and that he will re-appear towards the end of the world, when Jesus Christ also will come down from heaven and assist in bringing all the world over to the faith of Mohammed. Thus, you see, the family I have mentioned being descended from the seventh Imaum, was also descended from Mohammed and from Ali. The heads of this family in the course of time gathered a large number of followers and disciples around them, by whose assistance one of them, named Shah Ismael, was in the end able to drive out the Tatar princes, who then ruled the country, and to restore the monarchy of Persia. His descendants occupied the throne of that country for about two hundred years. Now the faith of the Persians is that which they received from this family, perhaps with some additions which it has since received. Those who profess it are called Sheahs, whereas the Turks are called Soonees. Sheah means "heretic," and the name was given to the new sect by the Turks. Henry. Do the Persians call themselves Sheahs? U. O. Yes. It is rather odd: but we have a similar example in England, where a large and important sect adopted the name of "Method ists," which was originally given to them in scorn. Now these Sheahs believe that Ali ought to have succeeded Mohammed, and that the authority ought to have been continued to his descendants, who were also the descendants of the prophet. They therefore say that the three caliphs who came between Mohammed and Ali, were usurpers and rebels; and they hate and curse their names on that account. This makes a great difference: because the Soonees hold the memory of those very caliphs in the utmost veneration, believing them to be holy and great men, and that it was never intended that the dignity of Imaum should be continued. in the family of the prophet, but only that it should be continued in the tribe to which Mohammed belonged, that is, the Arabian tribe of Koreish; and they also contend that the faith must always have a visible head. H. Then who is the head of their sect? U. O. Why, no: but they think it enough that the last of the old Arabian caliphs solemnly renounced the right of succession to the conqueror, the anThis has given to Imaumship in behalf of his cestor of the present Sultan. the Sultan a sort of sacred character, which has made the Turks always anxious to preserve the family in the midst of all their rebellions, whereas in Persia, where the king has no religious character, the reigning family has often been changed. One great difference has grown out of this question of succession, of more importance than the question itself. For the Persians, in rejecting the authority of the three caliphs, were bound to reject also the great additions which they made to the religion of Mohammed, being traditions, on their authority or allowed by them, of the sayings and doings of Mohammed, and which came to be considered of the same authority with the Koran itself. All this the Sheahs reject, and will not allow authority to any book but to the Koran, and to certain traditions which they think they can trace to Ali, and other sources which they consider pure. You see this must make a great difference between the two, although perhaps it would be quite difference enough to make the Sheahs to abhor, as they do, men whom the Soonees almost worship. Besides, the Sheahs do not very well like that widow of Mohammed, whom I have several times mentioned; while the Soonees respect her greatly, and call her the Mother of the Faithful; and on the other hand, the Sheahs pay much more reverence to the memory of Fatima, the daughter of the prophet and the wife of Ali, than the Soonees think at all necessary. These are the most important differences between the Sheahs and Soonees. They are not of much importance in themselves; but they are of a sort very well calculated to make the two sects hate each other, which they do most heartily. The Sheahs are, perhaps, the most tolerant of the two. They allow the Soonees to be brethren in the true faith,-though erring brethren; but the Soonees will hardly acknowledge the Sheahs for brethren at all, but consider them by many degrees worse than either Jews or Christians. However, the Persians hate and despise the Soonees quite enough, and more than enough. This is partly owing to an institution which they have, and which serves to whet their anger and hatred every year. This institution is peculiar to the Sheahs, and is closely connected with the facts of which I have been speaking to you. They set apart the first ten days of every year as a season of mourning for Hossein and his unfortunate family and brave companions. In this season, their grief for them, and their rage against the early caliphs is excited in the highest degree by sermons and orations which are delivered in the streets and squares by the priests; and also by dramatic representations of the last days of Hossein, from the commencement of his journey, to his death on the plains of Kerbelah. It is astonishing how the speeches and exhibitions work upon the feelings of the people. I have seen tears fall like rain from the eyes of ironlooking men, whom it would seem as if nothing could move, when they have heard the sufferings of the martyrs described by eloquent preachers, or have seen their death-struggle clumsily represented before them. I have seen, at such a time, a vast multitude, - from the king to the porter at his gate, -rocking themselves to and fro in an agony of grief and tears, and sending forth the mournful Persian wail of "Wahi! wahi! wahi!" as if from the very bottom of their hearts. At the same season, I have often seen men walking about the streets |
