Nusayri 5 book compilation

5 Books – Summarised “Removal of all unnecessary chapters” Table of Contents for all books still remain but only relevant Chapters are available

Journal of the American Oriental Society – Volume 8 – “The Book of Sulaimans First Ripe Fruit

Disclosing the Mysteries of the Nursairian Religion” STARTS PAGE 6 to 87

1864 By Edward E Salisbury

Secret Sects of Syria and the Lebanon A consideration of the Origin, creed and religious ceremonies, and their connection with

and influence upon modern freemasonry Chapter 1

“The Root Principles of All Freemasonry” Page 95 Chapter 16

“The Religious System of the Nusairis” STARTS PAGE 101 TO 140

1922 By Bernard H Springett

Asian Mysteries “The Ansaireeh or Nursairis of Syria”

STARTS PAGE 145 TO 443 1860

By Rev, Samuel Lyde

“Kitabu’l-Mecmu’u’nun Tercumesi” STARTS PAGE 447-457

Professor Dr Ahmet Turan

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Extremist Shiites: the ghulat sects 1998 STARTS PAGE 458 - 682 Matti Moosa

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JOURNAL

OF THK

AMERICAS ORIENTAL SOCIETY,

EIGHTH VOLUME.

NEW HAVEN:FOR THE AMERICAN ORIENTAL SOCIETY,

PRINTED BT E. HAYES, PRINTER TO YALE COLLEGE.

MDCCCLXVI.

SOLD BY THE SOCIETY'S AGENTS :

NEW YORK: B. WESTERMANN & CO., 440 BROADWAY;LONDON: TRUBNER & CO., AND WILLIAMS & NORGATE;PARIS: BENJ. DUPRAT; LEIPZIG: F. A. BROCKHAUS.

2.

AS

COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION

AMERICAN ORIENTAL SOCIETY,

FOR THE YEARS 1864-66.

EDWARD E. SALISBURY,

WILLIAM D. WHITNEY,JAMES HADLEY,EZRA ABBOT,

ARNOLD GUYOT,

New Haven.

Cambridge.

Princeton.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by the

AMERICAN ORIENTAL SOCIETY,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Connecticut.

CONTENTS

EIGHTH VOLUME.

Page.

ART. I. ON THE VIEWS OF BIOT AND WEBER RESPECTING THE RELA-

TIONS OF THE HINDU AND CHINESE SYSTEMS OF ASTERISMS;with

an addition, on Miiller's views respecting the same subject. By

WILLIAM D. WHITNEY, Professor of Sanskrit in Tale College,- 1

ART. II. ON THE TESAVUF, OR SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE SOFFEES. Trans-

lated from the Turkish of Mohemmed Missiree, by JOHN P. BROWN,

Esq., of the American Embassy at Constantinople, 95

ART. III. MATERIALS FOR THE HISTORY OF THE MUHAMMADAN DOCTRINE

OF PREDESTINATION AND FREE WILL : compiled from original

sources. By EDWARD E. SALISBURY, 105

ART. IV. THE REVELATION OF THE BLESSED APOSTLE PAUL. Translated

\ from an Ancient Syriac manuscript, by Rev. JUSTIN PERKINS, D.D.,

Missionary of the A. B. C. F. M. at Orumiah, 183

ART. V. BRIEF NOTICE OF THE KEMI LANGUAGE, spoken by a tribe in

Arrakan, Farther India. By Rev. LYMAN STILSON, formerly Mis-

sionary of the ^Bapt. Miss. Union,

,I)

213

ART. VI. fcj.r*^ xibtXJf ,\^ ^Jt^^ j K-oU-JLJ! 8^ LSI ujLf

THE BOOK OF SULAIMAN'S FIRST

RIPE FRUIT, disclosing the Mysteries of the Nusairian Religion,

by Sulaiman 'Effendi of 'Adhanah; with copious extracts. By

EDWARD E. SALISBURY, 227

ART. VII. ON THE ORIGIN OF THE LUNAR DIVISION OF THE ZODIAC REP-

RESENTED IN THE NAKSHATRA SYSTEM OF THE HINDUS. By Rev.

EBENEZER BURGESS, late Missionary of the A. B. C. F. M. in India, 309

ART. VIII. ON LEPSIUS'S STANDARD ALPHABET : a Letter of Explanations

from Prof. LEPSIUS, with Notes by W. D. WHITNEY, - - 335

11

MISCELLANIES :

Page.

I. On the Armeno-Turkish Alphabet. By Rev. ANDREW T. PRATT, M.D., 374

II. Brahmanical Inscriptions in Buddhistic Temples in Siam. By A. BAS-

TIAN, M.D., 377

III. On the Assyro-Pseudo-Sesostris. By HYDE CLARKE, Esq., of Smyrna, - 380

IV. Reply to the Strictures of Prof. Weber upon an Essay respecting the Asteris-

mat System of the Hindus, Arabs, and Chinese. By Prof. W. D. WHITNEY, 382

APPENDIX:

AMEKicAisr OKIENTAL SOCIETY :

Proceedings at Boston and Cambridge, May 2Qth and 2lst, 1863, i

Proceedings at New Haven, Oct. llth and 15th, 1863, xvi

Proceedings at Bostoi and Cambridge, May 18th and 19th, 1864,- - - xxv

Additions to th> Abrary and Cabinet, Nov. 1863 May, 1864,.... xxxv

List of Members, May, 1864, xliii

Proceeding t New York, Oct. 26th and 27th, 1864, 1

Proceed' . at Boston and Cambridge, May llth, 1865, lix

Additions to the Library and Cabinet, May, 186 May, 1865,- Ixx

Proceedings at New Haven, Oct. llth and 12th, 1865,.... ixxxi

ARTICLE VI.

NOTICE OF

*ji^aJf

wlioJt^-J ^4^x/

^i^f ^cJJ^f .

THE BOOK OF SULAIMAFS FIRST RIPE FRUIT,DISCLOSING THE

MYSTERIES OF THE NUSAIRIAN RELIGION,

BY SULAIMAN 'EFFENDI OF 'ADHANAH;

WITH COPIOUS EXTRACTS.

BY EDWARD E. SALISBURY.

Presented to the Society May 18th and Oct. 27th, 1864.

IN the year 1848, several original documents relative to the

Nnsairis were made known in the Journals of the Asiatic So-

ciety of Paris and the German Oriental Society, by extracts and

translations, in which the festivals of the sect were enumerated,the origin of some of them was explained, a few Nusairian forms

of prayer, or consecration, were given, and certain points of

doctrine held by the sect were brought out in the form of a

catechism. But from that time to the present nothing additional

has been contributed to the elucidation of the subject. We take

pleasure, therefore, in introducing to our fellow-orientalists the

work whose title heads this paper, which appeared at Beirutthe present year, though without any imprint of place or date,

and will be found to be of the highest interest and importancewith reference to Nusairian rites, doctrines, and history. It

was written by a former member of the sect, according to the

following statement made by our associate Dr. Van Dyck, mis-

sionary at Beirut, to whose courtesy we are indebted for copiesof the work.

VOL. VIII. 30

228 E. E, Salisbury,

"This tract was written," says Dr. Yan Dyck, in transmittingsome of the sheets in advance of publication, "by a Nuseiry,who first doubted his own religion and became a Jew, then a

Moslem, then a Greek, then a Protestant. He was taken as a

conscript, and sent from Adana to Damascus, where he was re-

leased. He came to Beirut and wrote this tract. He then wentto Ladikia, and remained some months with Rev. R. J. Dodds,missionary of the Assoc. Reformed Church

;and then returned

to have his tract printed at his own expense. I have left it

pretty much as he wrote it, without attempting to reduce it to

the rules of the language; nor have I had time to read the

proofs. Some parts have been omitted for the sake of decency.Beirut, Sept. 26, 1863."

Of the author we know nothing more than this, excepting bythe tract itself, which seems to us, however, to bear internal

marks of credibility sufficient to justify reliance upon its au-

thority.We propose, now, to exhibit the substance of this tract, fol-

lowing the author closely, for fear of losing something import-ant of what he communicates. As to forms of expression, how-

ever, while freely using those of the author, we shall not be

trammeled by them, only carefully preserving the phraseologywhere original formularies seem to have been drawn upon. Forthe fuller satisfaction of orientalists, we shall introduce the text

itself of all portions of the tract which appear to be taken from

manuals of the sect, as well as of all leading terms and titles of

office, and of all single passages in our author's explanationswhich seem to be of special importance.The work before us is divided into sections : of which the first

describes the author's initiation as a Nusairi, and embraces what

purports to be a complete Nusairian prayer-book, with important

explanations and historical notes; the second is chiefly an enu-

meration of some of the principal festivals of the sect; the third

gives a detailed report of the ceremonies observed, and the litur-

gical forms used, on those occasions, and includes some statistics

of the sect; the fourth treats of the important Nusairian doc-

trine of a fall from virtue and happiness in a pre-existent state;

the fifth consists entirely of specimens of Nusairian poetry ;the

sixth is a statement, by the author, of certain fundamental prin-

ciples of the sect; the seventh is a narrative of the circumstances

under which the author discovered its deeper mysteries, of his

own conversion, first to Judaism and then to Christianity, 'and

of the treatment which he met with, in consequence, from his

former eo religionists ;and the eighth, which is the last, is wholly

controversial, being an argument against the doctrines and rites

of the Nusairis.

The author begins by informing us that he was born at An-

Salaimdn on the Nasairian Religion. 229

tioch in A.H. 1250, or A.D. 1834-5, and lived there to the ageof seven

3* ears, when ho was taken to 'Adhanah;and that his

initiation took place when he was eighteen years old, the ap-

pointed time being from the age of eighteen to twenty. The

initiating ceremonies were as follows.

On a certain day there was a general gathering of high andlow of the Nusairis of 'Adhanah, belonging, as we shall sec, to

that division of the sect which bears the name of Northerners,before whom he was summoned, and had presented to him a

cup of wine. Then the Pursuivant (v-^xiiJ!) took a place at his

side, and said to him : "Say thou : 'By the mystery of thy be-

neficence, O my uncle and lord, thou crown of my head, I am,

thy pupil, and let thy sandal be upon my head'" (

1 ^ 5 and,when he had drunk off the wine, the Imam turned towards him,

saying:u Wouldst thou take up the sandals of those here pres-

ent upon thy head, to do honor to thy Lord?" ^ ur^y ^;to which he

replied: "Nay, but only the sandal of my lord" ^^\> Jo ^Jâ? ^^X-M*; whereupon the company laughed at his want of

docility. Then the Minister(jOLî), being so directed by the

assembly, brought to them the sandal of the Pursuivant; and,when they had uncovered the candidate's head, they laid it there-

on, and put over it a white rag; after which the Pursuivant be-

gan to pray over him, that he might receive the mystery. Whenthis prayer was ended, the sandal was taken from his head, hewas enjoined secresy, and all dispersed. This is what is called

the Betokening Adoption ( ;j.î K-ou-î). After forty days,another assembly was convened, another cup of wine was drunk

by the candidate, and he was directed to say: "Jn the faith of

the mystery of 'Ain-Mim-Sin" ^ ,. ^ :**, which our author

explains by informing us that 'Ain stands for 'All, or the Arche-

typal Deity (îall), Mitn for Muhammad, or the Expressed Deity

(f**^),or the Intermediary (v^ty, and Sin for Salman 'al-Farsi,

or the Communicator (v^*) and was charged by the Im,am to

pronounce the cabalistic word composed of those three letters,

namely, 'AMS, five hundred times a day. As before, secresywas enjoined, and the so-called King's Adoption (^SsxUi xxx*>)was now accomplished. Another interval of probation, lastingseven months (which with common people is extended to nine),

having passed away, our author was called before another assem-

bly, in whose presence he stood at a respectful distance; whena Deputy (J^^) rose amid the assembly, having the Pursuivant

230 & E. Salisbury,

on his right, and the Dignitary (v*~^) on his left, each with

a cup of wine in his hand; and all, turning towards the Imam,chanted the Third Melody by 'al-Husain Bin Hamdan 'al-Khu-

saibi (see below) ;after which, facing the Second Preceptor

(J,lift kXi.lt),* the whole assembly chanted to him the following:

"I inquire after the traits of nobleness where dwell they? to thee

have certain men pointed me. By the reality of Muhammad and his

race, compassionate one who comos to kiss thy hands. Thou art mygoal, let not my thought of thee prove vain

;account us to-day as de-

pending upon thee"

\JL=> ^ r;KU

^fiv^JU

and having put their hands upon his head sat down. Then he

stood up, took the Deputy's cup from his hand, bowed his headin worship, and read the Chapter of Bowing of the Head (see

below). Having recited this litany, he raised his head, and read

the Chapter of the 'Ain (see below). Then he drank off the

wine received from the Deputy, and read the Chapter of Salu-

tation (see below). After this, he stood with his face towards

the Imam, and said: "Haii, hail, hail, my lord Imam!"

plo^t ÂA** L|*ju fju j*ju ;

to which the Imam replied: "Mayit be well with thee and those around thee! Thou hast done

that which these here assembled have not done; for thou hast

taken in thy hand the cup, hast drunk, hast bowed the head,and hast saluted

,and to God is humble worship due. But

what is thy desire, and what wouldst thou?" ^rLj J Lo

_

To this the Dignitary answered: "I would have an evening of

the countenance of my Master" ^>j^ ^^^ \^*^ O^ Â an(^

then, retiring, he looked towards the heavens, and came back to

the assembly, and said: "Hail, hail, hail, my lord!" to which

the Imam replied as before: "What is thy desire, and what

wouldst thou ?" Then said the Dignitary :

"I have a desire, and

would it might be sanctioned" UPLî Oo;

i &>U> i; the Imam.

replied: "Go to, I sanction it" \j*\ v-^&M. The Dignitarythen -stepped aside from the assembly, and approached the candi-

date, to give him an opportunity to kiss his hands and feet;which

being done, he returned, and said :

"Hail, hail, hail, my lord

*i. e., the Dignitary.

Sulaimdn on the Nusairian Religion. 231

Imam." Then the Irnam said to him, again :

" What is thy wish,and what wouldst them ?" to which he gave for answer :

" A per-

son has presented himself to me in the way" (jo^=ui J, ^GL\J> *Ji

vjujolli. Again the Imam spoke: "Hast thou not heard whatwas said by our elect lord :

' As for the night-mare duty, no manof might can take it patiently'?" JJ' xU ^^ JJJI J.UJI ^.xXJ!

, and he replied :

" I have a stout heart, no fear for me"

,and then, after eyeing the candidate,

turned towards the assembly, and said :

" This person, named so

and so, has come to be initiated in your presence" ^^^uiJ! KAP

then inquired:

" Who directed him to us?" LuAe *b ^, to which the Dignitary

replied: "The eternal Archetypal Deity, the august ExpressedDeity, and the honored Communicator signified by the word'AMS" 0-** KkJ

<j^> ^*.& v^!* r*^ (*""% r^ &*USaid the Imam: "Bring him, that we may see him" *j vyut

s^ ; whereupon the Preceptor (Xfijll)took him by the right

hand, and led him towards the Imam. On his approach, the

Imam stretched out his feet, which the candidate kissed, andalso his hands, and said to him :

" What is thy desire, and whatwouldst thou, young man?"

jbL*ji Ljjf cXjJ' \S^ i^x>b> u.

Thereupon the Pursuivant rose, and stationing himself at the

candidate's side instructed him to say: "I ask for the mystery

of your faith, O multitudes of believers" LJ ^ f*

^JUjIt yiLjw. Then, eyeing him with a stern look, the Imam.said : "What impels thee to seek from us this mystery, crownedwith pearls large and small, which only a familiar angel, x)r a

commissioned prophet, can support? Know, O my child, that

there are many angels, but that only the Familiars can supportthis mystery ;

and that the prophets are numerous, but that onlythe Commissioned can support this mystery ;

and that there are

many believers, but that only the Approved can support this

mystery. Wilt thou suffer the cutting off of thy head, hands,and feet, and not disclose this august mystery ?" i

lJI !J\p

232 & E. Salisbury,

u*- ff3

*'

to

the reply was :

" Yes"p*i. Thereupon he added :

" I wish thee

to furnish a hundred sponsors" Jâ*" 5uu ii$U/> cXj;

\;at which

those present interposed: "The rule! O our lord Imam"

ôUÎ bju*- I* Q>^, and he said: "In deference to you, let

there be twelve sponsors" Û^ .*. Lot ^*J ^-OUL*!. Then

the Second Preceptor stood up, and kissed the hands of the.

twelve sponsors, and the candidate kissed their hands. Then

the sponsors rose and said :

"Hail, hail, hail, my lord Imam,"

and the Imam said: "What is your desire, ye nobles?" U*l$JiJt

Lfcit jjCx>L>,to which they having replied :

" We have

cornc to be sponsors for so and so" l&l Jv&&J U*j, the Imam

inquired: "In case he discloses this mystery, will ye bring him

to me, that we rnay cut him to pieces, and drink his blood?"

# ~* 131; they an-

swered : "Yes" p*S ;he added: "I am not Satisfied with your

sponsorship alone nay, but I would have two persons of con-

sideration to be responsible for you" Jafii ^jCJlLC ^&3\ c^*J

^<3blft^j ^ÂJM ÂJLi'l cX-j^ Jo. So one of the sponsors ran, with

the candidate after him, and kissed the hands of the two required

sponsors, whose hands the candidate also kissed. Then theytwo stood up, with their hands on their breasts; and the Imamturned toward them, and said: "God give you a good evening,

sponsors respected and pure, men of mark and no suck-

lings! But what would ye?" c ,tiLal \* ,-*&k U**~*J. *1N

^Jo-j ijl; u~Jt^ u&;^ J^> ^jPLLil? ^ ;<XxIi

;nnd the}^ replied:

" We have come to be sponsors for the twelve sponsors, and also

for this person" âîJi C\^ ^x&^-ixc ,/jrtt JA5JJ U>j1 wXs Loi

Icojj; whereupon he said: "In case, then, he runs off before

having fully learnt our forms of prayer, or discloses this mys-

tery, will ye two bring him to me, that we rnay take his life?"

and they replied : "Yes" p*3 ;and the Imam spoke

again :

uSponsors are perishable, and sponsors for sponsors

abide not I would have from him something that will last"

i*ju ^ i ^^ JL;

Ili^ âj ^Latfl ^Û^ âj ^blaJj! Qt. They

then gave way, and the Imam said to the candidate :

" Come near

to me, young man"

p^lcu^ Q^ ;

so he approached him, and

at the same moment the Imam adjured him, by all the heavenly

Sulaimdn on the Nusair'ian Religion. 233

bodies, that he would not disclose this mystery ;and afterwards

gave into his right hand the Book of the Summary (Q+>& V^),while the Pursuivant, stationed at his side, instructed him to

say: "Be thou extolled! swear me, my lord Imam, to this

august mystery, and thou shall be clear of any failure in me"

Then the Imam. took the book from him, and said: "Omychild, I swear thee not in respect to money, or suretyship nay,but in respect only to the mystery of God, as our chiefs and lords

have sworn us" *- J-^ J*J ;1^> ^ Jl* J^ <j~* <*a^t^^ I*

LobL^ U^.liwo Ual> L>/ Jaiis *Ut. This action and these wordshe repeated three times

;after which the candidate placed his

hand upon the Summary three times, making oath thereby to

the Imam, that he would not disclose this mystery so long as heshould live. The common people, as our author tells us, are

made to swear more times, especially among the Nusairis of

Ladikiyah.Our author's account of the ceremonies of his initiation con-

cludes as follows: "Then the Imam said: 'Know, O my child,that the earth will not suffer thee to be buried in

it, shouldstthou disclose this mystery,; and thy return will not be to enter

into human vestments nay, but, when thou diest, thou wilt

enter into vestments of degrading transformation, from whichthere will be no deliverance for thee, forever' ^^5 I*

Then they seated me among them, and, uncovering myhead, put a veil over it; and the sponsors placed their hands

upon my head, and began to pray: first, they read the Chap-ters of Victory, Bowing the llead, and the 'Ain (see below) ;

and, after drinking some wine, read also the Chapter or* Saluta-

tion (see below), and raised their hands from off my head;

whereupon the introducing uncle* (jj3xXJI ^) took hold of me,and made me salute my First Preceptor (Jr^Ji ^LX^XI), and then,

taking a cup of wine in his hand, gave me drink, and instructed

me to say: 'In God's name, by the help of God, and in the

faith of the mystery of lord 'Abu 'Abdallah, possessor of divine

knowledge, in the faith of the mystery of his blessed memorial,in the faith of his mystery God give him happiness!' &

*i. e., the Dignitary.

234 E. E. Salislury,

The assembly then dispersed, the Dignitary takingour young votary to his house, where he taught him the Form-ula of Disburdening (see below), and also made him acquaintedwith the various forms of prayer, to the number of sixteen, in

which the N.usairis pay divine honors to 'Ali.

We arc thus brought to the second part of our author's first

section, which sets before us the inmost principles of Nusairian

religion with a fullness and distinctness entirely new. Eachform of prayer is called a chapter, with a particular name in-

dicative of its contents; and in several cases the so-called prayerlias little or none of the tone of supplication, being, for the most

part,or wholly, a recital, and that without any special propriety

in reference to devotion, which we can discover. The whole

collection, to which the general title of Dustur(jLjA**xJI,

i. e.

the Canon) is given in one of our author's later sections, here

follows, translated and in the original text, together with all im-

portant notes by our author. As for explanations of our own,

they may be generally dispensed with, both here and elsewhere,our aim having been to make such translations as should be

self-explanatory, so far as possible, to the careful reader of the

whole series. We print the text of the Nusairian Dustur, as

well as of other formulas which we meet with in this tract,

without correction of errors in syntax and prosody, as our

author, for the sake of not impairing their authenticity, how-

ever slightly, appears to have left them after collating the

Dustur and"

the Formula of Disburdening, as he expressly in-

forms us, with authoritative copies. But where there seems to

be no such reason for punctiliousness, or where the printeralone appears to have been at fault, we have taken the lib-

erty to correct all errors in the original text of our author's

tract, without calling attention to them. The name of 'Ali,

which we find printed both connectedly, with ^ and discon-

nectedly, with ^^, we leave everywhere as we find it, thoughthe connected reading would seem most consistent with the Nu-sairian denial of the human origin of 'Ali.

" First Chapter, called the Commencement." Sure is he to prosper who obtains the friendship of him with the

bald forehead ! My beginning is to acknowledge myself a humble crea-

ture. I commence with the commencement of yielding my love to the

holiness of the archetypal divinity of the Prince of Bees, 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu

Talib, denominated Haidarah 'Abu Turab in reliance upon whom I

undertake and by whom I accomplish, through the remembrance of

whom I am secured, in whom I am saved, to whom I betake myself, in

whom I am blessed, of whom I ask help, in whom I begin and in whom


I end, with orthodoxy in religion and faithfulness to the indubitable

truth. Said lord 'Abu Shifaib Muhammad Bin Nusair to Yahya Bin

Ma'yan 'as-Samiri :'

Yahya., whenever that which brings life befalls

thee, or when death-bringing fate takes hold on thee, utter an invocation

elevated, sincere, purified, reverent, choice, splendid, sublime, holy, sanc-

tified, radiant, luminous, for thy deliverance from these human vestments

of flesh and blood, and that thou mayest attain to the palaces of light,

and say :

* In thee arn I blessed, O thou who makest demonstration bythy loving advances, who art manifest by thy power, who art hidden bythy wisdom, correlate to thyself by thyself, who to thine Expression

givest names of thine attributes, who art he, who art all, eternal, Othou, existing from eternity, who wilt not cease to be, cause of causes,

thou stiller of the movements of revolving cycles, goal of goals, thou

who bringest ends to an end, thou who knowest the mysteries of secret

things, O present one, O self-existent, manifest, O limit of all aims,thou who art hidden yet unclothed, thou whose lights arise out of thee

and set in thee, from thee come forth and to thee return, thou who

givest to every light a manifestation, to every manifestation a qualita-tive expression, to every qualitative expression a substratum, to everysubstratum a fixed embodiment, and to every embodiment an access,

whereby the Communicator directs to thee, and introduces to thee.'"

It is them, Prince of Bees, 'All Bin 'Abu Talib, who art the pointof all demonstration, and the all

;it is thou who art he. thou who

art he, thou who art he, and of whom no one knows what thou art,

save thyself, I entreat thee, by the Questions of Sin,* closely inter-

locked like woven threads, by that which petitioners ask for of thee, bythe Preceptor of Preceptors, and by 'All Zain 'ad-Din wa 'al-'Abidin,

that thou wouldst unite our hearts, and the hearts of our believing

brothers, in dutifulness, the fear of God, rectitude, knowledge, and reli-

gious worship. We call to mind thy pure presence, thine excelling

power, thine all-embracing compassion, avid the indispensable require-ment and incumbent duty, which are mysteries and a memorial, and a

majesty, glory, might and dominion; and thy brilliant appearance,

thy glorious tabernacles, and the Tabernacle of Sublimity and Crownof Direction ;f and the right religion, the straight path, of which who-soever knows both the hidden and the outward sense is secured and

saved, which our lord Salsal Salman has acquainted us with, which werecite, to which we have been pointed and directed by our chief and

lord, the crown of our heads, the exemplar of our religion, the refresh-

ment of our eyes, lord 'Abu 'Abdallah 'al-Hnsain Bin Hamelan 'al-Khu-

saibi, whose spirit was sanctified by the Highest, that his embodiment

might be an embodiment of purity, and his substratum a substratum of

truth and integrity. In the name of God, by the help of God, and in

the faith of the mystery of lord 'Abu 'Abdallah, possessor of divine

knowledge, in the faith of the mystery of his blessed memorial, in the

faith of his mystery may God give him happiness!"

*i. e., by the doctrines embodied in the Nusairian catechism.

t 'al-Khusaibi, respecting whom see below.

VOL. VIII. 3J

236 E. E. Salisbury,

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-

iJJ!


SAM

In explanation of this chapter, our author observes that,

according to Nusairian doctrine, God is visible and yet not

wholly definable (&AA&J b3<Xs? ,j~J s-Ul^ ^y. pPO^ ^>*Ii Q^),

whence the expression: "0 manifest, limit of all aims, thou

who art hidden yet unclothed, whose lights arise out of thee

and set in thee, from thee come forth and to thee return" (see

p. 235). He also here, first, alludes to a separation of the Nu-sairis into four parties: 1. those who pay homage to the heav-

ens, whom he calls Northerners (Qj-Jl*iJ!) 2. adorers of the

moon, whom he elsewhere names Kalazians(QJJ^JJ|) ;* 3. wor-

shippers of the twilight; and 4. worshippers of the air. Bythe first of these parties, the passage just quoted is understoodto point to the heavens,

" out of which," say they," the stars

arise and in which they set; and which are visible, yet unde-

finable, as to their prime configuration, except by the Expressed

Deity

j**/^)."But the second party, in support of their adoration of

the moon, allege that other expression of this chapter:uthy

brilliant appearance," saying "that the moon is manifest to

sight, while, as for the dark part of it, that represents the beingof 'Ali Bin 'Abu Talib, which is veiled from our eyes, whichwe now see as a dark object, though, when we are purified fromthese bodily vestments, and exalted among the stars, throughour faith, we shall behold it in sapphire-splendor (te ao!

pj v^

Loii

The worshippers of the

twilight argue, in their own favor, from the expression :

" whose

lights arise out of thee etc.," saying that all the lights of heavenmake their appearance from, out of the East, and revolve, andset in the West; and they may be seen to pray with their faces

turned towards the sun as it is rising or setting, in the belief that

the twilight-reddening of the sky creates the sun ('^5J>3 ^ .**&>l&

,j~4^ vJLf

L>_^> ;V^), according to the words of Shaikh 'All

the Magian, in the so-called Legacy (KtfjjJt)left to them by him :

*Probably so named from Shaikh Muhamipad Bin KalazQ, who is quoted below.


"By[?]the full moon, whose lights from her sun come forth; and

by [?]her sun, production of the morning-beam

"*

The worshippers of the air have also their own argument fromthis chapter, appealing to the expression : "0 them who art he,thou who art he," which, by a slight change of reading, theymake to mean " thou who art the air."

" Second Chapter, called the Canonization of 'Ibn 'al-Wali.

"How beanteous a vision has the sleeper in his place of slumber, whohears with the ear, but sees not the person, and calls out and says :

'Here am I, here am I, Prince of Bees, 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib.' Odesire of every desirer, eternal by divinity, mine of empire, thou whoart our God, as hidden, and our Imam, as manifest, thou who art mani-

fest where hidden, and hidden where manifest, who appearest in hiding,and hidest thyself in appearing, who dost display the quality of divine

being, who art exalted with supremacy, who art veiled in Muhammad-

quality, and who dost call that which is of thyself to thyself, by thyself,

thou, Prince of Bees, O 'All may thy light arise, thy shining break

forth, thy radiance be diffused, thy benefits be magnified, thy praise be

glorious ! do thou save me, I pray, from the evil of thy degrading trans-

formations : for ourselves and all our believing brothers I entreat deliv-

erance from the evil of deterioration, annulment of faculty, degradation,

defilement, stagnation, wilting, and the waste-heap. This is for thee to

bestow. In the faith of the mystery of the saint 'Ibn 'al-Wali, to wit,

'Abu-1-Husain Muhammad Bin 'All 'aj-Jali peace be to us from the

remembrance of him ! in the faith of his mystery may God give him

happiness !"

* In this case, and three others which it is scarcely necessary to specify, we have

put the original words of a poetical quotation into verse-form, although, in our

tract, printed as prose. The measure is, in every instance, rajaz.

tSulaimdn on the Nusairian Religion. 239

Q- j>/-0j J,:> .3 ^*wO

u^a-% ^N^J^ N*j

The sleeper referred to in this chapter, says our author, wasone of the ministers of Muhammad 'al-Bakir Bin 'All Zain 'al-

'Abidin, who, as is believed by the Nusairis, was sleeping in his"

house, on a certain day, when a voice called upon him, saying:"Arise and go to such a place;" upon which he awoke in a

maze from his dream, and saw no one, only the lights of heaven,and said: "Here am I, here am I, Prince of Bees, 'All Bin.

'Abu Talib" -all which is plainly stated in the Book of the

Summary.The blessing sought for in this prayer is deliverance from

seven sorts of degrading transformation, together with their sub-

divisions, embracing all kinds of cattle and wild beasts, andother varieties of life

ig believed

that these seven sorts of transformation are the seven floors ofHell mentioned in the Kuran :

" and it lias seven entrances, with

a part divided off to each;"* and so the sinner, in this petition,with humble heart, and spirit submissive to his lord 'All 'Ion

'Abu Talib, intercedes for salvation therefrom.

" Third Chapter, called the Canonization of 'Abu Scfid.

"I entreat thee, O possessor of dominion, Prince of Bees, O 'All, Obounteous, thou who art from eternity, gracious, thon inciter of the

Communicator I implore thee, by the Elect Five, the Revealing Six,the Seven Twinkling Stars, the Eight Strong Bearers of the Throne,the Nine Gifted with Muhammad-quality, the Ten Chanticleers of Holi-

ness, the Eleven Ascension-points of Communicator-quality, and by the

Twelve Strings of Imamship, by the reality of all in thee, O goal of uni-

versal being, Prince of Bees, thou lord of vicissitude, thou who art the

Sole, whose Expression is the One, whose Communicator is singlenessitself, thou who didst appear in the seven tabernacles of divine qualityI implore thee that thou wouldst make our hearts and our limbs firm in

the profession of the holy knowledge of thyself; and do thou disencum-ber us from these habitations of human nature, and clothe us with vest-

ments of light, amid the stars of heaven. We call to mind the presenceof our chief and lord, the most illustrious, the most valiant, the lusty,the God-fearing, 'Abu Sa'id, 'Abu Sa'id 'al-Maimun 'Ibn Kasim ;at-Ta-

*Kur.,xv. 44.

240 & & Salisbury,

baiani, possessor of divine knowledge, abstinent from the forbidden, who

avenged himself with his own hand on the head of 'Abu Dnhaibah

may the curse of God rest upon 'Abu Duhaibah, and peace and God's

mercy upon 'Abu Sa'id ! In the faith of the mystery of 'Abu Sa'id the

lusty, the God-fearing, the pious, 'al Maimun 'Ibn Kasim 'at-Tabarani, in

the faith of his mystery may God give him happiness!"

LJ vtjj LJ \\ LJ \J

xXi -xw

) c>oi - LJ xIOJ! v^>Lo b

8iAP^

XijL^^J! u

The "Elect Five" are the times of prayer prescribed to the

,Nusairis : namely, that of Muhammad, at mid-day ;

that of

Fatimah, in the afternoon;of Hasan, son of 'All 'Ibn 'Abu

Taiib, at sunset; of Husain, brother of Hasan, at evening; andof Muhsin, Mystery of Obscurity, at day-break. Whoever is

not conversant with the names of these five persons, and with

the times of prayer called after them, prays in vain.

The "Revealing Six" are the six beings, namely, Salmanand the Five Incomparables, mentioned in the Chapter of Vic-

tory (see below), or the six days of creation, or the manifesta-

tions of God to Abraham, Moses, and other of the prophets.The "Seven Twinkling Stars" are the seven planets, namely,

Saturn, Mars, and the rest.

The "Eight Strong Bearers of the Throne" are the eight cab-

alistic words, that is, the names of the Five Incomparables,and Talib, 'Akil, and Ja'far 'at-Taiyar.


The " Nine Gifted with Muhammad-quality"are names of cer-

tain of the Strings of Imamship, from Muhammad 'Ibn 'Abdal-

lab to Muhammad 'aj-Jawad.The "Ten Chanticleers of Holiness" are the Five Incompar-

ables, together with Naufal, 'Abu-1-Harith, Muhammad 'Ibn 'al-

Hanafiyah, 'Abu Barzah, and 'Abdallah Bin Nadhlah, whomthe Nusairis believe to be the largest of the stars, each havingrule over a number of other stars (^*5ljX1 ^c\ ^L o5 Aa^*j.,

\^S]^\ iLJb(j-. *x^s i^Jle fX^r. p&A ^^ J(j)- As 'al-Khusaibi

says in his Diwan, all the stars are castles of the heavens, mys-

tically, except the ten just mentioned, the Chanticleers, whose

cock is Salman 'al-Farsi (US'

In the secret books of the Northerners,

such as the Book of the Greeks (^^ V^) and others, the

cock is said to be Muhammad Bin 'Abdallah.

The "Eleven Ascension-points of Communicator-quality" are

Ruzbah 'Ibn 'al-Marzaban, 'Abu-l-'Ala Rashid 'al-Hajari, Kan-kar 'Ibn 'Abu Khalid 'al-Kabuli, Yahya Bin Mu'ammar, Jabir

Bin Yazid 'aj-Ju'fi, Muhammad 'Ibn 'Abu Zainab 'al-Kahili, 'al-

Mufadhdhal Bin 'Umar, 'Umar Bin 'al-Mufadhdhal, MuhammadBin Nusair 'al-Bakri 'an-Numairi, Dihyah Bin Khalifah 'al-

Kalbi, and 'Umm Salamah.The "Twelve Strings of Imamship" are Muhammad 'al-Mus-

tafi, 'al-Hasan '^al-Mujtabi, 'al-Husain the martyr of Karbala,'Ali Zain 'al-'Abidin, Muhammad 'al-Bakir, Ja'far 'as-Sadik,Musa 'al-Kazim, 'Alt 'ar-Ridha, Muhammad 'nj-Jawad, 'Ali 'al-

Hadi, 'al-Hasan 'al-'Askari, and Muhammad Bin 'al-Hasan 'al-

Hujjah." Fourth Chapter, called the Pedigree.

