"سجلات تاريخ عُمان" [‎٥‎٧] (١١٢/٧٤)

Boole Seventh.
57
desired that the Imam ate should be conferred on Mohenna-bin Sultan, con
sidering him worthy of the position and powerful enough to maintain it.
They were moreover not aware of anything in his character or conduct which
should exclude him from reigning. They argued also that the Imamate of
a boy was not allowable in any circumstances. It would not be lawful for
him to lead the prayers ; how then could he be Imam of the country, to
govern it, and have power over the property, lives, and honor of the people ?
When it was not lawful for him to take possession of his own property, how
could it be right that he should have charge of the property of God, or of
orphans, or of absentees, and others incapacitated for the administiation of
their affairs ?
The Sheykh 'Adi-bin Suleiman el-Thahali perceived that the people
favoured the claims of the Imam's son, and though he did not consider him
self justified in assisting them in that course, he feared that, as the assembled
people were armed, opposition might induce them to use their weapons and
lead to bloodshed. Accordingly he wished to silence them and break up
the assembly. So he said to them ' Seyf is " Amam" or " before you.' " On
this, they proclaimed him Imam, and fired the guns to announce the event.
The news spread throughout 'Oman that Seyf-bin Sultan was Imam. When,
however, the commotion had subsided, and people had quieted down, they
brought the Sheykh Muhenna secretly into the fort and elected him Imam.
This was in the same month and year in which Sultan-bin Seyf died.
The Im'am Muhenna-bin Sultan . The new Imam applied himself to
the Government, and the people enjoyed tranquillity during his time. He
abolished the custom duties at Maskat, and appointed no agent to reside
there, so that the inhabitants made profit by the trade of the place. ^ Prices
fell and the harvests were rich. None of the learned refused allegiance to
Muhenna. He continued to reign for one year when he was slain. I shall,
if it be the will of God, narrate the circumstances attending his slaughter,
and the causes of the disturbances which took place in 'Oman and of the
condition to which the affairs of its people tended, in a separate book.
Book VII.
Account of the Civil Wars in 'Oman and of the state to which the country
was reduced. A. D. 1718 to A. D. 1/28.
After the election of Muhenna-bin Sultan, the el-Ya'arabeh and people
of el-Eostak ceased not to cherish enmity against him and the Kadlu 'Adi-
bin Suleiman el-Thahali and to urge Ya'rab-bin Bel'arab to rise against the
Imam ; which he at length did, and took possession of Maskat, the Wall ot
which was at that time Mes'ud-bin Mohammed-bin Mes'ud el-Sanmi el-
RiyamL As Ya'rab did not enter Maskat with a force, it is probable the