EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 389 
of troops, to be joined by the Arabs friendly to the Porte, in 
repreffing the incurfions of Abd-el-a%iz ibn Mejfoud el Wahhdhbe, 
a rebel againft the government, who by the rapid fuccefs of his 
arms, and his increafmg followers, had lately grown formi- 
dable. This man, a native of Nedjed^ refpeded among the Arabs 
for his age and wifdom, had two years before firft made public 
his determination to refift the authority of the Porte. He has 
lince colledted a confiderable body of men, but it is faid they 
are only furnifhed with fpears and fwords. He pretends to a 
divine miflion, and gives no quarter to thofe who oppofe him. 
To invite Chriftians and Jews to his party, he only requires an 
annual capitation tax of three piafters and a half. Of the peo- 
ple under his jurifdidtion, every owner of a houfe is obliged to 
ferve in perfon or find a fubflitute j and, to encourage them, he 
divides the fpoil into five parts ; taking one himfelf, he gives 
two to the fubftitute and two to the principal, or if the latter 
ferve he has four parts. It was fuppofed his views pointed to 
Mecca, which he had threatened to attack. His confeffion of 
faith is only — " There is no God but God inferring, that a 
prophet, when dead, deferves no homage, and that of courfe to 
mention him in a creed, or in prayers, is abfurd. He enjoins 
the abfolute neceffity of prayer, under the open canopy of hea- 
ven, and deftroys all the mofques he can feize. Of the five 
dogmata of Mohammed, he admits alms, falling, prayer, and 
ablution, but rejeds pilgrimage. He denies the divine origin 
of the Koran, but prohibits the ufe of all liquors but water. 
Being advanced in age, he had taken care to fecure the attach- 
ment 
