THE KORAN. 303 



essence and attributes of God,— the justice of pre- 

 destination, and its compatibility with freedom of 

 will, — the province of reason in matters of faith, — 

 and a number of casuistical questions on the moral 

 beauty or turpitude of actions,— have been the 

 theme of bitter and implacable controversy among 

 the doctors of Islam. 



The two leading sects are denominated the Son- 

 nees and the Sheahs, or Shiites. The difference 

 between them was originally more political than 

 religious. The former appropriate to themselves 

 the name of orthodox ; they are traditionists, or be- 

 lievers in the Sonna ; and, consequently, acknow- 

 ledge the authority of the first caliphs, from whom 

 most of these traditions were derived. Distracted 

 with controversy, they at length reposed on the 

 faith of four eminent theologians,— Hanifa, Malec, 

 Shafei, and Hanbal,— who were not only reputed 

 holy and learned divines, but masters in jurispru- 

 dence. These interpreters were in some points not 

 altogether unanimous ; but they were deemed radi- 

 cally sound, and have given their names to four sects, 

 honoured as the pillars of the Sonnee faith. After 

 their death each had a separate oratory in the Tem- 

 ple of Mecca, and they have been canonized as the 

 four imams, or high-priests, of the established ortho- 

 dox religion.* 



The Sheahs, or sectaries, differed mainly from the 

 preceding in asserting the divine and indefeasible 

 right of Ali to succeed the Prophet. The same 

 spiritual and secular dignity which they conceive 

 should have descended immediately to the father, 

 ought to have been transmitted to his lineal poster- 

 ity ; consequently, they consider, not only the three 

 first caliphs, but all their successors, who took the 

 title of Lords of the Faithful, as usurpers. This be- 



* Hanifa was poisoned at Bagdad, A. H. 150. Malec died at 

 Medina, A. H. 178-9. Shafei was a native of Syria, and ended 

 his days in Egypt, A. H. 204. Hanbal died at Bagdad, A. H. 

 241. — D'Ohsson,Tab. Gm.Introd. Sale, Prelim. Diss. sect. viii. 



