(though the missionary should look them up in the Arabic in every case, knowing that the Muslim
will not accept any translation as of authority). In translating verses of the Qur'an, I have
departed from Rodwell's version only when absolutely necessary. The verses are numbered as in
Fluegel's Arabic edition, though the habit of numbering them is by no means as yet universally
adopted in the East.
4. Certain passages are put in square brackets to indicate that care should be taken in
using such arguments, or that the matters dealt with are of slight importance. In some cases these
passages are mainly intended for the information of the young missionary himself, in case he should
not be able at the moment to obtain fuller information on special points.
5. I have supplied (in brackets) the technical Arabic words used by Muhammadans with reference to
certain doctrines or opinions of theirs, so that the young missionary may know exactly what word to
use in order to convey his meaning to the hearer, and may understand the word when he hears it used.
A knowledge of such terms is of very great importance indeed.
6. The book is put into the form of a dialogue not only to make it more readable, but also
because the Muhammadan arguments could best be arranged and given their due weight in that manner.
It is the natural arrangement too, because conversations