Many tributes of praise have been given to the virtues of the Turk Muslims during Ottoman Empire even by Christian writers who have no love for them; and one such person was Alexander Ross (1590 – 1654) who was a prolific Scottish writer and controversialist.
Alexander Ross had a very poor opinion of Islam but he even has accepted the moral and spiritual superiority of Muslims over Christians. He says:
“Even in the dirt of the Alcoran you shall find some jewels of Christian Virtues;
and indeed if Christians will but diligently read and observe the Laws and Histories of the Mahometans, they may blush to see how zealous they are in the works of devotion, piety, and charity, how devout, cleanly, and reverend in their Mosques,
how obedient to their Priest, that even the great Turk himself will attempt nothing without consulting his Mufti;
how careful are they to observe their hours of prayer five times a day wherever they are, or however employed ?
how constantly do they observe their Fasts from morning till night a whole month together;
how loving and charitable the Muslemans are to each other,
and how careful of strangers may be seen by their Hospitals, both for the Poor and for Travellers;
if we observe their Justice, Temperance, and other moral Virtues, we may truly blush at our own coldness, both in devotion and charity, at our injustice, intemperance, and oppression; doubtless these Men will rise up in judgment against us;
and surely their devotion, piety and works of mercy are main causes of the growth of Mahometism.”1
1. Alexander Ross, p. ix.