The Washington herald., 1910-06-12

Murder is no crime. in the eyes Of Is
lam. when the slayer is Moslem and
his victim is an unbelieYer, that is to
say, Christian, q Jew, 8 Parsee, or
Buddhist.
This doctrine. familiar TO those who
have lived for any length OF time In
Mohammedan countries Independent of
foreign control, but which has hitherto
been generally ignored. not only here in
the United States and In Western Eu-
rope. but even in British India and in
Egypt. has been brought into prominence
within the last two weeks by the refusal
of the grand multi of Cairo to approve
of the capital sentence passed upon War
DAM. the assassin OF Prime Minister
Boutros Pasha, on the ground that a
Moslem cannot be put TO death for kill
ing a Christian.
The grand mutt also gave two other
reasons for his attitude, both OF them
Of a childish character. One of them was
TO the effect that there is no mention of
reyolvers in the Koran. or in the Cheriat
law, which Is based on the holy writ Of
lslam-the cheriat dating back to the
eighth century-and, consequently, that
any Moslem making use OF a revolver TO
wound or murder is guiltless of any
crime known 10 the sacred law. The
third argument of the grand mutt was
that the relatives Of Boutros Pasha had
failed 10 appear at the trial as prose
cutOrs.
Serious Problem.
Diminishing the two latter reasons as
for
ward by the grand multi, IN behalf OF
his refusal 10 sanction the sentence
passed by the native courts at Cairo
upon Wardani, Is one that invites very
serious consideration. The grand multi
is the divine whose interpretations OF
Koranlc and Cheriat law. as applied to
the questions Of the day, are fnal He
is a magnate Of whose spiritual authority
the temporal rulers Of the country must
take account.
Despotic khedives and even the most
powerful sultans have. been compelled 10
submit to his yoke
When Suleiman the Magnificent, per-
haps the grandest of all Ottoman rulers
demanded of Grand Muftf Abu Saoud a
fetwa. declaring it lawful TO put to death
all the inhabitants of conquered Euro
pean provinces who refused 10 embrace
the faith OF Islam, the grand multi de-
clined 10 comply.
Again. when Abbas / Of Egypt the
most saturnine fanatic and cruel of
tyrants who have ever held sway at
Cairo, attempted TO exile the Grand
Muftf Sheikhel-Abbasi to the Soudan for
refusing 10 issue a fetwa empowering
him (AbasD TO ratify sentences of death
passed on Moslems, there was so great
a disturbance among all True Believers
throughout the land Of the Nile that the
viceroy was not only prevented from put
ting into execution his decree Of Danish
ment against the grand mutt, but ever
found IL prudent 10 appease popular an
ger by loading him with honors.
Difficulties for Lord Cromer.
Lord Cromer. in mis- book, "Moderr
Egypt" relates the difficulty which b,
experienced when this self-same grand
mufti advocated as the most natura
thing in the world the crucifixion o.
criminals in delicateiy impressing upor
him that although the onward tramp
of civilization might be heard but faint
| ly within the sacred precincts Of ths
mosque, England was nevertheless stand
! ing without its walls. and would be com.
| PEELED 10 enforce a veto on any such act
/ Of extreme barbarism." Lord Cromei
goes on TO say that while he could do
/ this. he could not do much more.
He could not make "the Egyptian horse
drink Of the waters of civilization, albeit
the most limpid streams of social and
| judicial reform were turned into The
trough for him, II the grand mutt con.