The Dabistan

CHAPTER X.

OF THE RELIGION OF THE 1LAHI AH I IN FOUR SECTIONS.

SECTION!.—On the appearance of the Khalifet of God, and some of

the miracles, called Burhan.
SECTION II.—On the dispute of the professors of different religions

and creeds in the service of the lord, the Khalifet of God, and

the Burahin of the Khalifet of God.
SECTION III.—On the virtues of the stars.
SECTION IV.—On the ordinances of conduct.

sanctity, and belonging to the tribe of Tajek. This word in general
signifies " peasant, or cultivator of ground ;" but is in particular applied
to those who are not Arabs, and by the Moghuls to the natives of Iran,
who are neither of Arab nor Moghul extraction, probably of a mixed
origin. They extend from the mountains of Chetar, in Kashgar, as far
as Balkh and Kandahar^ and live either under their own chiefs, or sub-
ject and tributary to the Afghans, Turkmans, or Usbek Tartars, among
whom they reside. The Tajiks always showed themselves adverse to the
Rosheniahs, and Akhun Derwezeh in the said work contradicts and blames
the tenets and opinions of Bayazid, whom he calls the " master of dark-
44 ness." In the extract given by Leyden, of Derwezeh's account, we see
that the doctrine of the Rosheniahs coincided in several points with that
of the Ismatlahs: Bayazid, in like manner as the latter, established eight
degrees of perfection, through which his sectaries were to pass, and which
led to an entire dereliction of all positive religion, and an unrestrained
licentiousness in manners and practices. The account given by the
author of the Dabistan is far from provoking so severe a blame. As to
the history of Bayazid's life and that of Ms sons — highway robbery,
devastation, and bloodshed are evidently practised by them, in the recital
of both authors. The Memoir of the learned Leyden abounds with curious
and important information respecting the Afghan tribes, to which the
present events in Western India can but lend a higher interest. Some
reputed followers of Bayazid are still to be found both in Paishavir .and
Kabul, most numerous among the wild tribes of the Yusefzei.