42 REV. W. ST. CLAIR TISDALL_, M.A., B.J)., ON THE INFLUENCE 



Sahara, Nubia and Somaliland it has had grave political results 

 in wars and massacres. 



Mixed though it is with error and with fables drawn from 

 the Apocryphal Gospels, yet the testimony borne by the Qur'an 

 to our Lord is extensive and remarkable. He is recognized as 



" a Spirit from Him " (^^'j^^ ^^^) — i.e., from God — and is hence 

 in tradition and still more frequently in ordinary conversation 

 termed " the Spirit of God " (j^J^] \ _,^) He is a Prophet and an 



Apostle. He raised the dead and healed the sick. Many 

 miracles are ascribed to Him ; His Virgin Birth is admitted ; 

 and to Him alone among the prophets mentioned in the Qur'an 

 no sin is attributed. This is not the case with Muhammad 

 himself. In fact, if we take all the Quranic testimony to 

 Christ together, Muslim controversialists fail to disprove the 

 fact that higher titles are given to Him than even to 

 Muhammad. One tradition, it is true, represents Hini, as well 

 as all other prophets * refusing in Muhammad's favour to under- 

 take the ofhce of Intercessor with God Most High on behalf of 

 sinners on the Day of eludgment ; but no passage in the Qur'an 

 supports this. 



The Qur'an bears testimony to the Bible as " the Word of 

 God," which the Qur'an was " sent down " to attest. 



A great deal is told us about Abraham, Joseph, David, 

 Solomon, and other Old Testament characters, though in rather 



an incorrect manner. The Apostles ^c^^r^j^^^^O of our Lord are 

 mentioned, though the distinctive word used to denote them is 

 ^thiopic, and points to Christian influence from that country. 

 A garbled account is given of the descent of the sheet in Peter's 

 vision (Acts x, 9-16), in which it is mentioned as an actual 

 occurrence and confused with the institution of the Lord's 

 Supper. The prophets Salih and Hud have been thought to 

 represent two early Christian missionaries to the Arabs. Even 

 the Christian legend of the Seven Sleepers," as related by the 

 Syrian Jacob of Sarug (died a.d. 521) is found in the Qur'an,-f 

 where they are styled " The Companions of the Cave." Christian 

 monks are also spoken of, not always with approval. In one 

 passage Christians are declared to be the nearest of all people 

 in kindness to Muslims,^ though elsewhere they are condemned 



* Mishhdt, p. 480. 



t Siirah XVIII, 8-25. 



X Stirah V, 85. 



