MAHOMETANISM MAHOMETANISM Hegira, and is so famous in the Mahometan his- | valuable presents to Mahomet, and among th tory. Some reckon no less than twenty-seven rest two girls, one of whom, named Mary, beca He also sent lett expeditions, wherein Mahomet was personally a great favourite with him. present, in nine of which he gave battle, besides of the like purport to several Arab princes: p several other expeditions in which he was not ticularly one to Al Hareth Ebn Abi Shar present. His forces he maintained partly by king of Ghassan, who, returning for answer the contributions of his followers for this purpose, he would go to Mahomet himself, the pro which he called by the name of zacat, or alms, said, May his kingdom perish! Another t and the paying of which he very artfully made Hawdha Ebn Ali, king of Yamama, who w.. one main article of his religion: and partly by Christian, and, having some time before prof ordering a fifth part of the plunder to be brought Islamism, had lately returned to his former ta into the public treasury for that purpose, in which this prince sent back a very rough answer c matter he likewise pretended to act by the divine which Mahomet cursing him, he died soon direction. and a third to Al Mondar Ebn Sawa, hing Bahrein, who embraced Mahometanism, a the Arabs of that country followed his examp In a few years, by the success of his arms, notwithstanding he sometimes came off with the worst, he considerably raised his credit and power. The eighth year of the Hegira was a very 1 In the sixth year of the Hegira he set out with tunate year to Mahomet. In the beginning 1400 men to visit the temple of Mecca, not with Khaled Ebn al Walid and Amru Ebn al A any intent of committing hostilities, but in a both excellent soldiers, the first of whom ar peaceable manner. However, when he came towards conquered Syria and other countries, a Al Hodeibiya, which is situated partly within and partly without the sacred territory, the Koreish sent to let him know that they would not permit him to enter Mecca, unless he forced his way: whereupon he called his troops about him, and they all took a solemn oath of fealty or homage to him, and he resolved to attack the city; but those of Mecca sending Arwa Ebn Masun, prince of the tribe of Thakif, as their ambassador, to desire peace, a truce was concluded between them for ten years, by which any person was allowed to enter into a league either with Mahomet, or with the Koreish, as he thought fit. the latter Egypt, became proselytes to Maho In the seventh year of the Hegira, Mahomet began to think of propagating his religion beyond the bounds of Arabia, and sent messengers to the neighbouring princes, with letters to invite them to Mahometanism. Nor was this project without some success: Khosru Parviz, then king of Persia, received his letter with great disdain, and tore it in a passion, sending away the messenger very abruptly; which, when Mahomet heard, he said, God shall tear his kingdom. And soon In this year also Mahomet took the city after a messenger came to Mahomet from Bad- Mecca, the inhabitants whereof had broken han, king of Yaman, who was a dependent on truce concluded on two years before; for the Persians, to acquaint him that he had re-tribe of Becr, who were confederates with ceived orders to send him to Khosru. Mahomet put off his answer till the next morning, and then told the messenger it had been revealed to him that night that Khosru was slain by his son Shiruyeh adding, that he was well assured his new religion and empire should rise to as great a height as that of Khosru; and therefore bid him advise his master to embrace Mahometanism. The messenger being returned, Badhan in a few days received a letter from Shiruyeh, informing him of his father's death, and ordering him to give the prophet no further disturbance. Whereupon Badhan, and the Persians with him, turned Mahometans. The emperor Heraclius, as the Arabian historians assure us, received Mahomet's letter with great respect, laying it on his pillow, and dismissed the bearer honourably. And some pretend that he would have professed this new faith, had he not been afraid of losing his crown. Mahomet wrote to the same effect to the king of Ethiopia, though he had been converted before, according to the Arab writers; and to Mokawkas, governor of Egypt, who gave the messenger a very favourable reception, and sent several Koreish, attacking those of Kozaah, who w Thx Mahomet immediately gave orders for pretions to be made that he might surprise t Meccans while they were unprovided to r him: in a little time he began his march t and by the time he came near the city, his were increased to ten thousand men. Mecca not being in a condition to defend t selves against so formidable an army, surre at discretion, and Abu Sosian saved his 1 turning Mahometan. About twenty-g the idolaters were killed by a party unri command of Khaled; but this happened s trary to Mahomet's orders, who, when he ex the town, pardoned all the Koreish on their MAHOMETANISM MAHOMETANISM mission, except only six men and four women, | bodies, created of fire; that they neither eat nor ho were more obnoxious than ordinary, (some