Page 313 - Islam and Far Eastern Religions

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of pagan societies have existed throughout history. Taoists are no dif-
ferent. Allah makes an example of the Israelites in the Qur’an. During
the migration of some of the Israelites together with the Prophet Moses

(pbuh), and after their rescue from persecution by Pharaoh, they met an
idolatrous people on the way and requested of the Prophet Moses
(pbuh) that he make them an idol just like theirs. This incidence is re-
vealed in the Qur’an as follows:
We conveyed the tribe of Israel across the sea and they came upon
some people who were devoting themselves to some idols which
they had. They said, “Moses, give us a god just as these people have
gods.” He said, “You are indeed an ignorant people. What these

Taoist shamans of the
kind shown in the picture
claim to be able to cure
disease and drive out evil
spirits to the accompani-
ment of various dances.