The World’s Great Religions: Mohammedanism

THE WORLD'S GREAT RELIGIONS. BY PROF. LEVI EDGAR YOUNG, OF THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH. MOHAMMEDANISM. 1.— THE ARABIANS. Says Washington Irving: During a long succession of ages, extending from the earliest period of recorded history down to the seventh century of the Christian era, that great peninsula formed by the Red sea, the Euphrates, the Gulf of Persia, and the Indian ocean, and known by the name of Arabia, remained unchanged and almost unaffected by the events which convulsed the rest of Asia, and shook Europe and Africa to their centre. While kingdoms and empires rose and fell ; while ancient dynasties passed away; while the boundaries and names of countries were changed and their inhabitants were exterminated or carried into captivity, Arabia, though its frontier provinces experienced some vicissitudes, preserved in the depths of its deserts its primitive character and independence, nor had its nomadic tribes ever bent their haughty necks in servitude. The Arabs carry back the traditions of their country to the highest antiquity. Arabia was peopled, they say , soon after the deluge by the progeny of Shem, the son of Noah, who gradually formed themselves into several tribes. All these primitive tribes are said to have been either swept from the earth in punishment of their iniquities, or obliterated in subsequent modifications of the races, so that little remains concerning them but shadowy traditions, and a few passages in the Koran. They are occasionally mentioned, in oriental history, as ''the primitive Arabians," the "lost tribes." Irving continues by taking the traditions of the Arabs, and tells how Kahlan, or Joctan, a descendant of Shem, became the father of the Arabic race, and how later Hagar and Ishmael, exiled from the patriarchal home of Abraham, were received kindly

942 IMPROVEMENT ERA. by wandering tribes in northern Arabia. The Arabs, before the dawn of Islam, were wandering tribes who understood the ' 'personality of law." Each tribesman was bound to avenge the blood of his fellow tribesman. There was constant warfare among them, and this ceased only at certain times during the year, when for the sake of the gods a peace would be proclaimed. Each tribe had its god to whom sacrifice was offered. This was generally a female god, which is typical of all the older Semitic religions. The lower gods presided over the forces of nature, and were represented as gigantic men. Every household had its god, which was called Allah. The god of all the gods was also Allah, who dwelt in heaven. This being was an abstract personage who inspired no ideals, nor incited to noble action. The Arabs were also star worshipers, and offered sacrifices to their gods. Their polytheism had the same effect upon them as polytheism has had on all peoples. No high standard of morality resulted from it, but, on the other hand, a very low standard of moral law was the result. They were very idolatrous, and it was the mission of Mohammed to teach them the principles of monotheism. 2.— MOHAMMED. Toward the close of the sixth century, A. D., when the Germanic peoples had settled permanently in northern Italy and in France, and when they had accepted the doctrines of Christ, as they had been interpreted by the fathers of the church, there was born in Mecca, of Arabia, one of the most remarkable characters of history. Mohammed, born about 570 A. D., came of a good family, but was left an orphan in early childhood, and was placed under the care of relatives, who reared him as a herdsman. It was during his youth that he made extensive' trips to Syria and Palestine, where he came in contact with Judaism, and heard the doctrines of Christ as taught by traveling monks. Impressed with what he had heard, Mohammed began the study of Judaism under a Jewish sect of the Hanifs who lived near Mecca. His thoughts, however, were turned to the vocation. of merchant, and in going and coming from Syria, he became acquainted with a beautiful and wealthy woman, whom he afterwards married and who was the first eonvert to his doctrine. He continued his work

