Wisdom Of The East - The Religion Of The Koran

WISDOM OF THE EAST THE RELIGION OF THE KORAN AKTtHUR N. WOLL STQN K. CJ. E, IPHBfDP IMPRESSION LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1911 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ... PA ji EXTRACTS FROM THE KORAN THE KORAN ...... 2 UNITY OF GOD ..... 30 MUHAMMAD THE APOSTLE OF GOD . . 34 RESURRECTION .... q7 HELL. ... 4 Jl 0 PARADISE . A 43 GENI OR JINNS ..... 4 g ANGELS ...... 51 THE DEVIL ..... ..... 53 PREDESTINATION ..... -- 57 ALMSGIVING ... ..... 59 . . . 61 PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA . . . . 62 PROHIBITIONS WINE, GAMING, FOODS USURY, INFANTICIDE, ILL-TREATMENT OF ORPHANS . . ., 64 MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE., . . g, PROSELYTISM . . . . .. . The accompanying Extracts from the Koran are taken from the Translation by the late Professor E. H. Palmer, published in 1880 in the Sacred Books of the East Series. EDITORIAL NOTE THEE object of the Editors of this series is a Jl very definite one. They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East and West the old world of Thought and the new of Action, in this endeavour, and in their own sphere, they are but followers of the highest example in tho land. They are confident that a deeper know ledge of the great ideals and lofty philosophy of Oriental thought may help to a revival of that true spirit of Charity which neither despises nor fears the nations of another creed and colour, Finally, in thanking press and public for the very cordial reception given to tho Wisdom of the East Series, they wish to state that no pains have been spared to secure the best specialists for the treatment of the various subjects at hand. L CRAMER-BYNG, S. A, KAPADIA, NOBTHBROOK SOCIETY, 21 CEOMWELL ROAD, KENSTOTON, S, W, INTRODUCTION The Koran. As tiie sacred volume of some 170 millions of the present inhabitants of the world the Koran possesses an interest and im portance which well merit, and will amply repay, attention and study, To the pious Miisuliman it is the very Word of God the true rule of life, and the source of all his hopes for the future. It is universally allowed to be written with the utmost -H mo-and purity of style, though, of courst as the standard of the Arabic tongue, it scarcely comes within the pale of grammatical criticism But, apart from this, if would be difficult to surpass the eUxjminas and beauty of its diction, and well may Muhammad have dis claimed all power of working mharlt trusting to the saxuredBook itself as evidence of his mission from on high. That the Koran was really the work of the Prophet of Arabia is beyond dispute, though it must be left to conjecture whether, and to what extent, others participated in his design. Pknis Muslims, hmvcvt-r, would have it believed that the book of divine origin v and revealed to Muhammad on various occasions, sometimes at Mecca, at Madin t during a IX B period of twenty-three years. After the passages had been set down in writing by his scribe from the Prophets mouth, they were published to bis followers, some of whom took copies, more or less incomplete, for their private use, but the far greater number learned them by heart. The originals when returned were placed promiscuously in a chest, where they remained in a state of confusion till the time of Abu Bakr, the Khalif or successor of the Prophet A, D, 632-63,1, By his direction they were collected and additions made of those portions which had not. previouslybeen committed to writing. Matters remained in this condition till A. p, 652, when Olhrnan, who was then Khalif, ordered a n at number of copies to be transcribed from the compilation of Abu Bakr, with emendations by specially selected scholars, and dispersed tins new edition throughout the Empire, in place of the old collections, which were thereupon sup pressed...