304 THE KORAN. 



lief is hostile to the whole fabric of the Sonnee tra- 

 dition, which rests on the authority of these three 

 caliphs ; though they admit the Senna where its 

 sources have not been contaminated. The Persians 

 were the first nation who proclaimed themselves of 

 this sect, about the commencement of the Suffavean 

 dynasty (A. D. 1499) ; and for more than three cen- 

 turies their creed has been the prevailing faith of 

 that country. The authority of Hanifa maintains 

 the ascendant in Turkey, Tartary, and Hmdostan ; 

 Malec is chiefly recognised in Barbary and the 

 southern parts of Africa; Shafei has foUowers both 

 in Persia and Arabia, and possesses a limited influ- 

 ence over the seacoast of the Indian pemnsula and 

 the eastern islands. 



There are numerous other heretical sects among 

 the Mohammedans, who disagree even on funda- 

 mental points of faith. The spirit of hostility be- 

 tween most of these, especially the Sonnees and 

 Sheahs, is rancorous and irreconcilable. Names 

 which are never mentioned but with blessings by 

 the one are hourly cursed by the other. No wars, 

 as has been justly remarked, that ever desolated 

 the Christian world, have caused half the bloodshed 

 and misery, or been so deeply stamped with the 

 character of implacable animosity, as have arisen 

 from the political and reUgious controversies of the ~ 

 Mohammedan sectaries. . i, ,.<•+>, ^ 



Having thus laid before the reader a sketch of the 

 life and religion of the Arabian Propliet, we shall 

 now advert to the warlike achievements ot his toi- 

 lowers, who constantly appealed to their victories 

 as an express testimony of Heaven to the truth of 

 their creed; and who, under the terrible name of 

 Saracens,* extended their dominion over moi-e king- 

 doms and countries in eighty years than the Romans 

 had done in 800. 



* The derivation of the name Saracen has P''l^ff'\-f^°hut 

 gists. Some have snggested Sarah, the ™>'%°f/bra f m but 

 tliey forget that the Ishmaehtes were descended from Hagar. 



