Page:Judaism and Islam, a prize essay - Geiger - 1898.pdf/83

 MORAL AND LEGAL RULES. C5

considered nothing which has to do with conduct under the heading A, even though it might be immediately con- nected with the points of belief under discussion and so we are able to bring together here all commands as to conduct. Prom the fact that every individual command is Divine, a conflict of duties may easily arise, which cannot be readily decided by private judgment, seeing that all the command- ments are equal, * so far as their Author is concerned. Eules for such cases must therefore be laid down. For instance, we find the following statement in the Rabbinical writings : 2 " If a father saith (to his son if he is a priest), ' defile thyself ' ; or if he saith,/ Make not restitution (of the thing found to the owner) ', shall he obey him ? Therefore, it is written: 3 ' Let every, man reverence his father and mother, but keep my Sabbaths all of you, ye are all bound to honour me. ' " And Muhammad says : 4 " We have commanded man to show kindness towards his parents, but if they endeavour to prevail with thee to associate with me that concerning which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. "

1 Pakihat Elcholefa, 94, proves that this is really the Arabic view : U



" A meritorious man says that in the sins of men there is nothing small, but whatever is done contrary to the Commandment is great with respect to Him who commands, who is exalted and holy."

2 Jebamoth 6. >8 ?

U?^ Vb> ^rtft

3 Leviticus, xix. 3.

Sura XXIX. 7. oJK&

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