CHAPTER 1 : CHRISTIAN MUSLIM RESPONSES

DEBATE ON TV

At the end of the debate – “Christianity and Islam” – which appeared on the SABC-TV program “CROSS (+) QUESTIONS” on Sunday 5th June 1983, the Chairman, Mr.Bill Chalmers commented:

“I think it can be said from this discussion that there is ,at present, somewhat more accommodation on the Islamic side for the founder of Christianity than there is on the Christian side for the founder of Islam. What the significance of that is, we leave it to you, the viewer, to determine, but I do think you will agree that it is a good thing that we are talking together.” “BILL” as he is popularly addressed, without any formalities, on all his programs, by all his panelists, is extremely charming and stupendous in his humility. He is a picture of what the Holy Quran portrays of a good Christian:

“…AND NEAREST AMONG THEM IN LOVE TO THE BELIEVERS WILT THOU FIND THOSE WHO SAY, “WE ARE CHRISTIANS” 1: BECAUSE AMONG THESE ARE MEN DEVOTED TO LEARNING AND MEN WHO HAVE RENOWNED THE WORLD. AND THEY ARE NOT ARROGANT.” HOLY QURAN 5:58

JESUS – HIS STATUS

Were the Muslims on the panel, trying to placate the viewers out of policy, deceit or diplomacy ? Nothing of the kind! They were only articulating what God Almighty had commanded them to say in the Holy Quran. As Muslim they had no choice. They had said in so many words – “WE MUSLIMS BELIEVE, THAT JESUS WAS ONE OF THE MIGHTIEST MESSENGERS OF GOD, THAT HE WAS THE CHRIST, THAT HE WAS BORN MIRACULOUSLY – WITHOUT ANY MALE INTERVENTION (which many modern-day Christians do not believe today), THAT HE GAVE LIFE TO THE DEAD BY GOD’S PERMISSION, AND THAT HE HEALED THOSE BORN BLIND AND THE LEPERS BY GOD’S PERMISSION. IN FACT NO MUSLIM IS A MUSLIM IF HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN JESUS!”

PLEASANT SURPRISE

Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have been pleasantly, but skeptically, surprised. They might have not believed their ears. They must have surmised that the Muslims were playing to the gallery-that they were trying to curry favour with their fellow Christian countrymen; that if the Muslims would say a few good words about Jesus, then in reciprocation the Christians might say a few good words about Muhammad (May the Peace and the Blessings of God be upon all His righteous servants-like Moses, Jesus, Muhammad ); that I scratch your back and you scratch my back – which would be a sham or hypocrisy.

HATE CULTIVATED

We cannot blame the Christians for their skepticism. They have been so programmed for centuries. They were trained to think the worst of the man Muhammad (PBUH) and his religion. How aptly did Thomas Carlyle say about this Christian brethren over a hundred and fifty years ago -

“THE LIES WHICH … HAS HEAPED ROUND THIS MAN (Muhammad) ARE DISGRACEFUL TO OURSELVES ONLY.”

We Muslims are partly responsible for this staggering ignorance of the 1,200,000,000 Christians of the world. We have not done anything substantial to remove the cobwebs.

OCEAN OF CHRISTIANITY

South Africa is an ocean of Christianity. If Libya boasts the highest percentage of Muslims on the continent of Africa, then the Republic of South Africa would also be entitled to boast the highest percentage of Christians. In this ocean of Christianity – the R.S.A. – the Muslim is barely 2% of the total population. We are a voteless minority-numerically we count for nothing; politically, we count for nothing, and economically, one white man, as Oppenheimer, could buy out the whole lot of us, lock, stock and barrel. So, if we had feigned to appease, we might be excused. But no! We must proclaim our Master’s Will; we must declare the Truth, whether we liked it or not. In the words of Jesus (PBUH):

“Seek ye the truth, and the truth shall set you free” – (john 9:32).

CHAPTER 2: JESUS IN THE QURAN

CHRISTIANS UNAWARE

The Christian does not know that the true spirit of charity which the Muslim displays, always, towards Jesus and his mother Mary spring from the fountainhead of his faith- the Holy Quran. He does not know that the Muslim does not take the holy name of Jesus, in his own language, without saying Hazrat Eesa (meaning revered Jesus) or Eesa alai-hiss-salaam i.e. ( Jesus peace be upon him).

Every time the Muslim mentions the name Jesus (PBUH) without these words of respect, he would be considered disrespectful, uncouth or barbaric. The Christian does not know that in the Holy Quran Jesus (PBUH) is mentioned by name five times (5x) more than the number of times the prophet of Islam is mentioned in the Book of God. To be exact – twenty five time as against five. For example:

“..WE GAVE JESUS THE SON OF MARY CLEAR SIGNS AND STRENGTHENED HIM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT” HOLY QURAN 2:87

“..O MARY! GOD GIVETH THEE GLAD TIDINGS OF A WORD FROM HIM: HIS NAME WILL BE CHRIST JESUS, THE SON OF MARY..” HOLY QURAN 3:45

“..CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF MARY WAS (NO MORE THAN) AN APOSTLE OF GOD..” HOLY QURAN 4:171

“..AND IN THEIR (the previous Prophets’) FOOTSTEPS WE SENT JESUS THE SON OF MARY..” HOLY QURAN 5:49

“AND ZAKARIYA AND JOHN, AND JESUS AND ELIAS: ALL IN THE RANKS OF THE RIGHTEOUS:” HOLY QURAN 6:85

JESUS – HIS TITLES

Though Jesus is mentioned by name in twenty-five places in the Holy Quran he is also addressed with respect as:”Ibne Maryam” – son of Mary;as Masi (Heb) Messiah – translated as Christ; “Abd-ullah” servant of Allah;”Rasu-Ullah” – Messenger of Allah.

He is spoken of as “the word of God”, as “the spirit of God”, as a “Sign of God”, and numerous other epithets of honour spread over fifteen different chapters. The Holy Quran honours this mighty Messenger of God, and the Muslims have not fallen short over the past fourteen hundred years in doing the same. There is not a single disparaging remark in the entire Quran to which even the most jaundiced among the Christians can take exception.

“EESA” LATINISED TO JESUS

The Holy Quran refers to Jesus as “Eesa”, and this name is used more times than any other title, because this was his “Christian”1 name. Actually, his proper name was “Eesa” (Arabic), or “Esau”. (Hebrew); classical “Yeheshua”, which the Christian nations of the West Latinised as Jesus.

Neither the “J” nor the second “s” in the name Jesus is to be found in the original tongue – they are not found in the Semitic languages.

The word is very simply – “E S A U” – a very common Jewish name, used more than sixty times in the very first booklet alone of the Bible, in the part called “Genesis”. There was at least one “Jesus” sitting on the”bench” at the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Josephus the Jewish historian mentions some twenty five Jesus’ in his “Book of Antiquities”. The New Testament speaks of “Bar-Jesus”- a magician and a sorcerer, a false prophet (Act 13:6); and also “Jesus-Justus” – a Christian missionary, a contemporary of Paul (Colossians 4:11). These are distinct from Jesus the son of Mary. Transforming “Esau” to (J)esu(s) – Jesus – makes it unique. This unique (?) name has gone out of currency among the Jews and the Christians from the 2nd century after Christ. Among the Jews, because it came to be the proper name of their God(?) – their God incarnate. The Muslim will not hesitate to name his son – “Eesa” – because it is an honoured name, the name of a righteous servant of the Lord.

MANY REFERENCES

At the end of the most popular translation of the Holy Quran in English, i.e. by A.Yusuf Ali2, there is a very comprehensive index. While browsing through, we will discover, on page 1837, i.e.

Jesus, a righteous prophet, vi.85;

birth, iii. 45:47; xix. 22-33;

apostle to Israel, iii. 49-51;

disciples, iii. 52-53; v.114-118

taken up, iii. 55-58; iv.157-159;

like Adam, iii.59;

not crucified, iv.157;

no more than apostle, iv.171; v.78; xliii 59, 63-64;

not God, v.19,75;

sent with Gospel, v.49;

not son of God, ix.30;

Message and miracles, v.113; xix.30-33;

prays for Table of viands, v.117;

taught no false worship, v.119-121;

disciples declare themselves Muslims, v.114;

mission limited, n.1861 to xiii.38;

followers have compassion and mercy, lvii.27:

disciples as God’s helpers, lxi.14;

as a Sign, xxiii. 50; xliii.61;

prophesied Ahmad, lxi.6.

CHAPTER 3 : MOTHER AND SON

MARY HONOURED

The second above mentioned topic – “his birth” – are described in two places – Sura 3 and Sura 19. Reading from the beginning of his birth, on page 134 of the translation under reference, we come across the story of Mary, and the esteemed position which she occupies in the house of Islam before the actual annunciation of the birth of Jesus is given:

BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: “O MARY! GOD HATH CHOSEN THEE AND PURIFIED THEE-CHOSEN THEE ABOVE THE WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS.” HOLY QURAN 3:42

“Chosen thee above the women of all nations.” Such an honour is not be found given to Mary even in the Christian Bible! The verse continues:

“O MARY! WORSHIP THY LORD DEVOUTLY: PROSTRATE THYSELF, AND BOW DOWN (IN PRAYER) WITH THOSE WHO BOW DOWN.” HOLY QURAN 3:43

DIVINE REVELATION

What is the source of this beautiful and sublime recitation which,in its original Arabic, moves men to ecstasy and tears? Verse 44 below explains

THIS IS PART OF THE TIDINGS OF THE THINGS UNSEEN, WHICH WE REVEAL UNTO THEE (O APOSTLE!) BY INSPIRATION:

THOU WAST NOT WITH THEM WHEN THEY CAST LOTS WITH ARROWS, AS TO WHICH OF THEM SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH THE CARE OF MARY: NOR WAST THOU WITH THEM WHEN THEY DISPUTED (THE POINT). HOLY QURAN 3:44

MARY’S BIRTH

The story is that the maternal grandmother of Jesus, Hannan,had hitherto been barren. She poured out her heart to God:If only God will grant her child, she would surely dedicate such a child for the service of God in the temple.

ANTI-CLIMAX

God granted her prayer and Mary was born. She was disappointed. She was yearning for a son, but instead she delivered a daughter; and in no way is the female like the male, for what she had in mind. What was she to do? She had made a vow to God. She waited for Mary to be big enough to fend for herself.

When the time came, Hannah took her darling daughter to the temple, to hand over for temple services. Every priest was clamoring to be the god father of this lovely child. They cast lots with arrows for her – like the tossing of the coin – head or tail ? Eventually she fell to the lot of Zakariya, but not without a dispute.

THE SOURCE OF HIS MESSAGE

This was the story. But where did Muhammad (PBUH) get this knowledge from? He was an Ummi (unlettered). He did not know how to read or write.

He is made by God Almighty to answer this very question in the verse above, by saying that it was all “by divine inspiration”. “No!”, says the controversialist. “This is Mohammed’s own concoction. He copied his revelations from the Jews and Christians. He plagiarized it. He forged it.”

Knowing full-well, and believing as we do, that the whole Quran is the veritable Word of God, we will nevertheless agree, for the sake of argument, with the enemies of Muhammad (PBUH) for a moment, that he wrote it. We can now expect some cooperation from the unbeliever.

Ask him, “Have you any qualms in agreeing that Muhammad (PBUH) was an Arab?” Only an opinionated fool will hesitate to agree. In that case there is no sense in pursuing any discussion. Cut short the talk. Close the book!

With the man of reason, we proceed. “That this Arab, in the first instance, was addressing other Arabs. He was not talking to Indian Muslims, Chinese Muslims, or Nigerian Muslims. He was addressing his own people – the Arabs. Whether they agreed with him or not, he told them in the most sublime form – words that were seared into the hearts and minds of his listeners that Mary the mother of Jesus – A JEWESS – was chosen above the women of all nations. Not his own mother, nor his wife nor his daughter, nor any other Arab woman, but a Jewess! Can one explain this? Because to everyone his own mother or wife, or daughter would come before any other women.

Why would the Prophet of Islam honour a woman from his opposition! and a Jewess at that! belonging to a race which had been looking down upon his people for three thousand years? Just as they still look down upon their Arab brethren today.

SARAH AND HAGAR

The Jews get their cock-eyed racism from their Holy Bible, where they are told that their father, Abraham, had two wives – Sarah and Hagar. They say that they are the children of Abraham through Sarah his legitimate wife; that their Arab brethren have descended through Hagar, a “bond-woman”, and that as such, the Arabs are an inferior breed. (In fact, Hager was not a bond-woman but an Egyptian princess )

Will anyone please explain the anomaly as to why Muhammad (PBUH) (if he is the author) chose this Jewess for such high honour? The answer is simple – HE HAD NO CHOICE – he had no right to speak of his own desire. “IT IS NO LESS THAN AN INSPIRATION SENT DOWN TO HIM.” (H.Q.53:4)

SURA MARYAM

There is a Chapter in the Holy Quran, named Sura Maryam “Chapter Mary” (XIX) named in honour of Mary the mother of Jesus Christ (PBUH); again, such an honour is not to be found given to Mary in the Christian Bible.

Out of the 66 books of the Protestants and 73 of the Roman Catholics, not one is named after Mary or her son. You will find books named after Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul and two score more obscure names, but not a single one is that of Jesus or Mary!

If Muhammad (PBUH) was the author of the Holy Quran, then he would not have failed to include in it with MARYAM, the mother of Jesus, his own mother – AMINA, his dear wife – KHADIJA, OR HIS BELOVED daughter-FATIMA.

But No! No! this can never be. The Quran is not his handiwork!

CHAPTER 4 : THE GOOD NEWS

BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: “O MARY! GOD GIVETH THEE GLAD TIDINGS OF A WORD FROM HIM: HIS NAME WILL BE CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF MARY HELD IN HONOUR IN THIS WORLD AND THE HEREAFTER AND (OF THE COMPANY OF) THOSE NEAREST TO GOD; HOLY QURAN 3:45

“Nearest to God,” not physically nor geographically, but spiritually. Compare this with – “And (Jesus) sat on the right hand of God.”(Mark -16:19). The bulk of Christendom has misunderstood this verse as well as many others in the Bible. They imagine the Father (God) sitting on a throne – a glorified chair – and His “son”, Jesus, sitting on His right hand side. Can you conjure up the picture? If you do, you have strayed from the true knowledge of God. He is no old Father Christmas. He is a spiritual Being, beyond the imagination of the mind of man. He exists.

He is real, but He is not like anything we can think of, or imagine. In eastern languages “right hand” meant a place of honour, which the Holy Quran more fittingly describes as – “IN THE COMPANY OF THOSE NEAREST TO GOD.”

The above verse confirms that Jesus is the CHRIST, and that he is the WORD which God bestowed upon Mary. Again, the Christian reads into these words, a meaning which they do not carry. They equate the word “Christ” with the idea of a godincarnate; and the word from God to be God!.

CHRIST NOT A NAME

The word CHRIST is derived from the Hebrew word Messiah, Arabic-Masih. Root word m-a-s-a-h-a, meaning to rub, to massage, to anoint. Priests and kings were anointed when being consecrated to their offices. But in its translated, Grecian form “CHRIST”, it seems unique:befitting Jesus only.

The Christian has a knack of transmuting baser metals into shining gold. What he wants to do is to translate names into his own language like “cephas” to Peter, “messiah” to Christ. How does he do that? Very easily MESSIAH in Hebrew means anointed. The Greek word for anointed is “chris-tos”. Just lop off the ‘os’ from christos and you are left with christ.

Now change the little ‘c’ to a capital ‘C’, and “hey, presto!” he has created a unique (?) name! Christos means ANOINTED, and anointed means APPOINTED in its religious connotation. Jesus (PBUH) was appointed (anointed) at his baptism by John the Baptist, as God’s Messenger. Every Prophet of God is so anointed or appointed. The Holy Bible is replete with the “anointed” ones. In the original Hebrew – made a “messiah”. Let us keep to the English translation – “anointed.” Not only were prophets and priests and kings anointed (christos-ed), but borns, and cherubs and lamp-posts also.

