Who were the mIn combatants on the side of greek in the trojAn war?

How did ancient min tell time before the invention of clocks and watches?

Older civilizations tended to be far more relaxed about time than we are, and "days" were pretty much the smallest denomination they cared about. When higher resolution was needed the height of the sun was usually sufficient.

What does the Sun God Ra look like?

The sun-god Ra (or Re Atum or Atum-Ra or Atum-Re Amun or Amun-Ra or Amun-Re Amon or Amon-Ra or Amon-Re Ra was also combined with Horus as Ra-Horakhte) is usually shown as a man with the head of a hawk. He was shown with a big sun on his head. He was also shown holding an ankh and a septa.

Who was the man who rescued Cephus' daughter?

I believe the name Cephus is connected to the the king of the Ethiopians the Greeks called Cepheus/Cephias and that Perseus saved the king's daughter Andromeda from a sea serpent/dragon ravaging the Ethiopian coast. Perseus marries Andromeda and they found Mycenae and their son Perses is considered one of the ancestors of the Persians.The Greeks named a constellation after Cepheus who in some accounts is said to be the son of Phoenix.The ancient Egyptians show the Ethiopians as originally being of both white and black peoples. Just as the Egyptians have two Horus one white and one black.There is also a tradition that Noah had children after the flood and the first son born was named Cephas. You can find reference to this in one of the sources in the Scandinavian Edda where the name is translated Seafas (check wikipedia for more sources under sons of Noah).Noah and his wife were descendants of Enoch and his grand father Seth. So the lines surviving on the Ark wereNoah (Seth)/? wife (Seth) REDHam (Seth)/wife Egyptus (Cain), BLACKShem (Seth)/? wife (Able), WHITEJapeth (Seth)/?wife (Enoch line other than Noah) YELLOWCephas (Seth)/? wife(his sister so Seth). REDCephas was blanketed under Shem much the way Joseph of Egypt's other children were listed under either sons Manasseh or Ephraim. His descendants became known as the Mannai who's last king was Iranizu. Cephas was a Melchizedek or held the highest priestly order in his day the way Levi was Aaronic and lower priesthood in Moses day. Paul who was trained by Gamiel when he was Saul to take his place as chief Pharisee explains to the Pharisees in the book of Hebrews that Christ has by right of birth the Melchizedek royal priesthood. Much higher than the Aaronic priesthood.According to some of the Hebrew Christian traditions Christ had a Persian as well as a Jewish line and that was why the Magi came to acknowledge him as king, creator, and high priest of the Magian line. Only Mede/Persian royalty were allowed to be Magian Priests and they had been taught of the Messiah or god of Light and Truth by Daniel the prophet (Zarathustra meaning Old Camel meaning old messenger) in Susa 500 years earlier. The Magi knew of this Messiah by the name of Mithras.The Persian line came through Mary's father Joachim who was a descendant of Esther and Ashurhus or Artaxerxes and therefore Cyrus the Great who God calls his son, his shepherd, his anointed. So God evidently didn't have a problem with Median Persian heritage.At the Coptic monastery of Wadi el Naturan in Egypt is a painting of Moses, Isaiah on one side of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and Ezekiel and Daniel on the other side, painted in the 300's. The first three prophets are dressed in robes and Daniel as a Persian in Mithric hat (often called Pythagrian) and Persian pants. All four hold open scrolls declaring their prophesy of an angel coming to a virgin to announce the birth of the Messiah. So as far back as that there was belief Daniel taught in Persia the birth of the Messiah or Mithras. Also in front of Mary is a small incense altar with a blue flame which is very Mithric.In John Chapter 8:48 the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan which he doesn't deny but addresses only the accusation he has a devil in him. "Say we not well thou art a Samaritan..." In other words say we not well you have a Persian line as well as Jewish like the Samaritans? Also despite many modern groups speculating on other places than Israel that Jesus may have lived or taught in the only other actual documented place was Samaria which apparently Christ lumped in with his claim to have "only" taught the Israelites during his ministry and left the rest of the world to his disciples to teach.The back ground of the name "Joachim" is rather interesting. One of Solomon's pillars on the Temple was named Joachim and the other Boaz. We know Boaz was the father of Jesse, the father of King David. But who was the Joachim important enough to be given the other pillar. For being such an important name it is no where mentioned in the king James version of the bible. Yet these are the two supports of the temple and house of Jehovah when he visits. The name of Joachim doesn't seem to show up until being the grandfather of Jesus. But if Boaz is realted to David and David to Christ would not the other name be as well? And if Boaz is the Davidic line whos is Joachim's if not Davidic or Juda? Yet the name shows up in other Jewish/Christian writings as a progenitor and a Persian who converts to marry Anna and become the parents of Mary.{Joachim's Persian line back to Cyrus the Great also later involves the Sassanid royal emblem of the blue feathered serpent which is mentioned as far back as to Agnamemnon, King of Mycenae (of the fall of Troy fame), emblem of a blue feathered serpent on his belt. A Mycenae connection going back to Perses and the Persians and why in Christ's day and later the Persians are using the same emblem.A blue feathered serpent also is portrayed in many Medieval European paintings as one of the pillars of the temple instead of a regular pillar. Also in other pictures is shown a blue feathered serpent having Christ on the Cross or holding Christ holding a small cross coming out of its mouth as if being born of it. This is also the emblem of the Sforza and Visconti families of Tuscany and is called a Biscone. Again a very long story}Christ used many double or triple meanings in some of his statements to the Pharisees (also spelled Farsi's for the Jews that practiced the Babylonian Jewish Kabala and the Faris or Fairies of the Persian colony in Ireland from the 400's AD Sassanid/Saxon subgroup period who's original homeland was Fars/Persia).The most famous double meaning being "tear down this temple and in three days I will rebuild it"...meaning his body not the literal temple.As an aside, the Grail story stems from the Sassa Persian period and is called Parzival which means Persian Fate? Why would one of the most important stories of Europe be called "Persian" fate? Again my entire answer to that would take many pages.In a nut shell, in 1207 Wolfram Eschenbach tells of his Lord Kayot (William of Orange/Nassau) finding and buying the record of the Grail story in Toledo Spain and that story starts in the 400's. The man Kayot bought it from had had a Jewish mother and "pagan" father who offered incense to a calf of Jupiter. I interpret this as a man who believed in Mithras and here is why. Emperor Marcus Aurilius belonged to the Mithras religion and held the highest title of that order called a Father of Fathers. Historians claim he was a Stoic because of his attitudes towards food, pain, feelings, and work but his life describes a follower of Mithras as well. The fact he was a Father of Fathers means he was very Mithric. However in his day the old Roman religion still prevailed in Rome if not the Army and he was required to burn incense to these gods for political reasons. He chose Jupiter because he was considered "Father" of the gods and closest to his own beliefs of the Order of the Fathers. Also his Mithric altar would have shown Mithras slaying a white bull another symbol of Jupiter. Other officers followed suit.Also Kayot had to learn a "pagan" language to read the grail record he bought.As most people know the grail story is connected to Christ's story and that evidently has a strong Persian foundation through the house of Anjou or the Ange family of Trebisond (Jason and the Golden Fleece land) and the descendents of the Medes.Back to double meanings...for instance the term "Son of Man" Christ applied to himself was understood by the Pharisees as his being a descendant of the Mannai absorbed by the Medes who in turn were absorbed by the Persians. The Pharisees never challenged this claim but what Christ was also really saying was that he was the son of Man meaning God the Father who one of his names is Man of Holiness. Later Christ got blunt and called himself the son of God which he had been saying all along with his Son of Man statement and the Pharisees freaked out and screamed blasphemy. Christ called the Pharisees the Sons of Men which was also a play on words as Men/Min was an pagan Egyptian bull god of Egypt. He made it clearer in Chapter 8 of the Gospel of John when he says to them I am from above, you are from below, I do the work of my father and you do the work of your father who was a murderer and liar from the beginning.I.E their father was the same golden calf their ancestors worshiped in the Exodus. He accused them of being as guilty as their ancestors for killing prophets.Like wise the "title" Cephas/Cephus/Cepheus" has quite a background. Christ often taught something then said "those who have ears hear and those who have eyes see" which means more was being said then understood by the general listeners but those in the know would fully understand the deeper meanings.The title Cephas went way beyond the term stone or rock... it meant an actual special ancestor that belonged to Peter as much as it did to Jesus.The apostle Simon was a Galliean who were known for mixed lineages and held in contempt by the "purebreds" in Jerusalem. So Jesus who was about to attend his last Passover and fulfill his destiny of at-one-ment on the cross he then transfers the title of "the Cephas" to his priestly heir. He doesn't just say here is a new name but says You Are Cephas or you are THE Cephas or head of the Melchisdek order while Peter lives. Which by the way Peter never transferred during his life time and left all the Christian leadership no higher then a bishop Aaronic level and all these bishops scrambling to establish who is the next man in charge. Why?. When Christ clearly established the method of transfer when Peter, James, and John were invited into the cloud to converse with Moses, Christ, and Elias and the keys to seal things on heaven and on earth given on the Mt. of Transfiguration. Again a long answer.The Melchisdek or Priesthood of the Meleks (kings) also tie into the later Sassanids but no room here to go into all the connections.The Greeks who later translated the scriptures into Greek didn't get the significance of the Cephas title and went with the term stone or Petros little stone without understanding the deeper meaning.Noah had named his 4th son Cephas...The