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e with the original facts and documents； that the picture there drawn of Mohammed is a true and a just description of a much…calumniated man。
Now； what was the strength of Islam？ The common answer is； fanaticism and enthusiasm。 To such answers I can only rejoin： Such terms must be defined before they are used； and we must be told what fanaticism and enthusiasm are。 Till then I have no more e priori respect for a long word ending in …ism or …asm than I have for one ending in …ation or … ality。 But while fanaticism and enthusiasm are being defineda work more difficult than is commonly fanciedwe will go on to consider another answer。 We are told that the strength of Islam lay in the hope of their sensuous Paradise and fear of their sensuous Gehenna。 If so； this is the first and last time in the world's history that the strength of any large body of peopleperhaps of any single manlay in such a hope。 History gives us innumerable proofs that such merely selfish motives are the parents of slavish impotence； of pedantry and conceit； of pious frauds； often of the most devilish cruelty： but； as far as my reading extends； of nothing better。 Moreover； the Christian Greeks had much the same hopes on those points as the Mussulmans； and similar causes should produce similar effects： but those hopes gave them no strength。 Besides； according to the Mussulmans' own account； this was not their great inspiring idea； and it is absurd to consider the wild battle…cries of a few imaginative youths； about black…eyed and green… kerchiefed Houris calling to them from the skies； as representing the average feelings of a generation of sober and self…restraining men； who showed themselves actuated by far higher motives。
Another answer； and one very popular now； is that the Mussulmans were strong； because they believed what they said； and the Greeks weak； because they did not believe what they said。 From this notion I shall appeal to another doctrine of the very same men who put it forth； and ask them； Can any man be strong by believing a lie？ Have you not told us； nobly enough； that every lie is by its nature rotten； doomed to death； certain to prove its own impotence； and be shattered to atoms the moment you try to use it； to bring it into rude actual contact with fact； and Nature； and the eternal laws？ Faith to be strong must be faith in something which is not one's self； faith in something eternal； something objective； something true； which would exist just as much though we and all the world disbelieved it。 The strength of belief comes from that which is believed in； if you separate it from that； it becomes a mere self…opinion； a sensation of positiveness； and what sort of strength that will give； history will tell us in the tragedies of the Jews who opposed Titus； of the rabble who followed Walter the Penniless to the Crusades； of the Munster Anabaptists； and many another sad page of human folly。 It may give the fury of idiots； not the deliberate might of valiant men。 Let us pass this by； then； believing that faith can only give strength where it is faith in something true and right： and go on to another answer almost as popular as the last。
We are told that the might of Islam lay in a certain innate force and savage virtue of the Arab character。 If we have discovered this in the followers of Mohammed； they certainly had not discovered it in themselves。 They spoke of themselves； rightly or wrongly； as men who had received a divine light； and that light a moral light； to teach them to love that which was good； and refuse that which was evil； and to that divine light they stedfastly and honestly attributed every right action of their lives。 Most noble and affecting； in my eyes； is that answer of Saad's aged envoy to Yezdegird； king of Persia； when he reproached him with the past savagery and poverty of the Arabs。 〃Whatsoever thou hast said；〃 answered the old man； 〃regarding the former condition of the Arabs is true。 Their food was green lizards； they buried their infant daughters alive； nay； some of them feasted on dead carcases； and drank blood； while others slew their kinsfolk； and thought themselves great and valiant； when by so doing they became possessed of more property。 They were clothed with hair garments； they knew not good from evil； and made no distinction between that which was lawful and unlawful。 Such was our state； but God in his mercy has sent us； by a holy prophet； a sacred volume； which teaches us the true faith。〃
These words； I think； show us the secret of Islam。 They are a just comment on that short and rugged chapter of the Koran which is said to have been Mohammed's first attempt either at prophecy or writing； when； after long fasting and meditation among the desert hills； under the glorious eastern stars； he came down and told his good Kadijah that he had found a great thing； and that she must help him to write it down。 And what was this which seemed to the unlettered camel…driver so priceless a treasure？ Not merely that God was one Godvast as that discovery wasbut that he was a God 〃who showeth to man the thing which he knew not；〃 a 〃most merciful God；〃 a God； in a word； who could be trusted； a God who would teach and strengthen； a God； as he said； who would give him courage to set his face like a flint； and would put an answer in his mouth when his idolatrous countrymen cavilled and sneered at his message to them； to turn from their idols of wood and stone； and become righteous men； as Abraham their forefather was righteous。
〃A God who showeth to man the thing which he knew not。〃 That idea gave might to Islam； because it was a real idea； an eternal fact； the result of a true insight into the character of God。 And that idea alone； believe me； will give conquering might either to creed； philosophy； or heart of man。 Each will be strong； each will endure； in proportion as it believes that God is one who shows to man the thing which he knew not： as it believes； in short； in that Logos of which Saint John wrote； that He was the light who lightens every man who comes into the world。
In a word； the wild Koreish had discovered； more or less clearly； that end and object of all metaphysic whereof I have already spoken so often； that external and imperishable beauty for which Plato sought of old； and had seen that its name was righteousness； and that it dwelt absolutely in an absolutely righteous person； and moreover； that this person was no careless self…contented epicurean deity； but that He was； as they loved to call Him； the most merciful God； that He cared for men； that He desired to make men righteous。 Of that they could not doubt。 The fact was palpable； historic； present。 To them the degraded Koreish of the desert； who as they believed； and I think believed rightly； had fallen from the old Monotheism of their forefathers Abraham and Ismael； into the lowest fetishism； and with that into the lowest brutality and wretchednessto them； while they were making idols of wood and stone； eating dead carcases； and burying their daughters alive； careless of chastity； of justice； of property； sunk in unnatural crimes； dead in trespasses and sins； hateful and hating one anothera man； one of their own people had come； saying： 〃I have a message from the one righteous God。 His curse is on all this； for it is unlike Himself。 He will have you righteous men； after the pattern of your forefather Abraham。 Be that； and arise； body； soul； and spirit； out of your savagery and brutishness。 Then you shall be able to trample under font the profligate idolaters； to sweep the Greek tyrants from the land which they have been oppressing for centuries； and to recover the East for its rightful heirs； the children of Abraham。〃 Was this not； in every sense； a message from God？ I must deny the philosophy of Clement and Augustine； I must deny my own conscience； my own reason； I must outrage my own moral sense； and confess that I have no immutable standard of right； that I know no eternal source of right； if I deny it to have been one； if I deny what seems to me the palpable historic fact； that those wild Koreish had in them a reason and a conscience； which could awaken to that message； and perceive its boundless beauty； i