by the fact that this supposed reformed and developed Christianity is in fact a retrogression, denying nearly all those points in which Christianity is a reformed and developed Judaism. . . . Mohammed saw that many Christians of his time were practical idolaters, and he too hastih' confounded the worship of Christ with the worship of his mother and his servants. Christianity was distracted and confounded by miintelligible dis- putes as to the divine nature and attributes of Clirist ; jMohammed hastily cast them all aside as alike viola- tions of the divine unity. Too many Christians had made then>selves many mediators; Mohammed too has- tily rejected the one true Mediator, and represented Je- sus as a mere preacher like himself (Freeman, Sara- cens, p. 60 sq.).
The effects of the Mohammedan conquests on the re- ligion of the conquered have been very various. In Chris- tian countries where the Moslem power has not been lasting, as in Spain, Sicily, and those parts of Eastern Europe conquered by the Turks, no trace of them is left except buildings, and some popular customs and super- stitions. But where their dominion has endured, as in Western Asia and Northern Africa, Christianity, once supreme, has now almost perished. This has been caused partially by individual conversions — for no Chris- tian population, except perhaps that of Crete, has ever in a body apostatized — but mainly by the substitution of a Moslem for a Christian population. Baptism and the teaching of Christianity were forbidden ; Chris- tian women were forced into the harems of Mohamme- dans; Christian children were forcibly brought up as Moslems; indignities, burdensome taxes, and personal duties were imposed on Christians; from time to time violent persecutions took place. Moreover, in many countries heresy largely prevailed, which is unable to furnish any firm ground of faith. Heretics frequently invited or combined with Mohammedans for the sake of overthrowing their orthodox rivals (comp. on Egypt, Lane, ii, 27G; Gibbon, vi, 332, 428; Sj'ria and North Africa, Finlav, Byzantine Empire, i, 159; Asia Slinor, ib. i, 198).
One remarkable effect of the IMohammedan spirit of conquest must be noticed. Smce it attacked Christian- ity as a religion, at first defence, and subsequently repri- sals, on the part of the Church became a religious dut}'. The unwarlike spirit of the early Church entirely passed away, and in its stead appeared that military Christi- anity which is so conspicuous in the history of the Cru- sades (see Milman, Latin Christianity, ii, 220-222 ; Lecky, Hist, of European Morals, ii, 262-268), In heathen countries the inhabitants usually embraced, after a longer or shorter time, the Bloslem faith. Per- sia, since its first conciuest, has undergone many vicissi- tudes between heathenism (under the Mongols), Sun- nism, and Shiism, the last of which is now the national faith, and has become in many points assimilated to the ancient Magianism. In India, during the Moslem do- minion, Islam was confined to the ruling classes at the various courts, and found little acceptance with the na- tives. The emperor Akbar discarded Mohammedan pe- culiarities, and was a simple deist. In many points Islam has approximated to Brahminism. Persecution has done its work here also, even in modern times, es- pecially by Tippu Saib of Mysore (Dijllinger, p. 15, 16). The sword and persecution have ever been the means of propagating Islam ; no missionary organization has at any time existed, and individual efforts for voluntary conversion have been rare and accidental. Yet instances are frequent— the Turks (11th century), the Mongols (13th century)— of whole heathen nations, brought in contact with Mohammedans, having voluntarily ac- cepted Islam. Astonishing progress was thus made in Central Africa ; while in China and the Asiatic islands also it made many converts (Diillinger, Muhammad's Religion, etc., p. 16-20 ; Mohler, Ueber das Verhdltniss, etc., i, 386).
The causes of the success and rapid extension of Is-
MOHAMMEDANISM!
420
M0HA3IMEDANISM
lam may be thus summarized: (1) The great power over iKjinadic and Eastern races — as were the Saracens and Turks — of IMuhammeil's personal character and re- ligion. Even in his faults he nearly corresponds with their ideal ; and his religion suits their habits and ways of tliought, (2) Extension by the sword, as a religioits principle, together with the intense and burning relig- ious zeal of the Moliammedans, fanned by hopes of im- mediate bliss — sensual or spiritual, to suit different tem- peraments— to those who died lighting for the faith. (3) Want of religious depth and earnestness among the Christians to ^vhom Islam was opposed. In early times this was in great measure the result of widespread her- esy, which Aveakened faith, caused indifference through weariness of controversy, and created numerous divi- sions and discords; in later times, of discords between the Komau and Eastern churches and Protestants. Christendom was divided; jMohammedanism was, at the time of its successes, absolute unity, spiritual and temporal. (4) The outward character presented by JIo- hammedanism. The permission in this life, and prom- ise in the next, of sensuality influenced low and coarse minds; asceticism in the long and strict fast, regular prayers and ablutions, almsgiving, abstinence from in- toxicating liquors, and other burdensome precepts, and a generally austere and scrupulous spirit, suited higher characters (see Hallam, Middle Ai/es [ed. 1872], ii, il7), (5) The inward truth in the religion, namely, the in- tense acknowledgment of (Jod's sole supremacy, hatred of idolatry, and of everything that trenched upon his prerogatives. (6) The military skill and wise policy of both Saracens and Turks in dealing with Christians, and the consequent strength of their government as op- posed to the weakness and discords among Christian powers.