Rock... and from this rock the Mannai would come the Messiah (which also coinsides with the story of Mithras emerging or born of a rock). By the time the prophesy of the god of light and truth coming as a god/mortal from the line of Cephas reached Christ's day it had been warped and degraded beyond recognition into pagan myth. However, the Mithric Roman Centurions converted almost entirely over to Christ being Mithras by 313 and Constintine's day. Three Centurions in the New Testament proclaim he is the Son of God and the understanding of Christ as Mithras is documented on the walls of Duras-Europa in Syria. Though actually born in the spring the Centurians keep winter soltice as the symbol of the god of light. Going from the darkest day into the increasing light. With the birth of Christ/Mithras came the increasing light.So some of the multiple meanings of Christ saying "Upon this rock I build my church" are....A. Upon this rock (Cephas- the Melchizedek Priesthood) I build my church.B. Upon this rock ( revelation) I build my church (in context of the whole episode of Peter declaring Christ as Messiah by the Holy Spirit)C. Upon this rock (Peter - as his priestly heir to chief authority over the 12) I build mychurch.D. Upon this rock (earth) I build my church. According to the gospel of John, in the New Testament, in all the worlds without end this was the only time and only place the Father "begat" a son not in the dust from the earth Adam format. So the Church of the Son, which had a spiritual existence from even before the earth was formed, was now given a mortal body or physical space on this tiny third rock from the Sun.All four meanings are correct at the same time just by the term rock.In 1Peter 2:9 Peter tells the Jews (not the Levites or gentiles but Jews) living scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (old Mede/Mithric lands) that they are not just royal by descent from David but have a an actual right to a royal "priesthood" or quote "But ye are the chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."The Jews at Christ's day only knew of or acknowledged the Levite tribe to have any priesthood rights but Paul and the disciples learned otherwise and declared it. The Magi knew it and threw themselves down at the feet of a two year old who was their Shahenshah or King of Kings. They understood who and what Jesus was. The term Je-sus meaning Jehovah of water or Jehovah saves by water ie. baptism and Living Water. The -sus part coming from the term used by the Egyptian princess when she took Mo (servant) -ses/sus (of the water.)The chosen generation meant that finally there was a generation to see a major prophesy of the past fulfilled in their day and they were to be the generation brought back to who they are and what they are that had been lost. It became their job to proclaim this fulfillment and restored this information and pass it on.I know someone can change this answer but if you don't agree just put it in a new section below and why you think the way you do that way it will leave the reader both sides to compare and not left wondering what is going on. thanks...Hooked on History

Where did Prophet Muhammad declare hazrat ali as the imam?

The following is a description of the historic event of Ghadir Khumm. Click on the book icons below to see the detailed references backing up each key element of this event. The separation into contexts enables one to see how well each component of the event is attested in the sources. For example, to see how many Sunni sources record the sentence uttered by the Prophet [s] to appoint Imam 'Ali [a] - man kuntu mawlahu fa `Aliyyun mawlahu - click here: . ---- The Farewell PilgrimageTen years after the migration (hijrah), the Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings be upon him and his Progeny] ordered to his close followers to call all the people in different places to join him in his last pilgrimage. On this pilgrimage he taught them how to perform the pilgrimage in a correct and unified form. This was first time that the Muslims with this magnitude gathered in one place in the presence of their leader, the Messenger of Allah [s]. On his way to Makkah, more than seventy thousand people followed Prophet [s]. On the fourth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah more than one hundred thousand Muslims had entered Makkah. ---- Date The date of this event was the 18th of Dhu'l-Hijjah of the year 10 AH (10 March 632 CE). ---- Location After completing his last pilgrimage (Hajjatul-Wada'), Prophet [s] was leaving Makkah toward Madinah, where he and the crowd of people reached a place called Ghadir Khumm (which is close to today's al-Juhfah). It was a place where people from different provinces used to greet each other before taking different routes for their homes. ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:67In this place, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "O Apostle! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don't do it, you have not delivered His message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people ..." (Qur'an 5:67) The last sentence in the above verse indicates that the Prophet [s] was mindful of the reaction of his people in delivering that message but Allah informs him not to worry, for He will protect His Messenger from people. ---- The SermonUpon receiving the verse, the Prophet [s] stopped on that place (the pond of Khumm) which was extremely hot. Then he sent for all people who have been ahead in the way, to come back and waited until all pilgrims who fell behind, arrived and gathered. He ordered Salman [r] to use rocks and camel toolings to make a pulpit (minbar) so he could make his announcement. It was around noon time in the first of the Fall, and due to the extreme heat in that valley, people were wrapping their robes around their feet and legs, and were sitting around the pulpit, on the hot rocks. On this day the Messenger of Allah [s] spent approximately five hours in this place; three hours of which he was on the pulpit. He recited nearly one hundred verses from The Glorious Quran, and for seventy three times reminded and warned people of their deeds and future. Then he gave them a long speech. The following is a part of his speech which has been widely narrated by the Sunni traditionists: ---- Tradition of the Two Weighty Things (thaqalayn) The Messenger of Allah [s] declared: "It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny, that is my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)."[See also: Hadith al-Thaqalayn: A Study of its tawatur] ---- Acknowledgement of Authority Then the Messenger of Allah continued: "Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?" People cried and answered: "Yes, O' Messenger of God." ---- Text (nass) of the Designation Then followed the key sentence denoting the clear designation of 'Ali as the leader of the Muslim ummah. The Prophet [s] held up the hand of 'Ali and said: "For whoever I am his Leader (mawla), 'Ali is his Leader (mawla)." ---- [In some narrations the word used was wali rather than mawla - with the same implication] ---- The Prophet [s] continued: "O' God, love those who love him, and be hostile to those who are hostile to him." ---- These were the key parts of the speech of the Prophet [s]. There are also more detailed versions of this sermon which are recorded by many Sunni authorities. 'Coronation' of Imam 'Ali [a][under development] ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:3Immediately after the Prophet [s] finished his speech, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "Today I have perfected your religion and completed my favour upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam be your religion." (Qur'an 5:3) The above verse clearly indicates that Islam without clearing up matter of leadership after Prophet [s] was not complete, and completion of religion was due to announcement of the Prophet's immediate successor. ---- Hassan b. Thabit's poetryImmediately after the Prophet's speech, Hassan b. Thabit, the Companion and poet of the Messenger of Allah [s], asked for his permission to compose a few verses of poetry about Imam 'Ali [a] for the audience. The Prophet [s] said: "Say with the blessings of Allah". Hassan stood up and said: "O' people of Quraysh. I follow with my words what preceded and witnessed by the Messenger of Allah [s]. He then composed the following verses at the scene: He calls them, (on) the day of Ghadir, their ProphetIn Khumm so hear (and heed) the Messenger's call,He said: "Who is your guide and leader? (mawlakum wa waliyyukum)"They said, and there was no apparent blindness (clearly):"Your God, our guide, and you are our leaderAnd you won't find from among us, in this, any disobedient,"He said to him: "Stand up O' Ali, for I ampleased to announce you Imam and guide after me (min ba'di imam(an) wa hadiy(an)),So whomever I was his leader (mawla), then this is his leader (mawla)So be to him supporters in truth and followers,"There he prayed: "Allah! Be a friend and guide to his followerAnd be, to the one who is Ali's enemy, an enemy" ---- Oath of AllegianceAfter his speech, the Messenger of Allah [s] asked everybody to give the oath of allegiance to 'Ali [a] and congratulate him. Among those who did so was 'Umar b. al-Khattab, who said: "Well done Ibn Abi Talib! Today you became the Leader (mawla) of all believing men and women." ---- Number of Companions in Ghadir KhummAllah ordered His Prophet [s] to inform the people of this designation at a time of crowded populous so that all could become the narrators of the tradition, while they exceeded a hundred thousand. Narrated by Zayd b. Arqam: Abu al-Tufayl said: "I heard it from the Messenger of Allah [s], and there was no one (there) except that he saw him with his eyes and heard him with his ears." ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 70:1-3Some Sunni commentators further report that the first three verses of the chapter of al-Ma'arij (70:1-3) were revealed when a dispute arose after the Prophet [s] reached Madinah. It is recorded that: On the day of Ghadir the Messenger of Allah summoned the people toward 'Ali and said: "Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla." The news spread quickly all over urban and rural areas. When Harith Ibn Nu'man al-Fahri (or Nadhr Ibn Harith according to another tradition) came to know of it, he rode his camel and came to Madinah and went to the Messenger of Allah [s] and said to him: "You commanded us to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah. We obeyed you. You ordered us to perform the prayers five times a day and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during the month of Ramadhan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us to offer pilgrimage to Makkah and we obeyed. But you are not satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by your hand and imposed him upon us as our master by saying `Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla.' Is this imposition from Allah or from you?" The Prophet [s] said : "By Allah who is the only deity! This is from Allah, the Mighty and the Glorious." On hearing this Harith turned back and proceeded towards his she-camel saying: "O Allah! If what Muhammad said is correct then fling on us a stone from the sky and subject us to severe pain and torture." He had not reached his she-camel when Allah, who is above all defects, flung at him a stone which struck him on his head, penetrated his body and passed out through his lower body and left him dead. It was on this occasion that Allah, the exalted, caused to descend the following verses: "A questioner questioned about the punishment to fall. For the disbelievers there is nothing to avert it, from Allah the Lord of the Ascent." (70:1-3) ---- Presented by the Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project team The following is a description of the historic event of Ghadir Khumm. Click on the book icons below to see the detailed references backing up each key element of this event. The separation into contexts enables one to see how well each component of the event is attested in the sources. For example, to see how many Sunni sources record the sentence uttered by the Prophet [s] to appoint Imam 'Ali [a] - man kuntu mawlahu fa `Aliyyun mawlahu - click here: . ---- The Farewell PilgrimageTen years after the migration (hijrah), the Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings be upon him and his Progeny] ordered to his close followers to call all the people in different places to join him in his last pilgrimage. On this pilgrimage he taught them how to perform the pilgrimage in a correct and unified form. This was first time that the Muslims with this magnitude gathered in one place in the presence of their leader, the Messenger of Allah [s]. On his way to Makkah, more than seventy thousand people followed Prophet [s]. On the fourth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah more than one hundred thousand Muslims had entered Makkah. ---- Date The date of this event was the 18th of Dhu'l-Hijjah of the year 10 AH (10 March 632 CE). ---- Location After completing his last pilgrimage (Hajjatul-Wada'), Prophet [s] was leaving Makkah toward Madinah, where he and the crowd of people reached a place called Ghadir Khumm (which is close to today's al-Juhfah). It was a place where people from different provinces used to greet each other before taking different routes for their homes. ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:67In this place, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "O Apostle! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don't do it, you have not delivered His message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people ..." (Qur'an 5:67) The last sentence in the above verse indicates that the Prophet [s] was mindful of the reaction of his people in delivering that message but Allah informs him not to worry, for He will protect His Messenger from people. ---- The SermonUpon receiving the verse, the Prophet [s] stopped on that place (the pond of Khumm) which was extremely hot. Then he sent for all people who have been ahead in the way, to come back and waited until all pilgrims who fell behind, arrived and gathered. He ordered Salman [r] to use rocks and camel toolings to make a pulpit (minbar) so he could make his announcement. It was around noon time in the first of the Fall, and due to the extreme heat in that valley, people were wrapping their robes around their feet and legs, and were sitting around the pulpit, on the hot rocks. On this day the Messenger of Allah [s] spent approximately five hours in this place; three hours of which he was on the pulpit. He recited nearly one hundred verses from The Glorious Quran, and for seventy three times reminded and warned people of their deeds and future. Then he gave them a long speech. The following is a part of his speech which has been widely narrated by the Sunni traditionists: ---- Tradition of the Two Weighty Things (thaqalayn) The Messenger of Allah [s] declared: "It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny, that is my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)."[See also: Hadith al-Thaqalayn: A Study of its tawatur] ---- Acknowledgement of Authority Then the Messenger of Allah continued: "Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?" People cried and answered: "Yes, O' Messenger of God." ---- Text (nass) of the Designation Then followed the key sentence denoting the clear designation of 'Ali as the leader of the Muslim ummah. The Prophet [s] held up the hand of 'Ali and said: "For whoever I am his Leader (mawla), 'Ali is his Leader (mawla)." ---- [In some narrations the word used was wali rather than mawla - with the same implication] ---- The Prophet [s] continued: "O' God, love those who love him, and be hostile to those who are hostile to him." ---- These were the key parts of the speech of the Prophet [s]. There are also more detailed versions of this sermon which are recorded by many Sunni authorities. 'Coronation' of Imam 'Ali [a][under development] ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:3Immediately after the Prophet [s] finished his speech, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "Today I have perfected your religion and completed my favour upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam be your religion." (Qur'an 5:3) The above verse clearly indicates that Islam without clearing up matter of leadership after Prophet [s] was not complete, and completion of religion was due to announcement of the Prophet's immediate successor. ---- Hassan b. Thabit's poetryImmediately after the Prophet's speech, Hassan b. Thabit, the Companion and poet of the Messenger of Allah [s], asked for his permission to compose a few verses of poetry about Imam 'Ali [a] for the audience. The Prophet [s] said: "Say with the blessings of Allah". Hassan stood up and said: "O' people of Quraysh. I follow with my words what preceded and witnessed by the Messenger of Allah [s]. He then composed the following verses at the scene: He calls them, (on) the day of Ghadir, their ProphetIn Khumm so hear (and heed) the Messenger's call,He said: "Who is your guide and leader? (mawlakum wa waliyyukum)"They said, and there was no apparent blindness (clearly):"Your God, our guide, and you are our leaderAnd you won't find from among us, in this, any disobedient,"He said to him: "Stand up O' Ali, for I ampleased to announce you Imam and guide after me (min ba'di imam(an) wa hadiy(an)),So whomever I was his leader (mawla), then this is his leader (mawla)So be to him supporters in truth and followers,"There he prayed: "Allah! Be a friend and guide to his followerAnd be, to the one who is Ali's enemy, an enemy" ---- Oath of AllegianceAfter his speech, the Messenger of Allah [s] asked everybody to give the oath of allegiance to 'Ali [a] and congratulate him. Among those who did so was 'Umar b. al-Khattab, who said: "Well done Ibn Abi Talib! Today you became the Leader (mawla) of all believing men and women." ---- Number of Companions in Ghadir KhummAllah ordered His Prophet [s] to inform the people of this designation at a time of crowded populous so that all could become the narrators of the tradition, while they exceeded a hundred thousand. Narrated by Zayd b. Arqam: Abu al-Tufayl said: "I heard it from the Messenger of Allah [s], and there was no one (there) except that he saw him with his eyes and heard him with his ears." ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 70:1-3Some Sunni commentators further report that the first three verses of the chapter of al-Ma'arij (70:1-3) were revealed when a dispute arose after the Prophet [s] reached Madinah. It is recorded that: On the day of Ghadir the Messenger of Allah summoned the people toward 'Ali and said: "Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla." The news spread quickly all over urban and rural areas. When Harith Ibn Nu'man al-Fahri (or Nadhr Ibn Harith according to another tradition) came to know of it, he rode his camel and came to Madinah and went to the Messenger of Allah [s] and said to him: "You commanded us to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah. We obeyed you. You ordered us to perform the prayers five times a day and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during the month of Ramadhan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us to offer pilgrimage to Makkah and we obeyed. But you are not satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by your hand and imposed him upon us as our master by saying `Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla.' Is this imposition from Allah or from you?" The Prophet [s] said : "By Allah who is the only deity! This is from Allah, the Mighty and the Glorious." On hearing this Harith turned back and proceeded towards his she-camel saying: "O Allah! If what Muhammad said is correct then fling on us a stone from the sky and subject us to severe pain and torture." He had not reached his she-camel when Allah, who is above all defects, flung at him a stone which struck him on his head, penetrated his body and passed out through his lower body and left him dead. It was on this occasion that Allah, the exalted, caused to descend the following verses: "A questioner questioned about the punishment to fall. For the disbelievers there is nothing to avert it, from Allah the Lord of the Ascent." (70:1-3) ---- Presented by the Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project team The following is a description of the historic event of Ghadir Khumm. Click on the book icons below to see the detailed references backing up each key element of this event. The separation into contexts enables one to see how well each component of the event is attested in the sources. For example, to see how many Sunni sources record the sentence uttered by the Prophet [s] to appoint Imam 'Ali [a] - man kuntu mawlahu fa `Aliyyun mawlahu - click here: . ---- The Farewell PilgrimageTen years after the migration (hijrah), the Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings be upon him and his Progeny] ordered to his close followers to call all the people in different places to join him in his last pilgrimage. On this pilgrimage he taught them how to perform the pilgrimage in a correct and unified form. This was first time that the Muslims with this magnitude gathered in one place in the presence of their leader, the Messenger of Allah [s]. On his way to Makkah, more than seventy thousand people followed Prophet [s]. On the fourth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah more than one hundred thousand Muslims had entered Makkah. ---- Date The date of this event was the 18th of Dhu'l-Hijjah of the year 10 AH (10 March 632 CE). ---- Location After completing his last pilgrimage (Hajjatul-Wada'), Prophet [s] was leaving Makkah toward Madinah, where he and the crowd of people reached a place called Ghadir Khumm (which is close to today's al-Juhfah). It was a place where people from different provinces used to greet each other before taking different routes for their homes. ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:67In this place, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "O Apostle! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don't do it, you have not delivered His message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people ..." (Qur'an 5:67) The last sentence in the above verse indicates that the Prophet [s] was mindful of the reaction of his people in delivering that message but Allah informs him not to worry, for He will protect His Messenger from people. ---- The SermonUpon receiving the verse, the Prophet [s] stopped on that place (the pond of Khumm) which was extremely hot. Then he sent for all people who have been ahead in the way, to come back and waited until all pilgrims who fell behind, arrived and gathered. He ordered Salman [r] to use rocks and camel toolings to make a pulpit (minbar) so he could make his announcement. It was around noon time in the first of the Fall, and due to the extreme heat in that valley, people were wrapping their robes around their feet and legs, and were sitting around the pulpit, on the hot rocks. On this day the Messenger of Allah [s] spent approximately five hours in this place; three hours of which he was on the pulpit. He recited nearly one hundred verses from The Glorious Quran, and for seventy three times reminded and warned people of their deeds and future. Then he gave them a long speech. The following is a part of his speech which has been widely narrated by the Sunni traditionists: ---- Tradition of the Two Weighty Things (thaqalayn) The Messenger of Allah [s] declared: "It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny, that is my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)."[See also: Hadith al-Thaqalayn: A Study of its tawatur] ---- Acknowledgement of Authority Then the Messenger of Allah continued: "Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?" People cried and answered: "Yes, O' Messenger of God." ---- Text (nass) of the Designation Then followed the key sentence denoting the clear designation of 'Ali as the leader of the Muslim ummah. The Prophet [s] held up the hand of 'Ali and said: "For whoever I am his Leader (mawla), 'Ali is his Leader (mawla)." ---- [In some narrations the word used was wali rather than mawla - with the same implication] ---- The Prophet [s] continued: "O' God, love those who love him, and be hostile to those who are hostile to him." ---- These were the key parts of the speech of the Prophet [s]. There are also more detailed versions of this sermon which are recorded by many Sunni authorities. 'Coronation' of Imam 'Ali [a][under development] ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:3Immediately after the Prophet [s] finished his speech, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "Today I have perfected your religion and completed my favour upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam be your religion." (Qur'an 5:3) The above verse clearly indicates that Islam without clearing up matter of leadership after Prophet [s] was not complete, and completion of religion was due to announcement of the Prophet's immediate successor. ---- Hassan b. Thabit's poetryImmediately after the Prophet's speech, Hassan b. Thabit, the Companion and poet of the Messenger of Allah [s], asked for his permission to compose a few verses of poetry about Imam 'Ali [a] for the audience. The Prophet [s] said: "Say with the blessings of Allah". Hassan stood up and said: "O' people of Quraysh. I follow with my words what preceded and witnessed by the Messenger of Allah [s]. He then composed the following verses at the scene: He calls them, (on) the day of Ghadir, their ProphetIn Khumm so hear (and heed) the Messenger's call,He said: "Who is your guide and leader? (mawlakum wa waliyyukum)"They said, and there was no apparent blindness (clearly):"Your God, our guide, and you are our leaderAnd you won't find from among us, in this, any disobedient,"He said to him: "Stand up O' Ali, for I ampleased to announce you Imam and guide after me (min ba'di imam(an) wa hadiy(an)),So whomever I was his leader (mawla), then this is his leader (mawla)So be to him supporters in truth and followers,"There he prayed: "Allah! Be a friend and guide to his followerAnd be, to the one who is Ali's enemy, an enemy" ---- Oath of AllegianceAfter his speech, the Messenger of Allah [s] asked everybody to give the oath of allegiance to 'Ali [a] and congratulate him. Among those who did so was 'Umar b. al-Khattab, who said: "Well done Ibn Abi Talib! Today you became the Leader (mawla) of all believing men and women." ---- Number of Companions in Ghadir KhummAllah ordered His Prophet [s] to inform the people of this designation at a time of crowded populous so that all could become the narrators of the tradition, while they exceeded a hundred thousand. Narrated by Zayd b. Arqam: Abu al-Tufayl said: "I heard it from the Messenger of Allah [s], and there was no one (there) except that he saw him with his eyes and heard him with his ears." ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 70:1-3Some Sunni commentators further report that the first three verses of the chapter of al-Ma'arij (70:1-3) were revealed when a dispute arose after the Prophet [s] reached Madinah. It is recorded that: On the day of Ghadir the Messenger of Allah summoned the people toward 'Ali and said: "Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla." The news spread quickly all over urban and rural areas. When Harith Ibn Nu'man al-Fahri (or Nadhr Ibn Harith according to another tradition) came to know of it, he rode his camel and came to Madinah and went to the Messenger of Allah [s] and said to him: "You commanded us to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah. We obeyed you. You ordered us to perform the prayers five times a day and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during the month of Ramadhan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us to offer pilgrimage to Makkah and we obeyed. But you are not satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by your hand and imposed him upon us as our master by saying `Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla.' Is this imposition from Allah or from you?" The Prophet [s] said : "By Allah who is the only deity! This is from Allah, the Mighty and the Glorious." On hearing this Harith turned back and proceeded towards his she-camel saying: "O Allah! If what Muhammad said is correct then fling on us a stone from the sky and subject us to severe pain and torture." He had not reached his she-camel when Allah, who is above all defects, flung at him a stone which struck him on his head, penetrated his body and passed out through his lower body and left him dead. It was on this occasion that Allah, the exalted, caused to descend the following verses: "A questioner questioned about the punishment to fall. For the disbelievers there is nothing to avert it, from Allah the Lord of the Ascent." (70:1-3) ---- Presented by the Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project team The following is a description of the historic event of Ghadir Khumm. Click on the book icons below to see the detailed references backing up each key element of this event. The separation into contexts enables one to see how well each component of the event is attested in the sources. For example, to see how many Sunni sources record the sentence uttered by the Prophet [s] to appoint Imam 'Ali [a] - man kuntu mawlahu fa `Aliyyun mawlahu - click here: . ---- The Farewell PilgrimageTen years after the migration (hijrah), the Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings be upon him and his Progeny] ordered to his close followers to call all the people in different places to join him in his last pilgrimage. On this pilgrimage he taught them how to perform the pilgrimage in a correct and unified form. This was first time that the Muslims with this magnitude gathered in one place in the presence of their leader, the Messenger of Allah [s]. On his way to Makkah, more than seventy thousand people followed Prophet [s]. On the fourth day of Dhu'l-Hijjah more than one hundred thousand Muslims had entered Makkah. ---- Date The date of this event was the 18th of Dhu'l-Hijjah of the year 10 AH (10 March 632 CE). ---- Location After completing his last pilgrimage (Hajjatul-Wada'), Prophet [s] was leaving Makkah toward Madinah, where he and the crowd of people reached a place called Ghadir Khumm (which is close to today's al-Juhfah). It was a place where people from different provinces used to greet each other before taking different routes for their homes. ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:67In this place, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "O Apostle! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don't do it, you have not delivered His message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people ..." (Qur'an 5:67) The last sentence in the above verse indicates that the Prophet [s] was mindful of the reaction of his people in delivering that message but Allah informs him not to worry, for He will protect His Messenger from people. ---- The SermonUpon receiving the verse, the Prophet [s] stopped on that place (the pond of Khumm) which was extremely hot. Then he sent for all people who have been ahead in the way, to come back and waited until all pilgrims who fell behind, arrived and gathered. He ordered Salman [r] to use rocks and camel toolings to make a pulpit (minbar) so he could make his announcement. It was around noon time in the first of the Fall, and due to the extreme heat in that valley, people were wrapping their robes around their feet and legs, and were sitting around the pulpit, on the hot rocks. On this day the Messenger of Allah [s] spent approximately five hours in this place; three hours of which he was on the pulpit. He recited nearly one hundred verses from The Glorious Quran, and for seventy three times reminded and warned people of their deeds and future. Then he gave them a long speech. The following is a part of his speech which has been widely narrated by the Sunni traditionists: ---- Tradition of the Two Weighty Things (thaqalayn) The Messenger of Allah [s] declared: "It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny, that is my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)."[See also: Hadith al-Thaqalayn: A Study of its tawatur] ---- Acknowledgement of Authority Then the Messenger of Allah continued: "Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?" People cried and answered: "Yes, O' Messenger of God." ---- Text (nass) of the Designation Then followed the key sentence denoting the clear designation of 'Ali as the leader of the Muslim ummah. The Prophet [s] held up the hand of 'Ali and said: "For whoever I am his Leader (mawla), 'Ali is his Leader (mawla)." ---- [In some narrations the word used was wali rather than mawla - with the same implication] ---- The Prophet [s] continued: "O' God, love those who love him, and be hostile to those who are hostile to him." ---- These were the key parts of the speech of the Prophet [s]. There are also more detailed versions of this sermon which are recorded by many Sunni authorities. 