182. THE REV. W. ST. CLAIR TISDALL, M.A., ON ISLAM: 
Muhammadan lands, and we never hear of a Muhammadan 
putting forth his hand to stop that curse. Pity, again, for the 
sick is almost unknown. TI can scarcely remember a native 
hospital or an institution of the kind founded by Muhammadanism. 
Again, I notice in Muhammadanism an absence of one of the 
grandest features in Christianity, viz., of self-denial for others. 
Therefore it seems to me to be highly unsuitable as a religious 
system for the human race. Its standard of morality is palpably 
low, and those who want such a standard may well be pieased to 
become Muhammadans. Again, it lacks a perfect model. Look at 
the man Muhammad, and the very thought of taking him as an 
example should be wholly and utterly disgusting to any right- 
minded or pure man or woman. So that if we judge the religion 
by its book, or by what it has produced in the countries that profess 
it, Muhammadanism is certainly found wanting. 
Rev. Dr. Kaiuu.—I desire to join in expressing the pleasure I 
have felt in the reading of this paper. Perhaps the author will not 
object to a little criticism. 
I will begin with the three words of which the author denies 
the Arabic origin, viz., jannat, a garden, jinni, spirits, and din, 
religion. All these three words the learned lecturer said were 
of foreign origin; jannat he traces to Hebrew origin, and the two 
others to Avestic origin. That is a mistake, because all these three 
words have clear and distinct roots in the Arabic language. 
Jannat is derived from janna, to cover, shelter, or as we call it, 
pro-tect. It means a protected place, or as in English, a garden, 
i.e.,a guarded place. This root, it is true, exists in Hebrew, but 
it is equally an Arabic root, and there is no reason to suppose that 
Muhammad went to the Hebrew for a word which he had in his 
own language. So with regard to Hur or Houries, the young ladies 
of Paradise, that has not only an Arabic (Hara), but a general 
Semitic root, in Hebrew Khir and Khawar. Now, what does it 
mean? It means to. be white, brilliant; and simply designates a 
lady with a very white skin and with black eyes of fascinating 
brilliancy and lustre. It was known that the tawny races con- 
sidered it the height of human beauty to have an excessively 
white skin. Even now it is notorious how the Turks esteem the 
Circassian beauties for the same reason. Din, religion, is a 
perfectly Arabic word ; and there is no reason why we should go 
to another language for its source. Din comes from dana, to owe, 
