Page:Thomas Patrick Hughes - Notes on Muhammadanism - 2ed. (1877).djvu/13

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PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

"Eastern Church"; but he tells his readers that "the Qurán contains the whole of the religion of Muhammad"; and Mr. Zincke, in his exceedingly interesting book, "Egypt of the Pharaohs and the Khedive," appears to be under the same impression; for he says, "the Qurán is an all embracing and sufficient code, regulating everything." Whereas the true state of the case is, that whilst the Qurán is the highest authority for Muslim doctrine, still, the "faithful," whether Sunní, Shíaʾh, or Wahhábí, must receive the sayings and practices of their Prophet as of divine obligation; for, in Islám, the teachings of the "Sacred Traditions" must be received side by side with that of the Qurán itself; and the Muslim who would escape the suspicion of heresy must not dare to question the teaching of the learned doctors, whose opinions have been handed down in numerous commentaries and ponderous volume divinity.

In publishing these "Notes on Muham-