masp, and raised his
infant son to the throne of Persia, under the title of 'Abbas III.
But he continued to rule the country, and on the death of 'Abbas in
1736 he became king. He marched on India in 1739, defeated the Emperor
Muhammad on the historic field of Panipat, sacked Delhi, and
perpetrated a horrible massacre. He returned to Persia laden with
spoil, but his tyranny excited the hostility of the nobles, and he was
assassinated in 1747, and buried at Mashhad.

[18] Sayyid Hashim.

[19] _Alkhalaq_, Turkish, 'a coat with sleeves'.

LETTER X

The Zuckhaut (God's portion).--Syaads restricted the benefit of this
charity.--The Sutkah.--The Emaum's Zaumunee (protection).--The Tenths,
or Syaads' Due.--Mussulmauns attribute thanks to God only, for all
benefits conferred.--Extracts from the 'Hyaatool Kaaloob'.--Mahumud's
advice.--His precepts tend to inculcate and encourage
charity.--Remarks on the benevolence of Mussulmauns.

On the subject of Zuckhaut, commanded by Mahumud to his followers, I shall
have little to remark;--the nature of the institute is intended to oblige
mankind to share with the poor a due portion of those benefits they have
received through the bounty of Divine Providence. Every Mussulmaun is
expected by this law to set apart from his annual income one-fortieth part,
denominated Zuckhaut (God's portion), for the sole benefit of the poor. I
believe there are not many,--judging by what I have witnessed among the
Mussulmaun population of Hindoostaun,--who do not expend a much larger
portion of their yearly income in charitable donations, than the enjoined
fortieth part.

The poor Syaads are not allowed to receive any relief from 'the
Zuckhaut'[1]; they being of the Prophet's blood, are not to be included
with the indigent for whom these donations are generally set apart. The
strict Mussulmaun of the Sheah sect usually deducts one-tenth[2] from
whatever money comes into his possession as 'the Syaads' due', to whom it
is distributed, as proper objects present themselves to his knowledge;
much in the same way as the tribe of Levi are entitled to the tenth of the
produce from their brethren of Israel by the Mosaic law.

The Syaads are likewise restricted from accepting many other charitable
offerings,--sutkah for instance--by which is meant the several things
composing peace-offerings, offerings in atonement, &c. The better to
explain this I must here des