To Lactantius

Submitted by Shaji (United Arab Emirates), Mar 28, 2009 at 13:11

To Lactantius

Thanks for your response.

It's not Muslims plain assertion that such articles to malign Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) remove statement from its surrounding matter in such a way to distort its intended meaning. Enough evidences I provided in my response.

Well, let me see how you understood Islam. If ALLAH wishes, I will try to remove your misconceptions.

When you talk about violence among Arabs, it was dominant in pre-Islamic Arabia. When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought the Qur'an to the Arabs in the early seventh century, pre-Islamic Arabia were steeped in oppressive social relations and was caught up further in a vicious cycle of violence. Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) egalitarian message quickly began to threaten the Makkan elite. They opposed his teachings with great vehemence. He was forced to send some of his early followers to seek refuge in Abyssinia and later he himself fled to the nearby city of Madina in 622 C.E. Throughout the Makkan period, the early Muslims responded to the mental anguishes, physical abuse and persistent threats to their lives with passive resistance. It was only thirteen years into his prophetic mission that Muhammad and the early Muslims were permitted to engage in armed resistance but only under certain stringent conditions.

Qur'an 22:39-40 – "Permission (to fight) is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully waged. God has indeed the power to succor them: those who have been driven from their homelands against all right for no other reason than their saying, 'Our Lord and Sustainer is God! For, if God had not enabled people to defend themselves against one another, monasteries and churches and synagogues and mosques - in which God's name is abundantly extolled - would surely have been destroyed".

I am sure your understandings about Islam; from its harshest critics. Islam is not against any criticism and it is able to answer any misunderstandings caused by these critics. But criticism does not mean slandering or mockery. Both are different. You are relying too much on such slanderers and their aim is to misinterpret Qur'an for their corporate benefits and keep public away from knowing its truth. In fact, Qur'an is the only scripture (I know) challenge to prove any discrepancy in it. This you can read from 4:82 – "Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than ALLAH, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy."

Edward Said, renowned cultural critic, issued a response to Huntington's thesis in his own essay entitled "The Clash of Ignorance." Said argues that Huntington's categorization of the world's fixed "civilizations" omits the dynamic interdependency and interaction of culture. All his ideas are based not on harmony but on the clash or conflict between worlds. The theory that each world is "self-enclosed" is applied to the world map, to the structure of civilizations, to the notion that each race has a special destiny and psychology. According to Said, it is an example of an imagined geography, where the presentation of the world in a certain way legitimates certain politics.

Islam "spread by sword" is another widespread misconception. Noted historian De Lacy O'Leary in the book "Islam at the cross road" (Page 8): "History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated."

Actually it was the Sword of the Intellect that conquered the hearts and minds of people. The Qur'an says 16:125 - "Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious."

Regarding your quote from Imam al-Ghazali, he already clarified this aspect in his Epilogue of Fiqh-u-Seerah, " A few days had not passed since the Prophet's (peace be upon him) death when Islam became entangled in a fierce struggle with paganism, which suddenly came back to life, and Christianity, which controlled the north of the peninsula, prevented anyone from entering Islam and stopped its spread by force".

So it is clear that Islam encountered severe opposition from Paganism and the Christian forces immediately after the death of Prophet (peace be upon him). Al Ghazali mentions about that situation and Muslims had to fight against them for their existence and survival. How come this to be interpreted that Islam "spread by sword"….??.

Well, if that is the case, The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, "Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?". Also, Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, "Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?"

With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur'an says in 2:256 - "Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error". So Qur'an says no compulsion in religion, Muslims knows it, then why only Orientalists have different understandings of Qur'an…..??. There you will find the "conspiracy" behind such "propaganda".

Where you will find in Islamic history a doctrine similar to Saint Augustine's cognite intrare ("lead them in" — i.e. "force them to convert"). In fact the Qur'an says the exact opposite (mentioned above in 2:256): Augustine's frightening idea that all must be compelled to "conform" to the "true Christian faith" has unleashed centuries of unparalleled bloodshed. Are you ignoring genocide of over 300,000 Muslims and systematic rape of over 100,000 Muslim women by Christian Serbs in Bosnia between 1992 and 1995…??.

Who told you Morteza Motahari and al Ghazali are the authorities in Islam…..??. Authority of Islam is Qur'an and Sunnah.

I can give you various quotations where Christians atrocities throughout the world through Crusade wars and colonialization. What you would say if I allege all those happened due to Bible they followed…..??. If you are interested I will post you several crimes they committed.

Just a sample here, Wikipedia mentions, "For the first decade, the Crusaders pursued a policy of terror against Muslims and Jews that included mass executions, the throwing of severed heads over besieged cities walls, exhibition and mutilation of naked cadavers, and even cannibalism, as was recorded after the Siege of Maarat."

Being a Christian, you might give reason for those incidents, which I may refute. But be fair in dealing such issues. Remember, history is re-written to suit with the vested interests. That's why I would like you to stick with authoritative texts in Islam, that is Qur'an and Sunnah and in your case, Bible. We will evaluate these texts to know the truth.

See many of the Muslim scholars issue "fatwa" depends on the political circle they belong. There is simple method in Islam to verify such "fatwas". Just compare with Qur'an and authentic Sunnah, through which one can easily distinguish how these "fatwas" are valid in Islam. Did you ever try such an attempt to know the truth….??.

It is unfortunate modern media use all their weapons to make a religion misunderstood to public. The reason is clear; Islam not ready to compromise its principles for the exploitation which media choose for own survival. Islam is against alcohol, prostitution, lottery, exposing nudity, marketing with no ethics and all other exploitations widely chosen by the media. They took up the "great freedom struggle" in order to save Muslims from "Islamic oppression". This is a great deception tactic and how long they will continue this……??. According to Noam Chomsky, media is a weapon and it deepens to the mind and turns the minds against themselves.

Your main quotes are based on contemporary religious and political leaders and as usual, you have done the usual "cut and paste" from their full subject dealings. To be frank, such quotes have no influence in the major Muslim public except a very small group confined to certain society.

John Gray, in his book "Al-Qaeda and What it Means to be Modern" wrote - No cliche is more stupefying than that which describes Al-Qaida as a throwback to medieval times. It is a by-product of globalisation. Its most distinctive feature - projecting a privatised form of organised violence worldwide - was impossible in the past. Equally, the belief that a new world can be hastened by spectacular acts of destruction is nowhere found in medieval times. Al-Qaida's closest precursors are the revolutionary anarchists of late nineteenth-century Europe.

It seems you have another misconception that any person with a Muslim name wearing turban and elongated beard recite Qur'an and issue any statement, goes to the account of Qur'an and Sunnah. Any person can misinterpret religious texts and misuse for their personal gains. Islam must be followed the way Prophet (peace be upon him) taught Qur'an and how the righteous predecessors (Salaf) understood and followed Prophet's teachings.

