* * * * *
[Illustration: MUHAMMAD (THE PROPHET) WITNESSES ALI (HIS SON-IN-LAW
AND SUCCESSOR) DEFEAT AMR BEN ABDWAD]
One of the eight illustrations for a XIIIth Century Persian Manuscript
entitled, "HISTORY OF TABARI", compiled A.H. 310 (A.D. 922). The
present copy is a subsequent one of the Persian version, translated by
AL B'ALA'MI, A.H. 352.
It is interesting to note that TABARI records in the book here
referred to, that three messages were sent by MUHAMMAD to KHUSRAW
PARNIZ, imparting the divine warnings. One of the messages, as
recorded in an old Manuscript entitled NIHAYAT UL-IRAB, reads:
"In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. From MUHAMMAD
the Apostle of God to KHUSRAW son of HURMAZD. But to proceed. Verily I
extol unto thee God, beside whom there is no other God. He it is who
guarded me when I was an orphan, and made me rich when I was
destitute, and guided me when I was straying in error. Only he who is
bereft of understanding, and over whom calamity triumphs, rejects the
message which I am sent to announce. O KHUSRAW, submit and thou shalt
be safe, or else prepare to wage with God and with his Apostle a war
which shall not find them helpless. Farewell."
* * * * *
[Illustration]
The rise of ISLAM and its rapid advent to power, is perhaps the most
surprising chapter of the history of mankind. The great empires,
Persian and Byzantine, which were subjected to the urgent onslaught of
this rising power may have been in an enfeebled condition as a result
of excess of despotism and internal dissensions, as historians affirm;
but that the element of the power must have been in the rationality of
the principles contained in the teaching, there can be no doubt.
"It was undoubtedly to ISLAM, that simple yet majestic creed of which
no unprejudiced student can ignore the grandeur, that Arabs owed the
splendid part which they were destined to play in the history of
civilization. In judging of the Arabian Prophet, western critics are
too often inclined to ignore the condition from which he raised his
country, and to forget that many institutions which they condemn were
not introduced but only tolerated by ISLAM. The early Muslims were
very sensible of the immense amelioration in their life effected by
MUHAMMAD'S teachings. What this same amelioration was is well shown in
the following passage from the oldest extant biography of the
Prophet," says Professor G. Browne in his memorable work on Persia,[1]
and quotes IBN HISHAM (A.H. 213: A.D. 828) in support.
[Footnote 1: "Literary History of Persia," by Edward G. Browne, M.A.,
M.B., Vol. I, page 186.]
"During the first half of the seventh century," says DOZY in
[CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE]
* * * * *
[Illustration: ACCESSION AT KUFA, A.D. 749, OF ABU'L-ABBAS ABDULLAH
AS-SAFFAH FIRST CALIPH OF THE HOUSE OF ABBAS]
One of eight illustrations for a XIIIth Century Manuscript entitled,
"HISTORY OF TABARI", compiled A.H. 310 (A.D. 922). The present copy is
a subsequent one of the Persian version, translated by AL B'ALA'MI,
A.H. 352.
"It was a dynasty abounding in good qualities, richly endowed with
generous attributes, wherein the wares of science found a ready sale,
the merchandise of culture was in great demand, the observances of
religion were respected, charitable bequests flowed freely ... and the
frontiers were bravely kept."--AL-FAKHRI (historian of fame of the
XIIIth Century) on the ABBASID Dynasty.
* * * * *
[PAGE 3]
his excellent work on ISLAM,[2] "everything followed its accustomed
course in the Byzantine as in the Persian Empire. These two states
continued always to dispute the possession of western Asia; they were,
to all outward appearance, flourishing; the taxes which poured into
the treasuries of their Kings reached considerable sums, and the
magnificence, as well as the luxury of their capitals had become
proverbial. But all this was but in appearance, for secret disease
consumed both empires; they were burdened by a crushing despotism; on
either hand the history of the dynasties formed a concatenation of
horrors, that of the state a series of persecutions born of
dissensions in religious matters. At this juncture it was that, all of
a sudden, there emerged from deserts hardly known and appeared on the
scene of the world a new people, hitherto divided into innumerable
nomad tribes, who, for the most part, had been at war with one
another, now for the first time united. It was this people,
passionately attached to liberty, simple in their food and dress,
noble and hospitable, gay and witty, but at the same time proud,
irascible, and, once their passions were aroused, vindictive,
irreconcilable and cruel, who overthrew in an instant the venerable
but rotten empire of the Persians, snatched from the successors of
Constantine their fairest provinces, trampled under their feet a
Germanic kingdom but lately founded, and menaced the rest of Europe,
while at the same time, at the other end of the world, its victorious
armies penetrated to the Himalayas. Yet it was not like so many other
conquering peoples, for it preached at the same time a new religion.
In opposition to the dualism of the Persians and a degenerate
Christianity, it announced a pure monotheism which was accepted by
millions of men, and which, even in our own time, constitutes the
religion of a tenth part of the human race."
[Footnote 2: Translated into French by Victor Chauvin under the title
of "Essai sur l'Histoire de l'Islamisme" (Leyden and Paris, 1879).]