" How well is it that God should provide for me ! how well that myway should lead to God ! how well that I should hear and hearken to

my chief, my lord, my preceptor, who graciously bestows upon me, as

God hath graciously bestowed upon him, the knowledge of 'Ain-Mim-

Sin, which is by virtue of the testimony that there is no God but 'All

'Ibn ;Abu Talib, with the bald forehead and temples, the adorable;and

no Intermediary but lord Muhammad, worthy to be praised ; and noCommunicator but lord Salman 'al-Farsi, the pattern. This is what I

have heard from my chief and lord, my goal, my stay, my guide to the

way of salvation, my means of access to the fountain of life, the liber-

ator of my neck from the bondage of servile existence (through knowl-

edge of the Supreme Sanctuary of Divine Being), the eminent lord, the

great mountain-barrier, my uncle, my chief, my lord, the crown of myhead, my veritable father, 'Ahmad. He communicated this august

mystery to me in the year so and so, in the month so and so, and on the

day thereof so and so;and 'Ahmad heard it from 'Ibrahim

;'Ibrahim

242 & E. Salisbury,

from Kasim ;Kasim from 'Ali

;'All from 'Ahmad

;'Ahmad from Kha-

dhir; Khadhir irom Salman; Salman from Sabbah; Sabbah from Yiisuf;

Yusuf from Jibra'il; Jibra'il from Mu'alla;' Mu'alla from Yasin; Yasinfrom 'tsa

;'Isa from Muhammad

;Muhammad from Hada Muhammad

;

Hada Muhammad from Ridha 'Ahmad;Ridha 'Ahmad from Sifandl;.

Sifandi from Baladhur-i-'Asad ;* Baladhur-i-'Asad from Hassan 'ar-Ra-

shikt;Hassan 'ar-Rashiki from Muhammad ; Muhammad from Murhif-i-

Misr; Murhif-i-Misr from 'Akd Jibra'il; 'Akd Jibra'il from 'Abdallah

'aj-Jughuli ;f 'Abdallah 'aj-Jughuli from 'Isma'il 'al-Luffaf;'Isma'il 'al-

Luffaf from Ja'far 'al-Warrak;Ja'far 'al-Warrak from 'Ahmad 'at-Tar-

raz;'Ahmad 'at-Tarraz from 'Abu-1-Husain Muhammad Bin 'All 'aj-Jali ;

'Abu-1-Husain Muhammad Bin 'All 'aj-Jali from lord 'Abu 'Abdallah 'al-

Husain Bin Hamdan 'al-Khusaibi;lord 'Abu 'Abdallah from his chief

and lord 'Abu Muhammad 'Abdallah Bin Muhammad 'aj-Jannan 'aj-Jun-

bulan, the recluse devotee, who came from Persia; 'Abdallah 'aj-Jannan

'aj-Junbnlan from Muhammad 'Ibn Jindab;Muhammad 'Ibn Jinclab from

lord 'Abu Shu'aib Muhammad Bin Nusair 'al-'Abdi 'al-Bakri 'an-Numairi,who was Communicator to Hasan 'al-'Akhir 'al-'AskariJ; peace be to

us from him, and greetings be his ! Through Muhammad Bin Nusair

did the family and the religion take a stand exalted be our master 'al-

Hasan 'al-'Askari far above the babblings of errorists and the talk of

calumniators ! In the faith of the mystery of religion, in the faith of the

mystery of our brothers, who give out light wheresoever one of themhas power, by their mystery may God give happiness to them all ! I

also testify that 'al-Hasan 'al-'Akhir 'al-'Askari was the First and the

Last, the Hidden and the Manifest, and omnipotent"

\

(J-.

* The original text has juX. f The original text has

\ Died in A.D. 873-4.^


cr L** Cf.3

cr

,.J &

Ls odb

*-*A3 .^.J

iJ^ ^xv.*J .->

Be it known, says our author, that the Nusairian religion orig-

inated with Muhammad Bin Nusair(xjôjJt

xJLo îjOj^ ^ ^c!

yjAoJ ^ 1^4-^ crj^)| an^ that he was followed by Muhammad'Ibn Jindab

;to whom succeeded 'Abdallah 'aj-Jannan 'aj-Junbu-

lan of Persia; and that after him came 'al-Husain Bin Hamdan'al-Khusaibt, whom the Nusairis esteem superior to all his suc-

cessors, who perfected their prayers, and taught far and wide

^JJ! y^ jou '^ cr ^K cr^ ^>^În a certain poem of his, 'al-Khusaibi chides

the Syrians for rejecting him, as follows :

, VOL. viii. 32

244: E. E. Salisbury,

" I am loth to abide in the land of Syria may the curses of the Lordof all creatures rest upon them !"

After a while, he directed the course of his journeyings to

Baghdad, and began to teach publicly, so that the governorheard of him, arrested him, and threw him into prison. But,when there was an opportunity, he escaped, and declared amonghis followers that the Messiah had delivered him by night, that

the Messiah was Muhammad, and that the sons of Muhammad'sdaughter were the eleven disciples, in conformity with what he

says in the Diwan bearing his name:" Said to me, in a dream, a pitying father : Thou art noble, of ancient

lineage, O son of Khusaib; by help of the Intermediaries, the family

of 'Ahmad, thou art free for thy life, by their love provided for"

~

_-Xfc

-j *

He also taught that the Messiah was Adam, and Enos, and Kai-

nan, and Mahalalil, and Yared, and Enoch, and Methuselah, and

Larnech, and Noah, and Shem, and Arphaxad, and Ya'rab, and

Hud, and Salih, and Lukman, and Lot, and Abraham, and Ish-

mael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Prince, that is, Pharaoh,who lived in the days of Joseph, also Moses, and Aaron, and

Caleb, and Ezekiel, and Samuel, and David, and Solomon, and

Job, and 'al-Khadhir, and Alexander, and Saul, and Daniel, and

Muhammad; and, in general, that each prophet who has ap-

peared in the world was an incarnation of the Messiah

he same is true

of certain heathen sages (^xxXS^Ji^L> u^*j), such as Plato,

Galen, Socrates, Nero; also, of certain wise men among the Per-

sians, and the Arabs before Muhammad (V;^ u^^ *L> Q^xJlPLit), such as Ardeshir, Sapor, Luwai, Murrah, Kilab, Ha-

shim, 'Abd Manaf, and others. Moreover, he taught that the

mothers of the prophets of past times, and their wives, were

incarnations of Salman 'al-Farsi, excepting the wife of Noahand the wife of Lot

;and that Salman was incarnate, also, in


the Eleven named in the notes on the Third Chapter, and in

the queen of Sheba, and the wife of Potiphar ;arid has appeared

in some inanimate objects, as well as in certain wild animals, such

as the wolf supposed to have eaten Joseph, and in winged crea-

tures, such as the hoopoe, the crow, the bee, and others. Be-

sides all this, he taught that 'All 'Ibn 'Abu T^lib was Abel,

Seth, Joseph, Joshua, Asaph, Simon Peter, Aristotle, and Her-

mes; and has been incarnate in certain wild animals, such as the

dog of the Companions of 'al-Kahf, the camel of Salih, and the

cow which Moses commanded to be sacrificed.* His disciplesnumbered fifty-one, of whom five were men of note, namely,Muhammad Bin 'All 'aj-Jali, 'All Bin 'Isa, 'aj-Jasri, 'al-'Iraki,

and 'al-Katani; and whoever derives his instruction by a line

of descent from either of these is regarded by the Nusairis as

'al-Khusaibi's brother.

To 'al-Husain Bin Hamdan succeeded Maimun Bin Kasim 'at-

Tabarani, a disciple of Muhammad Bin 'All 'aj-Jali, and authorof many Nusairian books, among which is the Summary of Fes-

tivals (^LAC^! >^), noted for its revilings of 'Abu Bakr, 'Urnar,

and 'Uthman, whom it calls the three Adversaries, they beingconsidered by the Nusairis as incarnations of Satan. The same

person also composed the Book of Proofs of Divine Knowledge

pertaining to the Questions (Jo.mi ioyv. Jo.^xM vU5"), in which

it is said that the wolf supposed to have eaten Joseph was 'Abdyar-Rahman Bin Muljam 'al-Muradi, not Salman 'al-Farsi, as

other Nusairis believe;and the Book of the Compend on the

Duties of Pupils (L\AX>bliSl olo*^ & <jF3^ v'1^); and another

book, against the religion of 'Ali Bin Karmat and 'All BinKushkah

;and many others.

"Fifth Chapter, called the Victory.

" Whenever God's help comes, and victory, and thou seest men do-

mesticating themselves in the religion of God, by crowds, then glorifywith praise to thy Lord, and ask his forgiveness ;

he is verily gracious.I testify that my sovereign is the Prince of Bees, 'Ali, who producedlord Muhammad out of the light of his essence, and called him his Ex-

pression, his self, his throne, and his seat, and named him with his ownattributes; who is connected with him, not separate from him, nor yet

veritably connected, while not widely separate being connected withhim by virtue of light, separate from him by manifested presence, so

that Muhammad is of him like as the soul's feeling is of the soul, or as

rays of the sun are of the sun's disk, or as the gurgling of water is of

water, or as rending comes of binding,! or as the lightning flash is of

* See Kur. xviii. 8, ff; vii. 71, ff; ii. 63, ff.

f Apparently, an allusion to the fructification of the fearth by showers of raiu:

comp. Kur. xxi. 31, as quoted in the Perfume-string, below.


lightning, or as sight is of the seer, or as1

motion comes of rest; and,

if 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib wills to be manifested, he manifests him; or, if

he wills to be hidden, he hides him under the effusions of his light.I

also testify that lord Muhammad created lord Salman out of light of

his light, and appointed him to be his Communicator, and the bearer

of his revelation;so that he is Salsal and Salsabil,* Jabir and Jibra'il,

the representative of order and indubitable truth, truly the Lord of all

worlds. I testify, likewise, that lord Salman created the noble Five

Incomparables, of whom the first is the greater incomparable, the odor-

iferous musk, the red jacinth, the green emerald, 'al-Mikdad Bin 'Aswad

'al-Kindi, and the others are 'Abu-dh-Dharr 'al-Ghifari, 'Abdallah Bin

Rawahah 'al-'Ansari, 'Uthman Bin Madh'un 'an-Najashi, and KanbarBin Kadan 'ad-Dausi

;who were servants of our master the Prince of

Believers glory and honor to his memory ! and the creators of this

world, from the lands of the orient to those of the Occident, and of all

the southern regions and the northern, the dry land and the ocean, andof every plain and every mountain, spanned by the blue vault of heaven,and embraced within the dusty earth, from Jabilka to Jabirsa, includ-

ing the lurking-places of sand-drifts, even to mount Kaf, and whatever

is arched by the dome of the circling celestial sphere, even to 'as-Sami-

rah, the city of lord Muhammad, where are gathered the believers;

who, also, were of one mind in holding the doctrine of lord 'Abu 'Abd-

allah, without either scepticism or idolatry, or betrayal of the mys-

tery of 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, or rending any veil of his, or seekingconverse with him otherwise than through a Communicator may he

give to believers safety, tranquillity, strength, superiority over their ene-

mies and ours, and vindication ! and may he make us to be believers

with them, safe, tranquil, secure, superior over our enemies and theirs,

and vindicated ! By the mystery of victory, and of him whose is vic-

tory, whose right hand secures the victory ; by the mystery of our lord

Muhammad, and of Fatir (that is, says our author, of Fatimah), 'al-

Hasan, 'al-Husain, and Muhsin;

in the faith of the Mystery of Ob-

scurity, of the representatives of prayer,f and of the multitude of the

possessors of divine knowledge peace be to us from the remembranceof them, and may God's benediction rest upon them all !"

&*Xsu\

* See Zeitschrift d. D. M. Gesellschaft, ii. 393.

f See first note to the Third Chapter.

Sulaimdn on the Nicsairian Religion. 247

&UXo

aJJi

The leaders among the Nusairis understand this chapter to

signify that Muhammad is connected with 'All by night, andseparate from him by day, taking the sun to be Muhammad

they believe that Muham-mad created lord Salman

;and these three are their Most Holy

Trinity, 'Ali being the Father, Muhammad the Son, and Salman'al-Farsi the Holy Ghost (j?cU* joe' ^J^\ vi^UN J?


>) ;and they also

declare that lord Salman created the Five Incomparables, andthat the Five Incomparables created this whole world, as it nowexists, and that all the government of the heavens and the earth

is in the hands of these Five Incomparables 'al-Mikdad pre-

siding over thunder-bolts, lightning-flashes, and earthquakes ;

'Abu-dh-Dharr superintending the gyration of the stars andconstellations

;'Abdallah Bin Kawahah being charged with the

winds, and with the arrest of human spirits whom they believe

to be the same as 'Azra'il 'Uthman having charge of stomachs,the heat of the body, and human diseases

;and Kanbar being the

introducer of spirits into bodies

Chapter, called the Bowing of the Head.

"Omnipotent is God ! omnipotent is God ! omnipotent is God ! To

God let there be bowing of the head, to the Supreme Lord with the

bald temples, to the adorable ! O my lord, Muhammad, thou creator,

thou conqueror, thou light of the august Archetypal Deity, and his

noble Intermediary, of thee I implore aid. I am afflicted in this myabode

;to thee I betake myself. Deliver me from the punishment of

Hell, O glorious one, mighty, O potent, O victorious, thou creator of

the night and the day. Towards God, the light of the heavens and the

earth, the Great Supreme, we set our faces;to him we point let him

be glorified and magnified ! To the Communicator I address myself,to the Expressed Deity I bow the head, to the Archetypal Deity I ren-

der adoration and worship. My perishing, dying face prostrates itself

before the face of 'Ali, the living, the enduring, the everlasting. O 'Ali,

thou great one, 'Ali, thou great one, 'Ali, thou great one, O thou

who art greater than all the great, thou producer of the morning-sun,and creator of the luminous full moon, O 'Ali, to thee pertains glory,to thee unity ; 'Ali, thine is the kingdom ;

O 'Ali, greatness is thine;

O 'Ali, to thee all things point. 'Ali, to thee is obedience due;

it is

thou, 'Ali, who art to be interceded with; 'Ali, thou hast creative

power; 'Ali, thine is destiny; thou, O 'Ali, wert the dignity of the

cow.* Save us, O 'Ali, save us, 'Ali, from thy wrath and chastise-

ment, from the loss of thy complacence! I believe in thine incom-

mensurateness, ajid thine unequalled working ; thon, O Prince of Bees,

art exalted above the possibility of weakness. I believe in, and acknow-

ledge, thy hidden being, and thine outward manifestation : thine out-

ward manifestation is mine Imam and an ordained rule, thy hidden

* See p. 245.


being is archetypal and divine. O thou who art he, thou who art he,

thou who honorest them who honor and remember thee, and confess

thee sole;O thou who art he, thou who art he, thou who dost cause

those to stumble who undermine thine authority, who disown and denythee ; present one, self-existent, mysterious, O incomprehensible,O Prince of Bees, O 'All, thou august one"

> L ij;c lj

^LJfv

oÛJI^ dJI ^L^J^ JJJi oiJL> L. ^1^5L

Lj

LJ ^^1 ^^ LJ 50 *J Û LJ

5J^ LJ. sJaaJI 5J Û LJ

^ u5oU!^.Jlc

LJ

LJ c^li^j iiSÔj ^-^l c^/a! y5oly^ L\*J

o Jb ,..1

LJ_J>

y5yG!^ i*5î Q^ 3ôLJ j^> LJ

- -dai: LJ Lc LJ ÛJi j! LJ ,v

The word uBees," in the expression

" Prince of Bees," sig-nifies the angels.The Northerners pride themselves in this chapter as adverse

to the worship which the Kalazians render to the moon, arguingfrom the expression

" thou producer of the morning-sun, andcreator of the luminous full moon," that the moon is a created

thing ;to which the Kalazians reply that

'Ali created the moonin order to inhabit it, as a man builds a house to dwell in, or

makes a seat to sit upon

XXJ &} AJ ^vJi : for the lat-


ter hold that the dark part of the moon represents the Adorable,who, they also believe, has hands, feet, a body, and a head, andon his head a crown, and in his hand a sword, which is the

notched blade of Muhammad

" Seventh Chapter, called the Salutation.

" I bow the head, and salute, and present myself to, the creator of

the heavens and the earth, in devout homage and submission;and am

no idolater. The beginning of salutation was by the eternal Arche-

typal Deity to the august Expressed Deity ;and the august Expressed

Deity saluted the noble Communicator;and the noble Communicator

saluted the Five Incomparables, the pillars of the world and of religion.

Salutation to the Communicators ! salutation to the Incomparables !

salutation to the Pursuivants ! salutation to the Dignitaries ! salutation

to the Familiars ! salutation to the Purified ! salutation to the Approved !

salutation to the Offerers ! salutation to the Cherubs ! salutation to the

Spirituals ! salutation to the Sanctified ! salutation to the Ramblers !

salutation to the Listeners ! salutation to the Attendants ! who togethermake up the orders of angelic being may the world of all the purebe sanctified ! Salutation to those who follow the directing rule, and

are guided, who stand in fear of the various ends of the wicked, obeythe Supreme Sovereign, the Most High, and believe in the lordship of

Muhammad, the elect ! Salutation to the hundred thousand prophets,and to the four and twenty thousand prophets, of whom the first was a

Communicator, and the last was an Attendant ! Salutation to you, Ovirtuous servants of God ! may God gather our dispersed, and yours, in

the garden of Delight, amid the stars of heaven !"

or


fy>^ vt p$y (*i v~ftM o^/^ **i>^>

xLil XJU- LJUi *Ui *-> LAOJ! *IN

This chapter gives rise to dispute between the Northerners

and the Kalazians; for while the former say: "and believe

in the lordship of Muhammad, the elect," the Kalazians say:"in the lordship of 'All, the gracious," and accuse their oppo-

nents of the error of ascribing lordship both to Muhammadand to 'All, indifferently. The Northerners reply to this charge

by saying that Muhammad and 'All are allied, not alien, to

one another; that, while the First Cause is 'Alt, Muhammad,also, is a creator; and that the Kalazians cannot consistently

charge them with error in ascribing lordship to the latter,

inasmuch as they themselves maintain the same doctrine of a

Trinity which is held by the Northerners(jib ;j^J!

J^^ jytf xJl-Jt Q^ xpUftj xJuliJI ^-o

. A long dispute is thus carried on, of which we give

only the outline.

The "orders" mentioned in this chapter are fourteen in num-ber: the first seven including all from the Communicators to

the Approved, numbering five thousand angels, who constitute

what the Nusairis call the great light-world (j^;j^ j&fti ^L*^),

believing them to be referred to in the Kuran as the "seven

heavens,"* and who are supposed to have existed before the

creation of the world, and to be stars outside of the rnilky way

jjj>) ;and the other seven including all from the Offerers

to the Attendants, numbering one hundred and nineteen thou-

sand. who constitute the so-called little spirit-world (/ro^5 ^l*^

^L^jjJOj supposed to be what is intended by the "seven earths"

in the Kuran,f and whom the Nusairis believe to be the stars of

the milky way, or spirits purified from the flesh through their

acknowledgment of 'AMS, and of every manifestation of the

Deity from Abel to 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib ( L$3l

* Kur, xxiii. 88. f Kur., Ixv. 1 2

VOL. viu. 32*


cr

^- ^ ^Jt), agreeably to these words in the Diwanof their lord Shaikh 'All 'as-Suwahi:

" Why dost thou not apprehend the parable of light ? Lo, God pro-

poses to us a plain parable : God is the light of the upper world, the

Leavens, and of the earthly world"

LL> LJ dJI to &

which parable is to be found in the Kuran, where we read :

"God is the light of the heavens and the earth; his light is as

a lamp in a little window etc."*

"Eighth Chapter, called the Betokening."Glory be to a God to whom all necks bow, to whom all obstacles-

and difficulties give way ! I elevate the standard and token of the elect

lord Muhammad, on the clay of the festival of 'at Ghadir greatly praisedbe he who stands high before God in nobleness and dignity 1 I, a ser-

vant to them who point to thee, O Prince of Bees, O 'All, thou augustone, by the confession of unity, abasement of self, acquittal of all evil,

and recognition of thine absolute being, 'All, thou august one, thouwho art from everlasting, eternal, O creator and judge I entreat thee,

by the reality of the call wherewith lord Muhammad called upon thee,

as he went out of the gate of Makkah, riding the white camel, and

cried, saying :* A combat 1 a combat ! a fight ! a fight in the cause of

God !' which words are my token to thee, O light of light, thou render

of rocks, thou compeller of seas, thou disposer of all things I entreat

thee that thou wouldst give to believers a home in thy sublime garden,

kept by Ridhwan the felicity of a humble creature having hopethereof! But lo, from the face of the height, on the right side of the

mount, from amid the blessed treey the bounteous one calls out, and

says :' O my friend, worthy to be praised, what humble creature haa

ever invoked me with this invocation, in sincerity of heart, and simpleconfidence, either on Thursday the loth of the month Nisan, or the

evening of Friday, or on the night of the 15th of Sha'ban, or on five

nights of the month Ramadhan, or on the Day of the Mass, or on the

Birth-night, or on the day of the festival of 'al-Ghadir, and I have not

counted him as one of my people, and given him a home in my garden,

causing him to drink of the cup of my mercy, and placing him amongthe believers, for whom there is no fear, and who know no sadness?' I

have uplifted my token. By the mystery of the 'Ain of 'Ali, by the

mystery of the Mim of Muhammad, by the mystery of the Sin of Sal-

saf by the mystery of 'AMS. Our beginning of invocation is that webetoken our Archetypal Deity, and say : In the name of God, the mer-

ciful, the compassionate ;and our ending of invocation is that we render

thanks to him who has guided us, and say : Duty and praise be to God,the Lord of all worlds !"

*Kur., xxiv. 35.


The combating spoken of in this chapter is two-fold: 1. to

revile 'Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and the rest, and all sects

which maintain that 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, or the prophets, either

ate, drank, had sexual intercourse, or were born of women;for

the Nusairis believe that these descended from heaven without

bodies, and that the bodies which they inhabited were but semblances (xoU*>t Q^^ ^L^wJi ^ jjjj

ôLvvO>i iCiLJblLl ^ VÂ-MÂ]^ sLx^-i ^ U2. to hide one's religion from those who are not Nusairis, it

being a principle with this sect not to disclose their opinions or

usages, even to save their lives.

By this chapter are to be distinguished the four parties amongthe Nusairis; for those who adore the heavens and the twilight,

254; E. E. Salisbury,

when they recite it, place the right hand upon the breast, apply-ing the inner part of the thumb to the middle finger; while

among the worshippers of the moon some spread out the hand,with the thumb erect, so that it has the shape of the new moon,and others place both hands upon the breast, opening them.

wide, with the fingers of one over those of the other, and the

two thumbs erect, so as, in this way, to represent the shape of

the new moon;and the worshippers of the air place one hand

upon the breast, lifting up the fore-finger, and applying the inner

part of the end of the thumb to the inside of the middle finger.All Nusairis, on finishing the recitation of this chapter, kiss

the inner part of the ends of their fingers three times, and raise

them to their heads.

" Ninth Chapter, called the 'Am of 'Alt.

"By the mystery of the 'Ain, pertaining to 'Ali, divine, manifested,of him with the bald temples; by the mystery of the Mim, pertainingto Muhammad, Hashimian, imperial, intermediary, of the sun's disk,

light of light; by the mystery of the Sin, pertaining to Salsal, repre-sented in Gabriel, of Salman, communicatory, Bakrian, Numairian,Nusairian. By the mystery of 'Ain-Mim-Sin "

-(j* , c.

r.>*o

Sometimes abridged in the recitation.

" Tenth Chapter, called the Covenant.

" I testify that God is true; that his word is true; that 'the plaintruth' is 'Ali'Ibn 'Abu Talib with the bald temples, the mysterious;that Hell is the abode of unbelievers; that the Garden is a pleasure-

ground for believers, where water meanders beneath the throne, and

upon the throne is seated the Lord of all worlds, and the bearers of the

throne are the noble Eight, who present to him the oblation of myexercises, in this my state of discipline, and of the exercises of all be-

lievers. In the faith of the mystery of the covenant of 'Ain-Mim-Sin "

XJLr axILj|

e'


" Eleventh Chapter, called the Testimony, or, by the common people, the

Mountain.

"God certifies, the angels, too, and all imbued with knowledge, bear

witness, that there is no God beside him, the doer of justice ;that

there is no God beside him, the mighty, the wise. Verily, religion in

God's sight is Islam. our Lord, save us by thy revelation, cause us

to follow the Messenger, and so record us among those who firmly

testify to 'Ain-Mim-Sin. Bear me witness, O august Intermediary ;

bear me witness, O noble Communicator; bear me witness, my lord

Mikdad on the right hand;bear me witness, my lord 'Abu-dh-Dharr

on the left; bear witness to me, 'Abdallah; bear witness to me, O'Uthman ;

bear witness to me, Kanbar Bin Kaclan;bear witness to

me, Pursuivant; bear witness to me, Dignitary; bear witness to

me, O Familiar;bear witness to me, thou Purified

;bear witness to

me, thou Approved ;bear witness to me, O Offerer, and thou Cherub,

and thou Spiritual, and thou Sanctified, and thou Rambler, and thou

Listener, and thou Attendant;bear witness to me, ye dwellers in the

watch-towers, and O world of all the pure. I testify that there is noGod but 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib with the bald forehead, the adorable

;and

no Intermediary but lord Muhammad, worthy to be praised ;and no

Communicator but lord Salman 'al-Farsi, the pattern ;and that the

greatest of angels are the Five Incomparables; and that there is no coun-

sel save that of our chief and lord 'al-Husain Bin Hamdan 'al-Khusaibi,

who made known our rites in all lands. I testify that the man-like

form, manifested among men, was the summit of all existence, and that

it made manifest the essential light, beside which there is no God,which is 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib

;and that he is immeasurable, illimitable,

incomprehensible, inscrutable. I testify that I am a Nusairi in religion,a Jandabi in counsel, a Junbulani in habitude, a Khusaibi in doctrine, a

Jali as to maxims, a Maimuni in legal science;and I stand fast in ex-

pectation of the splendid recurrence, the brilliant return, the withdrawal

of the veil, the lighting up of the thick cloud, the manifestation of that

which is unseen, the showing forth of the hidden, and the appearanceof 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib from amid the sun, arresting every soul, withthe lion beneath him, the Dhu-1-Fakar in his hand, the angels behind

him, and lord Salman before him, while water wells up from betweenhis feet, and lord Muhammad cries out, saying: 'Behold your Sove-

reign, 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib ! acknowledge him, glorify him, magnifyhim, exalt him. Behold your creator and provider! disown him not.'

Bear me witness, O my lords, that this is my religion and my faith,

whereto I commit myself, whereby I live, wherein I shall die. 'All

'Ibn 'Abu Talib lives, and will not die; in his hand is destiny, and ab-

solute dominion;in his gift are hearing, seeing, and understanding.

Peace be to us from the remembrance of them !"

256 E. & Salisbury,

Vj.

e'

ie b J^ cXgîl tslli LX>fi b Jkc LXgj&l jUxcJ! .Jo!_^jl ^lAjyww b Jk

b^JLfi uX^î! vuJ^ kj. ^5^ O^.^\ Q^'iy ^j .>As b

Û^) b c L\i! (al^ b Ic cXvii! ots? b

LJ_J

Lo

The Kalazians claim that expression" and the appearance of

1Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Taiib from amid the sun," in this chapter, as

evidence of the correctness of their doctrine, remarking that

the moon comes forth to view out of the sunset-sky. The wor-

shippers of the twilight, on account of this expression, fancythat the twilight comes forth from the midst of the sun, while,


at the same time, maintaining that the twilight-reddening of the

sky creates the sun. The Northerners say that "the sun" is,

here, a metonymy for Fatirnah the daughter of 'Asad, whosechild was 'Alf'Ibn 'Abu falib; for it is the belief of the Nu-

sairis, universally, that both she and Fatimah the daughter of

Muhammad were the Expressed Deity, that is, Muhammad, who,as they hold, is represented in the sun.

"Twelfth Chapter^ called the Imam-chapter.

"Bear me witness, ye brilliant constellations, ye luminous stars, yecircling spheres, that this man-like form, beheld and beholding, whichwas 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, represented the eternal, the alone, the sole,

the infinite, the uncompounded, in whom there is no distinction of parts,the indivisible, whom no number comprises. He, then, is my God, and

yours ; your God, and mine; my Imam, and yours ; your Imam, and

mine; the Imam of Imams, the light of darkness, Haidarah 'Abu Tu-

rab, the manifested with the bald forehead, the hidden with the bald

temples, the appearer from amid the sun, the arrester of every soul, to-

whom, to the grandeur of the glory of whose awfulness, and to the

greatness of the splendor of the lightning of whose divinity to whomall necks bow, and all difficulties give way. In the faith of the mysteryof a Deity in the heavens, being an Imam on earth

;in the faith of

the mystery of the Imam of every Imatn;

in the faith of the mysteryof 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, the everlasting; in the faith of the mysteryof his Intermediary, lord Muhammad, and of his Communicator, lord

Salman, gate to the directing rule and to the faith pleasure and peacebe to us from the remembrance of them !"

This chapter implies that the Nusairis adore a seen, present,not an incommunicative, Deity ;

and that this Deity is 'Ali 'Ibn

258 K E. Salisbury,

'Abu. Talib (p*wJLb \ ^\ (J j& d^\ i^XP3 ^^), whom the Northerners be-

lieve to be presented to view in the whole heavens, and the

Kalazians suppose to be the mooneach party, accordingly,

interpreting the chapter to suit its own views.

" Thirteenth Chapter, called the Journeying-chapter.

"Let whatsoever is in the heavens, and whatsoever is on the earth,

glorify God, the mighty, the wise ! With the return of morning do we

give glory, with the return of morning doth God's whole realm give

glory. In the name of God, by the help of God, and in the faith of

the mystery of lord 'Abu, 'Abdallah, in the faith of the mystery of

the chief and his peculiar children, drinkers from the sea of 'Ain-Mim-

Sin, fifty-one in number (of whom seventeen were of 'Irak, seventeen

of Syria, and seventeen unknown), stationed at the gate of the city of

Harran, receiving justly and rendering justly, whose religion whosoever

conforms to, and whose worship whosoever adopts, God brings him to

the knowledge of himself; and whose religion whosoever does not con-

form to, and whose worship whosoever does not adopt, has God's curse

upon him. By the mystery of the chief and his peculiar children; by

their mystery may God give happiness to them all !"

-*v

When the Nusairis find mention made, in their secret books,of any city, they interpret it figuratively, as signifying the heav-

ens, and suppose its inhabitants to be stars, agreeably to what

is explicitly laid down in the Egyptian Missive, and other books

U LgjJxj XJLbLJi ^+%*tf & xLs*Xo y3 ^^^ KjJj**^ o^

and so it is with "the city of Harran"

spoken of in this chapter. As for the chief here mentioned, he

is their lord 'al-Khusaibi, and the fifty-one are his disciples

(some of whom were of 'Irak, some of Syria, some of Persia,


and some of foreign birth), whom the Nusairis believe" to bestars of the order of " the little spirit-world." The significationattached to the receiving and rendering justly, attributed to

these fifty-one, is that, whosoever takes refuge with them, andoffers sacrifices to their Expressed Deity, him they will meet,and purify, and receive into their midst; and that they will

avenge themselves upon all who distrust them, and will cast

their spirits into mansions of degrading transformation

^.^

" Fourteenth Chapter, called the Reverenced House.

"By the mount, by a book written on an unsealed roll, by the rever-

enced house, by the lofty roof, by the full sea, by the mystery of Talib,

'Akil, and Ja'far 'at-Taiyar, brothers of 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, who is the

light of light, the substance of substance; by 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib,remote from brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers, alone, infinite, self-

existent, hidden yet unclothed;

in the faith of the mystery of the

house, the roof of the house, the ground of the house, and the four

under-pinnings of the house the house being lord Muliammad, the

roof 'Abu Talib, the ground Fatimah the daughter of 'Asad, and the

four under-pinnings Muliammad, Fatir, 'al-Hasan, and 'al-Husain;

in the

faith of the mystery of the obscure and secret nook in the midst of the

house, which is Muhsin, Mystery of Obscurity ;in the faith of the

mystery of the exalted, illustrious, Hashimian master of the house, whocrushes horns of power, and breaks idols in pieces pleasure and peacebe to us from the remembrance of him !"

cr

v-^JLL

VOL. vin. 34


This chapter originated with the primitive Nusairis, and wasmade up in the way of accommodation to the performance of

pilgrimage, that is to say, in view of the house which the

Kuran commands to visit, and its under-pinnings, roof, and en-

closures, as signifying, metaphorically, an acquaintance with per-sons represented thereby, agreeably to what is said by Shaikh'Ibrahim 'at-Tusi, in his Poern of the Letter 'Am :

" O the change of God's house ! which is his Intermediary ;of 'as-

Safa ! which is 'al-Mikdad, tamer of the Adversary ;of Marvvah !

whereof Abu-dh-Dharr is the memorable personation ;of the ceremo-

nies of the house ! which are Salsal, submissive to the Deity ;its en-

closing steps, how changed do they present themselves! the door-ringof the house is Ja'far, star in the ascendant !"

The house signifies the Lord Intermediary, the Mim; 'as-Safa,

'al-Mikdad;the two steps, 'al-Hasan and 'al-Husain

;the door-

ring, acquaintance with Ja'far 'as-Sadik; 'al-Marwah, acquaint-ance with 'Abu-dh-Dharr; and the sacred place of ceremony,

acquaintance with Salman 'al-Farsi (Ifo, A* b^^Ji*J\> o \ ^

J

.ax> xsjtx) ^ v-jLJ! i

Such interpretations are dis-

tinctlv presented in very many books of the Nusairis; and an

acquaintance with the several persons named stands, with them,for the completion of pilgrimage. Moreover, that acquaintanceis understood by the Nusairis to be obtainable by sight, in con-

formity with what is their belief, universally, that the sun is

Muhammad; while, as to their disagreement with respect to the

Archetypal Deity and the Communicator, the leaders amongthe Kalazians hold the moon to be the Archetypal Deity, which,

as the Northerners maintain, represents Salman 'al-Farsi, and,

on the other hand, the leaders among the Northerners believe

the Archetypal Deity to be presented to view in the whole

heavens, which the Kalazians hold to represent the Communi-

cator Salman 'al-Farsi;and so every one who becomes initiated


into the sect assigns to the Archetypal Deity and the Commu-

nicator, respectively, their representatives, as maintained bywhichever party he joins (O'LOXC^ xJlj Q> ^ ^5*

The zeal of the Muslims in visiting Makkah seems to the

Nusairis idle and blameworthy ;and one of their chiefs has ex-

pressed himself to this effect in the following words :

" Cursed be all who forbid the drinking of wine, and all the Syrians,and the pilgrims !"

that is to say : for the knowledge of 'Ain-Mim-Sin ! andtheir lord Muhammad Bin Nusair 'al-'Abdi 'al-Bakri 'an-Namairi

censures pilgrimage in the first of his Three Numairinri Visita-

tions, which we find in the Book of the Summary of Festivals,*as follows:

"They have assigned to thee a grave, and suppose thee to be buried

in it, and visit thee; but in truth they practise deceit"

and, again, it is said in the Book of Confirmation, by ShaikhMuhammad 'al-Kalazi, quoting from the Book of Light Hand-

ling^ which the Nusairis believe to have been composed byJa'far 'as-Sadik, the words of Ja'far, when he was inquired of by'al-Mufadhdhal with reference to the edifice which the Muslimsare so zealous in visiting, imagining it to be God's house:

" Such visitation is the sum and substance of unbelief; that edifice

is a prop of idols, even as it is of stone, like idols; and people are well

nigh dolts in visiting it, and short of understanding ;"

to which 'al-Kalazi adds :

* See Journ. Asiat., iv Serie, xi. 153.

f In the original text, this title here reads &*-$ v'-*^' which we have altered,

in conformity with the reading in another passage where it occurs, to \^

The meaning of the latter form, however, is doubtful.

262 & E. Salisbury,

"So I give them for answer, as to this matter, that the practice

should be abandoned;and besides, there are places of pilgrimage, and

trees, innumerable, which they may visit, nearer than the Ka'bah : so

idle a proceeding verifies in them the words of the poet, who says :

'Thou boastest, O my brother, of strange things: of a jaundiced

physician administering to his fellow-men;of a weaver who is always

naked of clothing; and of an oculist prescribing collyrium, who is

himself blind ;'

and those of another:

'The physician sets himself to administer to others, and forgets his

own pain-stricken hearty

"Fifteenth Chapter,, called the Chapter of the Intermediary.

