FATHOM.
This is a natural measure, from point to point of the outstretched hands. ,It was common to Greek, Roman, and Indian, and is four cubits in length. The Greeks and Romans had also the foot (pes), the hand (palm), the palm (7reactiar0, and the finger (digitus). The Romans also had the military pace; the Greeks and Romans also had the cubit (cubitus.) The ancient inhabitants of Asia had, as a unit measure, the cubit or ell, from the elbow to tha-Point of -the little finger.
All of theser--digit (angul), palm, ell (bath), and span (bilish)are in use in India.
FATIIIAll, ARAB, also Al-fatillat, Fatihat, and Rata. The name of the opening chapter of the Koran. It is a prayer, and is held in great veneration by Mahomedans, who give it several honourable titles, such as the Chapter of Praise, of Prayer, of Thanksgiving, or Treasure. They esteem it the quintessence of the whole Koran, and often repeat it in their devotions both public and private, as Christians repeat the Lord's prayer. Most Turkish epitaphs end by the words, Fatihah ruhun ichun,' say a fatiliah for his soul. The fatiliah is also entitled the preface of the Koran, or introduction. It was revealed at Mecca, and is
as follows, commencing with the words Bismillah ir-Rahman-ur-Rahim: In the name of the most merciful God, praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures, the most merciful, the king of the day of judgtnent, thee do we worship, and of thee do wo beg assistance. Direct us in the right way, in the way of those to whom thou hast been gracious ; not of those against whom thou art incensed, nor of those who go astray.' This prayer is offered with upraised hands, which aro afterv.-ards drawn down over the face. The hands are raised in order to catch the blessing that is supposed to descend from heaven upon the devotee, and the meaning of drawing the palms down the face is symbolically to transfer the benediction to every part of the body. The Dairah ki fatahah is the cemetery oblation ; the Hazrat shah ki fatahah is on Mania Ali ; the Niat khair ki fatahall is the prayer offered for the welfare of any one. Sale's Koran ; Burton's Mecca, p. 286 ; Ferrier's Journey, p. 502.