Sec. 110.  Then Hai Ebn Yokdhan began to enquire of him concerning his Condition and manner of living, and Asal gave him an account of the Island from whence he came, and what manner of People inhabited it, and what sort of Life they led before that religious Sect, which we mention’d, came among them, and how it was now, since the coming of that Sect.  He also 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; and that no Man would challenge such a Propriety in Riches, as to have Alms ask’d of him, or to cause his Hands to be cut off, who privily stole them; or their lives to be taken away, who had openly robb’d him.