Peter's Rock in Mohammed's Flood, from St. Gregory the Great to St. Leo IIIAllies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Islamic
Peter's Rock in Mohammed's Flood, from St. Gregory the Great to St. Leo III
Allies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Christianity and other religions -- Islam; Church history -- Middle Ages, 600-1500; Papacy; Papacy -- History
humility they should find rest for their souls, we have the man who
ordered the believers in him to beat down all idolaters that did not
profess, “There is one God, and Mohammed is His prophet,” and made death
in battle against them to be the martyrdom which he chose for his people.
Instead of the Man who said, “If I had not done among them the works which
no other man hath done, they would not have sin,” we have the man who
answered the appeal made to him for miraculous works in testimony of his
mission, by disclaiming the power to do them. Instead of the Virgin’s Son
who set up the virginal life, and propagated His faith by the teaching and
example of those who followed it, we have the man who forged a divine
permission for the grossest polygamy and an unlimited concubinage obtained
by successful war. Instead of the Man who reverenced above all men the
sanctuary of human life, we have the man who murdered without scruple
those who did not accept his mission.
As to the nature of the kingdom which each of these two set up, the One in
His last words to His disciples on the night of His sacrifice said, “The
kings of the gentiles lord it over them, and they that have power over
them are called beneficent, but you not so: but he that is the greatest
among you let him become as the younger, and he that is the leader as he
that serveth”. In accordance with this precept, just as Mohammed was
preparing to appear as the prophet, the greatest among Christians took as
the symbol of his spiritual rule for his title, Servant of the servants of
God: and so Chalid, the chief fighter, under Mohammed, Abu Bekr, and Omar,
was termed “the sword of the swords of God”. The prophet in the Sura
proclaiming his religion pronounced force to be the instrument of
spreading it, and in doing this blood was to be shed like water: and from
his time his chalifs have practised the slaughter of as many as they
chose. Nor is this confined to enemies, but his religion has considered
his own subjects thus slaughtered as witnesses of the prophet’s claim. To
be killed by order of the chalif is to the believer a title of honour, and
the sacrifice of so many a day to his order a sacrifice to his religion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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