Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-11-09
REVIVAL or ISLAM.

A Mohammedan writer in the Nine
teenth Century contributes an inter
esting paper on the revival of Islam.
He says that signs of such a revival are
visible everywhere and he reviews
some recent events by which It has
been caused.
one of these was the Armenian dues-
ton. As long as this only assumed the
form OF a protest against the massacre
of Christians. the author says educated
Moslem not only in India but also in
Turkey were in sympathy with the
movement; but soon the matter be-
came, in the hands OF Christian minis
tiers, an anti Islamlc agitation. The
callph was styled Abdul the damned
and the great assassin" and such
radical language aroused suspicion.
The echo of the Incorporate denuncia-
tons in England reached all parts Of
the Mohammedan world and believers
felt that the question now had be-
come one of a crusade against their
faith They were alarmed and COM
menced to discuss the steps necessary
for self-preservation.
At this juncture the Greek folly
came. Turkish arms have not been
very successful for several generations,
but in this war they We're, and the
Turkish victories were the theme of
conversation everywhere, in mosque, in
street and in market place. In Africa
the victory of the Abysslnians over the
Italians, the Anglo Egyptian expedi-
ton to Khartoum and the lombard
ment of Zanzibar are among the events
that have caused great commotion
throughout the Mohammedan world.
Among the numerous pilgrims the
all-absorbng topic has for years been
the danger threatening the caliph, the
holy shrines and the religion itself
from the Christian powers. They have
looked upon England as their friend
and Russia as their enemy. A change
has taken place in this regard. The
sultan has Joined hands with the car
and the influential pilgrims support
this changed policy.
Another important move In the
Mohammedan world is the approach of
the different factions towards one an
other. There Is talk of Moslem
triple alliance. the powers Interested
being Turkey, Persia and Afghanistan.
1t seems that just before the assassina-
| ton of the late shah, the sultan sent
| a special ambassador to Teheran in
| order to congratulate his Persian
majesty ON his jubilee, and pave the
way for what might be termed the re-
union of islam. The mission was
| headed by one of the ablest scholars
and diplomats of Turkey, Munlff Pasha.
| Pasha in Teheran, the shah was killed
and the suggestion consequently post
| poned. The sultan, however, did not re-
| cali the envoy but appointed him per-
manent ambassador at the court OF
| Teheran. The new shah, it is reported
sent very valuable presents to the
sultan Immediately after the formers
accession to the throne, and the en-
voy who brought them had an I'M
usually long Interview with the sultan
If the two rulers continue, for some
years, to show the same brotherly at
tention to each other as they have beer
doing of late, an alliance between theii
two Islamic countries is considered al
accomplished fact. The ruler o
Afghanistan also seems to be thorough
~ in touch with contemporary Mos
lem feeling and aspiration. Not lonl
ago "the light of the nation and re
ligion" sent some rare presents to
holy shrine In Persia and the compli
ment was very much appreciated b,
the countrymen Of Sadl and Hef2
The recent much-talked-of visit olson
notable Arghans to ConstantInople- an
of some Turkish gentlemen to Cabu
clearly indicates sympathy and cordial
lty between the nations to which tn
visitors belong.
The Mohammedan author whose re
view of the situation in the Islami
world has been here briefly condense
does not touch upon the probable re
suit of the revival OF Islam, but it
probable that its effects will be mani
tested in history. should 1t be Of
4 permanent nature. Ii is probable, too
that an alliance between the two greu
factions represented by the sultan an
the shah would not be for the purpos
| ~ maintaining peace inasmuch as tina