"In the faith of the mystery of the august Intermediary; in the

faith of the mystery of the rnoble Communicator; in the faith of the

mystery of rny lord 'al-Mikdad, on the right hand;

in the faith of the

mystery of my lord 'Abu-dh-Dharr, on the left hand;

in the faith of the

mystery of the two noble, pure, potentates, 'al-Hasan and 'al-Husain;

in the faith of the mystery of the two saints, Naufal Bin Harithah and'Abu Burclah,; in the faith of the mystery of 'as-Safa and the world of

purity ;in the faith of the mystery of every star in the heavens; in ,the

faith of the mystery of the sublime holiness, ,and of those who dwell

.therein pleasure and peace be to us from the remembrance of them !"


cr

" Sixteenth Chapter, called the Chapter of Pursuivants.

"They rove about far and wide is there* any place of refuge for

them ? Let us remember the names of the Pursuivant-lords, whomlord Muhammad chose from among the seventy men, on the night of

'al-'Akabah, in the valley of Mina, as follows: 'Abu-1-Haitham Malik'Ibn 'at-Taihan 'al-'Ushhuli, 'al-Bara 'Ibn Ma'rur 'al-'Ansart, 'al-Mundhir

Bin Luclan Bin Kannas 'as-Sa'idi, Ran' Bin Malik 'al-'Ajlani, 'al-'Asad

Bin Husain 'al-'Ushhuli, ''al-'Abbas Bin 'Ubadah 'al-'Ansari, 'UbadahBin Samit 'an-Naufali, 'Abdallah Bin 'Umar 'Ibn Hazzam 'al-'Ansari,Saliin Bin 'Urnair 'al-Khazraji, 'Ubai 'Ibn Ka'b, Rafi' Bin Warakah,Bilal Bin Raiyah 'ash-Shanawi. In the faith of the mystery of the

Pursuivant of Pursuivants, and the Dignitary of Dignitaries, our lord

Muhammad Bin Sinan 'az-Zahiri pleasure and peace be to us from the

remembrance of them !"

These forms of devotion are used by all classes among the

Nusairis, and by all the four parties into which the sect is di-

vided, eacb party, however, interpreting them, after the man-ner which has been illustrated, agreeably to its own pecu-liar views. But the Nusairi-women ore not taught any of these

forms, being restricted to the so-called Chapter for the Removalof Sexual Uncleanness (xjU^! ^ *jj**),

a form of worshipwhich is also used by the other sex. This chapter brings to

view no new point in the Nusairian system of belief, and is,

indeed, as might be expected, quite vague in its doctrinal allu-

sions, while its whole significance is more impure than puri-

fying. For these reasons, we shall not dwell upon it longerthan to extract, for the sake of not altogether omitting anything

264 R E. Salisbury,

characteristic, so much of the text as has been allowed to be

printed :

L\P ^.^c jt$J ^

"We come now to the second section of our tract,

relating to the festivals of the Nusairis. The author remarks

that these annual celebrations had an ancient origin, and are

carefully perpetuated; that the necessary expenses are borne

by the wealthier men of tne sect, every rich Nusairi bindinghimself to defray the cost of one, two, or three of the celebra-

tions, according to the measure of his zeal; and that, in towns,

they are held at evening, for the sake of secresy, but that this

precaution is not observed in villages. It is also stated that the

Nusairi-villagers give themselves up to special festivity on their

New-year's day, the 1st of Second Kanun, or January, and showless regard for certain seasons observed with special ceremonies

among the Muslims as well as themselves; while the inhabit-

ants of towns avoid such discrimination, lest the Muslims should

find them out.

The following list of Nusairian festivals, drawn up apparentlyin the order of their estimation, is given by our author, with the

-distinct understanding of its not including all:

1. Festival of 7al-Ghadir

2."

3.

4.

5.

p

7.

&.

,on the 18th of Dhu-1-Hajjah.

'al-'Udhhiyah (%î ****-)" 10th "

A memorial of 'Isma'il 'Ibn Hajir.

'al-Maharjan (OL>Û C\A), on the 1 6th of First Tishrin.

'al-Barbarah (^LJi LÂC)" 4th of Second Tishrin.

after an interval of a week from the last.

the Birth-time of lord Messiah

g^w.1^),on the 15th of First Kanun.

the Baptism ((J*,UaiIi >A^), on the 6th of Second

Kauun.


9. Festival of 17th of 'Adhar( ;LM & *&A

jjLJl10. "

1st Nlsan

11. " 4th "(

12. " 15th(2

13. " 9th First Rabi', called the Second Ghadlr

14. night of the 15th of Sha'ban (OU* ouaj *LJ

In connection with this list, certain other festivals are enu-

merated, without specification of the times when they are cele-

brated, namely, the Festival of John the Baptist and of John

Chrysostom (wAXJ! ^ \*>&} îXî!l

\^>jl ***), the Festival of

Palms and of the Element (syaUJ^ ôlx^Ji ^j^), and the Fes-

tival of Mary Magdalene (xu^(X:>\ll ^l ^c). The following

seasons of special observance are also mentioned : the first nightof Ramndhan, and the seventeenth, nineteenth, twenty-first, and

twenty-third nights of the same month. The whole enumera-tion by our author accords, for the most part, with Catafago'slist, published in the Journal Asiatique for 1848;* though each

authority names some celebrations not noticed by the other.

The subject of the third section of this tract is rather imper-

fectly indicated, in its title, by the words "on the Office of the

Chiefs of the Kusairis, and the Prayers used at their Festivals,"

^>U^ o^loj xj^xAojJt #o.Um **) ^. After remarking that

there are three orders of chiefs, namely, Imams, Pursuivants,and Dignitaries, the author proceeds to illustrate their respective

duties, mutual relations, and relations to the congregation of be-

lievers, by a description of the ceremonies observed on festival-

occasions," into which he introduces various liturgical forms not

hitherto spoken of.

When the day comes, the men assemble at the house of the

master of the festival (^xJ! v_*j>Lo), that is, of the person at whose

expense it is celebrated; and the Imam takes a seat amongthem. Then there is placed before him a piece of white cloth,on which are laid mahlab-berries, camphor, candles, and myrtleor olive leaves; a vessel filled with wine of pressed grapes, or

figs, is brought forward;and two Pursuivants seat themselves on

either side of the Imam. Then the master of the festival desig-nates another Pursuivant to act as the minister of the occasion,and coming forward kisses the Imam's hand, and the hand ofeach of the Pursuivants seated by his side, as well as that ofthe Pursuivant selected to perform the service. The latter then

* Journ. Asiat., ive S6rie, xi. 149-55.


rises, and places his two hands upon his breast, saying: "MayGod grant you a good evening, my lords, and a pleasant and

happy morning! is it your pleasure that I minister for you at

this blessed festival (or, blessed time), over the cup of so and so,

the master of ceremonies? God bless him F' y

to which those present reply :

" Yes ;" whereupon the Pur-

suivant, making his obeisance to the assembly by kissing the

ground, takes in his hands some myrtle leaves, and distributes

them, reciting, meanwhile, the following, called the Myrtle-string

"God hath said : 'If he is one of those promoted to honor, he shall

have rest, and gentle puffs of air, and a garden of delight.'* O God,let thy benediction rest upon the names of the myrtle-personations,

namely: Sa'sa'h Bin Suhan, Zaid Bin Suhan 'al-'Abdl, the most excel-

lent and meritorious 'Amrnar Bin Yasir, Muhammad 'Ibn 'Abu Bakr,

and Muhammad 'Ibn 'Abu. Hudhaifah may divine benedictions rest

upon them all !"

These words are likewise recited by all present, who rub in

their hands, meanwhile, the myrtle leaves, and smell them.

Afterwards, the Pursuivant takes a basin of water, puts into it

some mahlab-berries and camphor, and reads a mass,f as follows :

" The Perfume-mass."

ye believers, have regard to this your Demigod, in whose presence

ye are assembled, and put away hatred from your hearts, and doubt andmalice from your breasts, that your worship may be perfected by ac-

quaintance with your Indicator, that your invocation may be accepted,and that our Lord, and yours, may honor your hospitality. Know yethat 'All 7Ibn 'Abu Talib abides with you, is present among you, hear-

ing and seeing, and that he knows whatsoever is above the seven heav-

ens, as well as whatsoever is beneath the ground, and is acquainted with

secret thoughts, the mighty one, the forgiving. Beware, beware, O

* Kur.. Ivi. 87, 88.

\ The first three of the four masses which we here publish have already appearedin the Zeitschr. d. D. M. Gesellschaft, ii. 389-91

; but one has only to compare the

two texts to see that, in many passages, the one formerly published is corrupt andunreliable.


brothers, of being merry and laughing loud, in prayer-time, as do the

fools; for such behavior invalidates ceremonies, brings on catastro-

phes, and impairs what is virtuous in conduct. But hearken to and

hear the commands of the Lord Imam;

for he stands among you, as

it were, in the majesty of the infinite, the supreme, the omniscient

One. We, being thus minded, have mingled for you this perfume,as the heavens are blended with the seven signs of imamship, on the

peerless necklace of souls existing in substance, disencumbered of

fleshly, human, bald-templed form. With those seven regale ye yourchaste souls, pure from all wicked deeds. Therewith doth the Mimendow the Sin in every age, and at all times I affirm it on oathj on

oath so that he is 'All, a God, to whom sincere worship is due, beside

whom all beings invoked by men are a lie (seeing that to worship the

creature is an idle fancy), for he let him be exalted, and let his state

be magnified ! is, in the height of his dignity, the all-informed, the om-

niscient, the august Supreme"

He then pours upon the Imam's hand a spoonful of the per-fumed water, and gives the basin to the Dignitary, that he maydo the same upon the hand of each person present. While the

Dignitary is thus going the round, he reads the following, called

the Perfume-string (wZ^VOL. vin. 35


" God hath said :

* The unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth

were each a solid mass, and that we have ruptured them, and, by means

of water, produced every living thing will they not, then, believe ?'*

Glory be to him who vivifies the lifeless, in a land of freezing cold.

By the power of our Lord, the almighty Supreme omnipotent is God !

omnipotent is God !"

All present likewise recite this formula, laving their faces the

while. Then the Pursuivant takes a censer, and stands up, andreads the second mass :

" The Incense-mass.

"The mass of incense, and of exhaled odors, circling about in the

reverenced house, in the dwelling of our God, a dwelling of joy and

gladness. Some one says that our chief and lord, Muhammad Bin

Sinan 'az-Zahiri peace be to us from him ! was accustomed to stand

up for the Friday-prayer, every day and night, once or twice, taking in

his hand a ruby, or, as is also said, a sapphire, or, according to another

report, a chrysolite, which was consecrated to the brilliant Fatimah, and

incensing cups, with perfection of cheer, incensing the servant of light,

therewith, amid festive decoration and glitter. Know ye, O believers,

that the light is Muhammad, and the night Salman. Incense your cups,and light your lamp, and say, all of you : Praise be to God, praise be

to God, whose favor unsurpassed, and whose mystery defying penetra-

tion, has been bestowed upon us bountiful, noble, exalted, august is

he ! Believe and be assured, O believers, that the person of the servant

of light is free to you, among yourselves, and forbidden to you in the

company of others"

3l jb'

-,

O 1 3

LJ

* Kur., xxi. 31. The common text begins with a question :

*J^I.


In a note to this formula, our author says that what is meant

here by "the servant of light" is wine; that is, wine is here

presented as an image of 'All.

After this the Pursuivant incenses the Imam, as well as the two

seated by his side, and gives the censer to the Dignitary, that he

may incense the rest of the assembly. While going his round,

this official recites the following, called the Incense-string

"O God, give benediction and peace to our lord Muhammad, the

elect . . . (after whom, says our author, he names the sons of Muham-mad's daughter, mentioned in the notes on the Third Chapter (see p.

240) and adds:) may the divine benediction rest upon them all"

*SlJ!

The receivers of the incense likewise recite this formula.

Afterwards, the Pursuivant takes a cup in his hand, and stand-

ing up reads the third mass :

"Mass of the Call to Prayer."Omnipotent is God ! omnipotent is God ! omnipotent is God ! om-

nipotent is God ! I set my face toward lord Muhammad, worthy to be

praised, inquiring after his pattern-mystery, his loving self, confessingthe knowledge of God, the divine revelations, the [embodied] attributes

of Deity, and sanctifying myself. By Divine Being is meant the divine,

[in manifested form] bald-templed, essence of 'All, itself, to wit, the

Archetypal Deity, the sublime 'All;and as to the glorious Fatir, the

perfect 'al-Hasan, the beneficent Muhsin, Mystery of Obscurity, I hum-

bly hold, believers, to that which lord Salman held to, when there

was a summons, and a call to prayer. The crier, in his tower, called to

prayer, and was heard by the people, as he called, saying :*

Omnipotentis God ! omnipotent is God ! I testify that there is no God but 'All

the Prince of Bees, with the bald forehead, the adorable; and no Inter-

mediary but lord Muhammad, the surpassing, the all-glorious, the august,the worthy to be praised; and no Communicator but lord Salman 'al-

Farsi, the pattern ;and that lord Muhammad is the Deity's allied Inter-

mediary, his commissioned prophet, his book of revelation, his augustthrone, and his firm seat; and that lord Salman Salsal Salsabil is his

noble Communicator, his established way, whereby alone one comes to

God, the ark of salvation, the fountain of life. To prayer! to prayer!

pray, multitude of believers, that ye may enter the Garden set before

you. To gladness ! to gladness ! and ye shall be made glad, O believers,

being delivered from bodily grossnesses, and corporeal darkness, rcpos-

270 K E. Salisbury,

ing amid houris and home-born servants, and beholding your glorious

Lord, the Prince of Bees, the great Supreme omnipotent is God ! om-

nipotent is God ! your Lord, the Prince of Bees, 'Ali, greater than all

the great, more august than all exalted ones, sublime beyond all reach,

mighty beyond all injury, continuing beyond all extinction of being

omnipotent is God ! omnipotent is God !' Forever obligatory is prayeron those to whom it is given to pray; forever is its evidence to be

reiterated by those who are taught it. I entreat thee, O Prince of

Bees, 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, that thou wouldst establish the same,and perpetuate it, so long as the heavens and the earth endure

;and

do thou make lord Muhammad to be its suspension of action, ceasingfrom food, and invocation of blessing; lord Salman to be its asking for

peace, and its holy collectedness; 'al-Mikdad, its turn to the right, and

point of regard ; 'Abu-dh-Dharr, its turn to the left, and completion ;

all worlds, its pathway ;and believers, its indication of faith* forever.

Amen"

L,

* The various parts of the ceremony of prayer, as practised by the Muslims, are

.here alluded to under the cover of metaphors which virtually abolish it : comp. the

Fourteenth Chapter and notes.


He then presents the cup to the Imam, and, filling another,

gives it to the person seated on the Imam's right, and hands a

third to the one seated on his left;each of whom recites what

follows :

" I testify that my Lord, and thine, is the Prince of Bees, 'All 'Ibn7Abft Talib, who is unconditioned, imperishable, unchangeable ;

and I

testify that his Intermediary is lord Muhammad, and his Communicatorlord Salman

;and the Communicator proceeds not from between the

Archetypal Deity and the Expressed Deity"

after which the presenter of the cup says to each :

"Take, O my

brother, this cup in thy right hand, and ask help of thy Lord,'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, thy ruler and helper" *XP ^1 b

w;to

which each communicant replies: "Grive, my brother, that

which is in thy right hand, and ask help of thy Lord and Crea-

tor, thy ruler and helper in matters of thy religion may Godmake it to flourish with his affluence, by the suretyship of Mu-

hammad and his race!" ^

Afterwards, the Pursuivant rises, and placinghis hands upon his breast says :

"May God grant you a good

evening, brothers, and a pleasant morning, O people of thefaith.! Forgive us any errors, or negligences; for man is so called

only because he lapses into error, and absolute perfection per-tains only to our Lord, the glorious 'All, who is omniscient"

J>! L toJu J^aj ~>\ LJ


^JU ^ Jju 4>) J^Lit ^^ \ftjlt\ JLM, and then kisses

the ground, and sits down.

Then the Imam, facing the assembly, says: "May God grant

you a good evening, O brothers, and a pleasant morning, peo-

ple of the faith ! Is it your pleasure that I should minister for

you, on this blessed day, over the cup of the master of ceremo-

nies? G d bless him!"

aliit^Li J^xJi s_*:>Lo, and kisses the ground, which the as-

sembly also do, striking two octaves with the words: "Weaccept thee as our chief and lord" Ift&guw;

LLU& ULj. The

Imam then says: "It is a tradition, on the authority of our

lord Ja'far 'as-Sadik, the reticent and declarer, the render and

binder,* that he said: 'At prayer-time, it is forbidden either to

take, to give, to sell, to buy, to report the news, to whisper, to

be noisy, to be restless, or to tell stories, over the myrtle ;but

let there be silence, listening attention, and saying of "Amen."Know ye, brothers, that if any one wears upon his head a

iblack turban, or carries on his finger a kishtban, or at his waist

;a two-edged knife, his prayer is hindered; and the greatest of

sins is to fail in duty over the myrtle; for what is binding upona messenger, if not manifest vigilance?

7

',' 1$

3- Then he kisses the ground, say-

ing:" This .homage to God and to you, brothers !" xclJoJ! u\P

O5y>! lj

jjfj *U; after which all who are present prostrate them-

elves, kiss the ground, raise their hands to their heads, and say ;

" To God let him be exalted ! be thy homage paid, O our chief

lord!" bvXM"3 Lc^u^i u ^1*3 *W i^J^Lb.

Afterwards, the Imam reads the Formula of Disburdening*^ as

"May God, the august Supreme, forgive all grievous sins, and all mis-

takes, mishaps, and slips, in our observance of prayer ! Let us pray, if

God will let him be exalted ! (so and so, naming, says our author, some

time of prayer, according to the enumeration given in the notes on the

* See note f on p. 245.


Third Chapter). I entreat thee, O Prince of Bees, 'AH 'Ibn 'Abu.

Talib, that thou wouldst make it for us an hour of favorable response,an hour of forgiveness, and an hour of complacence ;

and that thou

wouldst most graciously accept it. By the reality of the lord Messen-

ger, of the immaculate Fatimah, of Muhsin, Mystery of Obscurity, andof the tranquil, unveiled, night, do thou accept it from us, as thou hast

accepted it from thy blameless saints, thy commissioned prophets, and all

thine obedient servants, of.primitive and later times. It is a tradition,

on the authority of 'Abu Shu'aib Muhammad Bin Nusair 'al-'Abdi 'al-

Bakri 'an-Numairi, that he said :

* Whosoever desires salvation from

the glow of infernal fires, let him say :

" O God, curse thou a gang who

lay foundations of iniquity and transgression, the nine companies of

cornipters, who work corruption, and behave themselves not arightin religion, whose way leads to Hell-fire, whither tend their erring

steps : to wit, that company, first of all, composed of 'Abu Bakr,the cursed, 'Umar 'Ibn 'al-Khattab, the iniquitous Adversary, and 'Uth-

man Bin 'Affan, the calumniating Satan; together with the compa-

nies of Talhah, Sa'd, Sa'id, Klialid 7Ibn 'al-Walid, handler of the cut-

ting blade, Mu'awiyah and his son Yazid, 'al-Hajjaj Bin Yusuf 'ath-

Thakafi, the inexorable, 'Abd-'al-Malik Bin Marwan, the stupid, andHarun 'ar-Rashid may the curse abide upon them, even to the threat-

ened day! that day when Hell-fire will be inquired of: 'Art thou satis-

fied?' to which it will answer: 'Have I been supplied?' and thou, O'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, wilt, then, do what thou wilt, and pass sentence

as thou pleasest. I entreat thee, also, that thou wouldst let thy wrathand chastisement descend upon 'Ishak 'al-'Ahmar, the broken-backed,and 'Isma'il Bin Khallad, the fool ; and do thou curse Shaikh 'Ahmad'al-Badawi, Shaikh 'Ahmad 'ar-Rifa

1

!, Shaikh 'Ibrahim 'adh-Dhu'suki,Shaikh Muhammad 'al-Maghrabi, 'ash-Shibl 'al-Marjan, and Shaikh'Abd-'al-Kadir 'al-Ghilanl, together with every Jew and Christian

;

and do thou curse the Hanifite, Shafiite, Malikite, and Hanbalite sects;and let thy wrath and chastisement, O Prince of Bees, 'All 'Ibn

'Abu Talib, descend upon the wretch 'Ibn Karkar, 'Ishak 'al-'Ahmar,the camel-chafer Kaidar, and Hubaiyib 'al-'Attar; and cause them to

enter Hell-fire how shall one be informed what Hell-fire is, which

spares not, nor reserves, a changer of men's color ! Cursed be all the

nineteen ! Also, curse thou those who play with apes, and catch holdof black serpents, together with all Christians and Jews, and every onewho believes that 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib ate, or drank, or was born, orhad sexual intercourse may God curse them! may God curse them!

Moreover, lay thou the curse upon John Marun the Patriarch,* the ex-

ecrable, and upon all those who feed on thy bounties, while they wor-

ship not thee;and do thou rid us of them utterly, as flesh is cleared

from a bone, by the suretyship of 'Ali, Muhammad," and Salman, and bythe favor of 'Ain-Mim-Sin'"

ibUtj Llioi! ^* The first patriarch of the Maronites, who held office about A.D- 700 : s. Asse-

manni Bibl. Orient., i. 496.

274 K E. Salisbury,

io

guySJt

JI J^ ^0 j!

y^JLLl ^-*:5 XJCo^^AAXJ! v-^^J. ^ r

Acyl pJ UJL^1

'

iUatff ^xU uX.13- Ju^JI

Ljj! ^ Lj ^<o! Jf Juj* u, JJ> Jyi^

vXj^j U:

&' ^j

cr r

jSulaimdn on the Nusairian Religion. 275

Then he wipes his hand upon his breast, saying to those pres-ent :

" We disburden ourselves of these vile Satans, the heretics,

in dependence on the favor of 'Ain-Mim-Sin"

Ow f J^ns ^Jlc ^3; Lit *U>J.i ^.j^bUî, which the people as-

sembled repeat, kissing one another's hands to the right and

left; after which the Imam reads the Chapter of the Opening

(ivÛJi), and the Chapter of the Two Deficiencies (oVJ_>*^)>to-

gether with all that follows, up to the Chapter of the Sun fyÛ~*î), and the Chapter of Broad Sunshine (iPL^j),* and also

the throne-verse (^^ *^),t an^ other verses of the Kuran, at

his pleasure. When he has done reading, he says to the assem-

bly : "Know ye, brothers, that there are many such proof-

passages, and verses like these, which inform with knowledge of

the great Supreme. I entreat thee, Prince of Bees, 'All,

thou august one, by the security of these evidencing verses, andthese chapters, and of miracles and powers, and by the surety-

ship of lord Muhammad, who from the light of thy being was

parted, that thou wouldst compensate and bless the confessors of

this bounty, this benefit, this primitive faith may your placeof abode be inviolate, your branch flourishing, your enemies be

destroyed ! may your Lord, the all-controlling Supreme, the ani-

mator of forms, bless you ! God, let benediction and peacebe to our lord 'al-Khadhir 'al-'Akhdhar, to the prophet of GodAlexander, to Malik Ja'far 'at-Taiyar, to Sultan Habib 'an-Naj-

jar, and to my lord Mitham 'ath-Thimar. Moreover, may the

spirit of my lord Shaikh Hasan 'al-'Asmar be sanctified, andhail with wishes of mercy! also, that of Shaikh 'Ibrahim Bin

Kashmir, that of Shaikh Khalil-i-Matwar, and that of Shaikh'Ali-fi-s-Sanaubar ! and may God make it an evening and a

night fraught with blessing to us, and to you, brothers, all yewho are present ! By the suretyship of the all-controlling Sove-

reign, Prince of Bees, 'Ali, thou august one!" u

* Kur. i., and Ixxxiii-xciii. the variation in the title of ch. Ixxxiii from our cop-

ies, which have (jva&LI! HJJJW,is only verbal.

f Perhaps Kur., ii. 256.

VOL. vni. 36

276 K K Salisbury,

After this prayer, the Imam begins with certain other forms,

glorifying and adoring 'All, and recites many masses, of which

our author gives only the last:

" Mass of Betokening.

"Praise be to God, to 'All the consummate, to 'Alt the light of men,to 'Alt the lord of glory, to 'All the seed-burster, to 'Alt the creator of

the breath of life, to 'Alt the fountain of wisdom, to 'Alt the key of

mercy, to 'Alt the lamp in darkness, to 'Alt the potentate of potentates,to 'Alt the extirpator of imperial princes, to 'Alt the lord of the stately

tabernacles, to 'Alt the Imam of the apsis, to 'Alt the remover of the

gate, to 'Ali the dissipator of sorrows, to 'Alt the worker of miracles,

to 'Alt the opener of the ground, to 'Alt whose love is unfailing, to 'All

the delight of the grey-haired, to 'Alt the knower of that which is in-

explicable, to 'Alt the king of this lower world, to 'Alt lord of the last

and first of time, to 'Alt the render of rocks, to 'Alt the light of the

dawn, to 'Alt the river of wine, to 'Alt the father of 'al-Hasan, to 'All

the river of milk, to 'All the cause of causes, to 'Alt the stiller of the

movements of revolving cycles, to 'Alt the river of honey, to 'All the

river of water, to 'Alt the elevator of the heavens, to 'Alt the originatorof time, to 'Alt the exalted in state, to 'Alt abounding in wonders, to

'Alt lord of the climes of the rising and the setting sun, to 'Alt who is

Haidarah with the bald forehead, to 'Alt the bald-templed, mysterious

one, to 'Alt the lord of the fish, to 'Alt the veiled mystery, to 'Alt the

olive tree, to 'Alt the knower of secret thoughts, to 'Alt the full sea,

to 'Alt the lord of destiny, to 'Alt the render of rocks, to Alt the dig-

nity of the cow, to 'Ali the horseman of horsemen, to 'Alt the vivifier

of crumbled bones, to 'Alt the revealer of the book, to 'Alt the dis-

perser of clouds, to 'Alt the opposer of the sun, to 'Alt arrester generalof souls, to 'Alt the omnipotent sovereign, to 'Alt the overpowering

disposer, to 'Alt the smiter with Dhu-1-Fakar, to 'Alt who was Haidarah

persistent in onset, to Alt the autocrat of the earth, to 'Alt the rightfulclaimant of all free-will service and enjoined obedience, to Alt alone

and sole;to 'Alt who was Abel, to Alt who was Seth, to Alt who was

Joseph, to 'All who was Joshua, to 'Alt who was Asaph, to All whowas Simon Peter. To this Archetypal Deity we give glory, reverence,

landings, magnifyings, extollings, and ascriptions of greatness to that

being whom primitive believers betokened, and the eternity of whose

archetypal divinity has been shown by prophets and messengers; and

\ve betoken that which was betokened by our chief and lord 'al-Husain

Bin Harndan 'al-Khusaibi, and which was betokened by his progenitor


Muhammad Bin Nnsair 'al-'Abdt 'al Bakri 'an-Numairi, and which wasbetokened by Salman the Communicator that being whose archetypal

divinity was shown by lord Muhammad the Intermediary, in the seven

tabernacles, from Abel the well-pleasing, to Haidarah 'Abu Turab.Know ye, O my brothers, that your God is the eternal archetype of

archetypes, the alone, the sole, the sublime, through fellowship withwhom we shall be promoted to gardens of pleasure, and partnershipwith the lights of heaven. Know ye that this is our prayer, our pil-

grimage, and our alms; and the betokening and the adoration of our

inmost souls, in simple confidence, of 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, the myste-rious, bald-templed one, the uncompounded, in whom there is no dis-

tinction of parts, the indivisible, whom no number comprises, who is

neither conditioned nor finite, to whom periods and ages bring no

char.gp, the so denominated Haidarah 'Abu Turab, to whom, to the

magnificence of the glory of whose awfulness, and the greatness of the

splendor of the lightning of whose divinity to whom all necks bow,and all obstacles and difficulties give way"

278 K E. Salisbury,

JhV"^ *A^ OjLfctlo

^J ~A**> U**j Ju xJ! ,Uil Lo

^X*J! JA^ rr^ cX+JS? wX> *jJi ,Ui! L>

AJ_jJsJt/9Jlfi (3^ V1^^ ,jUJ^w &A^ Lvii

& cr vk'^

LSI Jw^l \ o^^>\ *&\ ^\ U M l b

j|.^ji Jlr: ^\ LiJLxftj

All then raise their hands to their breasts, and recite the

Chapter of Betokening (see p. 252), each party performing the

action of raising hands in its own way, as explained in the notes

on that chapter. When this recitation is over, the Imam takes

in his hand a cup of wine, and reads a tradition authorized by'al-Husain Bin Hamdan 'al-Khusaibi, in which 'All is set forth

as the one true Grod; and afterwards directs the assembly to

bow the head, which they do by reciting the Sixth Chapter (see

p. 248) ;and after that he takes the cup which is in the hand

of him who sits on his right, and mingles its wine with his own,

saying, as he mingles.: "Seest thou yonder? seest thou?

delightsomeness.! O great magnificence! they are arrayed in

green silk gauze and brocade, and adorned with armlets of sil-

ver; and their Lord gives them pure wine to drink. Verily,this is your portion; your zeal will surely be recompensed"

Then he reads' the following melody by 'al-Hu-

sain Bin Hamdan 'al-Khusaibi .:

"Privileges with which your brother endows you, who is servant to

a servant of Twelve Full Moons, your disciple of Junbulan, scion of

Khusaib, drawing them from the .abundance .of the overflowing sea


from the fountains of 'at-Tasnim, which yield pure wine, wine of Salsal,

;the choicest wine, with mixed aroma"

Next he recites the Ninth Chapter (see p. 254), the assemblyrepeating after him, and then drinks a little from one of the two

cups, and presents it to him who sits on his right, and, takingthe third cup from him who sits on his left, drinks a little

of that, and gives it back to him, and presents the cup whichhe still retains to the ministering Pursuivant; and so the cupspass around among them, from one to another; and, as theyare offered, each offerer kisses the hand of the receiver, sayingto him: "Be thou extolled! drink, my brother and lord,

in the faith of the mystery of 'Ain-Mim-Sin" bs-y^ J^ÂJ

(j*f JM îXwwj ^>\ ; whereupon he takes the cup, and drinks,

saying to the offerer: "May God give thee to drink, mybrother aifd lord" Â**^ ^s>\

b JJI uS'la**, to which the lat-

ter replies :

"May God cheer thee through thy fellowship of the

cup, and thy draught, and cause thee to attain to thy goal, and

that which thou seekest after!" ti&j"H? iij!yi ^ a)J!

ti5o^XLw^ !ô^x2Ji/a i;ixLjt). When the offering of the cup is over,the assembly pronounce an " Amen ;" and thereupon the Imamreads some verses from the Kuran, as follows :

" T-S-M those

are marks of the Plain Book. Perchance thou wearest thyselfout with grief, because they are not believers : if we please, wewill reveal to them a sign from heaven to which their necks

will bow,"* adding: "To God, believers, bend !" fcrfJI ^^.^J^j^ b. When this direction has been obeyed by the recita-

tion of the Sixth Chapter, as before, he reads the Eight-handInvocation <>r*^ *L> as follows:

uI entreat thee, Prince of Bees, 'Ali, thou august one, by the

reality of this prayer, and of all bowing of the head, and visitations, andof the limits of space, and of thunderings and lightnings ; by Noahand Hud

; by the reality of the Law of Moses, the Gospel of Jesus,the Kuran of Muhammad, and the Psalter of David

; by the reality of

thy form, thy man-like form of existence, whether at day-break, or in

the twilight-dawn, or in the hours of advancing day ; by the reality of

thine Incomparable, 'al-Mikdad 'Ibn 'al-'Aswad 'al-Kindi, through whomthou didst parcel off the world of purity, parcels by parcels ; by the

light emitted from the midst of the day-beam (that is, says our author.,

*Kur., xxvi. 1-3.

280 K E. Salisbury,

the reddening about the sun, at its rising and setting) I entreat thee

that thou wouldst compensate and bless the confessors of this bounty,tin's benefit, this sumptuous charity may the good thereof be madeeffective to us and to you, evil be put away far from us and you, andthe malice of rabble-crowds and Adversaries be brought to nought, not

injuring us or you ! and may they who are buried beneath the groundwish mercy to us and you ! God, let benediction and peace be to mylord 'al-Khadhir 'al-'Akhdhar, to Malik Ja'far 'at Taiyar, to Sultan Habib

'an-Najjar, who hewed blockhead after blockhead,* and to Sultan 'Ibra-

him, together with his son Mahmud. Moreover, may the spirit of mylord and teacher Shaikh Hasan, the straight-forward, be sanctified, and

hail with wishes of mercy ! also, that of Shaikh Hasan 'al-'Ajrad, that of

Shaikh 'All 'as-Sawairi, that of Shaikh 'All Bin Mamdud, that of Shaikh

Sa'cl, as well as that of his brother Shaikh Mas'iid, and that of Shaikh

Da'ud, in the city of the celestial sphere! and may the spirits of all be-

lievers within the four corners of this lower world, and the limits of

space, be sanctified, and hail with wishes of mercy ! Peace be to us

and to you from 'Ali, the bald-templed, the adorable ! Render saluta-

tions, and ye shall be preserved from all affliction and straits"

* A play of words upon the name 'an-Najjar.

Salaimdn on the Nusairian Religion. 281

"When the Chapter of Salutation (see p. 250) is finished, the

Imam reads the Left-hand Invocation (Jl-iJI *'-c^), as follows:

"I begin, and intercede with thee, Prince of Bees, O 'All, tliou

august one, ancient of days, lord of day and night, and of time, bythe reality of the fourteen saluted orders, of which seven are counted

for the great world, and other seven for the little world; by the reality

of the glorifying, the magnifying, the extolling, the hallowing, and the

calling to mind, with cries of 'Glory to him!' *0 glorified one!' 'O

glorious one,' amid those orders; by Alexander and 'Ardcshir; by the

well and bucket; by Zulaikhah; by the corn-measure and the ass;* by

the Companions of the people of 'al-Kahf, and their dog Kitrnir; bythe cave, the high edifice, and the shrouded youth on his pallet ;f bythe reality of those who went forth on a foray, and assaulted and bat-

tled with the Devil in the pit-hollow ; by four churches of our Lord,the great Supreme, namely, the church of Dar 'al-Khaizuran, the church

of 'Urnm Salmah, the church of Ridhwan, under the tree, and the

church of Honor to the Day of the Festival of 'al-Ghadir that thou

wouldst compensate and bless the confessors of this sumptuous charity,

benefit, and bounty. May our condition, and yours, be most graciouslyordered

; may whatsoever ye take in hand be favored, and succeed;

and may wheat, barley, millet, sesamum, cotton, and silk, be secured to

you ! Moreover, may the spirit of my lord Muhammad 'al-Kabir be

sanctified, and hail with wishes of mercy ! also, that of Shaikh Haidar

'al-Kabir, that of Shaikh 'Ibrahim Badishah-'amir,]; and that of ShaikhYusuf 'al-Kasir! and may the spirits of all believers, in four quarters,be sanctified !"

^oJ^ JaJLSJ|j bVjLxIL ^.xJ

*Alluding, in these last three appeal?, to the story of Joseph, as told in the

Kuran, or current among Muslims: see Kur., xii. 10, 19, and 72, and Weil's Bibl.

Leg. d. Muselm., 100, ff.

f Allusions to the story in Kur., xviii. 8, ff.

J The original text has ***to UM**33?* which seems evidently a corruption.


He next reads the Incense-string (see p. 269), and then con-

cludes his prayer with three melodies by 'al-Husain Bin Hamdan'al-Kliusaibi, the assembly repeating them after him, as follows:

" First Melody." manifest one, not absent from us, thou hidden one, who ceasest

not to be alone, whose creative qualities suffice for me, whose Salsal-

like Communicator claims our praise, respond to thy suppliants, and

pardon us, and be merciful to all the past, from beginning to end.