I am the God of Beth-el, where you ANOINTED a pillar….. Genesis 31:13

If the priest that is ANOINTED do sin….Leviticus 4:3

And Moses….ANOINTED the tabernacle and all things that was therein…Leviticus 8:10

…THE LORD SHALL….EXALT THE HORN OF HIS ANOINTED Samuel 2:10

Thus saith the Lord to his ANOINTED to Cyrus….Isaiah 45:1

Thou art the ANOINTED cherub….Ezekiel 28:14

There are a hundred more such references in the Holy Bible. Every time you come across the word ANOINTED in your English Bible, you can take it that, that word would be christos in the Greek translations, and if you take the same liberty with the word that the Christians have done, you will have – Christ Cherub, Christ Cyrus, Christ Priest and Christ Pillar, etc

SOME TITLES EXCLUSIVE

Although, every prophet of God is an ANOINTED one of God – a Messiah, the title “Masih” or “Messiah” or its translation “CHRIST” is exclusively reserved for Jesus, the son of Mary, in both Islam and in Christianity.

This is not unusual in religion. There are certain other honorific title which may be applied to more than one prophet, yet being made exclusive to one by usage: like “Rasul-lullah”, meaning Messenger of God, which title is applied to both Moses (19:51) and Jesus (61:6) in the Holy Quran.

Yet “Rasul-lullah” has become synonymous only with the Prophet of Islam among Muslims.

Every prophet is indeed a FRIEND OF GOD, but its Arabic equivalent “Kha-lil-lullah” is exclusively associated with Father Abraham. This does not mean that the others are not God’s friends. “Kalimul-lah” (One who spoke with God) is never used for anyone other than Moses, yet we believe that God spoke with all His Messengers, including Jesus and Muhammad (May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon all His servants). Associating certain titles with certain personages only, does not make them exclusive or unique in any way. We honour all in varying terms.

Whilst the good news was being announced (verse 45 above) Mary was told that her unborn child will be called Jesus, that he would be the Christ, a “Word” from God, and that…..

“HE SHALL SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE IN CHILDHOOD* AND IN MATURITY. AND HE SHALL BE (OF THE COMPANY) OF THE RIGHTEOUS.” Holy Quran 3:46

* This prophecy found fulfillment within a very short time. We find this in Sura Maryam below:

AT LENGTH SHE BROUGHT HIM (THE BABE) TO HER PEOPLE, CARRYING HIM (IN HER ARMS). THEY SAID:”O MARY! TRULY AN-AMAZING THING HAST THOU BROUGHT! O SISTER OF AARON THY FATHER WAS NOT A MAN OF EVIL NOR THY MOTHER A WOMAN UNCHASTE!” Holy Quran 19:27-28

JEWS AMAZED

There is no Joseph the carpenter here. The circumstances being peculiar, Mary the mother of Jesus had retired herself to some remote place in the East (H.Q.19:16). After the birth of the child she returns.

“The amazement of the people knew no bounds. In any case they were prepared to think the worst of her, as she had disappeared from her kin for some time. But now she comes, shamelessly parading a babe in her arms!

How she had disgraced the house of Aaron, the fountain of priesthood!

“SISTER OF AARON: Mary is reminded of her high lineage and the unexceptionable morals of her father and mother. How, they said, she had fallen and disgraced the name of her progenitors!

“What could Mary do? How could she explain? Would they, in their censorious mood accept her explanation? All she could do was to point to the child, who, she knew, was no ordinary child. And the child came to her rescue. By a miracle he spoke, defended his mother, and preached -to an “unbelieving audience.”

A.Yusuf Ali, comments in his notes 2480-2482 on page 773 of his translation.

BUT SHE POINTED TO THE BABE. THEY SAID: “HOW CAN WE TALK TO ONE WHO IS A CHILD IN THE CRADLE?” HOLY QURAN 19:23

And by a miracle he spoke:

HE SAID: “I AM INDEED A SERVANT OF GOD: HE HATH GIVEN ME REVELATION AND MADE ME A PROPHET; “AND HE HATH MADE ME BLESSED WHERESOEVER I BE, AND HE HATH ENJOINED ON ME PRAYER AND CHARITY AS LONG AS I LIVE “(HE) HATH MADE ME KIND TO MY MOTHER, AND NOT OVERBEARING OR MISERABLE; “SO PEACE IS ON ME THE DAY I WAS BORN, THE DAY THAT I DIE, AND THE DAY THAT I SHALL BE RAISED UP TO LIFE (AGAIN)!” Holy Quran 19:24-33

HIS FIRST MIRACLE(S)

Thus Jesus (PBUH) defended his mother from the grave calumny and innuendo-does of her enemies. This is the very first miracle attributed to Jesus in the Holy Quran – that, he spoke as an infant from his mother’s arms.

Contrast this with his first miracle in the Christian Bible which occurs when he was over thirty years of age:

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning both set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. John 2:1-10

Since this miracle, wine has flowed like water in Christendom. Many a fool reasons that what was good for his Master is good enough for him.

Jesus was no “Kill-joy” they say. Didn’t he make good potent wine, that even those “well drunk”, those whose senses had been dulled could make out the difference? – “THAT THE BEST WAS KEPT FOR THE LAST.” This was no pure grape juice. It was the same W-I-N-E that, according to the Christian Bible, enabled the daughters of Lot to seduce their father (Genesis-19:32-33). It was the same W-I-N-E which the Christian is advised to eschew in Ephesians 5:18 – “And be not drunk with WINE….”

It is that innocent (?) 1% potency that eventually leads millions down into the gutter. America has 10 million drunkards in the midst of 70 million “born-again” Christians! The Americans call their drunkards – “PROBLEM DRINKERS”. In South Africa, they are called “ALCOHOLICS” – drunkard is too strong a word for people to stomach.

But the Prime Minister of Zambia, Dr.Kenneth Kaunda, does not hesitate to call a spade a spade. He says, “I am not prepared to lead nation of drunkards” – referring to his own people who drink intoxicants.

Whether the water “blushed” or not “seeing” Jesus, we cannot blame him or his disciples for the drinking habits of his contemporaries. For he had truly opined, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). Mankind had not reached the stage of receiving the whole Truth of Islam. Did he not also say – “You cannot put new wine into old bottles”? (Matthew 9:17)

“MOTHER” OR “WOMAN”?

“According” to St.John, in the fourth verse above, describing the marriage feast at Cana, we are told that Jesus (PBUH) behaved insolently towards his mother. He calls her “WOMAN,” and to rub more salt into the wound he is made to say – “what have I to do with thee?” What connection is there between you and me, or what have I got to do with you? Could he have forgotten that this very “woman” had carried him for nine months, and perhaps suckled him for 2 years, and had borne endless insults and injuries on account of him? Is she not his mother ? Is there no word in his language for “mother”?

Strange as it may seem, that while the missionaries boast about their master’s humility, meekness and long-suffering – they call him the”Prince of Peace” and they sing hat – “he was led to the slaughter like a lamb, and like a sheep who before his shearer is dumb, he opened not his mouth yet they proudly record in the same breath, that he was every ready with invectives for the elders of his race, and was always itching for a show down i.e. if their records are true:-

“Ye hypocrites!”

“Ye wicked and adulterous generation!”

“Ye whited sepulchers!”

“Ye generation of vipers!” and now to his mother -

“Woman…..”

JESUS DEFENDED

Muhammad (PBUH) the Messenger of God, is made to absolve Jesus (PBUH) from the false charges and calumnies of his enemies.

“AND HE (God Almighty) HATH MADE ME (Jesus) KIND TO MY MOTHER, AND NOT OVERBEARING OR MISERABLE” Holy Quran 19:32

On receiving the good news of the birth of a righteous son (end of H.Q.3:46 ), Mary responds:

SHE SAID: “O MY LORD! HOW SHALL I HAVE A SON WHEN NO MAN HATH TOUCHED ME?”

The angel says in reply:

HE SAID” “EVEN SO: GOD CREATETH WHAT HE WILLETH: WHEN HE HATH DECREED A PLAN, HE BUT SAITH TO IT, ‘BE,’ AND IT IS! “AND GOD WILL TEACH HIM THE BOOK AND WISDOM, THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL, HOLY QURAN 3:47-48

CHAPTER 5 : QURANIC AND BIBLICAL VERSIONS

MEETING THE REVEREND

One day, I was visiting the “Bible House” in Johannesburg, South Africa. Whilst browsing through the stacks of Bibles and religious books, I picked up an Indonesian Bible and had just taken in hand a Greek/English New Testament – a large, expensive volume. I had not realized that I was being observed by the supervisor of the Bible House. Casually, he walked up to me. Perhaps my bread and my Muslim headgear were an attraction and a challenge? He inquired about my interest in that costly volume. I explained that as a student of comparative religion, I had need for such a book. He invited me to have tea with him in his office. It was very kind of him and I accepted.

Over the cup of tea, I explained to him the Muslim belief in Jesus. I explained to him the very high position that Jesus (PBUH) occupied in the House of Islam. He seemed skeptical about what I said. I was amazed at his seeming ignorance, because only retired Reverend gentlemen can become Supervisors of BIBLE HOUSES in South Africa. I began reciting from verse 42 of Sura 3 -first in Arabic then in English

BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: “O MARY! ALLAH HATH CHOSEN THEE…

I wanted the Reverend to listen, not only to the meaning of the Quran, but also to the music of its cadences when the original Arabic was recited. Rev.Dunkers (for that was his name) sat back and listened with rapt attention to Allah’s Kalaam (God’s Word). When I reached the end of verse 49, the Reverend commented that the Quranic message was like that of his own Bible. He said, he saw no difference between what he believed as a Christian, and what I had read to him. I said: “that was true”. If he had come across these verses in the English language alone without their Arabic equivalent, side by side, he would not have been able to guess in a hundred years that he was reading the Holy Quran. If he were a Protestant he would have thought that he was reading the Roman Catholic Version, if he had not seen one, or the Jehovah’s Witness Version or the Greek Orthodox Version, or the hundred and one other versions that he might not have seen; but he would never have guessed that he was reading the Holy Quran. The Christian would be reading here, in the Quran, everything he wanted to hear about Jesus, but in a most noble, elevated and sublime language.

He could not help being moved by it. In these eight terse verses from 42 to 49 we are told:

(a) That Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virtuous woman, and honoured above the women of all nations.

(b) That all that was being said was God’s own Revelation to Muhammad

(c) That Jesus was a “Word” from God.

(d) That he was the Christ that the Jews were waiting for.

(e) That God will empower this Jesus to perform miracles even in infancy

(f) That Jesus was born miraculously, without any male intervention.

(g) That God will vouchsafe him Revelation.

(h) That he will give life to the dead by God’s permission, and that he will heal those born blind and the lepers by God’s permission, etc.etc.

CHALK AND CHEESE

The most fervent Christian cannot take exception to a single statement or word here. But the difference between the Biblical and the Quranic narratives is that between “chalk and cheese”!

“To me they are identical, what is the difference?” the Reverend asked. I know that in their essentials both the stories agree in their details, but when we scrutinize them closely we will discover that the difference between them is staggering.

Now compare the miraculous conception as announced in verse 47 of the Holy Quran with what the Holy Bible says:

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, BEFORE THEY CAME TOGETHER, (as husband and wife) she was found with child OF THE HOLY GHOST.” Mathew 1:18

MASTER DRAMATIZES

The eminent Billy Graham from the United States of America dramatized this verse in front of 40 000 people in King Park, Durban – with his index finger sticking out and swinging his outstretched arm from right to left, he said, “And the Holy Ghost came and impregnated Mary!” On the other hand St.Luke tells us the very same thing but less crudely. He says that when the annunciation was made, Mary was perturbed. Her natural reaction was -”…How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” – meaning sexually.

The Quranic narrative is: SHE SAID: “O MY LORD! HOW SHALL I HAVE A SON WHEN NO MAN HATH TOUCHED ME?” -meaning sexually. Holy Quran 3:47

In essence there is no difference between these two statements “seeing I know not a man” and “when no man hath touched me”. Both the quotations have an identical meaning. It is simply a choice of different words meaning the same thing. But the respective replies to Mary’s plea in the two Books (the Quran and the Bible) are revealing.

THE BIBLICAL VERSION

Says the Bible: And the angel answered and said unto her, “The Holy Ghost shall COME UPON THEE, and the power of the Highest shall OVERSHADOW THEE” Luke 1:35

Can’t you see that you are going the atheist, the skeptic, the agnostic stick to beat you with? They may well ask- “How did the Holy Ghost come upon Mary?” “How did the Highest over shadow her? We know that literally it does not mean that: that it was an immaculate conception, but the language used here, is distasteful-gutter language-you agree!? Now contrast this with the language of the Quran: THE QURANIC VERSION

HE SAID:(the angel says in reply) “EVEN SO: ALLAH CREATETH WHAT HE WILLETH: WHEN HE HATH DECREED A PLAN, HE BUT SAITH TO IT, ‘BE’, AND IT IS!” Holy Quran 3:47

This is the Muslim concept of the birth of Jesus. For God to create a Jesus, without a human father, He merely has to will it. If He wants to create a million Jesus’ without fathers or mothers, He merely has to will them into existence. He does not have to take seeds and transfer them, like men or animals – by contact or artificial insemination. He wills everything into being by His word of command “BE” and “IT IS”.

There is nothing new in what I am telling you, I reminded the Reverend. I is in the very first Book of your Holy Bible – Genesis 1:3 “And God said …” What did He SAY? He SAID – “BE” and “IT WAS!” He did not have to articulate the words. This is our way of understanding the word ‘BE’-that He willed everything into being.

CHOICE FOR HIS DAUGHTER

“Between these two versions of the birth of Jesus (PBUH) – the Quranic version and the Biblical version – which would you prefer to give your daughter?” I asked the supervisor of the Bible House. He bowed his head down in humility and admitted – “THE QURANIC VERSION.”

How can “a forgery” or “an imitation” (as it is alleged of the Quran) be better than the genuine, the original (as it is claimed for the Bible)? It can never be, unless this Revelation to Muhammad (PBUH) is what it, itself, claims to be viz. the pure and holy Word of God! There are a hundred different tests that the unprejudiced seeker after truth can apply to the Holy Quran and it will qualify with flying colours to being a Message from on High.

LIKE ADAM

Does the miraculous birth of Jesus make him a God or a “begotten” son of God? No! Says the Holy Quran:

THE SIMILITUDE OF JESUS BEFORE GOD IS THAT OF ADAM; HE CREATED HIM FROM DUST, THEN SAID TO HIM: ‘BE’:AND HE WAS. HOLY QURAN 3:59

“After a description of the high position which Jesus occupies as a Prophet, In the preceding verses) we have a repudiation of the dogma that he was God, or the son of God, or anything more than man. If it is said that he was born without a human father, Adam was also so born. Indeed Adam was born without either a human father or mother. As far as our physical bodies are concerned they are mere dust. In God’s sight Jesus was as dust just as Adam was or humanity is. The greatness of Jesus arose from the divine command “Be” for after that he was – more than dust – a great spiritual leader and teacher.”

A.Yusuf Ali’s note 398 to verse 59 above.

The logic of it is that, if being born without a male parent entitles Jesus to being equated with God, then, Adam would have a greater right to such honour, and this no Christian would readily concede. Thus, the Muslim is made to repudiate the Christian blasphemy. Further, if the Christian splits hairs by arguing that Adam was “created from the dust of the ground, whereas Jesus was immaculately “begotten” in the womb of Mary, then let us remind him that, even according to his own false standards there is yet another person greater than Jesus, in his own Bible. Who is this superman?

PAUL’S INNOVATION

“FOR THIS MELCHISEDEC, KING OF SALEM, PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD….”

“Without father, without mother, without descent, having NEITHER BEGINNING of days, NOR END of life…”

HEBREWS 7:1&3

Here is a candidate for Divinity itself, for only God Almighty could possess these qualities. Adam had a beginning (in the garden), Jesus had a beginning (in the stable); Adam had an end and, claim the Christians, so had Jesus “and he gave up the ghost”. But where is Melchisedec? Perhaps he is hibernating somewhere like Rip Van Winkel.

