This has been the govern- ing principle of politicians from...

This has been the govern- ing principle of politicians from the age of Hannibal to the days of Hitler, and this in spite of that much-talked-of boon called Modern Civilisation which is held to be the last word on all that is best and wisest in Man. That great historian of Muslim Spain, Dr. J. A. Conde, has laid down a maxim of universal application which may serve as a guide to all who want to write impartial history, and have an ambition to occupy the position of an impartial judge of the Past.

He says: "A sort of fatality attaching itself to human affairs would seem to command that in the relation of historical events those of the highest importance should descend to posterity through the justly suspected channels of narrations writ- ten by the conquering parties.

The mutation of empires, the most momentous revolutions and the overthrow of the most renowned dynasties seem all to be liable to this disadvantage; it was by the Romans that the history of their own aggrandisement was written; the narration of their rivalry and sanguinary wars with the Carthaginians has come down to us from them- selves; or if Greek writers have also treated the subject, these men were the tributaries and dependants of Rome, nor did they spare the flatteries best calculated to conciliate her favour.

Scipio thus appears to us the most admirable of heroes, but is not that in part because the history of his life is the work of his admirers and flat- terers?

1t is true that the noble and illustrious Hannibal cannot look otherwise than great and glorious even in the narratives of his mortal enemies, but if the implacable hatred and aggressive policy of Rome had not commanded the destruction of all the Punic annals, the renowned African general would doubtless ap- pear to us under an aspect differing much from that presented by the ruthless barbarian, des- cribed by Livy and accepted by his readers as the portrait of Hannibal., ,4 What a striking resemblance with the early history of the khilafah (caliphate) and its heroes, which was the result of a struggle between two parties, one of which won the throne by a very clever coup d'etat.