gainst the Omayyads in the name of the family of the
Prophet, avoiding all that could cause suspicion to the Shi'ites, but
holding the strings firmly in their own hands.

8. _Reign of Omar II._--Omar b. Abdalaziz did his best to imitate his
grandfather Omar in all things, and especially in maintaining the simple
manner of life of the early Moslems. He was, however, born in the midst
of wealth; thus frugality became asceticism, and in so far as he
demanded the same rigour from his relatives, he grew unjust and caused
uneasiness and discontent. By paying the highest regard to integrity in
the choice of his officers, and not to ability, he did not advance the
interests of his subjects, as he earnestly wished to do. In the matter
of taxes, though actuated by the most noble designs, he did harm to the
public revenues. The principle of Islam was, that no Moslem, whatever
might be his nationality, should pay any tax other than the _zakat_ or
poor-rate (see MAHOMMEDAN INSTITUTIONS). In practice, this privilege was
confined to the Arabic Moslems. Omar wished to maintain the principle.
The original inhabitants had been left on the conquered lands as
agriculturists, on condition of paying a fixed sum yearly for each
district. If one of these adopted Islam, Omar permitted him to leave his
place, which had been strictly forbidden by Hajjaj in Irak and the
eastern provinces, because by it many hands were withdrawn from the
tilling of the ground, and those who remained were unable to pay the
allotted amount. Omar's system not only diminished the actual revenue,
but largely increased in the cities the numbers of the _maula's_
(clients), mainly Persians, who were weary of their dependency on their
Arabic lords, and demanded equal rights for themselves. Their short
dominion in Kufa under Mokhtar had been suppressed, but the discontent
continued. In North Africa particularly, and in Khorasan the effect of
Omar's proclamation was that a great multitude embraced Islam. When it
became necessary to impose a tribute upon the new converts, great
discontent arose, which largely increased the number of those who
followed the Shi'ite preachers of revolt. Conversion to Islam was
promoted by the severe regulations which Omar introduced for the
non-believers, such as Christians and Jews. It was he who issued those
humiliating rescripts, which are commonly but unjustly attributed to
Omar I. But he forbade extortion and suppressed more than one illegal