And what is this “Hebrews”? It is the name of one of the Books of the Holy Bible, authored by the gallant St.Paul, the self appointed thirteenth apostle of Christ. Jesus had twelve apostles, but one of them (Judas) had the Devil in him. So the vacancy had to be filled, because of the”twelve thrones in heaven which had to be occupied by his disciples to judge the children of Israel (Luke 22:30).

Saul was a renegade Jew, and the Christians changed his name to “Paul”, probably because “Saul” sounds Jewish. This Paul made such a fine mess of the teachings of Jesus (PBUH) that he earned for himself the second-most -coveted position of “The Most Influential Men of History” in the monumental work of Michael H.Hart. “The 100″ or “The Top Hundred” or the “Greatest Hundred in History”. Paul outclasses even Jesus because, according to Michael Hart, Paul was the real founder of present-day Christianity. The honour of creating Christianity had to be shared between Paul and Jesus, and Paul won because he wrote more Books of the Bible than any other single author, whereas Jesus did not write a single word.

Paul needed no inspiration to write his hyperboles here and in the rest of his Epistles. Did not Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda – Goebbels -say “The bigger the lie the more likely it is to be believed”? But the amazing thing about this exaggeration is that no Christian seems to have read it. Every learned man to whom I have shown this verse to, seemed to be seeing it for the first time. They appear dumbfounded, as described by the fitting words of Jesus:-

“…seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”Mathew 13:13

The Holy Quran also contains a verse which fittingly describes this well cultivated sickness -

DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND, THEY WILL NOT RETURN (TO THE PATH). Holy Quran 2:18

THE SONS OF GOD

The Muslim takes strong exception to the Christian dogma that “Jesus is the only begotten son, begotten not made”. This is what the Christian is made to repeat from childhood in his catechism. I have asked learned – Christians, again and again as to what they are really trying to emphasize, when they say “BEGOTTEN NOT MADE”.

They know that according to their own God-given (?!) records, God has sons by the tons:

“….Adam, which was the SON OF GOD.” Luke 3:38

“That the SONS OF GOD saw the daughters of men that they were fair…”

“And when the SONS OF GOD came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them….” Genesis 6:2&4

“…Israel is MY SON, even my firstborn:” Exodus 4:22

“…for I (God) and a FATHER to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.” Jeremiah 31:9

“…the Lord hath said unto me, (David) Thou art MY SON: this day have I BEGOTTEN thee.” Psalms 2:7

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the SONS OF GOD.” Romans 8:14

Can’t you see that in the language of the Jew, every righteous person, every Tom, Dick and Harry who followed the Will and Plan of God, was a SON OF GOD. It was a metaphorical descriptive term, commonly used among the Jews. The Christian agrees with this reasoning, but goes on to say – “but Jesus was not like that”. Adam was made by God. Every living thing was made by God; He is the Lord, Cherisher and Sustainer of all. Metaphorically speaking therefore God is the Father of all. But Jesus was the “BEGOTTEN” son of God, not a CREATED son of God? BEGOTTEN MEANS “SIRED”

In my forty years of practical experience in talking to learned Christians, not a single one has opened his mouth to hazard an explanation of the phrase – “begotten not made”. It had to be an American who dared to explain. He said, “It means, sired by God.” “What?” I exploded. “SIRED-by God?” – “NO, no,”he said, “I am only trying to explain the meaning, I do not believe that God really sired a son.”

The sensible Christian says that the words do not literally mean what they say. Then why do you say it? Why are you creating unnecessary conflict between the 1,200,000,000 Christians and a thousand million Muslims of the world in making senseless statements?

REASON FOR OBJECTION

The Muslim takes exception to the word “begotten”, because begetting is an animal act, belonging to the lower animal functions of sex. How can we attribute such a lowly capacity to God? Metaphorically we are all the children of God – the good and the bad – and Jesus (PBUH) would be closer to being the son of God than any one of us, because he would be more faithful to God than any one of us, because he would be more faithful to God than any one of us can ever be. From that point of view he is preeminently the son of God.

Although this pernicious word “begotten” has now unceremoniously been thrown out of the “MOST ACCURATE” version of the Bible – the R.S.V. its ghost still lingers on in the Christian mind, both black and white. Through its insidious brainwashing the white man is made to feel superior to his black Christian brother of the same Church and Denomination. And in turn, the Black man is given a permanent inferiority complex through the dogma.

BRAIN-WASHED INFERIORITY

The human mind can’t help reasoning that since the “begotten son” of an African will look like an African, and that of a Chinaman as a Chinese, and that of an Indian like an Indian: so the begotten son of God ought naturally to look like God. Billions of beautiful pictures and replicas of this “ONLY BEGOTTEN SON”(?) of God are put in peoples hands. He looks like a European with blonde hair, blue eyes and handsome features – like the one I saw in the “King of Kings” or “The Day of Triumph” or “Jesus of Nazareth” Remember Jeffrey Hunter? The “SAVIOUR” of the Christian is more like a German than a Jew with his polly nose. So naturally, if the son was a White man, the father would also be a White man (God?). Hence the darker skinned races of the earth subconsciously have the feeling of inferiority ingrained in their souls as God’s STEP-CHILDREN. No amount to face-creams, skin-lighteners and hair-straighteners will erase the inferiority.

GOD IS SPIRIT

God is neither Black nor White. He is a spiritual Being, beyond the imagination of the mind of man. Break the mental shackles of a Caucasian – (white) man-god, and you have broken the shackles of a permanent inferiority. But intellectual bondages are harder to shatter: the slave himself fights to retain them.

CHAPTER 6 : ANSWER TO CHRISTIAN DILEMMAS

“Christ in Islam” is really Christ in the Quran: and the Holy Quran has something definite to say about every aberration of Christianity. The Quran absolves Jesus (PBUH) from all the false charges of his enemies as well as the misplaced infatuation of his followers. His enemies allege that he blasphemed against God by claiming Divinity. His misguided followers claim that he did avow Divinity, but that was not blasphemy (Kr) because he was God. What does the Quran say?

Addressing both the Jews and the Christians, Allah says:-

O PEOPLE OF THE BOOK! COMMIT NO EXCESSES IN YOUR RELIGION: NOR SAY OF GOD OUGHT BUT THE TRUTH. CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF MARY WAS (NO MORE THAN) AN APOSTLE OF GOD, AND HIS WORD, WHICH HE BESTOWED ON MARY, AND A SPIRIT PROCEEDING FROM HIM: SO BELIEVE IN GOD AND HIS MESSENGERS… Holy Quran 4:171

GOING TO EXTREMES

“O People of the Book:” is a very respectful title with which the Jews and the Christians are addressed in the Holy Quran. In other words, Allah is saying – “O Learned People!” “O People with a Scripture!” According to their own boast, the Jews and the Christians prided themselves over the Arabs, who had no Scripture before the Quran. As a learned people, Allah pulls up both the contending religionists for going to either extremes as regards the personality of Christ.

The Jews made certain insinuations about the legitimacy of Jesus(PBUH) and charged him of blasphemy by twisting his words. The Christians read other meanings into his words; wrench words out of their context to make him God.

The modern-day Christian – the hot-gospeller – the Bible thumper – uses harsher words and cruder approaches to win over a convert to his blasphemies.

He says:

(a) “EITHER JESUS IS GOD OR A LIAR”

(b) “EITHER JESUS IS GOD OR A LUNATIC”

(c) “EITHER JESUS IS GOD OR AN IMPOSTER”

These are his words – words culled from Christian literature. Since no man of charity, Muslim or otherwise, can condemn Christ so harshly as the Christian challenges him to do, perforce he must keep non-committal.

He thinks he must make a choice between one or the other of these silly extremes. It does not occur to him that there is an alternative to this Christian conundrum.

SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVE

Is it not possible that Jesus is simply what he claimed to be- a prophet like so many other prophets that passed away before him? Even that he is one of the greatest of them – a mighty miracle worker, a great spiritual teacher and guide – the Messiah! Why only God or Lunatic? Is “lunacy” the opposite of “Divinity” in Christianity? What is the antonym of God? Will some clever Christian answer?

The Quran lays bare the true position of Christ in a single verse, it says

(1) That he was the son of a woman, Mary, and therefore a man;

(2) But an apostle, a man with a mission from God, and therefore he is entitled to honour;

(3) A Word bestowed on Mary, for he was created by God’s word “Be”(kun), and he was; see Holy Quran 3:59.

(4) A spirit proceeding from God, but not God: his life and mission were more limited than in the case of some other apostles, though we must pay equal honour to him as a man of God. The doctrines of Trinity, equality with God, and sonship, are repudiated as blasphemies. God is independent of all needs and has no need of a son to manage His affairs. The Gospel of John (whoever wrote it) has put a great deal of Alexandrine Gnostic mysticism round the doctrine of the Word (Greek, Logos), but it is simply explained here, and our Sufis work on this explanation.”

A. Yusuf Ali’s comment on verse 171 above.

JESUS QUESTIONED

Reproduced below are verses 119 to 121 from Sura Maidah (Ch.5) depicting the scene of Judgement Day, when Allah will question Jesus (PBUH) regarding the misdirected zeal of his supposed followers in worshipping him and his mother: and his response-

AND BEHOLD! GOD WILL SAY: “O JESUS THE SON OF MARY! DIDST THOU SAY UNTO MEN, WORSHIP ME AND MY MOTHER AS GODS IN DEROGATION OF GOD’?” 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, THOUGH I KNOW NOT WHAT IS IN TIME. FOR THOU KNOWEST IN FULL ALL THAT IS HIDDEN. “NEVER SAID I TO THEM OUGHT EXCEPT WHAT THOU DIDST COMMAND ME TO SAY, TO WIT, ‘WORSHIP GOD, MY LORD AND YOUR LORD’; AND I WAS A WITNESS OVER THEM WHILST I DWELT AMONGST THEM; WHEN THOU DIDST TAKE ME UP THOU WAST THE WATCHER OVER THEM, AND THOU ART A WITNESS TO ALL THINGS. “IF THOU DOST PUNISH THEM, THEY ARE THY SERVANTS: IF THOU DOST FORGIVE THEM, THOU ART THE EXALTED IN POWER, THE WISE.”

Holy Quran 5:119-121

CLAIMED NO DIVINITY

If this is the statement of Truth from the All-Knowing, that”Never did I say to them anything other than what I was commanded to say,that is WORSHIP GOD, WHO IS MY LORD AND YOUR LORD”, then how do the Christians justify worshipping Jesus?

There is not a single unequivocal statement throughout the Bible, in all its 66 volumes of the Protestant versions, or in the 73 volumes of the Roman Catholic versions, where Jesus claims to be God or where he says – ‘worship me.’ Nowhere does he say that he and God Almighty are one and the same person.

The last phrase above – “one and the same person” tickles many a “hot-gospeller” and “Bible-thumper,” not excluding the Doctor of Divinity and the Professor of Theology. Even the new converts to Christianity have memorized these verses. They are programmed like zombies to rattle off verses, out of context, upon which they can hang their faith. The words “ARE ONE” activates the mind by association of memories. “Yes”, say the Trinitarians – the worshippers of three gods in one God, and one God in three gods – “Jesus did claim to be God!” Where?

REVEREND AT THE TABLE

I had taken Rev. Morris D.D. and his wife, to lunch at the “Golden Pea- cock”. While at the table, during the course of our mutual sharing of knowledge, the opportunity arose to ask, “Where?” And without a murmur he quoted, “I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE” – to imply that God and Jesus were one and the same Person. That Jesus here claims to be God. The verse quoted was well known to me, but it was being quoted out of context. It did not carry the meaning that the Doctor was imaging, so I asked him, “What is the context?”

CHOKED ON “CONTEXT”

The Reverend stopped eating and began staring at me. I said, “Why? Don’t you know the context?” – “You see, what you have quoted is the text, I want to know the context, the text that goes with it, before or after.”

Here was an Englishman (Canadian), a paid-servant of the Presbyterian Church, a Doctor of Divinity, and it appeared that I was trying to teach him English. Of course he knew what “contest” meant. But like the rest of his compatriots, he had not studied the sense in which Jesus(PBUH) had uttered the words.

In my forty years of experience, this test had been thrown at me hundred of times, but not a single learned Christian had ever attempted to hazar a guess as to its real meaning. They always start fumbling for their Bibles. The Doctor did not have one with him. When they do start going for their Bibles, I stop them in their stride. “Surely, you know what you are quoting?” “Surely, you know your Bible?” After reading this, I hope some “born-again” Christians will rectify this deficiency. But I doubt that my Muslim readers will ever come across one in their lifetime who could give them the context.

WHAT IS THE CONTEXT?

It is unfair on the part of the Reverend, having failed to provide the context, then to ask me, “Do you know the context?” “Of course,” I said. “Then, what is it?” asked my learned friend. I said, “That which you have quoted is the text of John chapter 10, verse 30. To get at the context, we have to begin from verse 23 which reads:

23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

John, or whoever he was, who wrote his story, does not tell us the reason for Jesus tempting the Devil by walking alone in the lion’s den. For we do not expect the Jews to miss a golden opportunity to get even with Jesus. Perhaps, he was emboldened by the manner in which he had literally whipped the Jews single-handed in the Temple, and upset the tables of the money-changers at the beginning of his ministry (John 2:15).

24 Then came the Jews round about him. And said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

They surrounded him. Brandishing their fingers in his face, they began accusing him and provoking him; saying that he had not put forth his claim plainly enough, clearly enough. That he was talking ambiguously. They were trying to work themselves into a frenzy to assault him. In fact,their real complaint was that they did not like his method of preaching-his invectives, the manner in which he condemned them for their formalism, their ceremonialism, their going for the letter of the law and forgetting the spirit. But Jesus could not afford to provoke them any further-there were too many and they were itching for a fight.

Discretion is the better part of valour. In a conciliatory spirit, befitting the occasion -

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and you believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. that is to say , the miracles bear witness of my prophethood and of me being the Messiah .

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

Jesus rebuts the false charge of his enemies that he was ambiguous in his claims to being the Messiah that they were waiting for. He says that he did tell them clearly enough, yet they would not listen to him, but

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER”S HAND.

29 My father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER’S HAND.

How can anyone be so blind as not to see the exactness of the ending of the last two verses. But spiritual blinkers are more impervious than physical defects. He is telling the Jews and recording for posterity, the real unity or relationship between the Father and the son. The most crucial verse -

30 I and my Father are one.

One in what? In their Omniscience? In their Nature? In their Omnipotence No! One in purpose! That once a believer has accepted faith, the Messenger sees to it that he remains in faith, and God Almighty also sees to it that he remains in faith. This is the purpose of the “Father” AND the “son” AND the “Holy Ghost” AND of every man AND every woman of faith. Let the same John explain his Gnostic mystic verbiage.

That they all may be ONE: as thou. Father, art in me, and in thee, that they also may be ONE in us…I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in ONE….John 17:20-22

If Jesus is “ONE” with God, and if that “ONENESS” makes him God, then the traitor Judas, and the doubting Thomas, and the satanic Peter, plus the other nine who deserted him when he was most in need are God(s), because the same ONENESS which he claimed with God in John 10:30, now he claims for ALL “Who forsook him and fled”(Mark 14:50) – ALL “ye of little faith” (Mathew 8:26) – ALL “O faithless and perverse generation”(Luke 9:41)

Where and when will the Christian blasphemy end? The expression “I and my Father are one,” was very innocent, meaning nothing more than a common purpose with God. But the Jews were looking for trouble and any excuse will not do, therefore, -

31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father for which of those works do you stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself a God.

In verse 24 above the Jews falsely alleged that Jesus was talking ambiguously. When that charge was ably refuted, they then accused him of blasphemy (Kufr) which is like treason in the spiritual realm. So they say that Jesus is claiming to be God – “I and my Father are one”. The Christians agree with the Jews in this that Jesus (PBUH) did make such a claim; but, differ, in that it was not blasphemy because the Christians say that he was God and was entitled to own up to his Divinity.

