THE FUTURE OF ISLAM.




CHAPTER I.

CENSUS OF THE MOHAMMEDAN WORLD.

THE HAJ.


In the lull, which we hope is soon to break the storm of party strife in
England, it may not perhaps be impossible to direct public attention to
the rapid growth of questions which for the last few years have been
agitating the religious mind of Asia, and which are certain before long
to present themselves as a very serious perplexity to British statesmen;
questions, moreover, which if not dealt with by them betimes, it will
later be found out of their power to deal with at all, though a vigorous
policy at the present moment might yet solve them to this country's very
great advantage.

The revival which is taking place in the Mohammedan world is indeed
worthy of every Englishman's attention, and it is difficult to believe
that it has not received anxious consideration at the hands of those
whose official responsibility lies chiefly in the direction of Asia; but
I am not aware that it has hitherto been placed in its true light before
the English public, or that a quite definite policy regarding it may be