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Shieks are the chiefs of the societies of derviches: cadis are the magistrates of a town or city.

As the judges of Israel in ancient days rode on white asses, so amongst the Mahometans, those that affect an extraordinary sanctity, use the same animal in preference to the horse. Sir John Chardin observed in various parts of the East, that their reins, as here represented, were of silk, with the name of God, or other inscriptions upon them. ''Ludeke Expos. brevis'', p. 49. Chardin's MS. cited by Harmer.

D'Herbelot supposes this title to have been a corruption of the Greek diabolos. It was the appellation conferred by the Arabians upon the prince of the apostate angels, and appears more likely to originate from the Hebrew hebel, vanity, pride.—See below the note 210, "creatures of clay."