples will travel for considerable distances in order to visit and bathe in certain pools, and that " barren women visit the hot springs in \-arious districts, not, as might be supposed, for any medicinal properties, but because the jinni, who causes the vapour, is re
Size: 1959px × 2552px
Photo credit: © The Bookworm Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookleafnumber170, booksponsoruniversityofto, booksubjectscience
