THE DESCENT OF BOLSHEVISM
himself with a few faithful followers in the mountain fortress of Alamut. This marked the beginning of his power.
The sect of the Assassins was established principally on the tenets of the Karmathians. The only difference being that, instead of waging open war against his enemies, against society in general, Hasan adopted the policy of secret assassination. This required emissaries who would blindly obey his commands. Like the Karmathian, therefore, his sect was formed of different degrees of membership. Those who stood lowest in the order were the novices, the common people. They had to observe the ordinary tenets of Islam. The dais or missionaries were, a degree higher than the rafiks or companions; and they were both taught to believe in nothing and to scoff at the devotion of the Faithful.
But the most important class of the Order was that of the fadais or assassins, who were schooled in self-sacrifice and murder. And at the head of it was Sheikh ul-Jahal, the Old Man of the Mountain, Hasan ibn
[32]
