they are contrary to the interests of one's fellowmen, or to the rights of the Deity. From this point of view the nature of the action comes clearly into consideration, and the principle of sin is seen to be selfishness. Sin is selfishness or self-assertion without regard to the rights of others who have also a claim on one's consideration.

In other passages actions are regarded as sinful,. because they imply and arise from a mistaken view of man's relation to God. Man is God's creature and subject, and a failure to realize this relation makes it impossible for man to come up to the required standard of service and is therefore sinful. There may not be any want of disobedience or any conscious despite to the Sovereign Lord of all, but there is a failure to yield to Him what is His due. Sin, from this point of view, is a failure to take up a right attitude towards God. The evidences of the Creator's existence are so many, and the proofs of man's dependence on Him are so varied and numerous, that to fail to recognize the attitude which one should assume towards God is blameworthy and deserves condemnation.

Or again, sin may be something more positive than this simple failure on the part of man to realize his true relation to God. It may be the result of taking up a false or wrong attitude towards Him; and this may lead a man to actions which one in his position has no right to do; actions which are contrary to that system of law and order which God has determined for the guidance of men in the sphere both of morality and of ceremonial observance. From this point of view sin is opposition to God, whether it takes the form of refusing Him

obedience or of transgressing His direct commands. In either case the spirit which is manifested is that of self-confidence and self-assertion whereby he sets himself and his judgment in conscious opposition to God and His will.

Or finally, sin is the non-recognition of the ultimate nature of things—the putting of that which is false and perishing before that which is real and eternal.

Through all these views or aspects of sin there ever can be seen the thought, sometimes scarcely perceptible yet nevertheless present, at other times plain and clear, that all these actions have one and the same origin or fount. This one origin of sin is unbelief. In committing any or all of these various sinful actions, man is showing a spirit of unbelief in God, who, even apart from the revelation, or revelations which He has given of Himself and His will, has not left Himself without witness in the world of nature, and in man's conscience.

III

WE must now pass on to consider the teaching of the Qur'an on sin, from another standpoint, one from which we can see the conception which Muhammad had of sin, from the way in which he speaks of the actions of sinners—their motives and feelings when they sinned.

In the first passage we shall take up the story of the sin of Satan (Iblis). 'And when we said unto the angels, Bow down and worship Adam, then worshipped they all, save Iblis. He refused, and swelled with pride,