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"With occasional passages of real beauty and power, it is, on the whole, a strange medley, in which the sublime is so nearly allied to the bombastic, the pathetic to the ludicrous, the terrible to the absurd, that each chapter, each page, almost each paragraph, is sure to give rise to the most opposite emotions. Respect, contempt, admiration, abhorrence, so rapidly succeed each other, in the perusal, as to leave no fixed or uniform impression on the mind."

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MOHAMMEDAN CONFESSION OF FAITH; TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC.

(From Morgan's Mahometism Explained.)

The articles of our faith which every good Mussulman is bound to believe and to receive with an entire assurance are thirteen in number, whereof the first and principal is,

I.-Of God's Existence.

To believe from the heart, to confess with the tongue, and with a voluntary and steadfast mind to affirm, that there is but one only God, Lord and Governor of the universe, who produced all things from nothing, in whom there is neither image nor resemblance, who never begot any person whatsoever, as he himself was begotton by none; who, as he never was a son, so he never hath been a father. It is this Lord and Sovereign Arbiter of all things whom we Mussulmans are bound to serve and adore; so that none among us may deviate from this article, but every one must imprint it deeply in his heart; for it is unquestionable.

II.-Of the Prophet Mahomet and the Koran.

We must believe from our hearts and confess with our mouths that the Most High God, after having revealed himself to mankind by his ancient prophets, sent us at length his Elected, the blessed Mahomet, with the sacred and divine law, which through his grace he had created, the which is contained in the venerable Koran, that hath been from him remitted unto us. By this holy law it is that God hath abolished all the preceding ones, and hath X

withdrawn from their doubts and errors all nations and people in order to guide them to a firm and lasting state of happiness. Wherefore we are obliged exactly to follow the precepts, rites, and ceremonies thereof, and to abandon every other sect or reli gion whatsoever, whether instituted before or since this final revelation. By this article we are distinguished and separated from all sorts of idolatry, lying rhapsodies, and false prophecies, and from all those sects, societies, and religions different from ours, which are either erroneous, abrogated, or exaggerated, void of faith, and without truth.

III.-Of Providence and Predestination.

We must firmly believe and hold as a certainty that, except God himself who always was and always shall be, every thing shall one day be annihilated, and that the Angel of death shall take to himself the souls of mortals destined to a total and universal extinction,* by the command of God, our powerful Lord and Master, who was able and hath vouchsafed to produce out of nothing, and in fine to set in form this universal world, with all things therein contained, both good and evil, sweet and bitter; and hath been pleased to appoint two angels, the one on the right, and the other on the left, to register the actions of every one of us, as well the good as the bad, to the end that judicial cognizance may be taken thereof, and sentence pronounced thereupon, at the great day of judgment. It is therefore necessary to believe predestination: but it is not permitted to discourse thereof to any whomsoever, till after being perfectly well versed in the study of our written law, viz. the Koran, and of our Sonnah, which is our oral law. Seeing then all things are to have an end, let us do good works, and deport ourselves so that we may live for ever.

*Notwithstanding this annihilation, it is taught in the Koran that all intelligent creatures will be reproduced again at the resurrection.

IV. Of the Interrogation in the Grave.

We must truly and firmly believe and hold as certain and assured, the Interrogation of the sepulchre, which will after death be administered to every one of us by two angels upon these four important questions:-1. Who was our Lord and our God? 2. Who was our Prophet? 3. Which was our religion? 4. On what side was our Keblah? He who shall be in a condition to make answer, that God was his only Lord, and Mahomet his Prophet, shall find a great illumination in his tomb, and shall himself rest in glory. But he who shall not make a proper answer to these questions shall be involved in darkness until the day of judgment.

V.-Of the Future Dissolution.

We must heartily believe and hold as certain, that not only shall all things one day perish and be annihilated, viz. angels, men, and devils, but likewise this shall come to pass at the end of the world, when the angel Israfil shall blow the trumpet in such sort that except the Sovereign God none of the universal creation shall remain alive immediately after the dreadful noise, which shall cause the mountains to tremble, the earth to sink, and the sea to be changed to the colour of blood. In this total extinction, the last who shall die will be Azarael, the Angel of death; and the power of the Most High God will be evidently manifested.

VI.-Of the Future Resurrection.

We are obliged cordially to believe and to hold for certain, that the first before all others whom God shall revive in heaven shall be the Angel of death; and that he will at that time recall all the souls in general, and reunite them to the respective bodies to

which each belonged; some of which shall be destined to glory, and others to torment. But upon earth, the first whom God will raise shall be our blessed prophet Mahomet. As for the earth itself, it shall open on all sides, and shall be changed in a moment; and by God's command fire shall be kindled in every part thereof, which shall be extended to its utmost extremities. God will then prepare a vast plain, perfectly level, and of sufficient extent to contain all creatures summoned to give an account of their past conduct. May this solemn, definite, and irrevocable judgment awaken us from our security; for to nothing that hath been created shall favour be showed. Every soul shall be judged there by the same rule, and without exception of persons.

VII. Of the Day of Judgment.

We must believe from our hearts and hold for certain, that there shall be a day of judgment, whereon God shall ordain all nations to appear in a place appointed for this great trial, of sufficient vastness that His Majesty may there be evident in splendour. It is in this magnificent and spacious station that the universal assembly of all creatures shall be made, about the middle of the day, and in the brightness of noon: and then it is, that accompanied by his prophet (Mohammed), and in the presence of all mankind, God shall with justice and equity judge all the nations of the earth in general, and every person in particular. To this effect, every one of us shall have a book or catalogue of our actions delivered to us; that of the good in such wise that it shall be received and held in the right hand; that of the wicked, so that it shall be received and held in the left hand. As to the duration of that day, it shall be as long as the continuance of the present age. This shall be a day of sighs and griefs, a day of tribulation and anguish, when the cup of sorrow

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