The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10

DR.. Smith Is not one OF those students who show
themselves inclined to belittle the value OF the
Moslem moral code. He recognizes therein a
great advance over heathenism, inasmuch as
the sense OF responsibility to God was enforced
by all the preaching Of Nohammed: A mar is a
shepherd. and what is committed to him las his
family and his property is his flock, and he will
be inquired Of concerning it in the Last Day;
even q slave will give account of the way In
which he has administered his masters prop
erty." The tradition recalls the New Testament
parable of the talents. and DR.. Smith does not
doubt that the thought is the same. namely,
man is responsible TO his Maker. and, for all his
actions, must render an account. The distinctly
ethical character of the obligation thus laid
upon men Is perceptible on almost every
page of the Koran. In an extended passage
quoted by DR.. Smith. the virtues enjoined
may easily be classified under ten heads.
The fact leads one to inquire what in.
fuence the DecaloSue had on the thought of
Mohammed. The author of these lectures Is
convinced that the Prophet of Islam had some
knowledge of the fundamental Ten Words,
though he nowhere calls them by that name.
He seems, however, to endeavor to reproduce
them in the following passage OF the Koran.
addressed to the Jews: Come. l will repeat
what your Lord forbade you to do. He COM
mande ed that you should not associate anything
with Him; and He commanded good conduct
towards parents; and do not kill your children
on account Of poverty-we will noursh you and
them-and do not approach anything evil.
whether il be concealed or manifest; and do not
kill a human being (which God has forbidden,
except in accordance with justice. and He en-
joins you this that you might have understand
inG); and do not approach the property Of the
orphan. except to his profit, until he reaches
hta .-a tA~t A-l I.-
and scale. We, on our part. do not exact from
any soul more than its ability; and when you
speak, be just, even to relatives, and keep the
covenant Of God. These things He commanded
you that you should If the sepa-
rate commands embodied in this list be counted,
1t will DO noticed that they are but nine in
number. From q tradition, also. We learn that
the Jews came to discuss with Mohammed con-
corning the nine commands OF God. This is, in
fact, the Jewish computation. for, of the Ten
Words in their division, the first is simply an
opening announcement: 81 am Yahweh. thy God.
which brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
out OF the house of slaves" There are, there
fore, nine commandments. When we examine
the nine of Mohammed. however, We see that
they do not correspond with those of the Hebrew
code. He left the Sabbath out OF view alto
gether. He knows about 1t. as may be dis
covered from other references. but he does not
give 1t a Jlace among Gods commands. The
reason suggested for this omission by DR.. Smith
Is that the Sabbath Is practicable only among
agricultural or handwriting people. A pas
toral people like that to which Mohammed
preached must herd their fioCks and milk them
seven days in the week or their subsistence per-
ishes. Upon followers who were mainly Be-
dOuins 1t seemed impossible to impose a day
of rest. and consequently Mohammed did not
hesitate to a~brogate 1t. The Sabbath, no said,
is intended only for the Jew.
The first command of Mohammed's Decalogue
forbids associating any other object of worship
with the true God. This was to be expected. in
view Of his doctrine of the unity Of the Deity.
In his commonwealth. as soon as he was strong
enough, disobedienco OF this injunction was
made a crime. to be punished by the Judges.
The penalty prescribed by the Koran for apos-
tasy from Islam Is death. "If they turn their
backs. then take them and kill them, and do not
take any of them AZ friends or helpers." DR..
] Smith thinks that this MaS probably intended tOs