Presence in the Temple over the Ark of the Covenant between the Cherubim, the word is found in Sura ii. 240. In the sense of active interposition and visible effectual rendering of aid it occurs in Sura ix. 26, 40. In the sense of supplying peace of mind and at the same time giving spiritual aid it is found in Sura xlviii. 4, 18, 26. It is remarkable that the word appears in three Suras only (but several times in the two last mentioned), and with a somewhat different meaning in each; and it seems here again, as we remarked above on the word darasa, as though outside influence had been at work, i. e. that the use of this word by other people seems to have influenced Muhammad at the time of the composition of these Suras.'

The question of the use of the word 'sakinat' in the Qur'an must come up again, however, when we consider the teaching of the Qur'an on God; so we may at present pass on.

Taking the teaching of the Qur'an on the Spirit as a whole, we cannot but feel how wanting in clearing Muhammad's conception of the Spirit of God was; and therefore we need not be surprised to see how wanting in definiteness is his teaching concerning the Means of Grace.

With a brief consideration of the teaching of the Qur'an on this point we shall close our present study of the Qur'anic doctrine of salvation.

In borrowing this expression — the means of grace — from the vocabulary of Christian theology, we must premise that the words have not here exactly the same content. We mean here those ways and means whereby the believer can come into the actual experience of the presence of God, and can, as it were,

appropriate for himself the grace of God offered to him as a help towards his salvation.

According to the teaching of the Qur'an, the principal duties of the believer are five. They are: (1) Tashahhud the recital of the creed, 'there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah'. (2) Prayer — the five stated daily prayers. (3) Fasting — especially the fast of Ramadan. (4) Alms-giving — the payment of certain legal dues. (5) Pilgrimage.

These five duties, to which we may add a sixth, the reading or recital of the Qur'an, may be called the Muslim means of grace as prescribed by the Qur'an.

If for a moment we leave our study of the Qur'an and turn to look at Muhammadanism as it at present exists, we find that while these duties are taught and practised throughout the Muhammadan world, other means of grace are to be found in general employment in all Muslim lands. We refer, of course, to the devotional exercises of the Dervish Orders.

The Qur'an, as we have seen, teaches that God offers His grace to mankind. This mean that Muhammad recognized the possibility of some kind of intercourse between man and his Creator. God could speak to man's heart and conscience, and influence him; and conversely, man could experience the working of God's Spirit within him, and thus have a sense of His Presence and a feeling of communion with Him. Yet the Qur'an nowhere explains when, and how, and where this grace is to be found and appropriated. In other words, it never tells man how he may become the recipient of this Grace which, throughout, it maintains is absolutely necessary to his spiritual life.