Justly do we render all praise to God, and I end my prayer with the

'Am alone"

> b

Melody." From thee proceeded the revealer of the divine qualities, and all

good comes from thee. O thou One, of whom neither qualities noressence can be comprehended, thy face is my Kiblah, towards which,from every quarter, I direct my prayer, O thou all of all, and who art

my all, O 'All ! and I end my prayer in thee"

|3

L

" Little matters it what fortune befalls me, I am safe. O Ja'far, Godof all creatures, thou. art my Lord, my Creator, my King; thou art the

possessor' of majesty, and the gracious friend; thou, above the heavens,


art exalted on the throne;thou on the earth art present by the Word ;

'al-Husain and Moses and 'All were Expressions of thee; and thou art

the reviver of bones"

M>- j

After this he reads the following intercession

" I entreat thee, Prince of Bees, thou exalted, thou august one, bythe security of this conclusion of the Diwan, by Adam, Enos, and Kai-

nan, by the security of the festival of 'adh-Dhnha, and of 'al-Maharjan, bythe festival of Thursday the 15th of the month Nisan, by the night of

the 15th of Sha'ban, by the five nights of the month Ramadhan bythat which is the reality of all with thee 'All, thou eternal, thou

whom nothing engrosses, thou father of the two fair ones, thou sympa-thizer, thou benignant, thou recompenser, thou sovereign ruler, by the

reality of thine Intermediary, lord Muhammad, and of thy Communi-

cator, lord Salman, by thy lodging under the mantle of the sage andthe regal purple that thou wouldst compensate and bless the confes-

sors of this bounty, sumptuous charity, and benefit, and give them con-

fidence for solicitude. May he make it an evening and night fraughtwith blessing, and a blessed day, to you, brothers, defend you against

every enemy and maligner, and preserve to you your young men, bythe suretyship of the House of Wisdom, and of the Eternal ! O Prince

of Bees, thou exalted, thou august one !"

& y* JLJ jj^+dsjj o* cr v^aAo xAj^ Q** j* crf

b OU c oUi i^Uixio ^ ^ L oUjJ! ^.LXSu

Lo L Llo u U> L x

VOL. viii. 37

284 E. R Salisbury,

*LJ.)

LJ Ulc LJ

Then, facing the assembly, he says :

"Forgive us, brothers,

any errors or negligences, any addition or omission;for all men

are prone to negligence and forgetful ness, and absolute perfection

pertains only to your Master thou exalted! to the glorious

one, whose knowledge is all-surpassing. This homage to God

and to you, brothers, believers" bUM Q* o^^ LJ

-LJ Q^>^ LJ JJ5 ,

and kisses the ground, which the assem-

bly, likewise, do, responding to him: "To God be thy homage

paid, our chief and lord" IkXx*^ LL<Ly LJ *ii ^^xclb;

after

which, standing up all together, they kiss the hands of one an-

other, on the right and left, and near by ; and, at the same mo-

ment, the candles are extinguished, when it is day, and the

master of the festival gives alms, that is, dirhams, to the Imamand the ministering Pursuivant, as well as to all who have

joined in the recitations.

Then the Imam takes in his hand the Summary, and reads a

little of it to the assembly, and bids them bend, which they do

as before; and, after that, directs him who sits on his right to

read the Right-hand Invocation (see p. 279), and then directs all

to recite the Chapter of Salutation (see p. 250), and, when this is

done with, bids him who sits on his left to read the Left-hand

Invocation (see p. 281), and, at the close, says :

" This homageto God and to you, brothers, all ye who are present"vi=^>

^y>LJ ^_^>\ LJ ^Oj aii XcLIoll stXPj kissing the ground,

while the assembly do likewise, and also kiss the hands of one

another, on the right and left; whereupon the Imam stands up,and uncovers his head, the assembly doing the same, -and directs

to recite the Chapter of the Opening, saying: "The Chapter of

the Opening, O brothers, has to do with the subversion of the

dynasty of 'Uthman, and the succor of the people of 'al-Khu-

saibt, the Nusairis" *-oUUtt *V\Jt '*>W ^ o^ ^ '&&W

Xj^ukfljJ! *AA.yai! Kftj.mi jlgbx*^. Frequently, to this ceremonyis added a petition to their Lord for the overthrow of all Muslimrulers. In conclusion, the Ministers rise and place food before

the assembly, presenting most of it to the Imam, who distributes

a little to those near him;

after which they all eat and disperse.

Sulaimdn on the Nasairian Religion. 285

Having thus recounted the ceremonies usually observed at

the festivals of the Nusairis, our author also specifies some cus-

toms which are peculiar to certain occasions. At the festivals

in the month of Nisan, of the 17th of 'Adhar, and of the 16th

of First Tishrin, when they begin their prayers, there is placedbefore the Imam a large basin of water, with twigs of olive,

myrtle, or willow, in it; and, as soon as prayers are over, all

uncover their heads, and the Dignitary stands up and sprinklesover them some of the water, and distributes a few of the

twigs, which they set into their beehives, to obtain good luck.

Whenever they recite the Chapter of the Bowing of the Head

(see p. 248), they bend to the ground, excepting on the day of

'al-Ghadir, when, in reading it, they raise their heads heaven-

ward.

The author next gives some statistics respecting the numberof people belonging to this sect, the names of the towns and

villages where they live, and the number and names of their

chiefs, or shaikhs, at the present time, distinguishing betweenthe Northerners and Kalazians in each group of localities of

which he speaks. But it is unnecessary for us to follow him,

here, farther than to state, that the Nusairis reside in and around

'Adhanah, Tarsus, and Antioch, chiefly, it would seem, in the

first of these localities, where about five thousand of them are

said to have their habitations, who are mostly, it appears, of the

Northerner-party; that, in the other two localities, also, the

Kalazians seem to be in the minority ;that the Northerners are

outwardly distinguished by their not shaving at all, and bytheir abstaining from certain articles of food and drink, whichthe Kalazians make free use of; and that, among the Imams of

the Kalazians, conjugal communism is said to be a law of hospi-

tality, supported, in part, by a figurative interpretation of Kur.xxxiii. 49, and partly by inference from one of ten rules of life

attributed to Ja'far 'as-Sadik, enjoining"upon every believer to

gratify his fellow-believers as he would gratify himself"

which the Northerners understandto require only a readiness to impart of one's knowledge and

property to a fellow-believer. It is also worthy of notice, that

the common people among the Nusairis are said to regard their

Imams as infallible, and as having bodies not subject to the or-

dinary necessities of flesh and blood.

The fourth section of this tract is expressly doctrinal, relatingto a so-called Fall. We shall give a translation of the whole of

it, together with the text:

286 K E. Salisbury,

" Fourth Section, on the Fall.

" All parties among the Nusairis believe that, in the beginning, before

the world was, they existed as moving lights, and luminous stars, con-

scious of the distinction between obedience and disobedience, and nei-

ther eating, drinking, nor excreting, but beholding 'AH 'Ibn 'Abu Talib

in sapphire splendor ;and that they remained in this condition seven

thousand and seventy-seven years, and seven hours;but that, then, they

boasted of themselves, saying :'

Surely, he has created no nobler crea-

tures than we are,' which was the beginning of their going astray. So'All created for them an Intermediary, who held them under restraint

for seven thousand years ; after which 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib appeared to

them, and said :' Am I not your Lord ?' to which they replied :

' Cer-

tainly thou art.' After a while, he manifested to them the all-disposing

power of the Supreme, and they fancied themselves apprehending him

fully, supposing him to be one like themselves, which was a second stepin their wandering. So he made the Intermediary visible to them,around whom they revolved for seven thousand and seventy-seven years,and seven hours

;after which he appeared to them in the form of an

aged chief, with hoary head and beard (by which form were tried the

people of light, of the high light-world), and they imagined him to be

such as was that form in which he appeared to them, and he said to

them: 'Who am I?' and they replied: 'We know not.' Afterwards,he appeared in the form of a young man, with curled moustache, riding

upon an angry-looking lion, and again in the form of a small child,

and calling to them said :

' Am I not your Lord ?' the same question

being repeated on each manifestation. These three appearances of

'Ali, in o'ld age, youth, and childhood, are explained by the Kalazians

with reference to the moon, 'All's appearance as a child being madethe first, or the new moon, that as a youth the next, or the full moon,and that as an old man the last, or the waning moon. He was ac-

companied by his Expressed Deity, and his Communicator, togetherwith the people of the orders of his holiness, namely, the first seven

orders, constituting the great light-world ; and, when he called to

them, they imagined him to be one like themselves, and were in a

maze, and knew not what to an-swer. So he created for them one whoshould put a stop to their doubting and wondering; and called to

them, saying :

'I have created for you a lower sphere, and intend to

cast you dow.n into it; and I shall create for you fleshly habitations,and appear to you in an Intermediary akin to yourselves ;

and who-soever of you acknowledges me, and acknowledges my Communicator,and my Intermediary, him will I bring back hither; and whosoeverrebels against,me, out of his perverseness will I make an Adversary to

-confront him;and whosoever denies me, him will I shut up in vest-

ments of degrading transformation. To this they replied :

'

Lord,suffer us to be here, magnifying theewith praise, and worshipping thee,

and cast us not down into the lower sphere.' Then said he :' Ye have

rebelled against me ; yet, had ye said :

" our Lord, we know nothingsave what thou teachest us thou art the inscrutable, omniscient One,"I would have forgiven you.' Whereupon he made out of their per-verseness devils .and .Satans, and out of the sins >of those devils made


women; for which reason the Nusairis do not teach their forms of

prayer to their women, as is explained in the Book of Light Hand-

ling, the Book of Proofs, and the Book of Confirmation. Afterwards,he appeared to them in the seven tabernacles, to wit : the first, called

'al-Hinn, wherein the name of the Archetypal Deity was Fakat, the

Expressed Deity was Seth, the Communicator Jaddah, and the Adver-

sary Rauba'; after which he appeared to them in the tabernacle 'al-

Biun, wherein the name of the Archetypal Deity was Harmas 'al-Ha-

ramasah, that of the Expressed Deity Mashhur, the Communicator

'Adhari, and the Adversary 'Ashka'; and in the third tabernacle, called

<at-Timm, wherein the name of the Archetypal Deity was 'Ardeshir,that is, the pagan Ahasuerus, the Expressed Deity was Dhu Kina',the Communicator Dhu Fikh, and the Adversary 'Itrifan

;and in the

fourth tabernacle, called 'ar-Rimm, wherein the name of the Arche-

typal Deity was Enoch, the Expressed Deity was Hindmih, the Com-municator Sharamih, and the Adversary 'Izra'il; and in the fifth tab-

^ernacle, called 'aj-Jann, wherein the name of the Archetypal Deitywas Durrat 'ad-Durar, the Expressed Deity was Dhat 'an-Nur, the Com-municator 'Ishadi, and the Adversary Sufist

;and in the sixth taberna-

cle, called 'aj-Jinn, wherein the name of the Archetypal Deity was 'al-

Barr 'ar-Rahim, the Expressed Deity was Yusuf 'Ibn Makan, the Com-municator Abu Jad, and there was no Adversary ;

and in the seventh

tabernacle, called 'al-Yunan, wherein the name of the Archetypal Deityivas the Philosopher Aristotle, the Expressed Deity was Plato, the Com-municator Socrates, and the name of the Adversary Darmail. In all

of the tabernacles thus enumerated,* the Adversary or Satan consisted

of three persons in one, namely, 'Abu Bakr, 'Urnar and 'Uthman.

Afterwards, he appeared to them in the seven tabernacles of divine

quality, from Abel to 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib, named in the notes on the

Third Chapter."The Fall here spoken of is the theme of the following lines by

Shaikh Muhammad Bin Kalazu :

4 At the remembrance of a time which I had before my fall, my tears

overflow, and I sigh deeply, and cry out with a longing never satisfied,

and a yearning ; my heart is made sick with pain, and with my burn-

* These so-called tabernacles are pre Adamite gradations of human existence,from inferior to higher, corresponding, as appears, in reverse order, to the sevenforms of degrading transformation, mentioned in the Second Chapter (see p. 238),which the Nusairis suppose themselves liable to fall into, for their delinquencies.

Accordingly, the tabernacle of 'al-Yunan, i. e., the Greek race, represents the highest

point which human existence reached, before the special manifestations of 'Ali in<l the seven tabernacles of divine quality

"began, and the first step in the down-

ward course of those who fail to recognize 'Ali as thus revealed, which is called

&v~Ji!>\, deterioration. Of the other tabernacles, that of 'aj-Jinn, i. e., the Genii,

corresponds to fesNtfjJi, annulment of faculty ;that of 'aj-Jann, i. e., the Demon, to

^-Mfelt,degradation; that of 'ar-Rimm, i.e., the Litter, to &*M^\, defilement;

that of 'at-Timm, i. e., the Scum, to ^xw J|, stagnation ;that of 'al-Binn, i. e., the

o -*

Eetid Place, toJ&fiJt, wilting,; .and that of 'al-Hinn, i. e.,.the Sprites,

the waste-heap.


ing passion, because of the felicity of days whose glory is exchang-edfor humiliation, and security for fearfulness.

'We were in a sphere of glory, at the zenith of sublimity, coursingwith angels in each green meadow, and from rivers quaffing choice

water, pure honey, and milk, together with wine; while heaven andearth obeyed our bidding, by the permission of a Deity who made all

things created, and even the Sovereign Deity glory to his majesty !

gave consent to our imploring petitions.'At length it pleased God, whose decree is final, to say: "I shall

cast you down to the mundane sphere, and manifest my being in an

Intermediary of your kin, causing you to see my Intermediaries as one

sees vapor on the plain, which the thirsty man supposes to be water,

and, on reaching it, finds to be nothing real. So then, whosoever ac-

knowledges me, when I appear among you in an Intermediary, and dis-

tinguishes me from human kind, him will I secure from fear and trouble,

and save from all that is alarming and afflictive;he shall be restored,

speedily, to his pristine state, and I will give him rest in the shade, on

the green meadows of my garden."'We acquiesced in the Merciful's words to us, and, falling to the

sphere of humiliation, after being exalted, have trod, as prisoners, within

narrow bounds, therein abiding while ages have revolved.

'Thee, O Habak, I supplicate, by a divinity which thon hast mani-

fested, that we might find it as a kind among creatures, and which wehave been empowered to behold and know, for assurance, by sight, of

the production of the manifestation thou, Creator of the created,

art above humanity in majesty, yet hast thou, as of human kind, been

conversable, and shown mercy, and hast been angry with, and hast pun-

ished, all anthropomorphists, with an anger and a punishment ever

going its rounds through the regions of transmigration by an Ex-

pressed Deity, deriving origin and power from thee, without disjunc-

tion, separation, or distinction; by a mandate wherewith thou didst

charge, on his appearance, Salsal, and also the Five Incornparables ; byPursuivants and Dignitaries, by Familiars next, by their associates the

Purified, Ramak, I intercede with thee; by those Approved as to

whatsoever thou hast tried them with; by seven lower orders next to

them lift me up from contrariety, and trial of misery, to a highland

abode, amid gladness and gratification, where cup-bearing boys attend,

and tiniest maids.' Muhammad Kalazi, making invocation becomingly, cherishes hope ;

and I stand fast by the ancient covenant, abiding in the confession of

the day of shadowing clouds'"

PJUflJ! s


;li U^5.^ 1^?^^ XjC

Lo. .>Jli +^3' jJLs t_l^4JCxxaf: jlfts XxJ^U^J! .Wl .Jl ^^P ^5

! Uxjlfi L ^i LJ

8vAP_,

aj Juux v

^ c5

xlail

jj*=>\ L^xs (^vjtLi ^vwl Q!/ j

J!

290 K E. Salisbury,

CT

UJ Jf

- Jo*

, _^J jjf


LotIL L3>1

cr

xJv* Lo ^J

^Xo- ol/to^

LJ *jfe Lo

*^ Jou

:5> (3 ^^>^

j oi^P L i!i5Uj

^F l^Jc>-^J

L/JLu liUcL^JLa LUJv^j

j^

VOL. vni. 38

292 E. K Salisbury,

+h iU U

J vôl^Q X.XAIVO

In the word m* (Habak) here occurring, the hd' stands for

new moon (j^), the Id' for fall moon (;<-M, and the kdf for

moon(f*'i).

The word Oi.^ (Ramak) is an inversion of ^3(Kamar). The "regions" spoken of in this poem are the sevenstates of existence mentioned in the Second Chapter, and in the

notes upon it. Such are the comments of our author.

Our author's fifth section, ÂJ! *J!fA*a*Jt Îx&l <j^*J ^, con-

sists entirely of specimens of Nusairian poetry, with explana-

tory remarks. Here we are informed that the Nusairis have

given the following female names, to wit: Sa'da/ (A\*w), Maiya'ar-Rabab (v^), Zainab (v^y), 'Alya (^Ldc), Labna'

and Laila d^-^), to the seven so-called tabernacles of

divine quality, from Abel to 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib;that they

compose verses in their praise, and pay homage to them, as

women and that such verses are called Brides of the Diwan

j-From among the specimens of this sort of poetry published

by our author we select the first for translation, together with a

note upon it,and give also its text.*

"Verses by Shaikh 'Ibrahim 'at-Tusi, in praise of Mistress Zainab.

" Let rne take a draught, my friends, and gladden myself, in the

air of Zainab, beauty of archetypal qualities ;f for my morning-cup let

me take a draught of choice wine, colored to ancient purple in its jars." My ecstasy with love of her runs wild, my fellow

;I am lost in

wonder in describing her, and my tongue is tied.uDaughter by the first birth, ten and four the number of her age,

*Following the express design of our author, we print alt poetical texts of the

Nusairis without correction of errors in syntax and prosody.

)' That is, who unites all that is attractive in the qualities of the Archetypal

Deity.


her light surpasses all lights ;her hair falls in a veil of brightness, and

we are sheltered beneath the circlet of her imperial crown ;the broad,

rimmed basin of her eye-brows is one brilliant light, the side-wise look

of her eye is a fascination which deeply moves me;her face, with am-

ber on both cheeks for foil, is like the new moon rising in light ;when-

ever she smiles, a sweet perfume is exhaled, and there appears the flash

of a softly lightening cloud of Yemen;her breast is smooth, like silk

to the touch;therein is a red pomegranate, the rounding moon to a

favored one." So I sought intercourse with her, and she said :

' No liking have wefor the whore-monger ;'

I replied :

'

Away with the pander in thy air,

away with him who would breed a harlot-progeny ;I am of the family

of 'Ahmad, allied to Husain, connected with Junbulan, a Jindab, akin to

Numairl'"*

cr

po L Ifc

Lp-lj J

13 o-tfw.^J La

CT

The expression"ten and four the number of her age" alludes

to the entrance of the moon upon its fourteenth day. Thedrinking of Zainab signifies the consummation of knowledgeof her.

Passing over, now, several other pieces of poetry of whichthe moon, or Mistress Zainab, is the subject, and one in praise

* The writer thus declares himself of the true faith, and so entitled to claim thefavor of the Deity represented in the person of this object of his admiration.Whoredom is here put for alienation from the one true God.


of the Deity, under no specific name, we come to some verses

which express the peculiar views of the party of the Northern-

ers, to whom, as before stated, the whole heavens represent 'Ali,

while the Kalazians hold the moon to be the special token of

his presence with mankind. Of these the following specimenmay suffice :

" Verses by Shaikh Tusuf 'Abu Tarkhdn, in praise of the Heavens.

"Rise, my fellow, with us

;let us course on yellow and white thor-

oughbreds, to reach the monastery of Mar Yuhana, by a night's late

travelling ;where are monks and servitors, and sundry devotees, under

the power of a bride's hot blasts, the daughter of a presbyter.*

"Large at the hips, supple, of comely form is she, the beloved of Mar

Jurjis ;she wears a loose veil, in color like the horizon, unruffled

;and

a yellow veil, and a great white veil unspotted ;also a clear red veil, of

high import, seen from far. The while her effluence descends uponcreated things, a world is exalted with sanctity; but, were her veils

withdrawn, existence would become awry. Let her have assumed her

stately mein, and thou wilt see prostrate monks, and lions, for fear of

her, and for her majesty, glorifying and hallowing." She was a fire for Abel, disowned by the Adversary 'Iblis

;it was

she who bore up the True God's prophet Enoch; she was a savingwater to Noah, after that the devils were drowned therein ;

a fire to

Abram she, a True Deity ;and the fire of the prophet Moses was she

;

she was the Spirit who produced my lord Jesus;of her 'Ahmad spoke

in eulogy, and afterwards Mar Kais.f" Hidden is she in that wherein she appears to us, O fellow-mortal.

All hail to her, the limitless, incomparable goal of my eyes ! Not turn-

ing away from her, by her shall I be guarded ;Yusuf is a servant to

the True God's people my calling wholly changed"

or v^

. -*3

...

* The Virgin Mary, as " the bride of heaven," must be here referred to : thoughthe description \vhich follows refers only to phenomena of the heavens, an identi-

fication with the mother of our Lord is plainly expressed in the after-clause" she

was the Spirit who produced my lord Jesus;" and there would seem to be an

allusion to the Roman Catholic doctrine of "semper virgo" in the words "but,were her veils withdrawn, etc."

f In the original, (j^t rAt which seemed to call for some emendation.


tXAJu, ^^AvJo U.X4uic, LplAj^

,b

t Lzu

LS fi U

^La \j LJ O^s U: ^>j

Such are the poetic effusions contained in this section, evi-

dently designed, as our author intimates, for impression on the

popular mind; in some of which, indeed, a sensuous veil of

imagery almost hides from view the dogmas which are intendedto be set forth.

The sixth section, x^xAoll! u\j.L5c u^su ^s, on certain funda-

mental principles of the Nusairis, reads as follows :

" All the Nusairis believe that the spirits of the chiefs of the Mus-

lims, firmly grounded in the science of their religion, assume, at death,the bodily form of asses

;that Christian doctors enter into swine-bodies

;

that Jewish rabbis take the form of male apes ; and, as for the wickedof their own sect, that their spirits enter into quadrupeds used for food,

sceptics of note excepted, who, after death, are changed into male apes;while persons of mixed character, partly good and partly bad, becomeinvested with human bodies in other sects. When a professor of someother belief apostatizes, and is united with them, they hold that, in past

296 E. R Salisbury,

generations, he was one of themselves, and that his birth within the

pale of that faith which he abandons was consequent upon some crime

which he committed." No member of any alien sect is admitted into their fraternity, as

for the first time, unless he be a Persian, the Persians being believers

in the divinity of 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib like themselves; and, without

doubt, their progenitors were of Persia and 'Irak. In Jewish history,

however, they are said to have originated in Palestine;and this state-

ment is not groundless, inasmuch as they hold many principles in com-

mon with people of that country, such as the worship of the sun and

moon. But, unquestionably, Magians are found among them, so that

their worship may be of Magian origin, and they may be practising, at

the present time, rites which are none other than Magian."As for one of their faith by birth, who apostatizes, their judgment

respecting the separatist is that his mother was an adulteress amongthem, being of that sect whose creed he adopts.

"They simulate all sects, and, on meeting with Muslims, swear to

them that they, likewise, fast and pray. But their fasting is after

a worthless manner; and, if they enter a mosque in company with

Muslims, they recite no prayer, but, lowering and raising their voices in

imitation of their companions, curse 'Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and

other persons. The simulation of sects is set forth by them allegori-

cally, as follows : We, say they, are the body, and all other sects are

clothings ; but, whatever sort of clothing a man may put on, it injureshim not

;and whosoever does not thus simulate is a fool, for no reason-

able person will go naked in the market-place. I will specify, however,a token by which the dissembler may be recognized : when a Nusairi

disavows the worship of 'All 'Ibn 'Abu. Talib, it may be known that he

sets light by his belief, since he could not so express himself without

having abandoned his religion ; or, when a Nusairi reveals his form of

prayer, it is certain that he has apostatized, for thus says their lord 'al-

Khusaibi :' Whosoever discloses our testimony is forbidden our gar-

den; and, if any one says to you :

" Disclose and be guiltless," haste

ye away.'" A token by which members of the sect recognize one another is as

follows : if a stranger comes among his fellow-believers, he inquires :'I

have a relative* do ye know him ?' to which they reply :

' What is

his name?' and he says: 'His name is 'al-Husain,' when they rejoin:* 'Ibn Hamdan,' and he adds :

* 'al-Khusaibi;'

a second token consists

in their saying to the stranger: 'Thy uncle was unsettled for how

many periods ?'f to which if he replies :*

Sixteen,' they receive him;a

third is the question :' If thy uncle should thirst, whence wouldst thou

give him to drink ?' to which the answer is :' From the fountain of

* See pp. 245, 278, 293.

f An allusion to ages of doubt prior to the revelation of " indubitable truth,"

probably to those successive stages of divine manifestation, sixteen in number,from the aged chief down to the human 'Ali, -which are mentioned in the fourth

section of this tract (see p. 286)."Thy uncle was unsettled

"means, in the lan-

guage of the Nusairis, who use "uncle" for "preceptor" (see, e. g., p. 233), that

there was no certain teaching.


'All-quality ;' a fourth is this inquiry :* Should thy uncle's feet sink in

the sand, whither wouldst thou direct him?' the answer to which is:* To the Serpent of Mu'awiyah ;'* a fifth is the following question :

'Should thy uncle annoy, where wouldst thou meet him?' to which oneanswers :

l In the Pedigree-chapter ;'f a sixth consists of the following

dialogue :

*

Four, two fours, three and two, and as many more twice over,in thy religion what place have they ?' answer :

' In the Journeying-

chapter ;'J question :* Portion them out to me wilt thou ?' answer :

' Seventeen of them of 'Irak, seventeen of Syria, and seventeen un-

known ;' question :

' Where are they to be found ?' answer :' At the

gate of the city of Harran;' question :

* What is their employment ?'

answer :'

They receive justly, and render justly.'

"The binding adjuration among the Nusairis, universally, is to placeone's hand in that of another, saying :

' I adjure thee by thy faith, in

the faith of the covenant of 'All the Prince of Believers, and by the

covenant of 'Ain-Mim-Sin;'

this makes it obligatory to speak the truth.

Another form is to moisten a finger with one's spittle, and place it onthe other's neck, saying :

' I am absolved of my sins, and lay them on

thy neck;and I adjure thee, by the foundation of thy religion, by the

mystery of the covenant of 'Ain-Mim-Sin, that thou tell me the wholetruth touching such or such a matter ;' which also debars from false-

hood. The latter form of adjuration is more established with the

Northerners than among the Nusairis of other parties ;whoever takes

it falsely, supposes himself to assume all the sins of the adjurer." All the Nusairis imagine the eminent chiefs of their sect to have

no sexual intercourse with their wives;but that they make passes over

them, by which they conceive.** If any one who has abjured their faith passes by when they are at

prayer, that prayer is spoiled, and they repeat it over again. Theymust not pray at all on the same day that they hear a story told"

f-]j*iQ|J

Lot,

OOc ioio ^Ust Afi+aXj cJ! -! Lo!

au&Xo

*Meaning, of course, 'Ali, the biter of the heel, as it were, of Mu'awiyah, who

nevertheless brought to an end his temporal dominion.

f See p. 241. \ See p. 258.

298 K E. Salisbury,

oyC; ot Jo

1

. Jo Lui HjJUaJI ^x> QjJbo Û 4

^xjLwI!> L\,:

U

cr

,--

_L Q^ . . . .

L> OJ-*.AÛS xiâj Jî ôyi ^ Jybj j%^SL*u SC^j

iUÛJI xjbw '*. W ^îÛc -bLc t X

cL

Sulaim&n on the Nusairian Religion. 299

Ju ^ u&Xj u t 5 Xstf Nya

A<. bis ,v

cr o.

The seventh section of this tract is a narrative of the author's

discovery of the deeper mysteries of the Nusairis, ^J^ ^iyjAxaJJi j, iuolil ^^l It concerns us chiefly for certain doc-

trinal statements contained in it. The author had been for

three years a novitiate, and was suspected of heretical opinions,

when, at length, he bribed one of the chiefs of the party of the

Northerners to tell him " the hidden mystery," and received the

following communication :

"Know, ray son, that the heavens are the impersonation of 'Alt

'Ibn 'Abu Talib, namely, that hidden garden, beneath the Place of Rest,

which the Knran speaks of in the words: 'beneath which flow rivers1

of which rivers the first is a river of wine, in color red, whereby is

determined the seeing of the heavens as red by our lord the ExpressedDeity, that is, Muhammad; the second, a river of milk, in color white,which is what is seen by the Communicator, that is, by Salman 'al-

Farsi, for he beholds the heavens as white; the third, a river of honey,in color yellow, which determines the seeing of the heavens as yellowby the angels, that is, the stars; the fourth, a river of water, which is

what we see, for to us the heavens appear like water." When, however, we are purified from these human grossnesses, our

spirits will be elevated amid the clustered stars which form the milkyway, and we shall be clothed with spiritual habitations, and shall then

VOL. viu. 39

300 E. K Salisbury,

behold the heavens as yellow.* But if, during this present transient

life, we doubt respecting the heavens [as the manifestation of 'All], our

spirits 'will enter into bodies of degrading transformation, and there will

never be any deliverance for us. As for people of other sects, who dis-

believe in this our doctrine, they will become sheep and wild beasts, or

assume other forms of degradation, and will never be purified."Know thou, also, that the sun is lord Muhammad, who himself has

been one with every prophet who has appeared in the world, from the

tabernacle of 'al-Hinn to Adam, and down to Muhammad, even as our

chief and lord 'Abu 'Abdallah 'al-Husain Bin Hamdan 'al-Khusaibi has

informed us, in these words of his Diwan :

" 'If their number were a hundred thousand, the whole would alwaysamount to one.'

"Know thou, furthermore, that the moon is Salman 'al-Farsi, and

that these starsf are the angels who existed before the world was, con-

stituting seven orders, one above another, namely : the eldest of them

all,Jlord 'al-Mikdacl, identical with the star Saturn, which also bears

the name of Mikhail;and the star Jupiter, which is 'Abu-dh-Dharr,

and also bears the name of 'Asrafil;and 'Abdallah 'Ibn Rawahah 'al-

'Ansari, who is the star Mars, identical with the angel 'Izra'il, whoarrests spirits existing in the world the proof of which is that this

star disappears from its place when any human soul is departing; and

'Uthman Bin Madh'un 'an-Najashi, who is the star Venus, and, as one

of the angels, bears the name of Dardiya'il ;and the star Mercury,

which is Kanbar Bin Kadan 'ad-Diisi, and, as an angel, also bears the

name of Saldiya/il (the offices of each of whom, says our author,

are specified in the notes on the Fifth Chapter ||).The other seven

orders form the milky way, and are the spirits of those who have been

translated from humanity, for their acknowledgment of 'AMS, as well

as of every one of the manifestations, from the tabernacle of 'al-Hinn

to 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib. Of these two groups of sevens (both of which,adds our author, have been spoken of in the notes on the Seventh

Chapter ^[), the first forms the seven heavens, and the second the seven

earths, mentioned in the Kuran.

* It should be observed, that the preceding allegorical interpretation of theclause quoted from the Kuran expresses a graduated difference of aspect in whichthe Supreme Deity is supposed to present himself to the various orders of createdexistence: comp. our author's note on the First Chapter (p. 237), and the colors of

the bride's veils described on p. 294.

f That is, the planets, called " the Seven Twinkling Stars"

in the Third Chapter(p. 239).

\ Lit, "their Kabir,"

The original text has J-oLuoLo, which we have ventured to change to

,^-oljLXLo, supposing this name to signify "Receptacle of the Deity," ^5^ being

the sign of the genitive, and ^o having its cabbalistic import, as explained in the

Zabbala Denudata, i. 1, p. 604. Dardiya/il may be similarly interpreted: see Kab.

Denud., ibid., p. 259. Comp. the epithet xJl*Ji o^<3J! 'ijS applied to the hu-

man 'All on p. 242.

1See p. 248. ^ See pp. 251-2.


"Also, know thou that one and the same Archetypal Deity is in each

of the four stages of light, namely : the first, called the stage of sur-

mise, made by the first glimmering of day amid dark clouds, which is

lord Salman, whose appearance unveiled would cause the earth to vanish

with all that is upon it, not a man surviving; the second, called the

stage of effulgence, made by the day-beam ;the third, called the morn-

ing-stage, made by the arching sun to which three those words of the

Right-hand Invocation allude: 'thy form, thy man-like form of exist-

ence, whether at day-break, or in the twilight-dawn, or in the hours of

advancing day ;'* and the fourth, called the zenith-stage, made by the

[illuminated] heavens: all of which stages we hold to be substantiallyone. The voice of the thunder-bolt, too, is the voice of the Archetypal

Deity 'Ali Bin 'Abu Talib, calling out in these words : ye my crea-

tures, acknowledge me, doubt not of me, and recognize my Expression.and my Communicator, and the inhabitants of the orders of my holi-

o \ jpj ^.^ *JjJ Js^otJ! jp eJUJ!

.

,

Lp LJ U^J5 xc

* See p. 279.

302 E. E. Salisbunj,

i^Jol

.Av.,

w jj^ jAM jtf

u-s

JijJI o \

jjlc^iouUJI

UL* juuJI y> ^JJI rU*JI

Here ,\ve pass over some sceptical objections suggested by our

author, which led to no farther explanations, and take up the

continuation of his narrative as follows:

"Then the chief undertook to present to me proofs of the divinity of

the heavens, instancing the Prophet's words in the Kuran :' Whitherso-

ever ye turn, there is God's presence God is omnipresent, omniscient,'*

to which he.added :

* Know thou that in the name of 'Ali there are three

letters, and that the words for heavens, the twilight, the glimmering of

*Kur., ii. 109.


day, and the arching sun, all have three letters which is a plain proofof the correctness of our doctrine. Or hast thou not read the Chapterof Testimony in the Dustur, which says: 'he is immeasurable, illimit-

able, incomprehensible, inscrutable T\ and know thou, my son, that

sight cannot reach to the limit of the heavens, nor can any one beholdthem in their prime configuration, that is, their red aspect, save onlythe Expressed Deity."Know thou, also," continued the chief, "that the dog of the Com-

panions of 'al-Kahf was an impersonation of 'All 'Ibn 'Abu Talib;that

he appeared to the seven youths who had fled from the emperor Decian,in the form of a clog, in order to prove them, and to try their faith

;and

that so, inasmuch as they believed in him, they Avere elevated to the

heavens, and became stars. Previously, he appeared to the children of

Israel in the form of a cow, when they had grievously sinned, and the

earth had well nigh swallowed them up ;and so they who believed were

delivered, while the doubting were engulfed in the earth, such as Korahand his company. In the Kuran, this cow is said to have been sacri-

ficed, by which is meant that she was perfectly recognized. He ap-

peared also to the people of Salih, in the form of a camel, which theymutilated, that mutilation signifying a rejection, on account of which

they perished, and their city was turned upside down. Many other of

his manifestations we leave unnoticed"

_ja,xj,

ti.ij

JoJ! ^ jrJI xJ

u-JLb

ui LJLs

t^b^t LJ Bjb b

.-

Lobe X3UJI bVj^AaJ gJ

See p. 255.

304 K & Salisbury,

After this, our author was still more troubled with doubts,and became an avowed apostate from the Nusairian faith. Butwe are not concerned to dwell upon the details of his personal

experience. Suffice it, that, theparty of the Northerners hav-

ing failed to afford him satisfaction, the Kalazians were called

in to reclaim him from heresy; that to their importunities he

seemed, at length, to yield; that thus, after a while, he secretly

possessed himself of a certain Book of the Hidden Sense (v^j-ybLK),

in which was set forth the Nusairian belief, accordingto Kalazian interpretation, but only to find even more of inanitythan in the statements of the Northerners; that he sought, how-

ever, to satisfy his doubts by continued intercourse with the

Kalazians, and became a pupil to one of their Preceptors, but

obtained no different views, except that the moon representsthe Archetypal Deity, for his teacher said :

"Know thou, that the dark part of the moon is a person, bearing re-

semblance to humanity, who has two hands, two feet, a body, and a

head, and upon his head a crown, and in his hand a sword, which is

the notched blade of Muhammad"

.,

XAW vj li'

jand that the heavens represent Salman

'al-Farsi ;all of which is contrary to the belief of the Northern-

ers, as before stated.

