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a Wasted Pilgrimage , MM.CXLI

Line 5: Arafat; a plain near Mecca where pilgrims must spend one day of the Hajj in prayer and invocation.

Line 7: the Hajj; the Pilgrimage to Mecca, incumbent on all Muslims at least once in their lifes for those who can afford it.

Line 15: Haji; one who has completed the Pilgrimage, a title of great respect.

Line 19: pilgrim s robe; on the Pilgrimage, everyone wears two simple pieces of white cloth, similar to the shroud.

Line 33: the obligatory sheep; pilgrims on the hajj must sacrifice a sheep in commemoration of Abraham s sacrifice.

Line 37" Sacred Grounds; the immediate precincts of the Ka bah.

Line 41: stoning the Accursed one; one of the rites of the Pilgrimage consists of throwing stones at a pillar said to represent the Devil.

Line 45: station of Abraham; the Prophet Abraham is said to have built the Ka bah. The place where he prayed is marked.

Line 49: circumambulation; the rites include circling the Ka bah.

To a Merchant ; MM.CXXX

Line 1: Zam-Zam; the sacred well of Mecca, near the Ka bah.

Line 42: Jamshid; the legendary first king of Persia.

Astrology and Poetry ; MM.LXIV

Line 33: Moses, Aaron and Samarri; Aaron is viewed in Islam as a prophet in his own right; in esoteric Islam, he is considered to have represented the esoteric side of Judaism. As Moses represents the exoteric side. Samarri is the Samaritan who persuaded the Jews to worship the golden calf.

Line 38: Mazandaran; the Caspian littoral region of Iran.

The Shark ; MM.VII

Line 33: et seq.; Feraydun, Kayqubad, etc., etc. Ancient kings and heroes of Persian, described in Firdawsi s Shah-namah.

Line 59: face the Ka bah; the dead are buried lying on their sides, facing the Ka bah.

Line 61: Testimony of Faith; There is no god but God; and Muhammad is the Messenger of God . Muslims should die with this formula on their lips. In this and in the preceding two lines NK means that the reader will pay no attention to religion until he s faced with death, whereas he ought to be occupied with it always.

Line 89: the Simurgh; the legendary king of the birds. In Attar s famous Conference of the Birds, the Simurgh symbolises God. Only thirty reach him; si-murgh means literally thirty birds ; in other words, the seekers are inwardly identified with the Sought.

Excuses ; MM.CLXIV

Line 29: Magi; in popular belief the Zoroastrians or Magi were thought to worship fire.

Storm Warnings ; MM.XLVII

The Aging Rake ; MM.XLVI

Line 100: Sermon bythe Ditch; see introduction.