Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-02
CALLED TO HOLY WAR
Seventy Thousand Warriors
Answer the Islam Summons.
HARD TASK BEFORE ITALY
Sturdy Opposition to the Invasion
Of Tripoli.
FERVID FANATICISM AROUSED
Moslem Host Will Be Reinforced by
Countless Bands fastening
Across the Desert.

Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
CONSTANTINOPLE. December p
Turkeys sturdy opposition to the Italian
invasion Of Tripoli-an invasion much
made light Of during the first stages OF
the warts explained by the fact that
over seventy thousand warriors have an
swered the Islam call to a holy war and
that this fanatical force Is now ranged
behind the sand hills of the desert ready
to lay down their lives willingly and
cheerfully for the sake of promised mar
tyrdom.
This number is a conservative estimate
made by the priests Of Islam. and will
shortly be reinforced by countless bands
Of Turks, Arabs. Touaregs, etc, from the
African Moslem world, who are hurrying
across the desert sands to join their fell
low-fghters against the invasion Of the
Christians. This host of religious IA
natics includes males from eight years OF
age to eighty. and among Its ranks are
many hundreds Of women seeking immor-
tality through Italian bullets.
Fervid Fanaticism Aroused.
Europeans cannot understand the fervid
fanaticism that impels these men of the
east to battle for their religion without
thought Of pay or hardship. and that
courts death as welcome and honored
| achievement. The djihad. or holy war. II
the Moslem's most formidable recourse to
crush the enemy. In the first centuries
| the Christian orient experienced its ter
| rible sway on more than one occasion,
and the crusaders learned to dread II
direst privations Of desert life. The holy
war is a merciless campaign, not for
worldly possessions. not for territory, not
even for the fatherland. but for the
Islam religion, for the faith OF the proph
blood. q fight whose limit is the tomb, a
| fight waged with savage herceness and
vehemence which know no bounds, nc
| control. no restraining influence. Its
| passion and its enthusiasm are the wild
| fire Of blind fanaticism.
The impassioned. merciless assault upon
| the enemy Is, however, not the only duty
of the Moslem during the dtihad. The
| ''hadssehs." or traditional sayings Of the
her of other obligations. not less sacred
One of these obligations Is implicit
| obedience to the leader Of the campaign
| whoever he may be. All personal dis.
| likes must cease. and complete harmony
| '.e:ween the enir or the sheik and the
| patience and faithfulness and the deter.
| mination to remain at the post to bs
| defended to the very last beat OF thu
| lulse-if need be. night after night with
out food or without sleep.
| One engaged In the holy war must no,
think of his family left at home. a
special "hadisseh" provides that thesi
| are cared for and attended 10 In the mos
| conscientious manner by the aged priest,
| unable to join the warriors.
Use. Of stratagem.
saying Of the prophet.~"wa can onls
be successful II the movements OF thu
army are kept secret from the enemy
shows that during djihad the Moslen
does not neglect the ordinary stratagemi
and tactics Of warfare. Those who read
| Byzantine history will find that the greaa
| leaders OF Moslem armies could always
| core with admirable skill and efficiency
| with the wiles and cunning Of the earl,
/ Roman warriors
Every one engaged In holy war Is called
q "shehid," or martyr. To become shehtd
however, the warrior must be fully con.
| sciOus OF the djihad taking place for the
| benefit OF the faith of Islam. A soldier
fallen in simple battle Is not q martyr,
| however much he might have suffered
for his country. A shehid refuses to &C.