Then the Preceptor endeavored to convince him of the pro-

priety of worshipping the moon, and first alleged, in favor of it,

the following passage from the Kuran :

" each day, he is about

some business :"*

"Which," said he,

"applies well to the moon, inasmuch as it every

day appears in some special phase, growing gradually larger, day byday, to the full, and then turning about, and growing smaller and

smaller, until it ends with being a new moon, yet without any change.To us, indeed," added the Preceptor,

" he appears veiled, on account of

sins which we formerly committed, in the beginning, when he tried us,

while we were among the angels, and said : .* I intend to cast you downto the mundane sphere,' and we replied :

' Suffer us to be here, our

Lord, and we will magnify thee with praise' for which cause he cast

us down from amid the angels into this world, and our vision of himbecame veiled

;nor shall be behold him otherwise than under a veil, so

long as we abide in these bodies"

Jr ou

* Kur., Iv. 29.


LL ^JcJ^ lLo JuJlvJt LoJo o*^ aJLc.

V; li

UxO Lo \j&> M sJ^Uo ^ *Xj*; ac U>^j. The

Preceptor also brought up this passage :

" God is the light of the

heavens and the earth,"*

interpreting "the heavens" to signifythe seven orders of the great world, and "the earth" the seven.

orders of the little world, already spoken of in the notes on the

Chapter of Salutation;and then he quoted from the Kuran,

again, as follows: "and hath set the moon therein for a light,"f

saying that the truth of the text before cited :

" God is the light"etc. depends upon its reference to the moon

(^xj\ x$! ^*&> AS

j*j\ ^\ j-yio Lplj (j>;^ o^vvJ!^ *JJ!aJj.3 } L^LS. In opposi-

tion to this confusion of the literal and the metaphorical, ourauthor here put in that other passage of the Kuran which says :

" and hath made the sun and the moon and the stars to serve

you ;"J whereupon the Preceptor pronounced a curse upon all

suns, moons, and stars, spoken of in the Kuran as subordinate,

declaring them to be figurative expressionsfor 'Abu Bakr,

'Urnar, and 'Uthman;in proof of which he appealed to a tradi-

tion reported on the authority of the Prophet Muhammad, that

he once greeted 'Abu Bakr with the words :

" Welcome to the

sun of the habitable world, and its moon"

Moreover, the Preceptor said :

Know thou, my son, that the moon is the impersonation of 'All

'Ibn 'Abu Talib" ^JLIo ^ ^^ o!3^> ^1 o\ ^1 ^jJ^ U

according to those words of the Dustur : 'and the appearance of the

Archetypal Deity from amid the snn,' together with that passage in the

Imam-chapter, the Twelfth, where 'Ali 'Ibn 'Abu Talib is called 'the

light of darkness';"|| and, when to this our author objected that, in

one of 'al-Khusaibi's melodies, the Deity is addressed as the " manifest

one, not absent from us,"*[[ whereas the moon does absent itself, the

Preceptor replied that visible lights are never wholly wanting to the

Deity ; that, when the moon withdraws, he appears in the sun; and,

when sun and moon withdraw, that he appears in the stars which heclaimed to be proved by the fact that the several words for moon, sun,

and stars are tri-literal, like the name of 'All ^^3^1 ^r j^. 1 x3t

*Kur., xxiv. 35. f Kur., Ixxi. 15. % Kur., xvi., 12.

See p. 255.||

(See p. 257. ^ See p. 282.


^U j^-l g*^ ^JLL ^ aj! ^ ffcS j^ o j>J xa

Lj-s>i xi'bii';"and if," said lie, "thau wouldst pray when neither sun

nor moon nor stars are discoverable amid the clouds, thou must take in

hand a silver dirham, and, when thou hast read the Sixth Chapter, thou

must regard the rim of the coin;and whosoever, after having been in-

structed, is without his white coin, falls short in duty; for says our lord

Shaikh Hasan Bin Makzuz 'as-Sinjari, in his Kasldah :

" ' And have paid their debt, glorying, with a dinar on which is the

stamp of thy name'" Nl

LftJ

.

.

"Know thou, moreover," continued the Preceptor, "that the cowmentioned in the Kuran was 'Ali 7Ibn 'Abu Talib, who was, likewise,

the camel of Salih; in which two forms he appeared in order to provethe people of the time : and as for the dog of the Companions of 'al-

Kahf and 'ar-Rakim, that was Salman 'al-Farsi." Such is the true doctrine, which thou must hold in order to be

saved. Thou hast also to fulfill the indispensable requirement and in-

cumbent duty"

Jf

The closing injunction of the Kalazian Preceptor had refer-

ence, it appears, to the usage of conjugal communism, alreadynoticed as peculiar to the Kalazian party ;

and our author allegesthe testimony of a ISTusairian chief, in the presence of several

Greeks and Armenians, to the fact of the general prevalence of

this usage among the Kalazians.

These statements respecting the Kalazian interpretation of

Nusairianism could not persuade our author to return to his old

faith; yet, on condition of his outwardly conforming to Nusai-

rian rites, he was still tolerated among the Northerners of his

native district. But a misunderstanding soon arose, and be

began openly to controvert the Nusairian faith, both on the

ground of its inconsistency with the Kuran and by argumentsof reason. From this part of his narrative we extract the fol-

Sulawidn on the Nusairian Religion. 307

lowing passage, as an additional illustration of the Nusairian.

manner of dealing with the precepts of the Kuran, seeming to

recognize their obligation, and yet virtually abrogating them byallegorical interpretation.

"Moreover," said our author, "the Kuran enjoins the fast of the

month Ramadhan;whereas ye, not to say that ye are at variance with

that authority, pronounce a curse upon every one who abstains fromfood. Your doctors, meanwhile, are not agreed as to what that fast

signifies ;for some say that the month Ramadhan stands for Muham-

mad, and that fasting in that month is concealment of one's knowledgeof him; some, that it stands for prayer, and that fasting therein is the

making a secret of one's prayers ; some, that the fast of the month Ra-madhan is simply abstinence from indecency and iniquity from whichone may infer that indecency and iniquity are allowable in other

months; some, that the fast in question signifies a man's keeping him-

self from his wife during the month Ramadhan, which is contrary to

those words of the Kuran: 'ye are permitted to go in on the night of

the fast etc/*"

* f

j uW^^P O^

j'o Q<* i**

The remainder of this section relates to the author's becominga Jew, and then a Christian, and to the treatment he met with,in consequence, from the Nusairis. There is nothing in it whichclaims our notice, unless it be a passing intimation that the Nu-sairis offer sacrifices in honor of their departed chiefs, whoseintercession is supposed to be thereby secured j*~>

The concluding section of this tract is wholly controversial,

*4j&**R jj^ vSJt^52, being an argument against the doctrines

and rites of the Nusairis, and is of no importance to us.

It was our intention, after thus carefully following the stepsof our author, to bring together the substance of what he com-

*Kur., ii. 183. f Comp. p. 280.

VOL. vin. 40

308 K E. Salisbury.

municates, as to each important historical or doctrinal point,in the form of a review, and to compare the belief of the Nu-sairis, as here, for the first time, unfolded with any sort of com-

pleteness, with those other religious systems, Christian, Jewish,Sabian, and Muhammadan, and those speculations of Greek

philosophy, to which it is related, either in the way of agree-ment or of contrast. But such a review and comparison maybe more hopefully undertaken, perhaps, on another occasion.

We, therefore, content ourselves, for the present, with havingmade known these very important original documents; norshall we be sorry if some one more deeply versed in the historyof religious opinion than we pretend to be, shall anticipate us in

reducing to a scientific shape the materials here presented. Theydeserve to be handled by one who could do for the Nusairis

what the illustrious DeSacy did so thoroughly for the Druses.

SECRET SECTS OF SYRIA

AND THE LEBANON

SECRET SECTS OF SYRIAAND THE LEBANON A

CONSIDERATION OF THEIR ORIGIN,

CREEDS AND RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES,

AND THEIR CONNECTION WITH AND IN-

FLUENCE UPON MODERN FREEMASONRY

By BERNARD H. SPRINGETT, P.M., P.Z.

LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD-

RUSKIN HOUSE, 40 MUSEUM STREET,

First published in ig22

(All rights reserved)

Printed in Great Britain by

BROTHERS* LIMITED, THB GRESHAM PRESS^LONDON AND WOKINO

CONTENTSCHAPTER PAGE

INTRODUCTION 5

I. THE ROOT PRINCIPLES OF ALL FREEMASONRY . . . 15

II. THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES 21

III. THE ANTIQUITY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE LEBANON . 34

IV. THE SABEANS, WORSHIPPERS OF THE POLE STAR . . 43

V. THE GNOSTICS AND THE MANICHEANS .... 52

VI. OTHER GNOSTIC SECTS: THE OPHITES, BASILIDEANS, AND

FOLLOWERS OF SIMON MAGUS 6l

VII. THE SCHIITE SECTS : SUFEISM AND THE DERVISH ORDERS 68

VIII. INITIATION RITES AMONG THE DERVISHES ... 75

IX. OTHER SCHIITE SECTS : THE METAWILEH .... 83

X. THE SECT OF THE ESSENES AND THEIR TENETS . . 89

XI. PYTHAGORAS AND HIS SYSTEM 98

XII. THE ISMAELI AND THEIR VARIOUS BRANCHES : ORIGIN

OF THE ASSASSINS IOJ

XIII. THE ASSASSINS Il6

XIV. THE MOHAMMEDAN CREED ; FROM AN ORIGINAL ARABIC

CONFESSION OF FAITH 123

XV. THE FIRST FOUR CALIPHS AND THE TWELVE IMAUMS . 133

XVI. THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF THE NUSA1RIS . . . 140

XVII. THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF THE NUSAIRIS Continued . 154

XVIII. RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS OF THE NUSAIRIS . . . .165

XIX. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND DEEPER MYSTERIES OF

THE NUSAIRI RELIGION 175

XX. THE " HOUSE OF WISDOM " AT CAIRO, AND THE FOUNDING

OF THE DRUSE SECT BY EL DORAZI AND HAMZEH . l8o11

HP

Highlight

HP

Sticky Note

table of contents

12 SECRET SECTS OF SYRIA

CHAPTER PAGE

XXI. THE RELIGION OF THE DRUSES 1 88

XXII. RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES OF THE DRUSES .... ig8

XXIII. RELIGIOUS CREED OF THE DRUSES 2O8

XXIV. RESEMBLANCE OF THE DRUSE RELIGION TO THIBETAN

LAMAISM 234

XXV. THE RELATION OF THE DRUSES TO FREEMASONRY . 248

XXVI. THE YEZIDIS, OR DEVIL-WORSHIPPERS .... 259

XXVII. MODERN ARABIAN FREEMASONRY 270

XXVIII. SYRIAN INFLUENCES ON MODERN FREEMASONRY . . 275

XXIX. SYRIAN INFLUENCES ON THE ORDER OF KNIGHTS TEMPLARAND THE ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE . 288

BIBLIOGRAPHY 297

APPENDIX-

NEW YEAR'S EVE CEREMONY AMONG THE MANDATTES 303

THE NUSAIRI FESTIVAL OF CHRISTMAS, OR MEELAD 308

THE NUSAIRI FESTIVAL OF NUROOZ . . . . 310

MOHAMMEDAN FESTIVAL OF MOHURRAM . . 3IO

LAMENTATIONS FOR ADONIS 311

DISCUSSION OF IIASKE1T SMITH'S PATER ON THE

DRUSES 312

FAITH HEALING AMONG THE DRUSES . . . 313

THE TWO PILLARS OF NIMROD 314

TWO PILLARS IN THE CASTLE OF HARAN . . . 315

THE TWO PILLARS OF SETH 315

JACHIN AND BOAZ 316

LEGENDS OF ENOCH 317

MOSES' KNOWLEDGE OF ASTRONOMY . . . . 318

DISPUTE BETWEEN ADAM AND MOSES , . .318MOSES DID NOT TEACH THE DOCTRINE OF IMMORTALITY 319

CONTENTS 18

PAGE

APPENDIX (continued)

ELIAS THE FOUNDER OF THE ESSENES . . . 319

THE ANCIENT BOOK OF JASHER 319

CLASSIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE WORKMEN . .320

JEWISH FREEMASONRY IN THE BABYLONISH CAPTIVITY 32!

GNOSTIC EMPHASIS ON " RIGHT " AND " LEFT ". 32!

THE SPIRIT OF GNOSTICISM 322

PORPHYRY 322

MANES MEANS COMFORTER 323

GEBA1L, THE ANCIENT BYBLUS 323

ANTIQUITY OF SIDON 333

RUINS NEAR MARAH, WITH MASONS' MARKS . . 324

ANCIENT OLIVE GROVES OF SYRIA . . . .324

AQUEDUCT OF SEMIRAMIS 324

THE MYTH OF THE PHCENIX 325

WORSHIP OF THE PEACOCK 326

THE TRIQUETRA AND PENTALPHA .... 327

THE SANCTITY OF THE TREFOIL 328

EASTERN IDEAS OF PARADISE 328

NAMES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE SEVEN ARCHANGELS 329

ORIGIN OF THE KORAN 330

CREATION OF THE KORAN 330

ORIGIN OF THE SWASTIKA 33!

CIRCUMAMBULATING THE LODGE . . . 331

CIRCUIT WITH THE SUN, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT . 332

THE THREE STEPS OF VISHNU 332

ORIENTATION OF LODGES 333

MASONIC TRACING-BOARDS AND ANCIENT CHRISTIAN

CHURCHES 333

RELIGIOUS WORK OF THE ANCIENT FREEMASONS . 335


PAGE

APPENDIX (continued)

PATRIARCHAL SOURCE OF FREEMASONRY . . . 336

TRANSITION FROM ANCIENT TO MODERN INITIATIONS 336

KHONX-OM-PAX 337

THREE STARS OF ORION'S BELT 337

SYRIAN USE OF TOBACCO 337

FAMA FRATERNITATIS I THE FOUNDING OF THE

ROSICRUCIAN ORDER 338

KABALISM 340

THE TEMPLE AND THE CHURCH 340

MASONIC MEETING IN A MOSQUE .... 341

PRINCIPAL AUTHORS QUOTED 343

INDEX 345


CHAPTER I

THE ROOT PRINCIPLES OF ALL FREEMASONRY

" FROM the commencement of the world/' says William

Pieston, 1" we may trace the foundation of Masonry. Ever

since symmetry began, and harmony displayed her charms, our

Order has had a being. During many ages, and in manydifferent countries, it has flourished. No art, no science,

preceded it. In the dark periods of antiquity, when literature

was in a low state, and the rude manners of our forefathers

withheld from them that knowledge we now so amply share,

Masonry diffused its influence. This science unveiled, arts

arose, civilization took place, and the pi ogress of knowledgeand philosophy gradually dispelled the gloom of ignoranceand barbarism. Government being settled, authority was

given to lawr

s, and the assemblies of the fraternity acquiredthe patronage of the great and the good, while the tenets

of the profession diffused unbounded utility."Masonry is a science confined to no particular country,

but ifextends over the whole terrestrial globe. Whereverarts flourish, there it flourishes too, and by secret and in-

violable signs, carefully preserved among the fraternity,it becomes a universal language. The distant Chinese,the wild Arab, and the American savage will embrace a

brother Briton. The universal principles of the art unite in

one indissoluble bond of affection men of the most oppositetenets, of the most distant countries, and of the most

contradictory opinions ; so that in every nation a Masonwill find a friend, and in every climate a home/ 1

* Illustrations of Masonry, p. 6. London, 1801.

15


No matter what degree of Masonry we are concerned

with, or in whatever country Masonic rites are practised,the groundwork is ever the same, the Immortality of the

Soul, symbolized more or less dramatically by the death of

a victim, and the methods to be adopted to restore that

victim to life, of another kind. In tracing, therefore, the

antecedents of our present ritual we must endeavour to find

the earliest mention of this doctrine of the Resurrection.

The story of the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the

Ascension would appear to have been clearly foreshadowed,and pictorially represented, some two hundred thousand

years before our Christian era ! The combined discoveries

of geologists and Oriental scholars and decipherers of cunei-

form inscriptions leave no room for doubt on this important

point. A pictograph reproduced by Dr. Churchward, 1

taken from some ruins in Central America, which he reckons

to be over two hundred thousand years old,"represents the

Crucifixion during the period of the Stellar Cult, and showsa victim crucified on the two Poles, North and South. The

hieroglyphics state that this is the GOD of the North and the

South, the Great One of the Seven Glorious Ones (attributes).

A Crown of Thorns is depicted on his head. His side is

pierced with a spear, from whence blood and water is falling

on his spiritual name, which, in Egyptian, is Amsu. Heis supported by his four brothers, Amsta, Hapi, Taumutf,and Kabhsenuf, four

'

Living Creatures'

represented else-

where in primeval drawings by a Lion, a Calf, a Man, andan Eagle, symbols of the Four Evangelists : seen by St.

John in his Apocalyptic vision : and also handed down to

us, in the ritual of the Royal Arch, as the Banners of the four

armies of the Israelites. This Crucified Deity was known

by different names in different countries, namely : Horus,of the Stellar Cult of the Egyptians ; Huitzilopochtli, of

the Astecs ; Zipe, of the Zapotics ; Hacaxipectli, of Guate-

mala; Ptah-Seker-Ausar, of the Egyptians, in their Solar

Cult ; Tien-hwang Ta-Tici, of the Chinese ; Merodach,of the Babylonians ; lu, or Ea, of the Chaldeans, Assyriansand Druids of Britain ; Uiracocha, of the Peruvians, and

many other names in various parts of the world ; yet all

1 Arcana of Freemasonry, p. 41.

ROOT PRINCIPLES OF AIX* FREEMASONRY 17

one and the same, as proved by the same signs and symbols

always associated with him, in whatever part of the world

found." I From these ancient pictures, from hieroglyphicsin Egypt and Central and South Ameiica, above all from the

deciphering of the Book of the Dead, with its complete Ritual

of the Ancient Mysteries, we know for certain that, agesbefore the Flood, our primeval brethfcrn were assemblingin the forerunners of Masonic Lodges, using signs, symbols,and secret words, many of which are still in use in our own

Lodges : that they had three^ principal degrees, and thirty-three in all : that their temples were built in the form of a

double cube : and that there were always two pillars at

the entrance to these temples.But to deal with Masonry at this early period of the world's

history is not within the scope of the present work. Those

who need convincing proof of the extreme antiquity of the

Masonic ritual should study Dr. Churchward's two books

closely,2 and also the Book of the Dead, of which an admirable

translation has been prepared by Dr. Wallis Budge.

According to this Book of the Dead,* the builders of

temples, who were the first originals of our Brotherhood,and who were initiated into the Lesser Mysteries, were called

Craftsmen and Companions. At the time of the Stellar

Cult a body of these Craftsmen, it is recorded, left Egyptand travelled into the Land of Chaldea. The Stellar Cult

became merged in the Solar Cult. The Sun and Moon in

addition to the Seven Stars became part and parcel of the

religion of the country. Then followed the Great Deluge,which appears to have left Syria the centre of the habitable

earth, to carry Masonry back again into Egypt through the

agency of the Shepherd Kings. With the introduction of

the Sun as an object of worship, as symbolical of the GrandArchitect of the Universe, and representing to His humancreatures the magnificence of His Glory and Power, came a

change of name of that All-powerful Deity from Horus,GOD of the North Pole-Star, to El-Shaddai, GOD of the South

Pole-Star. Here we find the origin of Operative, as distinct

1 Churchward's Arcana of Freemasonry, p. 42.Arcana of Freemasonry and Signs and Symbols of Primordial Man.

3 Book of the Deaa, chap. Ixxx.

2


from Speculative, Freemasonry, as we have it at the present

day. iAey~us the same name for the Deity : they salute

the rising sun with the seven-fold salute which was originally

Stellar, but continued as an early Solar custom : they havea circular altar in the centre exactly under the plumb-linewhich comes down fiom the God of the Pole Star North.

El-Shaddai was the Phoenician name for Sut, to whom the

Egyptians erected the Second Pyramid, the First beingdedicated to Horus, the North Polar Star, called by the

Chaldeans "Jtao/' probably from "lu," one of the Egyptian

names for Horus. Both lao and El-Shaddai were divine

names in use amongst the Phoenicians. Whilst the Sacred

Name of lao, as well as its Egyptian origin, lu, developed

amongst the Hebrews into Jah, and its extension, Jahovahas handed down in the ritual of the Royal Arch Degree, the

Druids in Britain worshipped the Deity under the names of

lau and Hu. Here, then, would seem to be convincing

proof, sufficient one would think for the most sceptical of

English Masons, that it is to the Phoenicians, journeying from

the East to the Western Isles, that we owe knowledge of

signs, symbols, and words, unchanged in most respects,

certainly in the more important aspects, from those used byour extremely ancient brethren, in pre-historic ages.

If further proof is wanted of the Eastern source of our

rituals let us again turn to the Royal Arch Degree which,

while commemorating Masonry as practised by the Jewsin their Babylonian captivity, makes use of certain words

long anterior to that epoch. Probably few Egyptian scholars

will attempt to refute the fact that the Chaldee words madeuse of in Royal Arch Masonry were in use, of a certainty,in this country, at least a hundred years before the discoveryof the Rosetta Stone enabled the ancient Chaldee languageto be read, by deciphering Babylonian and Assyrian tablets.

Obviously, therefore, such words as were used in our rituals

must have been transmitted orally. And if transmitted

orally, it very naturally follows, equally plainly one would

think, that they have been transmitted from the age when

they were in use as the Babylonian and Chaldee language,that is, before the conquest by the Persians, and their

introduction of their own language. I am a member of two

ROOT PRINCIPLES OF ALL FREEMASONRY 19

Orders of extreme antiquity, both closely allied to Masonry,

though probably unknown to the large majority of English

Freemasons, too many of whom seem to imagine that the three

Craft Degrees constitute the sum total of Masonry. In both

of these the Sacred Name lao is employed in speaking of

the Almighty Father of the Universe, in one accompaniedby the ancient Chaldean words Khonx-Om-Pax, 1

followingthe Egyptian words Khabs-Am-Pekht, a very significant

proof of the antiquity of the source from which this particularritual is derived. The other Order to which I refer claims

to have preserved its ritual from the inhabitants of the

submerged Atlantis. And however remote may seem this

origin, it is a peculiar fact that the symbolical representationof the Sun and the Moon in this Order, the arrangementof the Temple, and much of the ritual, would appear to

synchronize solely with the very earliest hieroglyphic

descriptions of both Stellar and Solar worship.The universality of the science, to which attention is

called in our Masonic ritual, is evidenced by the unexpected

quarters in which Masonic signs and secrets are suddenlyfound available. While the Solar ritual alluded to just

above is in many respects similar to one in use amongstthe Aborigines of Australia, the three steps of our First

Degree will admit one, it is said on good authority, to the

innermost and most sacred shrines of certain Hindu temples.Later on in this work will be found an instance of the Five

Points of Fellowship being hailed with delight by the Nusairi,

as showing that their visitor was indeed a Brother Mason.

My own sponsor in Masonry, when prospecting in Mexico,was received into blood-brotherhood by the chief of an Indian

tribe far remote from civilization, with signs, unknown to

him then, but afterwards entrusted to him when being madea Knight of Malta.

Scotch Masons may be interested to learn that in some

extremely ancient remains of a Druidic temple at Glammis,the Five Points of Fellowship are very clearly defined on a

stone known locally as the Gravestone of Malcolm II, but

certainly of much earlier date than his reign, which ended,

in 1302. Here this world-wide sign of Masonic brotherhood1 See Appendix.


is surmounted by a square vessel, into which two forms

are disappearing, only their legs showing, a solstitial symbolof the commencing of a fresh year which we may presume it

was thus hoped would be distinguished for an especial displayof brotherly love. And on surrounding stones are to be

be found emblems showing a very close connection with the

symbolical religions of the Hindus and other Asiatic peoplesof the earliest pre-historic origin.

CHAPTER XVI

THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF THE NUSAIRIS

THE Nusairis believe in one GOD, self-existent and eternal,

who manifested himself seven times in the world in humanform, from Abel to Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib, which last manifesta-

tion, they say, was the most perfect ; to this the others

pointed, and in this the mystery of the divine appearancesfound their chief -end and completion.

1

At each of these manifestations the Deity made use of

two other Persons : the first created out of the light of

His essence, and by Himself ; the second created by the

first. These, with the Deity, form an inseparable Trinity,

called Maana-Ism-Bab.The first, the Maana,

"meaning," is the designa-

tion of the Deity as the meaning, sense, or reality of

all things.The second, the Ism "

name/' is also called the Hedjah,or veil, because under it the Maana conceals its glory,

while by it, it reveals itself to men.

The third, the Bab,"door/' is so called because

through it is the entrance to the knowledge of the twoformer.

In the time of Adam, when Abel was the Maana, Adamwas the Ism, and Gabriel the Bab. In the time of Mohammed,when Ali was the Maana, Mohammed the Prophet Wasthe Ism, and Salman-il-Farisee, or the Persian, a coni|MQKi0nof Mohammed, was the Bab.

The following are the seven appearances of the Maana,the Ism, and the Bab :

1 This account of the religion of the Nusairis is condensed from Lyde'sAsian Mystery, pp. no ff.

140

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THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF THE NUSAIRIS 141

BAB(door)

Gabriel.

Yayeel-Ibn-Fatin.Ham-Ibn-Koosh.Dan-Ibn-Usbaoot.

Abdullah-Ibn-Simaan.

Rozabah-Ibn-il-Merzaban.

Salman-il-Farisee.

After All, the Deity manifested Himself in the Imaums,His posterity, AH himself being the first Imaum, or Imaumof Imaums as he is styled. To Him all divine attributes

are ascribed, and to Him all prayers are made.

The secret of the Trinity described above is represented

by a sign, token, or mark to the true believers, namely,the three letters Ain t Mim, Sin, the three initial letters of

AH, Mohammed, and Salman.

Among the many worlds known to GOD are two, the

Great Luminous World, which is the Heaven,"the Light

of Light/' and the little earthly world, the residence of men.A Nusairi has to believe in the existence in the Luminous,

Spiritual World of seven hierarchies, each with seven degrees,which have their representatives in the earthly world. Theyare: (i) Abwah, or doors, 400 in number; (2) Aytam,

orphans or disciples, 500 in number ; (3) Nukaba, princesor chiefs, (the companions of Moses, and properly so called)

600 ; (4) Nudjaba, or excellent, 700 ; (5) Mokhtassen, or

peculiars, 800 ; (6) Mukhliseen, or pure in faith, 900 ;

(7) Mwntaheenen, or tried, who are 1,100 in number, the

total being thus 5,000.

In this world they have their representatives in twelve

Nukaba, and also twenty-eight Nudjaba, who, besides

theiir earthly names, have names in the world of light,

najn&lyt those of the twenty-eight mansions, or stations of

the moon. They have also their counterparts in apostlesand prophets, who are moreover representatives of the

Deity, as being inhabited by a partial emanation from Him.This earthly world in like manner contains seven degrees

of believers ; (i) Mukarrabeen, near ones, 14,000 in number ;

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(2) Qherubims, 15,000 ; (3) Rooheyeen, spiritual, 16,000 ;

(4) Mukaddaseen, sanctified, 17,000 ; (5) Saiyeen, ascetics,

18,000 ; (6) Mustameen listeners, 19,000 ; (7) Lahiheen,

followers, 20,000. In all, 119,000.The mystery of the faith of the Unitarians, the mystery

of mysteries, and chief article of the faith of the true believers,

is the veiling of the Deity in light, that is, in the eye of

the Sun, and his manifestation in his servant Abd-in-Noor.

Light is described as the eternal Maana, or meaning, which

is concealed in light ;the Deity thus concealed in light

manifests himself in Abd-in-Noor, the"servant of light,"

which is wine ; this wine being consecrated and drunk

by the true believers, the initiated, in the Kuddas, or

Sacrament, the great mystery of the Nusairis.

The Nusairis believe that all souls were created from

the essence which inhabits all beings, and that, after a

certain number of transmigrations, those of true believers

become stars in the great world of light.

When a Nusairi attains the age of manhood he is initiated

into the mysteries of his religion, and becomes a participatorin its rites, and acquainted with its secret prayers, signs,

and watch-words, by all of which the initiated are bound

up into a Freemasonic body of Ukhwan, or brethren. Theritual of this initiation ceremony is given in a later chapter.

A proof of the influence of Zoroaster and the Magianson the religion of the Nusairis may be traced in the attribu-

tion of light as the symbol of the Deity.Ali is usually alluded to and addressed as our Lord,

Ameer-ilrMoomeneen, Prince of the True Believers, but

another favourite term of address is Ameer-in-Nahal, Prince

of Bees, that is the angels, or true believers, who are styledbees because they choose out the best flowers, that is,

follow the best instruction.

Next to the seven great manifestations of the Deity,and twelve lesser manifestations in the Imaums, a con-

spicuous part of the Nusairi religious system is the Aytam,or orphans, signifying the disciples who have lost their

master. These are the second of the seven spiritual hierarchies

of which the Doors are the first and they are generally

connected with the Door, though the series sometimes

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commences with the names of All, thus :

"His Name, His

Door, His Aytam, and the people of His Holy Hierarchies.

As a Nusairi is required to believe in the chain of divine

appearances from Abel to Ali, and in the chain of Imaums,from the first Hassan to the last, so he is required to believe

that there have always existed five Aytam, five being the

consecrated number in this case. The five orphans in the

time of Adam, when Gabriel was the Door, were the five

angels, Michael, Israfeel, Azrael, Malik and Rudwan,and these are the types of the successive appearances of

the Aytam. Thus it is said :

"There are no angels but

the five angels, the orphans."The Nusairis believe that there were five worlds, that is

ages, before that of man, and that during them the world

was successively inhabited by five kinds of beings, worshippersof Ali, called the Djann, the Bann, the Tumm, the Ramm,and the Djahn.

The Nusairis, as mentioned before, have, from the very

first, been believers in the transmigration of souls, in commonwith others of the secret sects of the East. Hamza, the

apostle of the Druses, directs his anathemas against them,because they carry the doctrine to such an extent as to say"that the souls of the enemies of Ali will pass into dogs,

and other unclean brutes, till they enter fire, to be burnt,

and beaten under the hammer." After refuting this doctrine

of transmigration into animals, he concludes,"and whoever

believes in metempsychosis, like the Ansaireeh, the followers

of the Maana, in the person of Ali son of Abu-Talib, and whostands up for it, suffers the loss both of this world and the

next." Metempsychosis, which is called by Mussulman

authorities Tanasukh, is called by the Nusairis Taknees,

or Tadjaiyul, that is the coming in successive"

djeels,"

or generations. The Jesuit missionaries say on this point :

" The Ansaireeh further admit the metempsychosis, and

say that the same soul passes from one body into another,

as many as seventy times; but with this difference, that

the soul of a good man enters into a body more perfect

than his own, and the soul of a vicious man passes into the

body of an unclean animal."

A Nusairi believes that after he has become purified,


in passing through different incarnations, he becomes a

star in heaven, the first centre of humanity. For this

reason they pray that Ali will clothe the brethren in envelopesof light.

The religious literature of the Nusairis includes a Manualof Instructions, and a Catechism, both of which are largely

quoted by Lyde and Taylor, quoting, in their turn, fromVon Hammer and Catafago. Lyde had obtained possessionof a MS. copy of this Manual, which apparently correspondsto the Manual referred to by Sulaiman, from which copious

extracts, with regard to the Initiation ceremonies, will be

found in the next chapter. The Nusairis also acknowledgethe Tawrah, the Old Testament or Law ; the Andjeel or

Gospel ; the Zuboor, or Psalms ; and the Koran. But they

speak in all of 114 books, among which they include those

attributed to Seth, Enoch, Noah and Abraham, in the

Syriac.1 ' Various MSS. that have fallen into the hands of

Europeans show that there are books among the 'Nusairis,

and that these moreover agree in all main points.

The Catechism, which in many points is identical with

the Manual, was sent with a French version, by M. Catafago,

Dragoman of the Prussian Consul-General at Beyrout,to the King of Prussia, and a translation of the Catechism,

by Dr. Wolff, was issued in the Journal of the GermanOriental Society for 1845-6, from which Lyde has translated

the more important portions.* The original MS. is in thirty-

eight leaves, large octavo, and is called" The Book of In-

struction in the Ansaireeh Religion."The introduction contains an invocation of the Eternal

GOD, and a thanksgiving"for the communication of His

divine secret, and the truth of the holy religion," which

consists in the perception of His great Name, and of His

holy Door, through the person of the Abd-in-Noor, which

he has assumed for the sake of His saints, who know Him ;

also a thanksgiving for all the benefits received from GOD.

Then follow two portions of the Catechism : one theoretical,

Some extracts from The Booh of Enoch and The Apocalypse ofAbraham are given in the Appendix, from the

very excellent edition

of these Apocryphal books prepared for the S.P.C.K, by Canons Box andCharles.

* Asian Mystery, pp. 271 ff.

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which speaks of instruction, and the other practical, which

speaks of customs and ceremonies. The theoretical partdeclares, in the form of question and answer, a belief in the

divinity of Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib, through his own testimony,and from a discourse by Mohammed himself, which endsthus : He (AH) is my Lord and yours." Ali is declaredto have concealed himself in Mohammed in the period of

his change of shapes, that is in the seventh manifestation

previously referred to, when he took Mohammed as his"Veil." Then follow declarations as to the Maana, the

Ism, and the Bab, and the sixty-three names of the Ism,which spiritually taken, denote the Maana, and personallythe Ism those of which the Godhead has made use to

manifest Himself in the persons of the prophets and apostles,the first three being Adam, Enoch, and Kanaan. TheBab is also said to be the perfect soul, the Holy Ghost,the angel Gabriel, etc. It is also stated that while the

name of Ali is given to the Deity by the Arabs, He himselfhas taken the name of Aristotle, and in the Christian Gospelis called Elias, while the Indians know Him as Kankara.Then are recited the names of the seven hierarchies, andtheir degrees, as given above. Then come some questionsand answers referring to doctrines of the Eucharistic

celebrations and Masses, which I give in full, as they havenot been previously alluded to.

LXXV. Is it true that the Messiah was crucified, as

the Christians assert ? Ans. No ; the Jews were deceived

by a resemblance. (Koran iii. 163.)LXXVI. What is the Mass? Ans. The consecration

of the wine, which is drunk to the health of the Nakeeb or

Nadjeeb.LXXVIL What is the Offering (Korban ') ? Ans. The

consecration of the bread, which the true believers takein their hand for the souls of their brethren, and on that

account the Mass is read.

LXXVIII. Who reads the Mass, and brings the offer-

ing ? Ans. Your great Imauras and preachers.LXXIX. -What is the great secret (mystery) of God ?

* Cf. Mark vii. u.

10


Ans. The flesh and the blood, of which Jesus has said :

"This is my flesh and my blood

; eat and drink thereof,

for it is eternal life.11

LXXX. Where do the souls of your brethren, the

true believers, go when they leave their graves ? Ans. Into

the great world of light.

LXXXI. What will happen to the godless and polythe-ists ? Ans. They will have all torments to suffer in all ages.

LXXXIL What is the mystery of the faith of the

Unitarians ? What is the mystery of mysteries and chief

article of faith of the true believers ? Ans. It is the veiling

of our Lord in light, that is, in the eye of the sun, andhis manifestation in his servant, Abd-in-Noor.

LXXXIIL What will happen to those who doubt this

mystery, after they have once acknowledged it ? Ans. Theywill be reprobated.

LXXXIV. What are the stipulations which the believer

must enter on, if he will receive the secret of secrets ?

Ans. He must, before all things, assist his brethren with

all his means ; he must give them the fifth part of his

goods ; he must pray at the appointed hours ; fulfil his

obligations ; give to all their dues ; obey his Lord, invoke

Him, thank Him, often pronounce His name, in all pointssubmit himself to His will, and keep himself from everythingthat may displease Him.

LXXXV. What must the believer keep himself from ?

Ans. From affronting or injuring his brethren.

LXXXVI. Is the believer allowed to make known to

anyone the secret of secrets ? Ans. Only to those of

his religion, else he will lose the favour of God.