THE WORLD'S GREAT RELIGIONS. 943 as a merchant, going from country to country, until nearly forty years of age, when he began to withdraw from society and to incline toward an ascetic life. He was naturally possessed of a pensive nature, and, even in his youth, was said to have received visions, and to have seen wonderful things in strange dreams and fancies. Withdrawing to a great mountain, not far from Mecca, known as the Hira, Mohammed began his life of prayer and fasting, and one day when on the highest peak of the mountain, the angel Gabriel appeared to him. The heavenly messenger unrolled a scroll which he made Mohammed read. "I cannot read," said the man. Answering, the angel said, "Read, in the name of thy Lord, who created man from a drop. Read, for thy Lord is the Most High, who hath taught by the pen, hath taught to man what he knew not. Nay, man walketh in delusion when he deemeth that he sufficeth for himself; to the Lord they must all return." He was advised "to rise and warn." From this time on Mohammed had revelations. He began preaching to the people in Mecca that the only true and living God had spoken to him, and had called his last great prophet. His new doctrine brought upon him the wrath of the people, and he was soon driven from Mecca, whence he went to Medina. This journey to the more peaceful city is called the Hegira, and is taken by his followers to begin a new era. From this year the Mohammedans still reckon time. In Medina, Mohammed became a powerful person. He set up a theocracy, and in a few months had a large following who took up arms against his enemies in Mecca. After a war of some eight years, Mohammed re-entered Mecca and established it as the religious center of Arabia. The neighboring chiefs soon submitted to him and accepted the new faith of Islam (submission to God.) In the year 632 the prophet of Islam made his last journey to Mecca. With a large army he marched to the borders of Syria, receiving the homage of Syrian princes; and, returning southward with a band of pilgrims, possibly one hundred thousand followers, he made for his native city. Before entering Mecca he delivered to his people the ninth sura. wherein "he renounces peace with all unbelievers, heathens, Jews and Christians, and declares perpetual war against the infidel." The f ellowing is in part his declaration before the assembled multitude :

944 IMPR0VEMEN1 ERA. THE DECLARATION OF IMMUNITY. A declaration from God and his apostle, unto the idolaters, with whom ye have entered into league. Go to and fro in the earth securely four months, and know that ye shall not weaken God, and that God will disgrace the unbelievers. And a declaration from God and his apostle unto the people, on the day of the greater pilgrimage, that God is clear of the idolators, and his apostle also. Wherefore if ye repent, this will be better for you; but if ye turn back, know that ye shall not weaken God: and denounce unto those who believe not a painful punishment. Except such of the idolaters with whom ye shall have entered into a league, and who afterwards shall not fail you in any instance, nor assist any other against you. Wherefore, perform the covenant which ye shall have made with them, until their time shall be elapsed; for God loveth those who fear him. And when the months wherein ye are not allowed to attack them shall be past, kill the idolators wheresoever ye shall find them, and take them prisoners, and besiege them, and lay wait for them in every convenient place . . , . 0 true believers, verily the idolators are unclean; let them not, therefore, come near unto the holy temple after this year. And if ye fear want by the cutting off trade and communication with them, God will enrich you by his abundance, if he pleaseth, for God i3 knowing and wise. Fight against them who do not believe in God, nor the last day. . . . The Jews say Ezra is the Son of God, and the Christians say that Christ is the Son of God. . . . They take their monks and priests for their lords besides God, and Christ, the Son of Mary; although they are commanded to worship one God only. ... On the day of judgment their treasures shall be intensely heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be stigmatized therewith; and their tormentors shall say, This is what ye have treasured for your souls; taste, therefore, that which ye have treasured up. . .0 true believers, wage war against such of the infidels as are near you, and let them find severity in you, and know that God is with those who fear him. Mohammed died in the eleventh year of the Hegira, or 632 A . D. His successor was Abu Beker, who prosecuted the war against the infidel with vigor, and under him began the great Mohammedan conquest which was finally checked in Europe on the battlefield of Tours, 732 A. D. During the seventh century, the Arabs had established a great empire with its capital at Damascus, and from that city as a center all Arabia, Persia, Syria, and Egypt were ruled, and eventually, in the early part of the eighth century, most all of the land of Spain. 3. — THE KORAN. The sacred book of Islam is the Koran. The word is derived from the Arabic verb Karaa, which signifies that which ought to be read.

THm WORLD'S GREAT RELIGIONS. 945 The syllable Al in the word AlKoran is the definite article the. The Koran is made up of one hundred and fourteen chapters, called Surahs, arranged very loosely together. The book comprises all the recorded sayings and so-called revelations of Mohammed, which for nearly fifteen hundred years have been the absolute law and gospel of the Mohammedan religion According to the Mohammedans, the revelations came direct from God and were couched in a language easily understood. They were first delivered orally, but after the prophet's death, his disciples inscribed them on palm leaves, bits of wood, and other articles used for writing material. The book on the whole is very uninteresting, and contains doctrines that are anything but ideal and inspiring. In fact, the whole work of Mohammed seems to be the bold attempt of adapting Judaism and Christianity to the Arabs. * * The power and personality of the man must be left as a problem of psychology. 4. — RELIGION OF MOHAMMED. Whether or not Islam is an outgrowth of Judaism and Christianity is a much discussed question. Herbert Spencer in his Psychology traces all religions back to the worship of the ancestors of a people. The fathers of a clan or tribe are made gods, and they are worshiped as embodiments of great spiritual powers. Every person that has ever lived has a perception of the infinite, and this makes him long to know what lies beyond this world and life. This statement of Spencer's accounts possibly for the polytheism of the Arabs before Mohammed lived, but does not explain the problem of Islam. We know from Mohammed's life that he came in contact with tribes of Jews from whom he must have learned the old Mosaic law. On the other hand, his travels into Syria and along the Mediterranean coast would throw him with the Christian communities, from whom he would hear much about Jesus Christ and Paul the Apostle. It appears to us quite certain that Mohammedanism is in no sense an outgrowth of the old religion of the Arabs. It was evidently the result of a superstitious interpretation of Christianity and the old religion of Judaism combined. The German historian Frederick von Schlegel suggests that the expectation which the Jews still entertained of the future

