Page 372 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XX.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 333

late sounds, by the hearing of the ear, and

the utterance of the tongue; therefore, say
they, in a minor sense, God prayed unto, i. e.,

requested him.
Although the Khuwarijites regard the Imam­
ship, when once lawfully obtained, as a kind

of pontificate almost infallible, their argu­
ments upon the subject much resemble

those which we might imagine a Transalpine
Roman Catholic, who asserts the sole infalli­

bility of the Pope, might urge, if that Pope
became a heretic and schismatic, and wished
to use his alleged infallibility for the enforce­

ment of his opinions. He might justly argue,
that his opinions annulled his office, although

the dilemma still remains of regarding infal­
lible opinions as fallible. We may further
observe, that the discrepancies in Moham­

medan sects are irreconcilable, being founded
upon irreconcilable texts of the Koran, and

tradition only, nor can it be determined which
is the repealed, and which the repealing verse.

These remarks are grounded on native in­
formation. They were principally furnished

me by an Arab, a singular character, who thus
concludes a very curious series of notes:—