The Beni Mzab.

THE BENI MZAB .

"R / T E . MASQUEEAY , a Erench traveller , has recently succeeded in obtaining pos * J- ' - * - * session of a number of interesting documents AA'hich will be of the highest value in throwing light on the history of Islamism . In the course of an exploration Avhich he made in the summer of this year in the south of Algeria , he managed to persuade the clergy of the Ben Mzab to lend him copies of all their religious books and all their historical documents . In order to understand the significance of M . Masqueray ' s

success , it should be explained that the Beni Mzab are regarded as heretics by the other Mussulmans of Algeria , Avho have persecuted and still despise them . This explains the repugnance which the Beni Mzab have always had to alloAV infidels to penetrate the secrets of their faith . On the other hand , for the Beni Mzab , the orthodox Mussidmans

are almost as great infidels as Christians . ToAva-rds the beginning of the seventh century of -. our era , M . Duveyrier tells us , in speaking of M . Masqueray ' s discovery , a p ious sage of South Arabia named Abd Allah Ben lbadh El-Merri El-Temimi thought that he understood better than his contemporaries the religion Avhich Mahomed had preached a feAV years before . He had been a pupil of the Ommaid Kalif Abd El-Melek Ben Mei'Avan , and he remained the protege of that spiritual and temporal soA'ereign of the Mussulmans Avho had not recognized the authority of Alison-in-law of Mahomed .

, Abd Allah Ben lbadh foimded a new Church , which recruited adherents , first in Oman and other parts of Arabia , afterwards in Irak , in Khorassan , in Avhat is UOAV the Khanate of Khiva , in 'India , ancl finally in Barbary , AA'here in the Wad Mzab , in the Jebel Nefousa , in Tripoli , there are groups of the population AVIIO remain to this day faithful to the instructions of Abd Allah Ben lbadh , and still profess Ibadhism . In the course of centuries thelbadhite doctrines gave place in Irak , Khorassan , Khiva , and

India to the doctrines of one of the four orthodox Mussulman rites . At the present time it is probably only in Muscat , in Barbary , the Jebel Nefousa , Jerba , and the Wad Mziib that are to be foimd communities of sectaries of a religion the study of AA'hich Avill be for us a veritable revelation . It is , moreover , of importance at present , Avhen the Mussulman world has reached a crisis AA'hich seems to presage a renovation . The foundation of the doctrine of the Ibadhites is liberty of judgment , so that progress of thought is a domain that is open to them . M . Duveyrier , in his letter to M . MasqueraA ' ,

states that he remained sixty days in Mzab , and only left on account of a secret warning from the tolba , or members of the clergy of Ghardayh . He took away with him in a carefully nailed box the folloAving documents and books : —1 . The Historical Chronicle of Abi Zakariya , the most ancient and most complete of all the Chronicles of the Beni Mzab . 2 . The Chronicle of the Lives of the Meshaikh , or Doctors of Eeligion , of the Sheikh Ahmed . This is a less ancient volume than the Chronicle of Abi Zakariya , but

equall y valued by the tolba of the Mzab . M . Duveyrier used several ruses to obtain it , ancl the person who gave it to him told him solemnly neA'er to mention his name . 3 . The Book of Eeligious Practices of the Sheikh Abi Zakariya . This book forms part of a volume which contains abstracts of the Avorks of the principal Meshai'kh of Ibadhism . It Avas given- him at Djelfa by order of a rich inhabitant of El-Atef , Avho had bought it *& the nei ghbourhood of Mesila , in a tribe UOAV Malekite , but once Ibadhite , like the Beni

Mzab . 4 . The Nile . This is a work of great value , AA'hich M . Duveyrier intends t ° describe at length . 5 . A manuscript work of the Avisest man of the Mzab , El-Hadj Mohammed Tefiesh , of Beni Izguen , on the origin of Ibadhism . 6 . A similar Avork of the Imam of Ghardaya . 7 . The first Constitution of the tolba after the fall of the Lnamate , under the direction of Mahommed Seh , in the eleventh century . This document , very long , is extremely interesting . 8 . The proces-verbeaux of the principal meetings of the tolba and the laity of Melika , for tAvo centuries at least , ancl of which the present juridicial and ecclesiastical "Canon" is the result . 9 10 , & 11 . Other