Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-09-06
THE HERALD.
THE KORAN AND ITS TEACHINGS.
Similarity to the Old Testament.-Th Principal
Doctrines.

The revelations which were made
to Mohammed are contained in the
Koran which has been and still is the
Bible of his followers. 1t is divided
into enc hundred and fourteen chap,
ters, which were delivered at differ
ent times through course of years,
as circumstances required, the latter
portions often revoking and contra
dieting the earlier. AS the different
portions were given By the angel,
they were proclaimed,an then writ
ten down by scribe on palm leaves,
skins, or other fit materials, and
these loose scripts were thrown pro-
miscuously into an ark or chest.
After the prophets death, they were
taken out and published, without the
slightest regard to order, method,
dates or subjects, so that the student
has no means of finding the proper
place of any chapter, but by compar-
ing it with the prophets history,
and seeing where 1t will best fit the
occasion. This makes the Koran
very difficult book to read or study to
any advantage.
The teachings of the Koran COR
respond, in many points, with those
of the Old Testament, particularly in
regard to the creation of the world,
tho fall of Adam, the general del1ge,
the deliverance of Noah and his am
lily in the ark, the call of Abraham,
the stories of Isaac and lshraael,
of Jacob aad the PaLriarohs; the Sc
lection of the Jews as Gods chosen
people; the prophetic office, miracles
and administration of Moses tbs in
SEPARATION and authority of the He.
brew historians, prophets and ps alm-
ists, especially of David and Solomon;
and. lastly, the promise of the NLes-
slab, with many Of the accomps n.y.
ing conditions respecting it. They
agree also with the New Testament
in the recognition of Jesus Chris as
the Messiah of the Jews, in His
miraculous conception, His immacu-
late nativity, His numerous miracles,
His rejection by His own coun ,ry-
men, His condemnation to the death
of the cross, His. bodily ascension into
heaven, His officiating there as med
iator between God and man, and His
coming to judge the world at the
last dey. The acquaintance OF Mos
manned with these leading facts of
our sacred history may be accounted
for by his early and long continued
acquaintance with jews and Chris
tians,
The principal doctrine Of the Kor-
an ia that so oft repeated aThere is
no god but God and Mohammed is
his prophet" The Trinity is reject
cd, and also the divinity of Christ.
Mohammed taught the universal
providence of Sod, and kind of pre-
destination-not that of the Script
ures, but moro nearly resembling hea-
then faith. Flo believed in an innu-
merable company of angels, q future
retribution, general resurrection,
and judgement, paradise for the
faithful, and terrible hell for all his
enemies. He believed in purgstory
for those whose moral disorders are
susceptible of cure, but for the miser-
able remnants there is no hope.
OF the moral and religious duties
inculcated in the Koran some are
eommendable and useful. In the
former part of his ministry Moham-
med often enJoined upon his follow
ers the duties eft patience and subs
mission, but in the latter part they
were measurabiy forgotten. No
duty is more frequently enjoined in
the Koran than prayer. He speaks
of prayer as the "pillar of religion
and the key of paradise" To this
bis followers have prescribed five
statsd seasons of prayer every day.
The first is IN the morning, between
day and sunrise; tho second immedi-
ately after noon; the third at the
middle hours between noon and sun
set; the fourth between sunset and
dark; the fifth an hour and q half
after night has fully set In. Taese
seasons of prayer are scrupulo lsly
observed in all MOhammedan cum
tries. Fhe muezzein, or crier, from
tho top of the mosque, proelaims the
hour of prayer, when every good
Mussulman, wherever he may b. or
however employed, is obliged to
pause and go through with his de-
votions.
Fasting is another duty of the
Mohammedan religion. The great
feast of Ramedan is continued
through the whole ninth month of
the Arabic year. No food mus be
taken through the hours of dayli 5ht,
but when the evening comes the vo-
tary gives himself up, without re-
straint. to the pleasures of the table,
and such other qualifications as his
heart desires.
Frequent abulutions and almsgiv-
ing are also to be reckoned among
the duties of the Mohammedan re-
ligion.
Mohammed prohibited to his fol-
lowers the sin of gambling and the
use of strong drinks. BY strict Mus
sulmans these injunctions are OBJ
served, while by the more liberal
class they are disregarded.
Polygamy is permitted and prac.
iced among the followers of Mohem-
med. He limited his followers to the
number of four wives, while he was
allowed to have as many as he
pleased.-BdptiSt Quarterly.
DECLENsIoNs AND CoNJUGATIoNs.-