You quoted Osama Bin Laden. Again I ask you, who told you, he is the authority in Islam…..??. Whatever he does, how you can credit in the account of Islam….??. I can reply you saying Hitler was a Christian. Did the Holocaust of over 6 million Jews occur out of the background of a Muslim Civilization?. But no point in judging a butcher's action in terms of his religion. It depends on how the person understood and followed that religion. There is no proper access to know about Osama Bin Laden. Whatever we know, it's from the media. To be frank, all these media controlled by the western interests.

I think it's necessary to explain the term "Jihad". Because you are in another big misconception, again corrupted and fed to the minds by the media. The Arabic word "jihad" means struggling or striving and applies to any effort exerted by anyone. In this sense, a student struggles and strives to get an education and pass course work; an employee strives to fulfill his/her job and maintain good relations with his/her employer; etc all come under Jihad. In the West, "jihad" is generally translated as "holy war," a usage the media has popularized. According to Islamic teachings, it is unholy to instigate or start war; however, some wars are inevitable and justifiable. For Muslims the term Jihad is applied to all forms of striving and has developed some special meanings over time. In conclusion, jihad in Islam is striving in the way of ALLAH by pen, tongue, hand, media and, if inevitable, with arms. However, jihad in Islam does not include striving for individual or national power, dominance, glory, wealth, prestige or pride.

The Quran advises us not to obey those who champion falsehood, and tells us to engage in jihad with them through the Quran. This means that one should respond to them by inviting them to the path of the truth, striving till one's utmost in this regard. The jihad that this Quranic verse refers to is not physical warfare. Rather, reference here is to intellectual and ideological activism. In short, it means refuting falsehood and advancing the cause of the truth [using peaceful means].

Qital, which is one form of jihad, involves physical warfare, but this also cannot be divorced from the issue of essentially peaceful jihad. If an enemy challenges one militarily or through physical force, one should still strive to the utmost possible to respond through peaceful means. Such means can be abandoned only when it is no longer possible to use them or when warfare becomes the only way to respond to the violence being unleashed.

I could clearly notice your mindset when you refer me to answeringislam site. My friend, they are spreading wrong information about Islam.

Now let me deal the verses you quoted from Qur'an.

61:10-12 which says - "O ye who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous Penalty?- That ye believe in ALLAH and His Messenger, and that ye strive (your utmost) in the Cause of ALLAH, with your property and your persons: That will be best for you, if ye but knew! He will forgive you your sins, and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity: that is indeed the Supreme Achievement".

4:74 – "Let those fight in the cause of ALLAH Who sell the life of this world for the hereafter. To him who fighteth in the cause of ALLAH,- whether he is slain or gets victory - Soon shall We give him a reward of great (value)".

9:111 – "ALLAH hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than ALLAH. then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme".

So you concluded these as economic bargains; that is, offering jannah in return of their spending in this world.

Then see these 2 quotes from Bible.

Mathew 10:34-36, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be the members of his household".

And in Luke 22:35-38, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one."

Does that mean Jesus (peace be upon him) did not want peace and only sword….??. Why he require sword…..??. Why Jesus (peace be upon him) wants to sent person against his belongings….??. Why he instructs to buy sword selling one's coat….??. Can't peace prevail in society without sword….??. Did Jesus (peace be upon him) believe so……??.

My friend, the verses from Qur'an stressing about a believer's duty to defend truth when Islam is attacked by its enemies. This is not an instruction to start war….??. In fact, it is the call to defense the true faith and freedom to practise….??. You have a presumption that all wars in the beginning of Islam were to execute other religons. All your conclusions are based on that. To know the truth, read verse 2:190 - "Fight in the cause of ALLAH those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for ALLAH loveth not transgressors".

It is clear why to fight in the cause of ALLAH…..it is to resist those who come for fight. Then also one should not cross the limits in war.

Is Qur'an instigating war in a peaceful society….??. Read Qur'an 60:8 - "ALLAH forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for ALLAH loves those who are just."

Surprisingly, the very next verse from 4:74, that is, 4:75 clearly mention why such a fight was required. It says – "And why should ye not fight in the cause of ALLAH and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?- Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will protect; and raise for us from thee one who will help!"

That's why I said, Christian missionaries apply verses in the wrong context. Alhamdulillah (all praise to God (ALLAH), a very good example is seen here. They ignored the verse 4:75 and quote only 4:74 because former has the answer for latter. I hope you understood.

My friend, Christian missionaries are deceiving you.

Also regarding Battle of Uhud, you must understand that was happened in Madina. The pagans wanted to respond for their defeat from Badr. Here also who came for fight….??. Anybody without prejudiced mind could agree….. it was Pagan Quraish. Who took the wealth and belongings of poor Muslims fled from Makkah in order to escape torture just because they believed in ONE GOD…..??. Once again, it is Quraish. Didn't Muslims have the right to regain their lost wealth…??. That's why battle of Badr was inevitable.

Being a leader of the Muslim army, Prophet (peace be upon him) must have to instruct his members to ready for fight. Any army general in similar situation does the same. Above all, it was ALLAH's instruction to prepare for war. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) being the messenger of ALLAH had to obey ALLAH's commandments. Even at the time of war, he was prayed and fasted and instructed his followers to do. Is this a greedy person's mind….??.

You are right Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) appeals to Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them both) as inspirations. That's what Qur'an said in 3:84 – "Say: "We believe in ALLAH, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to ALLAH do we bow our will (in Islam)."

Yes, Islam is the true religion and only acceptable in front of ALLAH. That is what said in next verse, 3:85 - If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to ALLAH, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good).

The reason is simple - Qur'aan says the reason in 4:48 – "ALLAH forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with ALLAH is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed".

Also it was Quran's mission to expose the hypocrites as you mentioned, through 2:81, 206; 23:103; 66:8; 20:124-126 and many, because even after knowing the truth they were rejecting. If they still want to live with their falsehood, no action against them here (but definitely they will face humiliation hereafter and that is from ALLAH) as long as they come to fight and oppress Muslims. What's wrong with this statement…..??. Islam has no problem with anybody to follow their faith. In fact, Prophet (peace be upon him) after forming a government in Medina, when majority became Muslims there, made first agreement with Jews (prominent minority in Medina) that they could follow their religion and civil and criminal laws for them would be based on Torah, which they claimed to have. A perfect religious freedom was allowed. If Muslims wanted forcibly to convert them or terminate them just because they don't believe, then why such an agreement was made…..??. Later Jews made many violations against this treaty when the country was in threat from foreign attacks. I already clarified the context of such incidents in my previous posting.

