The sun., 1901-05-05

their successful rivals. the Omuyyad usurper''
Tbs zeal of niartyrdom thus sol on the holy
family stirred a passionate enthusiasm "hiOh
stlll rouses intense excitement IN the annuai
rspresen tations OF the Persian Passion Play
The rent thus opened In Islam has never
been clostd, and 20 this day the hatred be-
tween the Sunnjtss and the shiites. between
the partistIns Of popular choice and those
OF divine right is more bitter than was the
hatred between Protestant and Catholic IN
the days C6 persecution. As Nicholson
the author " The Establishment OF the
Fatimits DyrAsty." has pointed out, the
ostracism Of Ali laid the foundation OF the
arand inourable soblsm which has divided
the NohamInec.sn Church. and equally do
stroyed the prI .ctioe OF charity among tho
members OF their common creed and en-
dsngered the speculative truths OF doctrine
Abroad, it nee essarily lamed the props-
cation OF the faith by the evidence which
IL Afforded the uItbeliever Of the diversity OF
opinion, strife aad reciprocal maledctions
of its professors themselves. At home, II
placed the Caliphs In so false a position that
thew presented the extraordinary spectacle
OF sovcrsgn ontiirs, who rendered their
unjust claim to The crown still more pelpably
indoiensible by persecntlng the descendants
of the author OF their faith and founder OF
their throne: and Who TO III up the measure
Of Inconsistency. were obliged publicly to
invoke every blessing on that family by
whose exclusion alone they enjoyed the
privilege Of performing the khutbd Thus
1t alisuated the hearts ot large portion of
the people from their spiritual and temporal
head: sowei the ineraCrcable seeds of sedi-
ton, conspiracy and rebellion. placed the
usurper on a tottering throne from which
the rightful claimant might ut any time hurl
him; and left him TO rule a divided people
with a broken sceptre.
The defendants Of All tsll desy syended from
his son Hoseyn,. though almost universally
devoid Of the qualites OF great leaders. pos
se..ed persistence and devotion. and their
mnerinss heightened the fanatioal cnthu-
siasm OF their supporters. All attempts
TO recover the temporal power having proved
vain. the Aids fell back upon the spir
authority OF the successive candidates OF the
holy family. whom they proclaimed To- hc the
lmams. or spiritual leaders of the faithful.
This doctrine Of the lmamate gradually ao-
qured a more mystical meaning supported
by an allegorical Interpretation OF the Koran,
and mysterious influence was ascrlbei 10
the Imam, who, though hidden from mortal
eve, on account Of the persecution OF his
enemies would soon come forward publicly
in the character Of the ever-eNpected Mahdl,
sweep away the corruptions Of the heretcal
Caiphate. and roviye the majesty ot the
pure lineage OF the Prophet All Moham-
msdans believe In u coming hahdi, Il Messiah.
who shall restore right and prepare for the
second advent OF Molammcd and the trlb-
unal Of the last day II was the Shiites,
however. who turned the expectation to
special account with n view 20 the Mahdl-
coming, they organized pervasive con-
spiracy, instituted secret society with
carefully graduated stages OF initiation
used the doctrines II ali religions and sects
AS weapons in the propaganda, and sent
missionaries throughout the provinces OF
Islam to increase the numbers of the initiates
and pave the way for the great revolution
Mr Lane Poole brings out the curious fact
that the leaders and chief missionaries had
really nothing IN common with Mohammcdan
ism. Among themselves they we're frankly
atheists Their objects were political. anC
they used eligion In any form. and adapted
/ 1t in all modes, to secure proseytes ~ whom
| they impaired only so much OF their doctrine
| as they were able TO bear, These men were
| furnished with an armory OF prosClytlsm' al
! perfect. perhaps. a. any known 70 hlstor"
| they had appeals 20 enthusiasm. and argu'
! ments for the reason, and fuel for the ferccS'
! passions Of the people and times In which
| they moved They combined, Indeed, the
! intellectual dsxterity and unsrrupulOusnes
| ascribe 20 the Jesuit, with the talent FOL
! criminal organization Of tho Decisi TheiI
real atm was not religious or constructive
( but purs nihilism They used the claim OF
, the family of Az NOT because they believed
/ In any divine right or any Iallphate. hut
because some nag had 10 be hourishec
! Ia order TO rouse the people"
ono Of these missionares, disguised as Z
! merchant iourneycd back TO Barbary II
se3 with some Berbar pilgrims who had per
formed the sacrad ceremonies AZ Mekka
He was welcomed by the great tribe OF
the Kitama, aud rapidly acquired an eG
traordinary influence over the l}erbc;s. u race
prone 70 superstition and easily impressed
by the mysterious rites Of initiation and the
emotional doctrines OF the prop 'Rtndlels
by the wrongs OF tns Prophetic ho4,e aai
thu approaching triumph Of the Mahdi Bar
barry had never been much attached to tn,
Callphate whether Omayyad or Abbasid
and for century it had been practically
independent under the Aghlahid dynasty
the barbarOus OK Ncesss- Of whose later SOW
ereigns had alieuated their subjects II
Morocco, moreover. since the end OF tn,
eighth century. Aids had established the n
selves In the dynasty Of the Idristds
large part OF North Africa, indeed, was in
every respect apt for revolution, and tn,
success of Abu-Abdaliah, the new mission
ury, was extraordlnariiy rapid In few
years h, had following Of 100000 armc,
men, and IN pos. after series Of battles
he drove the last Aghabid prince out Of th'
country Tho missionaries Ihen rroclameG
, the Imam ObeydalIah a. the true Callpf
and spiritual head Of Islam. Al least aigh
! different pcdiPrccS were provided for obey
dallah, and this discrepancy among his own
! supporter, Is deemed by Nr LaHN- Poole
strong argument against MS prstendaJ
descent from All and the other Ina ns e.
| which the Arabs preserved their 2euealo giles
The opponents OF the FaumIds asserted 'hH
| Obeydallshs real name was said som,
| SAID he was a jew and they traced his De
scent. or thltoi his adoDtive father to Per
sian eye doctor ot dGo.i-lio views. Aral
historians are sharply divided on this point
but their opinions are partly Oia sed by re-
liglous and political influences. Ot EurDpeaI
scholars, lie Sacv defended the legt.mac!
Of the founder Of the fataaId dynasty
while Uuatromcrs alopl'd the latter view.