Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/42

36 4. Denial of Religious and Social Rights. According to the Mohametan law a non-Moslem's testimony cannot be accepted, even listened to, in legal courts, especially when it tends to be against a "believer." But when the interest of Islam demands, a Moslem is justified, even held religiously obliged, to go to the court and give his legal oath and bear false witness against Giaours (Christians.) This is sanctioned by a decree of the Koran and practed by its followers.

A Christian can never make a legal will on his own property, leaving it for his church, or school, or any Christian institution; while most of the wealthy Mohametans will their immovable properties to a certain mosque, or even to their living generations or friends, and such properties, by a very small religious fee, are forever exempt from the regular taxation, regarded as the sacred possession of Islam, carefully protected, repaired, and prevented from being sold to others, especially to "Giaours."

A Christian church, or school, or any other public institution cannot be erected within sixty yards distance from a mosque or Moslem school, even if the latter be ruined and changed to a heap of ashes.

The words of common salutation used among Moslems, "Peace be unto you," can never be addressed to or by a Christian, because this phrase being used among the ancient Moslem prophets, as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus and others, and also among the angels and saints of Paradise, no infidel destined to perdition has a right to claim its benefit,