The sun., 1888-02-12
THE M0HAMsEDAN DOCTRINE.
Letter rren the Chief Authority ef the
Mesies Church to = German Coavert.

Letter rren the Chief Authsrtty ef the
Mesier Church to = German Convert
from 81 s 5es.., :, Sssfs DID,
From, ne Independents
DEAR SIR: The letter by which you ask to
be received into the heart Of the Mussulman
lively satisfaction. Tho reflections which you
make on this occasion appear to us worthy OF
At tie i same m time time We ought to call your atten-
tion to the fact that your, conversion to
!slamism Is not suhordinated to our consent,
Ss @edry se the ess
servants. Our duty consists only IN tsaching n.
@ to ss@sm demands mo- rsSens
formality and depends upon the authorization
OF no one II Il sufficient to believe and to pro-
In TACT. isiamsm has for It's base faith in the
unity OF God and in the mission OF ms dearest
blessings and grant him salyatoni; I. e., to ae.
cent consciontiously this faith and to ay9w It
In II nr w9yds ~ by the p r. hs
Mussulman without having need Of the con-
@ psomse etter you make
sion OF faith. that Is to say, you declare that
G5a. yo Ss nsd ns
having need OF our acceptance: and We, for our
part. felicitats you with pride and Joy for hay; y
testify in this world and in tho other that you
are our brother Believers are all brothers,
us enter now upon some DEVELOPMENTS OF It.
Man. who ts superior to the other animals ~
mands Of dod and, to sympathize with his Srea-
liGions As to its practiceN religions differ as
10 their rules forms times PLACES the 6rea,9r h,s
man nteiigsncs " does s not 't Suffice to assure us
of the divine glory; 50 God in his mercy, In in &C;
prophecy, in sending to them. BY angels in
spiration. writings and books. and in SO reveal
ing the true religion. has overwhelmed His SER
Inc BOOK Of God which descended last from 9,I.
heaven is the sacred Koran the unohanEesa6Ie sals
memory of thousands Of rsciters, will last even
The first Of the prophets was Adam and the
last Mohammed may God give him salvation).
these two 9hsrs 3 o hfye
Moses. Abraham. Noah, and Adam tmay God
All tho eI PROPHETS have threatened their fol-
lowers with tho day of the last Judgment; 80
again. that they viii appear before the tribunal
OF God to render their ACCOUNTS. ana that the
elect Will be sent to paradise and those con. ::
demned 10 hell. All the actions OF every ono In
ono; and although all the acts of soldiers in
prayer pray . they also % viii be obliged Of the judG:
inent day to render an account The only ex:
ception is for those who die as martyrs' who will
Also it is necessary; as an article Of faith. to
attribute ali good and all evil to the providence
anee and the ss creator oi er the
ofthose errors which II Is necessary 70 aVoid:
faith in God in His is angels. in His Books in His
prophets. in the last judgment. and IN His will
as the source Of all good and EVIL He @ who @ &C, e.
n perfect believer 1t is necessary to perform
certain duties. to pray to God and to avoid fall
ing into such sins as murder. robbery. sdul'
Besides the profession Of faith Of which We
have spoken above. go9d Mnssuimsh sso m ouca, ,
during T sist the month OF Ramazan. and make once
| in his life a pilgrimage to Mecca.
II q believer does not conform to the laws ,ol
| God. and does not avoid what de forbids. ne
does not become an inlde but he Is considered
| as a sinner: that is as wandering believer
the the other M' world He is IL the hands Of God
e.rian cert time in % HE'LL proportioned to his guilt
Faith annus MI sin. He who Is converted
bs 81 osy the
| committed after his conversion,
| A sinner who repsnts and in person asks
rights OF his neighbor are an exception to this
rule for the servant of God who cannot obtain
Bas of MTrG and fV Cod Who IS vii
| to the oppressed. Even the martyrs are no eI
| ception to this rule To avoid this response
| biiity the only means is to get Huittance from
your neghbor whom you have wronged. In al
sss, csssion nofIIi OF Spiritual director. IT, " " '''
All this no doubt seems strange TO people &C.
t SSrn ta make Eesm
he must be baptized by priest when he grows
| up he needs priest to marry him: If he would
| to obtain forgiveness Of his sins he must con-
! fess them to u priest, and he must have Priest
In the Mussulman religion. where there ia no
| infant is born Mussulman, and his father, or
| When they wish to contract marriage, the
| man and the woman. or their agents. make the
traetins PARTIES the only ones
and others cannot intervene or take part.
| A Mussulman prays oil alone IN any place
remission of his sins, he goes directly to God:
| He does not confess them to others. nor ought
habtants Of the town are Obliged to put him in
q coffin and bury him. ANY Mussulman can
do this; the presence Of areligious chief is not
Ina wordtin all religious acts there is no in:
termediary between God and HIS servants ~
PSp he and 'H 70 vac act in noe
Only tho accomplishment OF certain religious
z. h Prophs and the snsn sui M Of M%s %
for isianism is one OF his sacred attributes
| Obedience to his orders is one OF tho most i'm
portant religious duties. As to our mission. II
consists IN administering. in his name; the re-
| Ono OF the things to which every Mussumar
| ought to be very attentive is righteousness In
character; vices, such as pride. presumntion
egotsm and obstinacy, do not become a Mus
| sulman. To revere the great and to compas
sionats the Insignificant are preceDts Of Islam
| ism.
| May God give success and salvation to hin
| who Is touched by divine grace.
| The Sheik- ul-Islam,
AHMED EsAAD.
CoNsTANTINoPLE, Rebi- l-Akhir. 1905.