་

however, proves nothing in favour of Christianity; and it proves as little in favour of Muhammadanism.

5. The Muhammadan view of the rewards conferred

by God on all who should fall in battle, must have wrought up the feelings of the fiery Arabs to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. All men desire to go to heaven; but, in the case of the Arabs, "the promise of Paradise was annexed to all in which they most delighted on earth."*

And such a Paradise! All that a glowing imagination could anticipate of sensual enjoyment, was offered. No wonder, when such powerful stimulants were supplied, if the Arab became tenfold more warlike, more fanatical, more ferocious, and more invincible.

6. Almost the only indulgence which Muhammad refused to his followers was wine. He promised them wine in heaven-while he denied it on earth. But if Muhammad possessed the sagacity which there is every reason to think he did possess, he must have known that a religion which does not inculcate self-denial in some shape or other, is very unlikely to prevail. Man as a religious being, instinctively feels that a religion which involves no sacrifice cannot be true. This principle is also to be taken into account, in explaining the willingness of his followers to risk their lives on the field of battle:

Doubtless, also, Muhammad saw that he would not be able to control the Arab tribes, if their natural fierceness were inflamed by intoxication.

7. The following additional reasons have been mentioned by a recent writer as among the chief causes which enabled the system of Muhammad to take root at first. "The general adaptation of its civil and criminal laws to the existing constitution of Arabian society; the political liberty which it conferred upon the mass of its disciples, by making them equal in the eye of the law, while it limited the power of those in authority by religious ob

Hallam, as above.

stones. (Sura, 16, 31.) The Earth is motionless. The mountains were thrown upon it, to make it so.

2. Muhammad affirms the doctrine of fate in its most absolute and unqualified sense.

"The sixth great point of faith, which the Muhammadans are taught by the Kurán to believe, is God's absolute decree and predestination both of good and evil. For the orthodox doctrine is that whatever hath or shall come to pass in this world, whether it be good, or whether it be bad, proceedeth entirely from the divine will, and is irrevocably fixed and recorded from all eternity in the preserved table,-God having secretly predetermined not only the adverse and prosperous fortune of every person in this world, in the most minute particulars, but also his faith or infidelity, his obedience or disobedience, and consequently his everlasting happiness or misery after death, which fate or predestination it is not possible, by any foresight or wisdom, to avoid. Of this doctrine Muhammad makes great use in his Kurán for the advancement of his designs; encouraging his followers to fight without fear, and even desperately, for the propagation of their faith."*

This doctrine of fate is both philosophically false, and practically productive of most pernicous consequences.

3. The permission of polygamy is a very serious.objection to the Kurán. Reason and experience alike declare that polygamy is a highly objectionable practice— hurtful in all respects. It is not only inconsistent with pure morality, but irreconcilable with a high state of civilization.

The Kurán

VII. A strong argument against the Kurán can be drawn from its persecuting principles. Its language is almost always fierce and intolerant. Passafierce and in- ges like the following are occurring contolerant. Verily those who disbelieve in Sale's Koran, Vol. i. p. 137.

stantly.

*

our signs, we will surely cast to be broiled in hell fire. So often as their skins shall be well burned, we will give them other skins in exchange, that they may taste the sharper torments.” (Sura 4th ).

The descriptions of hell in the Kurán are not so much terrible, as disgusting and hideous. It is also evident that Muhammad delights-revels-in depicting the horrors of interminable damnation. This is horrible-it is fiendlike. There are no meltings of heart-no stirrings of compassion-no sorrow over the lost. Nothing appears but exultation and glutted revenge. The hotter the hell

into which his enemies are cast, the louder is Muhammad's shout of triumph. Oh how unlike is this to the conduct of Jesus Christ, who, when his enemies had nailed him to the cross and were heaping insult on his dying agonies, cried with his last trembling accents: "Father! forgive them-they know not what they do."

