Chapter II: Preface

It is difficult, if not impossible, for any one not endowed with a spirit of sympathy, or the faculty of transporting the mind to the social conditions and moral needs of other times, to do justice to the Teacher of another Faith, especially if that Faith is imagined to be in rivalry with his own.

Generally speaking, the attitude of Christian writers towards Mohammed and his religion is akin to that of the critical Jew towards the Teacher of Nazareth, or of the philosophical Celsus towards Christianity.

In the brochure which the liberalism and enterprise of the publishers enables me to place before the public, I have endeavoured to outline from inside the essential teachings of Islâm and the prominent features of its History. For a fuller and more developed treatment of its ethics and philosophy, of the history of its civilisation and its work in the advancement of culture and humanitarian science, I must refer the student, with all diffidence, to my larger expositions.

It is to be hoped that this little book, by helping to give an insight into Islâm as it is understood by its professors, may become the means of removing some of the misapprehensions regarding its true aims and ideals, which are undoubtedly the cause of much of the antipathy prevalent in the West, and of the frequent incentives to a modern crusade.

A little more knowledge on both sides, a little more sympathy between two religions which have a common aspiration—the elevation of mankind—will largely conduce to the promotion of peace and good-will on earth.

AMEER ALI.

REFORM CLUB, 1906.

CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER I.—Foreword—Islâm, its meaning—Its Cardinal Principle—Belief
in a Future Life—Conception of Evolution—Moral Responsibility—The
Ethical Code of Islâm—Toleration—Position of Women—Bondsmen and
Bondswomen—Intellectualism, 1-34

CHAPTER II.—Mohammed—His Birth—His Call—The Persecution—The
Hegira—Mohammed at Medîna—His Charter to the
Christians—Conquest of Mecca—The Sermon on the Mount—The
Fulfilment of the Mission—The Prophet’s Death, 35-55

CHAPTER III.—The Election of Abû Bakr as Caliph—His Allocution—His
Injunction to the Troops—Revolt of the Tribes—War with
Persia—Defeat of the Persians—War with Byzantium—Its
Causes—Death of Abû Bakr—Election of Omar—Conquest of
Syria—Capitulation of Jerusalem—Assassination of Omar—Election
of Osmân—Conquest of Egypt—Death of Osmân—Election of
Ali—Rebellion of Muâwiyah—Death of Ali—The Ommeyades—Butchery
of Kerbela—The Martyrdom of Hussain—Conquest of Spain—The
Abbassides—Destruction of Bagdad—The Title of the Ottoman
Caliphs—The Ommeyade Caliphate of Spain—The Fatimide Caliphate
of North Africa—The Crusades—Their Effect on Islâm—The
Eruption of the Tartars—Destruction of Science and Learning in
Islâm—Granada—The Sunni and Shiah Church—The Sects of
Islâm—Ashaarïsm—Mutazalaism, 56-78

SELECTED WORKS ON ISLÂM, 79

ISLÂM