The beads of the Muhammadan rosaries are often made of this Kerbela earth. Every Muhammadan has his rosary--many of them have quite a collection, for pilgrims to Kerbela bring back rosaries for all their friends.
These rosaries are never used for counting prayers, but occasionally for counting the attributes of God or invocations. But the main use is a very different one. They are the Persian’s ordinary means of trying to find out God’s will. They are used both in serious and in frivolous matters; no Persian will settle anything without “taking the beads.” He takes the beads before making a business appointment, but he takes them again to see whether he shall keep it or not. He takes the beads to see what doctor he is to send for, and again to see if he shall follow his instructions. He takes the beads to see if it is a good day to buy a new coat, and again to see if it is a good day to put it on. You often see a pious Muhammadan fingering the beads under her _chādar_ before she answers your questions.
The rosaries are made of a large number of small beads all alike, and three only, which are different and are called “_Sheikhs_,” placed in different parts of the string. To take the beads a Muhammadan turns towards Mecca and says an Arabic collect. Then he divides the beads without looking, and tells them off two by two, saying over and over, as he does so, “_Subhānu’llāh_” (God is glorious) “_Alhamdu’li’llāh_” (Praise be to God), “_Va’llāh_” (and He is the God), passing two beads for each word until he comes to a _Sheikh_, when he stops. If there are two beads for the last word, the answer is much more emphatic than if there is only an odd one. If the last word is “_Subhānu’llāh_” the answer is favourable, “_Alhamdu’li’llāh_” is doubtful and “_Va’llāh_” is unfavourable. If the answer is doubtful a Persian generally follows his own inclinations.
If the answer is not what the questioner likes, the beads may be taken again in the mosque, and the answer in the mosque take precedence of that in the house. If, however, the answer is still the same, there is a third method. For a small fee a mulla will do the same sort of thing with the Quran, and the text selected overrules the two previous answers.