292 



SAYYID SAID. 



Islam. The c Lnam of Mascat,' 1 therefore, never 

 followed the practice of his predecessors. His 

 acclamation took place on Sept. 14, 1806. He 

 was immediately involved in troubles with Mom- 

 basah, Makdishu, and the unruly Arab settle- 

 ments of the East African Coast. His possess- 

 ions in Oman also were invaded and overrun by 

 the Wahhabis, under Saud who died in 1814, 

 and afterwards under his son Abdullah : these 

 energetic Puritans converted, by much fighting 

 and more intrigue, several tribes to 6 TJnitari- 

 anism ' ; the land was at once fettered with a 

 five per cent. Zakat (annual tribute), of which 

 Maskat paid 12,000 German crowns, and Sohar 

 $8000. Yet his valour and conduct gradually 

 raised Sayyid Said to wealth and importance, 

 and the warlike operations of Mohammed Ali 

 Pasha against the Wahhabis gave him power to 

 throw off the yoke. His personal gallantry in 

 the disastrous affair with the Benu Bii 'Ali 

 (1820 — 21), won him the praise of India, and 

 the gift of a sword of honour from the Governor- 

 General. His tolerance, so unusual in Arabia, 

 the patriarchal character of his rule, and his 



1 I cannot but express my astonishment to see a geographer 

 like Bitter, and a veteran from the East like Colonel Sykes 

 (loco cit.), confound 'Imam' with 'Imaun' (Iman), which 

 signifies faith or creed. 



