________________
1038
THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
widow. In her case there is no question of breaking the nuptial vow, of sullying the virgin purity of the heart or of prostituting the body to the embraces of another than the man deliberately accepted, in the name of Gods, as the sole companion, in weal or woe, and the only exception to the absolute impregnability of feminine modesty.
Thus, no one can seriouly deny that the considerations which apply to the case of an ordinary widow have not the least application to those of little children forcibly joined in the unholy bonds of unlawful matrimony by parental tyranny; and it is really high time now that people made up their minds to give up, once for all and for ever, a custom of such evil repute and consequence as child-marriage has proved to be.
So far as female slaves are concerned, happily the question of their rights and privileges does not arise under the present conditions of society; but the passage from the Sura Nisa which 'legalises' an unlimited number of slaves to every true believer is there to show that Muslim legislation concerning domestic matters is grounded upon a purely materialistic conception of life, and, consequently, falls short of the spiritual ideal of self-denial which religion insists upon.
(10) Under the tenth head fall the contradictions in the Qur'an. Some of these are, no doubt, difficult to reconcile; but their explanation is to be found in the different capacities which their author filled at different times of his life.
(11) The eleventh objection bears reference to Muslim mythology. But we need merely state as to this
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org