THE INFLUENCE OF ANIMISM ON ISLAM

"Even in the higher religions," says Warneck, "and in the heathenism that exists in Christendom, we find numerous practices of animistic origin. Buddhism, Confucianism, and Mohammedanism have nowhere conquered this most tenacious of all forms of religion; they have not even entered into conflict with it; it is only overcome by faith in Jesus Christ." Therefore, these many superstitions can no longer be styled "anti-Mohammedan," although they conflict in many respects with the original doctrines of Islam. A religion is not born full-grown any more than a man is; if, upon reaching maturity, it has cast off the form of its early youth past recognition, we cannot deny its right to this transformation, as it is part and parcel of the scheme of nature.

"A custom or idea does not necessarily stand condemned according to the Moslem standard," writes Hurgronje, "even though in our minds there can be no shadow of doubt of its pagan origin. If, for example, Mohammedan teaching is able to regard some popular custom as a permissible enchantment against the devil or against jinns jinns: Supernatural spirits in Islamic mythology, often considered capable of good or evil influence. hostile to mankind, or as an invocation of the mediation of a prophet or saint with God, then it matters not that the existence of these malignant spirits is actually only known from pagan sources. Nor does anyone pause to inquire whether the saint in question is but a heathen god in a new dress, or an imaginary being whose name but serves to legitimate the existing worship of some object of popular reverence." Some writers go so far as to say that Animism lies at the root of all Moslem thinking and all Moslem theology.

"The Moslem," says Gottfried Simon, "is naturally inclined to Animism; his Animism does not run counter to the ideal of his religion. Islam is the classic example of the way in which non-Christian religions do not succeed in conquering Animism."