Women Among Mohammedans. husbands be still living, after the women had gone through the proper purifications: according to Abu Hanifah, it was illegal to marry any whose husbands were taken captive with them, or were in slavery with them. Those of the faithful who had not sufficient means to marry free women, who were believers, might marry maid-servants if of the true faith. All are alike descended from Adam, said the Prophet, and being of the same belief it was lawful to marry slaves with the consent of their masters, if they were modest, not guilty of licentiousness, nor entertaining lovers; such had also to be given proper dowers. As slaves did not re quire so large a dowry, nor so good and plentiful a maintenance as a free woman, a man might keep several of the former as easily as one of the latter. (Sura, IV.) In a previous chapter of his Book, Ma homet had said, "Marry not women who are idolaters, until they believe; verily a maid-servant that believeth is better than an idolatress, although the latter please you more. And give not women who believe in marriage to idolaters, until they believe; for verily a servant, who is a true believer, is better than an idolater, though he please you more." (Sura, II.) When the message limiting the number of wives to four was sent down from heaven the most of the Arabs had eight or ten wives each, and these they often treated very badly, so Mahomet restrained polygamy within much narrower limits, and did much to ameliorate the condition of women. Among the Mussulmans all conjugal mat ters are absolutely private. The civil power does not appear any more than the religious in the celebration of marriage. As a gen eral rule the future husband goes to declare his union to the sheik or cadi, who then sends a minute of it to the interested party without keeping a copy of it. This formal ity, however, is in no way obligatory; the marriage is considered as a private act, and if afterwards any disputes should arise in
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relation to it the parties concerned arrange them as well as they can, by appealing to the writing. It all amounts to this, that for Mussul mans the wife is a thing, and the marriage a simple bargain. The wife is always sold to the husband, and the price is discussed either by her legal representatives or by her agent. The nuptial gift is an essential to marriage, and if it has not been paid the wife has a right to refuse her husband's embraces. "The wife sells herself," says Sidi Khelil, "and every vendor has the right to retain the merchandise sold until after receiving the payment." Before buying, the suitor is allowed to see the face and the hands of the bride: for the hands of a woman are sup posed to give an idea of her personal beauty. Ex pede Henilcm! A man ought, whenever possible, to marry a virgin, and the bargain may be made years before the delivery of the mer chandise. If a girl is unmarried after a cer tain age, her father has a right to impose matrimony upon her. An orphan girl can be married by the authority of the cadi, if she has passed her tenth year, and if there is reason to fear she may lead an irregular life. (See authorities quoted, Letourneau, "Evolution of Marriage," 143.) Speaking of Turkey a recent magazine writer says: "The couple do not meet until the conclusion of the ditghith ziafeti, or week of wedding festivities and ceremonies, which may not be held for some months after the appearance before the cadi. These enter tainments, to which all friends and acquaint ances are invited, and at which the poor of the neighborhood are feasted, constitute the social sanction of the family alliance entered into in private. For should the girl's assent be suspected of having been obtained by force or fraud, and the match be considered unsuitable, public disapproval would be very properly shown by refusing to take part in the wedding rejoicings. And even when all these formalities are at an end, and the
