earth) perisheth; but the person of thy Lord abideth, the possessor of
glory and honour" (Sur. lv. 26, 27). (See "Kufic Tombstones in the
British Museum," by Professor Wright, _Proceedings of the Biblical
Archaeological Society_, 1887, ix. 337, _sq_.)]

[105] {120} "Alla Hu!" the concluding words of the Muezzin's call to
prayer from the highest gallery on the exterior of the Minaret. On a
still evening, when the Muezzin has a fine voice, which is frequently
the case, the effect is solemn and beautiful beyond all the bells in
Christendom. [Valid, the son of Abdalmalek, was the first who erected a
minaret or turret; and this he placed on the grand mosque at Damascus,
for the muezzin or crier to announce from it the hour of prayer. (See
D'Herbelot, _Bibliotheque Orientale_, 1783, vi. 473, art. "Valid." See,
too, _Childe Harold_, Canto II. stanza lix. line 9, _Poetical Works_,
1899, ii. 136, note 1.)]

[106] The following is part of a battle-song of the Turks:--"I see--I
see a dark-eyed girl of Paradise, and she waves a handkerchief, a
kerchief of green; and cries aloud, 'Come, kiss me, for I love thee,'"
etc.

[107] {121} Monkir and Nekir are the inquisitors of the dead, before
whom the corpse undergoes a slight noviciate and preparatory training
for damnation. If the answers are none of the clearest, he is hauled up
with a scythe and thumped down with a red-hot mace till properly
seasoned, with a variety of subsidiary probations. The office of these
angels is no sinecure; there are but two, and the number of orthodox
deceased being in a small proportion to the remainder, their hands are
always full.--See _Relig. Ceremon_., v. 290; vii. 59,68, 118, and Sale's
_Preliminary Discourse to the Koran_, p. 101.

[Byron is again indebted to S. Henley (see _Vathek_, 1893, p. 236).
According to Pococke (_Porta Mosis_, 1654, Notae Miscellaneae, p. 241),
the angels Moncar and Nacir are black, ghastly, and of fearsome aspect.
Their function is to hold inquisition on the corpse. If his replies are
orthodox (_de Mohammede_), he is bidden to sleep sweetly and soundly in
his tomb, but if his views are lax and unsound, he is cudgelled between
the ears with iron rods. Loud are his groans, and audible to the whole
wide world, save to those deaf animals, men and genii. Finally, the
earth is enjoined to press him tight and keep him close till the crack
of doom.]

[108] Eblis, the Oriental Prince of Darkness.

[109] The Vampire superstiti