drink, nor propagate their species; that they have them having apostatized,) and were solemnly various forms and offices, some adoring God in scribed by the prophet himself; but of these different postures, others singing praises to him, no more than one man and one woman were put or interceding for mankind. They hold, that death, the rest obtaining pardon on their em- some of them are employed in writing down the Bracing Mahometanism, and one of the women actions of men; others in carrying the throne of aking her escape. God, and other services. The remainder of this year Mahomet employed in destroying the idols in and round Mecca, ending several of the generals on expeditions for at purpose, and to invite the Arabs to Islamism; herein it is no wonder if they now met with Ness 3. As to the Scriptures, the Mahometans are taught by the Koran, that God, in divers ages of the world, gave revelations of his will in writing to several prophets, the whole and every one of which it is absolutely necessary for a good Moslem to believe. The number of these sacred The next year, being the ninth of the Hegira, books were, according to them, one hundred and the Mahometans call the year of embassies; for four; of which ten were given to Adam, fifty to the Arabs had been hitherto expecting the issue Seth, thirty to Edris or Enoch, ten to Abraham; of the war between Mahomet and the Koreish; and the other four, being the Pentateuch, the bet, as soon as that tribe, the principal of the Psalms, the Gospel, and the Koran, were sucwhole nation, and the genuine descendants of cessively delivered to Moses, David, Jesus, and Jahmael, whose prerogatives none offered to dis- Mahomet: which last being the seal of the propute, had submitted, they were satisfied that it phets, those revelations are now closed, and no was not in their power to oppose Mahomet; and more are to be expected. All these divine books, therefore began to come in to him in great num-except the four last, they agree to be now entirely hers, and to send embassies to make their submis- lost, and their contents unknown; though the ons to him, both to Mecca, while he staid there, Sabians have several books which they attribute and also to Medina, whither he returned this to some of the antediluvian prophets. And of year. Among the rest, five kings of the tribe those four, the Pentateuch, Psalms, and Gospel, of Hamyar professed Mahometanism, and sent they say, have undergone so many alterations and ambassadors to notify the same. corruptions, that though there may possibly be some part of the true word of God therein, yet no credit is to be given to the present copies in the hands of the Jews and Christians. In the tenth year Ali was sent into Yaman to propagate the Mahometan faith there: and, as it is said, converted the whole tribe of Hamdan in one day. Their example was quickly followed by all the inhabitants of that province, except only those of Najran, who, being Christians, chose tar her to pay tribute. Thus was Mahometanism established, and dolatry rooted out, even in Mahomet's lifetime, or he died the next year,) throughout all Arabia, except only Yamaina, where Moscilama, who et up also as a prophet, as Mahomet's competitor, Cad a great party, and was not reduced till the ifat of Abu Beer; and the Arabs being then arted in one faith, and under one prince, found Peruselves in a condition of making those conuests which extended the Mahometan faith over great a part of the world. 1. Mahometans, tenets of the.-The Mahome*rs divide their religion into two general parts, zh and practice; of which the first is divided -to six distinct branches: Belief in God, in his gels in his Scriptures, in his prophets, in the **rrection and final judgment, and in God's abtile decrees. The points relating to practice re, prayer, with washings, &c. alms, fasting, pilgrunage to Mecca, and circumcision. of the Mahometan faith.-1. That both Maet, and those among his followers who are oned orthodox, had and continue to have just ad true notions of God and his attributes, apars so plain from the Koran itself, and all the abometan divines, that it would be loss of time refute those who suppose the God of Mahomet be different from the true God, and only a ficta as deity or idol of his own creation. 2. The existence of angels and their purity, re absolutely required to be believed in the Ko"; and he is reckoned an infidel who denies re are such beings, or hates any of them, or ts any distinction of sexes among them. ey bebeve them to have pure and subtle 4. The number of the prophets which have been from time to time sent by God into the world, amounts to no less than 224,000, according to one Mahometan tradition: or to 124,000, according to another; among whom 313 were apostles, sent with special commissions to reclaim mankind from infidelity and superstition; and six of them brought new laws or dispensations, which successively abrogated the preceding: these were Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mahomet. All the prophets in general, the Mahometans believe to have been free from great sins and errors of consequence, and professors of one and the same religion, that