Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/29

Rh, where it remains to the present day, devoutly kissed by worshipers each time they make a circuit around the building. When first inserted in the wall it was a single jacinth of dazzling whiteness, but became gradually blackened by the kisses of sinful mortals. At the resurrection day it will recover its angelic form and stand forth a testimony before God in favor of those who have performed the holy pilgrimage.

The Story of the Phrophets and Abraham. Mohametans accept 200,000 prophets or holy men, 313 of whom, being endowed by special pieces of divine revelation, are called the apostles or the messengers. Six of this latter class, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohamet, had preference over all by special mission to establish new religious systems among mankind.

Mohamet being the last and the greatest of this group of six is called "The Prophet of the Latter Days," "The Favorite of God," "The Glory of the Universe," "The Prince of Two Worlds," "The Seal of the Prophets,," "The Unique Pearl," "The Chief of the Apostles," etc.

Next in excellence comes Abraham, "Halil Ullah," the Friend of God, upon whose faith, they say, the religion of Islam was founded. They give preference to Ishmael, the patriarch of Arabs, over Isaac, the patriarch of Jews. Among the many Arabic traditions of Abraham the following is selected to be the fact related in the Koran: Abraham, a worshiper of the Almighty, was persecuted by his tribe and by his