1S73.] E. C. Ross— Tenets of the Ibddhi Sect of 'Oman. 9 



violate His prohibitions may still be in the Faith ; and who doubt His 

 promises and warnings. 



The false doctrines of the sect called Morjiyeh* are also renounced by 

 the Believers (Ibadhi), for they pretend that God will punish them for a 

 limited period, after which He will release them from torment, and cause 

 them to enter Paradise, receiving them after being angered against them. 



Let the errors of the sect of the Shia'h be repudiated. They pretend 

 that God has commanded recognition of Vice-Regents, executors of His 

 will on earth, and obedience to them. 



They believe that God has bestowed on these Vice-Regents (notwith- 

 standing they be sinners treading the paths of error) power and dominion 

 on earth, and that those who acknowledge and follow the Vice-Regents are 

 pardoned their sins through their merits. 



The false doctrines also must be shunned of those who assert the 

 Koran to have an outward and apparent, and an inward and hidden mean- 

 ing, the former known to mankind in general, but the latter only to God's 

 inspired Vice-Regents, by whom it is revealed to their faithful followers. 

 They hold also that God at no time leaves the world without an inspired 

 Vice-Regent. These are the tenets of the Ismi'iliyeh,f a sect of the Rafidhis. 

 The latter are heretics who deny Abu Bakr and 'Omar, calling them 

 oppressors who kept the rightful heirs from the Imamate. As to the 

 Vicars of God on earth, they believe that a manj will appear in the latter 

 days bringing verifications of their sayings. Another sect of errors is need- 

 ful to be avoided, that of those who, like the Azarekeh,§ assert that persons 

 dwelling in abodes, || not governed by the rules sent down by God, will not 

 be accepted of God. That their good deeds will not avail them ; nor are any 

 such meet for reward : neither are their sins forgiven. They assert that God 

 will not excuse any for remaining therein unless they remove, and that those 

 who die before removal, are infidels. But that those who have removed 

 even though they be murderers or adulterers, or thieves, are Muslims, and 

 have their reward with God, and that in the abode to which they have 

 removed none shall be accounted impious or wicked. It is even as if they 

 were in the house of the apostle of God. These Azarekeh also reject 

 stoning (for adultery) and the beating of the drinker of intoxicating liquor, 

 but allow attack on those who are inimical to their doctrines. These 

 heresies must be avoided. 



* The Morjians rely on Faith alone. 



+ Isma'ilians, called by the Crusaders " Assassins," from " Hashishfn," i. e. eaters 

 of hashish. The word ' assassin' is said to have been so adopted. 

 X i- e. Mahdi. 



§ Azrekites so called from Nafa ben Azrek, a sect formerly found at Kuteef. 

 || i. e. countries or dwellings of Infidels. 



