As a final example, we shall quote 'Believers, now hath God sent down unto you an admonition, an apostle, who reciteth to you the clear signs of God; that He may bring those who believe, and do the things that are right, from darkness into light. And whoso believeth in God doeth the things that are right, and God will cause them to enter the gardens beneath which the rivers flow, to remain therein for ever, a goodly provision now hath God made for him'. ¹

The above passages are but a few of many in which faith and works are so closely united as to show that in practice the two are inseparable. To have faith without works is impossible. True faith must show itself forth in works.

Yet so far, we have seen only that works are the outward evidence of the existence of repentance and faith.

We must now consider the relation of faith and works so that we may understand what the Qur'an teaches as to the nature of their necessary union.

Do works simply follow faith? That is, are they but another step forward on the way of salvation, faith being the first step? Or are good works so closely connected with faith, so vitally united with it, that apart from it they cannot exist?

In a general way it may be said that, according to the Qur'an, good works which do not spring from faith cannot with truth be regarded as good works. It is not to those who do good works that heaven is promised, but to those who believe and do good works.²

Works which are done without a true faith in God and submission to His revealed will, are inacceptable. Such works, far from being pleasing to God, will be brought to nought. 'This (shall they suffer), because they follow that which angereth God, and abhor what pleaseth Him; therefore will He make their works fruitless.' ¹ It maybe thought that the works here spoken of refer more naturally to the evil actions of the wicked which God will bring to nought; and the Qur'an not infrequently speaks of the actions of the wicked, specially those done with intent to injure or damage or oppose the true believers, as being overthrown by God and brought to nought, but it is probable that the reference here is to those actions whereby men in their unbelief and ignorance seek to make themselves well pleasing to God.

Even the good deeds of believers, if done without true faith and apart from obedience to God and His apostle, are by their want of faith and want of obedience made void. 'O true believers, obey God, and obey the apostle; and render not your works vain.' ²

We see, then, that works must be the outcome of faith, and must be done in faith and in the spirit of obedience. In other words, they must have a moral value; otherwise they are of none effect. The mere performance of an action which in outward appearance corresponds to and resembles a 'good work', is in itself nothing. It is the inward motive and intention which makes the deed a true work of faith, and hence, a 'good work'.

These good works, however, are more than evidence of the existence of faith and repentance. They are, so