knowledge of God's favour, and the sight of God Himself. Again, on this point we do not desire to enter into, details, for it would lead us too far away from the subject of our present study. How the blessed shall enjoy the vision of God who is unseen is a point on which the theologians have not a little to say.

Yet while the vision of God, and the enjoyment of His favour are the supreme blessings of heaven, the Qur'an plainly teaches that there are lesser joys. All shall not receive alike. 'For God well knoweth what ye do.' ¹ Looking at this teaching in view of what has already been said, we cannot help feeling that what the Qur'an really teaches is that according as one has lower or higher desires and longings, he shall receive lower or higher blessings.

This is the explanation which Ghazali gives in his exposition of the condition and the joys of the believer in paradise. For those who, without having ever really conquered the lower and sensual appetites, have yet sought to obey God, and fulfil His commands, there will be provided joys and pleasures suited to their carnal appetites, and their still existing earthly passions.

We have already seen in considering the doctrine of sin, ² that according to the Qur'an, man has not fallen through sin into any condition from which he requires to be redeemed. We, therefore, are not surprised to find in our study of the doctrine of salvation no statement in any way akin to the Christian doctrine of redemption. It is true that sin requires to be atoned for, and it is often said that God atones or will atone for

the sins of those who believe and do good works; yet even in this there is nothing that can be said to approach in any way a doctrine of redemption.

Awakening, Enlightenment, Instruction, Direction — these are provided and are offered to man, and in their provision and bestowal on man is to be seen God's grace. Without His grace man would never attain, and thus, in a sense, the salvation which is offered, is the gift of God. But this grace is only helping grace. By it and through it a man is enabled to win for himself a right to the blessedness of paradise. Without it he would have no knowledge of God; he would not know how to please Him; he would be wholly unable to walk aright before Him, even were he to know the way; and after enlightenment and assistance enabling him to walk aright, man receives the right of admission into paradise only because he has fulfilled the conditions which God has determined to be necessary. It is not because the believer has become pure and holy through God's grace that he enters heaven. Entrance into heaven is wholly and solely the reward for his belief in God and his obedience to the divine commands, however imperfect that obedience may have been. It is quite independent of any moral change or improvement in the believer himself.

The blessedness of heaven is absolutely the gift of God. It is the reward offered to the believer for his faith and obedience, and in degree it is far above any merit which he may have gained; it is thus of mercy and grace.

So far as we can see from the Qur'an heaven is not a state or condition into which the believer grows