egypt-第7章

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architectural　ornament　consists　merely　in　geometrical　designs　repeated

to　infinity；　and　does　not　commence　till　quite　high　up　on　the

battlements；　where　the　minarets　point　into　the　eternal　bluemust　cast

its　spell　upon　the　imagination　of　the　young　priests　who　are　being

trained　here。



*****



　〃He　who　instructs　the　ignorant　is　like　a　living　man　amongst　the

　　dead。〃



　〃If　a　day　passes　without　my　having　learnt　something　which　brings　me

　　nearer　to　God；　let　not　the　dawn　of　that　day　be　blessed。〃



　　　　　　　　Verses　from　the　Hadith。



He　who　has　brought　me　to　this　place　to…day　is　my　friend；　Mustapha

Kamel　Pacha；　the　tribune　of　Egypt；　and　I　owe　to　his　presence　the　fact

that　I　am　not　treated　like　a　casual　visitor。　Our　names　are　taken　at

once　to　the　great　master　of　El…Azhar；　a　high　personage　in　Islam；　whose

pupil　Mustapha　formerly　was；　and　who　no　doubt　will　receive　us　in

person。



It　is　in　a　hall　very　Arab　in　its　character；　furnished　only　with

divans；　that　the　great　master　welcomes　us；　with　the　simplicity　of　an

ascetic　and　the　elegant　manners　of　a　prelate。　His　look；　and　indeed　his

whole　face；　tell　how　onerous　is　the　sacred　office　which　he　exercises：

to　preside；　namely；　at　the　instruction　of　these　thousands　of　young

priests；　who　afterwards　are　to　carry　faith　and　peace　and　immobility　to

more　than　three　hundred　millions　of　men。



And　in　a　few　moments　Mustapha　and　he　are　busy　discussingas　if　it

were　a　matter　of　actual　interesta　controversial　question　concerning

the　events　which　followed　the　death　of　the　Prophet；　and　the　part

played　by　Ali。　。　。　。　In　that　moment　how　my　good　friend　Mustapha；　whom

I　had　seen　so　French　in　France；　appeared　all　at　once　a　Moslem　to　the

bottom　of　his　soul！　The　same　thing　is　true　indeed　of　the　greater

number　of　these　Orientals；　who；　if　we　meet　them　in　our　own　country；

seem　to　be　quite　parisianised；　their　modernity　is　only　on　the　surface：

in　their　inmost　souls　Islam　remains　intact。　And　it　is　not　difficult　to

understand；　perhaps；　how　the　spectacle　of　our　troubles；　our　despairs；

our　miseries；　in　these　new　ways　in　which　our　lot　is　cast；　should　make

them　reflect　and　turn　again　to　the　tranquil　dream　of　their

ancestors。　。　。　。



While　waiting　for　the　conclusion　of　the　morning　studies；　we　are

conducted　through　some　of　the　dependencies　of　El…Azhar。　Halls　of　every

epoch；　added　one　to　another；　go　to　form　a　little　labyrinth；　many

contain　/Mihrabs/；　which；　as　we　know　already；　are　a　kind　of　portico；

festooned　and　denticulated　till　they　look　as　if　covered　with　rime。　And

library　after　library；　with　ceilings　of　cedarwood；　carved　in　times

when　men　had　more　leisure　and　more　patience。　Thousands　of　precious

manuscripts；　dating　back　some　hundreds　of　years；　but　which　here　in　El…

Azhar　are　no　whit　out　of　date。　Open；　in　glass　cases；　are　numerous

inestimable　Korans；　which　in　olden　times　had　been　written　fair　and

illuminated　on　parchment　by　pious　khedives。　And；　in　a　place　of　honour；

a　large　astronomical　glass；　through　which　men　watch　the　rising　of　the

moon　of　Ramadan。　。　。　。　All　this　savours　of　the　past。　And　what　is　being

taught　to…day　to　the　ten　thousand　students　of　El…Azhar　scarcely

differs　from　what　was　taught　to　their　predecessors　in　the　glorious

reign　of　the　Fatimitesand　which　was　then　transcendent　and　even　new：

the　Koran　and　all　its　commentaries；　the　subtleties　of　syntax　and　of

pronunciation；　jurisprudence；　calligraphy；　which　still　is　dear　to　the

heart　of　Orientals；　versification；　and；　last　of　all；　mathematics；　of

which　the　Arabs　were　the　inventors。



Yes；　all　this　savours　of　the　past；　of　the　dust　of　remote　ages。　And

