The New World Order of Islam — Page 73
New World Order 73 One is surprised that such a bond of affection and kindness should have existed between two human beings, between whom the technical relationship was that of master and slave. If in early Islam, therefore, some people preferred to remain in bondage rather than claim their freedom, it was by their own free choice. They realized that they were much better off in bondage than if they were free. But European missionaries continue to proclaim vociferously that Islam carried on the institution of slavery. Your attendance here is an illustration of what I have in mind. Is it not our experience that in ordinary meetings if even the most eminent lecturer exceeds his time by a few minutes, the audience begins to exhibit its impatience in many ways. Here so many thousands of you sit in great discomfort for hours together, cold and hungry, listening to me and wishing all the time that I should go on speaking. What is this difference due to? Is it not due to your having believed in the Promised Messiah as and having surrendered your hearts to his bondage? Is this kind of bondage open to any objection? Is it not rather an indication and a measure of true faith? It is to be bound not to man but to God. In short, it cannot be urged that slavery was abolished by advance in civilization. Slavery was abolished by Islam. True, in Islam it was permitted to