(kasb); of the willing of good and of evil and of the decreed and the known, affirmed by some and denied by others; it involves the controversies between the Qadarites and Najjarites and Jabarites and Ash'arites and Karramites. The third fundamental concerns promise (wa'd) and the decisions (hukm); it embraces the question of faith (iman) and repentance (tawba) and threatening (wa'id) and postponing (irja) and pronouncing anyone an unbeliever (takfir) and leading anyone astray (tadlil), afrmed by some and denied by others; it involves the controversies between the Murji'ites and the Wa'idites and the Mu'tazilites and the Ash'arites and the Karramites. The fourth fundamental concerns tradition (Sam) and reason (aql) and the prophetic mission (risala) and the imamate; it embraces the questions of the determination of actions as good (tahsin) or vile (taqbih); of the advantageous (salah) and most advantageous (aslah); of benignity (lutf); of the prophets being guarded against sin (isma); of the condition of the imamate, by statute (nass) according to some and by agreement (ijma) according to others, and how it is transferred on the view of those who say it is by statute, and how it is fixed on the view of those who say it is by agreement; it involves the controversies between the Shi'ites and the Kharijites and the Mu'tazilites and the Karramites and the Ash'arites.— Translated from Cureton's Arabic text, p. 4.

II

THE PROPHET IN A TRADITION

"Islam is built upon five things; testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is the Apostle of God. Prayer (salat), the Poor-rate (zakat), Pilgrimage (hajj) and Fast (sawm) in Ramadan."

A TRADITION OF THE PROPHET

Jibril came in the form of an Arab of the desert and sat down so that his knees touched the knees of the Prophet and said, "O Apostle of God, what is Islam?" He said, "That thou should bear witness that there is no god save God and

that I am the Apostle of God; that thou shouldest perform the prayers (salat) and bring the poor-rate (zakat) and fast in the month of Ramadan and pilgrimage to the House if the way is possible for thee." He said, "Thou hast spoken truly." Then he said, "What is Faith (iman)?" The Prophet said, "That thou should believe in God and His angels and His Books and His messengers and in the Last Day, and that thou should believe in the decreeing (qadar) both of good and of evil." He said, "Thou hast spoken truly." Then he said, "What is right doing (ihsan)?" The Prophet said, "That thou should serve God as though thou sawest Him; for though thou seest Him not, He sees thee;" He said, "Thou hast spoken truly." Then he said, "When shall be the Last Day (as-sa'a)?" The Prophet said, "The questioned knoweth not more of that than the questioner." Then he arose and went out. And the Prophet said, "That was Jibril; he came to you to teach you your religion (din)."—Translated from Cureton's text of ash-Shahrastani, p. 27.

III

A SHORT CREED BY AL-ASH'ARI

Our doctrine which we teach and our religion (diyana) which we follow consists in clinging fast to the Book of God and the Usage (sunna) of His Prophet and to that which is handed down from the Companions, their immediate followers (tabi's) and from the leaders (imams) in tradition—with that we take refuge; and we teach that which Ahmad ibn Hanbal—may God illumine his face, exalt his rank and make great his reward—followed; and we shun that which is opposed to his doctrine. For he is the excellent leader, the perfect chief, through whom God made plain the truth, when error was made manifest, and showed the path and smote down the innovations of the innovators, the deviations of the deviators and the doubts of the doubters. So, the mercy of God be upon him for an appointed leader and an instructed chief, and upon all the leaders of the Muslims.

The sum of our doctrine is this, that we believe in God, His Angels, His Books, His Apostles, in all that has come from God, and what trustworthy men (thiqat) have reported from