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believed in； if you separate it from that； it becomes a mere self…opinion； a
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sensation of positiveness； and what sort of strength that will give； history
will tell us in the tragedies of the Jews who opposed Titus； of the rabble
who followed Walter the Penniless to the Crusades； of the Munster
Anabaptists； and many another sad page of human folly。 It may give the
fury of idiots； not the deliberate might of valiant men。 Let us pass this by；
then； believing that faith can only give strength where it is faith in
something true and right： and go on to another answer almost as popular
as the last。
We are told that the might of Islam lay in a certain innate force and
savage virtue of the Arab character。 If we have discovered this in the
followers of Mohammed； they certainly had not discovered it in
themselves。 They spoke of themselves； rightly or wrongly； as men who
had received a divine light； and that light a moral light； to teach them to
love that which was good； and refuse that which was evil； and to that
divine light they stedfastly and honestly attributed every right action of
their lives。 Most noble and affecting； in my eyes； is that answer of Saad's
aged envoy to Yezdegird； king of Persia； when he reproached him with the
past savagery and poverty of the Arabs。 〃Whatsoever thou hast said；〃
answered the old man； 〃regarding the former condition of the Arabs is true。
Their food was green lizards； they buried their infant daughters alive； nay；
some of them feasted on dead carcases； and drank blood； while others
slew their kinsfolk； and thought themselves great and valiant； when by so
doing they became possessed of more property。 They were clothed with
hair garments； they knew not good from evil； and made no distinction
between that which was lawful and unlawful。 Such was our state； but
God in his mercy has sent us； by a holy prophet； a sacred volume； which
teaches us the true faith。〃
These words； I think； show us the secret of Islam。 They are a just
comment on that short and rugged chapter of the Koran which is said to
have been Mohammed's first attempt either at prophecy or writing； when；
after long fasting and meditation among the desert hills； under the glorious
eastern stars； he came down and told his good Kadijah that he had found a
great thing； and that she must help him to write it down。 And what was
this which seemed to the unlettered camel…driver so priceless a treasure？
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Not merely that God was one Godvast as that discovery wasbut that he
was a God 〃who showeth to man the thing which he knew not；〃 a 〃most
merciful God；〃 a God； in a word； who could be trusted； a God who would
teach and strengthen； a God； as he said； who would give him courage to
set his face like a flint； and would put an answer in his mouth when his
idolatrous countrymen cavilled and sneered at his message to them； to turn
from their idols of wood and stone； and become righteous men； as
Abraham their forefather was righteous。
〃A God who showeth to man the thing which he knew not。〃 That
idea gave might to Islam； because it was a real idea； an eternal fact； the
result of a true insight into the character of God。 And that idea alone；
believe me； will give conquering might either to creed； philosophy； or
heart of man。 Each will be strong； each will endure； in proportion as it
believes that God is one who shows to man the thing which he knew not：
as it believes； in short； in that Logos of which Saint John wrote； that He
was the light who lightens every man who comes into the world。
In a word； the wild Koreish had discovered； more or less clearly； that
end and object of all metaphysic whereof I have already spoken so often；
that external and imperishable beauty for which Plato sought of old； and
had seen that its name was righteousness； and that it dwelt absolutely in an
absolutely righteous person； and moreover； that this person was no
careless self…contented epicurean deity； but that He was； as they loved to
call Him； the most merciful God； that He cared for men； that He desired to
make men righteous。 Of that they could not doubt。 The fact was
palpable； historic； present。 To them the degraded Koreish of the desert；
who as they believed； and I think believed rightly； had fallen from the old
Monotheism of their forefathers Abraham and Ismael； into the lowest
fetishism； and with that into the lowest brutality and wretchednessto
them； while they were making idols of wood and stone； eating dead
carcases； and burying their daughters alive； careless of chastity； of justice；
of property； sunk in unnatural crimes； dead in trespasses and sins； hateful
and hating one anothera man； one of their own people had come； saying：
〃I have a message from the one righteous God。 His curse is on all this；
for it is unlike Himself。 He will have you righteous men； after the pattern
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of your forefather Abraham。 Be that； and arise； body； soul； and spirit； out
of your savagery and brutishness。 Then you shall be able to trample
under font the profligate idolaters； to sweep the Greek tyrants from the
land which they have been oppressing for centuries； and to recover the
East for its rightful heirs； the children of Abraham。〃 Was this not； in
every sense； a message from God？ I must deny the philosophy of
Clement and Augustine； I must deny my own conscience； my own reason；
I must outrage my own moral sense； and confess that I have no immutable
standard of right； that I know no eternal source of right； if I deny it to have
been one； if I deny what seems to me the palpable historic fact； that those
wild Koreish had in them a reason and a conscience； which could awaken
to that message； and perceive its boundless beauty； its boundless
importance； and that they did accept that message； and lived by it in
proportion as