Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened/Chapter V
CHAPTER V.
THE MOHAMETAN THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS.
1. Ulemah, the Theological Party. This is the most influential, the most fanatic, and the most dangerous element of the Mohametan world. Nurtured with the destructive spirit of the Koran, they are always ready and eager to indulge in a holy war and renew the formidable expeditions of Islam. Having the Sheikh al Islam (the religious head of Islam) as their leader, and the host of Softas, or Mollahs (the theological students), as their expert agents, and the civil and military parties as their helpers, and the whole Mohametan world as their followers, they plan and practice according to the interests of Islam. If the said head of Islam, being backed by his party, gives his legal decree for the dethronement of a sultan, the community cannot disregard it. That is why during these frequent changes of ministry and secret butchcries in the palace of the Sultan, the Sheikh al Islam is comparatively safe, and the coward Sultan favors the Softas and Mollahs, the chief actors in the late massacre at Constantinople, with presents, decorations and congratulations. On the day of Queen Victoria's jubilee celebration several cannons were discharged over the Bosphorus; when the Softas heard the first discharge they at once poured out into the streets holding their bloody axes, clubs and daggers in their hands, eagerly inquiring whom they were to massacre, the Greeks or the Armenians.
2. The Character of the Ulemah. The general character of this religious party is corrupt and detrimental. They have only the Koran for their lifelong study, and shutting themselves against any modern or external influence, and relying upon the fatalistic principles of Islamic philosophy, and indulging in cruel pleasures, they live a very depraved life.
They believe that every event of life, good or bad, is pre-ordained of God, and that no human agency can modify it. "On man's forehead," they say, "his presonal destiny is written in a mysterious way that the guardian angels only can read it, and when his time is come they immediately take his soul; but before that appointed moment no enemy, no disease and no danger can cause death." This philosophy contradicts the idea of human freedom and responsibility, mortifies the aspiration towards the better, and leaves the energy of life as an instrument for the prevailing vice, corruption and oppression.
A language full of unimaginably corrupt expressions, a home discipline full of shameful inducements of hellish practices, a street life more wicked than that of Sodomite character, a religious teaching nothing more than a diabolic mechanism of cruelty, a pulpit advocating hatred and malice, a religious system of bloodshed and robbery, a book demoralizing the human likeness. This is the nearest description of the modern "Hell upon the earth." The Hindoo and Chinese heathenisms have their standards of morality comparatively rational and pure; also have had their effects for the betterment of human civilization; but Islam's morality has been immorality, and the effect the destruction of humanity.
3. Some Teachings of the Ulemah. Besides the erroneous and harmful teachings of Islam mentioned in this book at various points, we will bring forth some ridiculous doctrines taught in the theological schools of Moslems; for example, as to the natural sciences:
The Origin of Apes. "When the mountain of Sinai was lifted up over the Israelites, and the law was given unto them, some among the people were disobedient and were entirely destroyed. But some part of the Jewish nation, rousing a rebellion against God on a sabbath day, were punished for their transgression by being changed into apes and driven away from the society of men, as an example for the contemporary and future generations." (A different theory of evolution).
Geography. "The earth, a flat body, rests between the horns of a huge ox, and the ox upon a cake of soap. When this animal slightly moves his head there is an earthquake." (Nobody can tell what will become of the earth when his feet slip off of the soap, which is not a safe foundation). The thunder is supposed to be the roar of the millstone that grinds oats for this huge animal of heavy burden.
The apparent heaven, a solid plate, is fastened up with four screws; at the time of the deluge God slightly touched one of them; at the end of this world all four will be taken out.
Physiology. For each kind of food there is a separate department in the stomach. Similar articles of food are changed into similar tissues in the human body. When God created each disease, he has appointed a vegetable near by it as a remedy or antidote. Lockman, the originator of medicine, was gifted by the power of hearing the voices of various plants as to what malady they were the remedy. Some favored persons have authority over the evil eyes and sicknesses, and can bind them with threads.
Chemistry. The four elements of nature are water, earth, air and fire. Gold is composed of three common articles, as copper, brass and mercury; if you know the proportion, and if you can find the mysterious powder which, mixed with the said minerals, produes gold, you can manufacture the precious metal. By burning certain mysterious incenses you can control the jealous spirits that watch day and night over the hidden subterranean treasures and possess boundless riches. Be careful to repeat certain prayers in order to avoid the strokes of those evil spirits.
4. Supernatural Sciences Taught by Ulemahs.—About the Spirits. In the air and among the stars numerous evil spirits, or demons, reside. Some of them are so enormous and powerful as to threaten the earth and the moon and the sun. Comets are the tails of these gigantic demons, and the eclipses of the moon and the sun are their struggle to swallow them, which can be avoided by crying to God from the minarets, and at the same time frightening them by shooting fire-arms towards the skies and making all kinds of noises, by which the Turk succeeds every time in saving the poor moon from being swallowed.
