of the Traditions in which Muhammad speaks of the Vision of GOD. But perhaps the following Tradition will suffice for our purpose. "The Apostle of¹ GOD said, 'Verily the least of the inhabitants of Paradise in position is he who shall indeed behold his gardens and his wives and his pleasures and his servants and his couches extending over the space of one thousand years' journey, and the most acceptable of them with GOD shall look upon His face night and morning.' Then he recited (Surah LXXV. vv. 22, 23): 'Faces in that day shall be bright, looking upon their Lord."' Here we see that the very same passage which tells of the Vision of GOD mentions also the carnal delights of which we have already spoken, and represents GOD as approving of His servants' indulgence in them. Such an idea is not more dishonouring to GOD than certain to prevent all purity of heart, nay all desire to attain to it, among the orthodox followers of the "Prophet" of Islam.

§ 9.—It would take us far too long were we to attempt to mention all the defects in the

Other Defects in Islam.

Muhammadan faith and all the points where it is vulnerable and practically indefensible. But we may briefly refer to a few matters of importance. One of these is the absurd cosmogony believed in by Muslims on the authority of their Prophet. It is said¹ that the "Prophet" told

The Earth's Formation.

his people that the earth was originally made out of the foam of a wave which GOD created from a gigantic pearl, and that He made that pearl out of primitive darkness. The colour of the sky is said to be due to the fact that over the earth towers a gigantic mountain named Qaf, which is made of

Mt. Qaf.

emerald. The circumference of this mountain is 2,000 years' journey. Around the earth lies coiled a snake that is 2,000 years' journey in length. The earth consists, like the heaven, of seven storeys, and the whole mass rests between the horns of a bull. This animal is said to be named Kajuta, and he

The Bull.

has no less than 4,000 horns, the distance between any two of these being 500 years' journey. His feet rest upon a fish which swims in water 40 years' journey deep. Another tradition has it that the earth is supported on an angel's head, who stands upon a rock of ruby. This rock rests upon the Bull, who has as many eyes, noses, ears, mouths