"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎١‎١‎١] (٧٣٨/٢٢٧)

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INHABITANTS
Abu Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Moham
med, whom the Shiites regard as his sole legitimate successor.
The Ansariyeh share with the Shiites their dislike of the
three immediate successors of the Prophet; but differ both
from them and from orthodox Islam in substituting for the
formula ‘ There is no god but God ’ the attestation ‘ There is
no god but £ Ali, son of Abu Talib who according to them is
eternal, unbegotten and unbegetting, is essentially the light,
and constitutes the meaning of phenomena.
The sacred book of the Ansariyeh is called the Majmu‘,
or‘collectedIt consists of sixteen short chapters. It
resembles various mystical forms of Islam, though assigning to
various personages of importance a position which differs from
that ordinarily given them. Besides ‘Ali, who is God, it
recognizes Mohammed as ‘ the Veil and one of Mohammed’s
adherents, Salman the Persian, as ‘ the Gate ’. The first letters
of these three names (‘ain-mlm-sln) form a mystery which is
communicated to proselytes, and serves as a symbol between
the members of the sect. Religious importance is also attached
to ‘ the five orphans personages ordinarily reckoned among
the early followers of Mohammed, who are said to have
created the world, and to the members of ‘Ali’s family,
i. e. his wife Fatimah and his two sons.
Moderate as is the size of the community, it is divided
into four sects : Heidaris, Shamalis, Kalazis, and Gheibis.
The first of these takes its name from one of the titles of
‘Ali, the second shows a tendency to sun-worship, the third to
moon-worship, the fourth to worship of the air. To all the
identification of ‘Ali with the Deity is the main dogma ; their
differences lie in the interpretation of various phrases and
symbols.
They agree with orthodox Islam in the performance of
prayer five times daily, and the number five has for them
certain mystic values which are not usually recognized; they
interpret the ordinance of the pilgrimage symbolically ; and
unlike the orthodox they are addicted to the use of wine,
which they employ in certain religious ceremonies.