The Christians and the Jews are both agreed that the utterance is serious. To one as an excuse for good “redemption”, and to the other as an excuse for good “riddance”. Between the two, let the poor Jesus die. But Jesus refuses to co-operate in this dirty game, so -

34 Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the son of God?

WHY “YOUR LAW”?

He is bit sarcastic in verse 34, but in any event, why does he say:

“Your Law”? Is it not also his law? Didn’t he say: THINK NOT THAT I AM COME TO DESTROY THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS: I AM COME NOT TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFIL (the Law). FOR VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, TILL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY, ONE LOT OR ONE TITLE SHALL IN NO WISE PASS FROM THE LAW, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED. (Mathew 5:17-18)

“YE ARE GODS”

“Ye are gods:” He is obviously quoting from the 82nd. Psalm (verse 6)

“I have said, YE ARE GODS: and all of you are, the children of the most High.”

Jesus, continues, “If he (i.e. God Almighty) called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (meaning that the prophets of God were called ‘GODS’ and the scripture cannot be broken (in other words- YOU CAN’T CONTRADICT ME!).” – Jesus knows his Scripture; he speaks with authority; and he reasons with his enemies that “if good men, holy men, prophets of God are being addressed as “GODS” in our Books of Authority, with which you find no fault – then why do you take exception to me? – When the only claim I make for myself is far inferior in our language, viz. “a son of God” as against others being called “GODS” by God himself. Even if (Jesus) described myself as “god” in our language, according to Hebrew usage, you could find no fault with me.” This is the plain reading of Christian Scripture. I am giving no interpretations of my own or some esoteric meaning to words!

CHAPTER 7 : “IN THE BEGINNING”

“Where does Jesus say – “I am God,” or “I am equal to God,” or Worship me” I asked the D.D.from Canada, again.

Reverend Morris took a deep breath and took another try. He quoted the most oft-repeated verse of the Christian Bible. – John 1:1.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

Please note, these are not the words of Jesus. They are the words of John (or whoever wrote them). Acknowledged by every erudite Christian scholar of the Bible as being the words of another Jew, Philo of Alexandria, who had written them even before John and Jesus were born and Philo claimed no divine inspiration for them. No matter what mystical meaning that Philo had woven around these words (which our John has plagiarized) we will accept them for what they are worth.

GREEK NOT HEBREW

Since the manuscripts of the 27 Books of the New Testament are in Greek, a Christian sect has produced its own version and has even changed the name of this selection of 27 Books to “CHRISTIAN GREEK SCRIPTURES”! I asked the Reverend whether he knew Greek? “Yes,” he said, He had studied Greek for 5 years before qualification . I asked him what was the Greek Word for “GOD” the first time it occurs in the quotation – “and the Word was with God”? He kept staring, but didn’t answer. So I said, the word was HOTHEOS, which literally means “THE GOD”. Since the European (including the North American) has evolved a system of using capital letter to start a proper noun and small letters for common nouns, we would accept his giving a capital “G” for God; in other words HOTHEOS is rendered “the god” which in turn is rendered – God.

“Now tell me, what is the Greek word for God in the second occurrence in your quotation – “and the Word was God”? The Reverend still kept silent. Not that he did not know Greek, or that he had lied – But, he knew more than that, the game was up. I said the word was TONTHEOS, which means “a god”.

According to your own system of translating you ought to have spelt this word God a second time with a small “g” i.e. god, and not God with a capital “G”; in other words TONTHEOS is rendered “a god”. Both of these, “god” or “a god” are correct.

I told the Reverend “But in 2 Corinthians 4:4 you have dishonestly reversed your system by using a small “g” when spelling GOD – “(and the devil is) the god of this world.” The Greek word for “the god” is HOTHEOS the same as in John 1:1. “Why have you not been consistent in your translation?” “If Paul was inspired (?) to write hotheos – the God for the Devil, why begrudge him that capital ‘G’?”

And in the Old Testament, the Lord said unto Moses,”See,I have made thee a god to Pharaoh”(Exodus 7:1). “Why do you use a small “g” for “GOD” when referring to Moses instead of a capital “G” as you do for a mere word – ‘WORD’ – “and the Word was God.”?

“Why do you do this? Why do you play fast and loose with the Word of -God ?” I asked the reverend. He said, “I didn’t do it.” I said, “I know, but I am talking about the vested interests of Christianity,who are hell bent to deify Christ, by using capital letters here and small letters there, to deceive the unwary masses who think that every letter, every comma and full stop and the capital and small letters were dictated by God.”

CHAPTER 8 : WHAT IS LEFT

THREE TOPICS

It can hardly be expected in a small publication of this nature that one can deal with all the references about Jesus(PBUH) interspersed through-out the fifteen different chapters of the Holy Quran. What we can do is to give a quick glance to the index page reproduced from the Quran on page 7 of this book.

Here we find three significant topics, not dealt with yet in our discussion:

(1) not crucified, iv. 157

(2) Message and miracles, v. 113;xix. 30-33;

(3) Prophesied Ahmed 1xi.6

Regarding the first topic, “not crucified”, I wrote a full booklet titled “CRUCIFIXION OR CRUCIFICTION ?” that deals exclusively with that subject As regards the third topic mentioned above, prophesied Ahmed”, you can refer to my booklet titled ” WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MUHAMMAD”

We are now left with Topic No.2 – “Message and miracles”. The message of Jesus (PBUH) was as simple and straight forward as that of all his predecessors as well as that of his successor Muhammad(PBUH) namely “BELIEVE IN GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS”. For the God who inspired His Messengers, is an unvarying God and He is consistent: He is not the “author of confusion” (1 Corinthian 14:33).

A law abiding Jew comes to Jesus seeking eternal life or salvation. In the words of Mathew:

And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Mathew 19:16-17

You will agree, that if you or I were that Jew, we would infer from these words that, according to Jesus (PBUH), salvation was guaranteed provided we kept the commandments without the shedding of any innocent blood. Unless, of course Jesus (PBUH) was speaking with tongue in cheek; knowing full well that his own “forthcoming redemptive sacrifice”, his “vicarious atonement”(?!) for the sins of mankind, was not many days hence.

Why would Jesus give him the “impossible” solution of keeping the law (as the Christian alleges) when an easier way was in the offing? or did he not know what was going to happen – that he was to be crucified? Was there not a contract between Father and “son”, before the worlds began, for his redeeming blood to be shed(?!) Had he lost his memory? No! There was no such fairytale agreement as far as Jesus was concerned. He knew that there is only one way to God, and that is, as Jesus (PBUH) said, – KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS!

MIRACLES – WHAT THEY PROVE

Regarding his miracles:the Holy Quran does not go into any detail about blind Bartimus or about Lazarus or any other miracle, except that he (Jesus) defended his mother as an infant in his mother’s arms (Ch. 4).

The Muslim has no hesitation about accepting the most wondrous of his miracles – even that of reviving the dead. But that does not make Jesus a “God” or the begotten “son of God” as understood by the Christian.

Miracles do not prove even prophethood, or whether a man is true or false. Jesus himself said:

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Mathew 24:4

If false prophets and false Christ can perform miraculous feats, then these wonders or miracles do not prove even the genuineness or otherwise, of a prophet.

John the Baptist, according to Jesus, was the greatest of the Israelite prophets. Greater than Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah and all, not excluding himself: in his own words:-

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Bapist….. Matthew 11:11

(1) Not excluding Jesus (PBUH):because, was he not born of a woman – Mary? (2) The Baptist, greater than ALL, yet he performed not a single miracle! Miracles are no standards of judging truth and falsehood.

But in his childishness, the Christian insists that Jesus is God because he gave life back to the dead. Will reviving the dead make others God too? This perplexes him, because he has mentally blocked himself from the miracles of others who outshine Jesus in his own Bible. For example, according to his false standard:-

(a) Moses is greater than Jesus because he put life back into a dead stick and transmuted it from the plant kingdom to the animal kingdom by making it into a serpent (Exodus 7:10)

(b) Elisha is greater than Jesus because the rotten bones of Elisha brought a man back to life merely by coming into contact with the corpse (2 Kings 13:21).

Need I illustrate to you a catalogue of miracles? But the sickness persists – “it was God working miracles through His prophets but Jesus performed them of his own power.” Where did Jesus (PBUH) get all his power from? Ask Jesus, and he will tell us:-

POWER NOT HIS OWN

….All power is GIVEN unto me in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18

….I cast our devils BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Matthew 12:28

I can of mine OWN SELF do nothing…. John 5:30

…I with the FINGER OF GOD cast our devils…. Luke 11:20

BORROWED POWER

The “Power” as he says is not his. “it is given unto me”. Given by whom? By God, of course! Every action, every word he attributes to God.

LAZARUS

But since so much is made of Jesus’s mightiest miracle of reviving Lazarus from the dead, we will analyze the episode as recorded in John’s Gospel.

It is astonishing that none of the other Gospel writers mention Lazarus in any context. However, the story is that Lazarus was very sick, his sisters Mary and Martha had made frantic calls for Jesus to come and cure his sickness but he arrived too late, actually four days after his demise.

HE GROANED

Mary wails to Jesus that had he arrived in time, perhaps her brother would not have died; meaning that if he could heal other peoples’ sickness, why would he not have healed her brother, a dear friend of his.

Jesus says that “even now if ye have faith, ye shall see the glory of God.” The condition was that they should have faith. Didn’t he say that faith could move mountains? He asks to be taken to the tomb. On the way,

“he groaned in the spirit”. He was not mumbling; he was pouring out his heart and praying to God. But while he sobbed so bitterly his words were not audible enough for people around him to understand. Hence the words “he groaned”. On reaching the grave, Jesus “groaned” again; perhaps, even more earnestly and God heard his groaning (his prayer), and Jesus received the assurance that God will fulfil his request. Now,Jesus could rest assured and command that the stone which was barring the tomb, be

removed so that Lazarus could come back from the dead. Without that assurance from God, Jesus (PBUH) would have made a fool of himself.

AVOIDING MISUNDERSTANDING

Mary thinks of the stink because her brother had been dead for four days But Jesus was confident and the stone was removed. Then he looked up towards heaven and said:

“Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me”.

“And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 11:41-42

What is all this, play-acting? Why all the drama? Because he know that these superstitious and credulous people will misunderstand the source of the miracle. They might take him for “God”. Giving life to the dead is the prerogative of God alone. To make doubly sure, that his people do not misunderstand, he speaks out loudly that the “groaning” was actually his crying to God Almighty for help. The prayer was incoherent as far as the bystanders could discern, but the Father in heaven had accepted his prayer, viz. “thou hast heard me”.

Furthermore, he says, – “thou hearest me always”; in other words every miracle wrought by him was an answer by God Almighty to his prayer. The Jews of his day understood the position well, and they “glorified God”, as Matthew tells us of another occasion when the Jews exclaimed “for giving such power unto men” (Matt. 9:8).

In fact, Jesus gives his reason for speaking loudly. He says, “that they may believe that thou has sent me.” One who is sent is a messenger, and if he be sent by God, then he is a Messenger of God i.e. Rasul-ullah – see Chapter 6 of this booklet where Jesus is referred to as “Rasul-ullah” (Messenger of Allah).

Alas, this attempt by Jesus to prevent any misunderstanding, as to who really performed the miracle, and that he was in fact only a messenger of God, failed. Christians will not even accept the unambiguous disavowal of Jesus, nor the testimony of Peter, the “Rock” upon which Jesus was supposed to build his Church. Peter truly testified:

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. Acts 2:22

CASE NOT HOPELESS

This very same message is repeated by God Almighty in the Holy Quran, following the annunciation. In verse 49 of chapter 3, Allah makes it clear that every sign or wonder that Jesus performed was.

“BY ALLAH’S LEAVE,” by God’s permission. Jesus says so, Peter says so and God says so; but the stubborn controversialist will not listen: prejudice, superstition and credulity die hard. Our duty is simply to deliver the Message, loud and clear, the rest we leave to God. The case is not altogether hopeless for Allah tells us in His Holy Book:

AND AMONG THEM * ARE SOME WHO HAVE FAITH, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE PERVERTED TRANSGRESSORS. Holy Quran 3:10

*Among them: meaning the Jews and the Christians there are two types of people; the one group described as people of faith to whom this book is addressed, and the other as rebellious transgressors. We must also find ways and means of getting at them. Our literature is eminently suited to cater for all. Read them and pass them around so it may be of use to some who have faith .

As a conclusion I suggest to :

Open the Holy Quran ( I recommend having one if you still don’t have it) and read the verses discussed in this book. Then we can truly conclude:

SUCH (WAS) JESUS THE SON OF MARY : (IT IS) A STATEMENT OF TRUTH, ABOUT WHICH THEY (VAINLY) DISPUTE. IT IS NOT BEFITTING TO (THE MAJESTY OF) GOD THAT HE SHOULD BEGET A SON. GLORY BE TO HIM ! WHEN HE DETERMINES A MATTER, HE ONLY SAYS TO IT, “BE”, AND IT IS. VERILY GOD IS MY LORD AND YOUR LORD : HIM THEREFORE SERVE YE : THIS IS A WAY THAT IS STRAIGHT.

Holy Quran 19:34-36

In one of my books – “Who Moved the Stone?” I had promised to deal with the anomaly, where believers were reading simple English, yet were so conditioned that they were understanding exactly the OPPOSITE of what they were reading. The following story from real life will not only illustrate the point but will also elucidate our present case – “RESURRECTION OR RESUSCITATION?” I was about to leave for the Transversal on a lecture tour, so I phoned my friend Hafiz Yusuf Dadoo of Standerton, informing him of my impending visit, as well as to inquire whether he needed anything from Durban. He said that as he was taking up Hebrew, I should try and obtain a Bible in the Hebrew language with a translation in English side by side.

I went to the “BIBLE HOUSE” in Durban. Without any difficulty I found the appropriate Bible for my friend, the “Authorized Version,” also known as the “King James Version,” looking for one with the best print and at the cheapest price, I noticed the lady behind the counter had lifted up the telephone to speak to someone. I was out of hearing distance, nor was I interested, but after an exchange with the person on the other side of the line she put her hand on the mouthpiece and addressed me: “Excuse me, sir, are you Mr. Deedat?” I said, “Yes.” She said, “The Supervisor of the Bible Society would like my pleasure,” I answered. She spoke a few more words into the telephone and replaced the receiver. I said with a smile, “I thought that you were ringing the police.” (perhaps because of the number of Bibles I was handling). – She laughed and said, “No, it was the Rev. Roberts, the Supervisor, who wishes to speak to you.”

WINNING A CONVERT

Presently, Rev. Roberts approached me and after introducing himself he gestured to me to hand over to him the Bible which I was holding in my hand. I handed the book. He opened it and began reading to me – “and this is life eternal that they should know Thee the only True God and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent.” (John 17:3). (Subsequently, I checked up the Gospel references of his quotations).

After having listened to his reading of this scripture, I responded with the words: “I accept!” – meaning the implication of the Message he was trying to convey to me. I did not tell him then that what he was trying to convey to me was the same as the Holy Quran was telling mankind for the past fourteen hundred years – that all must believe in the ‘ONE AND ONLY GOD ALMIGHTY AND JESUS CHRIST is only a MESSENGER OF GOD.’ The words of the Holy Quran are as follows:-

“MOST CERTAINLY THE MESSIAH,
JESUS THE SON OF MARY,

WAS AN APOSTLE OF ALLAH AND HIS
WORD,

WHICH HE BESTOWED ON MARY AND A
SPIRIT PROCEEDING FROM HIM:

SO BELIEVE IN ALLAH AND HIS
APOSTLES…” Holy Quran 4:171

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Rev. Roberts must have been elated to hear my words- “I ACCEPT,” to his first quotation. He quickly opened the Bible in another place and began reading these words attributed to Jesus:-

“A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35

A NEW CONVERT?