Definitely Qur'an guarantees Janna (heaven) in exchange of their struggle. But what was that struggle….??. It was the struggle to defend their faith and to fight against the oppression. The fight is done only under the Islamic leadership of a government. Individual taking up of arms for any reason is prohibited in Islam especially when staying under governments that allow religious freedom. There is no proof in Islam for such a struggle.

The critic, ignores the verse 4:75 and quotes 4:74 and 4:76, and misinterpreted the whole reason for fight. You must think, why such fights were essential those days….??. Because Pagan Quraish wanted to exterminate the growth of Muslims in Medina. They initiated the torturing process and when they come to attack Muslims in Madina, Jews were supporting them against the agreement they made with Prophet (peace be upon him) to protect each other against outside attack. Prophet (peace be upon him) had to deal both the attacks. If you carefully study the wars in Islam, you will understand this. Unfortunately the Christian missionaries, single out incidents and use against Islam without mentioning the beginning or the reason.

You mentioned The Torah and Gospel do not require killing to achieve paradise. Well, then read Ezekiel 9:4-7 says - "And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:" "Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary." "Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city."

Remember, this is direct instruction from LORD. I hope you have no objection to agree, the same LORD is the owner of Paradise. If this LORD instructs to slay utterly old and young, maids, little children and women, fill the courts with slain……., etc….were these not commanded to achieve Paradise….??.

Again Read Deuteronomy 13:6-9 "If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying: Let us go and worship other gods (gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other, or gods of other religions), do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him. You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people."

See New testament, Matthew 15:4 says – "For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death."

Just cursing your parents leads you to death…..!!!.

See Romans 1:32 – "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

Who did such things…??. It is no one but those who "worshiped and served created things" (from the same passage, 25^th verse.

Once again, Christian missionaries do all mischief to deceive you.

Unfortunate, you took the word of Politician, Mr. John Ashcroft and left your Bible in dark……!!!.

In the historical context of Qur'an, Chapter 9 you missed a very important incident, that is, after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah Prophet sent missions to several parts of Arabia to convince people about the truth of Islam. One such mission visited the clans which lived in the northern areas adjacent to Syria. The majority of these people were Christians, who were under the influence of the Roman Empire. Contrary to all the principles of the commonly accepted international law, they killed fifteen members of the delegation near a place known as Zat-u-Talah. Only Ka'ab bin Umair Ghifari, the head of the delegation, succeeded in escaping and reporting the sad incident. Besides this, Shurahb bin Amr, the Christian governor of Busra, who was directly under the Roman Caesar, had also put to death Haritli bin Umair, the ambassador of the Holy Prophet, who had been sent to him on a similar minion.

These events actually convinced the Holy Prophet that a strong action should be taken in order to make the territory adjacent to the Roman Empire safe and secure for the Muslims.

Regarding jizya, protection tax, I already mentioned in reply to Allegation No. 6 (please see my previous post).

Then there was a question seen from you "If Abraham prayed for his father only because he had made an earlier arrangement with him, but then washed his hands of him, why would Muslims pray for their relatives and ancestors (vv. 113-116)?".

Answer is, Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) was not knowing his father's future. He expected his father to be a believer. On that context, he prayed for his father's return to truth. Later he realized his father is not going to believe. Then he himself kept away from father. But Muslims must do good to their parents. No doubt about that. That is what said in Qur'an 31:14-15 – "And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command), "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) Goal. "But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration), and follow the way of those who turn to me (in love): in the end the return of you all is to Me, and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did."

So, a Muslim must not obey his parents if the parents insist him to make partners to God. A Muslim has to pray for his relatives and ancestors if they are Muslims. Otherwise he is obliged to do all goodness for them in this world but not follow their path. What's the problem in believing so…..??. First commitment of a Muslim is to God, and then only any of the creations come.

I can very well say to you, the answer to James Anderson is already posted by many Muslim writers. Answers can be found in answering-chrstianity.com. I myself is ready to answer if it not goes lengthy, depending upon my free time and convenience.

It's not fair to quote some sentences from Maududi's translation and accuse him that he committed errors. Only after knowing the full context of war, you can judge what "martyrdom" was he actually meant.

What's the problem if Muslim believes if a mean of expiating sin is through charity? By this way charity is encouraged and it's a good solution to eradicate poverty.

You said - Of the many problems with the Islamic doctrine of salvation, the main one is its ambiguity. It does not specify the quantity of good works necessary to reach al-janna.

The fact that all prophets came to world are well known to have spent their lives commanding their followers to uphold God's laws and commandments, but "St. Paul" casually brushed it aside in his Christianity. His "visions," are told higher in authority than the commands of Jesus (peace be upon him) during his lifetime.

Once Paul was finished nullifying the law of God through Moses and Jesus and simplifying the religion for them he began to get many converts. This is because his "Christianity" only required "faith" and no actual work (Romans 3:28). But faith without work was too flimsy a concept to build one's whole way of life around. Paul needed a stupendous and monumental event to have faith in order for his claims to be accepted by anyone. Thus the original sin and the atonement were born.

Paul claimed that God Almighty had created mankind inherently sinful and as inheritors of "the sin of Adam." He claimed that this hereditary burden was so great that the creator of all of the heavens and earth, and the creator of the concepts of sin and forgiveness themselves, could not forgive this sin. This, in Paul's estimation, was beyond God's capabilities. Paul preached that the only way the creator of the heavens and the earth and everything in-between could forgive this sin was to have his sinless "only begotten son" beaten, spat on, stripped, whipped, cut, humiliated, and finally killed in the most gruesome and drawn-out way known to man at the time; by hanging on the cross, and thus becoming a curse upon mankind.

See Bible, Galatians 3:13 - "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed (is) every one that hangeth on a tree"

Only then would God be able to forgive this sin.

However, if we were to read the words of Jesus (peace be upon him) in Mark 2:9 we would find that Jesus (peace be upon him) informs us that for him to tell a man that his sins are forgiven is much easier than to cure a paralytic and cause him to walk, and since Jesus (peace be upon him) had the power to cure paralytics, therefore, he demonstrates to us that forgiving sins is much easier for him.

However, we already know that God Almighty the "Father" of all believers, Matthew 23:9 wrote - "And call no (man) your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven".

We further know that God Almighty is greater in power than all humans, including Jesus: John 14:28 - "..my Father is greater than I",

We know that Jesus (peace be upon him) gets his power from God: John 5:30 says - "I can of mine own self do nothing...,"

Also see Acts 2:22 - "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:"

So it stands to reason that what is easy for Jesus (peace be upon him) is trivial and inconsequential for God Almighty Himself. Thus, if Jesus (peace be upon him) can forgive sins with the utmost ease simply by uttering the words "your sins are forgiven you," then it is well within the ability of God Almighty Himself to do the same simply by willing it, even without uttering a word. Indeed, we can even read in the Bible: Micah 7:18 - "Who (is) a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth (in) mercy."

