Lane says in Egypt the most esteemed of all hegab or charms is a mushaf (or copy of the Koran). ' This and others are worn by many women, generally enclosed in cases of gold, or of gilt, and plain silver. Next in estimation to the mushaf is a book or scroll containing certain chapters of the Koran, as the 6th, 18th, 36th, 44th, 55th, 67th, and 78th, or some others, • generally seven. The ninety-nine attributes of God, written on a paper, and worn on the person, are supposed to make the wearer a particular object for the exercise of all the benevolent divine attributes. The names of Mahomed's relics are also charms. These relics, called Mukhallafat un Nabi, were two sabhahs (or rosaries), his mushaf (in unarranged fragments), his mukhul'uh(of tile vessel in which he kept the black powder with, which he painted the edges of his eyelids), a furdeh or kind of woollen covering. Sometimes, for cure of diseases, and to counteract poisons, etc., 'a draught of water from a metal cup having certain from the Koran, and talismanic characters and figures engraved in the interior, is administered to the patient. Water from the sacred well of
Zem-zem in the temple of Mecca, and pieces of the black brocade covering of the Kaba, small oblong flat cakes of a kind of greyish earth mixed with saliva, supposed to be composed of earth from over Mahomed's grave, are believed to be a cure for every disease. They are sold at the prophet's tomb, and are occasionally eaten. The Chinese have a written charm, praying for the three mauys, happiness, long life, and sons ; and nine libel, prosperity, dignity, longevity, etc. ; koo-tung-king, the old brass mirror, to cure the looker of insanity. The Singhalese believe that certain charms are efficacious in protecting them from the violence of bears.— Skinner's Overland Aunt. ii. p. ,70 ; Ward's View of the Hindoos, ii. p. 71 ; Milner's Seven Churches of Asia ; Herklot's Kanoon-i-Islam; Tr. Hind. ii. p. 3.