New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-15
STRETCH BY THE RIVERSIDE VIAL

THE STRETCH OF Ian
considered nc exercising tho powers 81 Caliph, IL
spite OF his prctensions to the title. According
To- the Koran the Calph IS absolutely supreme III
all matters religious as well az TEMPORAL and
the Sultan is not supreme In the early days OF
the Mahomotan religion tho Caliphs were wont
t. giv, t. the principal acts Of their administra-
ton tho sanction Of religion 10y alixing 10 their
DEGREES and legislative acts the sacred seal which
assured 10 the true believers acting under il the
glory Of supporting their faith If triumphant. or
the crown Of martyrdom in the case Of death
when. later on, Mahometan leaders founded
dynastics in Persia Afehanstan, Central Asia
and other remote countries Gar distant from the
sea If the Caiiphatc. the power Of afiiNing this
sal and Of thereby giving religious sanction to
administrative acts was delegated to the ulena
or o., olosasticaI hierarchy at the head Of which
is an. Sh,ik al Islam
THE sHEIK III ISLAM
Tho Office of the latter has sometimes been
cons dcrcd as a species OF papacy. 1t is moth
ms Of jhc sort. It is merely kind Of cccle-
s.astich primacy of u Mahomctan country Thus,
there u.s. besides the Shcik al Islam at Con
Sttntinoplc dirnitary bearing denucaly the
sam. iiilo AT cairo. while Tho Gee csiastic whom
the English are about TO install at Zcilah. re
ported in the article of the "NoNoc Nrcmya IS
h.uis. to have the title of Shcik ul Islam. IN
AI.ru.,o the primatc is styled Sheriff Of Wazzan.
,ti. iu Persia he is styled tho Imam Dioumah
.l these prifn1f"s eXercis, mot merely spiritual
Boa, likewise judicial and even administrative
authority this i'm conjunction with their rctp"c-
tis. ul ma. or clergy. as representatives 80 thc
authority ~ The Mecca cahphate
Without Inc fetva. or The seal Of tn Sheih ul
Islam az Cons lautinofc, that sea- which j. tht
.ai of the authority Of the CaAphatc. mo- polIu-
cal. administrative or religious 'dict OF the sui
ana has the smallest degree of validity The
Sultan cannot dcclar- war or even acc g.; a dec
iaratlon of war from an inhdl Power without
the f.iva Of the Sheik N Islam. and procla-
nation bearing the fetya OF the Sheik u.
Islam and irdorscd by The principal ulcma or
clergy. Of the Mahomytan Church in Turkey -
sufficient to dcposo any Sultan from his throne
O2I it is that European Statesmen do not real
izc this fat when pressing reforms upon the
sultan Under sufficient pressure he Will &C
a.. II such reforms and sign any number 81 proc
hmltions and deorccs. But a. long a. tncv 30
not carry Oh, fct.a OF thc Shclk al Islam th'l
are nItlou, any vain, Whatsoever. are worth no
more than waste paper and arr justly ignored
Icy the officials If the sublime Portc
Tn power of tho Sh,ik VI Islam is g. a Ger
tain extent tempered 10y the fact that h' is ar-
pointed 10y the Sultan and that in theory hc is
removable at the latter's viii. Inasmu'h. how
ever. as nearly every revolution IN Coustant-
noIle marking the Close of a reign has hrcn
BROUGHT about by the clergy who virtually make
and unn.lke Sultans the monarch Is obliged to-
defer to the wishes Of the uIcma ia the matter.
THE CALIrH NOT a FREE AGENT
The primatcs Of thu various Mahometan faiths
in Asia and Africa all look upon Mecca a the
hcadquArters Of their faith and upon the Grand
Sheriff or Emir If Mecca as their spiritual chief
and Caliph IN accordance with the inspired and
according to their view divine preccpfs Of the
Koran. II az times they fail 10 seek his guid-
ance or avoid his authority it is because they
are aware that hc is at present more or less in
on the part Of the Turkish Governor Of the
Yemen therefore. not a IRE" agent The whole
OF the Arabian peninsula. IN which the molly
places of Islam are situated. constitutes thco-
rrtioally a Turkish province under the direction
- "a Turkish Governor. who making his head
quarters at Sauaah. maintains garrisons at
M.cca. Medina and at Nh, Reed Sea port Of jed
.lln fDr th- purpose a. cNtortius MONEY which
would otl,roI-, flow into the Golfers Of the
Grand SA,rf fr-m The pockets Of the pilgrims
WHO nocN each year "a countless thousands
from all quarters @; tie MaLon.,tan world t.
tho holy oitic-
1t % no cAaggcration, however, 10 state that