Psalm 78:38-39 says - "Nevertheless, He (God), (being) full of compassion, forgave (their) iniquity, and destroyed (them) not: yea, many a time turned He His anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For He remembered that they (were but) flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again."

Isaiah 43:25 - "I, (even) I, (am) he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

Well, how then does God Almighty forgive our sins? Is He able to simply say "you are forgiven" to those who turn to Him in repentance or must He first sacrifice a sinless individual before He can do this?

Proverbs 21:3 says - "To do righteousness and justice (is) more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."

Again read the Bible - Jeremiah 36:3 - "It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."

So Bible many instances clearly indicate forgiving sin without a sacrifice.

This is indeed the teachings of Islam. In the Qur'aan, we are told that mankind was created to inhabit the earth. When Adam and Eve were first created, they were allowed to abide in the garden. However, soon after they ate from the tree and God sent them down to earth. Once Adam realized his error he was remorseful and repentant, however, he was the first man. He did not know how to repent or how to seek forgiveness. So, God Almighty provided him with a revelation teaching him how to ask for God's forgiveness. Adam did so and God accepted Adam's repentance. God did not mandate gruesome and torturous blood sacrifices of the sinless or anything else. He simply forgave Adam's sin. We can read this story in the Qur'an 2:35-39 - "And We said: O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise, and eat from it freely with pleasure and delight wherever you will, but do not approach this tree or you both will be of the wrongdoers. But Satan made them slip therefrom (the Paradise), such that he expelled them from that in which they were. And we said: Decend, all, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment until a time. Then Adam received from his Lord words (of revelation), and He pardoned him. Verily! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. We said: Decend, all of you, from hence; but whenever there comes to you a guidance from Me, then whosoever follows My guidance, there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. But they who disbelieve and deny our revelations, such are the dwellers of the Fire. They shall abide therein forever"

Also see Qur'aan 39:53 - "Say: O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt (through excessive sin)! Despair not of the mercy of ALLAH. Verily ALLAH forgives all sins. Truly, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful."

You said - "…..They follow a simple, rational equation: Total surrender = martyrdom in a holy war = Islamic heaven.

I would correct this equation to: Total surrender to the will of ALLAH = Islam = Achieving martyrdom in holy war (upon the terms and conditions clearly met with Qur'an) is required when in need = Heaven (from God, Who offered to submit will for Him).

You said - Finally, Qutb believes that all governments that are non-Islamic are ipso facto tyrannical because they impose order apart from ALLAH and his revealed will in the Qur'an and in the Sharia, the code of law derived from the Qur'an and the words and deeds of Muhammad. It never occurs to Qutb that the Qur'an and the Sharia are tyrannical by their very nature. It is no wonder that Qutb did not endorse democracy and neither does Zarqawi, the Jordanian evil-doer who beheads innocent civilians, saying recently that democracy is evil and that he will wage a fierce war on it.

What Qutb believed is not relevant here. How Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed is what important. Prophet (peace be upon him) at the beginning of his mission in Makkah, he was peacefully leading Islamic Da'wa (propagation). Remember - 13 years he and his followers suffered the cruelest tortures from pagan Quraish. Not even a single attempt is made to fight back. Finally, a situation reached when no chance for their survival. Then only they fled to Medina leaving all their belongings. Can't you find this as good example how Prophet (peace be upon him) lived under non-Islamic rule without any violence even after suffering severest set back from the non-believers….??. As long as Muslims are allowed to practice their religion without oppression, Muslims must not take arms against a non-Islamic government. Best example is Prophet's (peace be upon him) life in Makkah. That is the example for Muslims. You must read Qur'an and Prophet's (peace be upon him) life, not from Christian apologetics but from the source direct.

You said about London bombings. See, there is no proof for any terrorist to commit any heinous action against innocent lives. Any action which turns Jihad to Qital, must have met under certain conditions.

1. It must be confirmed that Muslims in particular region are severely oppressed and they are not allowed to practice their religion or to do Da'wa (Islamic propagation by peaceful means) activities.

2. If Muslims are facing problems in one region, does not give permission to retaliate in other parts of the world, which have no involvement in persecuting Muslims. There is no proof in Islam for such acts.

3. Any retaliation must be done under a leadership appointed by Islamic government. Individual retaliation or revenge is not allowed unless through the court of law. The action must not be intended against innocent people, women, children or old age. Only it is done against those come to fight and exterminate Muslims.

So any Muslim, if does any mischief against the above rules and he happens to have name of Muslim, is not actually done that for the cause of Islam. It may due to his wrong understandings or in retaliation for his personal loss. In Islam, even such personal revenge is not allowed if his rights are served by a government, Islamic or unIslamic. In brief, any criminal punishment is carried about the court of law and not by the person himself.

You spoke about London bombing. Then what about Oklahoma bombing….??. American media following the Oklahoma bomb blast, where the press was quick to declare a 'Middle Eastern conspiracy' behind the attack. The culprit was later identified as a soldier from the American Armed Forces. Why media jumped to a sudden conclusion without acquiring solid evidence….??. It is clear; their intention was to malign Islam.

Then, you raised suspicion about prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

I will provide you 12 proofs. Hope you will go through and read carefully.

1. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that till his death. Among all his people, he (peace be upon him) was known as being truthful and trustworthy. Before receiving revelation, he (peace be upon him) had no prior knowledge of religion or any previously sent Message. He (peace be upon him) remained like that for his first forty years. Revelation then came to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the Qur'an that we now have between our hands. This Qur'an mentioned most of the accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in the greatest detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts came precisely as they were found in the Torah sent down to Moses (peace be upon him) and in the Gospel sent down to Jesus (peace be upon him). Never the less, neither the Jews nor the Christians believed anything that he said.

2. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also foretold of everything that would occur to him and his community after him, pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of Chosroes [the royal title for the Zoroastrian kings of Persia] and Caesar, and the establishment of the religion of Islam throughout the earth. These events occurred exactly as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) foretold, as if he was reading the future from an open book.

3. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also conveyed an Arabic Qur'an that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. The Qur'an challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who initially belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Qur'an. The eloquent Arabs of his day were unable to contest this Qur'an. Indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to claim that he has been able to compose words that equal-or even approach-the order, grace, beauty and splendor of this Glorious Qur'an.

4. The life history of this Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was a perfect example of being upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters, while striving solely for the reward of the Hereafter. Moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of ALLAH.

5. ALLAH instilled great love for Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him. This love reached such a degree that any of his companions would willingly sacrifice his (or her) self, mother or father for him. Till today, those who believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) honor and love him. Anyone of those who believe in him would ransom his own family and wealth to see him even if but once.

6. All of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the manner it has preserved the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who is the most influential human in history. Nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of by those who believe in him. Upon remembering Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the believers in him will greet him and ask ALLAH to bless him (peace be upon him) and exalt his status. They do such with full hearts and true love for him.

