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15

THE MOHAMMEDAN CONTROVERSY

respect to Jesus himself and his followers the true one; but may properly be termed `error,' with respect to the last Prophet and his followers." Mohammed was, therefore, at first in error because he was a Christian! He also explains the verses where Mohammed's sins are mentioned as referring to the sins of his people. Our Indian antagonist Kazim Ali is more candid; for he does apply the words to Mohammed, but alleges that they refer merely to omissions of prayer and other ceremonial observances, which even Prophets are sometimes guilty of, but which imply no moral stain. So easy is it by forced reasoning to avoid the point of the clearest expressions!

We must hasten to Mirza Ruza's answer to Martyn, written in 1813, the year after his death. It is very prolix, occupying no less than 289 pages; but not being characterised by any peculiar exhibition of talent, and abounding with perversions of Scripture and unfair conclusions, such as we meet with nowadays in India, the work is not deserving lengthened notice. The Mirza treats many of his opponent's arguments with great injustice, brings forward a grand array of prophecies which he insists upon applying to Mohammed along with the foolish story of the Hebrew child, expatiates upon the wonderful superiority of the Shiea doctrines, and praises with fulsome panegyric the virtues of his Prophet and the Coran. We shall take leave of the Mirza with a few specimens of his style; and first an instance of his proficiency in history:—

"It is told of Plato, that when he heard of Jesus having restored one to life who had been three days dead, he said, I can do the same thing; which we suppose must be understood of a person in the longest possible fit of apoplexy. For it is an established principle with the physicians, that the longest continuance of an apoplectic fit cannot exceed seventy-two hours .... And hence it is that when any one dies suddenly, he is not buried for three days ; during which time every effort is made for his recovery, because there is still a possibility of his being restored" (p. 217). "And again" (p. 177), "when Plato wrote to Christ to know if anyone could be saved by his intervention, the answer of Jesus was, 'Divine Physician! without my mediation no one can be saved'" (p. 173).

The reason assigned for Mohammed's having nine wives is

           

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