Pan-Islam

I have written this book to present the main factors of a many-sided problem—political, social and religious—in a form which the general public can easily grasp. Modern democratic principles tend to give the public increasing control of international and inter-racial affairs, and therefore any contribution to public knowledge on such questions is in the interests of sound administration. The book is not intended to advise those who actually handle these affairs: I give such advice, when required, in more detail and not through the medium of a published work. "Pan-Islam" is an elementary handbook, not a text-book—still less an exhaustive treatise, but the questions it discusses are real enough. My qualifications for writing it are based on a quarter of a century's experience of the subject in most parts of the Moslem world, and I have studied the question in areas which I have not actually visited through intercourse with pilgrims from those parts. I have no axe to grind or infallible panacea to advocate; I merely lay the result of my researches before the public for its information, as failing health has warned me to "pass the ball when collared," and I would like to think that the land where most of my life's work has centred will not be mishandled by cranks and opportunists after I have left the game. An arm-chair is a sorry substitute for an Arab pony, and a garden plot for the highlands of Arabia Felix, but the human mind is not necessarily confined by such trammels, and if my environment is narrow I hope my G. Wyman Bury . Helouan, 27th July, 1919. CONTENTS PAGE ITS ORIGIN AND MEANING 11 ITS BEARING ON THE WAR 24 ITS STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS 83 MOSLEM AND MISSIONARY 110 A PLEA FOR TOLERANCE 187 PAN-ISLAM ITS ORIGIN AND MEANING Much has been written about Christianity and Islam, so I hasten to inform my readers that this is not a religious treatise, nor do I class them with the globe-trotter who searched Benares brass-bazar diligently for "a really nice image of Allah" and pronounced the dread name of Hindustan's avenging goddess like an effervescing drink. I presuppose that Christians or Moslems who read this book have got beyond the stage of calling each other pagans or kafirs , and it will have served its purpose if it brings about a friendlier feeling between the two great militant creeds…