ra VII, 203, 204.

[Sidenote: Pretentious prayers and ostentatious almsgiving condemned.]

The Koran condemns pretentious prayers and ostentatious almsgiving.

"Verily the hypocrites would deceive God; but he will deceive them!
When they stand up for prayer, they stand carelessly to be seen of
men, and they remember God but little"--Sura IV, 141.

"Woe then to those who pray,"

"Who in their prayer are careless;"

"Who make a show of devotion,"

"But refuse help _to the needy_."--Sura CVII, 4-7.

"And they fall down on their faces weeping, and it increaseth the
humility."--Sura XVII, 110.

"O ye who believe! make not your alms void by reproaches and
injury; like him who spendeth his substance to be seen of men, and
believeth not in God and in the latter day. The likeness of such an
one is that of a rock with a thin soil upon it, on which a heavy
rain falleth, but leaveth it hard. No profit from their works shall
they be able to gain; for God guideth not the unbelieving
people."--Sura II, 266.

"We have made ready a shameful chastisement for the unbelievers,
and for those who bestow their substance in alms to be seen of men,
and believe not in God and in the last day. Whoever hath satan for
his companion, an evil companion hath he!"--Sura IV, 42.

[Sidenote: No indispensable hours or places for prayers.]

There are no indispensable hours or places to be observed for prayers.
In Suras XI, 116; and IV, 104, the time of prayer is set down in general
terms without specifying any fixed hour. There are some more times named
in Suras XVII, 81, 82; XX, 130; L, 38, 39; and LII, 48, 49, but they are
special cases for Mohammad himself, and "as an excess in the service."
_Vide_ Sura XVII, 81. On this subject Dr. Marcus Dods observes:--

"There are two features of the devout character which the
Mohammedans have the merit of exhibiting with much greater
distinctness than we do. They show not the smallest hesitation or
fear in confessing God, and they reduce to practice the great
principle that the worship of God is not confined to temples or
any special place:--

"Most honour to the men of prayer,
Whose mosque is in them everywhere!
Who amid revel's wildest din,
In war's severest discipline,
On rolling deck, in thronged bazaar,
In stranger land, however far,