KARMATI sect is an offshoot of the Ismaili heresy, and is often confounded with it. There were some points of doctrinal difference, but the uninitiated were ignorant of them, and unable to distinguish them ; so the two names came to be often used indifferently. Orthodox writers, hating and despising the heretics, were prone to speak of them by some general name ; or if they at tempted to be more specific, their ignorance frequently led to a confusion and misappropriation of terms. Thus the term Ismailian includes Kar matians, Assassins, and others, and for the Ismail ians the wider term Mulahida, heretics, is often used.
The Ismailians do not admit the rightful suc cession of the Imams reeognis d by the orthodox. They acknowledge Ali, Hasa , and Husain, but maintain that the line vith Ismail, son of Jafar Sadik, who was the seventh and last Imam. From him they take the nagne Ismailian, and from him also they are called\ ' Seveners.' The teaching of the Ismailians put a metaphorical interpretation on the Koran, which tended to explain away and supersede its doctrines, leaving only a negative religion, and substituting licence for morality. The doctrines of the Ismail ians were embraced by a man named Abdullah, son of Maimun, a native of Persia, who devoted his powers not only to the overthrow of Arab ascendency, but to the subversion of Islam, and, indeed, of all religion. His mode of action was by secret influence and missionary exertion. The culminating doctrine of his teaching was the vanity of all religions, and the indifference of actions, the good receiving no recompense, and the bad no chastisement, either in this world or in the next. Among the followers of Abdullah was one named Ahmad, or, as he was afterwards called, Karmat. He rose about the year H. 278 (A.D. 891), and was the founder of the Karmatians. The term Karmata or Karmat belongs to a kind of Arabic writing in which the letters are very small and the linos very close. This style being well suited for secret communications, was adopted by Ahmad, and hence he was called Karmat, and his followers Karmati or Karamata, Anglia Kar matians. Teaching the doctrine that everything desirable was allowable, he differed from his pre decessors by endeavouring to carry out his views by violence, and began an open unrelenting war upon the ruling powers. In H. 290 (A.D. 903)
the Karmatians made a fearful inroad into Syria, and in H. 311 (A.D. 923) they plundered Basra and Kufa. In H. 319 (A.D. 931) under a famous leader, Abu Tahir, they took the city of Mecca with terrible slaughter, plundered the temple, and carried away the holy hajr-ul-aswad, or black stone, which they retained for twenty years. Ar Razi, the twentieth khalif, actually agreed to pay them an annual subsidy to secure the safe passage of the pilgrims to Mecca.
The Fatimite throne of Egypt, founded by an Ismailian in H. 297 (A.D. 909-910), in rivalry of the Arabian khalifat, grew rapidly in power, and became a source of great jealousy and trouble to the occupants of the throne of Baghdad. Political rivalry thus combined with religious hatred to make the war between the faithful and the heretics most savage and unrelenting.
From the Ismailians sprang another sect, which forced itself upon the notice of the Crusaders, and introduced a new word, Assassin, into the languages of Europe. This sect was founded by a native of Re, named Hasan Sabah, who was schoolfellow and companion of Nizam-ul-Mulk, the well-known wazir of the Seljuki government, and author of the Majma-ul-Wasaya. The forcible removal of all foes and rivals by the dagger of the assassin, was the profession and the distinctive practice of this abominable sect. Amongst others, Nizam - ul - Mulk, above referred to, fell under their daggers, and the author of the Jahan-kusha had nearly become a victim to Ismailian assassins. In H. 483, Hasan Sabah obtained possession of the strong fortress of Alah-amut or Alamut (the Eagle's Nest), in the province of Rudbar, about eleven parasangs north of Kazwin, and here he and his descendants maintained themselves for nearly two centuries, when the fortress and many others fell under the iron tread of the Mongols. The excesses of the Assassins had impelled Mangu Khan to determine upon the extermination of the whole sect of Ismailians, and under him and his successor Hulaku, their fortresses were taken, and many thousands of their men, women, and chil dren, and babes at the breast, were put to the sword.