cause of its opposition to idolatry, its recognition
of our Blessed Lord as a Prophet, the certain admixture of truth
contained in its grievous error, and the alleged moral teaching and
beauty of language of particular passages in the Koran. [Sidenote:
Moral effects of Mahometanism.] Any such favour or tenderness is,
however, altogether out of place in professed worshippers of Him Whom
Mahomet so grievously blasphemed, whilst the grossly sensual and
immoral lives led by the false prophet and the large proportion of his
followers down to {92} the present time, serve to show us that wrong
belief and wrong practice go hand in hand, and that whatever show of
morality there may be in some few of the precepts of the Koran, it has
no influence on the conduct of those who profess to be guided by it.

Section 3. _The Spread of Mahometanism._

[Sidenote: Mahometan conquests]

The work of conquest which Mahomet had begun was continued by his
successors. Abu Bekr, the father of Mahomet's favourite wife, was the
first of the four Caliphs who pushed the power of the Mahometan arms
beyond the confines of Arabia, and laid the foundations of the future
empire. [Sidenote: of the Holy Land,] Jerusalem was taken by Omar, the
next Caliph, in A.D. 637, and, with the exception of a short interval
during the Crusades, the Holy City has ever since remained in the hands
of the unbelievers. [Sidenote: Egypt,] Omar made himself master of
Egypt as well as of Syria, and showed his savage contempt for learning
by burning the famous and valuable collection of MSS. contained in the
Alexandrian library. [Sidenote: Persia, and North Africa.] Under
Othman, Persia and the North of Africa were added to the empire, and
after the death of Ali, son-in-law to Mahomet and fourth Caliph, the
seat of government was removed to Damascus.

[Sidenote: Other portions of Asia and part of Europe.]

The Caliphs of Damascus carried on the same system of warfare and
bloodshed, took possession of Asia Minor, of the Northern parts of
India, of Spain, and overran the South of France, where, however, A.D.
732, the Mahometan troops received such a check at Tours from the hands
of {93} Charles Martel, as hindered them from extending their conquests
any farther in Western Europe.

[Sidenote: Present extent of Mahometanism.]

At the present day Mahometanism is the professed faith of the
inhabitants of the Northern half of Africa, of Turkey in Europe, of
Arabia, Pers