is, Islamism, notwithstanding the different laws and institutions which they observed. They allow of degrees among them, and hold some of them to be more excellent and honourable than others. The first place they give to the revealers and establishers of new dispensations, and the next to the apostles. In this great number of prophets they not only reckon divers patriarchs and persons named in Scripture, but not recorded to have been prophets (wherein the Jewish and Christian writers have sometimes led the way,) as Adam, Seth, Lot, Ishmael, Nun, Joshua, &c. and introduce some of them under different names, as Enoch, Heber and Jethro, who are called in the Koran, Edris, Hud, and Shoaib: but several others whose very names do not appear in Scripture (though they endeavour to find some persons there to fix them on,) as Saleh, Khedr, Dhu'lkefl, &c. 5. The belief of a general resurrection and a future judgment. The time of the resurrection the Mahometans allow to be a perfect secret to all but God alone; the angel Gabriel himself acknowledging his igLorance in this point, when Mahomet asked hin MAHOMETANISM about it. However, they say the approach of that day may be known from certain signs which are to precede it. After examination is past, (the account of which is too long and tedious for this place,) and every one's works weighed in a just balance, they say, that mutual retaliation will follow, according to which every creature will take vengeance one of another, or have satisfaction made them for the injuries which they have suffered. And, since there will then be no other way of returning like for like, the manner of giving this satisfaction will be by taking away a proportional part of the good works of him who offered the injury, and adding it to those of him who suffered it. Which being done, if the angels (by whose ministry this is to be performed) say, Lord, we hare given to every one his due, and there remaineth of this person's good works so much as equalleth the weight of an ant, God will, of his mercy, cause it to be doubled unto him, that he may be admitted into Paradise; but if, on the contrary, his good works be exhausted, and there remain evil works only, and there be any who have not yet received satisfaction from him, God will order that an equal weight of their sins be added unto his, that he may be punished for them in their stead, and he will be sent to hell laden with both. This will be the method of God's dealing with mankind. As to brutes, after they shall have likewise taken vengeance of one another, he will command them to be changed into dust; wicked men being reserved to more grievous punishment, so that they shall cry out, on hearing this sentence passed on the brutes, Would to God, that we were dust also! As to the genii, many Mahometans are of opinion that such of them as are true believers, will undergo the same fate as the irrational animals, and have no other reward than the favour of being converted into dust: and for this they quote the authority of their prophet. The trials being over, and the assembly dissolved, the Mahometans hold, that those who are to be admitted into Paradise will take the right hand way, and those who are destined into hell fire will take the left: but both of them must first pass the bridge called in Arabic Al Sirat, which, they say, is laid over the midst of hell, and describe to be finer than a hair, and sharper than the edge of a sword; so that it seems very difficult to conceive how any one shall be able to stand upon it; for which reason most of the sect of the Motazalites reject it as a fable; though the orthodox think it a sufficient proof of the truth of this article, that it was seriously affirmed by him who never asserted a falsehood, meaning their prophet; who, to add to the difficulty of the passage, has likewise declared, that this bridge is beset on each side with briers and hooked thorns, which will, however, be no impediment to the good; for they shall pass with wonderful ease and swiftness, like lightning, or the wind, Mahomet and his Moslems leading the way; whereas the wicked, what with the slipperiness and extreme narrowness of the path, the entangling of the thorns, and the extinction of the light which directed the former to Paradise, will soon miss their footing, and fall down headlong into hell, which is gaping beneath them. As to the punishment of the wicked, the Mahometans are taught, that hell is divided into seven stories or apartments, one below another, MAHOMETANISM designed for the reception of as many distin classes of the damned.