SALUTATION
272
SALUTATION
vat !" of the Latin, the " Vi%-e le roi!" of the French, or our own " forever!"
•2. Ufie of f/use E.rpressions.— The forms of greeting that we have noticed were freely exchanged among persons of different ranks on the occasion of a casual meeting, and tliis even when they were strangers. Tlius Uoaz exchanged greeting with his reapers (Kuth ii. 4). tlie traveller on the road saluted the worker in the tield (Psa. cxxix, 8), and memhers of the same fam- ilv interchanged greetings on rising in the morning (i^rov. xxvii, 14). The only restriction appears to have been in regard to religion, the Jew of old, as the Mo- hammetlan of the present day, paying the compliment only to those w horn he considered •' brethren," i. e. mem- bers of the same religious community (Matt, v, 47 ; Lane, Mod. Ez/i/pt. ii, 8 ; Niebuhr, Descripl. p. 43). Even the apostle John forbids an interchange of greeting where it implied a wish for the success of a bad cause (2 John 11). In modern times the Orientals are famed for the elaborate formality of their greetings, which oc- cupy a very considerable time ; the instances given in the Bible do not bear such a character, and therefore the prohibition addressed to persons engaged in urgent business, '■ Salute no man by the way" (2 Kings iv, 29 ; Luke X. 4), may best be referred to the delay likely to ensue from subsequent conversation. This, perhaps, must not be understood literally, as it would be churl- ish and offensive. But there is so much insincerity, flattery, and falsehood in the terms of salutation pre- scribed by custom that our Lord rebuked them by re- quiring his followers, as far as possible, to avoid them (see Thomson, Lund and Book, i, 533 sq.),
3. Mndeni Parallels. — As already intimated, the usages involved in these oral salutations seem not only similar to, but identical with, those still existing among the Arabians. These, indeed, as now observed, go upon the authority of religious precepts. But it is known that such enactments of the Koran and its commenta- ries merely embody such of the previously and imme- niorially existing usages as the legislature wished to be retained.
(1.) Oral Forms. — Their most common greeting, as among the Jews, is, "Peace be on j'ou!" to this the reph- is, "On you be peace!" to which is commonly added, "and the mercy of God and his blessings!" This salutation is never addressed by a Moslem to one whom he knows to be of another religion ; and if he find that he has by mistake thus saluted a person not of the s&me faith, he generally revokes his salutation : so also he sometimes does if a INIoslem refuses to return his salutations, usually saying, "Peace be on us and on (all) the right w^orshippers of God!" This seems to us a striking illustration of Luke x, 5, 0 ; 2 John 11. Va- rious set compliments usualiv follow this salam; which, when people intend to be polite, are very much ex- tended and occupy considerable time. Hence they are evaded in crowded streets, and by persons in haste, as was the case, for the same reason doubtless, among the Jews (2 Kings iv, 29; Luke x, 4). Specimens of this conventional intercourse arc given by Lane (Mod. Effypl. i,'2hii}, who says that to give the whole would occupy a dozen of his pages. There are set answers, or a choice of two or three answers, to every question ; and it is accoimted rude to give any other answer than that whicii custom proscribes. They are such as those by which the Israelites jirobably prolonged their inter- course. If one is asked, " I low is your health V" he re- ])lies, " Praise be to (Jod!" and it is only from rhe tone of his voice that the inquirer can tell whether he is well or ill. When one greets another with the com- mon incpiirj', "Is it well with theeV" (see 2 Kings iv, 2t)) the answer is, "(iod idess thee!" or "(Jod preserve thee!" An accjuaintance on meeting another whom he has nut seen lor several days, or for a longer ix'riod, gen- erally says, afier the salam, "Tliou hast made us desolate by thy absonce from us ;" and is usually answered, "May God not make us desolate bv thv absence !"
Oriental Salutation by Bending or Prostration to a Supe- rior.
(2.) The ffesfii?-es and inflections used in salutation varied with the dignity and station of the person sa- luted, as is the case with the Orientals at this day. See Attitude. The obeisance with which this is ac- companied varies according to the degree of respect de- signed to be shown to the person addressed, and this rises nearly according to the following scale: 1. Plac- ing the right hand upon the breast ; 2. Touching the lips and the forehead or turban (or the forehead and turban only) with the right hand; 3. Doing the same, but slightly inclining the head during the action ; 4. The same as the preceding, but inclining the body also; 5. Still the same, with the addition of previously touch- ing the ground with the right hand; 6. Kissing the hand of the person to whom obeisance is paid ; 7. Kiss- ing his sleeve; 8. Kissing the skirt of his clothing; 9. Kissing his feet; and 10. Kissing the carpet or ground before him. Persons distinguished bj- rank, wealth, or learning are saluted by many of the shopkeepers and passengers as they pass through the streets and mar- ket-places of Eastern cities, and are, besides, often greet- ed with a short ejaculatory praj'er for the continuance of their life and happiness. Such were " the salutations and greetings in the market-place" of which the scribes were so extravagantly fond (see Mark xii, 28). When a very great man rides through the streets, most of the shopmen rise to hitn and pay their respects to him by inclining the head and touching the lips and forehead or turlian with the right hand. It is usual for the per- son who returns the salutation to place at the same time his right hand upon his breast, or to touch his lips, and then his forehead or turban with the same hand. This latter mode, which is the most respectful, is often performed to a person of superior rank, not only at first with the salam, but also frequently during a conversa- tion. In some cases the body is genth' inclined, while the right hand is laid upon the left breast. A person of the lower orders in addressing a superior does not always give the salam, but shows his respect to high rank by bending down his hand to the ground, and then putting it to his lips and forehead. See Bow- ing.