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angels. One angel is the deputed guardian of the Kaaba; one angel of my Mosque; and one angel of the Mosque Al Aksá. Now the angel, deputy guardian of the Kaaba, cries aloud every day, Whoso leaveth the divine precepts of God, shall be cast forth from the peace and pardon of God. Also the angel, deputy guardian of my Mosque, cries aloud every day, Whoso leaveth the Sunna of Muhammad, shall not be able to avoid the fishpond, nor obtain the mediation of Muhammad. Also the angel, deputy guardian of the Mosque Al Aksá, cries aloud every day, Whoso eateth any forbidden food, acts as if he were to give his guardian-angel-provider a blow upon the face. Again, the apostle of God said, Whosoever shall pray in this Temple five prayers, adding to those prayers, over and above, as a supererogatory work of merit beyond the prescribed precept, four Rakás, reading at the same time the verse, " Say, God is one God," then his soul shall be purchased and redeemed of God: hell shall have no power over him. Now from Abu Zaharah Jarír-Ibn-Karíb: I came unto the Temple for the purpose of praying; and, my eyes being unaccustomed to the place, I lost my way out; so that the candles and lights were extinguished. I lost all my companions; and the gates were shut. Now, whilst I was in this condition, lo! I heard a gentle whisper, as of two

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responsive bands, which were coming forward, and who began to say, Praise be unto the Eternal Self-subsisting! Praise to the Self-subsisting Eternal! Praise to the Highest of the High, and the Almighty! Praise to the Ever-living, the Disposer! Praise to the King of Saints, the Lord of angels and spirits! Praise and exaltation to the great God! Then another whisper began, responsive to the first, repeating the same words. Then they began to sing alternately a gentle chant, chant following chant, until the whole Mosque was filled with the strains. Then, behold! some of them approached me, and said, Art thou one of the race of Adam? I replied, Yes. Then said one, Do not fear; these are the angels of God. So I said, I ask thee, in the name of God, who is that mighty one among you, whom I see in the foremost rank? He said, Gabriel. Then said I, And who is that next to him? He said, Michael. Then I said, who those that follow them? He said, They are angels. So I said, I ask thee, in God's name, who hath exalted you? as I see, what is the greatest of rewards, next to yours? He said, His who shall say the Sunna once a day. He shall not die until he sees his seat in Paradise, or have it exhibited unto him. Then said Abu Al Zaharat, I said to myself, the Sunna is long to get through: I shall not live. However, I said it every day, for the whole number of the

days of the

year; that is, three hundred and seventy. Then I saw my seat in Paradise.

Now, with respect to the Reduplication of Prayer in the Baitu-l-Mukaddas: - First, from the traditions of Katádat, from Abádat, Ibn Al Samát (God rest content with him!) from Abu Dhirr, I said, O apostle of God! is prayer in this holy Mosque more meritorious than prayer in the Baitu-l-Mukaddas? Then said he, One prayer in this my Mosque is more meritorious than four prayers in the Baitu-l-Mukaddas. But let the prayer-offerer know that this land (of the Holy Abode) is the place where the risen shall all assemble; for the appointed time shall arrive to men; and at the distance of a bowshot from hence shall be seen the Baitu-l-Mukaddas. Truly it is good and right entirely the most beloved of all the lands of the world. Now, with respect to the Reduplication of good and evil things, we will quote from a tradition; which affirms, that Kaab set out from Emessa, desiring to pray within the Baitu-l-Mukaddas-the mosque of Elia: and when he arrived within a mile's distance from Elia, he immediately ceased from words, and was silent, except chanting from the Book of God, and proclaiming the sacred titles. Then he entered by the gate Al Sabát, in order to come right in front of the Holy Place. Then he repeats all the

prayers at once in the Mosque, and, changing the behaviour he had observed for one mile, he began to speak, and said, Praise! Then they said unto him, O Abu Ishák, what hath induced thee to do thus? Then he said, I have read in a certain book, that good words, things, or blessings are doubled in this Mosque; and bad words, things, or blessings are doubled in like manner. So he said, or spoke, words to that effect; adding also as follows: Therefore I was greatly desirous that nothing but good words should proceed from me until I should depart. Now, from Dhamarat Ibn Al Layth, Ibn Soad, Ibn Náfa, who says, Ibn Omar said to me, whilst we were in the Holy Abode, O Náfa! I will depart from the Holy House; for evil words are doubled therein; as also are good words: therefore I feel a dread. Then he departed from the Holy House. Now, from Soám, Ibn Omar, Ibn Sharíh, Ibn Obaid, who says that Kaab said, Prayer in the Holy House is worth a thousand prayers, and sin in the Holy House is worth a thousand sins elsewhere. Now from Al Mughírat. He said, Abadat told us, from his father, thus: Whoso cometh into the Holy Abode, let him not buy or sell any thing; for a sin therein is as a thousand sins, and a good word is augmented in an equal proportion.

Now for the marvellous efficacy of pious donations in this Temple, and of fasting, and articulate

praises, (or listening to preaching) herein. Whosoever, saith a divine, giveth pious donations in the Temple, to the amount of ten thousand dirhems, shall thereby obtain a safe covert from hell; and whosoever shall give in alms common scraps, shall be considered as giving their weight in gold: alsó, whosoever shall give in the Holy Abode a pious donation of ten thousand dirhems, shall thereby redeem his soul from hell; and whosoever shall give in alms the meanest scraps, shall be regarded as giving mountains of the earth, all of gold. Also, from the same author, from Al Saray, Aliyas (Elias), and Phinehas (St. George), fasted during the month Rhamadán in the Holy Abode, and accomplished the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca every year.

Now from Jairam :-A man said to Muhammad, O apostle of God! what created beings are to be found on first entering Paradise? He replied, The prophets. Then said the man, And who then? He said, The martyrs. Who then? They who pronounce the viva voce chant in the Baitu-1-Mukaddas. Who then? They who do the same in the Kaaba. Who then? They who do the same in my Mosque. Who then? They who desire and set forward to pronounce the chant in the Baitu-l-Mukaddas. Who then?

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All who pronounce that chant. Now from Ibn

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