* The first, which they call Jehenan, ther n will be the receptacle of those who acknow one God, that is, the wicked Mahometans; w after having been punished according to their a merits, will at length be released; the sex named Ladka, they assign to the Jews: the tnamed al Hotama, to the Christians; the four) named al Sair, to the Sabians; the fifth, nex Sakar, to the Magians; the sixth, named J hin, to the idolaters; and the seventh, whe the lowest and worst of all, and is called al il yat, to the hypocrites, or those who outwa professed some religion, but in their hearts we of none. Over each of these apartments m believe there will be set a guard of angels, na teen in number; to whom the damned wi ca fess the just judgment of God, and beg them intercede with him for some alleviation of the pain, or that they may be delivered by being at nihilated. Mahomet has, in his Koran and traditi been very exact in describing the various to ments of hell, which, according to him, the wi ed will suffer both from intense heat and exc cold. We shall, however, enter into no deta them here; but only observe, that the degrees these pains will also vary in proportion to t crimes of the sufferer, and the apartment her condemned to; and that he who is punished most lightly of all will be shod with shoes off the fervour of which will cause his skuli t like a cauldron. The condition of these urb wretches, as the same prophet teaches, cana properly called either life or death; and misery will be greatly increased by their dew of being ever delivered from that place, since a cording to that frequent expression in the Kers they must remain therein for ever. It must remarked, however, that the infidels alone w be liable to eternity of damnation; for the M lems, or those who have embraced the true gion, and have been guilty of heinous sins, # be delivered thence after they shall have exp their crimes by their sufferings. The time w these believers shall be detained there, accera to a tradition handed down from their prob will not be less than nine hundred years, n more than seven thousand. And, as to the d ner of their delivery, they say that they sh distinguished by the marks of prostration a those parts of their bodies with which they us to touch the ground in prayer, and over 3 the fire will therefore have no power; and th being known by this characteristic, they wil released by the mercy of God, at the interces of Mahomet and the blessed whereupon who shall have been dead will be restored to as has been said; and those whose bodies have contracted any sootiness or filth fro flames and smoke of hell, will be immersed one of the rivers of Paradise, called the RizLife, which will wash them whiter than pest The righteous, as the Mahometans are t to believe, having surmounted the diffama and passed the sharp bridge above-me at before they enter Paradise, will be retres drinking at the pond of their prophet, who scribes it to be an exact square, of a m journey in compass; its water, which is sup by two pipes from al Cawthay, one of the MAHOMETANISM of Paradise, being whiter than milk or silver, and more odoriferous than musk, with as many cups set around it as there are stars in the firmament; of which water, whoever drinks, will thirst no more for ever. This is the first taste which the blessed will have of their future and now near approaching felicity. MAHOMETANISM "the Garden;" and sometimes they call it, with an addition, Jannat al Ferdaws, "the Garden of Paradise" Jannat Adan, "the Garden of Eden," (though they generally interpret the word Eden not according to its acceptation in Hebrew, but according to its meaning in their own tongue, wherein it signifies "a settled or perpetual habitation;") Jannat al Mawa, "the Garden of Abode;" Jannat al Maim, "the Garden of Pleasure" and the like: by which several appellations some understand so many different gardens, or at least places of different degrees of felicity, (for they reckon no less than one hundred such in all,) the very meanest whereof will afford its inhabitants so many plea must even sink under them, had not Mahomet declared that, in order to qualify the blessed for a full enjoyment of them, God will give to every one the abilities of one hundred men. 6. God's absolute decree and predestination both of good and evil. The orthodox doctrine is, that whatever hath or shall come to pass in this world, whether it be good, or whether it be bad, proceedeth entirely from the divine will, and is irrevocably fixed and recorded from all eternity in the preserved table; God having secretly predetermined not only the adverse and prosperous fortune of every person in this world, in the most minute particulars, but also his faith or infidelity, his obedience or disobedience, and consequently his everlasting happiness or misery after death; which fate or predestination it is not possible by any foresight or wisdom to avoid. Though Paradise be so very frequently mentioned in the Koran, yet it is a dispute among the Mahometans, whether it be already created, or to be created hereafter; the Motazalites and some other sectaries asserting, that there is not at present any such place in nature, and that the Paradise which the righteous will inhabit in the next life will be different from that from which Adam was expelled. However, the orthodox professsures and delights, that one would conclude they the contrary, maintaining that it was created even before the world, and describe it, from their prophet's traditions, in the following manner: They say it is situated above the seven heavens, (or in the seventh heaven,) and next under the throne of God; and, to express the amenity of the place, tell us, that the earth of it is of the finest wheat-flower, or of the purest musk, or, as others will have it, of saffron; that its