THE PASSING OF ISLAM.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1929, Page 8

THE PASSING OF ISLAM.

‘“in most of the Moslem countries where a new nationalism lias come to the fore the tendency is to blame Islam for much of the' stagnation and illiteracy of the past, and to regard religious leaders as out of date and a drag on ihe wheels of progress. Consequently one notices how these countries look back at the pre-lslamis history of their people and glory in the days before Islam entered their hands. This is surely the case in Turkey, where young Turan is glorified as the worthy descendant of the old Turkish days before Islam. Kygpt looks to the glory of its ancient past and Persia is more interested in Darius and Cyrus and the glory of Persepolis than in any achievements of Islam in Iran. The constitution was amended in order to separate religion altogether (from the State. Thus, Turkey once the head and Bulwark of Islam, has formally disestablished and disendowed the Mohammendan faith and made religion a matter solely of personal and individual interest. This, I take it, means that the tide of the Turkish devolution is still rising. In Persia educated cir--les see absolutely no value in Islam and are much more impressed by the r-bi'ms of an irreligious outlook on life, which would appear to open the way to freedom and progress.” —Bov. Wilson Cash, writing in “"World Dominion.”