LXXXVIL What is the first mass ? Ans. It is that

which is spoken of before the prayer of Nurooz.

LXXXVIIL What is the prayer of Nurooz 1Ans.The words of consecration of the wine in the chalice. 1

LXXXIX. Say that prayer. Ans, Among other

things it is said :

"Drink of this pure wine, for one day

its lights will be covered with thick clouds."

XC. What is the consecrated wine called which the

believers drink ? Ans. Abd-in-Noor.

See Appendix," The Feast of Nurooz."


XCI. Wherefore so ? Ans. Because GOD has mani-fested Himself in the same.

XCII. What is the concealed secret of GOD, whichstands between the K and N ? Ans. Light, accordingto His word :

"Let there be light, and there was light."

x

XCIII. What is light ? Ans. The eternal Maana, whichis concealed in light.

XCIV. If our Lord is concealed in light where does he

manifest himself ? Ans. In the wine, as it is said in the

Nurooz.

XCV. Why does the believer direct his face, when he

prays, towards the sun ? Ans. Know that the sun is the

light of lights.

XCVI. Why do we say that our Lord makes turnings

(transmigrations) and revolutions ? Ans. He does so, andmanifests Himself periodically in all revolutions and periods,from Adam to the son of Abu-Talib. (It will be realized

this is no answer at all.)

XCVII. What do the outer and inner word denote ?

Ans. The inner, the Godhead of our Lord ; the outer, his

manhood. Outwardly we say that He is spoken of as" Our

Lord Ali, son of Abu-Talib"

: and this denotes inwardlythe Maana, the Ism, and the Bab ; one gracious and com-

passionate GOD.The practical portion of the Catechism gives a general

formula for prayer, a formula for mass, and the ritual of

reception into the sect.

Some very interesting and important details with regardto the religious rites, doctrines, and history of the Nusairis

are given in a work published at Beirut in 1863, the author

being a former member of the sect. The Book of Sulaiman's

First Ripe Fruit, in which are disclosed many of the mysteriesof the Nusairian religion, was written by Sulaiman Effendi,

of Adhanah, and edited for him by Dr. Van Dyck, a mission-

ary at Beirut. An exhaustive review, with copious extracts

from the original Arabic, was prepared for the American

J The letters K and N represent the word "be

"in Arabic, and since

this word was used in the creation of light, light is called the secret of God,which is concealed between the K and the N.


Oriental Society by Mr. Edward E. Salisbury, who had

previously contributed some interesting papers on the Syrian

sects, and was published in the Society's Journal for 1864."This tract was written,'* says Dr. Van Dyck,

"by a Nusairi,

who first doubted his own religion and became a Jew, then

a Moslem, then a Greek, then a Protestant. He was taken

as a conscript, and sent from Adhanah to Damascus, where

he was released. He came to Beirut, and wrote this tract.

He then went to Ladikia, and remained some months with

Rev. J. R. Dodds, Missionary of the Associated ReformedChurch : and then returned to have his tract printed at

his own expense." In this, and the following chapter,are given the most interesting portions of Mr. Salisbury'sreview.

The work is divided into sections, of which the first

describes the author's initiation as a Nusairi, and embraces

what purports to be a complete Nusairian prayer-book, with

important explanations, and historical notes : the second

section is chiefly an enumeration of some of the principalfestivals of the sect : the third gives a detailed report of

the ceremonies observed, and the liturgical forms used onthose occasions, and includes some statistics of the sect :

the fourth treats of the important Nusairian doctrines of

a fall from virtue and happiness in a pre-existent state :

the fifth consists entirely of specimens of Nusairian poetry :

the sixth is a statement, by the author, of certain fundamental

principles of the sect : the seventh is a narrative of the

circumstances under which the author discovered its deeper

mysteries, of his own conversion, first to Judaism and then

to Christianity, and of the treatment which he met with in

consequence from his co-religionists : and the eighth, and

last, is wholly controversial, being an argument againstthe doctrines and rites of the Nusairis.

The author begins by informing us that he was born in

Antioch in A.H. 1250, or A.D. 1834-5, and lived there to the

age of seven years, when he was taken to Adhanah ; andthat his initiation took place when he was eighteen yearsold, the appointed time being from the age of eighteen to

twenty.The initiation ceremonies are thus described. On a


certain day there was a general gathering of high and low

of the Nusairis of Adhanah, belonging to that division of the

sect known as Northerners, 1 before whom he was summoned,when he was presented with a glass of wine. One whom he

describes as the Pursuivant, or Director of Ceremonies,took a place at his side, and said to him :

"Say thou :

By the mystery of thy beneficence, O my Uncle and lord,

thou crown of my head, I am thy pupil, and let thy sandal

be upon my head/' When he had drunk the wine, the

Imaum turned towards him, and asked :

"Wouldst thou

take up the sandals of those here present, to do honour to

thy Lord ?"

to which he replied,"Nay, but only the

sandal of my lord ;

"whereupon the company laughed at

his want of docility. Then the Minister (Deacon), being so

directed by the assembly, brought to them the sandal of

the Pursuivant : and when they had uncovered the Candidate's

head, they laid it thereon, and put over it a white rag :

after which the Pursuivant began to pray over him that

he might receive the mystery. When this prayer was

ended, the sandal was taken from his head, he was enjoined

secrecy, and all dispersed. This is what is called the Betoken-

ing Adoption.After forty days, another assembly was convened, another

cup of wine was drunk by the Candidate, and he was directed

to say : "In the faith of the mystery of Ain-Mim-Sin,"which Sulaiman thus explains : Ain stands for Ali, or the

Archetypal Deity : Mim for Mohammed, or the Expressed

Deity, or the Intermediary : Sin for Salman-al-Farsi, or

the Communicator. The Candidate was charged by the

Imaum to pronounce the cabalistic word composed of these

three letters, namely AMS, five hundred times a day. As

before, secrecy was enjoined, and the so-called King's

Adoption was now accomplished.Another interval of probation, lasting seven months

(often extended to nine) having passed away, the Candidate

was called before another assembly, in whose presence he

stood at a respectful distance. Then a Deputy rose in

the assembly, having the Pursuivant on his right, and

another official on his left, each with a cup of wine in his

1 One of the four divisions of the Nusairis, see p. 154.


hand ; all, turning to the Imaum, chanted the third

Melody. After this, the whole assembly, facing the Second

Preceptor on the Deputy's left, known as the Dignitary,chanted to him the following : "I inquire after the traits

of nobleness where dwell they ? To thee have certain

men pointed me. By the reality of Mohammed and his

race, compassionate one who comes to kiss thy hands.

Thou art my goal, let not my thought of thee prove vain :

account us to-day as depending upon thee/'

After this, they placed their hands on the Preceptor'sand sat down. Then the Preceptor stood up, took the

Deputy's cup from his hand, bowed his head in worship,and read the Chapter of

"Bowing of the Head "

(see p. 159).

Having recited this litany, he raised his head, and read the

Chapter of the"Ain

"(see p. 161). After this, he stood

with his face towards the Imaum, and said :

"Hail, hail,

hail, O my lord Imaum !

" To this the Imaum replied,"May it be well with thee, and those around thee ! Thou

hast done that which these here assembled have not done ;

for thou hast taken in thy hand the cup, hast drunk, hast

bowed the head, and saluted ; and to God is humble worshipdue. But what is thy desire, and what wouldst them ?

"

To this the Dignitary answered :

"I would have an

evening of the countenance of my Master"

: then retiring,

he looked towards the heavens, and came back to the

assembly, and said :

"Hail, hail, hail, O my lord," to

which the Imaum replied as before :

" What is thy desire,

and what wouldst thou ? The Dignitary said : "I have a

desire, and would it might be sanctioned." The Imaumreplied :

" Go to, I sanction it." The Dignitary then

stepped aside from the assembly, and approached the

Candidate, to give him an opportunity to kiss his hands andfeet : which being done, he returned, and said :

"Hail, hail,

hail, O my lord Imaum." Then the Imaum said to him

again :

" What is thy wish, and what wouldst thou ?"

To this he answered : "A person has presented himself

to me in the way." Again the Imaum spoke ;

" Hastthou not heard what was said by our elect lord :

' As for

the nightmare duty, no man of might can take it patiently?' "

The Dignitary replied :

"I have a stout heart, no fear for


me "then after regarding the Candidate, he turned towards

the assembly, and said :

"This person, named so-and-so,

has come to be initiated in your presence." The Imaumthen inquired: "Who directed him to us?" To this the

Dignitary replied" The Eternal Archetypal Deity, the august

Expressed Deity, and the honoured Communicator, signified

by the word AMS." The Imaum said :

"Bring him, that

we may see him "; whereupon the Preceptor took him by

the right hand, and led him towards the Imaum.On his approach, the Imaum stretched out his feet,

which the Candidate kissed, and also his hands, and said

to him :

" What is thy desire, and what wouldst thou, Oyoung man ?

"Thereupon the Pursuivant arose, and station-

ing himself at the Candidate's side, instructed him to say :

"I ask for the mystery of your faith, O multitudes of

believers." Then, eyeing him with a stern look, the Imaumsaid :

" What impels thee to seek from us this mystery,crowned with pearls large and small, which only a familiar

angel, or a commissioned prophet, can support ? Know,O my child, that there are many angels, but that only the

Familiars can support this mystery ; and that the prophetsare numerous, but that only the Commissioned can supportthis mystery : and that there are many believers, but that

only the Approved can support this mystery. Wilt thou

suffer the cutting off of thy head, hands and feet, and not

disclose this august mystery ?" To this the Candidate replied :

" Yes." Thereupon the Imaum said :

"I wish thee to furnish

a hundred sponsors," at which those present interposed :

" The rule, O our lord Imaum " and he said,"In deference

to you, let there be twelve sponsors." Then the Second

Preceptor stood up, and kissed the hands of the twelve

sponsors, and the Candidate kissed their hands. Thenthe sponsors rose, and said :

"Hail, hail, hail, O my lord

Imaum," and the Imaum said," What is your desire, ye

nobles ?" To this they replied :

" We have come to be

sponsors for this Candidate." Then the Imaum inquired :

"In case he discloses this mystery, will ye bring him to

me, that we may cut him in pieces and drink his blood ?"

They answered :

"Yes," and he added :

"I am not satisfied

with your sponsorship alone nay, but I would have two


persons of consideration to be responsible for you." So

one of the sponsors ran, with the Candidate after him, andkissed the hands of the two required sponsors, whose hands

the Candidate also kissed.

After this the two selected sponsors stood up, with their

hands on their breasts ; and the Imaum turned towards

them, and said :

" God give you a good evening, O sponsors,

respected and pure, men of mark, and no sucklings ! Butwhat would ye ?

"They replied :

" We have come to be

sponsors for the twelve sponsors, and also for this person."The Imaum replied : "In case, then, he runs off before

having fully learned our forms of prayer, or discloses this

mystery, will ye two bring him to me, that we may take his

life ?"

They replied :

"Yes," and the Imaum spoke again :

"Sponsors are perishable, and sponsors for sponsors abide

not I would have from him something that will last."

They then gave way, and the Imaum said to the Candidate :

" Come near to me, O young man ;

"so he approached him,

and at the same time the Imaum adjured him, by all the

heavenly bodies, that he would not disclose this mystery :

and afterwards gave into his right hand the Book of the

Summary, while the Pursuivant, stationed at his side,

instructed him to say :

" Be thou extolled ! Swear me, Omy lord Imaum, to this august mystery, and thou shalt

be clear of any failure in me."

Taking1

the book from him, the Imaum said :

"O, my

child, I swear thee, not in respect to money, or suretyship

nay, but in respect only to the mystery of GOD, as our

chiefs and lords have sworn us." This action and these

words he repeated three times ; after which the Candidate

placed his hand upon the Summary three times, makingoath thereby to the Imaum, that he would not disclose

this mystery so long as he should live.

After this the Imaum said :

"Know, O my child, that

the earth will not suffer thee to be buried in it, shouldst

thou disclose this mystery ; and thy return will not be to

enter into human vestments nay, but, when thou diest,

thou wilt enter into vestments of degrading transformation,

from which there will be no deliverance for thee, for ever."

Then they seated the Candidate among them, and uncovering


his head, put a veil over it ; the sponsors placed their hands

upon his head, and began to pray : first, they read the

Chapters of Victory, Bowing the Head, and the Ain : then,

after drinking some wine, they read also the Chapter of

Salutation, and raised their hands from off his head. Nextthe Introducing Dignitary took hold of him, and madehim salute the First Preceptor and then, taking a cup of

wine in his hand, gave him drink, and instructed him to

say :

"In GOD'S name, by the help of GOD, and in the

faith of the mystery of Lord Abu Abdallah, possessor of

divine knowledge, in the faith of the mystery of his blessed

memorial, in the faith of his mystery-God give him happi-ness." After this the assembly then dispersed.

CHAPTER XVII

THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM OF THE NUSAIRIS :

CONTINUED

THE Dignitary then took the young votary to his own house,

where he taught him the" Formula of Disburdening

"

(see p. 171), and also made him acquainted with the various

forms of prayer, to the number of sixteen, in which the

Nusairis pay divine honours to Ali. Each of these forms

of prayer is called a chapter, with a particular name, indicative

of its contents ; and in several cases the so-called prayerhas little or none of the tone of supplication, being for the

most part, or wholly, a recital, and that without any special

propriety, apparently, in reference to devotion. The whole

collection, to which the general title of Dustur, i.e. "TheCanon," is given, provides a good insight into the Nusairi

beliefs.

The first chapter, called" The Commencement/

1

is

thus explained by Sulaiman. He observes that, accordingto Nusairian doctrines, GOD is visible, and yet not wholly

definable, whence the expression, which occurs in this

chapter," O manifest, O limit of all aims, Thou who art

hidden,* yet unclothed, whose lights arise out of Thee andset in Thee, from Thee come forth, and to Thee return." Healso here alludes to a separation of the Nusairis into four

divisions : i, those who pay homage to the Heavens, whomhe calls Northerners ; 2, adorers of the Moon, whom he calls

elsewhere Kalazians :1

3, worshippers of the twilight : and

4, worshippers of the air. By the first of these parties the

passage just quoted is understood to point to the heavens,

1 Probably so named after Sheikh Mohammed Bin Kalazu, who is quotedlater.

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"out of which," said they,

"the stars arise, and in which

they set ; and which are visible, yet undefmable, as to their

prime configuration, except by the Expressed Deity."But the second party, in support of their adoration of the

moon, allege that other expression of this chapter :

"Thy

brilliant appearance/1

saying"that the moon is manifest

to sight, while as for the dark part of it, that represents the

being of Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib, which is veiled from our eyes,

which we now see as a dark object, though, when we are

purified from these bodily vestments, and exalted amongthe stars, through our faith, we shall behold it in sapphire

splendour/' The worshippers of the twilight argue, in

their own favour, from the expression"whose lights arise

out of thee," etc., saying that all the lights of heaven maketheir appearance from out of the East, and revolve andset in the West ; and they may be seen to pray with their

faces turned towards the sun as it is rising or setting, in

the belief that the twilight-reddening of the sky creates

the sun, according to the words of Sheikh Ali the Magian,in the so-called

"Legacy

"left to them by him : "By the full

moon, whose lights from her sun come forth ; and by her

sun, production of the morning beam/' The worshippersof the air have also their own argument from this chapter,

appealing to the expression :

" O Thou who art He," which

by a slight change of reading, they make to mean " O Thouwho art the air."

The second chapter, called" The Canonization of

Ibn-al-Wali," is a prayer for deliverance from seven kinds

of degrading transformation, together with their subdivisions,

embracing all kinds of cattle and wild beasts, and other

forms of living creatures ; and it is believed that these

seven degrees of transformation are the seven floors of Hell

mentioned in the Koran :*

" And it has seven entrances,with a part divided off to each." Thus the sinner, in this

petition, with humble heart, and spirit submissive to his

lord Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib, intercedes for salvation therefrom.The third chapter is called

" The Canonization of AbuSaid," and is a prayer to the Prince of Bees, Ali the Bounteous,

imploring the aid of the Elect Five, the Revealing Six,

1 Koran xv. 44.

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156 SECRET SECTS OF SYRJA

the Seven Twinkling Stars, the Eight Strong Bearers of

the Throne, the Nine gifted with Mohammed-quality, the

Ten Chanticleers of Holiness, the Eleven Ascension-pointsof Communicator-quality, and the Twelve Strings of Imaum-

ship.

The "Elect Five

"are the times of prayer prescribed to

the Nusairis. These are that of Mohammed, at mid-day ;

of Fatimah, in the afternoon ; of Hassan, son of Ali-Ibn-

Abu-Talib, at sunset ;of Hussain, brother of Hassan, in

the evening ; and of Muhsin, Mystery of Obscurity, at day-break. Whoever is not conversant with the names of

these five persons, and with the times of prayer called after

them, prays in vain.

The "Revealing Six

"are the six beings, namely, Salman

and the Five Incomparables, mentioned in the Chapterof Victory (the 6th), or the six days of creation, or the

manifestations of GOD to Abraham, Moses, and other of

the prophets.The "

Seven Twinkling Stars"

are Saturn, Mars, andthe rest.

The "Eight Strong Bearers of the Throne

"are the

eight Kabalistic words, that is, the names of the Five

Incomparables and Talib, Akil, and Jafa at-Taiyar.The "

Nine Gifted with Mohammed-quality"

are namesof certain of the Strings of Imaumship, from MohammedIbn Abdallah to Mohammed aj-Jawad.

The " Ten Chanticleers of Holiness"

are the Five Incom-

parables, together with Naufal, Abu-1-Harith, MohammedIbn al-Hana-fiyah, Abu Barzah, and Abdallah Bin Madhlah,whom the Nusairis believe to be the largest of the stars,

each having rule over a number of other stars. As al-Khusaibi

says in his"Diwan," all the stars are castles of the heavens,

mystically, except the ten just mentioned, the Chanticleers,

whose cock is Salman al-Farsi. In the secret books of the

Northerners, such as the" Book of the Greeks

"and others,

the cock is said to be Mohammed Bin Abdallah.

The "Eleven Ascension-points of Communicator-

quality"

are Ruzbah Ibn al-Marzaban, Abu-1-Ala Rashid

al-Hajari; Kankar Ibn Abu Khalid al-Kabuli, YahyaBin Mu'amraar, Jabir Bin Yazid aj-Jufi, Mohammed Ibn

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Abu Zainab al-Kahili, al-Mufadhdhal Bin Umar, UmarBin al-Mufadhdhal, Mohammed Bin Nusair al-Bakri an-

Numarri, Dihyah Bin Khalfiah al-Kalbi, and Umm Salamah.

The " Twelve Strings of Imaumship"

are Mohammedal-Mustafi, al-Hassan al-Mujtabi, al-Hussain the martyrof Karbala, Ali Zain al-Abidin, Mohammed al-Bakir, Ja' far

as-Sadik, Musa al Kazim, Ali ai-Ridha, Mohammed al-

Jawad, Ali al-Hadi, al-Hassan al-Askari, and MohammedBin al-Hassan al-Hujjah.

The fourth chapter is called "The Pedigree." TheNusairian religion originated with Mohammed Bin Nusair ;

he was followed by Mohammed Ibn Jindab, to whomsucceeded Abdallah al-Jannan al Junbulan, of Persia.

Then came al-Hussain Bin Hamdan al-Khusaibi, whomthe Nusairis esteem superior to all his successors, who

taught far and wide, and perfected their prayers.He taught that the Messiah was Adam, and Enos, and

Kainan, and Mahalalil, and Yared, and Enoch, and Methuse-

lah, and Lamech, and Noah, and Shem, and Arphaxad, and

Ya'rab, and Hud, and Salih, and Lukman, and Lot, and

Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Prince

that is Pharaoh, who lived in the days of Joseph ; also

Moses, and Aaron, and Caleb, and Ezekiel, and Samuel,and David, and Solomon, and Job, and al-Khadir, and

Alexander, and Saul, and Daniel, and Mohammed. His

general teaching seems to have been that each prophetwho has appeared in the world was an incarnation of the

Messiah ; and that the same is true of certain heathen sages,such as Plato, Galen, Socrates, and Nero ; also of certain

wise men amongst the Persians, and the Arabs before

Mohammed, such as Ardeshir, Sapor, Luwai, Murrah, Kilab,

Hashim, Abd Manaf, and others. Moreover, he taughtthat the mothers of the prophets of past times, and their

wives were incarnations of Salman al-Farsi, excepting the

wife of Noah and the wife of Lot ; and that Salman was

incarnate, also, in the eleven named in the third chapter,and in the Queen of Sheba, and the wife of Potiphar ; anihas appeared in some inanimate objects, as well as in certain

wild animals, such as the wolf supposed to have eaten

Joseph, and in winged creatures, such as the hoopoe, the

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crow, the bee and others. Besides all this, he taught that

Ali-Ibu-Abn-Talib was Abel, Seth, Joseph, Joshua, Asaph,Simon Peter, Aristotle, and Hermes ; and has been incarnated

in certain wild animals, such as the dog of the Companionsof al-Kahf, the camel of Salih, and the cow which Moses

commanded to be sacrificed. 1 His disciples numbered

fifty-one, of whom five were men of note, namely, MohammedBin Ali aj-Jali, Ali Bin Isa, aj-Jasri, al-Iraki, and al-Katani

;

and whoever derives his instruction by a line of descent

from either of these is regarded by the Nusairis as al-

Khusaibi's brother.

To al-Husain Bin Hamdan al-Khusaibi succeeded MaimunBin Kasmin at-Tabarani, a disciple of Mohammed Bin Ali

aj-Jali, and author of many Nusairian books, among which is

the "Summary of Festivals," noted for its revilings of Abu-

Bekr, Omar, and Othman, whom it calls the three Adversaries,

they being considered by the Nusairis as incarnations of

Satan. The same author also composed the" Book of

Proofs of Divine Knowledge pertaining to the Questions/'in which it is said that the wolf supposed to have eaten

Joseph was Abd ar-Rahman Bin Muljam al-Muradi, not

Salman al-Farisi as other Nusairis believe ; and the "Bookof the Compound on the Duties of Pupils

"; and another

book, against the religion of Ali Bin Karmat, and Ali Bin

Kushkah ; and many others.

The fifth chapter, called" The Victory/

1

is understood

by the leaders among the Nusairis to signify that Mohammedis connected with Ali by night, and separated from him byday, taking the Sun to be Mohammed ; and they believe

that Mohammed created lord Salman. These three are

their Most Holy Trinity, Ali being the Father, Mohammedthe Son, and Salman al-Farisi the Holy Ghost. They also

declare that lord Salman created the Five Incomparables,and that the Five Incomparables created this whole world

as it now exists, and that all the government of the heavens

and the earth is in the hands of these Five Incomparablesal-Mikdad presiding over thunder-bolts, lightning-flashesand earthquakes ; Abu-dh-Dharr superintending the gyrationof the stars and constellations ; Abdallah Bin Rawahah,

x Koran xviii. 8 ff. ; vii. 71 ff. ; ii. 63 ff.

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whom they believe to be the same as Azrael, being chargedwith the winds, and with the arrest of human spirits ; Othman

having charge of human diseases, the heat of the body and

stomachs ; and Khanbar who is the introducer of spirits

into bodies.

The sixth chapter is called" The Bowing of the Head,"

and is relied on by the Northerners as containing doctrines

adverse to the worship which the Kalazians render to the

Moon, arguing from an expression in this chapter" Thou

producer of the morning sun and creator of the luminousfull moon "

that the moon is a created thing. To this the

Kalazians reply that All created the moon in order to inhabit

it, as a man builds a house to dwell in, or makes a seat to sit

upon ;for they hold that the dark part of the moon repre-

sents the Adorable One, who, they also believe, has hands,

feet, a body, and a head, and on his head a crown, and in his

hand a sword, which is the notched blade of Mohammed.The seventh chapter is called

" The Salutation/' and causes

much dispute between the Northerners and the Kalazians ;

for while the former conclude the long string of salutations

enjoined by the phrase"

I believe in the lordship of

Mohammed," the Kalazians say,"in the lordship of Ali,

the Gracious, and accuse their opponents of ascribing

lordship to Mohammed and Ali, indifferently. TheNortherners reply to this charge by saying that Mohammedand Ali are allied, not alien, to one another ; that while

the First Cause is Ali, Mohammed is also a Creator : andthat the Kalazians cannot consistently charge them with

error in ascribing lordship to the latter, inasmuch as theythemselves maintain the doctrine of a Trinity which is held

by the Northerners. A long dispute is thus carried on, of

which the above is only an outline.

Fourteen"Orders

"are mentioned in this seventh chapter.

The first seven include the Communicators, the Incompar-ables, the Pursuivants, the Familiars, the Dignitaries, the

Purified, and the Approved, numbering five thousand

angels, who constitute what the Nusairis call the great

light-world. They believe them to be referred to in the

Koran as the"Seven Heavens "* and to have existed before

1 Koran xxiii. 88.

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the creation of the world, and to be stars outside of the Milky

Way. The other seven include the Offerers, Cherubs,

Spirituals, Sanctified, Ramblers, Listeners, and Attendants,

numbering one hundred and nineteen thousand, who consti-

tute the so-called"

little spirit-world, supposed to be intended

by the"Seven Earths" in the Koran. 1 These the Nusairis

believe to be the stars of the Milky Way, or spirits purifiedfrom the flesh through their acknowledgment of AMS,and of every manifestation of the Deity, from Abel to Ali-

Ibn-Abu-Talib, agreeably to these words in the Diwan of

their lord Sheik Ali as-Suwairi :

"Why dost thou not apprehend the parable of light ?

Lo, GOD proposes to us a plain parable : GOD is the Lightof the upper world, the heavens, and of the earthly world."

This parable is to be found in the Koran, where we read :

" GOD is the Light of the heavens and the earth ; His

light is as a lamp in a little window," etc. *

The eighth chapter is called" The Betokening." It is

a confession of unity, and points out how to combat those

who revile Abu Bekr, Omar, Othman, and the rest, and all

sects which maintain that Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib, or the prophets,either ate, drank, had sexual intercourse, or were born

of women ; for the Nusairis believe that these descended

from heaven without bodies, and that the bodies which

they inhabited were but semblances. Also how to hide

one's religion from those who are not Nusairis, it beinga principle with this sect not to disclose their opinions or

usages, even to save their lives.

By this chapter are to be distinguished the four parties

among the Nusairis : for those who adore the heavens andthe twilight, when they recite it, place the right hand uponthe breast, applying the inner part of the thumb to the

middle finger; the worshippers of the moon either spreadout the hand, with the thumb erect, so that it has the shapeof the new moon, or else place both hands upon the breast,

opening them wide, with the fingers of one upon the other,

and the two thumbs erect, so as in this way to representthe shape of the new moon ; while the worshippers of the

air place one hand upon the breast, lifting up the forefingers,

> Koran Ixv 12, Koran xxiv, 35.

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and applying the inner part of the end of the thumb to the

inside of the middle finger.

All Nusairis, on finishing the recitation of this chapter,kiss the inner parts of the ends of their fingers three times,

and raise them to their heads.

The ninth chapter is called" The Ain of Ali," and treats

of the mystery of the Ain.

The tenth chapter is called" The Covenant."

"I

testify that GOD is true ; that His word is true ; that the

plain truth is Ali Ibn Abu Talib with the bald temples,the mysterious ; that Hell is the abode of unbelievers :

that the garden is a pleasure ground for believers, wherewater meanders beneath the throne, and upon the throne

is seated the Lord of all worlds, and the bearers of the

throne are the Noble Eight, who present to him the oblation

of my exercises, in this my state of discipline, and of the

exercises of all believers. In the faith of the mystery of

covenant of Ain-Mim-Sin."

The eleventh chapter is called" The Testimony

": or,

by the common people," The Mountain."

" GOD certifies,

the angels, also, and all imbued with knowledge bear

witness, that there is no GOD besides Him, the doer of justice ;

that there is no GOD besides Him, the mighty, the wise*

Verily, religion in GOD'S sight is Islam. O our Lord save

us by Thy revelation, cause us to follow the Messenger,and so record us among those who firmly testify to Ain-

Mim-Sin."

I testify that I am a Nusairi in religion, a Jandabi in

counsel, a Junbulani in habitude, a Khusaibi in doctrine,

a Jali as to maxims, a Maimuni in legal science ; and I

stand fast in expectation of the splendid recurrence, the

brilliant return, the withdrawal of the veil, the lighting upof the thick cloud, the manifestation of that which is unseen,the showing forth of the hidden, and the appearance of

Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib from amid the sun, arresting every soul,

with the lion beneath him, the Dhu-1-Fakar in his hand, the

angels behind him, and lord Salman before him, while water

wells up from between his feet, and lord Mohammed cries

out, saying :

'

Behold your Sovereign, Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib !

Acknowledge him, glorify him, magnify him, exalt him,

11


Behold your creator and provider ! Disown him not ! Bearme witness, O my lords, that this is my religion and my faith,

whereto I commit myself, whereby I live, wherein I shall

die. ^Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib lives, and will not die ; in his hand is

destiny, and absolute dominion ; in his gift are hearing,

seeing, and understanding. Peace be to us from the

remembrance of them/"

The Kalazians claim that expression"and the appearance

of Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib from amid the sun," in this chapter,as evidence of the correctness of their doctrine, remarkingthat the moon comes forth to view out of the sunset-sky.The worshippers of the twilight, on account of this expression,

fancy that the twilight comes forth from the midst of the

sun, while, at the same time, maintaining that the twilight-

reddening of the sun creates the sun. The Northerners saythat

"the sun

"is, here, a metonymy for Fatimah, the

daughter of Asad, whose child was Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib ;

for it is the belief of the Northerners, universally, that both

she and Fatimah the daughter of Mohammed were the

Expressed Deity, that is, Mohammed, who, as they hold,

is represented in the sun.

The twelfth chapter, called "The Imaum Chapter/'

implies that the Nusairis adore a seen, present, not anincommunicative Deity ; and that this Deity is Ali-Ibn-

Abu-Talib, whom the Northerners believe to be presentedto view in the whole heavens, and the Kalazians supposeto be the moon, each party, accordingly, interpreting the

chapter to suit its own views.

The thirteenth chapter is called" The Journeying

Chapter.""Let whatsoever is in the heavens, and what-

soever is on the earth, glorify GOD, the Mighty, the Wise !

With the return of morning doth GOD'S whole realm give

glory. In the name of GOD, by the help of GOD, and in

the faith of the mystery of lord Abu Abdallah, whose

religion whosoever conforms to, and whose worship whosoever

adopts, GOD brings him to the knowledge of Himself ; andwhose religion whosoever does not conform to, and whose

religion whosoever does not adopt, has GOD'S curse uponhim. By the mystery of the Chief, and his peculiar children,

may GOD give happiness to them all."


When the Nusairis find mention made, in their secret

books, of any city, they interpret it figuratively as signifyingthe heavens, and suppose its inhabitants to be stars, agreeablyto what is explicitly laid down in the Egyptian Missive,

and other books. f

The fourteenth chapter is called" The Reverenced House,"

and originated with the primitive Nusairis, who used

it as a method of introduction to the performance of

pilgrimage. That is to say, it refers to the house which

the Koran commands should be visited, and its under-

pinnings, roof, and enclosures, as signifying, metaphorically,an acquaintance with persons represented thereby, agreeablyto what is said by Sheikh Ibrahim-at-Tusi, in his

" Poem of

the Letter Ain" "

O, the change of GOD'S house ! which is

His Intermediary ;of as-Safa, which is al-Mikdad, tamer

of the Adversary ; of Marwah, whereof Abu-dh-Dharr is

the memorable personation ; of the ceremonies of the

house, which are Salsal, submissive to the Deity ; its

enclosing steps, how changed do they present them-

selves ! The door-ring of the house is Ja'far, star in the

ascendant."

The house signifies the Lord Intermediary, the Mim ;

as-Safa, al-Mikdad ; the two steps, al-Hassan and al-Hussain ;

the door-ring, acquaintance with Ja'far as-Sadik ; al-Marwah,

acquaintance with Abu dh-Dharr ; and the sacred place of

ceremony, acquaintance with Salman al-Farisi. Such inter-

pretations are distinctly presented in very many books of

the Nusairis ; and an acquaintance with the several personsnamed stands, with them, for the completion of pilgrimage.

Moreover, that acquaintance is understood by the Nusairis

to be obtainable by sight, in conformity with what is their

belief, universally, that the sun is Mohammed.The zeal of the Moslems in visiting Mecca seems to

the Nusairis idle and blameworthy ; and one of their chiefs

has expressed himself to this effect in the following words :

"Cursed be all who forbid the drinking of wine, and all

the Syrians, and the pilgrims."

In the Book of Summary of Festivals we find the following

passage :*"They have assigned to thee a grave, and1

Journale Asiatique, IVe, Serie xi, 153.

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suppose thee to be buried in it ;but in truth they practise

deceit."

Again, it is said in the" Book of Confirmation," by Sheikh

Mohammed al-Kalazi, quoting from the" Book of Light

Handling," which the Nusairis believe to have been composed

by Jafar as-Sasik, the words of Jafar, when he was inquiredof by af-Mufadhdhal with reference to the edifice which

the Moslems are so zealous in visiting, imagining it to be

GOD'S house :

" Such visitation is the sum and substance

of unbelief ;that edifice is a prop of idols, even as it is of

stone, like idols, and people are well nigh dolts in visiting

it, and short of understanding."To this al-Kalazi adds :

"So I give them for answer,

as to this matter, that the practice should be abandoned ;

and besides, there are places of pilgrimage, and trees,

innumerable, which they may visit, nearer than the Kaabah ;

so idle a proceeding verifies in them the words of the poet^who says :

' Thou boastest, O my brother, of strange things :

of a jaundiced physician administering to his fellow men :

of a weaver who is always naked of clothing : and of an

oculist prescribing collyrium, who is himself blind ;

f

andthose of another poet :

' The physician sets himself to

administer to others, and forgets his own pain-strickenheart/"

The fifteenth chapter is called" The Chapter of the

Intermediary." The sixteenth chapter is called" The

Chapter of Pursuivants." It recites the names of certain

Pursuivant-lords, whom Mohammed chose as disciples,

which it is unnecessary to give here.

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CHAPTER XVIII

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS OF THE NUSAIRIS

IN the second and third sections of his book Sulaiman givesus information as to the festivals of the Nusairis ; the

prayers used at them ; the various offices of the three Orders

of chiefs, namely Imaums, Pursuivants and Dignitaries,and their respective duties and mutual relations with the

congregations of the believers. In his description of the

ceremonies observed on festival occasions he introduces

various liturgical forms not usually known.

Sulaiman remarks that these annual celebrations hadan ancient origin, and are carefully perpetuated ; the

necessary expenses are borne by the wealthier membersof the sect, every rich Nusairi binding himself to defraythe cost of one, two or three of the celebrations, accordingto the measure of his zeal. In towns they are held in the

evening, for the sake of secrecy, but this precaution is not

always observed in the country villages. He also states

that the Nusairi villagers give themselves up to special

festivity on their New Year's Day, the ist of Second Kanum,or January, and show less regard for certain seasons observed

with special ceremonies among the Moslems as well as

themselves, while the inhabitants of towns avoid such

discrimination, lest the Moslems should find them out.

The following list of Nusairian festivals, drawn up,

apparently, in the order of their estimation, is given by the

author, with the distinct understanding of it not includingall.

1. Festival of al-Ghadir, on the i8th of Dhu-1-Hajjah.2. of al-Udhhiyah, on the loth of Dhu-1-Hajjah.

(This is a memorial of Ismail Ibn Hajir.)

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3. Festival of al-Maharjan, on the i6th of First Tishrin.

4. of Al-Barbarah, on the I4th of SecondTishrin.

5. ,, after an interval of a week from the last.

6. ,, after an interval of a week from the last.

7. ,, of the Birth-time of lord Messiah, on the

I5th of First Kanum.8. ,, of the Baptism, on the 6th of Second Kanum.

9. of I7th Adhar.

10. of ist Nisan.

11. ,, of 4th Nisan.

ii. of I5th Nisan.

13. ,, of gth of First Rabi, called the 2nd Ghadir.

14. ,, on the night of the I5th of Sha'ban.

