The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-05
nry LIGHT UPoN ISLAM.
A Boid pefence OF the poc'rines OF the
Koran.

Koran.
Irym ne Figaro.
NJ. Mismcr could not know the East my
better than he does il TO had been born there.
and wa copy from his now volume. Souvenirs
du Monde Musuman." soon to DO published n
few novel views and considerations addressed
especially to statesmen and thinkers:
The greater portion OF tho precepts OF the
Koran havo a meaning which escapes ue. be-
cause that meaning is ut variance with our
ideas and our manners. and this is what Gtvos
rise to political errors OF an ncaloulable reach.
Tho Mussulmnns do MT fail TO return the at
tacks that are made upon them. Conceding to
us the advantage in material and scientific
point Of view. they hold that tho riches and
learning Of tho few do not make the happi-
ness OF tho many, and they claim superiority
for their moral and social consttu ton.
Essentially democratic in its origin. Islam
has sumptuary law which puts tax Of two
and upon nll objects, of luxury. This money
Sd to buy vns them tools Tna1ss 70 th9
dangers that hover 'e Over our cvsstlon. tho
Mussulmans compare. 1t to the smoking re.
should disappear in tho flames OF anarchy for
want Of an organic principle. 1t would be- In.
q sG % m its shs While
You accuse u.s. they say "of being dc.
PRAYED. Are YOU less So you who keep up per.
G IS spa bss 'Sad
the arms Of anybody and everybody You re-
proach us for our ignorance. In order to pass
90 good as ours Thanks to the proverbs and
the, rules OF wisdom that are taught to- our
they can s na sSen s c
conduct themselves like little children. YOU
charge our iunctionaries with venality. Who
vulgar herd OF traders 81 every class that Eu-
rope has scattered all oyer the Tasty Youcry
accuse Yours tY You charge .U us wit With fataisn.
Fatali.ts we arc. lust like your learned men
lations upon tho immutability OF natural laws.
Resigned in tho iuce OF plaques. cataylysms.
aa Sf we ssy M Ee Ptonhe For tho
what he Ind done with his camel. The. Arab
thou tied him i injured II the irophet: No.f
have left hin, to tbs caro- Of Cod; dr. Thou Inst
first have tied him and then have recom-
The Christian doctrines of predestination
and OF grace are more depressing than our
fntalisn,., Your Ignorance OF Islam makes you
hst When Wih ssss
in Russia and in Brazil, With the Mussulmans
there are no slaves ", All nre b rot MT tho
tbs aseerding to ths terms Of the koran I'M
salable things. transmissible with the land.
troops OF men who ,proiossed the, common
nges tho moujiks Of lussin. and the negroes
OF your colonies; Prisoners OF war are tho
n syGs that sbsv but % chill
become SO by embracing Islam.
The Circassian women N tho harems are
louks and Janissnrics. It Is the custom from
time immemorial II certain countries for par.
order to ward of poverty and open up to them.
selves a career OF fortune. By virtue OF Mus
East. How many slaves have become pashas.
generals. and ministers? Almost al the Sul-
lSI kss ind s syt
and in Turkey tute incomIarGely superior to
that Of the slaves Of your colonies il Slavery 10
II their recruiting and their transportation
give rise to we,foSnded pr2tests the iau. Is
Koran is RESPONSIBLE Tor abuses.
is scSoTdns to ~ you xnich IL
hian civilization 70 l,oyEamy: The regimen was
made mad avs Saint. rrae,ised poIys"my Vas nos
the ,irst nc, Ct, Of his SON to disperse the ha,em
a m Aa in msss Sas sss
Landgrrve of Hcsse 10 take u second wife. bc-
cause .he first one wa, ugly and got drunk
hypocrisy. and admit that every v!rile
man is. like "a, rooster. naturally poyC.
ell circumstances. he must lie either hero or
n saint. nm exceptional phenomenon. There
fore. Is il not hettor to disc iplne to dam tho
natural law. than to suffer from its overfowsp
IL 1t not also better to obey the law OF tho
Koran which gives to each mother a husband.
and to each child a responsible father. than to
sacrifice innocence and weakness to the
brutality OF man II remains to be seen
whether the kind Of poiygamy which posonS
your homes and your streets Is less demoraliz-
ing than that of the hnrem.
"A Iarem is nothing more than an enlarged
alcove. the sanctuary OF conIuGAl pleasures
from which strangers are excluded. II there
arc 200 women in harem 1t does not follow
that thev belong to tho master any moro than
NO ladies Of honor. Their attendants and ser.
wants In the courts OF Europe are at the dis
position of the princes and kings The gath
ering together OF a great many women In tho
hRrem is sim ply the evidence Of wealth. There
are abuses no doubt. for there are abuses
everywhere.
The Mussulmans proclaim the superiority
OF their Allah: but they acknowledge Moses AS
n prophet and Jesus as RDtah .iHnh the soul OF
God. Their generation for Jesus extends to
the mother. Tho immaculate Conception. In.
tlod uced into Catholicism 10y Plus Ia, has boon
fortwelye centurlesa Mussu man belief.
ITO tho extreme simplicity OF the dogma
must be added the positive enjoyments
which tho paradise OF Mohammed opposes to
the patonic JOYS OF the Christian paradise In
order to comprehend the resistance Of Islam
to all ATTEMPTS at conversion. Christianity 10
u menace. lsamism n promise. said Napoleon
l.: aud his opinion is worthy OF meditation"