Religion: Dispute

Monday, Jan. 03, 1927

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Hindus are idolaters, and would die rather than eat the sacred flesh of cow or bull. Moslems are beef-eaters,* and abhor idolatry. Last week Swami Shradanand, noted Hindu Brahman, sat down to discuss religious matters with one Abdul Rashid, a Mohammedan, at Delhi, capital of British India. Soon they disagreed. The courtly Swami ("Lord") Shradanand sought to avoid dispute by requesting the Mohammedan to call again when they might discourse with cooler heads. Abdul Rashid, vitally vexed, drew a revolver and shot the Swami dead, was captured, jailed.

^{*According to the Hidayah all quadrupeds that
seize their prey with their teeth, all birds which seize it with their
talons are unlawful because the Prophet prohibited mankind from eating
them. Hyenas, foxes, elephants, weasels, pelicans, kites, carrion
crows, ravens, crocodiles, otters, asses, mules, wasps and in general
all insects are forbidden."—Dictionary of Islam.}