'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎20r] (44/706)

'ALllSHTAR (or ’ALISHTAR)^
A plain bounded on the east by the Chail Na Balighan mountains {q.v.),
?7hich divides it from Nihavand and Burujird, and on the west by another lofty
range called Sarkushti. The great body of the plain is pasture-ground, and
Iliat encampments are scattered over its whole surface. It extends for
a distance of about 18 miles, and is traversed by the Ab-i-Alishtar or Hurud
river.— (Rawlinson.)
'ALlBADR, ’ALlBADAL—
A hamlet of 15 houses, about 4 miles short of Bijar, 11 from Karabulagh
on the Tabriz-Kirmanshah road.— (Napier.)
’ALlBEGLU—
A large village of AzarbMjan up the river Gadar, 25 miles east of Ushnu
and 20 miles south of lake Urumieh. Water and supplies procurable —
(Rawlinson.)
’ALlBEGLU—
A village of 30 houses in the sub-district called Mahalleh-i-Tupkhaneh m
Azarbaijan, 24 miles south-south-west of Maragheh and 91 miles north-north
west of Mianduab.— (Schindler.)
’ALl GUDAR— Lat. 33° 17', Long. 49° 46', Elev. 6,615'.
A large village of about 2,000 inhabitants on the road from Isfahan to
Burujird, 35 miles from Dum-i-Kamar, where the Qum-Gulpa r ganroad runs
in. There is a stream, 10 to 15 feet wide, watering the village, running into
the Kamand-ab. Valley very fertile, producing, besides cereals fruits in
abundance : grape, plum, apple, greengage, etc. It is well watered and has
a more wooded appearance than is usual in Persia.— (Bell.)
’ALlHARMl (or ’ALlHARAMl)—
A pass distant about 10 miles south-east of Ushnu in Azarbaijan. leading
from the Sulduz district into Ushnu.— (Fraser ; Rawlinson.)
’ALT ILL AH I—
A sect of nominal Muhammadans, whose doctrine is that ’AH is God
himself. They are a large sect and are fairly numerous in Azarbaijan
Karind and Kirmanshah. It is supposed that there are fully 100,000 of
this sect in Persia, of whom 30,000 are to be found in Azarbaijan and about
an equal number in Kirmanshah. The Chief of Maku and his family are
said to belong to this sect. ^
Little is known of their origin or doctrines. Two theories have been
advanced—-
(a) That they are a remnant of the old Persians partly converted to
Islamism through fear.
! (b) That they are really Christians outwardly professing Muhammad-
■ anism.
The srories of their practising obscene rites are apparently untrue. For
further particulars see Colonel Picot’s report of 1894 on this sect and Rabino’s
“ Gazetteer of Persia,” 1907.— (Picot.)