o gave him an Account of what was deliver'd in the Law
[_i.e. Alcoran_] relating to the Description of the Divine World,
Paradise and Hell, and the Awakening and Resurrection of Mankind, and
their gathering together to Judgment, and the Balance and the Way. All
which things _Hai Ebn Yokdhan_ understood very well, and did not find
any of them disagreeable to what he had seen, when in that noble
Station; and he knew that he that had described these Things[29], and
given an account of them, had given a true Account, and was a Messenger
sent from his Lord; and he believ'd him, and affirm'd his Veracity, and
bore Witness to his Message.

Sec. 111. Then he began to ask him concerning the Precepts which the
Messenger of God had deliver'd, and the Rites of Worship which he had
ordain'd. And _Asal_ told him of _Prayer, Alms, Fasting_ and
_Pilgrimage,_ and such other External Observances, which he receiv'd and
practis'd, and took upon himself, in Obedience to his Command, of whose
Veracity he was very well allured. Only there were two things stuck in
his Mind, which he wonder'd at, and could not comprehend wherein the
Wisdom of them did consist. The one was, why this Messenger of God, in
describing most things which relate to the Divine World, us'd to express
them to Men by Parables or Similitudes, and wav'd a perspicuous
Explication of them; by which occasion'd Men in a great Measure to fall
into that Error of asserting a Corporeity in God, and believing Things
of that _TRUE_ Being, from which he is absolutely free; and so in like
manner, concerning, those Things which relate to the Rewards and
Punishments of a Future State. The other was, why he went no farther
than these Precepts and Rites of Worship, but gave Men leave to gather
Riches, and allow'd them a Liberty as to matter of Food; by which means
they employed themselves about vain Things, and turn'd away from the
Truth, Whereas his Judgment was, that no Body ought to eat any thing,
but only just to keep him alive; and as for Riches, He had no Opinion of
them at all. And when he saw what was set down and prescrib'd in the
Law, with Relation to Wealth, as Alms, and the Distribution of them, and
Trading and Usury, Mulcts and Punishments; these things seem'd all very
odd to him, and he judg'd them superfluous; and said, that if Men
understood Things aright, they would lay aside all these vain Things,
and follow the Truth, and content themselves without any thing of all
this;