though；　assuredly；　the　priests　trained　in　this　thousand…year…old

university　may　grow　to　men　of　rarest　soul；　they　will　remain；　these

calm　and　noble　dreamers；　merely　laggards；　safe　in　their　shelter　from

the　whirlwind　which　carries　us　along。



*****



　〃It　is　a　sacrilege　to　prohibit　knowledge。　To　seek　knowledge　is　to

　　perform　an　act　of　adoration　towards　God；　to　instruct　is　to　do　an

　　act　of　charity。〃



　〃Knowledge　is　the　life　of　Islam；　the　column　of　faith。〃



　　　　　　　　Verses　from　the　Hadith。



The　lesson　of　the　morning　is　now　finished　and　we　are　able；　without

disturbing　anybody；　to　visit　the　mosque。



When　we　return　to　the　great　courtyard；　with　its　battlemented　walls；　it

is　the　hour　of　recreation　for　this　crowd　of　young　men　in　robes　and

turbans；　who　now　emerge　from　the　shadow　of　the　sanctuary。



Since　the　early　morning　they　have　remained　seated　on　their　mats；

immersed　in　study　and　prayer；　amid　the　confused　buzzing　of　their

thousands　of　voices；　and　now　they　scatter　themselves　about　the

contiguous　Arab　quarters　until　such　time　as　the　evening　lessons

commence。　They　walk　along　in　little　groups；　sometimes　holding　one

another's　hands　like　children；　most　of　them　carry　their　heads　high　and

raise　their　eyes　to　the　heavens；　although　the　sun　which　greets　them

outside　dazzles　them　a　little　with　its　rays。　They　seem　innumerable；

and　as　they　pass　show　us　faces　of　the　most　diverse　types。　They　come

from　all　quarters　of　the　world；　some　from　Baghdad；　others　from

Bassorah；　from　Mossul　and　even　from　the　interior　of　Hedjaz。　Those　from

the　north　have　eyes　that　are　bright　and　clear；　and　amongst　those　from

Moghreb；　from　Morocco　and　the　Sahara；　are　many　whose　skins　are　almost

black。　But　the　expression　of　all　the　faces　is　alike：　something　of

ecstasy　and　of　aloofness　marks　them　all；　the　same　detachment；　a

preoccupation　with　the　self…same　dream。　And　in　the　sky；　to　which　they

raise　their　eyes；　the　heavensframed　always　by　the　battlements　of　El…

Azharare　almost　white　from　the　excess　of　light；　with　a　border　of

tall；　red　minarets；　which　seem　to　be　aglow　with　the　refection　of　some

great　fire。　And；　watching　them　pass；　all　these　young　priests　or

jurists；　at　once　so　different　and　so　alike；　we　understand　better　than

before　how　Islam；　the　old；　old　Islam；　keeps　still　its　cohesion　and　its

power。



The　mosque　in　which　they　pursue　their　studies　is　now　almost　empty。　In

its　restful　twilight　there　is　silence；　and　the　unexpected　music　of

little　birds；　it　is　the　brooding　season　and　the　ceilings　of　carved

wood　are　full　of　nests；　which　nobody　disturbs。



A　world；　this　mosque；　in　which　thousands　of　people　could　easily　find

room。　Some　hundred　and　fifty　marble　columns；　brought　from　ancient

temples；　support　the　arches　of　the　seven　parallel　aisles。　There　is　no

light　save　that　which　comes　through　the　arcade　opening　into　the

courtyard；　and　it　is　so　dark　in　the　aisles　at　the　far　end　that　we

wonder　again　how　the　faithful　can　see　to　read　when　the　sun　of　Egypt

happens　to　be　veiled。



Some　score　of　students；　who　seem　almost　lost　in　the　vast　solitude；

still　remain　during　the　hour　of　rest；　and　are　busy　sweeping　the　floor

with　long　palms　made　into　a　kind　of　broom。　These　are　the　poor

students；　whose　only　meal　is　of　dry　bread；　and　who　at　night　stretch

themselves　to　sleep　on　the　same　mat　on　which　they　have　sat　studying

during　the　day。



The　residence　at　the　university　is　free　to　all　the　scholars；　the　cost

of　their　education　and　maintenance　being　provided　by　pious　donations。

But；　inasmuch　as　the　bequests　are　restricted　according　to　nationality；

there　is　necessarily　inequality　in　the　treatment　doled　out　to　the

