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Drinking the Word    of God Introduction The Towns of Zinder and Bondoukou • Zinder • Bondoukou The Production of Writing Water Education and Scholarship in Zinder and Bondoukou • Education • Scholarship Health, Well-Being and the Talismanic Tradition • Erasure: Writing Water • Talismans • Special Prayers Resources for Further Study Acknowledgements Comments

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Special Prayers

Scholars reciting the Qur'an to end a drought in Bondoukou.

Some scholars perform special prayers for people upon request. Rather than say the prayer once, scholars repeat the prayer as many as 100, 200, 500 or even 1,000 times. While privately reciting the prayer, the scholar burns incense that is believed to attract messengers who in turn carry the request to God where it is heard and answered.

Special prayers may also be recited by a group of scholars. In Bondoukou in 1988, for example, people in the community hired a group of scholars to read the Qur'an to solicit God's assistance in ending a heat wave and drought.


Reasons for Requesting Special Prayers

To increase market business
To make a person popular
To prevent a person for being blamed for faults
To bring wealth
To bring happiness to a marriage
To end a drought and bring rain

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