The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-08-09


person who makes it is c~aied Moslem; that
is. he has entirely given himself up TO God,
and is IN consequence, iu a state of salvation.
The word is more properly spelt "Mnsiim."-
For this word, which is in the singular num-
Der, the Tanks and Persians substitute
its plural "Muslimsm," and hence the
word "Mussulman or "Musselman" has
almost entirely superseded Muslin or
" Maslem" in most European languages
They signify, however, the same thing; that
is, man who believes that there is no God
but God, and that MAHoMxr is his prophet
1t makes no difference, therefore, whether
man be Turk, Persian, Arab, renegade
Christian, Jew, or what not If he make
this profession of faith, he is a Moslem or
Musselman. AS used In connection with The
religion Q: MAHoMET, islam" comprehends
every thing which the Musselman believes and
actices, embracing the whole civil and re-
lisious polly OF the Prophet, whose law is
designed for the secular as well as spiritual
government of his followers. In its more con-
dned sense, il signifies the five fundamental
poiats on which the religion of MAHoMET is
built. LIST. The acknowledgment of the unity
OF God and the sacred mission of the Prophet
ID The regular practice OF prayer. Sd. Civ
ing aims. 4th. Keeping the feast of RAMA
DAN. 9th. Making the "badj' or pilgrimage
to Mecca, Of Possible.)
Upon the succession of ALI, the ephew and
son.in-law of MAHoMET, violent dissensions
arose, which led 10 civil wars, thR ended in
the murder of ALI. His partizans reyered his
memory, and changed their creed so as TO give
him high place in their worship. Their pro-
fession, thus amended, stood thus There is o
God but God, COR ALLAH MAEOMET is his
Prophet, and ALI is his Vicar" This amend
ment produced schism, and the follow
ers Of ALI were called, thenceforth, "Shi-
ties" or heretIcs. In contradistinction, the
orthodox Mahometans call themselves sun
niles" or followers of the "Sunna." The
Sunna is a collection OF traditions relat-
ing TO Mahometanism, which those who bear
The name OF " Sunnites' regard as OF equal
authority with the Koran, but which the "Shi-
lies" utterly reject. For an account of the
controversy that sprang out of this schism
the reader is referred 10 GIBBONS decline
apd Fall OF the Roman Empire" The dis
tnciion continues 10 this day. The Persian
Us0eck Tartars, &c, are Shi-ltes, almost to a
man. The Turks are Orthodox, and the two
hate each other with all the bitterness pecu-
liar TO those who adopt different sides III reli-
gIous controversies. The TWO principal sects,
are spit up INTO q Der OF re-
liGious communities Of their own. The Ismail
ties are an exfoliation from the Shi-ites, and
there are four or five different versions of the
"SunDa,' upon each one of which a sect is
formed.
The Arabs and Turks are entirely dis.
tinct races of people The Arabs are descended
in part from IsHMALL and III part from
JcKTAN. The former call themselves Most
hS nd tba larf . q uh
name Arab " means an inhabtant Of the
West Arabia being the West to the rest of
Asia. In Europe they were called Saracens.
or inhabitants Of the East, for the same rea-
SOB, and in Africa, MoOrs, because they con-
quered and took possession of Mauritania
Under the name OF Saraeens the Arabs within
q comparatively short period after the death
of their great prophet, conquered all the
Asiatic and African provinces of the Roman
Empire aud imposed their religion upon the
inhabitants. The Turks coming afterwards
conquered the same countries and esta blished
their own dominion over the Arabs inhabit- |
ing them. Hence they are often confounded |
with them. But the Ottoman Turks are an
entirely different race from the Arabs They
came from the banks of the Irtisch Al the foot |
OF the Altal mountains, in the steppes of |
Northern Asia,-o the confines of China and |
Persia. Their original country corresponds.
IN great measure, with that which is known |
al this day as Independent Tartary, aud is
inhabited by kirghises, Bucharians, Usbecs,
ana tnrcomans. They were tribe of Sew
imam iaftals, and We're never known to his
tory until the sixth century, whereas the |
ArabS mad preserved their independence
Tor thousand years against the Kings of AS
syria, Babylon, Egypt, and Syria, before they
were overcome by ALEXANDER the Great
About the year 40, the Chinese having con-
quered the Eastern portion of their country,
and the Saracens, who had overrun Persia,
the Western, the Turks of the latter division
embraced the Mahometan religion. From
their superior valsr, the Caiiphs soon began
10 form their body guards out of them, and in
a short time they supplied him not only with
generals, but with emivs or first minis ters-
Like the mayors of the palace in France. these
emirs grew into sovereign princes, and
10 this way, in the ninth and tenth centuries
one Turkish family ruled in Syria and Egyrt.
and another in Persia and India; that is to
say, over the greater part of the Mahometan
world. During the same period, u Turkish
tribe in Turkestan, under the command OF a
leader named SELJooK, (who gave name to the
tribe,) revolted from China, conquered the
tbs Crusaders for Palestine. These Seljooks
were, In their turn overwhelmed by the great
Mongol invasion, under GENeHIs KHAN, in
the 18th century; but, flying TO Monnt Taurus. |
they waited until the tide of Mongol conquest |
had subs idsd and issuing forth under their |
smrs, divided Asia Minor among them One
OF these ernirs, named OTHMAH, or OsMAN
tthat is the bone-breaker,) saIlying with sew
erei hundred Tartar families from Caucasus
In the year 1925, forced his way through the
passes Of Mount Olympus, and encamped in
the fertile plains of Bithynia, where he WAS |
protected by the Seljook Sultan of Iconfum
Here he was Joined In great numbers, by dssns-
radoes OF every dcseription-robbers runawav
slaves, escaped prisoners, &c and formi,
them into band, he not only plundered ,hs
surrounding country, but took severa, -.
1nces OF Asia Minor from the Eastern Emnira
IL the year 1900, his protector. the Sultan ~
lconium dying be took possession of his king.
dom, and had himself proclaimed Sultan
Such was the foundation of the Empire of tho
Ottoman Turks, SO called to distinguish tber
RON the other Turkish tribes, after tbeir
ieaser oTHmAN or OsaAN. After him there
sAiie ih succession eight princes of great abli.
- "H' sueceeaed in raising the power of the |
a1 ofAs 10 height that terrified En-
fops' ohe Oh these, BAJAzEr, was defsa.aa |
ana captured by TIMoUR, and the Turkish
Empire seemed 70 be at an end, when O strapre
caprice OF the eonaasror induced him 70 Al. |
vide the donaintoas Of his captive smone ~.
ssas. Gas sf these, mSsrxvT ], on the dsssA
n BIG bfsihsss, sNssssAsd 70 lhs ssaiyia.d
hnvtts 81 sss sssees II ttss. II We ~ estaas