In connection with this list certain other festivals are

enumerated, without specification of the times when theyare celebrated, namely, the Festival of John the Baptist,and of John Chrysostom, the Festival of Palms and of the

Element, and the Festival of Mary Magdalene. The followingseasons of special observance are also mentioned : the

first night of Ramadhan, and the seventeenth, nineteenth,

twenty-first and twenty-third nights of that month. Thewhole enumeration by Sulaiman agrees, for the most part,with Catafago's list, published in the Journal Asiatique for

1848,* though each author names some celebrations not

noticed by the other.

When a festival-day arrives, the men assemble at the

house of the master of the festival, that is, the person at

whose expense it is celebrated ; and the Imaum takes a

seat among them. Then there is placed before him a pieceof white cloth, on which are laid mahlab berries, camphor,candles, and myrtle or olive leaves.

A vessel filled with wine of pressed grapes, or figs, is

brought forward, and two Pursuivants seat themselves on

eitjier side of the Imaum. Then the Master of the Festival

designates another Pursuivant to act as the minister of

the occasion, and coming forward kisses the Imaum's hand,and the hand of each of the Pursuivants seated by his side,

1Journal Asiatique, IVe, Serie xi, 149-55.

RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS OF THE NUSAIRIS 167

as well as that of the Pursuivant selected to perform the

service. The latter then rises, and places his two hands

upon his breast, saying :

"May God grant you a good

evening, my lords, and a pleasant and happy morning !

Is it your pleasure that I minister for you at this blessed

festival (or, blessed time), over the cup of so-and-so, the

Master of the Ceremonies ? God bless him." To this

those present reply :

"Yes

"whereupon the Pursuivant,

making his obeisance to the assembly, by kissing the ground,takes in his hand some myrtle leaves, and distributes them,

reciting, meanwhile, the following, called the"Myrtle

String"

:

" God hath said :

'

If he is one of those promotedto honour, he shall have rest, and gentle puffs of air, and a

garden of delight'

I; O God, let thy benediction rest upon

the names of the myrtle personations, namely, Sa'sa'h

Bin Sahan, Zaid Bin Suhan al-Abdi, the most excellent andmeritorious Ammar Bin Yasir, Mohammed Ibn-Abu-Bekr,and Mohammed Ibn - Abu - Hudhaifah may divine bene-

dictions rest upon them all/'

These words are likewise recited by all present, whorub in their hands, meanwhile, the myrtle leaves, and smell

them. Afterwards, the Pursuivant takes a basin of water,

puts into it some mahlab berries and camphor, and reads

a mass, as follows :

" THE PERFUME MASS "

"O, ye believers, have regard to this, your Demigod,

in whose presence ye are assembled, and put away hatred

from your hearts, and doubt and malice from your breasts,

that your worship may be perfected by acquaintance with

your Indicator, that your invocation may be accepted, andthat our Lord, and yours, may honour your hospitality.Know ye that Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib abides with you, is present

among you, hearing and seeing, and that he knows whatso-

ever is above the seven heavens, as well as whatsoever is

beneath the ground, and is acquainted with secret thoughts,the mighty one, the forgiving. Beware, beware, brothers,

of being merry and laughing aloud, in prayer-time, as do

the fools ; for such behaviour invalidates ceremonies, brings' Koran Ivi, 87, 88.


on catastrophes, and impairs what is virtuous in conduct.

But hearken to and hear the commands of the lord Imaum ;

for he stands among you, as it were, in the majesty of the

infinite, the supreme, the omniscient One. We, being thus

minded, have mingled for you this perfume, as the heavens

are blended with the seven signs of Imaumship, on the

peerless necklace of souls existing in substance, disencumbered

of fleshly, human, bald-templed form. With those seven

regale ye your chaste souls, pure from all wicked deeds.

Therewith doth the Mim endow the Sin in every age, andat all times I affirm it on oath so that he is Ali, a God,to whom sincere worship is due, beside whom all beingsinvoked by men are a lie (seeing that to worship the creature

is an idle fancy), for he let him be exalted, and let his

state be magnified ! is, in the height of his dignity, the

all-informed, the omniscient, the august Supreme."He then pours upon the Imaum's hand a spoonful of

the perfumed water, and gives the basin to the Dignitary,that he may do the same upon the hand of each person

present. While the Dignitary is thus going the round,he reads the following, called

THE PERFUME STRING" God hath said :

' The unbelievers see that the heavens

and the earth were each a solid mass, and that we have

ruptured them, and, by means of water, produced every

living thing will they not then believe P' 1Glory be to

him who vivifies the lifeless, in a land of freezing cold. Bythe power of our Lord, the almighty Supreme omnipotentis God ! omnipotent is God !

"

All present likewise recite this formula, laving their

faces the while. Then the Pursuivant takes a censer,

and stands up, and reads the second mass :

THE INCENSE MASS" The mass of incense, and of exhaled odours, circling

about in the reverenced house, in the dwelling of our God,a dwelling of joy and gladness. Someone says that our

chief and lord, Mohammed Bin Sinan az-Zahiri peace be

Koran, xxi, 31.


to us from him was accustomed to stand up for the Friday

prayer, every day and night, once or twice, taking in his

hand a ruby, or, as is also said, a sapphire, or, accordingto another report, a chrysolite, which was consecrated to

the brilliant Fatimah, and incensing cups, with perfectionof cheer, incensing the servant of light, therewith, amidfestive decoration and glitter. Know ye, O believers, that

the light is Mohammed, and the night Salman. Incense

your cups, and light your lamps, and say all of you : Praise

be to God, praise be to God, for favour unsurpassed, andwhose mystery defying penetration has been bestowed

upon us bountiful, noble, exalted, august is he ! Believe

and be assured, O believers, that the person of the servant

of light is free to you, among yourselves, and forbidden

to you in the company of others."

In a note to this formula, the author says that what is

meant here by"the servant of light

"is wine ; that is,

wine is here presented as an image of Ali.

After this the Pursuivant incenses the Imaum, as well

as the two seated by his side, and gives the censer to the

Dignitary, so that he may incense the rest of the Assembly.1

While going his round, this official recites what is called

THE INCENSE STRING" O GOD, give benediction and peace to our Lord

Mohammed, the elect, and his sons. May the divine bene-

diction rest upon them all."

The receivers of the incense also recite this formula.

Afterwards the Pursuivant takes a cup in his hand, and,

standing up, reads the third mass;

the"

Call to Prayer."

This, though a very beautiful recital of adoration, is a

repetition of most of the" Perfume Mass/' and need not be

given here. He then presents the cup to the Imaum, and,

filling another, gives it to the person seated on the Imaum's

right, and hands a third to the one seated on his left ; each

of whom recites the following : "I testify that my Lord,

and thine, is the Prince of Bees, Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib, who

1 An account of these ceremonies, in most points corroborating Sulaiman's,is given in Lyde's Asian Mystery, as given to the author by a young Nusairi

Initiate.

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is unconditioned, imperishable, unchangeable ; and I testify

that his Intermediary is lord Mohammed, and his Communi-cator lord Salman ; and the Communicator proceeds not

from between the Archetypal Deity and the Expressed

Deity." After this the presenter of the cup says to each :

"Take, O my brother, this cup in thy right hand, and ask

help of thy Lord, Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib, thy ruler and helper."To this each communicant replies :

"Give, O my brother,

that which is in thy right hand, and ask help of thy Lord

and Creator, thy ruler and helper in matters of thy religion

may GOD make it to flourish with His affluence, by the

suretyship of Mohammed and his race." Afterwards, the

Pursuivant rises, and placing his hands upon his breast

says :

"May GOD grant you a good evening, O brothers,

and a pleasant morning, O people of the faith ! Forgiveus any errors or negligences ; for man is so called onlybecause he lapses into error, and absolute perfection pertains

only to our Lord, the glorious Ali, who is omniscient."

He then kisses the ground, and sits down.

Then the Imaum, facing the assembly, says :

"May GOD

grant you a good evening, O brothers, and a pleasant morning,O people of the faith. Is it your pleasure that I should

minister for you, on this blessed day, over the cup of the

Master of Ceremonies ! GOD bless him ?" He kisses the

ground, which the assembly also do, striking two octaves

with the words :

" We accept thee as our chief and lord."

The Imaum then says :

"It is a tradition on the authority

of our lord Ja'far as-Sadik, the reticent and declarer, the

render and binder, 1 that he said :

' At prayer-time it is

forbidden either to take, to give, to sell, to buy, to reportthe news, to whisper, to be noisy, to be restless, or to tell

stories, over the myrtle : but let there be silence, listening

attention, and saying of Amen/ Know ye, O brothers,

that if anyone wears upon his head a black turban, or carries

on his finger a kishtban, or at his waist a two-edged knife,

his prayer is hindered : and the greatest of sins is to fail

in duty over the myrtle ; for what is binding upon a messengerif not manifest vigilance ?

" Then he kisses the ground,

saying :

"This homage to GOD, and to you, O brothers !

"

1 Another reference to the fructification of the earth.


after which all who are present prostrate themselves, kiss

the ground, raise their hands to their heads, and say : "ToGOD let him be exalted -be thy homage paid, O our

chief and lord !

"

Afterwards the Imaum reads the" Formula of Dis-

burdening."After a long string of terrible curses against individuals,

which it is unnecessary to give here, the Formula goes on :

" Do thou curse the Hanifite, Shafiite, Malikite, andHanbalite sects, and those who play with apes, and catch

hold of black serpents, together with all Christians and

Jews, and everyone who believes that Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib

ate, or drank, or was born, or had sexual intercourse mayGOD curse them. Moreover, lay thou the curse upon JohnMarun the Patriarch, 1 the execrable, and upon all those

who feed on thy bounties, while they worship not thee ;

and do thou rid us of them utterly, as flesh is cleared froma bone, by the suretyship of Ali, Mohammed and Salman,and by the favour of Ain-Mim-Sin."

Then he wipes his hand upon his breast, saying to those

present :

" We disburden ourselves of these vile Satans,

the heretics, in dependence on the favour of Ain-Mirn-Sin,"which those assembled repeat, kissing one another's handsto the right and left : after which the Imaum reads the

Chapter of the Opening, and the Chapter of the TwoDeficiencies, together with all that follows, up to the

Chapter of the Sun and the Chapter of Broad Sunshine,2

and also the throne-verSe, 3 and other verses of the Koran,at his pleasure. When he has done reading, after recitinga prayer, the Imaum goes on with certain other forms,

glorifying and adoring Ali, and recites many masses. All

then raise their hands to their breasts, and recite the Chapterof Betokening (see p. 160), each party performing the action

of raising hands in his own way, as explained in the notes

on that chapter. When this recitation is over, the Imaumtakes in his hands a cup of wine, and reads a tradition

authorized by al-Hussain Bin Hamdan al-Khusaibi, in which

* The first patriarch of the Maronites, who held office about A,D. 700 ;

see Assemanni Bibl. Orient., i. 496.* Koran i. and Ixxxiii-xciii. s Ibid. ii. 256.

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All is set forth as the one true GOD : afterwards he directs

the assembly to bow the head, which they do while reciting

the Sixth Chapter (see p. 159) ;then he takes the cup which

is in the hand of him who sits on his right, and minglesits wine with his own, saying, as he mingles ;

"Seest thou

yonder ? Seest thou ? delightsomcness ! O great

magnificence ! They are arrayed in green silk gauze and

brocade, and their Lord gives them pure wine to drink.

Verily this is your portion ; your zeal will surely be re-

compensed."Next he recites the Ninth Chapter (see p. 161), the assembly

repeating after him, and then drinks a little from one of

the two cups, and presents it to him who sits on his right.

Then he takes the third cupl from him who sits on his

left, drinks a little of that, and gives it back to him, and

presents the cup which he still retains to the ministeringPursuivant : and so the cups pass round among them,from one to another

; and as they are offered, each offerer

kisses the hand of the receiver, saying to him : "Be thou

extolled ! drink, O my brother and lord, in the faith of

the mystery of Ain-Mim-Sin"

; whereupon he takes the

cup, and drinks, saying to the offerer :

"May God give thee

to drink, O my brother and lord." To this the offerer

replies :

"May GOD cheer thee through thy fellowship

of the cup, and thy draught, and cause thee to attain to

thy goal, and that which thou seekest after !

" When the

offering of the cup is over, the assembly pronounce an14 Amen "

; then the Imaum reads some verses from the

Koran as follows :

" TSM those are marks of the Plain

Book. Perchance thou wearest thyself out with "grief,

because they are not believers : if we please, we will reveal

to them a sign from heaven to which their necks will bow,"*

adding :

" To GOD, O believers, bend."

When this direction has been obeyed by the recitation of

the Sixth Chapter, as before, the Chapter of Salutation

(see p. 159) is read by the Imaum, and repeated by the

1 The various libations mentioned in the course of this ceremony mightwell be the source of the introduction of similar repeated libations in theritual of Knights Templar.

* Koran xxvi. 1-3.

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assembly, after which the Imaum reads the Second Mass

of" The Incense String/' (see p. 169) and then concludes

his prayer with three Melodies by al-Hussain Bin Hamdanal-Khusaibi, the assembly repeating them after him.

Then, facing the assembly, he says :

"Forgive us, O

brothers, any errors or negligences, and addition or omission ;

for all men are prone to negligence and forgetfulness, andabsolute perfection pertains only to your Master the

Exalted to the Glorious One, whose knowledge is all

surpassing. This homage to GOD and to you, O brothers,

O believers !

" He then kisses the ground, and the assemblyalso kiss it, responding to him : "To GOD be thy homagepaid O our Chief and Lord." After this, all standing up,

they kiss the hands of one another, on the right and left,

and near by and, at the same moment, the candles are ex-

tinguished, as it is day, and the Master of the Festival gives

alms to the Imaum and the ministering Pursuivant, which

are called dirhams, as well as to all who have joined in the

recitations.

Then the Imaum takes in his hand the Summary, andreads a little of it to the assembly and bids them bend,

which they do as before ; and after that directs the one

who sits on his right to read the Right-hand Invocation

and then directs all to recite the Chapter of Salutation

(see p. 159), and when this is finished, bids him whosits on his left to read the Left-hand Invocation, andat the close says :

"This homage to GOD, and to you,

O brothers, all ye who are present/' He again kisses the

ground, while the assembly do likewise, and also kiss the

hands of one another, on the right and left ; whereuponthe Imaum stands up, and uncovers his head

; the assemblydo the same ; he directs them to recite the Chapter of

The Opening,1

saying" The Chapter of the Opening, O

brothers, has to do with the subversion of the dynasty of

Othman, and the succour of the people of al-Khusaibi,

the Nusairis." Frequently, to this petition is added a petition

to Ali for the overthrow of all Moslem rulers,

In conclusion, the Ministers rise and place food before

the assembly, presenting most of it to the Imaum, whoKoran i.


distributes a little to those near him ; after which they all

eat, and disperse.

Having thus recounted the ceremonies usually observed

at the festivals of the Nusairis, Sulaiman also specifies

some customs which are peculiar to certain occasions. Atthe festivals in the month of Nisan, of the ijth of Adhar,and of the i6th of First Tishrin, when they begin their prayers,there is placed before the Imaum a large basin of water,

with twigs of olive, myrtle, or willow in it ; and as soon

as prayers are over, all uncover their heads, and the Dignitarystands up and sprinkles over them some of the water, anddistributes a few of the twigs, which they place in their

bee-hives to obtain good luck. Whenever they recite the

Chapter of the Bowing of the Head (see p. 159), they bendto the ground, excepting on the day of al-Ghadir, when in

reading it, they raise their heads heavenwards.

CHAPTER XIX

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND DEEPERMYSTERIES OF THE NUSAIRI RELIGION

ALL the Nusairis believe, says Sulaiman, that the spirits of

the chiefs of the Moslems, firmly grounded in the science

of their religion, assume, at death, the bodily forms of asses ;

that Christian ministers enter into the bodies of swine :

that Jewish rabbis take the form of male apes ; and as

for the wicked of their own sect, that their spirits enter

into the bodies of quadrupeds used for food, sceptics of

note excepted who, after death, are changed into male

apes. Persons of mixed character, partly good and partly

bad, become invested with human bodies in other sects.

When a professor of some other belief apostatizes, and is

united with them, they hold that in past incarnations he

was one of themselves, and that his birth within the pale of

that faith which he abandons was consequent upon somecrime which he had committed.

No member of any alien sect is admitted into their

fraternity, for the first time, unless he be a Persian, the

Persians being believers in the divinity of Ali-Ibn-Abu-

Talib like themselves. There is little doubt the progenitorswere from Persia and Irak.

"In Jewish history they are

said to have originated in Palestine," goes on this author," and this statement is not groundless, inasmuch as theyhold many principles in common with people of that

country, such as the worship of the sun and the moon.

But, unquestionably, Magians are found among ttyem, so

that their worship may be of Magian origin, and they maybe practising in the present time rites which are none other

than Magian.176

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176 SECRET SECTS OF SYRIA" As for one of their faith by birth, who apostatizes,

their judgment respecting the separatist is that his motherwas an adulteress among them, being of that sect whosecreed he adopts. They simulate all sects, and, on meetingwith Moslems, swear to them that they likewise fast and

pray. But their fasting is after a worthless manner : and,if they enter a mosque in company with Moslems, theyrecite no prayer, but lowering and raising their voices in

imitation of their companions, curse Abu Bekr, Omar,Othman, and other persons. The simulation of sects is

set forth by them, allegorically, as follows :

'

We, say they,are the body, and all other sects are the clothings ; but

whatever sort of clothing a man may put on, it injureshim not ; and whosoever does not thus simulate is a fool,

for no reasonable person will go naked in the market-place/I will specify, however, a token by which the dissembler

may be recognized : when a Nusairi disavows the worshipof Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib it may be known that he sets light byhis belief, since he could not so express himself without

having abandoned his religion ; or, when a Nusairi reveals

his form of prayer, it is certain that he has apostatized,for thus says their lord al-Khusaibi :

' Whoever discloses

our testimony is forbidden our garden ; and if anyone

says to you'

Disclose, and be guiltless, hasten away.'" A token by which members of the sect recognize one

another is as follows : If a stranger comes among his fellow-

believers, he inquires :

'

I have a relative : do you knowhim ?

' To this they reply :

' What is his name ?' He

then says'

His name is al-Hussain/ when they rejoin :

'

Ibn Hamdan/ and he adds'

al-Khusaibi/ 1

" A second token consists in their saying to the stranger :

'

Thy uncle was unsettled for how many periods ?' To

which if he replies'

Sixteen/ they receive him. 2 A third

is the question :

'

If thy uncle should thirst, whence wouldst

thou give, him to drink ?'

To this the answer is :

' Fromthe fountain of Ali-quality/ A fourth token is this inquiry :

1 Here we have, in all probability, the source of the Masonic customof

"lettering or halving

"passwords in perambulating the Lodge during

certain ceremonies.An allusion to the successive stages of divine manifestation down to

All, sixteen in number.

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answers to secret questions

MYSTERIES OF THE NUSAIRI RELIGION 177

'

Should thine uncle's feet sink in the sand, whither wouldst

thou direct him ?'

, The answer to this is : 'To the

Serpent of Mu'awiyah/ 1 A fifth question is :

'

Should

thine uncle annoy where wouldst thou meet him ?' The

answer being: 'In the Pedigree Chapter' (see p. 157).

Then comes the following dialogue :

'

Four, two fours,

three and two, and as many more, twice over, in thy religion,

what place have they ?' The answer to this is : 'In

the Journeying Chapter'

(see p. 162).'

Portion them out

to me, wilt thou ?' '

Seventeen of them of Irak, seven-

teen of Syria, and seventeen unknown/ ' Where are theyto be found ?

' 'At the gate of the city of Harran/' What is their employment ?

' '

They receive justly, andrender justly/ The binding adjuration among the

Nusairis, universally, is to place one's hand in that of another,

saying :

'

I adjure thee by thy faith, in the faith of the

covenant of Ali the Prince of Believers and by the covenant

of Ain-Mim-Sin ;

'

this makes it obligatory to speak the

truth. Another form is to moisten a finger with one's

spittle, and place it on the other's neck, saying :

'

I amabsolved of my sins, and lay them on thy neck ; and I

adjure thee, by the foundation of thy religion, by the

mystery of the covenant of Ain-Mim-Sin, that thou tell

me the whole truth touching such and such a matter/which also debars from falsehood. The latter form of

adjuration is more established with the Northerners than

with the Nusairis of other parties ; whoever takes it falsely,

supposes himself to assume all the sins of the adjurer."All the Nusairis imagine the eminent chiefs of their

sect to have no sexual intercourse with their wives : but

they make passes over them, by which they conceive. But

among the Imaums of the Kalazians conjugal communismis said to be a law of hospitality, supported in part by a

figurative interpretation of Koran xxxiii, 49, and partly

by inference from one of ten rules of life attributed to Ja'far

as-Sadik, enjoining upon every believer to gratify his fellow-

believers as he would gratify himself, which the Northerners

understand to require only a readiness to impart of one's

* Meaning, of course, Ali, the biter of the heel, as it were, of Mu^wiyah,who nevertheless brought to an end his temporal dominion. ''

12

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more secret questions

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not sex pass over


knowledge and property to a fellow-believer. It is also

worthy of notice that the common people among the Nusairis

regard their Imaums as infallible, and as having bodies not

subject to the ordinary necessities of flesh and blood."

If anyone who has abjured their faith passes by when

they are at prayer, that prayer is spoiled, and they repeatit over again. They must not pray at all on the same daythat they hear a story told."

After Sulaiman had been three years an Initiate he

bribed one of the chiefs of the party of Northerners to

disclose to him the hidden mystery, his advance in the sect

being hindered by a suspicion of his holding even then

heretical opinions.The chief undertook to present to Sulaiman proofs of

the divinity of the heavens, instancing the Prophet's wordsin the Koran :

"Whithersoever ye turn, there is GOD'S

presence GOD is omnipresent, omniscient," 1 to which he

added :

" Know thou that in the name of Ali there are

three letters, and that the words for the heavens, the twilight,

the glimmering day, and the arching sun all have three

letters which is a plain proof of the correctness of our

doctrine. Hast thou not read the Chapter of Testimony in

the Dustur, which says :

' He is immeasurable, illimitable,

incomprehensible, inscrutable ?'2 And know thou, O my

son, that sight cannot reach to the limit of the heavens,

nor can anyone behold them in their prime configuration,

that is, their real aspect, save only the Expressed Deity." ' Know thou also/ continued the chief,

'

that the dogof the Companions of al-Kahf was an impersonation of

Ali-Ibn-Abu-Talib ; that he appeared to the seven youthswho had fled from the Emperor Decian in the form of a

dog, in order to try their faith and to prove them : and

that, inasmuch as they believed in hin, they were elevated

to the heavens, and became stars. Previously, he appearedto the Children of Israel in the form of a cow, when theyhad grievously sinned, and the earth had wellnigh swallowed

them up, and so they who believed were delivered, while

the doubting were engulfed in the earth, such as Korahand his company. In the Koran, this cow is said to have

* Koran ii. 109.* See the Chapter of Testimony, p. 161.

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MYSTERIES OF THE NUSAIRI RELIGION 179

been sacrificed, by which is meant that she was perfectly

recognized. He appeared also to the people of Salih, in

the form of a camel, which they mutilated, that mutilation

signifying a rejection, on account of which they perished,and their city was turned upside down. Many other of

his manifestations we leave unnoticed."

Shortly after this interview, his doubts as to the truth

of the Nusairian tenets increasing, Sulaiman renounced

his faith altogether, and became a Jew, and subsequentlya Christian.

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ali camel

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Fellah

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Nursair

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History of Fellah

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hasabee lord rubb

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stories made up

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Karmatians Nosairis same sect

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khaseebee 900-920

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jews with jews, christians with christians, muslim with muslims. "ALL THAT IS CERTAIN CONCERNING THEM IS THAT THEY MAKE VERY MUCH GOOD WINE, AND ARE GREAT DRINKERS

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Sheikh Mohammad of Bishrago

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muhmmad said so apparently

D00095s8y1996.pdf 19.01.2010 16:13:54 Page 4 (1, 2)

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i

KİTABU'L. MECMU'U'NUN TERCüMESİ

Prof. Dr. Ahmet TURAN

ÖNSÖZ

Türkçe'ye tercümseni yaptıgımız bu kitap, Hatay'ın Samandağı

ilçesi ile tskendenın'un güney batısında Samandağa. doğru uzanankısmında ve Antakya'ya bağlı Harbiye kasabası ile Antakya'nın Annutlumahallesinde oturan ve bu bölgenin hemen güneyinden itibaren devameden; Suriye'nin Lazkiye şehri merkez olmak ÜZere Lübnan'a kadar uzanan bölgede yaşayan Alevilerin- Fellah1ann, diğer adlan ile Nusayrtlerinkutsal kitabıdır. Bu kitap Nuseyı'ilere göre adeta mÜSIÜDlaolann"K:.ur'an-ı

Kerim'i gibidir!. ._ Bilindigi gibi Nusayôlik. Nusayı:ilerlninandıgı ve Blitıniliktenkay

naklanan aşın bir Şii fırkasıdır. Bu fırka. Bağdat ı;.evresinde yaşayan veİmamiyye'nin X. imamı Ali en- Naki'nin zamanında onıi.ıi tarafından

gönderilen bir peygamber olduğu söyleyen; onuri hakkında aşın görüşler

ileri sürerek onun ilah.olduğunu söyleyen ve haramlan heıaı'şay~bir' dMolanı; Başka bir rivayete göre de İm8.miyye'nin XI. imamı", ~asan ~

Askeri (ö. 260/873)'nin "bab"ı oldugunu iddia eden, daha sonr.a da onuntarafından gönderilen bir peygamber'oldu~u iddia ederek felç has

talıgına yakalanıp (260/873) yılında Samma'da ölen Muhamme! b. Nusayr en- Nemlri tarafından kıirulmuş bir fırkadır3 .

Bu fı.rlc:anın görüŞleı:i.nl, Mııbamıİıet b. Nusayr'den sonra.Kfife ileHalep arasında Cunbula'da yetişeDı aslen İran'lı olan, 957 veya 968'deHalep'de ölen ve Şeyh Yaprak adı ile şöbret bulan Hamdan el- Hasıöt

(873- 957) düzene koymuştur. Böylece Nusayrtliğin ikinci kurucusu olarak tamnmış ve Nusayıiler hakkında'birçoK. eser yazmışt:ıı4. Buradatercilmesini :yaptı~, onalti sureden meydana' geleri bu kitabın,

18unlardan bit kısmı da Adana ve Mersin'de oturmakta olup bunlar gUnUmUZde yö~delci

mUsIUman1arla birlikte yaşadıkJanndan inançlanm unutmuş görü.Drnek.tedirler.2 en- Nevbabtl, Fıriku'ü • Şia, Beyrut trs., s. 93.3 Turan(A), Les Nusayris de Turquie dans la Region de Halay (Anti.och), Paris, 1973, s.

3(parls- sorbon Üniversitesinde yapılan doktora tezi.)4 Yazdığı eserIer haklanda bakuuz: Massignon(L), Esquisse d'une bibliograpl:ıie nusay

ne. Melanges Syriens de Dussaud, Paris, 1939, s. 916.

5

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,,\..i

"Kjtabu'I·Mecmu'u"nun da yazandırs .

Onaltı sweden meydana gelmiş olan kitap, Ali b. Eb! TMib'in

sözlerini ve emirlerini, Nusayrilerin inançlanm ve esaslannı içine almak.- .

tadır. Bu Iq.tap Nusayıller için dini e~ti.m ve ibadet kitabıdır. Nusayıilerin

bizzat kendileri bu kitaba "elinin esas taşı" dır demektedirler. Bütün Nu

sayıi" inancını: içine aldıgmdan. Nusayıilige giriş merasiminde, mezhebe

girenlere tekrarlattınlmaktadır. Bu kitabın ne zaman yazıldıgı hakkında

bilgiiniz yokttır. Ali'in emir ve sözlerini içeren bu kitabı Muhammet.

milslilman1ara vahy etmeksizin Nusayıilere bagışlamış olduğuna, onun

oniki Nakib'e ve yirmi dört Necib'e geceleyin Mekke yakınlanndaMina

Vlidisinde. Akabe'de verdigine inanıImaktadır.

Bu kitapta .geçen bütün özel isimler İsmam şahsiyetleri

oldU~dan. bu kitabın İsmaın yazı1anndan meydana gelmiş oldu~ daha

ilk bakışta anlaşılmaktadır. Burada Nusayd bilginleri Ali'nin gücünü

Allah ile ayniliğe kadar götünntişlerdir. Dini ayinlerde söylenen "Ayn,

Mim, Sin" sembollerinin büyük bir rol oynadıgını onlara borçludurlar.

BAtıni yoruin1aına1ar sayesinde görünüşte zıt olan eski metinlerden birçok

parçalar bize kadar muhafaza edilmişlerdir. Nusayri bilginlerinin kul·

landıkları tsmaill metinler, Kur'an-ı esas alarak başka şekilde yazıldığı

görülmektedir. -Bunlar: Ali'den başka il§h olmadıgı, doğmadığı,

do!hınnadı!!:ı;her seye klidir OluŞu, esirgeyici ve baj;!ıslayıcı olusu vb. gibi

hususlardır. Kitap okunduğunda bu hususlar açık olarak görülecektir.

~u kitap ilk. defa bir Nusayri Şeyhi olan Adanalı Süleyman Efendi,

"Kitab el- Biliira es - Süleyı:n3.niyye fi Keşfı EsrliH Diyanet en - NusaY·

riyye: Beyrut, 1863, 7·34 sayfalan arasında yayınlamıştır. Kendisi bir

Nusayri Şeyhi iken sonradan din degişfumiş, Hristiyan olmuş, Nusayn

Mezhebinin bütün yönlerini ortaya koyan yukanda adını verdiğimiz

kitabını yazmış ve. bu kitap Lübnan'da Katoliklerin desteği ile

yayınlanmıştır.

Bundan sonra Süleyman Efendi'nin bu kitabını İngiliz müsteşIild E.

Edward Salisbwy, arapçası ile birlikte İngilizce'ye tercümesini yaparak,

Jo~ of the American Orientaı Society, C. vm, No, 2,1864, s. 227

308· arasmda "The book of Suleymao's first Ripe Froil Discolising the

Mysteries of the Nusayrian Religion, By Suleymw Efendi of Adhanah,

with copious Extrocts" adı ile yayınlamıştır.

.1900 yılından önce Suriye'de Arkeoloji araştırmalan yapbğı suada

Nusayrlleri işçi olarak çalıştıran bw;ıdan dolayı da Nusayıiliğe ilgi duyan

Fransız Müsteşriki Rene Dussaud Fransaya dönünce Nusayri1er hakkında:

"Histoire et Religion des Nosairis, Paris 1900" adlı kitabını yazmıştır. Bu

5 Nusayrilerin tarihi bakionda bakınız; Tuıan (A), a.g.e., s. 17-65 ve aynı yazar; İslim

Mezhepl~ri Tarihi, Samsun, s. 149-150.

6

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D00095s8y1996.pdf 19.01.2010 16:13:54 Page 5 (1, 2)

sefer de Rene J)USSaud kitabının sonunda "Kitabu'l . Mecmu'U"YU arabcaS! (5.181-198) ile. bir\ilCle Fransızca'ya (,.161-

179) teıcumesiniyapmııtır. ."Biz. de burada SÜıeyman Efendi.. E. Edward SalisbuİY ve .1:~.en~Dussaud'~ yayUJ1~ karşı1~t,ırarak "Kltabu'l ~ Mecmu'u"yu bu alaı;ı.daÇalııanım faydalı olmak ilmidiyle Tiiıkçe'ye teıcumesini yaptık-

-.. , .

. ,

7

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D00095s8y1996.pdf 19.01.2010 16:13:54 Page 6 (1, 1)

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KİTABIN TERCÜMESİ

Birinci Sure : İsmi "Başlangıç' ii.

Boynuzu olmayan hayvanın işini üzerine alana ne mutlu2! Birisibenden a'çık1amamı istedi. Ben de Ali b. Ebi Talib, Eminı'n - NaW'3'ın

manevi yüceliğinin sevgisinde ilk cevabıma başlamak istiyorum. O'nunkünyesi Haydar b. Ebi Turab4'dır..O'ndan yardım istiyorum. O'ndanisteğimi' yerine getirmesini istiyorum. O'nu anmakla başanya Uıa-şınm.

Kurtuluş O'ndadır. O'na siğımyonıın. O'nda yüceldim. Yardımı O'ndan istiyorum. O'nda neşet ettim. O, gerçeğin ispatı. elinin seıametidir.

Seyyit Ebu Şuayb Muhammet b. Nusayr Slimin"5 Yahya b. Main'e:Ey Yahya! Hayatla birlikte sana bir hastalık geldiğinde veya ölümle birlilete bir felakete uğradığında; aşın taassup için olan bu beşeri

gömleklerden sıyn1arak, nurani ışıklar yaparak, temiz, temizlenmiş, yüce,bembeyaz koku ile, saf ve tertemiz kılan bu ulvi bir davetle çağır. Bunanurani heykelleri tabii kıl ve ey deıareti ile yol gösteren, kudreti ile zlihi.r,hikmeti ile batın, kendisi ile varlığı gerekli, sıfatlan ile, ismi ile konuşan!

Ey O, ey herş~yi olan, evveli ve sonu olmayan ezeli! SebebIerin sebebi,gayelerin gayesi, sonlann sonu! Ey gizli sırlan bilen, ey hazır, eymevcOd, ey zahir ve ey malesOd olan, ey gizlenmeksizin gizli olan. eynUrundan nfuuna parlayan ve nunı kendinde sönen! °nOr senden başladı,

sana dönüyor. Ey her nOru ortaya çıkaran, meydana çıkan! Her nOra"isim", her isme mekan, her mekana makam, her makama "bab" kılan! O,O'ndan O'na yönelen "bab" 'ı irşl1d ediyor. Ve yine O'nda O'na giden"Mb" 'a giriyor. Sen ey Emını' n- NaW, ey kendine yönelene yol gösterenAli b. Eb! Tl1lib! Her şey sensin, hO, ya, hO, ya hO! Ey her şeyi kendisinden başka kimsenin bilmediği! "Stn" ile ilgili meseleleri "selekOn,sulOken, selikiin, sl1likı1n, selikin" bunlarla ilgili sorunlann sorduklanşeyi

senden istiyorum.Mürşiderin mÜfşidi, dinin ve akidelerin süsü Ali ile, kalplerimize

ve inanan kardeşlerimizin kalplerine iyilik, takva, doğruluk, ilim ve dinüzere yumaşaklık ver. Senin temiz huzurunu, göz kamaştıran kudretini,

1 Adanalı Si1leyman Efendi, Kİıab el- Bakılre es- SUleymaniyye fi Keşfı Esrar-ıDiyaneten- nusayriyye, Beynıt, 1863, s.7-10; Salisbury (E. Edward), The bookof Suleym1in'sfırst Ripe Fruit. Discolising the mysteries of the Nusayrian Religion. By Si1leymanEfendi of Adhanah, With Copious Extrocts. Journal of the American Orientel Society., C. VIII. No. 2, 1864 s.236-238; Dussaud (Rene), Histoire et Religion des Nosairis. Paris. 1900, Fransızcası s. 161-163. Arapçası, s. 181-183.

2 Ali'nin aslanlımukayese edilmesidir.3 Nalıl, bal ansı ve bağıŞ demektir. Burada manası, bağışta bulunanlarm emiri anlamına

gelmektedir. Haydari mezhebi tarafındankabul edi1rrı4 bir lakaplır.

