384 
M O C H A 
It is now above forty years since a new sect started up in 
Arabia, which has rapidly increased, and is Hkely to cause a greater 
change, in the poHtical situation of that country, than any event 
since the time of Mohammed. Abdul Waheb, a private individual, 
born, according to Niebuhr, in El Aiane, a town of the district of 
Darale, in the province of Nedjed-el-Ared, has given his name to 
his followers, who are from him called Wahabee. This extraordi- 
nary man, for many years, studied the sciences in Arabia ; and, 
after travelling through Persia, and residing for some time at Basra, 
returned to his native country, and proclaimed himself the reformer 
of the Mussulmaun religion. The province of Nedjed was at this 
time divided into a multitude of smaller tribes, each governed by 
its own Sheik. To these, Abdul Waheb pointed out the abuses 
which had crept into the Mussulmaun religion, particularly the 
worshipping of saints, and the use of spirituous liquors and other 
exhilarating articles. He reprobated the doctrine of the two sects 
of the Sunnis, with respect to the denying that the Koran was 
either created, or existing from all eternity, but admitting that 
it was inspired by God, as a guide for the conduct of mankind. 
However, as the greater part of the Sheiks were Sunnis, he concili- 
ated them by acknowledging the authority of the sayings of Mo- 
hammed. My good friend the Hadje Abdallah, who was avowedly 
a Wahabee, and was in Mecca at the time it was taken by Suud, 
gave me their profession of faith, which is as follows. 
" There is only one God. He is God; and Mohammed is his 
Prophet. Act according to the Koran, and the sayings of Mohammed. 
It is unnecessary for you to pray for the blessing of God on the 
prophet, oftener than once in your life. You are not to invoke the 
