ugur his hair was allowed to grow like that
of a Nazarite; his power of divination entirely disappeared if he cut
it. [317] Among the Bawarias of India the Bhuva or priest of Devi may
not cut or shave his hair under penalty of a fine of Rs. 10. A Parsi
priest or Mobed must never be bare-headed and never shave his head or
face. [318] Professor Robertson Smith states: "As a diadem is in its
origin nothing more than a fillet to confine hair that is worn long,
I apprehend that in old times the hair of Hebrew princes like that of a
Maori chief, was taboo, and that Absalom's long locks (2 Sam. xiv. 26)
were the mark of his political pretensions and not of his vanity. When
the hair of a Maori chief was cut, it was collected and buried in a
sacred place or hung on a tree; and it is noteworthy that Absalom's
hair was cut annually at the end of the year, in the sacred season
of pilgrimage, and that it was collected and weighed." [319]

11. The beard

The importance attached by other races to the hair of the head seems
among the Muhammadans to have been concentrated specially in the
beard. The veneration displayed for the beard in this community is
well known. The Prophet ordained that the minimum length of the beard
should be the breadth of five fingers. When the beard is turning grey
they usually dye it with henna and sometimes with indigo; it may be
thought that a grey beard is a sign of weakness. The Prophet said,
'Change the whiteness of your hair, but not with anything black.' It is
not clear why black was prohibited. It is said that the first Caliph
Abu Bakar was accustomed to dye his beard red with henna, and hence
this practice has been adopted by Muhammadans. [320] The custom of
shaving the chin is now being adopted by young Muhammadans, but as they
get older they still let the beard grow. A very favourite Muhammadan
oath is, 'By the beard of the Prophet'; and in Persia if a man thinks
another is mocking him he says, 'Do you laugh at my beard?' Neither
Hindus nor Muhammadans have any objection to becoming bald, as the
head is always covered by the turban in society. But when a man wishes
to grow a beard it is a serious drawback if he is unable to do it;
and he will then sometimes pluck the young wheat-ears and rub the
juice over his cheeks and chin so that he may grow bearded like the
wheat. Among the Hindus, Rajputs and Marathas, as well as the Sikhs,
commonly wore beards, all of these being military castes. Both