'Coronation' of Imam 'Ali [a][under development] ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:3Immediately after the Prophet [s] finished his speech, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "Today I have perfected your religion and completed my favour upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam be your religion." (Qur'an 5:3) The above verse clearly indicates that Islam without clearing up matter of leadership after Prophet [s] was not complete, and completion of religion was due to announcement of the Prophet's immediate successor. ---- Hassan b. Thabit's poetryImmediately after the Prophet's speech, Hassan b. Thabit, the Companion and poet of the Messenger of Allah [s], asked for his permission to compose a few verses of poetry about Imam 'Ali [a] for the audience. The Prophet [s] said: "Say with the blessings of Allah". Hassan stood up and said: "O' people of Quraysh. I follow with my words what preceded and witnessed by the Messenger of Allah [s]. He then composed the following verses at the scene: He calls them, (on) the day of Ghadir, their ProphetIn Khumm so hear (and heed) the Messenger's call,He said: "Who is your guide and leader? (mawlakum wa waliyyukum)"They said, and there was no apparent blindness (clearly):"Your God, our guide, and you are our leaderAnd you won't find from among us, in this, any disobedient,"He said to him: "Stand up O' Ali, for I ampleased to announce you Imam and guide after me (min ba'di imam(an) wa hadiy(an)),So whomever I was his leader (mawla), then this is his leader (mawla)So be to him supporters in truth and followers,"There he prayed: "Allah! Be a friend and guide to his followerAnd be, to the one who is Ali's enemy, an enemy" ---- Oath of AllegianceAfter his speech, the Messenger of Allah [s] asked everybody to give the oath of allegiance to 'Ali [a] and congratulate him. Among those who did so was 'Umar b. al-Khattab, who said: "Well done Ibn Abi Talib! Today you became the Leader (mawla) of all believing men and women." ---- Number of Companions in Ghadir KhummAllah ordered His Prophet [s] to inform the people of this designation at a time of crowded populous so that all could become the narrators of the tradition, while they exceeded a hundred thousand. Narrated by Zayd b. Arqam: Abu al-Tufayl said: "I heard it from the Messenger of Allah [s], and there was no one (there) except that he saw him with his eyes and heard him with his ears." ---- Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 70:1-3Some Sunni commentators further report that the first three verses of the chapter of al-Ma'arij (70:1-3) were revealed when a dispute arose after the Prophet [s] reached Madinah. It is recorded that: On the day of Ghadir the Messenger of Allah summoned the people toward 'Ali and said: "Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla." The news spread quickly all over urban and rural areas. When Harith Ibn Nu'man al-Fahri (or Nadhr Ibn Harith according to another tradition) came to know of it, he rode his camel and came to Madinah and went to the Messenger of Allah [s] and said to him: "You commanded us to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah. We obeyed you. You ordered us to perform the prayers five times a day and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during the month of Ramadhan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us to offer pilgrimage to Makkah and we obeyed. But you are not satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by your hand and imposed him upon us as our master by saying `Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla.' Is this imposition from Allah or from you?" The Prophet [s] said : "By Allah who is the only deity! This is from Allah, the Mighty and the Glorious." On hearing this Harith turned back and proceeded towards his she-camel saying: "O Allah! If what Muhammad said is correct then fling on us a stone from the sky and subject us to severe pain and torture." He had not reached his she-camel when Allah, who is above all defects, flung at him a stone which struck him on his head, penetrated his body and passed out through his lower body and left him dead. It was on this occasion that Allah, the exalted, caused to descend the following verses: "A questioner questioned about the punishment to fall. For the disbelievers there is nothing to avert it, from Allah the Lord of the Ascent." (70:1-3) ---- Presented by the Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project team

What the priests of ancient Egypt did?

Those who spoke to the Gods and Goddesses were the Priests and Priestesses supposedly a carry-over from the time of Atlantis. They were the souls who carried the sacred knowledge about creation and the nature of our reality. There were initiates who studied the knowledge of both the sacred mystery teachings and the religious philosophies of the times. This sacred knowledge would be passed down in many forms including the genetics of certain souls. That information would one day be brought out into the open in its truest form. That time is NOW! Because the Pharaoh could not perform ceremonies at all the temples throughout Egypt, he appointed high priests to carry out the sacred rituals at each temple. Priests often passed down their positions from father to son. They enjoyed great power and wealth in Egyptian society. The priests' duties were to care for the gods and attend to their needs. They also performed funeral rites, teaching school, supervising the artists and works, and advising people on problems. The priesthood of ancient Egypt has a far reaching and deep history, rooted within the traditions of Ancient Egypt. Unlike the orthodox priesthoods usually found within Western society, the role of the Egyptian priest or priestess was vastly different within the society as a whole. Rather than seek the divine and develop a rapport with the gods, the role of the priest was akin to an everyday job. For, as the pharaoh was seen as a god himself, the priests and priestesses were seen as stand-in's for the pharaoh; as it was the greater job of the priests and priestesses to keep Egyptian society in good order, as is the case with most theoretically based societies. The mystical attributes of the priests and priestesses take on a secondary role, when one considers the heightened role religion played within Egyptian society. Not only was religion a way to attain the ethereal and basic needs of the Egyptians, but it also served as a mechanism to order society, to create a hierarchy, and to preserve the culture for future generations. As such, the role of the priests and priestesses was both functional and mystical on both levels. A priest or priestess in ancient Egypt was generally chosen by either the king, or attained their post by hereditary means. In either case, the priests who received their positions hereditarily and through the king were not set apart from mundane life. In fact, such priests were made to embrace the mundane life to keep Egyptian society functioning properly (and as stated above it was a job of fairly high status). Though the priesthood had started out simply, with relatively few temples, in the later dynasties the temples expanded into the hundreds. With such growth, a large bureaucracy was needed to keep the temples in good standing; and thenceforth, the small priesthood's of the Egyptians grew from an estimated hundred priests into the thousands, and with it came a priestly hierarchy. The daily life of a priest or priestess depended on their sex and also their hierarchical standing within the priesthood. Priests were often rotated from position to position within the priestly hierarchy and were integrated in and out of mundane society. This rotation system generally went, that a priest would enter into temple life one month, at three times a year. This rotation system had a direct connection to the often stringent purity rites of the priests. Regardless of what status the priest was, there were numerous taboos and tradition's a priest had to or could not partake of. Of these taboos and traditions, a priest or priestess could not eat fish (a food thought to be ascribed to peasant life), could not wear wool (as nearly all animal products were unclean), were generally circumcised (only common among the male priests), and it was not uncommon for priests to bathe three or four times a day in "sacred" purificatory pools. It was also not uncommon for the "oracle" tending priests (one of the most sacred positions), to shave off all of their body hair, partially to get rid of lice, but partially for purificatory functions. These "oracle" priests symbolically gave food to the statues of the gods, clothed the statues of the gods, sealed the temple chamber in the evening, and were known as stolists. As can be seen from the example of the stolists, the need for purity extended not only upon the mundane level, but also held true within the afterlife as well. Further, from such purificatory rites the priests were often times known as the "pure ones" regardless of status within the temples. The priesthood was a civil function in ancient Egypt. Recruited from the local population, the priests served three months at a time then returned to their daily lives. A small core of superior priests, or adepts, served the temple full time. During the New Kingdom, every temple, no matter how small, had at least one resident priest. The function of a priest was to maintain the universal order as dictated by the Gods in the Zep Tepi, or the First Time, the original Golden Age of the High God. To this end, their primary function was to perform the rituals of the Divine Drama, the Great Myth, at the appropriate time and in the correct way. By involving a large portion of the local population in its services, the temple became the center of local culture. The initiation, or installation, of a priest was essentially the same in all temples. A baptism in a sacred pool, symbolic of the waters of Nu, the Cosmic Ocean, washed away all evil. Then the candidate was sprinkled with oil and water as purification, led to the statue of the Goddess and instructed in the secret ways of touching and working with the statue. The candidate then undertakes a ten day fast, at the end of which the mysteries are revealed by some sort of psychic/shamanic experience. Within the temple structure, there were classes of priests. The administrative officials in the large temples, such as Karnak, functioned as a separate group, one not too concerned with religious perspectives. They took care of the business end of the temple and its property. The religious establishment also had its classes. The temple of Amun had five different priestly sections, each with its own sub-divisions. The