Produced by Afra Ullah, Bonny Fafard and PG Distributed Proofreaders
"Il estimait sincèrement la force…. Jetée dans le monde, sonâme se trouva à la mesure du monde et l'embrassa tout…. C'estl'état prodigieux des hommes d'action. Ils sont tout entiers dans lamoment qu'ils vivent et leur génie se ramasse sur un point."
The impetus that gave victory to Islam is spent. Since its materialprosperity overwhelmed its spiritual ascendancy in the first years oftriumph its vitality has waned under the stress of riches, then beneathlassitude and the slow decrease of power. The Prophet Mahomet is at oncethe glory and bane of his people, the source of their strength and themainspring of their weakness. He represents more effectively than anyother religious teacher the sum of his followers' spiritual and worldlyideas. His position in religion and philosophy is substantially theposition of all his followers; none have progressed beyond the primarythesis he gave to the Arabian world at the close of his career.
He closes a long line of semi-divine teachers and monitors. After him thecurtains of heaven close, and its glory is veiled from men's eyes. He isthe last great man who imposed enthusiasm for an idea upon countlessnumbers of his fellow-creatures, so that whole tribes fought and died athis bidding, and at the command of God through him. Now that the vitalhistory of Islam has been written, some decision as to the position andachievements of its founder may be formulated.
Mahomet conceived the office of Prophet to be the result of anirresistible divine call. Verily the angel Gabriel appeared to him,commanding him to "arise and warn." He was the vehicle through whom thewill of Allah was revealed. The inspired character of his rule was theprime factor in its prevailing; by virtue of his heavenly authority heexercised his sway over the religious actions of his followers, theiraspirations and their beliefs. In order to promulgate the divineordinances the Kuran was sent down, inspired directly by the angelGabriel at the bidding of the Lord. Upon all matters of belief and uponall other matters dealt with, however cursorily, in the Kuran Mahometspoke with the power of God Himself; upon matters not within the scope ofreligion or of the Sacred Book he was only a human and falliblecounsellor.
...