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53 West 33rd Street, New York, March 10, '93. Editor Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utan: Dear Sir.—I have just received a copy of your journal dated the 26th ult. and contuluing ap cdltorial head ed: ‘Mistaken as to That.”’ Its tone in gonousgually just and Impartial that I are prompted to thank you for thus endeavoring to set your readers tight upon a most important subject and for, in a sense, coming to my defense. The recklessness and gross inaccur acy which have characterized the efforts of many of the newspapers to tell the public what I say and believe such the dense ignorance of the Islamic system and the lives and the practices of the Mohammedane of the East man ifested by some of the editorial writers in various parts of the country have annoyed me considerably and it is, therefore, very refreshing to read your fair, intelligent expressions regarding the teaching of the Koran relative to polygamy. An editorial writer in New York, after devoting half a cal yon to a display of his ignorance re garding Mohammed and his teach ings, seriously refers to him as ‘the famous Greek prophet.”?7 In my opinion that writer is not competent to express an opinion upon the subject, I have never said that the Koran Inculcates polygamy, nor have I ever sold that Mohammed told his followers that they might marry as many wives as they chose. I am too familiar with the book to make such a mistake at that. One of the myust striking evidences I have encountered of the depraved state of mind of a large proportion of the Americans with whom I have come in contact since my return from the Haat in the promptness with which they exclaim: “Poly_amy!’? when the sub ject of Islam is referred to, the hypo critical expression of horror and dis gust which they generally indulge to and their utter failure to see anything in the polygenic relation but an oppor tunity for the varied ani gobridien indulgence of the sexual instinct or inclination. During my travel in the East [ was constabtly in the company and homes of Mohammedsas and [ never heard one of them tell a shady story, to make his companions laugh, discuss, so apy way, the relations of the sexes, refer to their wives in conversation with other men, por utter ,a single word or expression that might not have been heard without # bluah by the most re fined lady in our country. In America I have heard stories and expressions from the mouths of merchants, pro fessional men and even clergymen that were obscene, and in some cases, absolutely disgusting to 018. The sexual relation sean to hold a very inginoificant place in the minds of the thousands of devout Motm medans have met; they do not look upon marriage solely as a means of sensual gratification. Our prophet taught that the union of the sexes had a far higher meaning theo theat and that woman was too far above the animal plane to be used by man as a mere toy or plaything. I have met very few Americans who seem to be able to realize that It is possible for a man to have a wife and never exercise all the rights and privileges of a husband. They seem to be firmly wedded to the idea that all a man needs in order to give full play to the animal within him is to have a legal opportunity to do so. My experience, which has been quite extensive, read a mie to believe that the average Mussulman takes a much higher view of the marriage re lation than does the average Ameri ca, [ am ep advocate of polygamy under certain conditions, but I am free to say that I would not advocate its introduction into our social system. The masses are not moral enough, are not able to rise above the animal in their nature sufficiently to use the privilege wisely and justly; it would prove c curse. It is not a part of the Islamic system and our prophet clearly discouraged its practice. He found the Arebs indulging for unlimited polygamy and treating their numerous wives as if they bead no richta that any one was bound to respect. He mourned these conditions, restored the Aftab women to their proper sphere and in many Places abolished polygamy entirely. The idea that polygamy is practiced by the asses of the eastern Mohammedans is a grave error. The Indian Mohammedan with more than one wife is rarely to be found and in Turkey, Egypt and Arabia be almost universal rule is to have one wife. But there are Cases where A man might very properly take two wiveer; these Cases are provided for in the Islamic laws and frequently much Misery and buffeting are thereby pre vented. Rather ao amusing incident oc curred last week at one of the up-town clubs in this city and I tell it simply to illustrate a point which You will readily understand. A party of Spiscopalians were seated in a corner of the reading room discussing church matters. Three or four of them were vestrymen. An old friend of mine who has taken quite an interest in my lectures and so generally supposed to have become Interested so Rian entered the room and was immediately greeted with: * Hello, old man, when are you going to start your harem??? This remark was made by cone of the gentrymen and all the rest of the party burst into a loud laugh. ‘sWell,? said my friend when the laughter had somewhat subsided, “When [do I’m going to have it under my own teol sod not so as you follows up,?” The laughter ceased and the dis cussion of church affairs was resumed. Yours very sincerely. ALEXANDER RUSSELL WEBB.
Newspaper Details
Salt Lake City Deseret Weekly
Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Sat, Mar 25, 1893
Page 30
Full Page
Clipped by
Muhammed A.
USA 16 Feb 2026
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