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{{Style P-HPB SB. Title continued|The Koran|1-158}} | {{Style P-HPB SB. Title continued|The Koran|1-158}} | ||
... | his alleged revelations were found scattered in fragments here and there; some in the hands of Hafsa, others remained only in the memory of his believers. Mahomet not only omitted to compile these written fragments, but with the exception of a few he never encouraged their general circulation." | ||
At one time, when a number of the mnemonical reciters had been slain in battle, it is said that “Zaid collected all the pseudo revelations that could be, found written upon parchment, leather, palm leaves, shoulder blades of mutton, stones, and other materials, and collated these with the Saras.” It certainly then cannot be considered strange if little consistency or harmony characterizes the order of the Book of the Mahomedans. | |||
“That Mahomet employed secretaries to write some of his visions is not called in question,” says ‘a note’ to the above paragraph. Another ‘note’ says, “Different editions of the same Suras were in existence during Mahomet's life.” | |||
So great, indeed, had become the discord in the Koran, that Kaliph Othman ordered Zaid to revise it, and to send copies of the same work to the chief cities of the empire with a command to burn all others. This Kaliph Othman was the third successor of Mahomet. “He gave indefatigable attention,” says the ''Journal Asiatique de Paris, ''“to re-write in a single work the dispersed and incoherent parts of the Alcoran.” | |||
After all, seven different editions were soon met with. Two editions, says Reland, originafed in Medina, a third in Mecca, a fourth at Kufa, a fifth at Bussura, a sixth in Syria, the last was the “editio vulgaris.” The first of the two in Medina counts 6000 verses; others as many as 6236. This will explain the difference which frequently occurs in the quotation of verses. All are said to contain an equal number of words, some say 99,464, others 77639; and 323,915 letters. | |||
A prominent argument put forth by Mr. Arnold against the Mohammedan creed is found in the contradictions (and abrogations) to be met with in the Koran. It is said that there are no less than 225 passages containing laws and dogmas which have been abrogated by subsequent Suras. If contradictions were all that made the Koran objectionable, our Book could be set aside upon the same grounds. | |||
Ali Halibi writes in his history of the Prophet (?): “Eben Ishak relates what he has heard from his masters, viz., that Mohammed was subjected to the treatment of an exorcist when in Mecca, before the Koran was revealed to him." This is important, for he may thus have been especially developed as a medium through magnetic influence, as many are said to be now by this means. | |||
A ‘note’ to the above says: “The word applied signifies, Treated or cured by an exorcist’ . . . And the Moslem saw nothing in that attack but the effect of Mohammed's breast being opened by the angel? What does this mean if not the visions that were accorded to him (Mohammed) in the earliest stages of his seership? | |||
In the vast amount of interesting matter that has been written about the illustrious author of the Koran, I will make only one more suggestion, which Is, that Mohammed never claimed to be a ''prophet. ''The Arabic word ''rsoul ''means strictly, I think, an envoy, a messenger. Mohammed frequently declared himself to be only a messenger of God, a preacher of God's truths as revealed to him, but did not of himself pretend to predict events. Weil, in his “Mohammedan Prophet,” gives some important facts found in the “insan Aluyun,” where Ali Halibi quotes Ujun Alather; “Mohammed said to the exorcist ‘Thou professest to deliver man from demons. Only God we may entreat for help. . . . Confess that there is one God, ''who has chosen me to be his apostle''.” The italics are mine. It is possible and probable that if many sayings in the Koran should be set down as emanating from Mohammed alone, his prophetic character would be established; but if dictated by spirits (which may have been evil, and hence misleading and tending to mischief and contradiction) then he was simply, as he claimed, (many passages in the Koran to the contrary, notwithstanding,) “an apostle,” a messenger. But as we have seen, one cannot be certain in regard to what actually emanated from Mohammed himself. His disciples, doubtless, exalted his character as much as possible, and many contradictions have probably arisen, and much fable been imputed to the “master” by them in their zeal to do him honor. | |||