The Denver Jewish news., 1924-09-11
THE WAHABlS-WHO THEY
ARE AND WHAT THEY
STAND FOR.
Copyright. 1894. Jewish rclcgraph,c
Agency
By JCNI'S II. woOD

more omlnous than vcilcd intrignes M
European powers are the Wahahis
Through the centuries, they rise and
fall. Under their shrewd young shclk,
Adb el-Aziz Saud. they again are
casting threatening shadows across the
borders Of the British protected king
doms
The wahabls are the oft.plctured
gcalots OF the faith who invite death In
order more quickly TO enter Paradise.
so fnnatlcally religious that they In
cludc all other Moslcms not Of their
particular sect among the mbelicvers
unworthy Of life.
The desert land Of NeId, in the cen
ter Of Arabia. with its capital at Rind,
some 400 miles across the burning
sands from Oninlr, on the Persian
Gulf Its only port. is the home Of the
Wahabis.
Few foreigners, or even Arabs who
ARE not of the sect, have seen the cap
ital There EsoSaud. n man in the ear
ly 3O's. rules like despot, though his
aged father still is alive. In turn he
is dominated by the fanaticiSm which
gives the tribe its strength. His in
clination To play the modern game Of
world politics Is limited by the bitter
prejudices Of his followers
a., all Ia.
him only less of a menace, for his as
Sistance Is entirely negative. Except
for the Hedjaz, Yemen, and few
other provinces along tile coast. he con
trols all of the Arabian Peninsula.
by the 10Th century the Wahahi
sect was sufficiently strong to threat
en- the Turkish Empire, and. under or
ders of the Sultan. the powerful Mo
hammed Ali of Egypt placed his son
at the head of an expedition which de
feated them and sent the leaders to
Constantinople to he executed. Its lat
est rise is one of the postwar develop
ments
Since Es-Saud defeated his ancient
rival. Abdullah lbn Mitah. and prac-
tically exterminated his army in 1921
the Wahabs have been flushed with
victory. Yemen, on the south. is strong
and their forays have been directed
against the Sheridan kingdoms on the
three ether sides.
The Wahabs follow the true teach
ings of Mohammcd-to shun alcohol,
adultery. lying. forgery. and fraud. In
addition, they believe that spend
thrift is abhorred by God. which causes
them TO despiSe rich decorations in the
mosques-priceless rugs. gold, silver
and jewels-and to prohibit smoking.
the recreation Of every Arab.
They believe that graves should be
plain. and that women should not at
tend funerals because they weep; for
bid the wearing of jewelry, and en-
force other puritanical customs. Those
who do not do likewise deserve death.
Contrary TO the orthodox Mcham-
medan sects, which contend that no
years capable of interpreting the Kor-
an. the WahabiS hold that each believ-
er may interpret it according to his
conscience and take the consequences.
This liberalism, however, does not 90
tn the extent of permitting any inter
pretatiCns contrary to their dogmas.
When the powers of Europe We're
selecting the rulers for Arabia. Es-
Saud had not crushed Ibn Mitah. The
two were counter-irritants. Both fell
into the category Of those who might
be controlled by an annual subsidy.
Countless rulers, from tribal sheiks
upward in rank. are receiving such sub
sides, either from Great Britain or
France or adrcltly from both. Es-Saud
probably receives the largest salary.
$4,000 month. with an additional
New Years present of 100000. He
explains to his followers that this is a
tribute from the infidels.
The explanation was sufficient as
long aS Ibn Mitah was n factor in the
days fighting With him disposed of,
other Objectives were necessary for
the sanguinary enthusiasm. That en-
thusiasm also sounds sympathetic
chord among Arabs of other creeds,
looking upon the Wahabis as a possible
means of giving them independence and
freedom. Es-Saud draws his 100000
a year subsidy while his followers add
several times that amount to Great
Britain's expenses for protecting its
prOtegeS from him.