History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. I.] THE MISSION OF ISLAM. 17

from the pain I reserve in the life to come for the impious and the criminal, and will lead you near me, to the sojourn of felicity.’ Persuasion gradually insinuated itself into our hearts; we have believed in the mission of the Prophet ; we have recognised that his words are the words of Allah, and his commands the commands of Allah, and that the religion he announced to us, which he called Islam, is the only true religion. He has enlightened our minds, he has extinguished our hatreds, he has united and converted us into a society of brothers under laws dictated by divine wisdom. Then he said to us: ‘Complete my work; spread everywhere the dominion of Islam. The earth belongs to Allah; He gives it to you. The nations which shall embrace your faith will be assimilated to yourselves, they shall enjoy the same advantages and will be subject to the same laws. On those who will be desirous to retain their beliefs you are to impose the obligation of declarmg themselves subject to you, and of paying tribute, in consideration whereof you are to cover them with your protection ; but those who shall refuse to accept Islam, or the conditions of tributaries, you are to fight them until you have exterminated them. Some of you will perish in the struggle. Those who fall therein will obtain Paradise, and those who survive, victory.’ These are the destinies of power and glory towards which we confidently march. At present thou knowVOU. Ts C