When he had finished reading these verses, I remarked “Very good!” He was greatly encouraged with my comment. I sincerely meant what I said and there was no pretence. The Reverend found yet another quotation to clinch a convert for Christ. He began:-

“Judge not that ye be not judged.” “For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:1-2

To this quotation I responded with the words, “I agree!” My only reason for agreeing and accepting everything that the Reverend was reading to me was not of the “special discount” I was getting from the Bible Society on my purchases, but because these particular quotations were conveying the same message and ideals which Allah “Subhanahoo WaTa’aala” was commanding the Muslims to preach and practice. I would be spiritually jaundiced to take exceptions to what was common to both of us – the MUSLIM and the CHRISTIAN. For me to say that an identical mess- age from my Book (the Holy Quran) was VERY GOOD, but the same message in his Book (the Holy Bible) was VERY BAD would be hypocritical in the extreme. It would be soul shaming untruth.

THE PURPOSE

What was the real purpose of the Reverend’s reading the Scripture to me? Indeed, I was getting a special discount on all my purchases from the Bible Society and I was perhaps the only non-Christian to get such a discount, though it was depending purely on a business transaction, and this information must have been passed on the the Reverend as the Head of the Bible Society; that I was a Muslim there was no mistaking my identity , for my beard and my headgear were the badges of my Faith, easily recognized as such in this part of the world; and that, despite my numerous purchases of the Bibles in English (various versions), in Zulu, Afrikaans, Urdu, Arabic and other languages, I was not yet “converted.” Perhaps, what I really needed was a gentle push, the Supervisor must have been told. Hence the recitation of the preceding quotations to me. The implication of this reading was that I had probably not read those beautiful passages; how else was it possible, then, that I had not yet embraced Christianity?

A PROBLEM

The Reverend gentleman had taken the role of a teacher who wanted to teach, who wanted to impart new knowledge to his pupil.

Since I am commanded by my Prophet (Peace be upon him) to “SEEK KNOWLEDGE FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE,” and “SEEK KNOWLEDGE EVEN IF IT BE IN CHINA,” I wanted to learn. I said, “I agree with all that you have read to me, but I have a problem with your Bible.” “What problem have you got?” he asked. I said, “Please open the Gospel of St.Luke,Chapter 3 Verse 23.” This he did. I said, “Please read.” He read:- “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,” Luke 3:23

I drew the Reverend’s attention to the words – “(AS WAS SUPPOSED).” I said, “Do you see that the words ‘as was supposed’ are written within brackets?” He said that he saw that. I asked him, “Why are the brackets there?” He acknowledged, “I don’t know, but I could find out for you from some Bible scholars.” I admired his humility. Though I knew that all Supervisors of Bible Houses in South Africa are retired reverends, it was possible that this aspect of Bible Knowledge was beyond their sphere. I said, “If you do not know, then let me tell you what the brackets are doing there in this verse. You do not have to take the trouble of looking for a Bible scholar.”

I explained that in the “most ancient” manuscripts of Luke, the words ‘(AS WAS SUPPOSED)’ are not there. Your translators felt that with out this interpolation the “little lambs” not well grounded in faith, might slip and fall into the error of believing that JOSEPH the Carpenter was the actual physical father of Jesus. So they took the precaution of adding their own comment in BRACKETS to avoid any misunderstanding. I said, “I am not trying to find fault with your system of adding words in brackets to assist the reader, but what intrigues me is that in all translations of the Bible in the African and Eastern languages you have retained the words “as was supposed” but have REMOVED THE BRACKETS.Couldn’t the nations of the Earth besides the English understand the meaning and purpose of the brackets?

What is wrong with the Afrikaner? Why have you eliminated the brackets from the Afrikaans Bible? The Supervisor protested, “I didn’t do it.” I said, “I know that you personally did not do it but why have the Bible Society that you represent and your Bible scholars been playing with the “Word of God?” If God Almighty did not see fit to preserve Luke from error what right has anybody to add to or delete from words in the “Book of God?” What right have you to manufacture “GODS WORDS?”

INTERPOLATIONS

The translator’s own addition of words in brackets can easily be put into the mouth of St. Luke by merely removing the brackets, and by implication, if Luke was inspired by God to write what he did, then the interpolations automatically become the WORD OR GOD, which really is not the case. (More will be said on this subject in the forthcoming publication “Is the Bible God’s Word?) I concluded my explanation with the words – “Your theologians of the day have succeeded where the alchemists of yore failed – of turning baser metal into shining gold.”

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

At this stage the Reverend introduced irrelevancies into the discussion and the subject changed. He made some claims which made me say, “You see, sir, you English people do not know your own language.” (With apologies to my readers whose mother tongue is English). He quickly retorted, “You mean to say that you know my language better than I do?” I said, “It would be presumptuous on my part to tell – an Englishman – that I understand your language better than you do.”

“Then what do you mean that we English people do not know our own language?” he demanded. I said again, “You see, sir, you read your Holy Scripture in your mother tongue, like every Christian belonging to a thousand different language groups, and yet each and every Christian language group understands the facts, OPPOSITE to what he is reading.” What are you referring to?” he asked.

A GHOST

I continued: “Do you remember the occasion when Jesus returned to that upper room after his alleged crucifixion ‘and saith unto them, his (disciples), Peace be unto you’ (Luke 24:36) and his disciples were terrified on recognizing him?” He answered that he remembered that incident I inquired, “Why should they be terrified?” When one recognizes one’s long lost friend or one’s beloved, the natural reaction is to feel overjoyed, elated and one wants to embrace and kiss the hands and feet of the beloved. Why did they get terrified?” The Reverend replied that, They (the disciples) thought that they were seeing a ghost.” I asked, “Did Jesus look like a ghost?” He said, “No.” “Then why did they think that they were seeing a ghost when he did not look like a ghost?” I queried. The Reverend was clearly puzzled. I said, “Please allow me to explain.”

DISCIPLES NOT EYE WITNESSES

“You see, sir, the disciples of Jesus were not EYE-witnesses or EAR-witnesses to the actual happenings of the previous three days, as vouched for by St.Mark who says that at the most critical juncture in the life of Jesus, “they all forsook him and fled.” (Mark 14:50). All the knowledge of the disciples regarding their Master was from hearsay. They had heard that their master was HANGED ON THE CROSS; they had heard that he had GIVEN UP THE GHOST; they had heard that he was DEAD AND BURIED FOR THREE DAYS. If one is confronted by a person with such a reputation then the conclusion is inescapable; they must be seeing A GHOST. Little wonder these ten brave men were petrified.”

“To disabuse their minds from the fear that gripped them, Jesus reasoned with them. He said, ‘Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself:’ To put it in colloquial English, this is how he told them: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU FELLOWS, CAN’T YOU SEE THAT I AM THE SAME PERSON – who walked and talked with you, broke bread with you – flesh and blood in all respects.

Why do doubts enter your minds? ‘Handle me and see,for a spirit has no flesh and bones as you see me have.’ (Luke 24:39). In other words he is telling them: If I have FLESH and BONES, then I am not a GHOST, not a SPOOK and not a SPIRIT!” “Is that right?” I asked. “Yes,” he replied. I continued that, Jesus is telling them, as recorded in this verse, in Basic English, that what the disciples were asked to HANDLE AND SEE’ was not a translated body, not a metamorphosed body and not a resurrected body, because a RESURRECTED body is a SPIRITUALIZED body. He is telling them in the clearest language humanly possible that he is NOT what they were thinking. They were thinking that he was a SPIRIT, a RESURRECTED body, one having been brought back from the dead. He is most emphatic that HE IS NOT!”

SPIRITUALIZATION

“But how can you be so sure that the resurrected body cannot materialize physically as Jesus had obviously done?” murmured the Reverend. I replied: “Because Jesus had himself pronounced that the resurrected bodies get spiritualized.” When did he say any such thing?” inquired the Reverend. I answered, “Do you remember the incident as recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke, Chapter 20, where the learned men of the Jews- ‘the chief priests and the scribes with the elders’- had come to him with a number of posers, and among them was one about a Jewess who had seven husbands in turn, one after another according to a Jewish custom, and in time all seven husbands and the woman too died?” The Reverend said that he did remember the occasion. I continued: “The trap that the religious hierarchy was trying to spring on him was; which one of the seven husbands was going to possess the woman on the ‘Other side’- at the resurrection ? – since they reasoned with Jesus that the seven brothers”had her”. There was no problem while they fulfilled their obligation of trying to give her a child, because they had possessed her one by one in turn, and it was after the death of one that the other had taken her to wife. But since at the resurrection all seven will be brought to life simultaneous, there will be strife in heaven because all seven would want to get at her at the same time, specially if they had pleasure with her.”

“Jesus debunked their false notion of the resurrection, by saying that at the resurrection ‘neither shall they die any more:’ (Luke 20:36) meaning that the resurrected persons will be IMMORTALIZED. They will not be subject to death any more, no more hanger or thirst, no more fatigue. In short, all the instruments of death will be powerless against the resurrected body. Jesus continues to explain: “for they (the resurrected bodies) are equal unto the angles,” that is, that they will be ANGELISED – spiritualized, that they will become spirit-creatures, i.e. SPIRITS; ‘and the children of God, for such are the children of the resurrection.’

(Luke 20:36)

JESUS NOT SPIRITUALIZED

I was taken off from the theme I was expounding two paragraphs above by the Reverend with the challenge,”But how can you be so sure..?” To continue from where I had deviated above – ‘HE IS NOT’ what they were thinking, that he was not a SPIRIT, not a GHOST, not a SPOOK. To assure them further after having offered his hands and feet for inspection and verification that his was a material, physical body, and that all their bewilderment and disbelief was unjustified, he asked his disciples:”Have you here any meat?” (Meaning something to eat). ‘And they gave him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb, and he took it, and did eat before them.’ (Luke 24:41-43)

A DRAMA?

What was Jesus trying to prove by all his demonstrations of wanting his hands and feet to be handled and chewing and masticating broiled fish and honeycomb?

Was all this a pretence, make-belief, an act or drama? “NO!” Said Schleliermacher in 1819, a hundred years before I was born. Albert – Schweizer records him saying, “IF CHRIST HAD ONLY EATEN TO SHOW THAT HE COULD EAT, WHILE HE REALLY HAD NO NEED OF NOURISHMENT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRETENCE _ SOMETHING DOCETIC.”(“In Quest of the Historical Jesus,” page 64).

I had not know of Schleliermacher and other Christian scholars who over a hundred years ago doubted the death of Jesus on the cross as recorded by Albert Schweizer, when I was discussing this subject with the head of the Bible Society.

NO RESURRECTION

“What is wrong with you (Christian) folk?” Jesus is telling you in the most unambiguous language that he is not a SPIRIT – not spiritualized, not a RESURRECTED person, and yet the whole Christian world believes that he was RESURRECTED, i.e. SPIRITUALIZED. Who is lying, you or him ? How is it possible that you (each and every Christian) are reading your Holy Bible in your own mother tongue and yet EACH AND EVERY LANGUAGE GROUP IS MADE TO UNDERSTAND THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY ARE READING ? If you read the Bible, say, in Hebrew, and pleaded that you did not understand what you were reading, I can appreciate this fact. If you read it in Greek and pleaded that you did not really understand the implications of what was written; I can appreciate this fact also. But the anomaly is that you are reading the Book, each and every one, IN HIS OWN MOTHER TONGUE, and are trained to understand the OPPOSITE of what is written . How have you been brainwashed, or rather, how have you been “Programmed,” as the Americans would put it.

“Please tell me as to who is lying ? Is it Jesus or a thousand million Christians of the world? Jesus says, “NO!” to his being resurrected, and all of you say “YES!” Whom are we Muslims to believe, Jesus or his so called disciples ? We Muslims would rather believe the Master. Did he not say, “The disciple is not greater than the Master.”

(Matthew 10:24)

This was more than the Reverend had bargained for. He politely excused himself by saying that as he had to get ready to close his office,he would look forward to meeting me again. This was sheer evasive politeness!

With the Bible Society, I won the DEBATE but lost the DISCOUNT ! No more discount for me from the Bible Society. But let my loss be your gain. If you dear reader, can remove a few cobwebs from your thinking on the subject of the ‘CRUCIFIXION,’ I will be amply rewarded.

Now here are the verses discussed put together :

“….Jesus himself stood in their midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.

“….But they were terrified, and supposing that they were seeing a spirit.

“And he said unto them,….

“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit has no flesh and bones, as you see me have.

“And showed them his hands and feet.

“And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

“And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of a honeycomb.

“And he took it, and did eat before them.” Luke 24:36-43

FOREWORD

Muhammad (PBUH) the Greatest

To every Muslim on this planet, irrespective of cultural, geographical and political differences, Muhammad (PBUH) is Allah’s greatest creation and was sent as a mercy for all mankind. A thousand million Muslims however, do not require any surveys, lists or research to arrive at this conclusion. It is a non-negotiable article of faith that Muhammad (PBUH) is the greatest.

BUT WHAT OF THE NON-MUSLIMS?

Surprisingly, over the centuries many an eminent non-Muslim has rated Muhammad (PBUH) most highly and given due recognition to his greatness. A selection of their quotations appear later.

Michael H. Hart, a Christian American, astronomer, mathematician, lawyer, chessmaster and scientist, after extensive research, published an incisive biography of the 100 most influential people of all time. The biographical rankings with explanations describes the careers of religious and political leaders, inventors, writers, philosophers, scientists and artists. From this research, which included illustrious personalities such as Jesus Christ, Moses, Caesar, the Wright brothers, Napoleon, Shakespeare, Columbus and Michaelangelo; Michael Hart rated Muhammad (PBUH) as number one. He concluded the biography with the words “It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.”

By special arrangement, we are privileged to present to you the entire chapter on Muhammad (PBUH) from Michael Hart’s “The 100″. We have also included a summary of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) farewell sermon delivered at Mount Arafat in the 10th year after Hijra (632 CE).

In an era when the world was awash in rivers of blind prejudices and nonsensical ignorances, the Prophet’s (PBUH) divine message and glorious teachings became the purging torrents of spiritual enlightenment. The farewell sermon is an embodiment of the dynamics of Islam. May Allah exalt Muhammad (PBUH), his family, his companions and all the believers. Insha-Allah!

AHMED DEEDAT
(Servant of Islam)

1 MUHAMMAD

My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.

Of humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world’s great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader. Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive.

The majority of the persons in this book had the advantage of being born and raised in centers of civilization, highly cultured or politically pivotal nations. Muhammad, however, was born in the year 570, in the city of Mecca, in southern Arabia, at that time a backward area of the world, far from the centers of trade, art, and learning. Orphaned at age six, he was reared in modest surroundings. Islamic tradition tells us that he was illiterate. His economic position improved when, at age twenty-five, he married a wealthy widow. Nevertheless, as he approached forty, there was little outward indication that he was a remarkable person.

Most Arabs at that time were pagans, who believed in many gods. There were, however, in Mecca, a small number of Jews and Christians; it was from them no doubt that Muhammad first learned of a single, omnipotent God who ruled the entire universe. When he was forty years old, Muhammad became convinced that this one true God (Allah) was speaking to him, and had chosen him to spread the true faith.

For three years, Muhammad preached only to close friends and associates. Then, about 613, he began preaching in public. As he slowly gained converts, the Meccan authorities came to consider him a dangerous nuisance. In 622, fearing for his safety, Muhammad fled to Medina (a city some 200 miles north of Mecca), where he had been offered a position of considerable political power.

This flight, called the Hegira, was the turning point of the Prophet’s life. In Mecca, he had had few followers. In Medina, he had many more, and he soon acquired an influence that made him a virtual dictator. During the next few years, while Muhammad’s following grew rapidly, a series of battles were fought between Medina and Mecca. This was ended in 630 with Muhammad’s triumphant return to Mecca as conqueror. The remaining two and one-half years of his life witnessed the rapid conversion of the Arab tribes to the new religion. When Muhammad died, in 632, he was the effective ruler of all of southern Arabia.

The Bedouin tribesmen of Arabia had a reputation as fierce warriors. But their number was small; and plagued by disunity and internecine warfare, they had been no match for the larger armies of the kingdoms in the settled agricultural areas to the north. However, unified by Muhammad for the first time in history, and inspired by their fervent belief in the one true God, these small Arab armies now embarked upon one of the most astonishing series of conquests in human history. To the northeast of Arabia lay the large Neo-Persian Empire of the Sassanids; to the northwest lay the Byzantine, or Eastern Roman Empire, centered in Constantinople. Numerically, the Arabs were no match for their opponents. On the field of battle, though, the inspired Arabs rapidly conquered all of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine. By 642, Egypt had been wrested from the Byzantine Empire, while the Persian armies had been crushed at the key battles of Qadisiya in 637, and Nehavend in 642.

