The Review of Religions February 1933

In its fact-finding ambition it is hardly the inferior of the European professors of oriental subjects but these ambitions are directed not to an interpretation and evaluation of Islam in relation to the world of to-day and the world of to-morrow but to a reconstruction of the past history Ind achievements of Islam.68 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS February The reconstruction is always a legitimate glo [...] Defeated and worsted in battles with Muslims subjugated and reduced to the position of vassals by the Muslim rulers and suffered tg partake of their benignity and generosity as toadies and74 THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS February sycophants the Hindus have no less cause than the Christians to chafe and smart under the lash of the poignant recollections of the victorious and irresistable march of Islam [...] Describing a pillar under the heading of Antoci-al-Sawari Abdul Latif writes It is said that of all the pillars there is one which supported the porch of Aristotle who taught philosophy that it was a school of learning and it housed a library which was burnt by `Amr at the instance of the Caliph." The critics have clutched at the statement to belittle the glory of Caliph Omar. [...] A casual reader of the history of those days knows that there were two schools of thought among the Jews the school of Hillel and the school of Shammai and the difference of opinion arose about the points of law. [...] He tried meticulously to carry out the requirements of the law but he emphasised the spirit of the law as against the Jewish tendency of letter-worship at the expense of the spirit.