The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 214
THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND MAHDI "Islam, like a spring of pure and refined water, developed among barbarian people in a desolate and arid land far from the cross-roads of civilization and human thought. So abundant was its volume that the spring fast became a creek, then a river, and finally overflowed and broke into thousands of channels, spilling out over the country. In those places where the miraculous water was sampled, people who had become divided were brought together again and disagreements were settled; and in place of the blood feud which was the supreme law and which served to keep together tribes of the same origin, a new sentiment began to make itself felt: a sentiment of brotherhood among men bound together by common ideals of morality and religion. As soon as this spring became an irresistible river, its pure and vigorous stream encircled mighty kingdoms representing old civilizations, and, before their peoples could realize the true impot of the event, it overtook them, levelling countries, demolishing barriers, waking slumbering minds with its noise and making a united community out of the widest variety of nations. . Such a phenomenon had never before been witnessed in history. It is difficult to appreciate the speed with which Islam accomplished its conquests and changed from the religion of a few enthusiasts to that of millions of men. It is still a puzzle to the human mind to discover what were the secret forces which enabled rough warriors to triumph over people so far their superiors in civilization, wealth, experience and ability to wage war. It is surprising how these people could occupy so much territory and then consolidate their conquests in such a way that even centuries of warfare did not succeed in dislodging them: how they could inspire the souls of their followers with so much zeal for their ideals, preserve a pulsating vitality unknown to other religions, even ten centuries after the death of Muhammad; and infuse into the minds of their followers, although of an age and culture quote different from that of the first Muslims, a burning faith capable of any sacrifice. . Islam, which during the Meccan period of Muhammad's ministry had been exclusively concerned with making an earnest appeal on behalf of monotheism, became, after the emigration of the 214