Page:The Mohammedan system of theology (IA mohammedansyste00neal).pdf/123

 whom he has sent into the world, without excepting one, and making no difference between the prophets and ambassadors of God: I believe in the day of judgment: moreover I believe that every thing that exists, whether it be pleasing to us or not, was created of God."

The first article of belief is in God: the Koran discards idolatry and creature-worship as has been observed, on the rational principle that whatever rises must set, that whatever is born must die, that whatever is corruptible must decay and perish. This chain of thought is exemplified in the case of Abraham by a story certainly borrowed from the Talmud, which represents Abraham as employing this kind of argument when he opposed the introduction of idolatry into Chaldæa. The story is thus related in the Koran :