Life in the Moslem East

orship. Aside from the regulated prayers, they are obliged to repeat as often as possible the formula of their creed. First, La illahi illal lahu. Second, Ya Allah, "O God." Third, Ya Khuba, "He, Existor." Fourth, Ya Hakk, "O Just." Fifth, Ya Hai, "O, Living." Sixth, Ya Khai Um, "O, Existing." Seventh, Ya Kakahar, "O, Revenger." These exclamations enumerating the principal attributes of God are repeated constantly by dervishes of whatever order they may be. They also have their place in the initiation of neophytes. When anyone expresses a desire to enter an order, the candidate has to go through a trial which differs in different communities. Then the candidate is admitted to a general assembly of the dervishes, where the sheikh for the first time whispers in his ear the first article of the creed, " La illahi illal lahu," which the novice is required to repeat a certain number of times, varying from one hundred to three hundred. After this the neophyte is obliged to retire from the world and give himself up to meditation, and any vision or dream that may come to him at this time he is obliged to relate to the sheikh. The latter invites the neophyte after a longer or shorter time, judging by the number and character of these visions, to a second meeting, where he whispers in his ear the second article of faith, "Ya Allah," and so on until he has gone through the seven articles of their creed, which sometimes takes months or even years. Only after this initiation i...