But even these enormous conquests – which were made under the leadership of Muhammad’s close friends and immediate successors, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab – did not mark the end of the Arab advance. By 711, the Arab armies had swept completely across North Africa to the Atlantic Ocean. There they turned north and, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, overwhelmed the Visigothic kingdom in Spain.

For a while, it must have seemed that the Moslems would overwhelm all of Christian Europe. However, in 732, at the famous Battle of Tours, a Moslem army, which had advanced into the center of France, was at last defeated by the Franks. Nevertheless, in a scant century of fighting, these Bedouin tribesmen, inspired by the word of the Prophet, had carved out an empire stretching from the borders of India to the Atlantic Ocean – the largest empire that the world had yet seen. And everywhere that the armies conquered, large-scale conversion to the new faith eventually followed.

Now, not all of these conquests proved permanent. The Persians, though they have remained faithful to the religion of the Prophet, have since regained their independence from the Arabs. And in Spain, more than seven centuries of warfare finally resulted in the Christians reconquering the entire peninsula. However, Mesopotamia and Egypt, the two cradles of ancient civilization, have remained Arab, as has the entire coast of North Africa. The new religion, of course, continued to spread, in the intervening centuries, far beyond the borders of the original Moslem conquests. Currently, it has tens of millions of adherents in Africa and Central Asia, and even more in Pakistan and northern India, and in Indonesia. In Indonesia, the new faith has been a unifying factor. In the Indian subcontinent, however, the conflict between Moslems and Hindus is still a major obstacle to unity.

How, then, is one to assess the overall impact of Muhammad on human history? Like all religions, Islam exerts an enormous influence upon the lives of its followers. It is for this reason that the founders of the world’s great religions all figure prominently in this book. Since there are roughly twice as many Christians as Moslems in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision. First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St.Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament.

Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles. In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam. Moreover, he is the author of the Moslem holy scriptures, the Koran, a collection of certain of Muhammad’s insight that he believed had been directly revealed to him by Allah. Most of these utterances were copied more or less faithfully during Muhammad’s lifetime and were collected together in authoritative form not long after his death. The Koran, therefore, closely represents Muhammad’s ideas and teachings and to a considerable extent his exact words. No such detailed compilation of the teachings of Christ has survived. Since the Koran is at least as important to Moslems as the Bible is to Christians, the influence of Muhammad through the medium of the Koran has been enormous. It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity. On the purely religious level, then, it seems likely that Muhammad has been as influential in human history as Jesus.

Furthermore, Muhammad (unlike Jesus) was a secular as well as a religious leader. In fact, as the driving force behind the Arab conquests, he may well rank as the most influential political leader of all time.

Of many important historical events, one might say that they were inevitable and would have occurred even without the particular political leader who guided them. For example, the South American colonies would probably have won their independence from Spain even if Simon Bolivar had never lived. But this cannot be said of the Arab conquests. Nothing similar had occurred before Muhammad, and there is no reason to believe that the conquests would have been achieved without him. The only comparable conquests in human history are those of the Mongols in the thirteenth century, which were primarily due to the influence of Genghis Khan. These conquests, however, though more extensive than those of the Arabs, did not prove permanent, and today the only areas occupied by the Mongols are those that they held prior to the time of Genghis Khan. It is far different with the conquests of the Arabs. From Iraq to Morocco, there extends a whole chain of Arab nations united not merely by their faith in Islam, but also by their Arabic language, history, and culture. The centrality of the Koran in the Moslem religion and the fact that it is written in Arabic have probably prevented the Arab language from breaking up into mutually unintelligible dialects, which might otherwise have occurred in the intervening thirteen centuries. Differences and divisions between these Arab states exist, of course, and they are considerable, but the partial disunity should not blind us to the important elements of unity that have continued to exist. For instance, neither Iran nor Indonesia, both oil-producing states and both Islamic in religion, joined in the oil embargo of the winter of 1973-74. It is no coincidence that all of the Arab states, and only the Arab states, participated in the embargo.

We see, then, that the Arab conquests of the seventh century have continued to play an important role in human history, down to the present day. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.

A summary of The Prophet Mohammad’s Farewell Sermon
This sermon was delivered on the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah 10 A.H. in the Uranah Valley of Mount Arafat.

O people, listen to my words for I do not know whether I will be amongst you for another year. Just as you regard this month, this day and this city sacred, so regard the lives and property of all amongst you as sacred and inviolable.

O people, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your wives but they also have certain rights. Treat them with kindness and love for you have taken them in trust. Keep always faithful to the trust placed in you and do not sin.

O people, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers (salah), fast during the month of Ramadan and give Zakat generously. Go if possible on a pilgrimage (Hajj). You know that you are each others brothers and are all equal. No one is superior except in devotion to Allah and good works. Guard against committing injustices.

O people, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Understand my words. I leave behind me two things – the QUR’AN and the SUNNAH. Follow these and you will never go astray. Beware of Satan and safeguard your religion. Pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may they understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O Allah, that I have conveyed Your Message.

The non-Muslim verdict on Muhammad (PBUH)

“If a man like Muhammad were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness.”
George Bernard Shaw

“People like Pasteur and Salk are leaders in the first sense. People like Gandhi and Confucius, on one hand, and Alexander, Caesar and Hitler on the other, are leaders in the second and perhaps the third sense. Jesus and Buddha belong in the third category alone. Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Mohammed, who combined all three functions. To a lesser degree, Moses did the same.”
Professor Jules Masserman

“Head of the State as well as the Church, he was Caesar and Pope in one; but, he was Pope without the Pope’s pretensions, and Caesar without the legions of Caesar, without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a police force, without a fixed revenue. If ever a man had the right to say that he ruled by a rightdivine, it was Muhammad, for he had all the powers without their supports. He cared not for the dressings of power. The simplicity of his private life was in keeping with his public life.”
Rev. R. Bosworth-Smith

“Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him.”
Diwan Chand Sharma, The Prophets of the East,
Calcutta 1935, p.122.

“Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born at Mecca, in Arabia the man who, of all men exercised the greatest influence upon the human race… Mohammed… ”
]ohn William Draper, M.D., L.L.D., A History of the Intellectual
Development of Europe, London 1875, Vol. 1, pp.329-330.

“In little more than a year he was actually the spiritual, nominal and temporal ruler of Medina, with his hands on the lever that was to shake the world.”
John Austin, “Muhammad the Prophet of Allah,”
in T.P.’s and Cassel’s Weekly for 24th September 1927.

“Philosopher, Orator, Apostle, Legislator, Warrior, Conqueror of ideas, Restorer of rational beliefs, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty-terrestial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?”
Lamartine, Histotie de la Turquie, Paris 1854,
Vol. 11 pp.276-2727.

“It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence! for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher.”
Annie Besant, The Life and Teachings of Muhammad,
Madras 1932, p.4

“Muhammad is the most successful of all Prophets and religious personalities.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica

“I have studied him – the wonderful man – and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ he must be called the saviour of humanity.”
George Bernard Shaw in “The Genuine Islam ”

“By a fortune absolutely unique in history, Mohammed is a threefold founder of a nation, of an empire, and of a religion.”
Rev. R. Bosworth-Smith in
“Mohammed and Mohammedanism 1946.”

Note: This compilation was done at the Islamic Propagation Centre, Durban, South Africa.

Islam is the only religion which teaches the existence of a PERFECT God. A perfect God means that there is no sharer in His Nature and His Attributes: “Say: He is God, the One and Only; God, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him.” (Holy Quran, 112:1-4)

There has appeared a man in Benoni. He is not qualified in theology, but is fondly cherishing the self-delusion that he is an apostle of Christ, appointed by God to convert Muslims to Christianity. Because he is a lawyer by profession, he is adept at juggling with words and quoting the Holy Quran totally out of context without knowing a word of Arabic. He wants Muslims to believe that Jesus was also a God, a belief that is abhorrent to us, because it is an antithesis of the Absolute perfection of Allah Subhaanahoo Wa Ta ‘Aala!

Thus intent upon reversing the process of Truth, which is: “And say: The Truth has come and falsehood vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish.” (Quran, 17:81). In this he will never succeed because the process of Truth is irreversible.

TWO REASONS

He has given two reasons to prove that Jesus is God, viz: (i) “When we say Jesus is deity (or even God for that matter), we do not make him the Father! He is one with the Father and therefore HE SHARES HIS NATURE”, and (ii) “HE IS IN EVERY WAY LIKE THE FATHER but he is not the Father”.

In short, according to him, Jesus is God because He SHARES THE NATURE OF GOD, and HE IS IN EVERY WAY LIKE GOD. These two reasons given by him to prove the divinity of Jesus are so puerile that they speak volumes of his legal training.

Numerous quotations from the Bible are given below to prove that Jesus neither SHARED THE NATURE OF GOD, nor is he IN EVERY WAY LIKE GOD. He can, therefore, NEVER be GOD. We have given the quotations from the Bible without comment, because the Bible speaks for itself! TO SAY THAT JESUS IS GOD OR SON OF GOD IS NOT ONLY A MOCKERY OF GODHOOD, BUT BLASPHEMY OF THE LOWEST ORDER AND AND INSULT TO THE INTELLIGENCE OF MEN! (Note: Unless otherwise stated, all quotations from the Bible are given from the Authorized Version. In our headings and subheadings we have referred to Jesus as “God” in inverted commas in order to show the ABSURDITY of the claim of this man that Jesus is God!)

THE BIRTH OF “GOD”

“God” was created from the seed of David: “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the SEED of David according to the flesh.” (Romans, 1:3)

“God” was the fruit of the loins of David: “Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.” (Acts, 2:30)

The Ancestors of “God”: “The generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew, 1:1)

The Sex of “God”: “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus.” (Luke, 2:21)

How Mary Conceived and Delivered “God”. Mary conceived Jesus like any other woman: “The days were accomplished that she should be delivered,” (Luke, 2:6) which means that she went through all the normal stages of pregnancy. Nor was her delivery any different from other expectant mothers: “And she being with child cried, travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered.” (Revelation, 12:2)

“God” Sucked The Paps of a Woman: “And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.” (Luke, 11:27)

The Country of Origin of “God”: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king. (Matthew, 2:1)

The Occupation of “God”: “Jesus was a carpenter by trade.” (Mark, 6:3), “and the son of a carpenter.” (Matthew, 13:55)

The Transport of “God”: “Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass.” (Matthew, 21:5) “And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon.” (John, 12:14)

The Wining and Dining of “God”: “The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.” (Matthew, 11:9; Luke, 7:34)

The Poverty of “God”: “And Jesus saith unto him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matthew, 8:20)

The Meager Possessions of “God”: “Shoes of Jesus” (Luke, 3:16), “Garments and coat of Jesus” (John, 19:23)

“God” Was a Devout Jew: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” (Mark, 1:35)

“God” Was a Loyal Subject: Jesus was a good citizen, he was loyal to Caesar. He said: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew, 22:21) He paid his tax

regularly. (Matthew, 17:24-27)

THE FAMILY OF “GOD”

“God” Was the Son of Joseph: “Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John, 1:45)

Brothers and Brothers-in-law of “God”: “And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence hath this man all these things? (Matthew, 13:54-56)

THE DEVELOPMENT OF “GOD”

Spiritual Development of “God”: “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom.” (Luke, 2:40)

Mental, Physical and Moral Development of “God”: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke, 2:52)

“God” Was 12 Years Old When His Parents Took Him to Jerusalem: “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.” (Luke, 2:41-42)

The Powerless “God” (Jesus) said: “I can of mine own self do nothing.” (John, 5:30)

“God” Was Ignorant of the Time. Jesus said: “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark, 13:32)

“God” Was Ignorant of the Season: “And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he (Jesus) was hungry: and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.” (Mark, 11:12-13)

“God” Was Unlettered: “Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (John, 7:14-15)

“God” Learnt Through Experience: “Learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Hebrews, 5:8)

THE TEMPTING OF “GOD”

The Devil Tempted “God” For 40 Days: “And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan.” (Mark, 1:12-13)

The Devil Tempted “God” Continuously: “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.” (Luke, 4:13)

Like the Sinners, “God” Was Tempted In All Things: “But (he) was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews, 4:15)

True God Cannot be Tempted With Evil: “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” (James, 1:13)

Only The Ungodly Are Tempted With Evil: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James, 1:14)

THE MISSION OF “GOD”

The Confession and Repentance of “God”: before the beginning of his public ministry: “Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist” (Matthew, 3:13), “which signified the confession of sins” (Matthew, 3:6), “and repentance from sins (Matthew, 3:11).

“God” Did Not Come to Save the Sinners: “And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” (Mark, 4:10-12)

THE RACIAL “GOD”

“God” Was a Tribal Jew: “The lion of the tribe of Juda.” (Revelation, 5:5)

“God” Came For The Jews Only: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew, 15:24)

Racial Discrimination of “God”: “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew, 10:5-6)

According to “God”, The Gentiles Are Dogs: “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” (Matthew, 15:26)

The Kingdom of “God”: And he (Jesus) shall reign over THE HOUSE OF JACOB for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke, 1:33)

The Titles of “God”: “The king of the Jews” (Matthew, 2:2), “The king of Israel” (John, 1:49; 12:13)

A “GOD” UNLIKE THE GOD

A Hungry “God”: “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.” (Matthew 4:2), “Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.” (Matthew, 21:18), “and on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry.” (Mark, 11:12)

A Thirsty “God”: “(He) saith, I thirst.” (John, 19:28)

A Sleepy “God”: “He was asleep.” (Matthew, 8:24), “He fell asleep” (Luke, 8:23), “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow.” (Mark, 4:38)

A Weary “God”: Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well.” (John, 4:6)

A Groaning “God”: “He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.” (John, 11:33), “Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave.” (John, 11:38)

A Weeping “God”: “Jesus wept.” (John, 11:35)

A Sorrowing “God”: “And (he) began to be sorrowful and very heavy.” (Matthew 26:37). “Then saith he unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” (Matthew, 26:38)

A Hysterical “God”: “And (he) began to be soreamazed and to be very heavy.” (Mark, 14:33)

A Weak “God”: “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” (Luke, 22:43)

THE WARRING “GOD”

The Strong-Arm Method of “God”: “And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought.” (Luke, 19:45). “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables.” (John, 2:13-15)

The “God” of War: Jesus said: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” (Matthew, 10:34)

The Saber-Rattling “God”: Jesus said: “And he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.” (Luke, 22:36)

The “GOD” ON THE RUN

“God” Was Panic-Stricken: “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.” (John, 7:1)

“God” Walked in Fear of the Jews: “Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews.” (John, 11:53-54)

“God” Has Shown a Clean Pair of Heels: “Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand.” (John, 10:39)

“God” Fled in Disguise: “Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (John, 8:59)

THE CAPTURE OF “GOD”

A Friend Betrayed the Secret Hiding Place of “God”: “And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus off-times resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of man and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.” (John, 18:2-3)

“God” Was Arrested, Bound and Led Away: “Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, and led him away.” (John, 18:12-13)

“God” Was Humiliated: “And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face.” (Luke, 22:63-64). “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands.” (Matthew, 26:67)

“God” Was Defenseless: “One of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand”, he said: “Why smitest thou me?” (John, 18:22-23)

“God” Was Condemned to Death: “And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.” (Mark, 14:64). “They answered and said, he is guilty of death.” (Matthew, 26:66)

The Dumb and Docile “God”: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.” (Acts, 8:32)

THE SUPPOSED END OF “GOD”

The Dying “God”: “And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.” (Mark, 15:37)

The “God” That Was Supposed Dead and Defunct: “Christ died.” (Romans, 5:6). “He was dead”. (John, 19:33)

The Supposed Corpse of “God”: “he (Joseph of Arimathaea) went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.” (Matthew, 27:58)

The Shroud of “God”: “And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth.” (Matthew, 27:59)

The Obituary of The Late And Lamented “God”: “Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man.” (Luke, 23:47)

EPILOGUE

According to this self-appointed apostle of Christ, Jesus is God because: (i) “HE SHARED THE NATURE OF GOD”, and (ii) because “IN EVERY WAY HE IS LIKE GOD”. But according to the quotations of the Bible given above, we find that Jesus did neither SHARE THE NATURE OF GOD nor is he IN EVERY WAY LIKE GOD. He is, therefore, definitely NOT God! The onus to prove that Jesus is God now rests with this Christian. Either he must prove that Jesus is God, or he must admit that he is a polytheist, i.e., a believer in more than one God. WITH ALL THE TRICKS AND VERBAL LEGERDEMAIN OF HIS PROFESSION, HE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT JESUS IS GOD!!

