Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-19

TIME Islam gives in general a much
more definite character to the state
II tman Christianity. This finds its eX-
PLANTATION in the fact that the Moham-
medan or Moslem state originated from
the religious community. Mohammed
the Prophet became also the head OF
the kingdom of his adherents on earth.
His successors, the Kalifs, were at the
same time the spiritual masters and
the worldly rulers, until after few
centuries they lost the worldly power
only retaining the spiritual doihi-
nance.
Already during the period when the
Kalifs from the house of the Abbas-
sides of past splendor, shorn OF their
worldly power, resided In 'Bagdad ana
later in Cairo, almost every worldly
ruler of the Northumberland OF
Sultan-was the spiritual head within
the realm of his domain. He was the
leader in prayer, Imam, just ike the
Arab governors of the Ram nav
charge of the spiritual welfare OF his
subjects. Finally the sultan of the
Osman Turks, Selim i, conquerlng
Egypt in 1917. appropriated the power
of Kalif by carrying the Abasslde IA
lif Of Cairo as a prisoned to Constah
tinople. there to have the power con-
ferred to the victor. Since that day
the power of Kalifate is an accessory
of the Osman Turk sultanate.
But this is not the only mark OF tns
peculiar theocratic character OF the
Mohammedan state. Even if the
sultan were not the Kalif he would be
bound to the law of Mohammed not
only in regard to his personal religious
duties, but also in his political activity
as ruler.
This law, the scheriat consists of
the Koran and it's supplements:
1. Hadis, the tradition of actions
and sayings of the prophet not con-
tanned in the Koran
g Idschma, i-uemmet, the COLLECTION
of decisions of the first four kalifs.
8. Kijas, the decisions rendered py
other very old Moslem teachers of the
law considered as authorities. me
main traditions contained in hadis ana
idschma form the sunna, recognized IN
toto by the sunnites, but only IN parts
bv the schutes The scheriat Is not
cilly religious but also civil law; 1t cor
tains also rules for the political admin
istration, for the finances, for the civil
and penal justice, all under divine
guidance
Respect the Prophets
Though the Koran, declaring MO-
manned to be the greatest true prophet
recognizes also Jesus and Moses as
Drophets and respects the sacred books
of the Christians and the Jews, 1t IS
yet hostile toward all non Mohamnle-
dams, and does not accord to them the
same rights as to the Moslemin' l. e.,
Mohammedans, though more rlBhts
than to the slaves.
According to the fundamentals of the
law of the Scheriat all conquered land
belongs to the Moslemin, the fa1thtui
believers, in common. In the multeka,
collection of the laws of the scherlat,
issued in the sixteenth century we ina
the following decision: "All land con-
ouered by the Imam (kalif or sultan),
Is either divided up amongst the be-
levers or left in the possession OF the
inhabitants against payment of a head
tax and land tribute. The Imam (kallf
or sultan, orders the prisoners to be
killed, or to be led into slavery, or TO
remain in freedom as subjects OF the
believers"
These fundamentals of the Islam
were observed by the Turks as long as
they made conquests. When they con-
ouered q Christian country part of the
inhabitants were led into slavery, the
Young bows as forced converts to the
faith drawn into the army corps known
as Janissaries. Part of the land was
given to the Turkish soldiers as feudal
1.-THE land, and only what was left was
allowed to remain IN the nailus VI o,i9
Christian inhabitants against payment
of a head tax, land tax and tax
on the crops.
According to the law of the scheriat.
also only Moslems. believers, could De
valid witnesses before Mohammedan
court and no non-believers, by which
rule until the middle of the nineteenth
century the Christians were literally
outlawed. For centuries the scheriat
laws were interpreted and applied I'M
favorably to the Christians. The Chris
tians were not allowed to build
churches. to ring bells, to wear arms, TO
ride saddle horses, to be clothed ike
Moslems. and of course they could hold
no public Office in the state or COM
munity.
At first the population of Turkey, not
m sneak of the slaves, was divided on
w into two classes, Moslems and nom
Mosdems. the latter mostly designated
as Raiah. l. e., herd. Originally the
term herd was neither deprecatory nor
offensive but merely an expression or
the oriental patriarchal relation OF the
subject to the ruler. Also Mohamme-
dan peasants were the raJahs OF thelt
feudal lords. After the apohtion ~
Turkish feudalism the term 'raJah
remained as designation of the CHRIS
tian subjects of the sultan, until it was
abolished upon request Of the European
diplomacy.
Make Worldly Laws
The spiritual leaders, though of the
Christians, especially the Greek patri-
archs, were accorded prominent po-
sition and almost independent jurisdic-
tion over the adherents of their fairh,
especially since Sultan Mohammed II
considered himself the inheritant of the
Byzantine. emperor since the conquest
If Constantinople Also the Catholic
clergy, especially the Franciscans in
Bosnia, were permitted many privi-
leges. In the matter of all others after
some weak attempts in the eighteenth
century. the Turkish government saw
itself forced only in the nineteenth CEN
t,Irv to treat it's Christian subjects
--S---ss. 1880 ,,ol1r md in this thew went