America's Intolerance toward Polygamy

On the 24th of January, 1920, Mufti Mohammad Sadiq, M. R. A. S., Phil. B., A. S. P., F. P. C. (London) proceeded from England to America to preach the truth of Islam to the people of that continent. But as soon as he reached that coast, he, quite unexpectedly, found the door of the Great Democracy closed against him. The immigration authorities would not let him in, and what do you suppose was the reason for which he was refused admission? Every reader, I am sure, will be surprised to learn that the only fault for which the door of the United States of America was slammed in his face was that he believer in a religion which permitted polygamy. He assured the authorities that if a belief in polygamy was something which disqualified one from preaching in the United States, he would undertake not to preach the doctrine while in the United States; but the authorities were still obdurate and asked our missionary to go back to the country from which he had come. Our missionary asked for permission for appeal. That permission has been given, but the gentleman has been sent to the Detention House, pending the decision of the appeal.

The treatment which our brother has received at the hands of the United States authorities is highly intolerant and inequitable. The American people boast of being the most enlightened of all nations. They pose as the champions of liberty and freedom. They profess not only to be themselves the most liberal of all nations, but also ready to defend the freedom of others.

Children of the Pilgrim Fathers! Remember the fanaticism and persecution of the nations then in power, which first sent your forefathers as fugitives to your shore. You more than any other people should have held sacred the freedom of thought and speech. You have increased in wealth, you have increased in power. Beware, these are the rocks, on which have foundered the moral ships of older nations. You have passed a law forbiding people who believe in the validity of polygamy, admission into your country. Do you think even the highest legislative body in the world has the jurisdiction to pass such a law against inalienable human rights? Such legislation only serves to brand the nation with the stigma of arrogance and pride. And where these come in, decadence is not far behind.

America must remember that now the time has come for Islam to spread throughout the world. God Himself will break all barriers which the opponents of Islam may set up to check its spread. The flood of Islam is now rising and it will sweep away all obstacles that may come in its way. It has been decreed that Islam should spread in the United States, and no human effort can prevent its progress. Today the United States authorities are detaining a Moslem missionary because he believes in polygamy, but the day is not distant when the State itself will pass laws recognizing polygamy as a legal form of marriage."