stones are pearls and jacinths, the walls of its buildings enriched with gold and silver, and that the trunks of all its trees are of gold; among which the most remarkable is the tree called tuba, or the tree of happiness. Concerning this tree, they fable, that it stands in the palace of Mahomet, though a branch of it will reach to the house of every true believer; that it will be laden with pomegranates, grapes, dates, and other fruits, of surprising bigness, and of tastes unknown to mortals. So that, if a man desire to eat of any particular kind of fruit, it will immediately be presented him; or, if he choose flesh, birds ready dressed will be set before him, according to his For the regular performance of the duty of wish. They add, that the boughs of this tree will prayer among the Mahometans, it is requisite, spontaneously bend down to the hand of the person while they pray, to turn their faces towards the who would gather of its fruits, and that it will sup- temple of Mecca; the quarter where the same is ply the blessed not only with food, but also with situated being, for that reason, pointed out within alken garments, and beasts to ride on ready saddled their mosques by a niche, which they call al and bridled, and adorned with rich trappings, which Mehrab: and without, by the situation of the will burst forth from its fruits; and that this tree doors opening into the galleries of the steeples: is so large, that a person mounted on the fleetest there are also tables calculated for the ready findhorse would not be able to gallop from one ending out their Keblah, or part towards which they of its shade to the other in one hundred years. ought to pray, in places where they have no other direction. As plenty of water is one of the greatest additions to the pleasantness of any place, the Koran aften speaks of the rivers of Paradise as a principal ornament thereof; some of these rivers, they ay, flow with water, some with milk, some with wine, and others with honey; all taking their rise from the root of the tree tuba. But all these glories will be eclipsed by the resplendent and ravishing girls of Paradise, called, from their large black eyes, Hur al oyun, the enjoyment of whose company will be a principal felicity of the faithful. These, they say, are created not of clay, as mortal women are, but of pure mask: being, as their prophet often affirms in his Koran, free from all natural impurities, defects, and inconveniences incident to the sex; of the strictest modesty, and secluded from public view in pavilions of hollow pearls, so large, that, as some traditions have it, one of them will be no less than four parasangs (or, as others say, sixty miles) long, and as many broad. The name which the Mahometans usually give to this happy mansion is al Jannat, or, II. Religious practice. 1. The first point is prayer, under which are also comprehended those legal washings or purifications which are necessary preparations thereto. 2. Alms are of two sorts, legal and voluntary. The legal alms are of indispensable obligation, being commanded by the law, which directs and determines both the portion which is to be given, and of what things it ought to consist; but the voluntary alms are left to every one's liberty, to give more or less as he shall see fit. The former kind of alms some think to be properly called zacat, and the latter sadakat, though this name be also frequently given to the legal alms. They are called zacat, either because they increase a man's store by drawing down a blessing thereon, and produce in his soul the virtue of liberality; or because they purify the remaining part of one's substance from pollution, and the soul from the filth of avarice; and sadakat, because they are a proof of a man's sincerity in the worship of God. Some writers have called the legal alms tithes ; but improperly, since in some cases they fall short, and in others exceed that proportion. 3. Fasting is a duty of so great moment, that Mahomet used to say it was the gate of religion; MAHOMETANISM MAN and that the odour of the mouth of him who fast- | four angels were loosed," says the prediction, Li eth is more grateful to God than that of musk; verse, which were prepared for an hour, ai and Al Ghazali reckons fasting one fourth part day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the t of the faith. According to the Mahometan part of men." This period, in the langu divines, there are three degrees of fasting: 1. The prophecy, makes 391 years, which being t restraining the belly and other parts of the body to the year when the four angels were low. from satisfying their lusts.-2. The restraining will bring us down to 1844, or thereabout the ears, eyes, tongue, hands, feet, and other the final destruction of the Mahometan erp members from sin.