means of grace — the knowledge of God's will through the revelation He has given, and the guidance of God to accept this revelation and to fulfil its demands.

We shall, therefore, go on to see how, according to the Qur'an, all that man needs of direction and grace is offered to him — all that is necessary to enable him to attain is freely presented to him for his acceptance or rejection; and it is because this is so that man is responsible for the course of his life and the ultimate destiny of his soul.

This responsibility of man may be said to be one of the main doctrines of the Qur'an. A day lies in the future when man must give account to Him who created and formed him, and breathed into him of His Spirit, of the actions done in the body. It is quite unnecessary to quote passages in support of this statement; the doctrine is well known and is admitted by all. The Qur'an clearly and forcibly teaches the same truth on this point as does the New Testament — that after death there is the judgement.

Further, man's responsibility in this respect is individual. None can claim exemption for himself on the ground that he has been misled by others, and has only followed the advice or example of those around him. 'A burdened (soul) shall not bear the burden of another, and if a heavy burdened (soul) call (on another) to bear part of its (burden), no part of the burden shall be borne (by the person who shall be called on), although he be (ever so nearly) related' [Suratu'l-Fatir (xxxv) 19]. The Qur'an has no doctrine of collective salvation, or salvation through inheritance of national blessings and promises. Each individual stands or falls by himself

each man must bear the consequences of his own sins and disbelief, just as he will receive the reward for his individual belief and good deeds; and none shall be unjustly treated.

This responsibility of man implies that he has the power of accepting or rejecting the offer of God's mercy; and we therefore find the Qur'an plainly teaching that man has the power and the opportunity of choosing which of the two he will do. It asserts that man has a choice in the matter of that which he makes his aim and chief desire in life. Some, it asserts, choose this world and the things of this world, others choose the world to come; some set their affection on the fleeting things of time, others seek those things which are eternal. 'Some of you choose this present world, and others of you choose the world to come' [Suratu Ali 'Imran (iii) 146] . 'Whosoever chooseth (this) transitory (life), we will bestow on him therein beforehand that which we please' [Suratu Bani Isra'il (xvii) 19]. 'Whoso chooseth the present life, and the pomp thereof, unto them will we give (the recompense of) their works therein, and the same shall not be diminished unto them ' [Suratu Hud (xi) 18]. 'Whoso chooseth the tillage of the life to come, unto him will We give increase in his tillage, and whoso chooseth the tillage of this world, We will give him (the fruit) thereof; but he shall have no part in the life to come ' [Suratu'sh-Shu'ara (xlii) 19]. 'But man chooseth to be wicked (for the time which is) before him' [Suratu'l-Qiyamat (lxxv) 5]. 'Whoso chooseth the reward of this world, We will give him thereof; but whoso chooseth the reward of the world to come, We will give him