Arab. “Maulid,” prop. applied to the Birth-feast of Mohammed which begins on the 3rd day of Rabí al-Awwal (third Moslem month) and lasts a week or ten days (according to local custom), usually ending on the 12th and celebrated with salutes of cannon, circumcision-feasts, marriage banquets, Zikr-litanies, perlections of the Koran and all manner of solemn festivities including the “powder-play” (Láb al-Bárút) in the wilder corners of Al-Islam. It is also applied to the birth-festivals of great Santons (as Ahmad al-Badawi) for which see Lane M. E. chapt. xxiv. In the text it is used like the Span. “Funcion” or the Hind. “Tamáshá,” any great occasion of merrymaking.
Arab. “Sanájik” plur. of Sanjak (Turk.) = a banner, also applied to the bearer (ensign or cornet) and to a military rank mostly corresponding with Bey or Colonel.
I have followed Mr Payne’s ordering of the text which, both in the Mac. and Bul. Edits., is wholly inconsequent and has not the excuse of rhyme.
Arab. “Jilbáb,” a long coarse veil or gown which in Barbary becomes a “Jallábiyah,” a striped and hooded cloak of woollen stuff.
_i.e._ a broken down pilgrim left to die on the road.
These lines have occurred in vol. i. 272. I quote Mr. Payne.
Note the difference between “Zirt,” the loud crepitus and “Faswah” the susurrus which Captain Grose in his quaint “Lexicum Balatronicum,” calls a “fice” or a “foyse” (from the Arabic Fas, faswah?)
These lines have occurred in Night dcxix, vol. vi. 246: where the pun on Khaliyah is explained. I quote Lane.
The usual pretext of “God bizness,” as the Comoro men call it. For the title of the Ka’abah see my Pilgrimage vol. iii. 149.
This was in order to travel as a respectable man; he could also send the girl as a spy into the different Harims to learn news of the lady who had eloped.
A polite form of alluding to their cursing him.
_i.e._ on account of the King taking offence at his unceremonious departure.
I would here remind the reader that “’Arabiyyun” pl. ’Urb is a man of pure Arab race, whether of the Ahl al-Madar (= people of mortar, _i.e._ citizens) or Ahl al-Wabar (= tents of goat or camel’s hair); whereas “A’rábiyyun” pl. A’ráb is one who dwells in the Desert whether Arab or not. Hence the verse:—