" He was one richly furnished with natural
endowments, showing liberality to the poor,
courtesy to every one, fortitude in trial, and,
above all, a high reverence for the name of God.
He was a preacher of patience, charity, mercy,
beneficence, gratitude, honouring of parents and
superiors, and a frequent celebrator of Divine
praise." The great doctrine of the Koran is
the Unity of God, and in this creed Mahomet

♦ Muir's " Life of Mahomet."

z2



340 THE RELIGIONS OF

himself seems to have been a sincere believer.
*^ Its design was to unite the professors of the
three diflferent religions then followed in Arabia
— who for the most part were without guides,
the greater number being idolaters, and the rest
Jews and Christians, mostly of erroneous and
heterodox belief — in the knowledge and worship
of one eternal and invisible God, and to bring
them to obedience of Mahomet as the only
prophet and ambassador of the truth." The
" fatiha," or opening chapter of the Koran, is
said to contain the essence of the whole, and
forms part of the daily prayers of all zealous
Mussulmans. It commences with the formula
pronounced at the beginning of their reading on
all occasions whenever an animal is slaughtered
for food, and upon the undertaking of all im-
portant actions whatever: —

" In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate.
