Abu Tahir died in 332 of the Hegira, master of Arabia, Syria, and Irak. It was not until seven years later (A.D. 950), inukr the reign of two of his brothers who had succeeded him, that the " black stone" -was re- turned to IMecca for an enormous ransom, and fixed there, in the seventh piUar of the moscpie called Rahmat (God's mercy). But with the death of Abu Tahir the star of the Karmathians began to wane. Little is heard of them of any import till 375, when they were defeated before Kufti — an event which seems to have put an end to their dominion in Irak and Syria. In 378 they were further defeated in battle by Asfar, and their chief kill- ed. They retreated to Lahsa, where they fortified them- selves; whereupon Asfiir marched to Elkatif, took it, and carried away all the baggage, slaves, and animals of the Karmathians of that town, and retired to Basra. This seems to have finally ruined the already -(vcak band of that once formidable power, and nothing fur- ther is heard of them in history, although they retained Lahsa down to 430, and even later. To our own day there still exists, according to Palgrave, some disaffect- ed remnants of them at Hasa (the modern name of their ancient centre and stronghold), and other tracts of the peninsula; and their antagonism against IMohammed- anism, which they have utterly abrogated among them- selves, so far from Ijeing aliated, bids fair to break out anew into open rebellion at the first opportunity. In- deed, some of the most trustworthy writers on Eastern historj' assert that the modern Druses owe the origin of their religious belief to the Karmatliiaiis (comp. Mad- den, Turkish Empire, ii, 210).
The religious heVuf of the Karmathians, so far as it has been preserved to us, seems in the beginning — be- fore Ismailism became a mixture of "naturalism" and "materialism" of whilom Sabaism, and of Indian incar- nations and transmigrations of later days — to have only been a kind of "reformed" Islam. Their master Kar- matha, this sect maintained, had evinced himself to be a true prophet, and had brought a new law into the world. By this many of the IMohammedan tenets were altered, many ancient ceremonies and forms of prayer were changed, and an entirely new kind of fast intro- duced. Wine was permitted, as well as a few other things which the Koran prohibited, while many of the precejits found in that book were made mere allegories. L'rayer was but the symbol of obedience to their imam, and fasting the symbol of silence, or, rather, of conceal- ment of the religious doctrine from the stranger. Thej' also believed fornication to be the sin of infidelity, and the guilt thereof to be incurred by those who revealed the mysteries of their religion, or failed to pay a blind obedience to their chief, or to contribute the fifth part of their jiroperty as an offering to the imam (compare Sale. Prclimliiari/ Discourse fo tlte Koran').
For further details, see Weil, GescJdchte d. Chalijen;
KARX
23
KARO
idem, Geschichte der islam'Uischen Volker (Stuttg. 18Cfi, 8vo),p. 197 sq. ; De (Joeje, il/e^woiz-e sur Its Cannathi's, etc. ; Silvestre de Sacy, litlif/ion des Druses ; Sale, Ko- ran; Taj'lor, Hist. Mohammedanism, p. 223 sq. ; Madden, Turkish Jimpire, ii, IGi sq. ; Chambers, Cyclopcedia, x, 58G sq. See Siiiites.
Karn, Aakox Jakob, a Lutheran minister, was born in Loudon Co., Virginia, August, 1820. In his youth lie dedicated himself to the service of the Lord, and, with a view to enter the Christian ministry, became a stu- dent ill tlie institution at Gettysburg in the autumn of 1837, and was gTaduated from Pennsylvania College in 18-12, and from the theological seminary in 1811. After his license to preach he accepted a caU to the Lu- theran Church at Pine Grove, Pa. ; thence he removed to Canton, Ohio. In 1848 he took charge of the En- glish Lutheran Church in Savannah, Georgia. Here he labored, enjoying the confidence of his people and the re- spect of the whole community, till his physical strength gave vvay, and advancing disease compelled him to sus- pentl the exercise of his office. His congregation sug- gested a trip to foreign lands. They provided the ex- penses for the journey, and supplies for the pulpit during his absence. He travelled through France, Ital}', Ger- many, and Switzerland, but his impaired health derived no advantage from the tour, and he returned to his na- tive country only to close liis life surrounded l)y the tender sympathies of loved ones at home. He died at Chicago, lU., Dec. 19, 18t)0. Karn was an able preacher and an excellent man. His ministry was fruitfid in good results. During the prevalence of flie yeUow fever in Savannah in 1854 and 1858, he continued at his post, exhausting his time and his strength in ministering to the suffering and the dying, not only of his own con- gregation, but to others wlio were not in connection with any Church, amid scenes the most distressing and heart-rending, in his offices of kindness to the sick and in the burial of the dead. It is supposed his physical constitution sustained an injury from the influences of the epidemic from whicli he never recovered. (M. L. S.)
Karnaim. See Asiitarotii-karnaim.