A more abiding political result was produced in Africa. Said, great-grandson of al-Maimun, gave himself out in the western regions of North ern Africa as the Mandi, and gained a political following which enabled him and his line, the Fatimite dynasty. to conquer Egypt and Syria, which they ruled for over two centuries. Dur ing the same period (932-1055) the Shiite Buwey hides were political masters of the Sunnite cali phate at Bagdad, so that Shiism appeared tri umphant in the heart of Islam. But the mass of the people remained orthodox, and the Sara cens finally turned the scale in their favor. From the Shiite Fatimite movement in Egypt sprang two developments, which were for many cen turies disturbing factors in Southwestern Asia, namely, the Druses and the Assassins (qq.v.). Also the Syrian Nosairies (see ANsaaws) adopted the Shiite doctrines, and are still a con siderable sect.
Modern history finds the Shiites, outside of scattered sects, in political importance in the following lands: There is the Alide dy nasty. although the land is practically Sunnite. In Southern Arabia Yemen is Shiite, and there are other traces of the sect through the penin sula. A large number of the Indian Moslems are of the same persuasion. But Persia is now the only Shiite nation of importance. Here, how ever, Shiism has not been able to achieve its po litical ideals. The Safawide dynasty, to which the Shahs belong, and which conquered Persia in 1502, claims descent from Ali, but the Church disowns them, and there has been con tinuous strife between the political and eccle siastical authorities. In any ease the Shiite the ology could recognize their power as but tem porary until the appearance of the hidden Imam, The ecclesiastical head is the Imam-Ja nina, at. ispahan, who is regarded as the repre
sentative of the Mandi. An interesting attempt at reform Nva.4 made by Ali Mohammed, 'al-Bah' (1843). hut, becoming a political agitation, it was cruelly repressed by the Government. See BAB1SM.
The following points of contrast and agreement between the two great. sects of Islam may he noted. The mysticism and extravagant theology of Shiism and the volatile Persian character have sadly corrupted the morality of the Shiite Moslems, and a divorce between religion and ethics exists among them that does not prevail in orthodox Islam. The dervish type of holiness prevails to excess, while superstition, especially in the matter of worship of the saints, runs The people hate lost all respect for the minis ters of religion. In law the two bodies agree except in details. There exists, however, one important difference in principle between Shiite and Sunnite law. The latter has developed its four schools of law, and the lawyers in each school must keep strictly to the decisions of their accepted masters; they have no power of creat ing new law. The Shiites have the theory of a living authority in law•. and their Mujtahids have the right to make new decisions without appeal to traditional precedent. The tradition al mutual hatred of Shiites and Sunnites is still maintained, but. the intensity of this sentiment is said to lie now with the Sunnites. On the other hand, the two parties acknowledge one an other as Moslems. and stand together as against the Unbelievers.
For literature, besides the works mentioned in the articles MAitut. MOHAMMEDANISM, N 0