4 Haydariler tarafından kabul edilen Ali'nin lakabıdn'.

5 Nusayri mezhebinin kurucusudur. Önsöze bakınız.

8

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herkesi kaplayan: rahmetini hatırladık. Gerekli olan farz ve yerine getirilmesi gerekli olan hak vardır. Bunlar: Sırlar, ögütler, azamet, ögünlDek,üstünlük ve galip gemektir. O'nun parlak1Jgı sende dogdu. Ve 0,bidiiyetin tacı, kuvvetli din ve dosdogru yold~. Din O'nun zalıiıini vebatıwnı tanıdıysa başanya ul<l§U ve kurtuluşa erdi. Efendimiz Selman,O'nunla ilgili haberleri birbiri ardına ekleyerek O'nu bize tanıttı. O'na gidecek. yolu bize gösterdi. Ve bizi o yola sevketti. O, bizim şeyhimiz, efendimiz, başlanmızın tacı, dinimizin esası, gözlerimizin aydınIJğtdır. Ali,es- Seyyid Ebu Abdillah el - Hüseyin b. Hamdani'l- Hasib'i'nin ruhunutakdis etti. Çünkü O'nun makamı safa makamı, mahalli sıdk ve vefa mahallidir. Allah'ın ismi ile, Allah ile, Allah'ın ilmini bilen es-Seyid EbuAMullah'ınsım ile başlanın. O'nun şöhretininSlffi saıilı olmasıdır. O'nun

. sım Allah'ın O'nun başanh lolmasıdır.

İkinci sure: İsmi "·İbni el· Veli'yi yüceltme7".

Hissin duydugu, şahsın görünmedi~, royasında uyuyanın gördilgüşeyin en güzeli ile başlanm. -O, şöyle söyleyerek seslenir: Buyur, buyur,ey Emirü'n • Nahl ! Ey Ali b. Ebi Tilib! Ey her arzu edenin sevip dile·diği! Ey ulOhiyeti ile'ezeli olan! Ey bütün yaratılmıslannaslı! Sen bizimgizli ilahımız, açıkca imamımızsın.

Ey' gizlenen şeylerne açıga çıkan, açıga çıkan şeylerde gizlenen,içinde gizlendigi şeyLe açıga çıkan, açıga çıkanla içinde gizlenen, zauyla-zahir olan,.yüce olmakla yükselen, Muhammet'e ait olması ile gizlenen,'nefsine, nefsinden nefsine çagıran sen ey Emiru'n Nahl! Ey Ali! Seninnurun aydınlattı. Seilin güneşin dogdu. Senin aydınlıgm yayıldı. Seninyiiceligin büyüdü. Senin şanın yüceIdi. Senin bizim ve bütün inanankardeşlerimiz için alçalttığınkimseterin şerrinden beni emin kılınan sebe·biyle ve· akdi bozan, kaldıran, değiştiren, kirleten, yere hatıran, işe yaramaz hale getiren, atmu durumuna düşürenin şerrinden sana sıgınınm.

Şüphesiz sen her şeye kadirsin.Veli b. Veli, Ebu'l - Hüseyin Muhammet İbni Ali'nin sım ile. °

bize açıkca gönderildi. Kim. O'nu selam ile aoarsa onun sım ile Allah onayardım eder.

Üçüncü Sure: İsmi "Ebu Said'i yüceltmektirS".Ey ınülk:üo sahibi! Ey Emiru'n- Nahl! Ey Ali! Ey çok bagışlayan!

Ey ezem Ey tövbeleri kabul eden! Ey "bab9" 'ı sevkeden, senden istiya-

6 Kuı'an 'dan alınmış ayet.7 Süleymm, c1- Biktlra. s. lO - ll; Salisbııry, a. g. e., s. 238-239; Dussaud. a.g. c.• s.

163- 164 ve 183 - 184.8 SUleymiiD, al - B§kOra., s. 11-14; Salisbııry. a.g.e.. s. 239-241; Dussaud, ag.e., s. 164

165 ve 184- 185.9 Yani Selmlin e1- Firisfyi pl>pOğandaya!eŞvikctmektedir.

9

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,\.

rum. Beş seçilmişIO·Ue. altı vahiyll ile. yedi parlak yıldız ile, sekiz kürsütaşıyıeısı ile. dokuz Muhammedııer ileıı, on saf horazlar1a13, Bab'ın onbirdönmesil4 ile, oniki imaml5 ile, sendeki anlann imanı ile senden istiyorum.

Ey bütün gayenin sahibi! Onların senin yanındaki hakJ,an ile. eyEmiru'n - Nahl! Ey yüce devletin sahibi! Ey sen, bir olan! Senin isminbirdir ve sen bidigin başısın. Ey O'nun zaomn yedi keskin kılıcında .zahirolan! KalpleriInizi ve azalanmm O'nun engin bilgisi üzerine sabİt kıl.O'nun bu büyük unutulmuşluğundan bizleri koru. O'nun semasırunyıldızlan arasında, O'nun nunınungöm1eklerini bize giydir.

Yüce Şeyhimiz! En yüce, en büyük! Gençliğinde Allah'tan korkanefendimizi ananz. Abu Said eL - Meymun İbni Kasım et- Taberam l6Allah'ın bilgisini bilen, umumi yard.una mazhar alandır. O. gücü ile ald.ıgıhakkından mahrum edildi. Ebu Deh!be ve Ebu Dehibe'oin aJ.i onu izledi.Allah lanet etsin. Ebu Said'in ailesine gelince, Allah'ın rahmeti ve selanuüzerine olsun. Ebu Saı"d eş- Şabb et- Takl el- Hurr el- Meymun İbn Kasım

,et- Taberrani'in sım ile...O'nun sım Allah'ın O'na inayeticiir.

Dördüncü Sure : İsmi" Kaynağı nereden geldiği, Nisbetil1".Başanını Allah ile güzel ettin, yolurnu Allah için iyi bilelin. işitme

duyumu, dinleme özelliğimi, ŞeyhimiS, efend.im ve müışidimden dahagüzel yapun. Allah "ayn, mım, sin" bilgisi ile O'nu nlınetlendirdigi gibibeni de nimet1endirir. O (ayn, m'im, s'in), kendisine ibadet olunan öndenve alnının iki tarafından dazlak olan "Ali b. Ei Ta.ıibl 9 'den baska illih

10 Muhammet, Fatıma, Hasan, HUseyin ve Mubsin.ı ı Yukanda verilen isimlere Selm.in el Flirisı,.ide kaıınaktır. .ıı Mubammet, Hasan, Hüseyin, Zeyne1- Abidin, Muhhamet el- Bllkır, Cafer es· S§dık,Musa el- KizlOl, Ali er- Rız.a ve Muh. el- Cevad.13 10. notla isimleri verilen beş kişiyeNavral, Ebu'l· Haris, Muhammet b. el- HUanetiyye,Ebu Berzah ve Abdullah b. Nadiah'ın katılması ile elde edilen sayı.14 Bunlar: RGzbab Lbn el- Morzabin, ebu el Ali Raşid el- Hadjari, Kanbar İbn Ebi Halidel_ Kibllli, Yahya ıbn Muammer, cibir İbn Yezid el~ JIlfi, Muhammet İbn ebi Zeynepel_ K1hili, el- MuIadd.a1 ıbn Ömer, Ömer İbn el- Mutaddaı, Muhammet ıbn Nusayr elBekrt co- Nwneyrf, Dahyah İbn Halife el- Kelbi ve OmmU Seleroe.15 Bunlar lmamiyye'nin oniki imamıdır.16 X.• XI. yüzyılda yıqamış, HamdAn el- Hasibrden sonra gelen Nusayıi.lerin en büyükdini lideri olup Muhammet ıbn el- Jilli'nin mUrididir. Nusayıüer h.akia.nda birçok kitap

yazmıştır. ·Bu kitapların en önemlisi lGlibu Mccınua el_· Ayad (Nusayıi Bayram.larından bahseden kitaptdır. Bu kitap Şam'da Zlhiriyye KUtUphanesi S numarada veAlmanya'da Berlin Kütüphanesi, Arapca yazmalar bölümü 4292 numarada kayıtlı bu·lunmaktadır.

i7 Süleyman, el- Bi1clra, s. 14-18; Salisbwy. a.g.e., s.241-245; Dussaud. a.g.e., 5.166-167ve 185·187.18 Nuayıi mezhebine girişle b~kaıılı.k.yapaıı kimse.19 Ali'nin her zaman mukayese edildiği aslana ima.

10

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i·

olmadığına şehadet ederimzo". Övillmüş Seyyid Muhammet'ten başka

perde (hitap) yoktur. Kendisine yönelinen es- Seyyid Selınan el, Fllrisi'den başka kapı (bab) yoktur2l . Ben bunu yücü zatın hakikat bilgisi

ile kulluk köleliğinden boynumu azat eden, bolluğun, verimliliğin

kayıüiğına beni çıkaran, kurtuluş yoluna beni sevkeden, itimadını, gayem,efendim ve şeyhimdendinledim. Faziletli efendi, yüce bir dağ, amcam22_şeyhim, efendim, başımın tacı, hakiki babanı23 , Ahmet, bu büyük sım; şu

şu senede, şu şu ayda, şu günde O'ndan bana iletti. Ahmet İbrahim'den,

İbrahim Kasım'dan, Kasım Ali'den, Ali Ahmet'ten, Ahmet Hıdu'dan, Hıdır

Selm5n'dan, Selmfuı Subuh'tan, Subuh Yusuftan, Yusuf Cebrail'den, CebrailMualla'dan, Mualla Yasin'den, Yasın İsa'dan, İsa Muhammet'ten, MuhanunetHüda Muhammet'ten, Hüda Muhammet Rıza Ahmet'ten, Rıza Ahmet Safendi'den, Safendi Belazı1ri Efendi'den, Belazüıi Esed Hasan er-.Reşiki'den,

Hasan er • Reşild Muhammerten, Muhammet Memef MIsu'dan, MemefMısuAkdi Cebrlill'den, Akdi Cebrail Abdullah el- Cualiy'den; Abdullah el Cualiy İsmail el~ Luffafdan, İsm.8.il el- Luffaf Cafer e1- Verrek'tan, Cafer elVerrak ahmet et- Tarraz'dan, Ahmet et- Tarraz Ebu'l - Hilieyin Muhammetİbn Ali el- Celi'den, Ebu'} - Hilieyin Muhammet İbn Ali el- Celi es- Seyyid EbuAbdullah el- Hüseyin İbn Hamdan el- Hasibıden, es - Seyyid Ebu Abdil1ah elHilieyin İbn Hamdan .el· Hasibi İran diyanndaki zlihid, abidlerden olan efepdisive şeyhi Ebu Muhammet Abdillalı ibn Muhammet el- ceıınfuıel- Cınıbulan'dan,

Alxlullah el· cennfuı el- Ombulfuı Muhammet b. Cündeb 24'den, Muhammet b.Cündeb es - Seyyid Ebi ŞuayyibMuharıuned b. Nusayr el- Abdi el- Beri en- Numeyıfden ki o son kişi HaSan el- Askerfnin bab'ıdu. Selam O'na, iteat O'nadu.Dini ve nesebi düzenleyen Muhammet b. Nusayr ile efendimiz Hasan el- Askeô,dinin ve şam yüce kardeşlerimizin sım ile sapıkların ve zillimlerin söylediği

sözlerden yüce ve büyüktürler. Onlann her yerde ve herkesten şaoı yiiced.ir.Onların ve onlann hepsine Allah'ın inayetinin sım ile şehadet ederim ki, Hasanel- Asken evvel~, ill:ıirdir, batındu, zllhirdir. O, her şeyekadirdir,

Beşinci Sure : İsmi "Gillibiyyet25"."Allah'm yardımı ve fethi geldiği ve insanlann dalga dalga Allah'ın

ilinine girdiğini gördüğün zaman, Rabbini överek tesbih et, O'ndanmağfiret dile. Çünkü O, tövbeleri kabul edemfuz6". Şehadet ederim ki,

20 Bu cUmle Nusayrilerin kelime-i şehadetleridir.

21 "Ayn, mim, sin", Ali, Muhammet, Selmlio demek olup Nusayrilerin mUkemmelliği ileşekillenmiş bir semboldUr.

22 Nusayrl mezhebine ait ilk bilgiyi veren rolürtu oynayan ~ahsiyetin lakabıdu.

23 Mezhebe giri~ merasimini yapan akrabalık bağı.

24 Bunlar nusayi bilim adamlandu. Bkz. Turan(A), ag.e., (doktora tezi), s. 22-27.25 Silleyman, el- Bakllra, s.18-20; Salisbury, a,g.e., s.245-248: Dussaud, a.g.e., s. 167-170

ve l87-189.26 Bu KW"'lin'ınNasr suresi, ayet 1·3'den ibarettir.

II

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,

t.

MevHim Emiru'n· NaW Ali, zatının Durundan es· Seyyid Muhammed'i yarattı. İsmini, nefsini, arşını. kürsüsünU, sıfatını O isim1en!fudi. Hakilcattebirleşmediği halde ondan hiç aynımaz, bir şekilde birleşti. Aynlıp uzaklaşması gerekıiginde O'ndan hiç aynJmadı. Nunı ile O'nunla birleşti.

Gerçeği müşabOOe ile O'ndan ayn1dl. Muhammet Ali'den hissin ruhtangelmesi. güneş ışınlannın güneşten geldiği, suyun güriiltüsünün sudangeleliği, bideşik durumun aynıdığı, şirIıjekten şi~eğin çıktığı, bakanın

oazar değmesi, sükOnun harekete geçmesi gibi ÇıkmıŞtır. Eğer Ali b. EbiTa.Lib zahir olmayı dilerse O'nun nunınun güvenliği O'nda ğaib olur.Şehadet ederim ke seyyid Muhammel O'un nurunun Durundan SeyyidSelman'ı yarattı. O'nu "bab" 'ı kıldı. Kitabını O'na verdi. 0, SaIsaJ ve Salsabrı'dir. 0, Cabir ve Cebraildir. O, Hüda'dır ve yakindır. O; AlemlerinRabbı'mn hakikatıdır. Yine şehadet ederim ki, es- Seyyid Selmiln besşerefli retimi yarattı. Onlann birincisi en büyük yetimdir. Ay gezegenidir. Kokusu yayılan misktir. Siyah yakuttur. Yeşil zümıiittüı. Bunlar: elMıkdat b. el- Esved el- Kindi. Ebu Zerri'l - Gitar'l. Abdullah b. Revaha elEnsfu1, Osman b. Maz'fin en- Neçası ve Kanber b. Kadarı ed· Devsfdirler. Bunlar, cellli ve tazim sahibi müminlerin emirini zikretmek için onun kuludurlar.Bu lliemi;~in doğuşundan batışma, güneyinden kUzeyine, ıciı.rasına, denizine. ovasma. göğü taşıyan dağına, yeryüzünü Cabalka'dan Cabar.;a27'ya, elAbkaf18 rasathanelerine, Kaf da~l29'na, deveran eden gökkubl:ıenin kuşatmış

alduğu her şeye vano::aya kadar, mtiminlerin topıaoo.ıgı yer alan es- SeyyidMulıanunet es- Sanıiıfnin şebriııe varıncaya kadar her şeyi oolar yarattı. Oradaes· Seyyid Ebu AMuIlah el· Hasibrnin görüşüüzerine ittifak. ettiler. ~u konudaşüphe etmediler. Onak da koşmadllar. Ali b. Ebı T3.lib'in sımnda açı~a

çıkmazlar. O'na ait olan haya perdesini yırtmazIar. O'oun huzuruna ancak. bir"bab" 'tan girebilirler. İnananlan, emin kılınanIan. huzur içinde bulunanlan,doğrulan, düşmanlannave düşmanlanmıza karşı yardımcılar'JaI. Ve ,yine inananlan huzur içinde, onlan fakirlere ilIsanda .bulunaqlan mtiminlercümlesinden kıl ve düşmanlanınıza ve düşmanlanna karşı yardımcılar kıl.

Sağ eli ile (gücü kuvveti ile) fetheden, fethi fetheden klıiı..Senin fethinin sını ile... Efendimiz Muhammeı, Rur, Hasan, Hüseyin, gizli sımolan Muhsin, a~zı dualı insanlano ve ariflerin sayısının sım ile ... SeUimonlan ananlann üzerine, Allah'ın rahmeti onların hepsinin üzerine oısun.

Altıncı Sure : İsmi"Secde etme, SücüdJ9".Allah'u Ekber, Allah'u Ekber, Allah'u Ekber. Secde; ibadet olunan,

27 Birincisi uzak doğuda, ikincisi ise uzak batıda bir yer adıdır. Bkz. Yakut, Mu·cem...,C.2,s.2.

28 Bkz. el~ Ahkif, KUx'An, XLVI/20'de ı.ikredilmiştir.

29 Bkz. Ka[ dağı, Kur'an, XLII/20'de zikredilmiştir.

30Sll1eymfu1, el- BIDdlıa, s.1O-21; Salisbuıy, ag.e., s248-25O; Dussaud, ag.e., s.l70-171 ve 189·190.

ıı

L~·=~-

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ahunın iki yanı dazlak yüce rab içindir. Ey Efendim, ey Muhammet, eyFiilır, ey k!hır, ey büyük mananınnunı ve yüce "hidp", seninle yardım is·tiyonım. Bu dünya yurdunda beni koru, seni vilil tutuyorum. Beni ateşin

azabından31 koru. Allah yerin ve göklerin nunıdur32. O, yücedir, büyüktür.O'na yöneliyor ve işaret ediyoruz. Üstün ve yüce "bab" için O'nayöneldim. İsmi için secde ettim. "Mana" için ibadet ve secde ettim. Faniytlzünı; diri, daim ve ebed1 olan Ali'nin yüzü için ibadet ve secde ettillı.

Fani yüzüm; diri, daim ve ebedi olan Ali'Din yüzü için, secde etti. ey Ali,ey büyük! Ey Ali, ey büyük! Ey Ali, ey büyük! Ey Ali, ey en büyük! Eybütün büyüklerden daha büyük! Ey kuşluk. vaktinin güneşini yaratan! I§ık.

saçan ayı yaratan! Ey Ali, üstünlük sana aittir. Ey Ali birlik sana aittir. EyAli mülk senindir. Ey Ali büyüklük sana aittir. Ey Ali, işaret sana aittir.Ey Ali, iteat sana aittir. Ey Ali, sen şefeat edensin. Ey Ali, yaratma gücüsana aittir. Ey Ali, sen her şeye kadirsin. Ey Ali, sen "Bakara Suresi" sİD.

Eman senden ya Ali! Razı olduktan sonra azabından ve gazabından sanasığımnm. Mucize gösteren ve aciz bırakanla sana iman ettim. EyEmiru'n- Nabl, acizlikten sen yücesin. Kalpten inanıyorum ki sen gizli vegörüDensin. Dış görünüş bakımından sen imam, batıniolarak tannsm.

Ey O, ey OL Ey seni üstün kılma, anma ve bir olarak kabul etmehususlannda dilediğini üstOn kılan! Ey O,. ey O! Ey senin büyüklüğünü

itiraf etmeyen, inkar eden, aşağılayan kimseleri zeW kılan! Ey haur, eyvarolan! Ey ulaşılamıy~gaibJ Ey Emiru'n, Nabl, ey Ali, ey büyük!

Yedinci Sure: İsmi "Sehim33",Secde ettim, selam verdim, süzümü yer ve göklerin yaraucısına

hanif ve müslüman olarak çevirdim ve ben müşrik.lerden değilim34.

Kadlm olan manadan selamın başlangıcı ismi azim üzerinedir. İsmi azimbab'ı kerim'e selam verdi. Selam bab'lann üzerine olsun. Selam eytfun'ın

(yetimlerin) üzerine olsun. Selam naklb'lerin üzerine olsun. Selamnecib'lerin üzerine olsun. Selam seçilmişlerin üzerine olsun. Selam kurtancılann üzerine oıSun. Selam imtihan edenlerin üzerine olsun. Selammukarrebin'in üzerine oısun. Selam kenibiyyP5'in üzerine olsun. Selamruhaoiler'in üzerine olsun. Selam pak ve temiz olanlmn üzerine olsun.Selam ibadet edenlerin üzerine olsun. Selam dinleyenlerin üzerine olsun.Selam ulaşanlann üzerine olsun. Selam dinleyenlerin üzerine olsun.Selam ulaşanlann üzerine olsun ki onlar mertebe ehli kimselerdir. Bütün

3 ı Yani cebennemden. Kw'in wı20den alınmııtır.

32 Kuı'lnXXVf35 den alınmıştır.

33 SUleymin, el- BaıctIra, 5.21-23; sailsbury, a.g.e.• 5.250-252; Dussaud, a.g.e., 5.171-172ve 190-191.

34 Kur'in. VJn9.35 Meleklerden büyük olanlar: Cebdil. İstifil, Azriil, MikAiL.

13

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safa alemi onlan taktis eder. Selam doğru yola tabi olan, hidayete ulaşan,

cehaletin sonuçlanndan sakınan, yüceleıin yücesi olan melike iteat edenve Muhammet'in yüz yirmi dön bin peygamberin-ki omana ilki bab, sonuncusu ulaşandır- efendisi oldugunu war edenlerin üzerine olsun.Selam sizlerin üzerine olsun ey Allah'ın salih kullan! Allah sizleri ve bizleri naim ceonetinde gökteki yıldızlann arasında bir araya getiIsin.

Sekizinci Sure : İsmi "İşaret36"

Bütün boyunlann kendisi için eğildiği, en zor ve güç işlerin odakolay geldi~i ilah bütün noksanlık.lardanmÜDezzehtir. Kendisini Allahkatında büyük bir makamın faziletli ve şerefli kıldığı "Gadirhum" bay·rarnı gününde Hz. Muhammet Mustafa'dan niyet ve işaret bellımiştir. Bensana işaret edenlerden bir kulum ey dinler emlri.! Ey Ali! Tevmd, takrtd37,tanzüı ve tecıid ile büyüklük senin içindir. Ey yüce olan. ey ezeli, ey ebedi,ey yaratıcı,ey hakfm! Hz. Muhammet'in haydin Allah yolunda barbe, haydinAllah yolunda cihada diye söyleyerek: beyaz bineği.ne binmiş ve Mekk'ninkapısından çılmuş olduğu halde sana ~aret iç.in senden isterim. ey nurunnunı, ey büyük kayalan yanp çatlatan! Ey büyük okyanuslan sevk ve idareeden, ey işleri evirip çeviren! Müminleri, bekçisi ndvfuı olan yüksek. cennetlerinde yerleştiımen için bu benim. sana işaretimclir. Bu cennetlerl·isteyen eybaşanh kul! Çok yüceden, nuu'l- eymen yönünden mübarek ağaçtan bir mdaşöyle der: Ey habibim, ey Muhammet! Her kim bana msanın o.rtası.ndaki

perşembegünü öğleyin veya şabaru.n yansının gecesi veya cuması.nın gecesiveya ramazan ayıru.n son beş gecesi veya kuddas38 günü veya milad gecesiveya Gadlmum bayramı günü samimi kalp ve halis niyetle bu dua ile duaederse onu ümmetim yapar, cennetime sokar. Ona rahmetimin kadehindeniçmr ve onu üzülmeyecek ve kendileri için korku' olmayacak 'olanmUminlerle beraber kı1anm39. Aleviyye'nin "ayın"ının, MlIhammediyye'nin"mim"inin, Silsiliyye'nin "sin"inin sım "A M S" sım ile bu işaretimi verdimDuamızın başlangıcı ile manamıza işaret ederiz ve ralnnan ve rahim olanAllah'ın adiyle söyleriz. Duaouzın sonunda bizi hidayete ulaştırnİıa

şükrederiz ve hakkı söyleriz. Hamd Alemlerio Rabbı olan Allah'adır.

36 Slileman, el- B1kQra, s. 23-25; Salisbury, a.g.e., s. 252-254; Dussaud, a.g.e.• s.l72-173ve 191-192. Buradaki i§aıet Hz. Muhammet'in Gadirhum'da Ali'yi yerine halife olar\lkbelirttiğini gösteren parmak işareti.

37 Boyun eğmek iteat etmek.38 Hristiyaıılann ekmek ve şarap Uzerine okudukları dua..39 Krş. Kur'in W36.40 SUleym§.n, el- BiIdlra. s. 25; Salisbury, n.g.e.• s. 254; Dussaud. a.ı.e., $.174 ve 192

193.

14

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Dokuzuncu Sure: İsmi "el- Aynu'l - Aleviyye, Alevi ayın'140".Apaçık, zlih.iri, zati Aleviyye'nin "aym"ımn, Haşimi, melekOti,

nurarn, kurası, Muhammediyye'nin "mim"inin, Nusayn, Nemin, Bekri,babi, Selmani, Cebraili, silsilenin "sin"inin sım "A M S" sım ilebaşlanın.

Onuneu Sure: İsmi "el- Akd, Akid41".Şehadet ederim ki allah haktır. O'nun sözü haktır. Örtüsüz gizli

olan Ali b. Ebi Til.lib hakkı mübtndir. Şehadet ederim ki cehennemkiifulerin varaca~ı yer, cennet miiminlerin varaca~ı yerdiJ42. Su arşın

altından akar, 3qın üstünde ise Rabbü'l- Alemin vardır. Arşın; taşıyıcdan

O'na yakın olan sekiz mtikerremdir. Benim ve bütün üminlerin hazırlı~ı

"A M S" akdinin sım ile benim gücüm ve kuvvetimdedir.Onbirinci Sure : İsmi "Halkın Dag diye isimlendirdiği

Şehadet4311 ,Allah, kendisinden başka tann olmad.ı~ma şahittir. Melekler ve

ilim sahipleri adaletle şahittir ki O'ndan başka tann yoktur. O azizdir,hakim'dir«. Allah kaunda din isıam'd.ıı:"5. Rabbimiz, senin indirdlıine

inandık ve elçiye uyduk, bizi şahidede beraber yaz46. nA M S"şehadetiyle bana şehadet et ey büyük "hieap"! Bana şehadet eL ey kenmolan "bab"! Bana şehadet et ey Mikdal el· Yemin! Bana şehadeı et eyefendim Ebu Zer eş- şirnaı! Bana şehadet et ey Abdullah! Bana şehadet

et ey Osman! bana şehadet et ey Kanber b. Kadan! Bana şehadet et eyNaklb! Bana şehadeı et ey Necib! Bana şehadet et ey Seçilmiş! banaşehadet et ey kurtaneı! Bana şehadet et ey imtihan eden! Ey yaklaşmış

olan, ey büyük, ey bÜyOk, ey ruhanı, ey ziyadesiyle pak olan, ey ibadetekoşan, ey dinleyen, ey ulaşan! Bana şehadette bulun ey mertebeler ehli vebütün sefa aıemi! Sehadet ederim ki önden ve yandan saclan dökülmüs(dazlak) olan mabud Hz. Ali b. Ebi Talib'den başka "ilah". seyyid Muhammet Mahmut'dan baska "hicab". Hz. Selrnan el- rarisiden baska"bab" yoktur. Meleklerin en büyü~ beş eytam (yetimIee)'ctir. Diger beldelerde inançlanmızı ortaya koyan şeyhimiz ve efendimiz Hüseyin b.Hamd~asibrnin görüşünden başka görüş yoktur. BeşeriyeUe zuhur,41 Süleymi.ıı. el- Bikilta, s. 25- 26; Salisbury. a.g.e.• s. 254; Dussaud. a.g.e.• s. 174 ve

193.42 Kur'in'dan alınmıştır, bkz. SurcXLVII/12.43 Süleyına,el- Bildlra, s. 26--28; Salisbury, a.g.c., s. 255-257; Dussaud, a.g.c., s. 174-176

ve 193·195.44 Bkz.. Kur'inID/18.45 Kurh IT1119.46 Kur'in 0053.

IS

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eden mer'i suretin kUlU gaye oldu~una, O'nun no.raoı zuhtiruna şehadet

ederim. O'ndan başka ilah yoktur. O, Ali b. Ebi TMib'ti.r. O, ihata edilemez, kuşaulamaz, idare edilemez, görülemez". Ben Nusam dininden,Cündubi görüşÜDden. CÜDbulani tarikaundan. Hasibi mezhebinden, Cilliinancından. Meymuru fıkhından olduihıma şebadet ederim47". Şiddetli

geri dönüşe, parlayan saldıny3., perdenin ka1kaca~ına, körlü~

açılacağına, saklı olanın açığa çıkacagına, gizli olanın açıklanacağına, Alib. Ebi Talib'in güneşin kaynağından zuhWlllla, bütün nefisleri kabzedeceğine yakinen inanınm. Şöyle ki altında aslan, elinde zülfikar, aıkasındamelekler, önünde Seyyid Selman. su iki ayağının arasındanfışkıTIyor,Hz.Muhammed nida ediyor ve diyor ki: Bu sİzin efendiniz Ali b. EbiTaıib'dir,O'nu tanıyınız. O'nu tesbih ediniz, tazirn ediniz, O'nu yüceltiniz.Bu sizin yaraueımzdır. Rızk.ınızı verendir. O'nu inkar etmeyiniz. Ey evlatlanm, O'na şebadet ediniz. Bu benim elinin ve- inancınıdır ve itimadım

O'nadu. Ben O'nun için yaşar, O'nun ugnına öıürüm. Ali b. Ebi Ta.Lib diri_·dir, ölmez. Kudret ve kuvvet O'nun elindedir. Kulak göz kalp, bütün bunlann hepsi O'ndan sorumludurlar48. Bize onlara selam vermek gerekir.

Onikinci Sure: İsmi "İmamiyye49".Ey parlayan ve aydınlanan yıldızlar, deveran halinde olan gökler!

Bana şahitlik ediniz ki apaçık bir şekilde bilinen ve tanınan saret.-imer'iyye Ali b. Ebi Taıib'dir. O. ezelidir. birdir. tektir. sameddir,parçalanamaz. bölünemez, laksim edilemez. sayılamaz. O, benim ve sizinilalunızdır. Sizin ilahınız ve benim ilahtmdır. Benim imamın ve sizİn

irnamınızdır. imamlann imamıdır. Karanlıklan aydınlatan, başının dazlak.1ığı zlilıir olan Ebu TUrab, Haydardu. Örtüsüz bir şekilde gizli olan,güneşin kaynağından zoom eden, bütün nefısleri kapıedendlı. O'nun vebeybetinin celilinin büyüklügü, ilahı ş~eğin ışığının yticeliği için boywılar O'na eğilim. zor işlmer O'na kolayolur. O. gökyüzündeki gizli

ilah. ayıu zamanda da yeryüzünde imamdu. Bütün imam1ann imamıdu.

Ali b. Ebi ia1ib'in sım kadim - i zamandır. Bütün imam1ann· imamıdu.·Ali b. Ebi Talib'm stm kadim-İ zamandu. Hicab'm sım Seyyid Muhammet'ttir. O'nun bab'ı hidayet ve iman bab'ı olan Seyyid Selmlin'du. Dolannza ve selam ile anmak bizim görevimizdir.

47 Bu cümle Nusayri1erin kelime.i şehadetleridir. Makaledeki not 20 ilekaqilaştınnız.

48 Kur'iiıı XVIII36.49 Süleymlin, el- Blildlra, s. 28-29; Salisbury, a.g.e., s.227-228; Dussaud, a.g.e., s. 176

177 ve 195-196.

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D00095s8y1996.pdf 19.01.2010 16:13:54 Page 10 (1, 2)

ünüçüncü Sııre: İsmi "Müsaferet, YolculukSo.Yerlerde ve göklerde olanların hepsi Allah'ı tesbın eder. 0, Aziz ve

Hakim'wr5 l . Biz Allah için olduk ve O'nu tesbih ·ederiz. Bütün mülkAllah içindir ve Allah'! tesbih eder. allah'ın ismiyle, O'nunla, Seyyid EbiAbdiIlah'ın sımyla. şeyhin -.:e O'nun" A M S" denizinden içen seçilntiş

çocukIanmn sımyla ki onlar elli bir tanedir. Onlardan 17 tanesi Iraklı. 17tanesi Şamlı. 17 tanesi de gizlidir.

Onlar Hamın şehrinin kapısında durmuş hakla alıyor ve hakla veriyorlar. Kim onlann dinine uyar ve anlann ibadelleri iJe ibadette bulunursa, Allah o kimseyi kendini tanımaya muaffak. kılar. Kim de.onlann dinine uymaz ve onlann ibadetleri ile ibadet etinezse Şeyhin ve Seçilmiş

evlatlannınsırriyla A1lah'ın Ianeti onun üzerine olur. Allah onlann hepsini mutlu etsin.

Ondördüncü Sure : İsmi "el· Beytü'l • Mamur, İmar Edilmiş,

Bakırnh EvS2"Andalsun Tür'a, satır satır yazılmış kitaba. yayılmış ince deri üzerine,

mamure ve yükseltilmiş tavana, kaynatılmış denizeS3 ve Taıib'in, AkiI'in veCafer-i Tayyar'ın sımyla ki onlar kardeştirler54 . Ali b. Ebi Taıib nurun DUru.eevherin eevheridir. Ali b. Ebi Ta.lib, erkek ve klZkar-deşlerden, baba veannelerden münezzehtir. Tek ve ebedi olarak mevcuttur. Örtüsü olmayan gizlidir. Evin sım; evin tavanı, evin tabanı ve evin dört köşesidir. EvMubanunet'tir. Evin tavaru Ebu Tilib'dir. Evin tabanı Fatıma Binti Esed'dir.Evin dön köşesi Muhammet, Fatır. Hasan Hüseyin'dir ki O evin ortasındaki

kapalı ve gizli olan zaviy~sımdır. Bu z3viye gizli sırrın güzelleştirieisidir.

Alevi Haşimi Şerif ev sahibinin sımdır ki O kılıçlan kınp. putlanparçalamıştır. Ondan nza ve selam ile söz etmemiz gerekir.

Onbeşinci Sure: İsmi "el· HicibiyyeSSHieabü'l - Az.im sırnna, Babü'l - Kerim sırnna. efendim Mikdat el •

Yemin'in sımna, efendim Ebi Zer eş- Şimarın sımna, temiz ve kerim ikimelek olan Hasan ve Hüseyin'in sımna. iki veli olan Nevfel b. Harise veEbu Berze sımna. temizlik ve temizlik alemi sımna. gökyüzündeki her

50 SUleyman, el· BakGra, s. 29·30; Salisbury, a.g.e., s. 258·2S9; Dussaud. a.g.e., s. 177178 ve 196.

51 Kur'lin LVlIIl.S2 SUleyınan, el- BSkUra. s. 30-32; Salisbury, •.g.e., s. 259-262; Dııssaud, •.g.e., s. 178 ve

179.S3 Kur'i.ıı. LD( 1-6.54 Nusayriler aynı zamaoda Ali'nin babası, annesi ve kardeşlerinin olmadığwa da inan

maktadırlar .SS SUleymlin, el- Bildlra, s. 32; Salisbury, •.g.e., s. 262-263; Dussaud, •.g. e., s. 178·179

ve 197-198.

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,,i

bir yıldızın sımna, yüce Kudüs ve orada oturanlarınsırrına andolsun. On·lardan nza ve selam ile söz etmemiz gerekir.

qnaltıncl'Sure: İsmi "en_ NakibiyyeS6.Ulkelerde gezip dolaşmışlardı. Ama bir kurtuluş buldular mıS7?

Mina vadisİnde akabe gecesinde 70 adamın içerisinden Muhammet'inseçtigi nakiblerin isimlerini zikrederiz. Qnlann ilki Ebu'l • Haysem Malikb. et· Teybin el· l"§hili, Bem b. Marür el- Ensan, Münzir b. Levz3.n b.Kennas es . Saidi, Raft b. Miilik el- Acliini, Esed b. Hüseyin ei· İşhi1i,

Abbas b. Ubiide el- ensari, Ubade b. Samit en· Nevfeli, Abdullah b. AInrb. Hiziim el- Ensari, Slllim b. Umeyr eL- hazreci, Ubey b. Kab, Rafi b. Va·raka, Bil&1 b. Riyah eş- Şenevi,' Nakiblerin nakibi, Neciblerin necibi se}'·yidimiz Muhammet b. Sinan ez- Zahir58'dir.· Onlardan nza ve selam ilesözetmerniz gerekir. '.

56 SUleym5n, el- saıcııra, s. 32-34; Salisbury, a.g.e., s. 263; Dussaud, a.g.e., s. 179 Ve198.

57 Kur'in [J36.58 Suriyeli m~bur İsmaili şeymdir. XII. Il$U"da yaşanıış olup 1192 yılında Suriye'de

ölmüştür. Dkı. Guyard (S), Un gnı.od maitre des assassıns au temps de Saladin, Paris.1877, s. 51 vd.

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