Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 1.djvu/381

 Muhammad was succeeded in the regal and sacerdotal office by his friend and convert Abubekr; who, after a reign of two years, was followed by Omer: the latter, after an interval of twelve years, was succeeded by Othman, the secretary of Muhammad, and twenty-four years after the death of the Prophet, Ali became the Imām.

After the death of Muhammad, his followers divided into two great factions, the one acknowledged Abubekr, the father-in-law of the prophet, as his successor, and were denominated Soonees; the other adhered to Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, and were known by the title of the Sheas, who look up to the Imāms as the leaders of the faithful. The Caliphas are the leaders of the Soonees, who slew Imām Ali, and the descendants of the prophet: in Hindostan the Soonees are as ten to one Shea; in Arabia Proper Sheas are not tolerated.

THE MUHARRAM.

1834, May 19th.—The mourning festival of the Muhammadans in remembrance of their first martyrs, Hussun and Hussein, lasts ten days; on the last day the Taziya, the model of the tomb of Hussein, is interred.

Yuzeed, a Soonee, the king of Shawm, had a quarrel respecting the succession with the Syuds, the descendants of Muhammad. Ali, the husband of Fátíma, was first murdered by him. He left two sons, Hussun and Hussein. Hussun, his wife Ashea, and his nurse, Be Halima, were poisoned.

To discover the state of affairs at Shawm, Hussein first sent his cousin Moslem, who, with his two sons, quitted Medina for that purpose. He, as well as his sons, were seized and put to death. This event is commemorated with deep sorrow during the mourning festival. Hussein, ignorant of the fate of Moslem, was proceeding from Medina to Shawm, in the hope of being proclaimed the "Imām, the leader of the faithful." He was accompanied by all his family; on the road on the plains of Kraabaallah, they were attacked: they defended themselves with the utmost bravery, until every man found his grave upon the spot. This event occurred on the tenth day of the Arabian