New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-03

into n record Of crime and lnfamY so horrible ard
unceasing that At list it becomes positively
monotonous in its hideous iniquity. The Abassides
did little either to extend or consolidate Islam
| They were for the most part occupied in selfish
| indulgence, in meeting the intrigues pcrpctualy
Get on foot against them. During their dynasty
the Discrimination of Islam proceeded steadily.
There was at last scarcely city in the Cahphate
which had not revolted declared and established
its independence Spain was lost; Syria
lost Egypt was lost. This breaking-up Of the
empire accompanied and largely caused hy
a momentOus change in the character of the
governing classes and their instruments. Under
| the Abassdes, the Arabs were more and more
| thrust into the background, and the governing
influence was transferred TO Turl;men, who had
been imported in ever increasing numbers. These
Iurkmen were savage barbarlans hcrcc and
predatory They mcrcenarics such as
Imperial Rome employed 10 her own destruction.
| and their eliminating development took form in
the Janisaries and Mamelukes. They gradually
displaced the Arabs, to the lasting damage of
Islam.
The Abassidc dynasic history is a chronicle
of appalling crime and cruelty. SO prevalent
assassination that few Caliphs survived more
than year or two at the last, while not few
fell beneath the assassns dagger two or three
danger, however, never taught them the prudence
of mercy. They struck right and left, numbering,
mutilating, imprisoning, not only their open enc
mics but such of their own families and kins
folk as might under any circumstances cherish
an ambition liable TO imperil the rciGning SOW
, ercign. When the Omeyycd dynasty came 10 an
end-as usual through assaseinaton-thc first step
Of the first Ahasside Caliph was 10 destroy the
Onleyyeds root and branch. Sir William Muir Is
compelled repeatedly 10 caution his readers against
implicit acceptance Of Arabian statistics. aud this
indeed is very ncedfu warning, for the enormous
figures used in describing the innumerablc bat
ties and mcnaceS Of the Caliphate would if
summed up, account for much more than the en-
tire population Of the world at that period. The
one rcdecming feature Of the Abasside dynastry
consists in the fact that il developed literary cult
ure and some forms Of art But ii Is quite clear
that manners were not softened nor morals i'm
proved by this. for never in the history Of the
globe has regard for human life. for the Obliga-
tons of honor for truth and fidelity been nearer
absolute extinction. Many Caliphs held them
selves bound by no pledges guarantees. Their
attitude. no, only toward enemies. but toward
those of thcir own faith and race, very much
like that of the Holy Onicc toward hcrcticS in
the Middle Ages. The lied and coggcd and
cheated like common criminals and swinders.
They were served often by really great gen
erals and statesmen and in the majority OF IN
stances these wise and faithful servants were
plundered or murdered. or both together. by teer
traitorous and migrate masters. The moment a
general had won important victories he became
dangerous, and must lie removed We encounter
in these pages an old fricnd-thc Capl Iaroun
nj Raschd; but even he has lost much Of his
glamour. His reign was indeed brilliant bu; u"
too capable Of caprcious cruelty. Sir Will
lam Muir thinks him the ablcs' ruler of the
Abasside race. and adds: =" If we except some
fragrant instances Of tyrannous cruelty his gov
ernmcn; was wise and just; as. without donlt, il
was grand and prosperous To the modem
idea, however. IIaroun's villanics are far
too monstrous TO be overlooked or con-
doncd Yet he really far less
wicked than the other Calphs of his iine and
this indicates what the rest were. Filings went
steadily from had 10 worse. Tic people every
where were plundercd and oppressed and every
where were disaiiec,cd The Arab restlcssncsS Of
the populations of Baghdad. Khufa aud Bussorlh
perpctu1y showed itself in outbreaks and in the
attempt TO back mp all manner Of religious fanatics
and impostors. As the Caliphs grew more feeble
they called more on the all Of foreigners one
rash ruler begged the help Of the dreaded Mon.
gols, who, in due time, came, and destroyed the
Caliph who had called on them. The Turks ac
quired increasing asccndcncy All sorts Of
barbariars with fierce hordes behind them assumed
power aud Office Some Of these called Themselves !
Sultans and 10 these the moribund Caliphatc fell |
into subsection. At last the empire which had |
once extended over half the world Was so shrunk |
that it was bounded by the walls of Damascus.
OF the many sch-Us which have convul4cd !
Islam from the beginning there is scant space
to speak here. The greatest Of these has always !
been the quarrel between the Sunnirs and the
Shieas, with which is closely connected that per- |
petuation OF the sad history Of lascin and lIasan
and the massacre Of Kubaa. Every year the |
representation of this tragedy moves millions Of
pious MoslcIns TO passions Of rage and pity. and
time does not appear to diminish its influence ia |
any way This fact, however. may he regarded |
as evidence of the peculiar intellectual sagna,ion
which is the chief characteristic Of Islam Upon !
this subject, Sir William Muir makes at the close !
Of his history, some interesting observations. He
says: The Islam of to-day is substantially the |
Islam we have seen throughput this history, |
swathed in the bands Of the Coran, the Moslon |
faith unlike the Christian, is powcrless 10 adapt |
itself 10 varying time and place, keep pace with |
the march Of humanity, direct and purify the |
social life, or elevate mankind. Freedom, in tn !
proper sense of the word, is unknown: and this |
apparently because, in One body polite. the |
spiritual and the secular are hopelcssy con |
founded. Hence We fail Of finding the germ Of |
popular government or approach 70 free and liberal
Institutions. The nearest thing was the brother |
hood Of Islam but that controlling power |
was confined to the Arab race, and with its |
dominancy it disappeared. Nor has 'herc |
been any change in the conditions of social life |
Polygamy and scrvilc concubinage are still ever |
the curse and blight of Islam By these may the |
unity Of the household at any time he broken the |
purity and virtue weakened Of the family tie; the
vigor Of the upper classes sappcd; and the throne
itself liable to doubtful or contested succession" |
The systematic abuse and degradation Of woman |
hood has indeed had much To 10 with the vicssi- |
tudes thrugh which Islam has passed to lis present
condition of hopeless capitalization. This how
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