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1004
THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
of the Qur'an would suffice to show that of the five main divisions into which we have divided them only the first is the true basis of religion. Thus, we need only consider the merit of the Qur'an under the following three heads which are comprised in the first and the fifth divisions :
(a) philosophical truths and definitions, (b) mythology, and (c) ritual.
To begin with the sub-division (a), it may be stated, without the least fear of contradiction, that the holy Qur'an contains identically the same teachings as are the basis of all true religions. It leaves no doubt as to the nature of the Essence of Life or God, which is described as that which seeth and heareth.* It is further
* That the true idea of unity in relation to God had little in common with the modern conception of Anthropomorphism, may be seen from the following from "The Mystics of Islam," (page 79):
“Both Moslems and Sufis declare that God is one, but the statement bears a different meaning in each instance. The Moslem means that God is unique in His essence, qualities, and acts; that he is absolutely unlike all other beings. The Sufi means that God is the One Real Being which underlies all phenomena."
The Sufi doctrine, as a matter of fact, is the exact copy of the heretical' Vedanta, which seems to have been the creed of the wandering Calendars of Muslim origin. To what extent these bold free-thinkers of Islam went is apparent from the following couplet of Abu Sa'id ibn Abi'l Khayr, (See. The Mystics of Islam,' p. 90):
“ Not until every mosque beneath the sun Lies ruined, will our holy work be done ; And never will true Musalman appear Till faith and infidelity are one."
The formula xi114118 (Lâ ilaha Il-la 'l-lahu), which means, 'there is no God but God,' can, in the light of what has been said before,
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