12 illustration(s) from this book
1. Belief in God, who is without beginning or end, the sole Creator and
Lord of the universe, having absolute power, and knowledge, and glory,
and perfection.
2. Belief in his Angels, who are impeccable beings, created of light;
and Genii (Jinn), who are peccable, created of smokeless fire. The
Devils, whose chief is Iblees, or Satan, are evil Genii.
3. Belief in his Scriptures, which are his uncreated word, revealed to
his prophets. Of these there now exist, but held to be greatly
corrupted, the Pentateuch of Moses, the Psalms of David, and the Gospels
of Jesus Christ; and, in an uncorrupted and incorruptible state, the
Ḳur-án, which is held to have abrogated, and to surpass in excellence,
all preceding revelations.
4. Belief in his Prophets and Apostles;[12] the most distinguished of
whom are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Moḥammad. Jesus is held
to be more excellent than any of those who preceded him; to have been
born of a virgin, and to be the Messiah, and the word of God, and a
Spirit proceeding from Him, but not partaking of his essence, and not to
be called the Son of God. Moḥammad is held to be more excellent than
all; the last and greatest of prophets and apostles; the most excellent
of the creatures of God.
5. Belief in the general resurrection and judgment, and in future
rewards and punishments, chiefly of a corporeal nature: that the
punishments will be eternal to all but wicked Mohammadans; and that none
but Mohammadans will enter into a state of happiness.
6. Belief in God's predestination of all events, both good and evil.
The principal Ritual and Moral Laws are on the following subjects, of
which the first four are the most important.