'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎677] (776/905)

CHAP. XXV.] RELIGION OF THE WAHHABL
677
to spit upon him if near enough, or to slip up unperceived,
and tie a knot on his handkerchief.
The Sunnie religion, which has been already described Founder of the
(page 86), has as yet maintained its place in the country not- Wahm sect
withstanding the efforts made to destroy it by its formidable
opponents, the Shi'as, the Ze'ites, the Abadites, the Messek-
hilites, and other schismatics, one branch of whom, the
Wahhabi, has been nearly successful. These last, who may
be considered as the Protestants, or rather the Puritans, of the
Muslim, had their beginning within the sacred territory itself;
where a humble individual, Ab-del-Wayab of Der'ayyah,
inculcated a pure theism. The Wahhabi acknowledge one Tenets of the
God, and they consider the doctrines of the Koran as of 8604 "
divine origin; but they maintain that Muhammed was an
ordinary individual, and that any sort of worship to him or
to his disciples, should be punished as idolatry. They have
neither imams nor priests, and they observe no fasts; more
over, they enjoin the destruction of all buildings dedicated to
saints. Friday, which was venerated in Arabia before the
time of Muhammed, is their sabbath. Civil and religious
equality appear to be the main objects with them; and it
was part of their plan to banish the Turks, as well as
other people who do not properly belong to the peninsula;
on this account their religion is favoured by the Bedawms,
who at one time spread its doctrines to the banks of the
Euphrates, and the shores of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Superstition
prevails throughout Arabia in great force. The supposed
power of the evil eye is, perhaps, one of the most ancient and
most rooted of their prejudices; and accidents occurring in a Superstitions,
tribe or family, such as the death of an individual, or the loss
of a camel, are ascribed unhesitatingly to some stranger who
had, as they suppose, cast his eye upon the man or animal.
The effect of enchantment, they think, is indicated in a long-
continued illness, such as paralysis, epilepsy, &c.; but more
especially in the sudden loss of reason ; and against all these
evils the Arab considers himself in a manner protected by
wearing an amulet round his neck or arm.
Dreams are supposed to foreshow every future event to indi-