THE MOSLEM DOCTRINE OF GOD.
The Moslem Doctrine of God. By Samuel M. Zwemer. (Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier. as. 6d.)—This "essay on the character and attributes of Allah according to the Koran and orthodox tradition" is an attempt to discriminate between the monotheism of the Christian and the monotheism of the Mussul- man, and its author, Dr. Zwemer, has a right to be heard, seeing that for the last fourteen years he "has been not only an earnest missionary to the Arabic-speaking Moslems of Bahrein, but an ardent student of all the literature of Islam." The study is 'painstaking and thoughtful, and—which is perhaps even more important—is condensed into a hundred and twenty 'pages. Dr. Zwemer finds his authorities for the eight chapters in which he analyses the Mohammedan doctrine of God in all its bearings, not only in the Koran, but in the " Hadith," or the records of the authoritative sayings and doings of Mohammed, and the collec- tion of orthodox traditions known as " Mishcat-ul-Masabih," which exhibits the origin of the manners and customs, the civil, ,military, and religious policy of Mussulmans. Dr. Zwemer's conclusions are strongly in favour of Christianity as against its rival. He maintains earnestly that the "Koran denies the Divinity and the eternal Sonship of Christ." The chapter entitled "Predestination v. Fatalism" is an extremely able exposition. Dr. Zwemer is emphatic that the Moslem doctrine of God is sterile, that it "has neither grown nor been fruitful of new ideas in all the history of Islam," whereas the Christian doctrine of the Godhead "is even to-day a growing concept, a fruitful idea." Dr. Zwemer's book, which is full of pointed writing like "Islam is proud to write on its banner the Unity of God; but it is, after all, a banner of the Unknown God," is deserving of close attention as a piece of earnest thinking and writing.
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