7. Nor has there every been a man on earth whom is still followed in all his doings by those who believe in him (peace be upon him). Those who believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sleep in the manner he slept; purify themselves (through ablution and ritual washing) in the manner he purified himself; and adhere to his practice in the way they eat, drink, and clothe themselves.

Indeed in all aspects of their lives, the believers in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) adhere to the teachings he spread among them and the path that he traveled upon during his life. During every generation, from his day till our time, the believers in this Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) have fully adhered to his teachings. With some, this has reached the degree that they desire to follow and adhere to the Prophet's way in his (peace be upon him) personal matters regarding which ALLAH has not sought of them to adhere to in worship. For example, some will only eat those specific foods or only wear those specific garments that the Messenger (peace be upon him) liked.

Let alone all that, all those who believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) repeat those praises of ALLAH, special prayers, and invocations that he (peace be upon him) would say during each of his actions during day and night, like: what he (peace be upon him) would say when he greeted people, upon entering and leaving the house, entering and leaving the mosque, entering and leaving the bathroom, going to sleep and awaking from sleep, observing the new crescent, observing the new fruit on trees, eating, drinking, dressing, riding, traveling and returning from travel, etc.

Moreover, all those who believe in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) fully perform - even to the minute detail - every act of worship, like prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage, as this Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) taught and as he himself performed. All of this allows those who believe in him (peace be upon him) to live their lives in all aspects with this Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) as their example, as if he was standing before them, for them to follow in all their doings.

8. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a man anywhere upon this earth who has received such love, respect, honor, and obedience in all matters, small and large alike, as has this Noble Prophet (peace be upon him).

9. Since his days, in every region of the earth and during every period, this Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) has been followed by individuals from all nations, colors and peoples. Many of those who followed him were previously Christians, Jews, pagans, idolaters, or without any religion. Among those who chose to follow him, were those who were known for their sound judgment, wisdom, reflection, and foresight. They chose to follow this Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) after they witnessed the signs of his truthfulness and the evidences of his miracles. They did not choose to follow Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) out of compulsion or coercion or because they had adopted the ways of their fathers and mothers.

Indeed many of the followers of this Prophet (peace be upon him) chose to follow him during the time when Islam was weak, when there were few Muslims, and when there was severe persecution of his followers on earth. People who have followed this Prophet (peace be upon him) have not done so to acquire some material benefits. Indeed many of his followers have suffered the greatest forms of harm and persecution as a result of following him. Despite all this harm and persecution, this did not turn them back from his religion. All of this clearly indicates, to anyone possessing any sense, that this Prophet (peace be upon him) was truly and really ALLAH's messenger and that he (peace be upon him) was not just a man who claimed prophethood or spoke about ALLAH without knowledge.

10. With all this, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came with a great religion in its creedal and legal make-up. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described ALLAH with qualities of complete perfection, and at the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to Him any imperfection. Neither the philosophers nor the wise could ever describe ALLAH like such. Indeed it is impossible to imagine that any human mind could conceive of an existing being that possesses such complete ability and greatness Who has subdued the creation, Who has encompassed everything in the universe, small or large, and Who possesses such perfect mercy. Nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law based upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human activity on earth like the laws that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveyed to all spheres of human activity - like buying and selling, marriage and divorce, renting, testimony, custody, and all other contracts that are necessary to uphold life and civilization on earth.

11. It is impossible that any person conceive wisdom, morals, good manners, and nobleness of characters as what this honorable Prophet (peace be upon him) brought. In a full and complete manner, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) spread a teaching regarding character and manners toward one's parents, relatives, fiends, family, humanity, animals, plants and inanimate objects. It is impossible for the human mind alone to grasp all of that teaching or come with a similar teaching. All of that unequivocally indicates that this Messenger (peace be upon him) did not bring any of this religion from his own accord, but that it was rather a teaching and inspiration that he (peace be upon him) received from The One Who created the earth and the high heavens above and created this universe in its miraculous architecture and perfection.

12. The legal and creedal make-up of the religion that the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought resembles the engineering of the heavens and the earth. All of that indicates that He Who created the heavens and the earth is The One Who sent down this great law and upright religion. The degree of inimitability of the Divine law that was sent down upon Muhammad (peace be upon him) is to the same degree of inimitability of the Divine creation of the heavens and the earth. For just as humanity cannot create this universe, in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law like ALLAH's law that He sent down upon His servant and messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Also, there is no specific order which how each Prophet was selected for prophethood.

Regarding statement about Khadijah's (may ALLAH be pleased with her) relative, Muhammad's (peace be upon him) contacts with the Jewish and Christian Scholars were very limited. The most prominent Christian known to him was an old blind man called Waraqa ibn-Naufal who was a relative of the Prophet's first wife Khadijah (may ALLAH be pleased with her). Although of Arab descent, he was a convert to Christianity and was very well versed with the New Testament. The Prophet only met him twice, first when Waraqa was worshipping at the Kaaba (before the Prophetic Mission) and he kissed the Prophet's forehead affectionately; the second occasion was when the Prophet went to meet Waraqa after receiving the first revelation. Waraqa died three years later and the revelation continued for about 23 years. It is ridiculous to assume that Waraqa was the source of the contents of the Qur'an.

Do you need proof from Bible……??.

In the Bible we can find the following four passages wherein Jesus (peace be upon him) predicts a great event:

John 14:16 - "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever"

John 15:26 - "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me"

John 14:26 - "But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

John 16:7-14 - "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew (it) unto you."

The word "comforter" is translated from the word "Paraclete" ("Ho Parakletos" in Greek). Parakletos in Greek is interpreted as "an advocate", one who pleads the cause of another, one who councils or advises another from deep concern for the other's welfare (Beacon Bible commentary volume VII, p.168).

In these verses we are told that once Jesus (peace be upon him) departs, a Paraclete will come. He will glorify Jesus (peace be upon him), and he will guide mankind into all truth. This "Paraclete" is identified in John 14:26 as the Holy Ghost.

John 14:26 is the only verse of the Bible which associates the Parakletos with the Holy Spirit. But if we were to go back to the "ancient manuscripts" themselves, we would find that they are not all in agreement that the "Parakletos" is the Holy Spirit.

Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the one intended and not the Holy Ghost. In the Christian's own "Gospel of Barnabas" Muhammad is mentioned by name here. The Trinitarian church, however, has done it's utmost to obliterate all existing copies of "The Gospel of Barnabas," and to hide it from the masses or to label it a forgery. For this reason, it becomes necessary to show that even the Gospels adopted by Paul's church also originally spoke of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Does the Holy Spirit "speak" or "inspire": The Greek word translated as "hear" in the Biblical verses ("whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak") is the Greek word "akouo" (ak-oo'-o) meaning to perceive sounds. It has, for instance, given us the word "acoustics," the science of sounds. Similarly the verb "to speak" is the Greek verb "laleo" (lal-eh'-o) which has the general meaning "to emit sounds" and the specific meaning "to speak." This verb occurs very frequently in the Greek text of the Gospels. It designates a solemn declaration by Jesus (peace be upon him) during his preachings (For example Matthew 9:18). Obviously these verbs require hearing and speech organs in order to facilitate them. There is a distinct difference between someone "inspiring" something and him "speaking" something. So the Paraclete will "hear" and "speak," not "inspire."

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as seen above, did indeed fulfill this prophesy. Whatsoever he "HEARD" from Gabriel (The Qur'an), the same did he physically "SPEAK" to his followers. In the Qur'an we read in 53:1-4 - "(God swears) By the star when it falls!: Your comrade (Muhammad) errs not, nor is he deceived; Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is naught save a revelation that is revealed (unto him)."

The Holy Ghost was already with them: In the above verses we read "if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." The comforter can not be the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost (according to the Bible) was "with" them already (and even quite active) long before the coming of Jesus (peace be upon him) himself and then throughout his ministry.

Read for example.

Genesis 1:2 - "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

1 Samuel 10:10 - "And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them."

1 Samuel 11:6 - "And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly."

Isaiah 63:11 - "Then he remembered the days of old, moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?"

Luke 1:15 - "For he (John the Baptist) shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb."

Luke 1:35 - "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee."

Luke 1:41 - "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost"

Luke 1:67 - "And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,"

Luke 2:25 - "And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him."

Luke 2:26 - "And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost (Simeon), that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ."

Luke 3:22 - "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him (Jesus), and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

John 20:21-22 - "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost."

Did they or did they not already receive the Holy Ghost? Was Jesus (peace be upon him) not still with them when they received the Holy Ghost? Was the Holy Ghost not with Simeon, Mary, Elisabeth and Zacharias before the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him)? Was the Holy Ghost not with Moses (peace be upon him) when he parted the seas? There are many more similar verses to be found in the Bible. In the above verses, we are told that if Jesus (peace be upon him) does not depart then the "parakletos" will not come. Thus, the "Holy Ghost" cannot be the one originally intended since it was already with them. The contradiction is quite obvious.

"Parakletos" or "Periklytos"?: Some scholars believe that what Jesus (peace be upon him) said in his own Aramaic tongue in these verses represents more closely the Greek word "Periklytos" which means the admirable or glorified one. This word corresponds exactly to the Arabic word "Muhammad" which also means the "admired one" or "glorified one." In other words, "Periklytos" is "Muhammad" in Greek.

He will guide you into all truth: In the above verses Jesus (peace be upon him) is quoted as saying "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." What does Jesus (peace be upon him) mean by "ye cannot bear them now"? If we were to read the Bible, we would find many verses throughout the Bible wherein Jesus (peace be upon him) bemoans the lack of understanding he was constantly greeted with from his disciples throughout his ministry:

Matthew 8:26 - "And he(Jesus) saith unto them(the disciples).....O ye of little faith."

Matthew 14:31 - "...and (Jesus) said unto him(Peter), O thou of little faith."

Matthew 16:8 - "he (Jesus) said unto them(the disciples), O ye of little faith."

Luke 8:25 - "And he(Jesus) said unto them(the disciples), Where is your faith?"

Notice that these are not common Jews who he is saying these words to, but his own elect disciples. The Bible vividly illustrates how he is constantly going out of his way to simplify matters for them and to speak to them as one speaks to little children. However, even at that, they still misunderstand. He is finally driven to frustration and made to say:

Matthew 15:16 - "And Jesus said, Are ye even yet without understanding?"

Luke 9:41 - "And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you?"

We are even told that his own people did not accept him:

John 1:11 - "He came unto his own, and his own received him not."

Jesus (peace be upon him) had "all truth," but he could not give it to them because they were not fit to receive it. Therefore, he told them that another would come after him who shall guide them into "all truth" which they could not receive from him. He tells us that the one who will come will "teach you all things." This one who will guide them into "all truth" is described as "The spirit of truth." We have already seen how the word "spirit" in the Bible is synonymous with the word "Prophet." Muhammad (peace be upon him), even before he became the prophet of Islam was known among his people as "Al-sadik Al-amin," which means "The truthful, the trustworthy." Thus, it becomes apparent that Muhammad was indeed "the spirit of truth." Since the departure of Jesus (peace be upon him) and to this day, the "Holy Ghost" has not taught mankind a single new truth not revealed by Jesus (peace be upon him) himself.

It is important to notice the words "ALL truth" and "MANY things." "Many" and "All" means more than one. What new and innovative teachings has the Holy Ghost given mankind which were not taught by Jesus (peace be upon him)?

The Qur'an says: "O mankind! The messenger (Muhammad) hath come unto you with the truth from your Lord. Therefore believe; (it is) better for you. But if ye disbelieve, still, lo! unto ALLAH belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. ALLAH is the All-Knower, the All-Wise."

He shall glorify me: The Paraclete "shall glorify me" and will "testify of me." Muhammad (peace be upon him) did indeed testify of Jesus (peace be upon him) and did indeed glorify him and raise him and his mother to their well deserved stations of honor and piety and even made it an article of faith for every Muslim to bear witness to this. Just one of the many examples of this is:

Qur'an 3:40 - "And the angles said 'O Mary, ALLAH gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him, his name is Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, High honored in this world and the next, of those near stationed to ALLAH."

Nobody seems to recognize this fact as being at all extraordinary. People generally look upon the Jews as true worshippers of God and followers of a legitimate faith, even if they do consider them misguided by not following Jesus (peace be upon him) but killing him. Their book is even incorporated into the Bible as the faultless word of God. On the other hand, Muslims are looked down upon as followers of a false prophet and as savage blood thirsty terrorists or barbarians. However, if we were to look at the Jewish opinion of Jesus (peace be upon him) we would find that an early reference in the Babylonian "Talmud" says that "Jeshu ha-Nocri" was a false prophet who was hanged on the eve of the Passover for sorcery and false teaching. They further claim that he was a bastard son of a Roman adulterer among many other allegations.

Therefore, the prophet-hood and the choice were transferred to the despised Arab nation "the brick which the builders refused became the corner stone".

Moreover, he is the illiterate prophet whom the Torah and the Gospels described. "and I will put my words in his mouth", and he is the illiterate, who was prophesized with the prophet-hood in the cave of Hiraa "And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.".

He is the one who does not speak from his own desire "does speak not from himself, but all what he hears he speaks with", and he will deliver all his message, and death or murder will not stand against his mission "so he speaks to them with all what I command him with".

