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File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎30r] (57/450)

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The record is made up of 1 item (245 folios). It was created in 22 Jan 1918-24 Mar 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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9
enjoy a certain autonomy in the administration of its internal affairs, and freedom to
develop its agriculture and industries under European guidance.
A national Parliament should be formed on a similar basis as the British Parlia-
ment. Members to enjoy freedom for discussion and criticism. The foreign policy
.^should be dealt with by King and Parliament. " J
an< ^ I ra k the Christians and Jews should have exactly the same privileges
as the Mohammedans, and absolute equality of rights.
APPENDIX (D).
The Star Worshippers of Mesopotamia.
(By the Beverend J. van Ess.)
A curious phenomenon exists in Mesopotamia in the form of a mass of people who
have borrowed from all the races about them, and have adopted customs belonging to
all, and yet who are totally isolated from them socially.
Ihese are the Sabeans, known to some as the “ Star Worshippers of Mesopotamia.”
Some writers have referred to them as “ Saint John Christians,” but this is a
misnomer, because the “ John ” to whom they profess to adhere is certainly not a saint,
nor are they Christians in any sense of the word. They are the Sabeans mentioned in
the Book of Job, though not the Sabeans snentioned in the Koran. During the time of
the Mohammedan supremacy, however, they have accepted the interpretation that they
are the Sabeans mentioned in the Koran, in order thus to protect themselves against
persecution, since the Sabeans are mentioned in the Koran along with Christians and
Jews as “people of the Book,” and therefore to be reverenced.
The scientific name of these people is the Mandaeans. The word “ Mandaean” in
their own language means disciple, and they refer to themselves as the disciples of John.
Their language is Mandaitic, which belongs to the Semitic group of languages, and is a
first cousin of Syriac.
No printed literature exists, although a few of their manuscripts are in the hands
of European scholars. The foremost Mandaitic scholar was Peterman, a German
orientalist, who about sixty years ago spent two years among the Sabeans at Suk-esh-
Sheyukh. Ihey, of course, also speak Arabic, though never to my knowledge have they
attended any Arabic schools.
In the seventeenth century they numbered about 20,000 families, but at the present
day their total does not exceed 3,000 souls. They exist onty in Mesopotamia, a few
living in Baghdad, and by far the great majority around Suk-esh-Sheyukh. They are
always to be found on running water, inasmuch as the tenets of their religion demand
their proximity to living water. This great decrease in population is due first of all to
the persecution from the Mohammedans and then to internal strife ; further, many of
their women have in late years been married to Mohammedans, and thus the race is
fast disappearing. Their occupation is, in the main, that of silversmiths, making of a
peculiar canoe called the “ Mashoof,” and dairying. Their silverwork is justly famous
for exquisite workmanship It consists of black and silver, wrought in cunning designs.
The composition of this black substance, supposed to be antimony, is a secret of the
trade with them. Of late years Arabs have been more tolerant towards them because
of their ability as smiths and boat-builders, in neither of which occupations has the
Arab any skill.
Their religion is a curious mixture of old Babylonian Paganism, of Judaism,
of Christianity, and Mohammedanism. From the Jewish religion they have
borrowed sacrifices and purifications; from the Christian religion they have borrowed
the observance of the first day of the week. Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the
reverence for John the Baptist; and from the Mohammedan religion they have borrowed
polygamy.
Their great book is called the Sidra Babba, which contains their doctrines in rather
fragmentary form, and which gives evidence of a variety of authors, and, in consequence,
a great number of contradictions. Even a glimpse of this book is very difficult to
obtain, although many demands have been made to secure a copy thereof. Some years
ago, some travellers succeeded in stealing a copy, but representations were made to the
consul, and the book was returned to them. I understand that a copy exists in the
[898—22] D

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This item contains papers relating to British military and intelligence operations in the Hejaz and broader Arabian Peninsula during the First World War. Notably, the item contains reports by my Sir Mark Sykes relating broadly to the Anglo-French absorption of the Arab Provinces of the Ottoman Empire after the War.

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1 item (245 folios)
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English in Latin script
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File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎30r] (57/450), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/586/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100057234919.0x000043> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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