'SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS AND MEASURES OF THE VICEROYALTY OF HIS EXCELLENCY LORD CURZON OF KEDLESTON VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA. PART I - The Persian Gulf.' [‎37r] (78/92)

74
In October 1904 Ibn Saud, having received no encouragement from the
Events in Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. during the septennium with which we are
we are
Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. .
concerned were mostly internal and did not
directly affect British interests. Sadun
► - 7 . j a uaruuu. in connec
tion with Muntefik affairs it is interesting to observe that in 1899 a brother of
badun Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. attempted to obtain British protection for himself and that his
example was followed in 1902 by other members of the tribe; on their request
being refused the petitioners appear to have made a similar application to the
liussian consular authorities which was equally unsuccessful.
kh® Mujtahids or Shiah doctors of Kerbela and Nejef, who, though
residing in lurkish Arabia, exercise a religious ascendancy over all classes in
Persia, came into prominence in connection with the anti-Customs' and anti-
Babi riots which took place in the north and centre of Persia in that year,
i here are grounds for believing that those disturbances were instigated by the
Mujtahids for the purpose of compelling the Shah to attend to their remon
strances on the subject of his general policy. In 1904 the Persian Government
astutely denounced the Mujtahids to the Porte as supporters of British policy
in the Turkish dominions, and the Ataba, as the Mujtahids are called in their
collective capacity, w r ere forthwith threatened with deportation to Medina.
This ineuace obliged them to withdraw an edict which they had issued, pro
hibiting the use by Shiah pilgrims during the continuance of hostilities in
Central Arabia of the Hail route to Mecca,—a measure which was capable of
being construed as an attempt to favour the Sheikh of Koweit at the expense
of the Amir of Jabal Shammar—, and in 1905, when fresh tumultuary risings
took place in Persia, their iofluence was found arrayed on the side of the
Persian Government. Jhe Ataba are connected with the British Government
by a valuable Indian endowment, known as the Oudh Bequest, which is ad
ministered by the Government of India for their benefit, hut at the commence
ment of the period with which we have to do the arrangements for the dis
tribution of the money had fallen into confusion. A reform of these arrange
ments was begue in 1902. It w r as a delicate operation and occupied more
than a year, but the final result was highly satisfactory, and Major Newmarch,
the British Consul-General at Baghdad, received the congratulations of the
Government of India on the efficient manner in which he had carried out his
task. The qualifications which constitute a Mujtahid were for the first time
defined ; the names and relative importance of the genuine Mujtahids of
Kerbela and Nejef were ascertained and placed on record; the number of
recipients was restricted with the effect of rendering the allowances valuable ;
a simple plan of nomination to vacancies was devised by which the British
Resident consulted, but was not bound by, the wishes of the Mujtahids already
upon the salaried list; last but not least, a number of Mujtahids, including
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