High Priest of Ptah at Memphis was called "the great chief of all artisans," as all crafts were under the protection of Ptah. These first and second "prophets," mis-translated by the Greeks from the Egyptian "servants of the God," were mostly royal appointments and could be chosen from any level of society. They led the higher ranks of the priesthood in the ritual functions of the temple. In addition to the political administration, the priests and priestesses took on both magical and economic functions, however set apart from the hierarchy of priests are the lay magicians who supplied a commoners understanding of Egyptian religion. Through the use of magic and their connection to the gods, lay magicians provided a service to their community, usually consisting of counseling, magical arts, healing, and ceremony. Lay magicians who served within this last and final caste of the Egyptian priesthood belonged to a large temple known simply as "The House of Life". Laymen would come to "The House of Life" to meet with a magician, priest or priestess to have their dreams interpreted, to supply magical spells and charms, to be healed and to counteract malevolent magic, and to supply incantations of various types. Though the House of Life provided it's Laymen with many prescriptive cures for common ills, it was largely shrouded in mystery in ancient times. In fact, the library of The House of Life was shrouded in great secrecy, as it contained many sacred rites, books, and secrets of the temple itself which were thought could harm the pharaoh, the priests, and all of Egypt itself. Though the magicians of The House of Life, were seen as another step from the ceremonial duties of the priests, they were by no means less important, and as is evidenced by the presence of many magical wands, papyri text, and other archeological evidence, The House of Life took on a role direly important to the way of life of Ancient Egyptians. One final position within the priesthood highly worthy of mention is that of the Scribes. The scribes were highly prized by both the pharaoh and the priesthood, so much so that in some of the pharaoh's tombs, the pharaoh himself is depicted as a scribe in pictographs. The scribes were in charge of writing magical texts, issuing royal decrees, keeping and recording the funerary rites (specifically within The Book of The Dead) and keeping records vital to the bureaucracy of Ancient Egypt. The scribes often spent years working on the craft of making hieroglyphics, and deserve mentioning within the priestly caste as it was considered the highest of honors to be a scribe in any Egyptian court or temple. Finally, worthy of mention, though there is considerable historical evidence telling of the role of priests within the priestly hierarchy, the status of the priestesses was at times equal if not minor to that of the male priesthood. The female priestesses held the main function within the temple's of music and dancing. At Thebes, however, the chief-priestess of Amun bore the title of &OElig;god¹s wife¹; she was the leader of the female music-makers who were regarded as the god¹s harem and were identified with the goddess Hathor, who was associated with love and music. In the Twenty-third Dynasty and afterwards such priestesses were practically rulers of the theocracy, their duties centering around the reverence of Isis, and many other female and male goddesses and gods. ---- The hierarchy of priests consisted of a milieu of offices and duties. At the top of the hierarchy of priests was the high-priest, also known as the sem-priest, and as "the First Prophet of the God". The high-priest was often very wise in years, and old. Not only did he serve as political advisor to the pharaoh, but he was also a political leader for the temples he belonged to as well. The high-priest was in charge of over-seeing magical rites and ceremonies as well as advising the pharaoh. Maintaining a fairly ceremonial position, the high-priest was often times chosen by the pharaoh as an advisor, however, it was not uncommon for a high-priest to have climbed through the ranks to his official status. Below the high-priest were a number of priests with many specialized duties. The specialization of these second tier priests ran from "horology" (keeping an accurate count of the hours through the days, extremely important during the time of the sunboat worshippers, but also for agricultural reasons as well), "astrology" (extremely important as well to the mythology of Egypt as well as to the architectural and calendrical systems of Egypt), to healing. As is obvious by the specialization of the priests, the cycles of the cosmos were extremely important, as they decided when crops would be planted, when the Nile would wax or wane, and further when the temple rites were to begin in the morning. The result of these Egyptian priests studies can be seen in both the mythological studies of Egypt, as well as within the agricultural practices, which rival even the modern Caesarian Calendar still used within the western world today. ---- The "kher heb", or the Lector Priest These sacred scrolls are read out loud by the "kher heb", the lector priest, who is obliged to read them directly from the papyrus book held open in his hands. He has to recite them exactly as they are written, even if he has read them many, many times before, for making a mistake can offend the god. This was done at the official ceremonies and at the head of the processions, when the god was carried out before the people. ---- The "Hem netjer", or the High Priest It was not regarded as important to spread teachings about the god¥s superiority, nor was it the hem netjer's task to see to the people's spiritual or moral welfare. His job was to take care of the god and the god¥s needs, to act as a servant of the god. By treating the god as an important citizen of Egypt, it was ensured that the god would live on and care for the people of Egypt. And the highest priest was Pharao, who acted as a servant to all the different gods, in all the different religious centra throughout the land. He appointed High Priests to act for him at the different temples, their number depending on the size of the temple and the cult's popularity. This appointment to High Priest was both a religious and a political one and sometimes it was held within a powerful family for several generations. ---- Female Servants of God Women from noble families were accepted as "hemet netjers" already in the Old Kingdom. Usually they were attached to the goddesses. It's uncertain what work they really performed, more than being singers, dancers and musicians. At one occasion in the Third Intermediate Period there was a royal lady titled God¥s Wife of Amen. She was served by female acolytes, lived in celibacy and adopted another royal lady to secure the successorship. ---- God's Father The High Priest is also called the First Prophet and could in his turn delegate Second, Third and Fourth Prophets as deputies. The brother-in-law to Amenhotep III, Aanen, was for a long time Second Prophet of Amen at Karnak and High Priest of Re-Atum. Aanen's father Yuya was High Priest of Min at Akhim and also held the title of God's Father, which is believed to mean Father-in-law of the King. But "father of the god" was also used as titles for the priesthood directly below the First Prophet and these persons often held other important duties outside the temples. Yuya was therefore Master of the King¥s Horses and Overseer of the Cattle of the temple of Min, besides being the High Priest of Min. ---- Temple Work and Purity The priesthood was divided into four phyles, i.e. groups, and each phyle worked one month out of three. The servants of the god kept up their normal profession, whatever it was, for eight months of the year, and the remaining months were served at the temple. When in the temple, ritual purity was of utmost importance. Each temple had its own lake where the priests purified themselvs and the ritual vessels that were used in ceremonies, and from where water was taken for the libation offerings. Priests could only wear white linen and sandals made from papyrus, all animal products were considered unclean. The priest who held the leading role in a procession or other ceremony, used the cheetah- or leopard skin robe draped across his back. But that one might also have been an imitation. During temple duty, a priest had to shave off all his bodily hair, even the eye brows and was expected to abstain from sexual activity. Outside of temple duty, they could marry, raise families and live normal lifes. ---- Services and Rituals The god, in the form of a statue, was seated in a shrine, a so called naos, which was built of satone or wood and kept in the innermost chamber of the temple. The statue could be made of stone, gold or gilded wood, inlaid with semi-precious stones and it was not always lifesized. It was not regarded as an idol, but as the receptacle of the deity¥s ka. Three times a day, if not more, rituals were performed at the shrine. At dawn the temple singers awoke the god by singing the Morning Hymn. And after having purified himself, the priest conducting the Morning Service, broke the seal and drew back the bolts that had been tied last night, and the doors to the god was opened. Now the god received the same purification process as the priests already had undergone. Incense was burned and the god was dressed, perfumed and had cosmetics put on, in the same way as the King would have been prepared for the day. ---- The Offerings Then food and drink was put before the god. This was a display of the best that could be found; joints of meat, roasted fowl, bread, fruits, vegetables, beer, wine, and everything in large quantities, out of the temple¥s own kitchens, gardens and farms, and of superior quality. The meat came from animals that had been slaughtered out of the sight of the god, and overseen by a priest who had ensured it was fit to put before the god.No blood or unsightly scenes were allowed before the god. The offerings always included flowers, bound in garlands and in large temples there were gardens with gardeners and florists to ensure the supply and prepare the offerings. Over these offerings the priest poured libations of water, and in a spoon-like saucer, shaped like a forearm with an open palm holding a small pot, incense was burned. Incense was considered the "Perfume of the gods" and as the intention was to stimulate all the senses of the gods, it played an important part in the rituals. Food and drink meant taste, music and singing meant sound, and flowers were added to make the offering beautiful and presentable. So while the god's ka was believed to be absorbing these offerings, musicians, singers and dancers enteratined him. The text of the hymns was simple, with many repetitions of the god¥s attributes and names, and the music could be rattling of the sistrum or menat, percussion, and for special occasions, harp, flute, drums and cymbals. ---- Temple Organization The larger temple centres were like