pay the alms, and believe in our signs, who shall follow the Apostle, the unlettered Prophet—whom they shall find described with them in the Law and Evangel. What is right will he enjoin them, and forbid them what is wrong, and will allow them healthful viands and prohibit the impure, and will ease them of their burden, and of the yokes which were upon them; and those who shall believe in him, and strengthen him, and help him, and follow the light which hath been sent down with him,—these are they with whom it shall be well."
The revelation to Moses now ceases, and God continues to
address Mahomet with the usual preliminary "say:"—
"Say to them: O men! Verily I am God's apostle to you all: whose
is the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth! There is no God but
he! He maketh alive and killeth! Therefore believe on God and his
apostle—the unlettered Prophet—who believeth in God and his word.
And follow him that ye may be guided aright" (K., p. 386.—Sura, 7.
155-158).
Mahomet liked to describe himself as unlettered, and thus to
obtain for the scriptural knowledge and literary skill displayed
in the Koran the credit of its being due to inspiration.
In another place he again describes his prophetic character in the following strain:—
"Muhammed is not the father of any man among you, but he is the
Apostle of God and the seal of the prophets: and God knoweth all
things. . . . O Prophet! we have sent thee to be a witness, and a
herald of glad tidings, and a warner; and one who, through his own permission,
summoneth to God, and a light-giving torch" (K., p. 567.—Sura,
33, 40, 44, 45).
A conspicuous feature of the Koran to which allusion has
not yet been made is its frequent reference to the pleasures of
Paradise to be enjoyed by the faithful, and the pains of hell to
be suffered by the infidels. The day of judgment is continually
held out as an encouragement to the former, and a terror to
the latter. The fifty-sixth Sura contains a description of heaven
which is enough to make the mouth of good Moslems water.
"The people of the right hand" are to be happy; those of the
left hand, wretched. The former are to have "gardens of de-
