A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihad' Part 12

"The Koran does not contain, even in outline, the elaborate ritual and complicated law which now pa.s.ses under the name of Islam. It contains merely those decisions which happened to be called for at Medina. Mohammad himself knew that it did not provide for every emergency, and recommended a principle of a.n.a.logical deduction to guide his followers when they were in doubt. This a.n.a.logical deduction has been the ruin of Islam. Commentators and Jurists have set their nimble wits to work to extract from the Koran legal decisions which an ordinary mind could never discover there; and the whole structure of modern Mohammadanism has been built upon the foundation of sand. The Koran is not responsible for it."[158]

I can only differ from the above in the allegation that Mohammad recommended a principle of a.n.a.logical deduction.

[Footnote 158: The Speeches and Table-talk of the Prophet Mohammad, by Stanley Lane Poole, pages lii and liii, Introduction, London, 1882.]

[Sidenote: Suitability of the Koran to all cla.s.ses of humanity.]

43. Thus the system of religious and moral teaching of the Koran admirably suits the lower and the higher forms of humanity. The precepts which regulate some department of social life, moral conduct, and religious ceremonial are blessings to the barbarous; and that portion of the Koran which inculcates large principles, for the due application of which much must be left to the individual conscience, suits the same people when they begin to emerge from their barbarism under its influence into a higher condition, or to those already possessing the higher forms of civilization. For instance, the command to give full measure, to weigh with just balance, to abstain from wine and gambling, and to treat persons with kindness are intended for men not reaching the high forms of civilization. The teachings of the Koran regarding the graces of truth, honesty and temperance and mercy, the virtues of meekness, and the stress laid upon thoughts and inclinations are fit to instruct persons who have attained the higher forms of civilization, and have outgrown the need of positive precepts of minute detail.

C. Ali.

Hyderabad, Deccan, _March 1884_.

[Transcriber's Note: Despite the reference to a "Note" on page cv in the Table of Contents, no such page exists in this edition of the printed book.]

KAHTAN.

| | Yarab. Hazaramaut.

Yoshjab. *

| Sadif.

Saba.

| | Himyar. Kahlan.

Kozaa. | | | Rabia. Zeid.

Al-Hafi. * | | * .-----------------------.

| Hamadan. | | | Abad. *

| | | * Ghous.

Aslom. Amran. Amr. | | * * | .------+--+-----+------. | * * .-----+-----. | | | | | Zeid. | | | | Murrah. Muzhij. Tay. Ash-ar. | | .-------+. Bahra. * Bali. | | | | | | | * .---+---. | .--+-----. | | Jarm. Taghlib. Mahra. | | | | | | | | Adi. Khaulan. | Ghous. Kharija. | | Vabra. | | | | | | .--------------. | Jadila. | | .---------. | | | | | | | | Lakhm. Ofeir. Juzam. | | | Kalb. Khoshain. | | .------+------. | | | Dar. Kinda. | | | | | Taym Allat. | Ans. Illah. | | | Sukun. | | | | .---+-------+-----. Morad. | Saad-ul-As.h.i.+ra | | | | | | | Joheina. Saad. Nohd. .------------------. Jufi. | | | | | Ozra. Harb. Amr. | | | | .----------. Nakha. | | | | Raha. Sada. .-----------------------.

| | Azd. Anmar.

| | | | | Mazin. Shahnvah. Khas-am. Ghous. Ghafiq.

| | | | .----------+----------. .-------+-------. Bajila. Ahmas.

| | | | | | Saalba. Harisa. | Samala. Doos. Haddan.

| | Jafna.

.--+----. | (The Gha.s.sinides).

| | | Aus. Khazraj. | | .-----+---+----------.

| | | Adi. Afsa. Lohay.

| | | Bariq. Aslam. Khozaa.

| | Salaman. Mustalik.

MOADD.

NIZAR.

| | Mozar (Modhar). Rabia.

| | | Al-Nas. Al-Yas. .-----.

| * | | Kays. * Anaza. | | Khundif. | Aylan. | Jadila.

| | Tabikha. Modrika. | Khasafa. Ghatafan. | * | * | Add. * | * .----+------. | | | Mansur. | | .--------+-----. .+---. | | Aasir. Reis. | | | | | | .----+---. | | Tamim. * Mozeina. | Hozeil. | | | .+-----. | * | | | Suleim. Hawazan. | | | * * Khozeima. | | | | Sad Monat | | Darim. | | | | .--+--. Bakr. Bahila. | | | | Lahyan. | | | * | | Saliba bin Sad. | | Makwan. * * Movahib. | Kinana. | | .+--------. | | * .+--------+------. | | .----+-----. | | | | | Asha. Baghiz. | | | .-----+. Sakeef. Saad. Saasaa. | Abd Monat. Nazar. | | | | .---+---. | | | Ussya. Ril. Aamir. | | .---+-. Malik. | | Zobian. Abs. | | | | .-------------+-. * * Bakr. Fahr or | | | * * | Koreish. | Rabia. Hilal. | | Zamra. | | | | Mudlij. | Ghalib. | .----------+--+-------------. | Ghifar. | | | | | .-+-----+------. Loway. | Kilab. Kaab. Aamir. | | | | | * | * Shahm. Murra. Fezara. | | * .----+-+----. * | | | | | | | .---------------------+ | Rivas. Kosheir. * Jaada. Baka. | | | | Kab Khozeima. | * | | | .----------------+-. .--------+-----+ Muntafiq. | | | | Murrah. * * Abd-ul-Kays.

Kilab. Taym. Mukhzum. | | | | | | Sahm. Jamah. | | Aus Allat.

.--+------. | | | | Taym Allah. | Kossay. Zohra. | | Wail.

* Abd Manaf. Abd-ud-Dar. | | * | Taghlib. Bakr.

Asad. | | *

Has.h.i.+m. Abd Shams. | | | Hanifa.

Abd-ul-Muttalib. Omayya. *

.-------+----+-----------. Harab. | | | | (Sakhr). .------.

Abbas. Abdullah. Abu Talib. | | | | | | Abu Sofian. Taheem *

Ibn Abbas. Mohammad. Ali. | *

Moavia. | Shaiban.

| Sadus.

ALL THE WARS OF MOHAMMAD WERE DEFENSIVE.

_The Persecutions._

[Sidenote: 1. The early persecutions of Moslems by the people of Mecca.]

The severe persecution which Mohammad and his early converts suffered at Mecca at the hands of their fellow-citizens, the Koreish, is a fact admitted by all historians.

The Koran, which may be regarded as a contemporary record of the ill-feeling manifested towards the Prophet and his followers, bears ample testimony to the fact. Not only were the early Moslems persecuted for renouncing the pagan religion and obtaining converts to the monotheistic religion of Mohammad, but they were also tortured and otherwise ill-treated to induce them to return to the religion which they had forsaken. The persecution seems to have been so great that Mohammad was compelled to recognize those of his followers, who by force and cruelty were compelled to renounce Islam and profess paganism, but were inwardly steadfast in their belief of the one true G.o.d, as true Moslems.