318 REY. 8S. M. ZWEMER, F.R.G.S., ON THE WAHABIS; 
that had been superadded to the original revelation of Allah. 
This revelation the Wahabis, together with all other Moslems, 
consider a twofold revelation—first, the Koran or revelation 
of God’s will in writing; and second, the Tradition, or the 
written record of God’s will as revealed in every act of the life 
of Mohammed, and faithfully handed down by his companions. 
“Wahabiism has sometimes been desi enated the Protestantism 
of Islam, and so it really is, although with this remarkable 
di@erence: that while Christan Protestantism is the assertion 
of the paramount authority of sacred Scripture and the rejec- 
tion of traditional teachings, Wahabiism is the assertion of 
the paramount authority of the Koran with the Traditions. 
‘Tradition in Islam occupies a totally different place from that 
which it does in the Christian system, being nothing less than 
the supposed inspired sayings [and also doings] of the Prophet 
and being absolutely necessary to complete the structure of 
the faith” (Hughes, Dict. of Islam, p. 661). 
This firm stand taken by the Wahabi leaders on the 
original foundation of Islam has ever been their strongest 
argument against their opponents. Burckhardt writes :—“ If 
further proof were required that the Wahabys are very 
orthodox Musselmans, their catechism would furnish it. 
When Saood took possession of Mecca he distributed copies 
of this catechism among the inhabitants, and ordered that 
the pupils in public schools learn it by heart. Its contents 
are nothing more than what the most orthodox Turk must 
admit to be true, ... and nothing was contained in this 
catechism which the Meccans bade not already learned” 
(Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys, Vol. I, p. 104). This 
catechism or creed of the Wahabis, given by Burckhardt, 
in his appendix to the second volume, opens with the usual 
Unitarian formula coupled with a motto from Bochari, the 
great traditionist : “ First learn, then speak, then act.” The 
questions and answers are in no way remarkable, except that 
each answer 1s accompanied by a proof-text from the Koran. 
The division of the little tract is threefold—on the know- 
ledge of God, the knowledge of Islam, and the knowledge 
of our prophet Mohammed. Concerning Mohammed, the 
catechism answer reads: “ Mohammed, may God’s mercy be 
with him! isa delegate whom we dare not adore and a prophet 
whom we dare not belie; but we must obey and follow him, 
for it has been ordained to spirits and to mortals to be his 
followers. He was born and appointed a prophet at Mecca ; 
his flight and death were at Medina. If it be asked, is he 
