112 G. W. LEITNER, PH.D., LL.D., D.O\L., ETC. 
it by Arabic scholars. In 1859 I pointed out before 
the College of Preceptors, how it was necessary not 
only to discriminate between the Chapters in the Koran 
delivered at Mecca, and those given at Medina, but 
also to arrange the verses out of various Chapters in 
their real sequence. I believe we are now advancing towards 
a better understanding of this most remarkable book. But 
we still find in its translation such passages, for instance, as, 
“when in war women are captured, take those that are not 
married.” ‘The meaning is nothing so arbitrary. The 
expression for “take” that we have thereis ankohu—marry, 
i.e., take in marriage or ntkdh, as no alliance can be formed 
with even a willing captive taken in war, except through the 
process of nikdh, which is the religious marriage contract. 
Again we have the passage, ‘‘ Kill the infidels wherever you 
find them.’ There again is shown the want of sympathetic 
knowledge which is distinct from the knowledge of our 
translators who render “ qatilu”’? with “kill”? when it merely 
means “‘ fight’? and refers to an impending engagement with 
enemies who were then attacking Muhammad’s camp. Apart 
from accuracy of translation, a sympathetic attitude is also of 
practical importance, e.g., had we gone into Oriental ques- 
tions with more sympathy and, in consequence, more real 
knowledge, many of our frontier wars would have been 
avoided, and there is not the least doubt that in dealing with 
Oriental humanity, whether we had taken a firm or a con- 
ciliatory course, we should have been upon a track more likely 
to lead to success than by taking action based on insuflicient 
knowledge or on preconceptions. [or instance, in this 
morning’s Times there was a telegram from Suakim about 
the Mahdi, to the effect that Hl Senousi was opposing him suc- 
cessfully. I do not knowwho El Senous1is, but very many years 
ago I pointed out the great importance of the Senousi sect 
in Africa, and, unless the deceased founder of that name has 
now arisen, whether it is a man of that name or the now 
well-known sect that is mentioned, one cannot say from the 
telegram. ‘The sender of the message states that as sure as 
the Kl Senousi rises to importance there will be a danger to 
Egypt and to Islam. But I am not sure that the writer 
accurately knows what Islam is; though there can be no 
doubt that the rise of fanatical sects, like the Senousi, which is 
largely due to the feeling of resistance created by the en- 
croachments of so-called European civilisation, is opposed 
to orthodox Muhammedanism. Be that as it may, I also 
turned to-day to “‘ the further correspondence on the affairs of 
Kgypt” whicha friend gave me, and really I now know rather 
