'Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol I. Historical. Part IA & IB. J G Lorimer. 1915' [‎1602] (1757/1782)

Attempted
reform of the
distribution
arrangement:
by Colonel
Tweedie,
1889-90.
1602
recorded In a memorandum, dated 2nd May 1889, in which by way of a
final recommendation he remarked :
It wouM probably also be an advantage in somft ways to have the bequest distribut
ed by a committee, as being more public and with a better chance of satisfying varying
interests than tlie present arrangement, which, in being entrusted to one man, is not
in accordance with the terms of the bequest. This, however, must be a reform from
within, which Mirza Abu'l Kasim might be advised to propose himself as relieving
him of a thankless responsibility, though not one which it would be possible to carry
out without his consent.
A list for the regulation of payments at Karbala was eventually drawn
up in September 1889 ; but it does not appear whether any was prepared
at Isiajaf.
On return to his post from leave, Colonel Tweedie endeavoured to
cfive effect to the suggestions of Major Talbot regarding the creation of
committees. After several interviews with the Bahr-ul-'lJlum, and com
munications with the Ilujjat-ul-Islam through common friends, small
committees were appointed at Karbala and Najaf, consisting of the Mujta-
hid-Distributor at each plae^, the British Agent at Karbala, and a third
member. The unofficial member at Karbala was Saiyid Hasan, Haklm-
zadah, a disinterested Persian gentleman of that town ; at Najaf it was
an equally disinterested and highly respected Shi^ah merchant of Baghdad.
The results obtained may be described in Colonel Tweedie's own graphic
words :
At Najaf the result proved nil. The " highly respected Baghdad merchant
wishing to remain " highly respected played dummy, in which he was seconded by
our " Honorary Agent ", whose r61e and nature it is to make everything pleasant to
everybody, and so the Bahru'l Ulum remained as unruffled as his ways of distribution
remained unstraightened. At Karbala the independent member tried to bring about
reform, thereby exciting in the highest degree the animosity of the Hujjatu'l Islam
and all his party. Seeing this, I resolved, after several months of patient trial, to
have done with the " Committee the net product of which may be thus stated -(1)
distribution through the Hujjat-ul-Islam at Karbala and the Bahru'l Ulum at Najaf
certainly is what Major Talbot called it in his memorandum, a " crying scandal—(2)
every attempt to improve it founded on the fallacy of those two Mnjtahids, or any other
Majtahids to whom may be afforded in lieu of them a similar opportunity of making
money, being inclined to pay out to others sums which they can by any possibility
keep to themselves is fore-doomed to failure. The idea of making over to a Mnjtahid
the distribution of money is anything but a business man's idea.
A Mujtahid's proper occupation is study. Outside of that, if a Mujtahid at all, and
not a mere pretender, he is a child, (and) the entrusting to him of money for division
surely leads to the gathering round him of parasites (to say nothing of themeinbers
of his owa family) for the purpose of taking it from him ,
ore*