396 



THE BAYAZL 



During the reign of the last ruler, El Islam 

 at Zanzihar was tolerant by compulsion ; the 

 Shiahs were allowed an Imambara at which they 

 bewailed the death of Hasan and Husayn — few 

 Sunni countries would have tolerated the abo- 

 mination. But as these 6 sectarians ' almost wor- 

 ship whilst others absolutely adore Ali and his 

 descendants ; and as the c Khariji ' schism slew 

 the former and well-nigh damns all the rest, they 

 join issue and agree to differ. This indeed is a 

 recognized rule in religions, where the most 

 minute distinctions cause and perpetuate the 

 deadliest feuds, and the family quarrel will not 

 be reconciled, because love perverted becomes not 

 indifference but hate. 



The Arabs are here all Shafei or Bayazi. As 

 the latter schism is now rare under that name in 

 the Moslem world, some notice of it may be con- 

 sidered advisable. I have seen the Bayazi con- 

 founded with the Mutazali (Motazilites who 

 support Free-will versus Predestination), but 

 there is an important difference : the latter hold 

 Ali in high esteem and object only to the Caliph 

 Muawiyah. 



The Bayazi, also called Abazi, 1 Ibaz and 



1 Niebuhr terms them Beiasi and Abadhi (Travels in 

 Arabia, chap. cxiv.). Salil ibn Eazik makes Abdullah the son, 

 not the grandson, of Abaz. 



