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BOOK II. |
MOHAMMED VIEWED
IN THE MOONSHINE OF TRADITION. |
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Page |
| DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOOK I. AND BOOK
II. EXPLAINED, |
242-245 |
CHAPTER I. |
| THE BIOGRAPHIES OF MOHAMMED BY MOSLEM
AUTHORS, ATTRIBUTING TO THEIR PROPHET AN EQUALITY
WITH, OR EVEN A SUPERIORITY TO, THE PROPHET OF NAZARETH,
APPEAR IN THE LIGHT OF A THINLY DISGUISED PLAGIARISM
OF THE EVANGELICAL RECORDS, AND MOHAMMED HIMSELF
AS AN OBVIOUS PARODY OF JESUS CHRIST |
246-374 |
| 1. |
Pre-existence is ascribed, as first
to Christ, so afterwards to Mohammed; and each of
them is represented as the Cause or Medium of the
existence of all other creatures, |
246-252 |
| 2. |
Mohammed's genealogy is traced through
Abraham to Adam, just as that of Jesus Christ, |
252-253 |
| 3. |
As the angel Gabriel announced the
conception of Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary, so
he also announced that of Mohammed by Amina; but
the latter 'to every place on the face of the earth,' |
253-254 |
| 4. |
As before the birth of Jesus, so also
before that of Mohammed, an angel announced the
name he was to bear, |
254 |
| 5. |
The birth of both was distinguished
by the glory of a heavenly light, the appearance
of angels and by signs on the earth and in the starry
sphere, |
254-257 |
| 6. |
Though both were subjected to the
rite of circumcision, yet there was a difference
in favour of Mohammed, |
257 |
| 7. |
A benediction is uttered on the breasts
that gave them suck; but in the one case it came
from the visible, and in the other, from the invisible,
world, |
258 |
| 8. |
Not long after their birth, their
Nature and Destiny are made known by special revelation, |
259-261 |
| 9. |
Like Jesus, Mohammed also was presented
in his early infancy to the Deity in the national
Sanctuary, |
261 |
| 10. |
They both developed in their childhood
under the special favour of God, and showed marks
of an uncommon measure of Divine Grace, |
261-265 |
| 11. |
Both were lost in their childhood,
but found again: the one by his mother's diligent
search, the other by supernatural revelation, |
265-266 |
| 12. |
Twelve years old, their special relation
to God and uncommon destiny was made known during
a journey; and then they were taken away from the
place where their presence might prematurely have
roused the hostility of the Jews, |
267-269 |
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| 13. |
The appearance both of Jesus Christ
and of Mohammed was expected amongst the Jews and
others, having been foretold by Prophets, |
270-271 |
| 14. |
Whilst they were honouring a penitentiary
institution by accommodating themselves to it, a
supernatural occurrence and voice inaugurated their
own public mission, |
271-273 |
| 15. |
Witness is borne to them, and their
Divine mission is made known to men, by another
distinguished servant of the true God, who soon
afterwards is removed from this world, |
273-276 |
| 16. |
They and their public mission are
the object and end of all previous prophecy, as
ushering in the grand era of fulfilment, |
276-279 |
| 17. |
After the commencement of their public
ministry, both of them had to pass through the ordeal
of a remarkable Satanic temptation, which aimed
at seducing them into a most important change of
their mission, but without success, |
280-282 |
| 18. |
As Jesus Christ chose twelve apostles
from amongst His disciples, so also Mohammed selected
twelve apostles from his Moslem followers, but he
not only from amongst men, but also from amongst
spirits, |
283-284 |
| 19. |
In the exercise of their public ministry,
they gathered disciples around them, and zealously
preached the Faith, one sermon on a mount being
especially noted; and they also made diligent use
of the gathering of great multitudes, during the
annual festivals of the nation, |
284-286 |
| 20. |
In order to tempt and test them, difficult
questions were submitted to them by their opponents,
which they were able to solve, |
286-290 |
| 21. |
The impression made by their words
and presence was such as often to disarm their enemies,
and frustrate the hostile designs they entertained
against them, |
290-293 |
| 22. |
They were reviled and persecuted in
their own home because of their testimony and the
unflinching discharge of their prophetic mission,
especially when this involved opposition to the
then existing state of religion, and exposure of
prevailing abuses, |
294-297 |
| 23. |
Unconvinced by their words and acts
of the Divine mission they claimed, the people proffer
them unacceptable demands, which are not granted,
and only widen the breach between the prophet and
the people, |
297-299 |
| 24. |
Both of them came in contact with
spirits from the unseen world, who recognised, honoured,
and obeyed them more readily than the people of
this world to whom they addressed themselves, |
299-302 |
| 25. |
Both of them received visits from
good angels, |
302-303 |
| 26. |
The most remarkable story concerning
the mythical Mohammed is that of his 'Ascension
into Heaven.' Whilst Jesus Christ, during His earthly
life, conversed only with two of the long-departed
saints, Moses and Elijah, and did not ascend into
heaven till after his death, Mohammed, honoured
with an ascension into heaven long before his natural
death, had personal communion with all the previous
prophets; and, leaving Jesus far below in the second
heaven, himself mounted high above the seventh;
and, |
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