The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-06-23
THE KORAN AND MoHAMMEDAN1sM.

Article No. 3--.Belicf in God...Angels
..-Prophets 90. Scriptures .Resur.
rectiOn and the Day of Judgment.
We have thus far considered the Koran,
and MOhammed in connection with IT. as the
author. We now consider Mohammedauism,
or the religion inculcated In the Koran.
| MohaInmedanisIn, or 1slainishi, tas IT is
also caled) is divided into two parts faith OF
theory, and religion practice. The first
part the Mohalnmedans called "Iman;" the
ion Is based on five fundamental points; one
belonging to faith and four TO practice.
That belonging TO faith is, that there Is no
God but the true God, and that Mohammed is
his prophet. Under this they comprehend
six distinct branches. '.'-
1st, belief in God; 2nd, his angels; 3rd, In
the the resarreclion % and day lay f Of Judgment; S 9Th.
in Gods absolute decree We now consider
some of their articles of faith.
1st. Their belief In God. This embraces q.
belief In his unity us we'll as IN his existence.
| They regard some Christian secis as denying
the unity Of God by attributing divinity 10
! Jesus Christ anu those also as denying 'ie
who attribute divinity TO Virgin Mary. The
Jews are accused In the Koran Of taking Ezra
as the Son of God. ".4
Ind. Belief in angels. The Koran denomi-
mates a man al infdel who either denies the
existence Of angels, or asserts distinctive OF
sexes among them. Angels are regarded az
having pare, subtitle bodies created Of fre,
neither eating nor drinking, nor propagating
their species. Their officers and forms are re-
garded US various-some adoring God in diff
ferent postures; some singing praise to Him
or interceding for mankind; some writing
down the actions of men; and some carrying
the throne of God. Four angels are men>
toned as more than others In the enjoy ment,
of Gods favor-Gabrie, honored with the
the friend and protector OF the Jews; Azraai.
the angel Of death who separates the souls Of
men from their bodies and Isratil. whose of
flee 1t will be 10 sound the trumpet at the res
direction. The Mohammedans also believe
that each man has two guardian angels who
attend him and observe bis actions and that
cording 10 Mohan,InedJ fell from Gods favor
at the command Of God. The Mohamme.
dams believe In an order Of creatures between
fabric than angels-some OF them good and
some bad-eating and drinking, prOpayatinE
and d 70 DEATH The Koran
teaches that God gBve, in different ages Of
the world, revelations Of his will In writing
to several prospects, the whole and every
! hammedan to believe. According TO Mohani-,
medans, the number OF these books was one
hundred and four. To Adam were given ten;
70 eaed ea In
being the Pentateuch, the Psalms. the Gospel,
the Koran. they say were delivered succes-
slvely 70 Moses, David, Jesus, and MohaIii- oh
pected. All these sacred books. they believe,
are entirely lost, except the four just men,
toned. The contents, they believe, are now
unknown. They say that the Pentatetch,
Psalms. and Gospel have undergone 80 many
alterations and corruptions, that though there
may he possibly some part OF the true word OF
God in Them, yet no credit is to be given TO
the present copies In the hands Of the Jews
and Christians. According to SOME WRITER'S
the Mohamnedans have these writings
among them, but they are falshed and com.
pletcd They assert that the Savior foretold
the coming Of their prospect.
Whe they are told that the Koran may be
possibly corrupted, they reply that God has
promised, that He will take care Of 1t and
preserve it from any addition or diminution,
They notice the writings of Daniel and OF
other prospects, and also make quotations
from them but they do not consider them to-
be divine or Of any authority in matters of,
religion.
4th. Belief in prospects. According to one
! into the world from time 10 time number one.
hundred and twenty-four thousand. accord-
ing 10 another. two hundred and twenty-four
thousand. of whom three hundred were aposs
ties Six OF these last named brought new
laws or dispensations; the second abroga~
ting what the first published, the third abro~
eating what the second had published, and so
on TO the last. These six are as follows: Ad-,
am, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohanf-
med. The Mohammedans profess TO believe
that all these prospects were free from great
and the same religion. Islam) nOtwithstand-
Ing the different laws and institutions they
observed. AS Mohammed acknowledged the
divine authority of the Penttteuch, Psalms,
and Gospel, Ire often appeals to the agreement
OF the Koran with these, and lie appeals also
to the prophesies which he says are foutld
these concerning himself He frequently &C
cuses both Jews and Gentles of destroying
passagas or OF impiiring the force of passages
that refer to him. His followers do not hest
tate to produce several texts both from the
5th. Belief in the resurrection and day of
Judgment When a person is laid in the
grave. the Molammedans say, that he IL re
ceived py an angel who gives him notice OF
the coming Of the two Examners-hack,
Iivid angels OF q terrible appearance. These
order the dead person to SIT unpright, ana
US to the unity Of God, and the mission of
MOhammed. II he should answer correctlys
they suffer his body to rest In peace, and 1t IL
refreshed by the air OF Paradise; If he should
not answer correctly. he Is tormented in wa
rious ways until The resurrection. This se-
pulchral examination Is founded on an ex-
press tradition of Mohammed. Commenta:
tors admit, that 1t Is not taught in direct
manner In the Koran, though 81 Is plainly
hintcd at. Those who are considered ortho-'
dox Mohammedans barrange to have their
graves made hollow, 70 that they may SIT up
with more ease, while they are examined by
the angels
With regard to the soul they say that it.
is separated from the body by the angel OF
ness toward the good and with violence to.
wards the wicked; 10 enters into state of ex-'
istence between death and and the resurreci
ton. II the departed person wits believer,
they say, that two angels meet 1t and convey
IT, to heaven, that It's place there may be as,
signed according to is meIits and degree.
Tic souls OF the faithful are divided into
three classes: the first. Of the prophets who
are admitted at once into paradise; the secs
ond. of martyrs whose Spirits according tn
Il tradition OF Moharhmed) rest In the crops
of green birds which eat OF the fruits and
drink of the rivers of paradise; the third. Of
other believers, concerning the state Of whose
souls there ore various opinions.
| AS to the souls OF the wicked, the Moham-
medans who are considered orthodox, say
that they are offered by the angels to heaven.
and being repulsed as loathsome they arc Of
| fered to the earth, and being refused place
there they are cnrriec below the earth and
| thrown into Il dungeon, to be tormented. till
they are called upon to be Joined again to
| their bodies. B. W. WH1LDkN,
| Abbeville, g. C..