Alexander, Agnes B. (Agnes Baldwin), 1875-1970; Augur, George Jacob, 1853-1927; Bahais -- Japan; Bahais -- United States; Yamamoto, Kanichi, 1879-1961
The old nation of Persia denied all these facts, harboring the utmost
hatred and enmity toward other religious beliefs besides their own. We
have investigated reality and found that these holy souls were all sent of
God. All of them have sacrificed life, endured ordeals and tribulations in
order that they might educate us. How can such love be forgotten? The
light of Christ is evident. The candle of Buddha is shining. The star of
Moses is sparkling. The flame ignited by Zoroaster is still burning. How
can we deny them? It is injustice. It is a denial of complete evidence. If
we forsake imitations all will become united and no differences will
remain to separate us.
We entertain no prejudice against Muhammed. Outwardly the Arabian nation
was instrumental in overthrowing the Parsee dominion, the sovereignty of
Persia. Therefore the old Parsee nation manifested the utmost contempt
toward the Arabs. But we deal justly and will never abandon the standard
of fairness. The Arabians were in the utmost state of degradation. They
were blood-thirsty and barbarous, so savage and degraded that the Arabian
father often buried his own daughter alive. Consider, could any barbarian
be lower than this? The nation consisted of warring, hostile tribal
peoples inhabiting the vast Arabian peninsula, and their business
consisted in fighting and pillaging each other, making captive women and
children, killing each other. Muhammad appeared among such a people. He
educated and unified these barbarous tribes, put an end to their shedding
of blood. Through his education they reached such a degree of civilization
that they subdued and governed continents and nations. What a great
civilization was established in Spain by the Muhammadans! What a marvelous
civilization was founded in Morocco by the Moors! What a powerful
caliphate or successorship was set up in Baghdad! How much Islam served
and furthered the cause of science! Why then should we deny Muhammad? If
we deny him we awaken enmity and hatred. By our prejudice we become the
cause of war and bloodshed; for prejudice was the cause of the tremendous
storm which swept through human history for thirteen hundred years and
still continues. Even now in the Balkans a commotion is apparent,
reflecting it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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