MRS. G. F. JONES by Mrs. G. F. Jones

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 11, 1913

MRS. G. F. JONES

By Mrs. G. F. Jones

Our Mohammedan Sisters—No. 3

MRS. G. F. JONES

It is quite a common thing to hear Arab women tell of the loss of one, two, and even four or more children. The mortality of boys in infancy is greater than that of girls. This is doubtless due to the way they are indulged from the day of their birth, being generally overfed and pampered in every way. Not only does this treatment affect their physical condition, but should they survive till the age of two, they are real tyrants and soon begin cursing their mothers and sisters. Having taught him, the mother is proud of his cleverness until, growing worse with age, she regrets having been the means of bringing him into the world. A boy of four has been seen to go in search of a big stone to throw at his mother with curses. By that age he utterly defies her authority and repulses her embraces.

Who is to blame for this state of things? Surely not the child, but the religion of Islam that utterly despises womankind and makes her what she is under its blighting influence. “Being distrusted, she has become untrustworthy; being abused, she has become abusive, and every evil passion is given free rein.”

The jealousy of rival wives often leads to dreadful crimes. One woman became blind from vitriol thrown in her face by another wife. An only son, most precious, of high rank, was poisoned in his innocent babyhood by his mother’s rival; and indeed every harem has its unwritten tragedies. Not the least feature of the moral ruin into which they have fallen is the impurity which seems to permeate every thought.

The whole system of the Islamic religion destroys the purity of the home, and makes it impossible for the children to grow up pure-minded.

One would naturally expect to find great superstition where there is so much ignorance, nor is one mistaken. Beware of admiring an infant, however much tempted to do so, for such admiration will attract the “evil eye,” and then woe to the little one. A mother will not be in the least offended, but quite the reverse, if you should remark, “What is that ugly thing, black as tar, in your arms? Ugh, how ugly! Is it a boy or a girl?” “A girl,” answers the mother, although it may be well known that it is a boy. Because of the value set on boys, it is quite common for them to be dressed as girls, and even called by girls’ names to evade the evil eye until they are old enough to rebel. Many women will not even wash their boys for fear of making them attractive and in danger of falling under the influence of the evil eye. Talismans, amulets, and all sorts of charms are worn for protection against the evil eye, bites from wild beasts, and wounds in war. Women often wear amulets round their necks, with verses inscribed from the Koran, to protect them from harm of various kinds.

The question now arises, not only what can be done to help the sad lot of these millions of women,—our sisters, as precious in the sight of God as any of us,—but, What can I do? Will it suffice if I simply pity them?—No, we must do much more. We must pray and work for them,—pray earnestly that a way may be found to lift them up from such a terrible life of degradation, and give of our means to support those who can minister to them and tell them of the love of the Saviour who died to save them.