Europe, and under his reign the Egyptian Haj fell to a low level; but
Mohammed Towfik, who is a sincere, though liberal Mussulman, has already
restored much of his country's prestige at Mecca, and it is not unlikely
that in time to come Egypt, grown materially prosperous, may once more
take a leading part in the politics of Islam.[3] But of this later.

All three schools of theology are taught in the Azhar mosque, and
Egyptians are divided, according to their class, between them. The
Viceroy and the ruling clique, men of Ottoman origin, are Hanefites, and
so too are the descendants of the Circassian Beys, but the leading
merchants of Cairo and the common people of that city are Shafites,
while the fellahin of the Delta are almost entirely Malekite. Malekite,
too, are the tribes west of the Nile, following the general rule of the
population of Africa.[4]

The _Malekite_ school of religious thought differs widely from the
Hanefite. If the latter has been described as the high Church party of
Islam, this must be described as the low. It is puritanical, fierce in
its dogma, severe in its morals, and those who profess it are
undoubtedly the most fervent, the most fanatical of believers. They
represent more nearly than any other Mussulmans the ancient earnestness
of the Prophet's companions, and the sword in their hand is ever the
sword of God. Piety too, ostensible and sincere, is found everywhere
among the Malekites. Abd el Kader, the soldier saint, is their type;
and holy men by hereditary profession abound among them.

The Malekites believe with earnest faith in things supernatural,
dreaming prophetic dreams, and seeing miracles performed as every-day
occurrences. With the Arabs of Africa, unlike their kinsmen in Arabia
itself, to pray and fast is still a severe duty, and no class of
Mussulmans are more devout on pilgrimage. In Algiers and Morocco it is
as common for a young man of fortune to build a mosque as it is for him
to keep a large stud of horses. To do so poses him in the world, and a
life of prayer is strictly a life of fashion. With regard to morals he
is severe where the Koran is severe, indulgent where it indulges. Wine
with him is an abomination, and asceticism with regard to meat and
tobacco is often practised by him. On the whole he is respectable and
respected; but the reforms he would impose on Islam are too purely
reactive to be altogether acceptable to the mass of Mohammedans or
suited to the urgent