The Bible and Islam: or, The influence of the Old and New Testaments on the religion of Mohammed
Contents of the book
I. The apostle of Allah 1 ii. The common basis in heathenism. .38 iii. The koran narratives ...... 60 iv. The doctrine of god 98 v. The divine government 132 vi. Revelation and prophecy ..... 1gg vii. Sin and salvation 199 viii. The service of God 231 ix. The future life 266 x. Church and state .... 290
From the author's introduction:
In the seventh century of our era, Christianity seemed triumphant over its enemies in the Eastern Empire. Paganism was destroyed, the heresies had been overcome, the faith had received its full definition in what was supposed to be the final creed. The bishops and monks, at least, might be justified in supposing that the kingdom of God was already established. In the reign of Heraclius, the political situation was almost as promising as the ecclesiastical.
For that monarch, with almost Boman energy, repulsed the Persians, the hereditary foes of Byzantium, and ex- tended the bounds of the empire almost to the point which they had reached in the days when the state was Roman in fact as well as in name. In this period of triumph and of apparent prosperity no one could have foretold the appearance of a new power upon the scene — a power which would threaten the whole fabric of civilization and change the map of the known world. Yet such a power appeared, over-came the armies sent against it, and with example, rapidity took possession of the fairest provinces of the East.
Until this time Arabia had not played a leading part in the drama of history. All earlier knowledge of this country shows its inhabitants to be scattered tribes separated by their deserts and by their mutual hostility. Persia and Byzantium had indeed welded the clans nearest their borders into petty kingdoms which they used each to annoy the other. But of Arabia as a single power, they did not dream. Oc- occasional forays of the bold desert dwellers in search of the booty they were accustomed to suffering. Now there came the invasion of a newly created nation.
The scattered Bedawin were fired for a single purpose. Attila, the Scourge of God, was overmatched by Chalid, the Sword of God, and this terrible weapon hewed the devoted provinces of the East with tireless energy. Syria and Egypt fell at a single blow. Babylonia and Persia followed in an instant. In less than half a century from the time when Mohammed fled with a single companion from Mecca, the arms of his followers were triumphant from the Oxus to the site of Carthage. In another half-century, they had crossed the borders of India on the east, and to the west were checked only by the waves of the Atlantic. Their conquest of Spain and invasion of France are facts familiar to you, as is the battle of Tours or Poitiers by which Charles Martel preserved to Europe Roman Christianity and the civilization with which it was allied. That such a movement deserves the attention of all students of history, is the merest truism. Its political importance alone, however, would not make it the proper subject of this course of lectures.
What makes it appropriate for this place and this occasion is its religious character. In this, to be sure, it is not unique. Many, I might say most, of the great movements of history have been religious. But few if any have shown their religious character so distinctly as the one before us. It calls itself by a religious name when it calls itself Islam, for Islam means resignation to the will of God. The war cry of the clans which crushed the arms of Byzantium was a profession of faith.
Author:
Henry Preserved Smith
Publication Date: 1879
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