-3. The fasting of the heart It must be confessed, however, that though from worldly cares, and restraining the thought event is certain, the exact time cannot be es ascertained. Prideaux's Life of Mahomet: M from every thing besides God. sheim's Eccl. Hist. cent. vii. ch. 2; Sale's F liminary Discourse, prefixed to his Eaz Translation of the Koran; Simpson's Ke Proph. sect. 19; Bishop Newton, Mede, Gill, on Rev. ix.; Miller's Propagation Christianity, vol. i. ch. 1; White's Serm Bampton Lec.; Enc. Brit.; Foster's Mans 4. The pilgrimage to Mecca is so necessary a point of practice, that according to a tradition of Mahomet, he who dies without performing it, may as well die a Jew or a Christian; and the same is expressly commanded in the Koran.See PILGRIMAGE. MALEVOLENCE is that disposition of which inclines us to wish ill to any person. discovers itself in frowns and a lowering exer nance; in uncharitableness, in evil sentire ste hard speeches to or of its object: in cursing reviling; and doing mischief either with violence or secret spite, as far as there is pos MALICE is a settled or deliberate deurLY tion to revenge or do hurt to another. It frequently denotes the disposition of under minds to execute every purpose of mischief w the more limited circle of their abilities. It's most hateful temper in the sight of God, strin forbidden in his holy word, Col. iii. 8–12 = graceful to rational creatures, and every * inimical to the spirit of Christianity, Matt. v See CHARITY, LOVE. III. Mahometanism, causes of the success of. The rapid success which attended the propaga-anism Unveiled. tion of this new religion was owing to causes that are plain and evident, and must remove, or rather prevent our surprise, when they are attentively considered. The terror of Mahomet's arms, and the repeated victories which were gained by him and his successors, were, no doubt, the irresistible arguments that persuaded such multitudes to embrace his religion, and submit to his dominion. Besides, his law was artfully and marvellously adapted to the corrupt nature of man; and, in a most particular manner, to the manners and opinions of the Eastern nations, and the vices to which they were naturally addicted for the articles of faith which it proposed were few in number, and extremely simple; and the duties it required were neither many nor difficult, nor such as were incompatible with the MALIGNITY, a disposition obstinately empire of appetites and passions. It is to be observed farther, that the gross ignorance under or malicious. Malignancy and malignity which the Arabians, Syrians, Persians, and the words nearly synonymous. In some conne greatest part of the Eastern nations, laboured malignity seems rather more pertinently ap at this time, rendered many an easy prey to the to a radical depravity of nature; and malign artifice and eloquence of this bold adventurer. to indications of this depravity in temper To these causes of the progress of Mahomet-conduct in particular instances. anism, we may add the bitter dissensions and cruel animosities that reigned among the Christian sects, particularly the Greeks, Nestorians, Eutychians, and Monophysites; dissensions that filled a great part of the East with carnage, assassinations, and such detestable enormities, as rendered the very name of Christianity odious to many. We might add here, that the Monophysites and Nestorians, full of resentment against the Greeks, from whom they had suffered the bitterest and most injurious treatment, assisted the Arabians in the conquest of several provinces, into which, of consequence, the religion of Mahomet was afterwards introduced. Other causes of the sudden progress of that religion will naturally occur to such as consider attentively its spirit and genius, and the state of the world at this time. IV. Mahometanism, subversion of-Of things yet to come it is difficult to say any thing with precision. We have, however, some reason to believe, from the aspect of Scripture prophecy, that, triumphant as this sect has been, it shall at last come to nought. As it arose as a scourge to Christendom about the time that Antichrist obtained a temporal dominion, so it is not improbable but they will have their downfall nearly at the same period. The ninth chapter of Revelations seems to refer wholly to this imposture; "the L MAN, a being consisting of a rationa and organical body. By some he is defined th "He is the head of the animal creation; a li who feels, reflects, thinks, contrives, and who has the power of changing his place the earth at pleasure; who possesses the fac of communicating his thoughts by means speech, and who has dominion over all s creatures on the face of the earth." We here present the reader with a brief account his formation, species, and different state. Lil formation. Man was made last of all the tures, being the chief and master-piece of whole creation on earth. He is a compe of the creation, and therefore is sometimes c a microcosm, a little world, the world in ture: something of the vegetable, animal rational world meet in him; spirit and Ler yea, heaven and earth centre in him; he is bond that connects them both together. 1 constituent and essential parts of nian create God are two; body and soul. The one was out of the dust; the other was breathed into The body is formed with the greatest precisio exactness; every muscle, vein, artery, yea least fibre, in its proper place; all in just proports and symmetry, in subserviency to the use of other, and for the good of the whole, Psal 14. It is also made erect, to distinguish if 17 |