Arabic Authors | Page 8

parts, and independence in other parts, of the
country; but on the whole Wahhabism has never been very popular
either in Arabia or India, in which latter country it also has some
followers. It may be regarded as the latest sect of Islam, but does not
make much progress.
Arabia may now be said to be under three different kinds of
government--i.e., partly under the Wahhabis, partly under the Turks,
and partly under independent rulers, while Aden has been held by the
English ever since its first capture in A.D. 1839. In other words, the
present position of Arabia may be more definitely described as follows:
Hasa, Hareek, the whole of Nejd, Kaseem, the provinces adjoining
Yaman on the north, and Aseer, forming a broad belt, and stretching
across the centre of the peninsula from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf,
remain under Wahhabi influences. The Hijaz and some sea-ports, such
as Jedda and others, are at present absolutely under the Turkish
Government; while Bahrein, Oman and its capital Muscat, and Yaman

are more or less independent. Between Nejd and Syria a new and
promising kingdom has sprung up under Telal.
The time perhaps may come, and perhaps not far distant, when the
Turks will disappear altogether from Arabia, and Wahhabism and
independent tribes will alone remain. Another Muhammad or another
Abdul Wahhab may some day again appear, and bring together the
tribes under one rule for a time. It is doubtful, though, if ever the Arabs
will again have the power, talent, or enthusiasm to revive the glories of
the Arabian Empire, which now lives in history only, and is well worth
a study.
For ready reference the following is a chronology of the dynasty of the
Ornaiyides, preceded by Muhammad and the first Khalifahs:
A.D. Muhammad the Apostle 622--632 Abu Bakr 632--634 Omar I.
634--643 Othman 643--655 Ali 655--660 1. Moawia I. 660--679 2.
Yazid I. 679--683 3. Moawia II. 683--683 4. Marwan I. 683--684 5.
Abdul-Malik 684--705 6. Walid I. 705--715 7. Sulaiman 715--717 8.
Omar II. 717--720 9. Yazid II. 720--724 10. Hashim 724--743 11.
Walid II. 743--744 12. Yazid III. 744--744 13. Ibrahim 744--744 14.
Marwan II. 744--750
The dynasty of the Omaiyides was followed by that of the Abbasides,
who reigned as follows:
A.D. 1. Abul-Abbas As-Saffah 750--754 2. Al-Mansur 754--775 3.
Al-Mahdi 775--785 4. Al-Hadi 785--786 5. Harun-ar-Rashid 786--809
6. Al-Amin 809--812 7. Al-Mamun 812--833 8. Al-Mo'tasim Billah
833--842 9. Al-Wathik 842--847 10. Al-Mutwakkil 847--861 11.
Al-Mustansir Billah 861--862 12. Al-Mustain Billah 862--866 13.
Al-Mo'tiz Billah 866--869 14. Al-Muhtadi Billah 869--870 15.
Al-Mo'tamid 870--892 16. Al-Motazid Billah 892--902 17. Al-Muktafi
Billah 902--908 18. Al-Muktadir Billah 908--932 19. Al-Kahir Billah
932--934 20. Al-Radhi Billah 934--940 21. Al-Muttaki Billah 940--944
22. Al-Mustakfi Billah 944--945 23. Al-Mutia Billah 945--974 24.
Al-Taya Billah 974--991 25. Al-Kadir Billah 991--1031 26. Al-Kaim
Billah 1031--1075 27. Al-Muktadi Billah 1075--1094 28. Al-Mustazhir

Billah 1094--1118 29. Al-Mustershid Billah 1118--1135 30. Al-Rashid
Billah 1135--1136 31. Al-Muktafi 1136--1160 32. Al-Mustanjid Billah
1160--1170 33. Al-Mustazi 1170--1180 34. Al-Nasir Billah 1180--1225
35. Al-Tahir 1225--1226 36. Al-Mustansir Billah II. 1226--1240 37.
Al-Mustaa'sim Billah 1240--1258
He was killed at the taking of Baghdad by Halaku Khan, and the last of
the dynasty, which continued, however, as a spiritual power in Egypt
till A.D. 1517.
The empire over which the Abbasides began to rule in A.D. 750 had
gradually dwindled away until little but Baghdad and its environs were
left on the fall of the dynasty in A.D. 1258. Will history repeat itself in
the same way as regards Constantinople, which in some years may be
the only territory left in Europe to a people who once were conquerors,
and whose arms even were carried to the walls of Vienna? As Persia,
Egypt, Syria, parts of Africa and Arabia, by degrees, were severed from
the Abbaside Empire, so the different provinces of Turkey in Europe
appear to be slowly separating themselves from the Turkish Power,
until finally there will be nothing left to them in Europe but that city
whose splendid position will ever make it a bone of contention to both
rising and declining States.
The following is a list of the Omaiyides who ruled in Spain a.d. 756 to
1031:
A.D. 1. Abd-ar-Rahman I. 756-788 2. Hisham I. 788-796 3. Al-Hakim I.
796-822 4. Abd-ar-Rahman II. 822-852 5. Muhammad I. 852-886 6.
Al-Mundhir 886-888 7. Abd-Allah 888-912 8. Abd-ar-Rahman III.
912-961
He was one of the greatest of the rulers of Cordova. Under this prince,
who at last assumed the title of Khalif and Commander of the Faithful,
the unity of Muhammadan Spain was for the time restored.
A.D. 9. Al-Hakim II. 961-976 10. Hisham II. 976-1009
He was a Khalif only in name, while Muhammad Bin Ali Amir,

surnamed Al-Mansur, was the real ruler or regent till his