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One who permits anything on his body to grow as it will, virtually makes himself known
as one who gives free scope to his lusts and passions, who will allow no hindrance to his
natural desires.

This clearly points to one of the most conspicuous features of Islam -- that which allows,
in this life, the unrestrained indulgence of the animal passions of men. This is always to the great
degradation of women and promises the adherent unlimited degrees of sensuousness in paradise. It
was in order to subdue men, that appeal was made to what is basest in the nature of man. This is
grossly demoniacal!

Verse 9: "Their chests were like iron breastplates, and the sound their wings made was like
the roar of many horses and chariots rushing into battle."

The breastplate or coats of mail indicates their preparedness for battle, and the reference to
"horses" again in verse 9 further testifies of their eagerness to engage in battle. Writes Alexander
Keith --

The cuirass (or breastplate) was in use among the Arabs in the days of Mahomet. In the
battle of Ohud (the second which Mahomet fought) with the Koreish of Mecca (A.D.
624), "seven hundred of them were armed with cuirasses." And in his next victory over
the Jews, "three hundred cuirasses, five hundred pikes, a thousand lances, composed the
most useful portion of the spoil." After the defeat of the imperial army of seventy thou-
sand men, on the plain of Aiznadin (A.D. 633), the spoil taken by the Saracens "was
inestimable; many banners and crosses of gold and silver, precious stones, silver and gold
chains, and innumerable suits of the richest armor and apparel. The seasonable supply of
arms became the instrument of new victories" (Signs of the Times, Vol. I, p. 312).

Regarding the latter part of verse 9, "'The charge of the Arabs was not like that of the
Greeks and Romans, the efforts of a firm and compact infantry; their military force was chiefly
formed of cavalry and archers.'...With a touch of the hand, the Arab horses dart away with the
swiftness of the wind. 'The sound of their wings was as the sound of many horses running to battle.'
Their conquests were marvellous both in rapidity and extent, and their attack was instantaneous.
Nor was it less successful against the Romans than the Persians" (ibid., p. 313).

Verses 10 and 11: "They had tails like those of scorpions, with stings; and in their tails was
the power to hurt people for five months. They had as a king over them the angel of the
Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is 'Abaddon' and in our language, 'Destroyer.'"

Five months equals one hundred and fifty days, which is one hundred and fifty years pro-
phetically speaking -- a day for a year (Ezekiel 4:3-6). Therefore, they were to "hurt people" for
150 years.

This 150 years is to be counted from the time when they first had a king over them, as verse
11 states: "They had as a king over them....whose name in Hebrew is 'Abaddon' and in our lan-
guage, 'Destroyer.'" For more than six hundred years the forces of Islam had no regularly organ-
ized government -- and recognized no man as king. Notes Gibbon, "The authority of the

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