veritable cities and employed all kinds of workers. There were temple bakeries and breweries, and some temples had a fleet of boats and fishermen, hunters and stables with donkeys, there were farms or tenants of land. The produce arrived daily to fill the god¥s storehouses and everything was recorded and kept in books by the temple scribes. On top of that the temple employed craftsmen like stonemasons, painters, carpenters, weavers, scribes and administrators, not to mention the priests. It was a huge organisation and as an example there is Karnak, with a list of more than 81.000 employees! ---- Wages During the time of service in the temple, any employee enjoyed a higher standard than normally. The god's wealth was for all to share, depending of status and type of work. So large, well functioning centras usually held large properties of land, the workers, stone masons, farmers etc. kept their families there too, which enlarged the population, and ensured there were all these extra kinds of needs and doings to keep women and children fed and clothed. A large religious temple complex was bested in riches only by the Royal House. ---- Festivals and Processions The temples celebrated regular festive days, the First of the Month and the New Moon. The god¥s statue was then paraded around the temple grounds, and at certain places the procession stopped for offerings. These "restingplaces" of the god usually had something in common with the particular festival. Then there were the larger religious festivals where the god was carried outside the temple precinct in front of the people. As they were not allowed inside the temple, this was a popular occasion, the god carried on his bark, although veiled from the direct look of the commoner, and the sacred books carried on the shoulders of a priest walking in front of the procession. Priests fanned and sheltered the god from the sun with ostrich plumes or fans made from palm fibre. Incense was burned and offerings were made at the resting places along the route. Some of these were permanent little temples, others were erected just for the event. Here, the bark was set down on an "altar" while the rituals were performed. At some occasions the bark was put on the god¥s own bargue from the temple quai and was towed further along the Nile, escorted by a flotilla of boats, sometimes even the royal family was present to watch. These were great occasions, in which everybody took part and they usually lasted for several days, when eating and drinking was abundant. Festivals could also be shared between two temples, like the commemoration of the Sacred marriage of Hathor and Horus at Denderah. All these celebrations had to be held at the right time and day and it was the task of the temple star watcher to keep track of the religious calendars. Those who spoke to the Gods and Goddesses were the Priests and Priestesses supposedly a carry-over from the time of They were the souls who carried the sacred knowledge about creation and the nature of our reality. There were initiates who studied the knowledge of both the sacred mystery teachings and the religious philosophies of the times. This sacred knowledge would be passed down in many forms including the genetics of certain souls. That information would one day be brought out into the open in its truest form. That time is NOW! Because the Pharaoh could not perform ceremonies at all the temples throughout Egypt, he appointed high priests to carry out the sacred rituals at each temple. Priests often passed down their positions from father to son. They enjoyed great power and wealth in Egyptian society. The priests' duties were to care for the gods and attend to their needs. They also performed funeral rites, teaching school, supervising the artists and works, and advising people on problems. The priesthood of ancient Egypt has a far reaching and deep history, rooted within the traditions of Ancient Egypt. Unlike the orthodox priesthoods usually found within Western society, the role of the Egyptian priest or priestess was vastly different within the society as a whole. Rather than seek the divine and develop a rapport with the gods, the role of the priest was akin to an everyday job. For, as the pharaoh was seen as a god himself, the priests and priestesses were seen as stand-in's for the pharaoh; as it was the greater job of the priests and priestesses to keep Egyptian society in good order, as is the case with most theoretically based societies. The mystical attributes of the priests and priestesses take on a secondary role, when one considers the heightened role religion played within Egyptian society. Not only was religion a way to attain the ethereal and basic needs of the Egyptians, but it also served as a mechanism to order society, to create a hierarchy, and to preserve the culture for future generations. As such, the role of the priests and priestesses was both functional and mystical on both levels. A priest or priestess in ancient Egypt was generally chosen by either the king, or attained their post by hereditary means. In either case, the priests who received their positions hereditarily and through the king were not set apart from mundane life. In fact, such priests were made to embrace the mundane life to keep Egyptian society functioning properly (and as stated above it was a job of fairly high status). Though the priesthood had started out simply, with relatively few temples, in the later dynasties the temples expanded into the hundreds. With such growth, a large bureaucracy was needed to keep the temples in good standing; and thenceforth, the small priesthood's of the Egyptians grew from an estimated hundred priests into the thousands, and with it came a priestly hierarchy. The daily life of a priest or priestess depended on their sex and also their hierarchical standing within the priesthood. Priests were often rotated from position to position within the priestly hierarchy and were integrated in and out of mundane society. This rotation system generally went, that a priest would enter into temple life one month, at three times a year. This rotation system had a direct connection to the often stringent purity rites of the priests. Regardless of what status the priest was, there were numerous taboos and tradition's a priest had to or could not partake of. Of these taboos and traditions, a priest or priestess could not eat fish (a food thought to be ascribed to peasant life), could not wear wool (as nearly all animal products were unclean), were generally circumcised (only common among the male priests), and it was not uncommon for priests to bathe three or four times a day in "sacred" purificatory pools. It was also not uncommon for the "oracle" tending priests (one of the most sacred positions), to shave off all of their body hair, partially to get rid of lice, but partially for purificatory functions. These "oracle" priests symbolically gave food to the statues of the gods, clothed the statues of the gods, sealed the temple chamber in the evening, and were known as stolists. As can be seen from the example of the stolists, the need for purity extended not only upon the mundane level, but also held true within the afterlife as well. Further, from such purificatory rites the priests were often times known as the "pure ones" regardless of status within the temples. The priesthood was a civil function in ancient Egypt. Recruited from the local population, the priests served three months at a time then returned to their daily lives. A small core of superior priests, or adepts, served the temple full time. During the New Kingdom, every temple, no matter how small, had at least one resident priest. The function of a priest was to maintain the universal order as dictated by the Gods in the Zep Tepi,or the First Time the original Golden Age of the High God. To this end, their primary function was to perform the rituals of the Divine Drama, the Great Myth, at the appropriate time and in the correct way. By involving a large portion of the local population in its services, the temple became the center of local culture. The initiation, or installation, of a priest was essentially the same in all temples. A baptism in a sacred pool, symbolic of the waters of Nu, the Cosmic Ocean, washed away all evil. Then the candidate was sprinkled with oil and water as purification, led to the statue of the Goddess and instructed in the secret ways of touching and working with the statue. The candidate then undertakes a ten day fast, at the end of which the mysteries are revealed by some sort of psychic/shamanic experience. Within the temple structure, there were classes of priests. The administrative officials in the large temples, such as Karnak, functioned as a separate group, one not too concerned with religious perspectives. They took care of the business end of the temple and its property. The religious establishment also had its classes. The temple of Amun had five different priestly sections, each with its own sub-divisions. The High Priest of Ptah at Memphis was called "the great chief of all artisans," as all crafts were under the protection of Ptah. These first and second "prophets," mis-translated by the Greeks from the Egyptian "servants of the God," were mostly royal appointments and could be chosen from any level of society. They led the higher ranks of the priesthood in the ritual functions of the temple. In addition to the political administration, the priests and priestesses took on both magical and economic functions, however set apart from the hierarchy of priests are the lay magicians who supplied a commoners understanding of Egyptian religion. Through the use of magic and their connection to the gods, lay magicians provided a service to their community, usually consisting of counseling, magical arts, healing, and ceremony. Lay magicians who served within this last and final caste of the Egyptian priesthood belonged to a large temple known simply as "The House of Life". Laymen would come to "The House of Life" to meet with a magician, priest or priestess to have their dreams interpreted, to supply magical spells and charms, to be healed and to counteract malevolent magic, and to supply incantations of various types. Though the House of Life provided it's Laymen with many prescriptive cures for common ills, it was largely shrouded in mystery in ancient times. In fact, the library of The House of Life was shrouded in great secrecy, as it contained many sacred rites, books, and secrets of the temple itself which were thought could harm the pharaoh, the priests, and all of Egypt itself. Though the magicians of The House of Life, were seen as another step from the ceremonial duties of the priests, they were by no means less important, and as is evidenced by the presence of many magical wands, papyri text, and other archeological evidence, The House of Life took on a role direly important to the way of life of Ancient Egyptians. One final position within the priesthood highly worthy of mention is that of the Scribes. The scribes were