He and his fellow-preachers in Christ, will never succeed in convincing the Muslims that Jesus was anything other than a natural man and a prophet of God, sent unto the house of Israel to bear the good news of the coming of the KINGDOM OF GOD, which prophecy was fulfilled with the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)!

STRICT NOTE: The following book is a response to The Satanic Verses which is one of the worst literature that you can possible choose to read or research. I recommend that you choose a better topic than The Satanic Verses but if you would like to know what Salman Rushdie actually wrote, feel free to read the following book. However, passages from Rushdie’s book are quoted, the language is not appropriate and it’s best if you avoid reading it. I have not read the following in its entirety but I share it only to give a befitting response to people who claim superiority of free speech. InshAllah!

THE PEN AND THE SWORD

So far ‘Satanic’ Salman has succeeded in causing the death of 40 Muslim men, widowed Muslim women and orphaned Muslim children with his poisoned pen, proving the old saying (if proof was needed) that “The Pen is Mightier than the Sword!”

Despite all my anger, sorrow and bitterness I still lead with my fellow Muslims in travail – “Stop crying “don’t wail! No more protest marches or book burning!” All our visible signs of pain and anguish are giving the enemies of Islam gleeful sadistic pleasures. I say, STOP IT! Turn the Tables.

TURNING THE TABLES

Let us learn a lesson from the life of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him). His detractors came to him again and again with posers and riddles as recorded in the Christian New Testament. His own people, the Jews, came to him, with mockery on their lips and mischief in their hearts, saying “Master, we caught this woman in the act of adultery, what must we do to her? Jesus turned the tables on the Jews. Again, on another occasion, they said, Master, must we pay tribute (taxes) to Caesar or not? Once more again Jesus turned the tables on the Jews in the Temple of Solomon on his triumphant march onto Jerusalem with his disciples, he physically overturned the money changers’ tables and with a corded whip, whipped them out of the Temple.

We shamefully acknowledge that we lack the potency to whip anybody, but every Muslim who reads these words and understands what he is reading can turn the tables on every Westerner who defends Rushdie.

UNEXPURGATED RUSHDIE

There is no way of cleaning the stable without dirtying your hands. I have seen numerous TV programs debating Rushdie’s ‘Satanic Verses.’ But not one, I repeat again NOT ONE Muslim defender of our Cause grappled with the nettle. One who came nearest was one of our intellectuals who when prodded as to what in Rushdie’s book created such terrible umbrage in the Muslim minds, in Rushdie’s work? He timidly quoted the word “bhaen-chud” from Satanic Salman’s – “The Satanic Verses.”

What did this word “bhaenchud” mean to some 50 million American viewers on ABC or was it PBS TV network ? Absolutely NOTHING!

“Bhaenchud” is only for starters. You have been warned. This publication, the word “UNEXPURGATED” which means that Rushdie’s text in his original “The Satanic Verses” are not tampered with. That nothing is done by me to remove, expunge, erase any obscene or pornographic word or phrase. If you can’t stomach Rushdie’s “shit”* in print. Please tear up this publication and throw it in your toilet pan. In all my lectures on Rushdie, I had warned my audiences in advance that my talks were “Definitely not for Prudes, children, and Bashful Men and Women!

From now on, you can look forward to sharing the “gems” (the shit which Rushdie has excreted) with your Western friends and neighbours. Create opportunities to expound “The Satanic Verses”

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*. This is a very mild expression from Rushdie’s Book. See and hear me on Video “IS JESUS GOD?” a debate with Dr. Shorrosh in which I was hard put skirting round and round this word and yet never corning to uttering it: in deference to my audience.

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A NOVEL APPROACH

Begin like this-”Admitted that Rusdie has many filthy, dirty, and obscene things to say about Islam and its heroes and heroines: but sir, do you know what he has to say about you, his benefactors and protectors, what thanks he gives you for his up-bringing, cultural and moral deportment, and un-solicited refuge and hospitality?”

On the very first(@)page of “The Satanic Verses,” Rushdie calls his god fathers the British “PROPER LONDON, BHAI!(#) HERE WE COME! THOSE BASTARDS DOWN THERE WON’T KNOW WHAT HIT THEM.”

Bastards! He could have said those sons of bitches. But wait, let Rushdie get warmed up.

The first time I ever uttered the word “bastard” was in the early sixties at a public meeting in the City Hall of Durban, at question time, I happened to quote a verse from the Holy Bible to illustrate a point; I had read:

“The bastard shall not enter the congregation of the Lord; even unto the tenth generation…? Deuteronomy 23:2

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(@) The actual first page of Chapter One is numbered 3. Because this Satan has counted Nos. 1 and 2 without enumerating them. ie. No. 1 is a dedication to his living companion in ‘Hell’ (of his own making) with just 2 words FOR MARRLANE” his second spouse, on the whole page and No.2 is a prologue on “SATAN” by Daniel Dcfoc from his book

“The History of the Devil,” which astonishingly enough is Rushdie himself. (Read the reproduction in the book), you can’t help agreeing, how “prophetic” are those words!

(#) “BHAI” What is “bhai”? Satanic Salman has used a dozen exotic Hindi words on the first page alone in his the very first chapter, gleaned from the gutters of Bombay. But wait for what he spews out from the sewers of his birth place. He scatters his obscenities a hundred names without translating them to tantalize his Western dimwits.

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This one word – bastard, nearly brought the roof down on me! How could Deedat utter such a word? Remember, I was only quoting!

My audience did not know that this Anglo-Saxon unsavory word bastard was repeated in the “Book of Books” only three times, in nearly 1500 pages. Rushdie does it 29 times in his bid to beat all records for all times in his tome of 500, double spaced, sparsely typed pages. Observe this evil genius constructing a one letter sentence out of it.

“THAT, AND ALSO HER, THE ICEWOMAN. BASTARD. (note: this b-a-s-t-a-r-d is a sentence by itself) NOW THAT I AM DEAD I HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW TO FORGIVE.” Page 8 of the Devil’s “The Satanic Verses,” in short TSV in all future references.

This Devil incarnate has learnt from his British peers the art of staccato sentences. Now watch him do the impossible with words.

He can introduce THREE “Bastards” in a single short sentence

….”THAT BASTARD, THOSE BASTARDS, THEIR LACK OF BASTARD(*) TASTE.” (page 137 TSV)

WHAT A PRIZE!

Could Viking/Penguin the publishers of this filth have given Rushdie eight hundred thousand dollars ($800 000) as advance money for this? Not likely! They have good (?) business sense. They smelt their “PIECE OF PIG EXCREMENT” (Rushdie’s words page 7 TSV) “ROTTEN COCKROACH DUNG” (page 13 TSV Not smelly enough? Rushdie excretes his shit quite late in his book, in his own words – “THE SHIT STARTS” (page 434 TSV). Please check up! “THIS SHIT, YOU CUNTS,” “IT’S SHIT,” “IT’S FUCKING SHIT,” “SHIT DINNER,” Four “shits” on one page alone 441 TSV, Page 449 “THREW SHIT.” Page 461 “WHITE MAN’S SHIT,” there must be something special in it for this Brown Britisher, because he says – “BLACK SHIT IS BAD,” on page 529 of his bullshit book the TSV.

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(*) Rushdie’s own emphasis

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PROLOGUE

Satan, being thus confined to a vagabond, wandering, unsettled condition, is without any certain abode; for though he has, in consequence of his angelic nature, a kind of empire in the liquid waste or air, yet this is certainly part of his punishment, that he is . . . without any fixed place, or space, allowed him to rest the sole of his foot upon. Daniel Defoe, The History of the Devil

All this shit of Rushdie will not satiate Peter Mayer the Director of Penguin and his fellow gluttons. They need something more sticky and stinky to satisfy their depraved tastes. And, Rushdie is their man of the hour. There will never be another to get away with the lampooning of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Jews. Blacks as well as all Whites! Not even sparing the “Iron Lady,” nor the Queen of Great Britain. If you, the reader have come thus far, you might as well go the whole hog. Finish this book!

SELECTIVE SENSITIVITY

Everyone in the West, British and American, giants of the literary world, are not impervious to sacrilege, insults and profanities as contained in “The Satanic Verses.” Roald Dahl, a British author and member of the Literary Guild had some pertinent remarks as reproduced here from “The Daily News” dated March 1st, 1989.

THE DAILY NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1,1989

Rushdie

LONDON: Author Roald Dahl has launched an extraordinary attack on fellow writer Salman Rushdie, calling him a “dangerous opportunist”.

In a letter to yesterday’s Times newspaper, the world renowned author of children’s books said: ‘Clearly he has profound knowledge of the Muslim religion and its people, and he must have been totally aware of the deep and violent feelings his book would stir up among devout Muslims “in other words he knew exactly what he was doing and he cannot plead otherwise.”

Dahl said this type of sensationalism did get “indifferent” hooks to the top of the best-seller list “but to my mind it is a cheap way of doing it.

“To my mind, he is a dangerous opportunist.” He later told reporters:

“I think he’s a twit.”

Cynical supporters of Rushdie’s rights of freedom of speech and expression might say that for Dahl it was a question of “sour grapes.” Not having been nominated on the shorter list of the prestigious “Booker Award,” himself.

CHRISTIAN AND JEW UNITE!

What would they then say of the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Robert Runcie who has said in the first official statement by the Church of England -”ONLY THE UTTERLY INSENSITIVE CAN FAIL TO SEE THAT THE PUBLICATION OF SALMAN RUSHDIE’S BOOK HAS DEEPLY OFFENDED MUSLIMS BOTH HERE AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.” The Anglican Primate continued: “I UNDERSTAND THEIR FEELINGS AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT OFFENCE TO RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF THE FOLLOWERS OF ISLAM OR ANY OTHER FAITH IS QUITE AS WRONG AN OFFENCE AS TO THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF CHRISTIANS.”

And what have the dullards on the Rushdie bandwagon to say of the Chief Rabbi of Britain Lord Jakobovits who was the first religious leader in Britain to “DEPRECATE….THE OFFENCE CAUSED” by the book, has reiterated his view that it “SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED.” In a letter to The Times (4th March 1989) the Chief Rabbi also agreed on the need to “PROHIBITING THE PUBLICATION OF ANYTHING LIKELY TO INFLAME, THROUGH OBSCENE DEFAMATION…”

What motives can we attribute to the three above? Nothing other than the Love of God and the Love of Man based on Eternal Truths.

The Holy Quran describes these godly men as – “And among them (the Jews and Christians) are Mu’mins, (meaning Faithful, Sincere People)…”Holy Quran 3:110

But lest we are deluded into complacency, the All-Wise Merciful God reminds us in the concluding phrase of the above verse – “But the majority of them are perverted transgressors.”

How amply are the words proven true, again and again! Are these atheistic and materialistic so called Jews and Christians beyond redemption? No! We are never to despair! There is still much good in them. Learn to talk to them rationally, not emotionally. Give them living examples from their daily lives in their day to day affairs.

MPs ANGERED

Date lined from London, on the 22nd May,1989, was a roaring headline in “The Daily News.”

CALL FOR BAN

LONDON: Furious British MPs have called for American actor Mickey Rourke to be banned from Britain. Harry Greenway, Conservative MP for Ealing North, said: “I hope the British Government will never allow this man to set foot on our shores.I am shocked beyond belief.” The MPs were particularly incensed by his use of a four-letter word to describe Mrs Margaret Thatcher’s policies.

Foreign service.

I sympathize with the British in their righteous indignation. Though the English speaking people, both British and American bandy around not only four-letter words, but five and seven letter profane words in their normal cultural and social relationships. Yet they are highly sensitive when the same words are used in connection with their own heroes and heroines.

DOUBLE STANDARDS

What grates me most is the rank hypocrisy of the one thousand and one Poets, Playwrights and Pimps; Editors, Essayists and Eunuchs;

Novelists, Newspapermen and Non-Conformists who signed and paid for adverts in the National Newspapers in support of Rushdie’s right to absolute freedom of speech and expression. Yet not a single one of those thousand will raise an eyebrow in defending Rourke’s right to use just a four-letter word even once. Not against Mrs. Thatcher in person but against her economic Policies. Their hypocrisy is unbearable!

What was that “four-letter” word which roused such fury and ire among a people reputed for their calm, placid, sagacity? It is downright silly to beat around the bush. That emotive word is F-U-C-K! Because of this single four- letter word, Lady Chatterly’s Lover was banned in South Africa for twenty years! Even the dullest of the English speaking people conjure up the word fuck, when the expression “four-letter” is used.

A TETRAGRAMATTON

The Jehovah’s Witnesses, a very active and most militant evangelistic Christian sect, never use the expression “four-letter word” in any of their literature though a four letter word is the king-pin of their preaching.($) They have invented a fourteen letter word to describe a four-letter word. Imagine!

They ever and anon substitute -”TETRAGRAMATTON” instead of simply the word “four” Rushdie has overcome this typical British aversion by making a “four-letter” word into a seven letter word by simply adding the present participle suffix to the word FUCK by adding I-N-G, making it FUCKING. See how adroitly he made the whole British nation swallow the word FUCKING while Rourke’s “FUCK,” was getting stuck in their throats.

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($). Obtain your FREE copy of the book – “What is his name?” from the Center for fuller explanation.

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“OH. SHE’S (Maggie) RADICAL ALL RIGHT. WHAT SHE (Maggie) WANTS-WHAT SHE (Maggie) ACTUALLY THINKS SHE (Maggie) CAN FUCKING ACHIEVE (%) IS LITERALLY… FROM FUCKING SURREY AND HAMPSHIRE… NOBODY’S EVER TRIED TO REPLACE A WHOLE FUCKING CLASS BEFORE…

THIS COUNTRY THAT’S STUFFED FULL OF FUCKING OLD CORPSES.

(Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses” page 270).

It is strange that the British can stomach four “fuckings” in one paragraph from Rushdie but one “fuck” from Rourke infuriates them. Is it because Rushdie is their brother-in- law and son-in-law combined. (Remember! His divorced 1st wife was British) A cursory count will give you 5 FUCKS and 52 FUCKINGS in this what the Western world has called a literary masterpiece! Don’t forget, only 52, just one “FUCKING” for every week of the year!

One can’t help agreeing that “The Satanic Verses” is a masterpiece for fucking-up the English language. He has conjoined his word “FUCKING” with every letter of the alphabet. Here is a quick summary of some of them. Verify the rest at leisure.