Like Moses (peace be upon him), he has a statute "and the isles shall wait for his law.", and his law is supported by strength "and from his right hand went a fiery law for them." His law is comprehensive of all the aspects of life as he "teaches you everything", and "he guides you to all the truth", and with his appearance the Law of Moses will be abolished "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come;"

He is the greatest being, while women did not give birth to someone such as John the Baptist, but "notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." (peace be upon him)

Christopher Davis, a professor of comparative religion, was right when he said, "Indeed, all these prophecies with it is meanings and descriptions does not match anyone except the Arabian prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Your next allegation is, Prophet (peace be upon him) possesses demon.

Let us not forget the fact, God sends messages to humankind through angels, then Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not different from any other prophet in that regard.

If they were referring to the story of black magic, then you should know that authentic collections of Hadith did mention the story, but not all sources confirmed that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was affected by the magic. The story goes that some old woman did some magic on the Prophet (peace be upon him) to make him impotent. What all authentic narration mentions is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked the angel what he should do if somebody tried to harm him with magic and the angel commended him to seek refuge in God and his faith and read some surahs from the Qur'an.

After the Prophet (peace be upon him) assumed his position of prophethood and started to invite people to believe in God, the angel did not appear to him for a long period of time (somewhere between 3 months and a year, according to different narrations). The Prophet (peace be upon him) felt so terrible about losing his heavenly support, "to the extent of thinking of throwing himself from the top of the mountain," the narration goes. This shows the Prophet (peace be upon him) who felt so distressed for the thought that God is displeased with him and, therefore, had forsaken him. However, the Prophet (peace be upon him) remained patient until God revealed to him the verses 93:1-11 from Qur'an.

Then what Bible say about Jesus (peace be upon him)….??.

Bible teaches in Mathew 4:5-8 that the devil appeared to Jesus, and asked him to go (mountain-climbing) with him and instead of striking out against Satan right then and there, Jesus actually accepted Satan's invitation, and together, Satan and Jesus went mountain climbing. Read the verses -

Matthew 4:5 - Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple,

Matthew 4:6 - and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"

Matthew 4:7 - Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

Matthew 4:8 - Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them;

The Bible does not say that there was any kind of fight or resistance on the part of Jesus when Satan appeared to him and invited him to follow him, therefore, we will have to assume that Jesus went willingly. Therefore, we see from this outrageous story in the Bible, that Jesus was clearly "demon–possessed", so much to the point, that he took Satan as a comrade (wali) and a travelling partner. In addition to that, it is clear, that Jesus was NOT sinless. Answering the call of Satan, is a sin. This is simply a irreconcilable contradiction. Please keep in mind, that Muslims firmly believe in Jesus (peace be upon him), but we do not believe in the man-made stories about Jesus (peace be upon him) that we read in the New Testament.

Then you quoted a big lie, that Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers prostrated the deities prevalent in Makkah. I request you to verify the quotes of Christian missionaries; they do all kinds of mischief to mislead the readers. They create arbitrary stories and insert Qur'anic verses in between to suit their intended situation and draw out conclusion which never Qur'an meant or Muslims of any generation understood.

Next, your problem with Qur'anic verses in 53^rd chapter is not clear. In those verses, ALLAH aptly replying to pagan belief of making their goddesses as daughters of ALLAH and their deities as associates in Godhead. ALLAH has sent down no authority which they may, produce as a proof in support of their presumptions.

The very unfortunate part, you did not show decency in front of an opponent while evaluating a sacred text to be God's revelation or not, and before reaching any conclusion you insulted Qur'an by calling it "Satanic verses". Yes, this is indeed, one would know the "real love and respect" that Christian preaches and their apologists follow in their refutations…….!!!!!. If Muslims would have responded the same ampere, they are branded as "terrorists, uncultured and barbaric."……!!!. My friend, realize yourself your "pre-set" parameters in evaluating an ideology.

Then you added verses 22:52-53, which actually implying, ALLAH eradicated all doubts and objections inspired by satan in the hearts of the people and clarify the confusion created about any verse of the Qur'an in subsequent Revelations. How that becomes a proof to argue, Qur'an not from God…..??.

and 17:73-75 is exposing pagan Arabs deception against Prophet (peace be upon him), by tempting him with greed, held out threats, raising a storm of false propaganda against him, persecuting him and applying economic pressure and social boycott against him. In short, they did all that could be done to defeat his resolve. No man, not even a Messenger of ALLAH, can fight single-handed against the deceitful methods of falsehood, unless he receives the succour of ALLAH." It was the fortitude which ALLAH had bestowed upon the Holy Prophet, which helped him to retrain steadfast on the right position he had taken, so that no persecution, howsoever great, could turn him away in the least from that position.

How the above verses you concluded to be destructive for prophetic credentials…..??.

Your next claim was 2:23, 10:37-38 is in contradiction with 17:88. I am not quoting the verses here. Please read the verses once again. You will realize that the challenge raised by ALLAH can never be accomplished by anybody. It actually shows the superiority and authority of ALLAH above everything. Anyone with a clear mind would never find this as contradiction rather it makes one to lower his head to the Power of God's word.

You said, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was deceived by satan and he spoke satan's words.

Similar allegation was put forward by the pagans of Makkah, that the prophet (peace be upon him) received the revelations from satan, then following verses were revealed: 56:77-80 - "That this is indeed A Qur'an most honourable, In a Book well-guarded, Which none shall touch But those who are clean:

A Revelation from the Lord Of the Worlds." Kitabim Maknoon means a book well guarded or a protected book, referring to Lauh-e-Mahfooz in the heaven, which none shall touch except the Mutahhareen. i.e. those who do not have any uncleanliness or impurity or evil like sin. This refers to the angels. The satan is absolutely prohibited there.

Since it is impossible for satan to come anywhere close to it or touch it, the question of him writing the verses of the Glorious Qur'an does not arise.

It is further mentioned in 26:210-212 - "No evil ones have brought Down this (Revelation): It would neither suit them Nor would they be able (To produce it). Indeed they have been removed Far from even (a chance of) Hearing it."

Many people have a wrong concept of satan. They think that satan can probably do everything, except a couple of things that God can do. According to them, satan is slightly below God in power. Since the people do not want to accept that the Qur'an is a miraculous revelation, they say that it is satan's handiwork.

If satan would have written the Qur'an, he would not have mentioned in the same Qur'an in 16:98 – "When thou does read The Qur'an, seek ALLAH's protection from Satan the Rejected One."

Is this how you feel satan would write a book? Does he tell you; "Before you read my book ask God to save you from me?"

There are several verses in the Qur'an which will give enough evidence that satan is not the author of the Qur'an.

In 7:200 - "If a suggestion from Satan assail your (mind), seek refuge with ALLAH; for He hears and knows
(all things). Why would satan tell his followers, that whenever he gives any suggestions to them, they should seek refuge in ALLAH to whom he is an avowed enemy.