946 IMPROVEMENT ERA. coming of a deliverer and prophet might have operated very powerfully on the mind and imagination of Mohammed. Carlyle suggests that Mohammedanism is Christianity adapted to a poor, inferior people by one who was a genius and prophet. The principal dogma of Islam (which means submission) is: "There is but one God and Mohammed is his prophet." We have here a monotheism resembling that of Judaism. Allah is Yahwe or Jehovah, the God of Israel. Sura 112 of thft Koran reads: "God is God: the eternal God: he begeteth not, neither is he begotten: and there is not any one like unto him." Again do we get the Mohammedans view of God in the celebrated "throne verse" one of the most sacred in the Koran: God. There is no God but He, the Ever-Living, the ever silent seizeth Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongeth whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that shall intercede with Him, unless by his permission? He knoweth what (hath been) before them, and what (shall be) after him, and they shall not compass aught of His knowledge save what He willeth. His throne comprehendeth the heavens and the earth, and the care of them burdeneth Him not. And He is the high, the Great. Mohammed taught the existence of paradise and hell. To paradise go those whose deeds are pronounced pure and righteous by Allah and his angels. There the good live by beautiful, flowing rivers, "where grow fragrant flowers and delicious fruits." But the "people of the left hand," the bad, in other words, "they shall dwell amidst burning wind and scalding water, and a shade of blackest smoke, not cool and not grateful." Of the day of resurrection, the Koran says : When the earth is shaken with her shaking, And the earth hath cast forth her dead, And man shall say, "What aileth her?" On that day shall she tell out her tidings, Because thy Lord hath inspired her, On that day shall men come one by one to behold their works, And whoever shall have wrought an ant's weight of good shall behold it, And whoever shall have wrought an ant's weight of ill shall behold it. In speaking of the reward of the righteous, the Koran teaches :

THE WORLD'S GREAT RELIGIONS. 947 When one blast shall be blown on the trumpet, And the earth shall be raised, and the mountains broken to dust with one breaking, On that day the Calamity shall come to pass: And the angels on the sides thereof; and over them on that day, eight of the angels shall bear the throne of God. On that day ye shall be presented for the reckoning; none of your secrets shall be hidden. And as to him who shall have his book given to him in his right hand, he shall say, "Take ye, read my book." Verily, I was sure I should come to my reckoning. And his shall be a pleasant life In a lofty garden, Whose clusters shall be near at hand. ' 'Eat ye and drink with benefit, on account of that which ye paid beforehand in the past days." The wicked, however, will bear a great burden and punishment in the life to come : But as to him who shall have his book given to him in his left hand, he shall say, "0 would that I had not had my book given to me, Nor known what was my reckoning . 0 would that my death had been the ending of me. My wealth hath not profited me . My power is passed from me." ''Take him and chain him, Then cast him into hell to be burnt, Then in a chain of seventy cubits bind him: For he believed not in God the Great, Nor urged to feed the poor; Therefore, he shall not have here this day a friend, Nor any food save filth Which none but the sinners shall eat." The Koran expressly forbids idolatry in any form, and this accounts for the absence of pictures of men and animals in all the noted Mohammedan buildings of the world. Mahammed accepted all the prophets of the Old Testament, and believed that Jesus Christ was a prophet, but not the Redeemer of the world. Hence we find nothing about the Trinity in the Koran. In fact, it opposes the Christian doctrine of the Godhead. Mohammed also taught the doctrine of predestination, something as was taught by Calvin nearly a thousand years later. One of