THE FUTURE OF ISLAM. 



89 



much opposed to the progress of enlightenment to hold a permanent 

 place. To them the ground seems slipping from under their feet. 

 They are thinking, doubting, and fearing what the future may 

 bring. 



It is perhaps difficult for us to examine this question -with entire 

 intellectual detachment. "We are taught, and believe, that the 

 kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and 

 of His Christ. Possibly a sudden supernatural impulse from above 

 may so influence the hearts and minds of the followers of 

 Mohammed, that they may willingly yield themselves to the 

 obedience of Christ. But this is hardly a subject for discussion at 

 this meeting. 



Postscript. — In these hasty and imperfect notes I have assumed 

 that if large numbers of ^lohammedans were induced to change 

 their religion, it would be to embrace Christianity. Hinduism, 

 Buddhism, or the native religions of China would hardly attract 

 them. Ancestor-worship might have a certain charm for them, but 

 could not constitute a religion. Mohammedans, especially those of 

 Arab origin, have ever shown a remarkable tendency to revere 

 fanatically and follow enthusiastically religious leaders, as in our 

 time, Senoussi, the Mahdi, the Mullah, whom we are pleased to call 

 ^' mad," and perhaps Bu Hamara. If what is related be true, the 

 reverence of the early Moslems for their prophet was almost 

 idolatrous. "Is it Mohammed, or the God of Mohammed, you 

 worship 1 " exclaimed Abubeker, in his anger : " the God of 

 Mohammed liveth for ever, but the Apostle was mortal like 

 ourselves, and is dead." 



From Mr. S. T. Klein 



I have read Professor Margoliouth's paper vdih. great interest : it 

 deals \sdth a subject which is intimately connected the spread 

 of Christianity ; in fact, I believe it can be showTi that Moham- 

 medanism owed to a great extent its very existence to the zeal of 

 early Christians. It may seem strange to look upon Mohammedans 

 ^s themselves an offshoot from the ranks of Christians, and yet in 

 their early days they were, in belief, quite as near as some of the 

 other so-called Christian sects. It is not generally known that the 

 reason why the Mohammedans removed their Kibleh from Jerusalem 

 to Mecca was because they quarrelled with the Jews over their belief 

 in Jesus Christ ; at this very time there is in Jerusalem a memorial 



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