Page:Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din - The Strength of Islam.djvu/11

 Rh tion as to race or climate, and it is this which, in my humble opinion, will make the reasonable teachings of Muhammad prevail in the end. It is much to be regretted that puritanical teachings have contributed so much towards the retardation of our efforts to spread the ideals of true Islam in the Western world.

The precepts to be found in Leviticus might have been desirable or necessary amongst a lot of savages thousands of years ago, but these teachings are quite out of place and ridiculous in the twentieth century.

In this age of reason it is intolerable to be asked to believe that certain forms and ceremonies are necessary to salvation. What I mean is this: that religion which insists that non-observance of forms or ceremonies is to be visited with the same punishment as the commission of sin, cannot be expected to find any favour with the mass of intelligent people.

For example, if you are going to tell the Esquimau that he must perform his ablutions with ice or snow, and take off his shoes before