( 460} 
MANNERS, CUSTOMS, &c. 
OF 
NATIONS ann CLASSES or PEOPLE. 
THE WAHABEES. 
( From Sir J.\Malcolm’s History of 
Persia. ) 
HIS sect was founded near a 
century ago, by an Arab of 
the name of Shaikh Mahomed,the 
son of Abdool Wabab,whose name 
they have taken. Shaikh Maho- 
med connected himself in the at- 
tempt to reform the religion of 
his country with Ebn-Saoud, the 
Prince ofDereah,the capital of the 
Province of Nujuddee. Through 
the efforts of the saint, and the 
aid of the temporal power of 
Ebn-Saoud, and his son and suc- 
cessor Abdool Azeez, the religion 
of the Wahabees is now esta- 
blished all over the peninsula of 
Arabia. Thetenets of this sect are 
peculiar, and merit notice. They 
profess that there is one God, and 
Mahomed is his prophet : but as 
the Supreme Being neither has 
nor can have any participator in 
his power, they say, that to pro- 
fess that either Mahomed, the 
Imaums, or any saints, can have 
any superintendence over -the af- 
fairs of men, or render them any 
aid hereafter is blasphemy, They 
deem Mahomedanswho deviate in 
any way from the plain, literal 
meaning of the Koran, infidels : 
and maintain, that to make war 
upon all such is the imperious 
duty of every Wahabee. It is one 
of their tenets,thatall titles meant 
to shew respect and honour to 
men are odious to God, who alone 
is worthy of high name; and 
they assert, that in conformity 
to what is revealed in the Koran, 
true Mahomedans should wage 
continual war against unbelievers, 
till they are converted, or agree 
to pay the tribute imposed on 
infidels ; and that in the latter 
case they should be compelled to 
wear the coarsest garments, not to 
be allowed to ride on horses, nor 
to live in splendid dwellings. 
They maintain that the taxes (in- 
cluding zukaat and khums) levied 
by Mahomed are alone lawful ; 
that swearing by Mahomed or 
Aly, or any other person, should 
be prohibited, since an oath is 
