1 Al Shahrest. apud Poc. p. 215. 2 Idem, ibid. p. 242. 3 Ebn Khalecân, in Vitis Eorum. 4 Al Shahrest. ubi sup. p. 241, 242. Vide Marracc. Prod. part iii. p. 74. 5 See before, Sect. III. p. 53. 6 Al Shahrest. ubi sup. p. 218. Abulfarag, p. 167. 7 Al Shahrest. al Mawâkef, et Ebn Kossá, apud Poc. ubi sub. p. 219. 8 Vide Poc. ibid 9 Marracc. et al Shahrest. ubi sup. 10 Marracc. ibid. p. 75. 11 Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. Art. Giahedh. 1 Al Shahrest. ubi sup. p. 260. 2 Marracc. ubi sup. 3 Sect. III. p. 53. 4 Vide ibid. and p. 52. 5 Al Shahrest. apud Poc. p. 241. be an infidel who thrust himself into the supreme government:6 nay, he went so far as to assert men to be infidels while they said "There is no GOD but GOD," and even condemned all the rest of mankind as guilty of infidelity; upon which Ibrahim Ebn al Sendi asked him whether paradise, whose breadth equals that of heaven and earth, was created only for him and two or three more who thought as he did? to which it is said he could return no answer.7 8. The Basharians, who maintained the tenets of Bashar Ebn Mótamer, the master of al Mozdâr,8 and a principal man among the Mótazalites. He differed in some things from the general opinion of that sect, carrying man's free agency to a great excess, making it even independent: and yet he thought God might doom an infant to eternal punishment, but granted he would be unjust in so doing. He taught that God is not always obliged to do that which is best, for, if he pleased, he could make all men true believers. These sectaries also held that if a man repent of a mortal sin, and afterwards return to it, he will be liable to suffer the punishment due to the former transgression.9 9. The Thamamians, who follow Thamâma Ebn Bashar, a chief Mótazalite. Their peculiar opinions were-I. That sinners should remain in hell for ever. 2. That free actions have no producing author. 3. That at the resurrection all infidels, idolaters, atheists, Jews, Christians, Magians, and heretics shall be reduced to dust.10 10. The Kadarians, which is really a more ancient name than that of Mótazalites, Mábad al Johni and his adherents being so called, who disputed the doctrine of predestination before Wâsel quitted his master:1 for which reason some use the denomination of Kadarians as more extensive than the other, and comprehend all the Mótazalites under it.2 This sect deny absolute predestination, saying that evil and injustice ought not to be attributed to GOD, but to man, who is a free agent, and may therefore be rewarded or punished for his actions, which GOD has granted him power either to do or to be let alone.3 And hence it is said they are called Kadarians, because they deny al Kadr, or GOD'S absolute decree; though others, thinking it not so proper to come from Kadr, or Kodrat, i.e., power, because they assert man's power to act freely.4 Those, however, who give the name of Kadarians to the