66

Muhammad extended his religion by the sword. He openly avowed it as a principle that he did so. Thus we read, (Sura 22nd.) « Fight in defence of God's true religion, as it behoveth you to fight for the same;" and so in many other places. Accordingly, no fewer than twenty-seven military expeditions of Muhammad have been reckoned up; and of smaller actions or skirmishes some enumerate as many as forty-eight,

The Kurán

VIII. The doctrines of the Kurán are exceedingly defective and erroneous in many points. erroneous in The character of God is not rightly exhibited. His holiness is not well under

doctrine.

stood. His love almost entirely disappears.

The real character of sin-its exceeding heinousnessand the deep corruption of human nature, are not at all fully stated. The necessity of Atonement is not admitted. This is so much a doctrine of pure Revelation that we * Abulfeda, p. 195, 197. (Edit. of Reiske and Adler.)

need not greatly wonder at this; but the Kurán is equally defective in its views of sanctification, the necessity of which is scarcely admitted. But enlightened reason tells

us that without the purification of our hearts we canhot either serve God aright or be truly happy. Of this fundamental truth Muhammad seems to have been ignorant.

Love to God, and love to man, are also most indistinctly, if at all, set forth. Yet what is religion without love?

A body without a soul.

Active benevolence is not inculcated, and could not be produced, by the Kurán.

IV. The character of Muhammad himself furnishes a Bad character powerful argument against the inspiration of Muhammad. of the Kurán.

Intellectually, as we have seen, he stood high; but morally low. A Muhammadan author informs us that the prophet confessed that he delighted in women and perfumes.* Licentiousness seems to have grown upon him in the latter part of this life, and up to its very close. He had fifteen wives; at the time of his death he had nine. Jealousy was one of his distinguishing character istics. Among a revengeful people, he was preeminently cruel and unforgiving.t

❤ Ismael ibn Ali. See Marracci, p. 83.

Abulfeda, p. 195. This list does not include Miriam, a cour

tezan.

It will be interesting to note the description which the laborious inquiries of Sprenger have led him to give of Muhammad.

"The temperament of Muhammad was melancholic, and in the highest degree nervous."-He was "superstitious;"-thus, "to render a bad dream harmless, he used to spit three times over his left shoulder.”—“ He was a poet;" and possessed" a vivid imagination." -He possessed "energy and enthusiasm; "firmness and perseverance," -His character was deeply marked by " cunning."-One of his most distinguishing characteristics was "dark and bloody fanaticism."

The question has often been asked: If Muhammad was not a prophet, whether was he a fanatic or an impostor?" It is possible that he may have been partly both. Unquestionably he possessed a warm excitable imagination, along with a false and selfish heart, and it is difficult to say where the suggestions of the one may have ended and those of the other begun."

Inconsisten

*

X. A philosophical writer uses the following weighty language in characterizing Muhammad-. ey of Muham- anism. "A Prophet without miracles,——-ɑ madanism. faith without mysteries,—and a morality with

out love, which has encouraged a thirst for blood and which began and ended in the most unbounded sensuality." A Saviour without Atonement we may add, for, now at least, Muhammad is spoken of by his followers as a Saviour. Rightly to describe such a system, is to refute it. Oh how unlike the religion which man-fearfully fallen, but still capable of rising to fellowship with God-needs to redeem, and purify, and bless him!

Enough has been said to shew that Muhammad and the Kurán have very little title to respect, and that their claim to inspiration is altogether fictitious. Into the character of Muhammadanism as it now is, we need hardly enter. The puerile and ridiculous traditions and observances which have been added to the system originally propounded by Muhammad, may deceive the grossly ignorant ; but none of the educated youth of India-the class for which

* In estimating the character of Muhammad we ought not to forget how much he was under the influence of a frightful disease. Sprenger says: "He was for some time a complete maniac; and the fit after which he assumed his office [as a Prophet], was a paroxysm of cataleptic insanity." "The fits assumed more and more an epileptic character.'

It is important to observe that in so far as Muhammad may have been affected with insanity, he must be absolved from the charge of imposture.

+ F. Schlegel. "Philosophy of History." Lecture xii.

15