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210 THE RELIGION OF THE CRESCENT.

Arab mind between Παρακλητος 1 and περικλυτος , which latter word might perhaps be rendered by Ahmad, the same name as Muhammad. We must not, however, permit ourselves to imagine that the "Prophet" claimed to be the Holy Ghost—whom Muhammadans identify with

Muhammad the
.

the Angel Gabriel,—or in fact anything more than a man chosen and sent on a Divine commission. Yet he did claim for himself superiority to all other Prophets, and it is fully in accordance with the spirit of his teaching that Muslims believe, as they do, that the Qur'an has practically annulled all the Holy Books that preceded it. There is therefore, they hold, no necessity for studying the Holy Scriptures of either Jews or Christians. It is very difficult indeed to induce most Muhammadans to study them at all,

Bible
Annulled.

and any copies which fall into the hands of Muslim authorities are ruthlessly committed to the flames. Muhammadanism claims to stand, in other respects, in the same position with regard to Christianity that the latter holds in reference to Judaism. This will show how absurd it is to regard Islam as preparing the way for Christianity. It is not too much to say that, except indeed the evil lives of professing Christians, and perhaps the corruptions that have


1 This word in its Syriac form, ( ) was known to the Arabs of Muhammad's time, and even now Muslim writers assert, on the strength of this passage in St. John's Gospel, that Muhammad is the فَرَاقْلِيط promised by Christ.
THE INFLUENCE OF ISLAM. 211
crept into the Churches of Greece 1 and Rome—Christianity has no greater

No greater
obstacle to
Christianity
than Islam.

obstacle to encounter in Eastern lands than Islam. The lands where the latter holds sway are in fact the only portions of the world closed at present to the Gospel, and in which the profession of Christianity means death at the executioner's hands.2

The Muslims profess, in accordance with the teaching of the Qur'an, to believe in and to reverence all the Prophets.3 An attentive perusal of what Muhammad taught

Professed
reverence
for all the
Prophets.

with regard to the latter, however, will show how vague and inaccurate their notions regarding them really are. To supplement the very fragmentary information given by the Qur'an on this subject, various works which profess to give a history of these messengers 


1 I am informed, on the authority of a Muhammadan gentleman residing in Jerusalem, that the Turkish authorities, while punishing with death any Muslim who more than once attends a Protestant church, yet rather encourage their people to go to view the worship of the Greek and Roman Churches, "in order," as they say, "by letting them see the idolatrous worship of Christians, to make them firm in their own monotheistic faith."
2 A Persian convert, known to myself personally, had a price put upon his head by the Shah because of his having been baptised. Muslims justify the murder of a convert to Christianity by such texts as Surah ii. 214[217]:
‫..... ‬وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ‫..... ‬ "Whoso shall apostatise from his religion, let him die for it, and he is an infidel."
3 Surah xlii. 11[13]; ii. 172, 285[177,285]; iv. 161, 135[163,136].

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