Hence his reasons for hardening their hearts against that faith in
the Koran which might send them to heaven, and which would, they
think, necessarily follow an impartial examination of the evidence of
its divinity and certainty. Timur thought, no doubt, that it would be
very meritorious on his part to assist God in this his labour of
filling the great abyss by throwing into it all the existing
population of China: while he spread over their land in pastoral
tribes the goodly seed of Muhammadanism, which would give him a rich
supply of recruits for paradise.
The following dialogue took place one day between me and the 'mufti',
or head Muhammadan law officer, of one of our regulation courts.[57]
'Does it not seem to you strange, Mufti Sahib, that your prophet,
who, according to your notions, must have been so well acquainted
with the universe and the laws that govern it, should not have
revealed to his followers some great truths hitherto unknown
regarding these laws, which might have commanded their belief, and
that of all future generations, in his divine mission?'
'Not at all,' said the Mufti; 'they would probably not have
understood him; and if they had, those who did not believe in what he
did actually reveal to them, would not have believed in him had he
revealed all the laws that govern the universe.
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