It is evident that legal equality must now be
accorded to Christians living under Mohammedan law, and that conformity,
on the other hand, in certain points to foreign law must be allowed to
Moslems living under Christian rule.
Again, slavery must, by some means, be made illegal; and a stricter
interpretation of the Koranic permission be put on marriage,
concubinage, and divorce. That all these changes might be logically
effected by a process of reasoning from the traditions, and expanding or
minimising the interpretation of the Koran, no one need doubt who
remembers what fetwas have already been given on these very points by
some of the Azhar Ulema. At present these decisions are unsatisfactory
to the faithful at large, because those issuing them have no recognized
authority to strain the law, but with authority the same decisions would
meet with general approval. At least such is the impression of modern
Mohammedan opinion made on me by my conversation with Mohammedans. It
would be interesting to work out these points; and I hope some day to
have an opportunity of doing so, but for the present I have neither the
time nor the knowledge sufficient for the purpose. I must be content
with having suggested the method; I cannot work out the details of a
reformation.
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