highly prized by both the pharaoh and the priesthood, so much so that in some of the pharaoh's tombs, the pharaoh himself is depicted as a scribe in pictographs. The scribes were in charge of writing magical texts, issuing royal decrees, keeping and recording the funerary rites (specifically within The Book of The Dead) and keeping records vital to the bureaucracy of Ancient Egypt. The scribes often spent years working on the craft of making hieroglyphics, and deserve mentioning within the priestly caste as it was considered the highest of honors to be a scribe in any Egyptian court or temple. Finally, worthy of mention, though there is considerable historical evidence telling of the role of priests within the priestly hierarchy, the status of the priestesses was at times equal if not minor to that of the male priesthood. The female priestesses held the main function within the temple's of music and dancing. At Thebes, however, the chief-priestess of Amun bore the title of &OElig;god¹s wife¹; she was the leader of the female music-makers who were regarded as the god¹s harem and were identified with the goddess Hathor, who was associated with love and music. In the Twenty-third Dynasty and afterwards such priestesses were practically rulers of the theocracy, their duties centering around the reverence of Isis, and many other female and male goddesses and gods. ---- Those who spoke to the Gods and Goddesses were the Priests and Priestesses supposedly a carry-over from the time of They were the souls who carried the sacred knowledge about creation and the nature of our reality. There were initiates who studied the knowledge of both the sacred mystery teachings and the religious philosophies of the times. This sacred knowledge would be passed down in many forms including the genetics of certain souls. That information would one day be brought out into the open in its truest form. That time is NOW! Because the Pharaoh could not perform ceremonies at all the temples throughout Egypt, he appointed high priests to carry out the sacred rituals at each temple. Priests often passed down their positions from father to son. They enjoyed great power and wealth in Egyptian society. The priests' duties were to care for the gods and attend to their needs. They also performed funeral rites, teaching school, supervising the artists and works, and advising people on problems. The priesthood of ancient Egypt has a far reaching and deep history, rooted within the traditions of Ancient Egypt. Unlike the orthodox priesthoods usually found within Western society, the role of the Egyptian priest or priestess was vastly different within the society as a whole. Rather than seek the divine and develop a rapport with the gods, the role of the priest was akin to an everyday job. For, as the pharaoh was seen as a god himself, the priests and priestesses were seen as stand-in's for the pharaoh; as it was the greater job of the priests and priestesses to keep Egyptian society in good order, as is the case with most theoretically based societies. The mystical attributes of the priests and priestesses take on a secondary role, when one considers the heightened role religion played within Egyptian society. Not only was religion a way to attain the ethereal and basic needs of the Egyptians, but it also served as a mechanism to order society, to create a hierarchy, and to preserve the culture for future generations. As such, the role of the priests and priestesses was both functional and mystical on both levels. A priest or priestess in ancient Egypt was generally chosen by either the king, or attained their post by hereditary means. In either case, the priests who received their positions hereditarily and through the king were not set apart from mundane life. In fact, such priests were made to embrace the mundane life to keep Egyptian society functioning properly (and as stated above it was a job of fairly high status). Though the priesthood had started out simply, with relatively few temples, in the later dynasties the temples expanded into the hundreds. With such growth, a large bureaucracy was needed to keep the temples in good standing; and thenceforth, the small priesthood's of the Egyptians grew from an estimated hundred priests into the thousands, and with it came a priestly hierarchy. The daily life of a priest or priestess depended on their sex and also their hierarchical standing within the priesthood. Priests were often rotated from position to position within the priestly hierarchy and were integrated in and out of mundane society. This rotation system generally went, that a priest would enter into temple life one month, at three times a year. This rotation system had a direct connection to the often stringent purity rites of the priests. Regardless of what status the priest was, there were numerous taboos and tradition's a priest had to or could not partake of. Of these taboos and traditions, a priest or priestess could not eat fish (a food thought to be ascribed to peasant life), could not wear wool (as nearly all animal products were unclean), were generally circumcised (only common among the male priests), and it was not uncommon for priests to bathe three or four times a day in "sacred" purificatory pools. It was also not uncommon for the "oracle" tending priests (one of the most sacred positions), to shave off all of their body hair, partially to get rid of lice, but partially for purificatory functions. These "oracle" priests symbolically gave food to the statues of the gods, clothed the statues of the gods, sealed the temple chamber in the evening, and were known as stolists. As can be seen from the example of the stolists, the need for purity extended not only upon the mundane level, but also held true within the afterlife as well. Further, from such purificatory rites the priests were often times known as the "pure ones" regardless of status within the temples. The priesthood was a civil function in ancient Egypt. Recruited from the local population, the priests served three months at a time then returned to their daily lives. A small core of superior priests, or adepts, served the temple full time. During the New Kingdom, every temple, no matter how small, had at least one resident priest. The function of a priest was to maintain the universal order as dictated by the Gods in the Zep Tepi,or the First Time the original Golden Age of the High God. To this end, their primary function was to perform the rituals of the Divine Drama, the Great Myth, at the appropriate time and in the correct way. By involving a large portion of the local population in its services, the temple became the center of local culture. The initiation, or installation, of a priest was essentially the same in all temples. A baptism in a sacred pool, symbolic of the waters of Nu, the Cosmic Ocean, washed away all evil. Then the candidate was sprinkled with oil and water as purification, led to the statue of the Goddess and instructed in the secret ways of touching and working with the statue. The candidate then undertakes a ten day fast, at the end of which the mysteries are revealed by some sort of psychic/shamanic experience. Within the temple structure, there were classes of priests. The administrative officials in the large temples, such as Karnak, functioned as a separate group, one not too concerned with religious perspectives. They took care of the business end of the temple and its property. The religious establishment also had its classes. The temple of Amun had five different priestly sections, each with its own sub-divisions. The High Priest of Ptah at Memphis was called "the great chief of all artisans," as all crafts were under the protection of Ptah. These first and second "prophets," mis-translated by the Greeks from the Egyptian "servants of the God," were mostly royal appointments and could be chosen from any level of society. They led the higher ranks of the priesthood in the ritual functions of the temple. In addition to the political administration, the priests and priestesses took on both magical and economic functions, however set apart from the hierarchy of priests are the lay magicians who supplied a commoners understanding of Egyptian religion. Through the use of magic and their connection to the gods, lay magicians provided a service to their community, usually consisting of counseling, magical arts, healing, and ceremony. Lay magicians who served within this last and final caste of the Egyptian priesthood belonged to a large temple known simply as "The House of Life". Laymen would come to "The House of Life" to meet with a magician, priest or priestess to have their dreams interpreted, to supply magical spells and charms, to be healed and to counteract malevolent magic, and to supply incantations of various types. Though the House of Life provided it's Laymen with many prescriptive cures for common ills, it was largely shrouded in mystery in ancient times. In fact, the library of The House of Life was shrouded in great secrecy, as it contained many sacred rites, books, and secrets of the temple itself which were thought could harm the pharaoh, the priests, and all of Egypt itself. Though the magicians of The House of Life, were seen as another step from the ceremonial duties of the priests, they were by no means less important, and as is evidenced by the presence of many magical wands, papyri text, and other archeological evidence, The House of Life took on a role direly important to the way of life of Ancient Egyptians. One final position within the priesthood highly worthy of mention is that of the Scribes. The scribes were highly prized by both the pharaoh and the priesthood, so much so that in some of the pharaoh's tombs, the pharaoh himself is depicted as a scribe in pictographs. The scribes were in charge of writing magical texts, issuing royal decrees, keeping and recording the funerary rites (specifically within The Book of The Dead) and keeping records vital to the bureaucracy of Ancient Egypt. The scribes often spent years working on the craft of making hieroglyphics, and deserve mentioning within the priestly caste as it was considered the highest of honors to be a scribe in any Egyptian court or temple. Finally, worthy of mention, though there is considerable historical evidence telling of the role of priests within the priestly hierarchy, the status of the priestesses was at times equal if not minor to that of the male priesthood. The female priestesses held the main function within the temple's of music and dancing. At Thebes, however, the chief-priestess of Amun bore the title of &OElig;god¹s wife¹; she was the leader of the female music-makers who were regarded as the god¹s harem and were identified with the goddess Hathor, who was associated with love and music. In the Twenty-third Dynasty and afterwards such priestesses were practically rulers of the theocracy, their duties centering around the reverence of Isis, and many other female and male goddesses and gods. ----

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