'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.' [‎384] (545/612)

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APPENDIX A.
In this respect the position of the later rulers of'Oman is far
more independent than it was in former times, when some of
them at least appear to have received, or to have been satisfied
with, a very limited allowance for personal expenditure from ilic
Beit-el-Mal, barely sufficient to provide them with the necessaries
of life, (see pp. 76, 77).
As regards the administration of justice, all ordinary suits
were left to the Kadhi, or Judge, who decided them according
to the institutes of the Koran ; more important cases were sub
mitted to a council, under the presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. of the Kadhi, but their
decision was subject to be annulled or modified by that of the
Imam, " who took the precedence over all the nobles in the ad
ministration of the affairs of'Oman," (p. 49), and whose decree
was final. These processes, however, were confined to the prin
cipal towns, for the Imam's authority was, and that of the ruling
Seyyid still is, barely nominal in other parts of the province and
among the tribes, each tribe acting ordinarily as a civ il commu
nity, the smaller being in a great measure under the intluence
of the greater. Theoretically, the chiefs are responsible to the
Imam for the good government of their respective districts ;
practically, they are independent of him, and settle all matters
of dispute among themselves according to their own tribal laws
and customs, the Imam seldom interfering with them, unless for
acts of rebellion and for refusing to supply their quota of men,
in cases of emergency, for the defence of the State or in support
of his authority.
Apart from his strictly religious functions which, as we have
seen, were mainly confined to leading in the prayers of the
mosque once a week, and to the superintendence of pious enter
prises and endowments, the Imam in his capacity of Prince held
much the same position as the sovereign in the old feudal system
of Europe; the chief represents the barons, and the people, re
leased from taxation, hold possession of the soil on the same
tenure as the ancient vassal, namely, military service.
Imamate and regency became practically restricted to the members of
the ruling family, has had the most pernicious effect on the welfare of
the principality. Seyyids who have had such appanages assigned to
them have, as a rule, assumed sovereign rights and set the central
authority at defiance.