1 18 A Short History of the Sikhs.
2 religion. The doctrines of Islam were not only
3 unlike those of the religions of India, but were in
4 direct conflict with them. To the Muhammadan
5 every Hindu was an idolater, and to the Hindu every
6 Muhammadan was a barbarian.
7 Wide, however, as was the difference between
8 Islam and Hinduism, it was impossible that these
9 two faiths could exist side by side for centuries
10 without acting and reacting the one upon the
11 other; nor was it possible for two races living in
12 close daily contact to be for ever wrangling and
13 fighting. A certain degree of mutual toleration be-
14 came essential if the ordinary business of life was
15 to be carried on. Toleration soon led to a closer
16 intimacy ; and, as time went on, the followers of
17 either faith began to find out that there were
18 aspects of the other which deserved their considera-
19 tion, if not their respect.
20 From the first, the lower orders of the Hindus
21 were strongly attracted by a people who could
22 despise the sanctity of the Brahmin, were as brave
23 as Rajputs, and laughed at the restrictions of caste.
24 Conversions to the new faith soon began to take
25 place, and their number increased year by year.
26 Gradually, too, the doctrine of the unity of God
27 and His abhorrence of images operated on the minds
28 of all classes of Hindus, and recalled even to the
29 learned the simple teaching of the Vedas.
30 At the same time, the reverence paid to Brahmins
31 excited the envy and admiration of sheikhs and
32 say ads, who began to claim a like sanctity and to
33 exact a like homage ; while Moghuls and Pathans