Some of these evil spirits walk upon the earth, mostly among the graves and solitary caves. Some nights they take the appearance of a wrapped dead body and walk around to terrify innocent people. The public baths and the Christian churches are their especial gathering places by night, where, by horrible snorings, ugly laughters, hateful gesture, and dreadful dances they amuse themselves until the dawn of the day. Some of them are so ugly that when they laugh the lower lips rest upon the earth and the upper lips reach the stars.
The Size of the Angels. Angels exist in different sizes. Some are so small that 10,000 of them dwell upon a single hair of the Moslem's beard, and some are so large that their wings, when opened, reach from east to west, and some are still larger as to swallow all the water on the earth with a single gulp. Certain angels have certain services under the administration of Allah. Some are messengers, some guides, others clerks (to write the good and evil deeds of mankind and copy them in the heavenly register); others porters to carry dead bodies from one cemetery to the other; some are "soul takers," some are guardians of hell, etc. The space between the earth and God's dwelling place is a journey of fifty thousand years, which the angels perform in one day over the celestial stairs.
The Souls of Good Men, whether living or dead, have special privileges, as to have communion with Allah, to converse with Mohamet, to be present at distant places at the moment they desire, and to help the weakness of mankind. Many living or martyred Moslem saints are believed to ride on winged camels every Friday and go to Mecca to perform their noon-prayer at the Kabeh, and return the same day to their respective posts or graves. Mollah Hunkiar died 600 years ago, and, buried at Iconium (Asia Minor), is believed to make the same journey riding on a brick wall. Another martyred saint is regularly coming from Persia.
5. Ulemah's Teachings About the Transactions Beyond the Grave.—The Interrogation in the Sepulchre. This will be administered immediately after the burial of every Moslem by two angels upon the following four questions; 1. Who was thy Lord? 2. Who was thy Prophet? 3. Which was thy Religion? and 4. Which was thy Cubla (direction faced while in prayer)? He who will answer, Allah was my Lord, Mohamet my prophet, Islam my religion and Kabeh my Cubla, shall find a great illumination in his grave; but he who shall not make this proper answer shall be involved in darkness until the judgment day.
Resurrection. At the end of the world, when the archangel Israfil shall blow the trumpet, all things, even angels, men and devils, shall be annihilated. Then God will revive in heaven first the "Angel of Death," who will recall all the souls in general and reunite them to their respective bodies. Upon the earth the first whom God will raise shall be Mahomet, upon whose shouting, "There is no deity but Allah, Mohamer is the apostle of Allah," all the believers shall come to life. One of the signs of the last day is that the sun shall rise from the west and go to the east.
The Judgment Day. God will then prepare a vast plain where all creatures will be summoned to give an account of their past conduct. The duration of that day shall be as long as a century, during which time the Giaours shall sigh and suffer great tribulation and anguish. As to the Moslems it will not be so, because those whose good works outweigh their recorded bad actions, shall immediately enter into Paradise; and those who are found lacking in the balance shall be favored by allowing their five large grave stones to be put on the scale of good actions and weighed again; if he still lacks, which will be very seldom, the good actions of the friends done in his behalf shall be brought forth and added upon the scale; also the prayers offered by his tomb shall be introduced to the account, and, in spite of all these favors, if his sins outweigh, he shall be sent to a temporary purgatory to be punished for the balance account; after which, through the intercession of his prophet, he shall be admitted into Paradise and enjoy the full pleasures thereof. Those whose scales shall be equally poised are to be detained in the middle space between Paradise and hell and pass their years of penance in that solitary place in a neutral condition.
Paradise. Mohametan paradise is nothing but an imaginary place of carnal gratifications. Nothing to do but to eat whatever you desire, which at once shall be created and brought before you; to drink wine and liquors which shall not disturb the mind; to enjoy the pleasure of numerous pearly damsels; to wear green silken robes which shall not wear out; to sit upon soft couches and talk with the friends you desire; to be served by blooming youths, and be happy by looking down and seeing the wretched condition of the Giaours in hell.
The Hell, as imaginary as the Heaven, is devided into seven stories; the first as a purgatory for Moslems, the second for Jews, the third for Christians, the fourth for Sabians, the fifth for Magians, the sixth for idolators, the seventh, and the lowest of all, for the hypocrites, who outwardly professed a religion but in reality had none. The essential means of torment are heat, cold, bitter foods and filthy drinks. The tree of Zakkum, which issues from the bottom of hell and the fruit of which resembles the heads of devils, is the only supply of food in hell with which the damned shall be obliged to fill their bellies, and being burnt of its bitterness shall cry for drink, when a mixture of filth and boiling sulphur shall be given unto them, which they shall be obliged to drink and vomit and begin the torment anew. When their skin is burned by the fire God will give them a new skin in order to perpetuate their torture. When they make complaint of heat they shall be exposed to extreme cold and vice versa. During these ceaseless successions of extremities nineteen angels will take charge of the guardianship of hell not to let anybody escape from it, and to keep the fire and cold always in operation.