different　students：　thus　the　young　men　of　a　given　country　may　be

almost　rich；　possessing　a　room　and　a　good　bed；　while　those　of　a

neighbouring　country　must　sleep　on　the　ground　and　have　barely　enough

to　keep　body　and　soul　together。　But　none　of　them　complain；　and　they

know　how　to　help　one　another。＇*＇



＇*＇　The　duration　of　the　studies　at　El…Azhar　varies　from　three　to　six

　　　　years。



Near　to　us；　one　of　these　needy　students　is　eating；　without　any　false

shame；　his　midday　meal　of　dry　bread；　and　he　welcomes　with　a　smile　the

sparrows　and　the　other　little　winged　thieves　who　come　to　dispute　with

him　the　crumbs　of　his　repast。　And　farther　down；　in　the　dimly　lighted

vaults　at　the　end；　is　one　who　disdains　to　eat；　or　who；　maybe；　has　no

bread；　who；　when　his　sweeping　is　done；　reseats　himself　on　his　mat；

and；　opening　his　Koran；　commences　to　read　aloud　with　the　customary

intonation。　His　voice；　rich　and　facile；　and　moderated　with　discretion；

has　a　charm　that　is　irresistible　in　the　sonorous　old　mosque；　where　at

this　hour　the　only　other　sound　is　the　scarcely　perceptible　twittering

of　the　little　broods　above；　among　the　dull　gold　beams　of　the　ceiling。

Those　who　have　been　familiar　with　the　sanctuaries　of　Islam　know；　as

well　as　I；　that　there　is　no　book　so　exquisitely　rhythmical　as　that　of

the　Prophet。　Even　if　the　sense　of　the　verses　escape　you；　the　chanted

reading；　which　forms　part　of　certain　of　the　offices；　acts　upon　you　by

the　simple　magic　of　its　sounds；　in　the　same　way　as　the　oratorios　which

draw　tears　in　the　churches　of　Christ。　Rising　and　falling　like　some　sad

lullaby；　the　declamation　of　this　young　priest；　with　his　face　of

visionary；　and　garb　of　decent　poverty；　swells　involuntarily；　till

gradually　it　seems　to　fill　the　seven　deserted　aisles　of　El…Azhar。



We　stop　in　spite　of　ourselves；　and　listen；　in　the　midst　of　the　silence

of　midday。　And　in　this　so　venerable　place；　where　dilapidation　and　the

usury　of　centuries　are　revealed　on　every　sideeven　on　the　marble

columns　worn　by　the　constant　friction　of　handsthis　voice　of　gold

that　rises　alone　seems　as　if　it　were　intoning　the　last　lament　over　the

death…pang　of　Old　Islam　and　the　end　of　time；　the　elegy；　as　it　were；　of

the　universal　death　of　faith　in　the　heart　of　man。



*****



　〃Science　is　one　religion；　prayer　is　another。　Study　is　better　than

　　worship。　Go；　seek　knowledge　everywhere；　if　needs　be；　even　into

　　China。〃



　　　　　　　　Verses　from　the　Hadith。



Amongst　us　Europeans　it　is　commonly　accepted　as　a　proven　fact　that

Islam　is　merely　a　religion　of　obscurantism；　bringing　in　its　train　the

stagnation　of　nations；　and　hampering　them　in　that　march　to　the　unknown

which　we　call　〃progress。〃　But　such　an　attitude　shows　not　only　an

absolute　ignorance　of　the　teaching　of　the　Prophet；　but　a　blind

forgetfulness　of　the　evidence　of　history。　The　Islam　of　the　earlier

centuries　evolved　and　progressed　with　the　nations；　and　the　stimulus　it

gave　to　men　in　the　reign　of　the　ancient　caliphs　is　beyond　all

question。　To　impute　to　it　the　present　decadence　of　the　Moslem　world　is

altogether　too　puerile。　The　truth　is　that　nations　have　their　day；　and

to　a　period　of　glorious　splendour　succeeds　a　time　of　lassitude　and

slumber。　It　is　a　law　of　nature。　And　then　one　day　some　danger　threatens

them；　stirs　them　from　their　torpor　and　they　awake。



This　immobility　of　the　countries　of　the　Crescent　was　once　dear　to　me。

If　the　end　is　to　pass　through　life　with　the　minimum　of　suffering；

disdaining　all　vain　striving；　and　to　die　entranced　by　radiant　hopes；

the　Orientals　are　the　only　wise　men。　But　now　that　greedy　nations　beset

them　on　all　sides　their　dreaming　is　no　longer　possible。　They