Mohammadan Controversy

The immediate object of The Mohammedan Controversy was a review the author was called on to make of Dr. Pfander’s famous Apologies for the Christian faith. As leading up to the subject, the Essay opens with an account, chiefly from Dr. Lee’s great work, of the controversy in previous times, and of Henry Martyn’s discussions with the Moollas of Persia. The three chief writings of Pfander—the Mîzân-ul-Haqq, Miftâh-ul-Asrâr, and Tarîq-ul-Hyât — are then described. The debates which these give rise to between their Author and his Moslem opponents follow, notably that with the Mujtahid, or royal Apologist of the King of Oudh. In the latter part of the Second Essay the subject is resumed, and an account given of the continued controversy with the champions of the North-West Provinces and Lucknow brought up to date. William Muir’s writing on Islam pioneered, in the English-speaking world, use of some of the earliest sources. He contributed significantly to the chronological reconstruction of the life of Muhammad and of the history of Islam.