'History of the imâms and seyyids of 'Omân by Salîl-ibn-Razîk, from A.D. 661-1856; translated from the original Arabic, and edited with notes, appendices, and an introduction, continuing the history down to 1870, by George Percy Badger, F.R.G.S., late chaplain in the Presidency of Bombay.' [‎143] (304/612)

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THE IMAMS OF OMAN.
143
there, imposed the khardj, 1 and inflicted all kinds of tortures
upon them, put many persons of both sexes, young and old,
to death, carried off such women as pleased them to Shiraz,
and perpetrated the most barbarous cruelties, insomuch that
ten thousand women and children are said to have been
murdered by them, none escaping their hands except such
as saved themselves by flight. Nevertheless, not being able
to capture the fort, they left Nezwa on the 16th of Dzul-Hijj,
and marched to Azka, the inhabitants of which submitted
to them and paid them khardj. After remaining there a
day or two they proceeded towards el-Batinah, and turned
off in the direction of Maskat, which they reached on the
24th of the same month. They invested the town and be
came masters of the entire place, with the exception of the
Eastern and Western forts. These they besieged until the
5th of Safar, a.h . 1151 [15th May, 1738]. From Maskat
they went to Barkah.
Before their arrival at Maskat, Seif-bin-Sultan had fled
with his ships to Barkah, and after placing the el-Maawal
in the forts there, had gone on to el-Jau, the inhabitants of
which received him with all respect and accompanied him
to Nakhl. From thence he went to ezh-Zhahirah and met
Belarab-bin-Himyar in the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. of the Benu-Ghafir. The
Benu-Ghafir were of opinion that, in order to heal their divi
sions and rivalries, and that both might join against the
common enemy, the Persians, Belarab-bin-Himyar should
surrender the Imamate to Seif-bin-Sultan, which was accord
ingly done.
Meanwhile hostilities were carried on between the el-Maa
wal at Barkah and the Persians, who had marched thither
from Maskat; but the latter were unable to take the forts,
1 Khardj means a tax or tribute. In this instance it probably com
prised, besides taxes on land and produce, the Jizyah, or tribute, levied
in the form of a capitation-tax from a conquered people and from na
tive non-Muslims in a country under Muslim rule. No such taxes were
levied in 'Oman under the Imams.
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