File 53/1915 Part IV 'German War: Turkey; Caliphate etc' [‎241r] (478/481)

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The dominant, factor in this group lies in the nature of the Shiism which
prevails. To understand this it is necessary to recollect a little of the
previous history of the country. Kerbella was the centre of Ali’s caliphate,
and was not only the stronghold of the lost cause of the Alid house after Ali s
death, but also the centre of a sect known as the Kharyites or anarchists who
interpreted the doctrine of private judgment as not only applying to
religious matters but also to ordinary law. 1 his sect has disappeared in
naine, but in essence survives, among these Arabs ol Mesopotamia. After
the death of Ali lower Mesopotamia was in constant rebellion and the scene
of many persecutions, both under the Omayads and Abbassids. It was also
the resort of all Shia pilgrims to the shrines of the Alid martyrs and saints
ir contained. With the death of the tenth Imam and the spread of the
legend that he had disappeared to return again, the population became
rebels against constituted authority, but with no policy, since their
candidate 5 was not to appear until the end of the world. hver
disorderly at the best of times, when the Abbassid civilisation
collapsed, these people sank into a complete anarchy and have
never since recovered. They bitterly dislike Christians as such,
Sunnis whether Turks or Arabs, worse than Christians, and are hostile to
Persians on racial grounds. This area, therefore, presents a separate
problem ; its inhabitants are broken up among themselves, and have no natural
alhnitv to any external movement. It must also be remembered that to
Indian and Persian Shias the shrines of Nejef and Kerbella are more than
Mecca is to Sunnis, as Shiism is a passionate and sentimental creed, and
its poetry and traditions are that of a tragically lost cause Lhe pan-Arab
movement in this area can have little force, and the Shenf of Meccano
following. During the early part ol the present war the I urks, with con
siderable ability, worked up considerable enthusiasm among the people on
the oTounds of repelling infidels who desired to pollute the holy places.
The r> Russian action at Meshed and elsewhere has had consuleiable
influence on the minds of the urban peoples of the Nejei-lverbella aiea.
The only sign of interest in outside events traceable m this area was the
telegram sent to Constantinople when Mr. Parker profaned the mosque o
Omar a few years ago.
Group III.—SYRIA.
• „ tn .Uj, area we find a situation extremely different from that
i ' rfn the oreceding two The material and intellectual civilization
part of the Ottoman Empire, and inn.any
respects confonns with that of Southern Europe—it is equal to that ol Spain,
Cal ddm reTolilhr' this difference can he traced to several factors, (a) The
f .. |j| e Ommayad dynasty primarily replaced Uiristianin by Islam
tact, that tne wnu. T, tr -.t That Jerusalem has ever been
with considerable caut '° . ^ q lw| . illia „ e . ( c ) That the long years of the
O S ‘TTs Zlmed by cistai'it negotiations, settlement and the temporary
Crusades pioduceu tnulition of intercourse and interchange of
introduction of hurope ’ , Jesuit policy of making much of the
ideas with Europe (d) ihe gncffi political e »a s . (e) The
■ Vrab , pilgrim* and tourists. (/) The development of the
constant ebb a ^ ^ a fl vvays . m) The temporary emigration to, and
country by means ol 1 ici ) Christians and Moslems from, the
s „hsequemt return olhugmniunbmsolb nan ^ of
United States of America. On ot ^J n Arabia pro p e r, without any
Arabian l^ tr > o£ a “4stnTr Turkish influence. The Ottoman Turks have
niteruiingbng of era, ou jj k> au d have as a matter of fact,
:;;rcm,LlemUe 1 .;: of Syrians in the Government ol the country, and the
0 ‘ B Tim malntlluem'l hl^Zlntry are Jerusalem, Damascus, Beyrut, the
Lebanon, Aleppo. alld Moslems are brought together partly
, l " •'rA’ltt a A partly by the constant intercourse necessitated by
the tourist aud pilgrim traffic.
A. ^
S. 291.