Page:A Moslem seeker after God - showing Islam at its best in the life and teaching of al-Ghazali, mystic and theologian of the eleventh century (IA moslemseekeraft00zwem).pdf/107



" Two merchantmen decided they would battle, To prove at last who sold the finest wares; And while Mohammed shrieked his call to

prayers, The true Messiah waved his wooden rattle."

As in the nineteenth century for Christianity, so in the eleventh century for Islam, the struggle be tween science and orthodoxy waged fiercely. The rationalistic school of the Mu atazilites still exer cised great influence while the literalists and the blind followers of traditional Islam were often more distinguished for Pharisaism than piety.

We need only turn to the " Maqamat " of Al Hamadhani to know what the sceptic of that day thought of the public religious services.

" So I slipped away from my companions," says his hero, " taking advantage of the opportunity of joining in public prayers, and dreading, at the same time, the loss of the caravan I was leaving. But I sought aid against the difficulty of the desert through the blessing of prayer, and, therefore, I went to the front row and stood up. The Imam went up to the niche and recited the opening chap ter of the Quran according to the intonation of Hamza, in regard to using Madda and Hamsa while I experienced disquieting grief at the thought of missing the caravan, and of separation from the mount. Then he followed up the Surat Al-Fatiha with Surat Al-Waq ia while I suffered the fire of impatience and tasked myself severe