In 2:168 - "O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the Evil one, For he is to you an avowed enemy."

In 36:60 - "Did I not enjoin on you, O ye children of Adam, that ye should not worship Satan; for that he was to you an enemy avowed?"

Satan is intelligent, no wonder that he can put this idea into the minds of people that he himself wrote the Qur'an. Compared to Almighty God, satan is insignificant, and ALLAH is far more intelligent. He knows satan's evil intentions and hence no wonder that He has given the reader of the Qur'an several proofs to show that Qur'an is God's word, and not satan's word.

The Bible mentions in the Gospel of Mark 3:24-26 - "And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." "And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." "And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end."

To prove Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) a false prophet, you quoted Deuteronomy 13:5 which says – "And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn [you] away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee".

You carefully look at the verse once again, it mentions the activity of false prophet, that is, "he spoke to you away from the Lord your God". Did Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) turned people away from God……??. Never…..actually he called the people to worship Jesus's God, Prophet Muhammad's God, your God, my God and to the God of whole universe, WHO is ONE and the SAME.

Then you quoted Matthew 24:10-11 – "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many".

What are the signs of such a false prophet……??.. See 23-26 from same chapter – "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not".

Now see the verse 5 from the same book which is the starting of this prophecy - "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" – Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) never said he is Christ, so according to the context of 24:10-11 and 23-26, your quote was completely irrelevant against your allegation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Then you quoted Galatians 1:8-9 - If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed."

OK…who told you the Gospel which currently Christians follow is the true Gospels….??. Remember the verse from Galatians never said, you must follow Gospel of Mark, Luke, Matthew or John. It was later in Nicea council in AD 325 approved the present Gospels to be the "only Gospels". The doctrine of the Trinity was declared to be the official doctrine of the Pauline Church, and one of the consequences of this decision was that out of the three hundred or so Gospels of that time, four were chosen as the official Gospels of the Church. The remaining Gospels, including the Gospel of Barnabas, were ordered to be destroyed completely. It was also decided that all Gospels written in Hebrew should be destroyed. An edict was issued stating that anyone found in possession of an unauthorized Gospel would be put to death.

In Islam, there is no denial of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) identity. Muslims believe he is one of the mightiest messengers of ALLAH. Muslims follow the true Prophet (Muhammad, peace be upon him) and that is what said in Qur'an 3:84 – "Say: "We believe in ALLAH, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to ALLAH do we bow our will (in Islam)."

Also Qur'an rightly said in 9:30 – "The Jews call 'Uzair a son of ALLAH, and the christians call Christ the son of ALLAH. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. ALLAH's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!

Qur'an gives perfect way of salvation through verse 4:124 – "If any do deeds of righteousness,- be they male or female - and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them".

Again in 9:72 - "ALLAH hath promised to Believers, men and women, gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss. But the greatest bliss is the good pleasure of ALLAH, that is the supreme felicity".

I already dealt above the problems in Christian way of salvation. READ CAREFULLY AND ONCE AGAIN THINK, MY FRIEND….THIS IS MATTER OF YOUR LIFE HEREAFTER. We both accept there is life in hereafter. I don't want you to be among dwellers in Hell for the grave sin of making partners to GOD.

Now see some quotes from your Bible.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Mark 12:29-30 states - "The Lord our God is Lord alone! Therefore, you shall adore the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength."

Jesus (peace be upon him) most particularly stressed this as First Commandment.

Luke 10:25-28 explains - On one occasion a lawyer stood up to pose him this problem: "Teacher, what must I do to inherit everlasting life?" Jesus (peace be upon him) answered him: "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He replied: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." Jesus (peace be upon him) said: "You have answered correctly. Do this and you shall live'

Jesus (peace be upon him) even scolded those who called him Lord (Matthew 7:21-23): "None of those who cry out, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of God but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes, many will plead with me, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? Have we not exorcised demons by its power? Did we not do many miracles in your name as well?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Out of my sight, you evil doers!' "

When Jesus (peace be upon him) prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane he demonstrated that he was neither omnipotent nor omniscient: (Luke 22:42) - "Father, if it is your will, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done."

Jesus (peace be upon him) made it clear in many, many ways that he was not God, that God is greater. Nowhere is this more definitely stated than when he spoke to his disciples about his imminent departure: (John 14:28) - "If you truly loved me you would rejoice to have me go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I".

We see that throughout the Gospels, Jesus (peace be upon him) prayed to God. This certainly argues against his being God. God would not pray to Himself.

There were times when Jesus (peace be upon him) felt the need to pray with special urgency. Luke reports that, on one occasion, Jesus (peace be upon him) prayed very hard: (Luke 22:44) - "In his anguish, Jesus (peace be upon him) prayed with all the greater intensity, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground."

One of the most compelling pieces of evidence that Jesus (peace be upon him) was not God is in the way that he taught the disciples to pray: One day he was praying in a certain place. When he had finished, one of his disciples asked him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive those who wrong us. Subject us not to the trial but deliver us from the evil one.'" (Luke 11:1-4, Matthew 6:9-13)

Note that Jesus (peace be upon him) taught us to pray to the Father, our Creator, not to himself. In fact, he did not mention himself in any way, nor did he indicate that we should pray in his name. His instructions were very specific; we are to pray to God alone.

This would not be the case if Jesus (peace be upon him) himself were God.

The fact is nowhere in the Bible do we see a direct identification of Jesus (peace be upon him) as God, and that Jesus (peace be upon him) strongly upheld all the commandments and emphasized the First Commandment, we can only conclude that the doctrine of Jesus (peace be upon him)' divinity has no foundation in the scripture nor in the life and teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him). This concept is an innovation in Christian doctrine.

You need more…..??.

Then read John 5:30 – "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."

Mark 13:32 - "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father".

All these prove Jesus (peace be upon him) himself did not claim any divinity and the Father's "will" is that happening in the world.

Jesus (peace be upon him) repeated many times the first commandment (Law) in Mark 12:29 - "Hear O' Israel, your Lord your God is one God" "You shall worship your God and none other". It is straight to the point.

By all means, Qur'aan clarified these points in Chapter 112 which says - "Say: He is ALLAH the One (and only). ALLAH, the eternally Besought of all! He neither begets nor was he begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him."

Finally, ALLAH speaks about Jesus testimony on the day of Judgment in Qur'aan 5:116 - And behold! ALLAH will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of ALLAH.?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden".

My friend, I sincerely wish you to understand the truth and submit your will to ONE and ONLY GOD.

Last but not least, don't rely too much on politicians and media. Very often you will find their statements unauthentic and they target for their personal benefits. I request you to evaluate the religious texts, if GOD wishes, you will reach the truth.

May ALLAH helps us to understand and follow the truth (Amen).

Shaji

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