A “FUCKING A.”……..245
..”FUCKING ALLIES”….269
..”FUCKING AMERICANS”.280
..”FUCKING ARGENTINA”.268

B “FUCKING BEATLES”…163
..”FUCKING BEDPAN”….169

C “FUCKING CLASS”…..270
..”FUCKING CREEP”…..178
..”FUCKING CLOWNS”….101
..”FUCKING COMMANDOS”..80

D “FUCKING DIFF?”…..262
..”FUCKING DYNASTY”…265
..”FUCKING DOGS”……410
..”FUCKING DREAMS”….122

E “ENJOY FUCKING”…..149

G “FUCKING GUITAR”….269

H “FUCKING HORNY”…..158
..”FUCKING HELLHC)LE”.180

I “FUCKING IDIOT”…..526

please forgive me, if it is getting too boring. Here is a little variation

FUCKING TANK……………\
FUCKING PEE AITCH DEE..\
FUCKING COUNTRY………..\ All this from a
FUCKING LIFE………………../ single page 268 TSV
FUCKING NATION…………./
THE BASTARDS……………./

Why you enjoy fucking with this one. p.149
You are fucking my woman p.207
Don’t holy men ever fuck? p.278
God’s own permission to fuck p.386

I have had enough of this “fucking shit” (words borrowed from Satanic Salman) let me end with a last bit “WILD DONKEYS FUCKING WEARILY AND DROPPING DEAD STILL CONJOINED” (page 479 TSV)

Dear reader, if any pervert, dolt or dullard protests that the foregoing quotations are out of context, then obtain the text (Satanic Salman’s Satanic Verses).If you already have it then please buy three high-lighters- red, yellow and green, and go to town in colour coding Rushdie’s shit. RED for all the “fuck” and “fucking” words. YELLOW for all the Hindi exotic words, like “bhaenchud”, “yaar,” “haramzada,” etc. And GREEN for quotable verses I’ll refer you to them later.

Thus armed with a colour-coded “The Satanic Verses,” you can plaster the cynics and mockers of Muslims with Rushdie’s excrement. They ought to relish it, never mind how much they protest. It’s food for the maggots! Like randy hooker – Pamella Bordes; Mother India also gave birth to Salman Rushdie, alias Satanic Salman, also “Saladin Chamcha” or “Spoono” and “Gibreel Farishta” all are one and the same-Rushie of “The Satanic Verses” fame. Nurtured in the Western culture, both Pamella and Salman spurned their faiths. At the tender age of thirteen, Rushdie was thrown into the laps of the West. He studied at Rugby and Cambridge in England and imbibed its culture. He went the whole hog. Listen to his philosophy. page 211 TSV ie. “The Satanic Verses”. He wrote-

“BUT TO BE RAISED IN THE HOUSE OF POWER IS TO LEARN ITS WAYS, TO SOAK THEM UP, THROUGH THAT VERY SKIN THAT IS THE CAUSE OF YOUR OPPRESSION. THE HABIT OF POWER, ITS TIMBRE, ITS POSTURE, ITS WAY OF BEING WITH OTHER. IT IS A DISEASE, BILAL, INFECTING ALL WHO COME TOO NEAR IT. IF THE POWERFUL TRAMPLE OVER YOU, YOU ARE INFECTED BY THE SOI:ES OF THEIR FEET.” TSV p.211

It is worth highlighting the above quotation in GREEN. Rushdie is giving here the source of his own inspiration and nourishment. He has imbibed the worst of both worlds! Now see, how he repays his British god-fathers for all their kind and generous hospitality.

He charges his British benefactors as an incestuous people. He calls them “THE SISTER FUCKING BRITISH.” (%) TSV p.80. This is the unkindest cut of them all. He marries Pamela Lovelace according to his story in the TSV. And according to his own philosophy she was destined “FOR FUCKING AND THROWING OVER,”($) which he did by, divorcing her.

Where did he get the information from that the British fuck their own sisters. Perhaps his Pamela may have confided in him, and maybe he betrayed her trust.

(%) All emphasis in this quote, are Rushdie’s own!

THE IRON LADY

My wife has a special liking for Mrs. Margaret Thatcher. She cannot explain. She does not understand her politics. Perhaps it is the clarity of her voice and forceful speeches that attract her to the “Iron Lady”.

Islam forbids the giving of offensive nick-names to anybody . I take it that Iron Lady is not offensive. If it is, my apologies. I owe Mrs. Thatcher nothing. But my wife and I were offended on learning that beside disparaging her successful economic policies with obscenities, (Refer earlier pages ). Now he makes his character to say – “‘I’M TALKING- ABOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO,’ VALANCE EXPLAINED HELPFULLY. ‘TORTURE. MAGGIE THE BITCH.” TSV p.269.

Mickey Rourke (p.8) used only a four letter word for Mrs. Thatcher’s POLICIES and Britain was incensed, but when Rushdie applies a five letter title (B-I-T-C-H), it become Kosher(@) Halaal, Permissable! Strange. Oh British, how did Rushdie bewitch you with b-i-t-c-h?

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(%) All emphasis in this quote, are Rushdie’s own!

($) For futher explanation on this phrase see the section under “All ‘white’ women!” title

(@) Kosher: The Jewish term for what they consider to be Halaal or permissible

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IS TSV A NOVEL?

Rushdie claims that his TSV is only a novel, it is fiction, it is a dream within a dream. Don’t you remember that every movie before its screening, at one time, displayed a notice to wit – “All characters in this film are fictitious and the similarity of any name to persons living or dead are merely coincidental.” Tell that to Mark Thatcher or Carol Thatcher, Mrs. Thatcher’s son and daughter and see what they do to you! Nobody will blame them for any grievous bodily harm. Try! Try!

In the house of Islam, anyone traducing the fair name of any lady, living or dead, will be required to produce four “EYE WITNESSES” to the alleged indiscretion to qualify as a “bitch,” and if under cross-examination one of them fails, all the four witnesses will receive 80 lashes each. Cruel! Barbaric! You say. You would not say that if your mother’s integrity was involved. I bet! If Rushdie himself was an eye witness to his wife’s adultery, he may divorce her on that ground but he would not be allowed to have her arrayed before an Islamic Court without three other impeccable eye witnesses to corroborate his charge, failing which he too will receive eighty lashes.

NEW MEANING

The Western world has developed an art of glamorizing filth and sin. IMMORALITY is now termed “new morality!” A BASTARD is now called a “love-child!” and a BITCH which normally meant a female dog; when applied to a woman it implied that she was like the bitch in season (rut) – given up to uninhibited sexual abandon, free to all comers. This word is derogatory no more if you apply a superlative to it i.e. simply add the adjective “super” make it “SUPERBITCH!”

SUPER BITCH

It is defamatory and libelous to call a woman a bitch, but not if you call her a “super bitch.”

My country South Africa is an industrial giant. It produces 50% of the total electricity of the African continent. 60% of Africa’s total industrial output. It is like a part of the United States in Africa. At the moment it is out to outshine Hollywood. She is on the verge of completing a soap opera for TV called “WHIRLPOOL” to compete with Dynasty and Dallas and later export it to America. Our leading lady for Whirlpool is Jana Cilliers our own. She is being advertised as “SUPERBITCH” “The Daily News” dated March 17, 1989.

Would the British people be happier if another upstart changed Rushdie’s “MAGGIE THE BITCH” to “Maggie the Superbitch!”??

THE QUEEN NOT SPARED

I was born British. I still cherish a British passport over 60 years old. I don’t know what’s its worth. English has become my mother tongue. I dream in English and I also swear in English. I have visited Britain a dozen times. More than once I was tempted to visit the Speakers Corner, Hyde Park, London, enjoying the many passionate and vehement harangues. It’s free for all. One is allowed to curse, abuse and swear anybody and everybody. The law of libel and defamation does not apply in this haven of free speech and un-bridled expressions. Yet I am told that Her Majesty the Queen of England is above any abuse or tirade. She is sacrosanct! Not only in Hyde Park but throughout Britain either by word of mouth or through the media, “Thou shalt not denigrate the queen”.

A retired employee at Buckingham Palace wrote a book entitled “Officially Speaking.” About the goings on in the Royal precincts. About drunken orgies and sexual frolics among the Royalty. The publication of this piece of Royal gossip has rightly been suppressed by Mrs. Thatcher’s government.

Amazing England! Rushdie prevails where a blue blooded Englishman fails. Thanks to Maggie and her British votaries of free speech.

ONLY DREAMING SEX WITH QUEEN

“Chamcha (another name of Rushdie in the TSV) he found himself dreaming of the Queen. of MAKING TENDER LOVE to the MONARCH. She was the body of Britain, the avatar of the State, and he had chosen her, JOINED WITH HER; she was his Beloved, the moon of his delight” (page 169 of TSV)(1) . What is Rushdie telling his readers, if not that he fucked her Majesty. “Joined with her,” above compare with his expression “STILL CONJOINED,” on page 12.

I expect some British blockhead of the literary world to cry – “Oh! Rushdie only fucked our Queen in his dream.” It is all fiction! After all, we can’t hold a man accountable for his dreams. That is true, but “O pervert!” Rushdie was not dreaming when he penned those words!

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(1). Mark this quotation with a green marker and memorize it.

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ALL ”WHITE” WOMEN!

Lest the commoner say that “Rushdie only lampoons the high and mighty like the Prime Minister of Britain – Maggie and the Monarch of Britain – The Queen!” Let me remind them that he has not forgotten you the plebeian – the ordinary Whites in the country. Nay, he honours all whites, wheresoever they abide.

This choicest piece of racism should also be highlighted with a glowing green pen and memorized.

“WHITE WOMEN – NEVER MIND FAT, JEWISH, NON-DEFERENTIALLY WHITE WOMEN – WERE FOR FUCKING AND THROWING OVER.” (Page 261 TSV)

In Rushdie’s perverted mind, the fate of every “white women” was for fucking and throwing over. The only qualification required by Rushdie is that they be “WHITE” It does not matter their Shape or size. Whether with a hooked Jewish nose or an Anglo-Saxon angular nose. Whether you can recognize their nationality or not. Whether they be English, or Irish; Scottish or Welsh; German or French;

American or Canadian – provided they are white! “THEY ARE ONLY GOOD FOR DISCARDING AFTER FUCKING” Says Rushdie!

PUBLIC READING OF TSV

The Satanic Verses were being read in Britain and America. One Susan Sontag of the Literary Guild among others read this religious regularity in New York to her doting audiences, both, black and white, young and old.

Some Afro-American (^) youths imbibed the message. “WHITE WOMEN ARE FOR FUCKING AND THROWING OVER!” For after all, what is reading if not brain-washing. We are what we eat and we are what we read!

Dr. Vernon Jones, an American psychologist of great repute carried out experiments on groups of school children to whom certain stories were being read, and at the end of his experiments he concluded – “That these stories made certain slight but permanent changes in character, even in the narrow class-room situation.”

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(^) Rushdie call them “Niggers”! see page 461 TSV “Nigger eat white man’s shit.” And on page 449 “Niggerjimmy” and “mushroom.”

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SATANIC INSPIRATION

Susan Sontag, a white woman, relished her reading of “The Satanic Verses.” so did her admirers. One young listener was inspired! He was waiting for an opportunity to put Rushdie’s idea into action.

It didn’t take long. Soon afterwards with five others – the gang of six – one Muslim and five Christians were prowling at night in Central Park, New York, looking for adventure. They saw a “WHITE WOMAN” jogging. She triggered their imagination! They went a “W-I-L-D-I-N-G”(*) as the “Times” magazine, of 8th May, 1989, reports. They bashed the poor woman into unconsciousness, and fell on their prey like a pack of wolves. -

They gang raped her one by one in turn which no wild beast ever does. The blood and the sweat and the gore titillated their libido!

That poor jogger was an innocent victim. It should have been Susan Sontag, or Marriane Wiggins (Rusdie’s 2nd wife) who says that if she was not Rushdie’s wife then she too would have read “The Satanic Verses,” to her clientele, in public from city to city.

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(^) Rushdie call them “Niggers”! see page 461 TSV “Nigger eat white man’s shit.” And on page 449 “Niggerjimmy” and “mushroom.”

(*) WILDING: A new word meaning, went berserk sexually Like a pack of wolves scenting blood!

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TSV SHOULD BE READ TO ALL BLACKS!

If I was a sadistic racist, I would have liked to have “The best of Rushdie” read in Harlem, New York; and in every ghetto in America and in Notting Hill in the U.K. and among all the blacks of the world, in Africa and in Asia and in Eskimo land. Let the non-Whites of the world know that according to Rushdie’s new Bible – “WHITE WOMEN – NEVERMIND FAT, JEWISH, or NON-DEFERENTIAL WHITE WOMEN – WERE FOR FUCKING AND THROWING OVER”!

You Peter Mayer! Director of Viking/Penguin, you son of a bitch, you gave Rushdie $800, 000-00 Dollars as advance money for this filth.

All those whites – Poets and Playrights, Essaysts and Editors, Novelists and Newsmen who are in support of Rushdie’s smut, let them read the above quotation from the shit of Rushdie to their mothers, to their sisters, to their wives and daughters. Make their mouths water, that Rushdie wants them to be fucked by black people and thrown away. Rushdie has already set the example, he has FUCKED AND THROWN AWAY (one British girl, his 1st wife) and perhaps before you get this into your hands, he would have done the same to another (American girl -Marriane Wiggins) also FUCKED AND THROWN AWAY!

I am asking all those sons-of-bitches who rushed to Rushdie’s support without really reading his TSV, the real reason for their unqualified support. Did they not come across these “tasty eats”?

“MOTHER-FUCKING AMERICANS” TSV p.80

“MOTHER-FUCKING SPARKS” TSV p.85

“MOTHER-FUCKING DREAMS” TSV p.122

“BHAENCHUD(#) NIGHTMARE” TSV p.109

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(#). Bhanchud: Means “sister-fucking” in the gutter lingo of Bombay. Rushdie wisely questions on page 441 TSV “How are you supposed to understand a man who writes a made-up lingo of his own”?

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COMPARED WITH WHORES

There is no end to Rushdie’s shit. He has 547 pages full of it. Though he has some brilliant things to say at times. He equates himself, and all the writers, authors, novelists etc. With hookers and harlots, prostitutes and pimps. He makes one of his characters to utter :

“WRITERS AND WHORES. I SEE NO DIFFERENCE HERE.” TSV 392

TRIBUTE TO RAJIV

Before I end this most agonizing little essay, I had ever written. I must thank Rajiv Gandhi for being about the first (?) country in the world to ban “The Satanic Verses.” Stop attributing motives to people! My own country the Republic of South Africa was in the forefront on banning the book, as well as debarring Rushdie from entering the country. This was in early October 1988! Long before many a Muslim nation!

I congratulate the Prime Minister of India for his sagacious move. The devilish book would not only have wounded his Muslim subjects in India but it would have also seared his Hindu co-religionists as well. The devil Rushdie has spared no one.

RAMA REVILED

Nobody has yet drawn the attention of Rushdie’s Hindu admirers as to what he has to say about the gods and goddesses of their faith.

“HERE WAS A LECHEROUS, DRUNKEN RAMA AND A FLIGHTY (@) SITA: WHILE RAVANA, THE DEMON-KING, WAS DEPICTED AS AN UPRIGHT AND HONEST MAN ‘GIBREEL (that’s Rushdie himself again in his TSV) IS PLAYING RAVANA,’ GEORGE EXPLAINED IN FASCINATED HORROR. ‘LOOKS LIKE HE’S TRYING DELIBERATELY TO SET UP A FINAL CONFRONTATION WITH RELIGIOUS SECTARIANS, KNOWING HE CAN’T WIN, THAT HE’LL BE BROKEN TO BITS.”‘ TSV pS39.

Rama the 7th incarnation of god, according to the Hindu religion, venerated and worshipped by hundreds of millions of Hindus in India, is character assassinated as a lecher, one given to excessive sexual cravings and debauchery, and the demon-king is portrayed here as a righteous man. And Sita is painted as a flirt. This is typical of Rushdie. He turns gods into devils and devils into saints! And the Swiney confesses that the likes of him “WILL BE BROKEN TO BITS!” – “GUY SEEMS HELL-BENT ON A SUICIDE COURSE.” TSV page 538. He has uttered here words of wisdom, but alas, he has learnt nothing from them himself.

BEFITTING END

Mired in misery, may all his filthy lucre choke in his throat and may he die a cowards death, a hundred times a day, and eventually when death catches up with him, may he simmer in hell for all eternity!

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(@) FLIGHTY: Does not mean “full of flight,” as one running away from illicit sexual advances, but as one who is sexually frivolous and irresponsible. Easily excited, easily aroused sexually.

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Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The subject of this evening’s talk – “What the Bible says about Muhammad” will no doubt come as a surprise to many of you because the speaker is a Muslim. How does it come about that a Muslim happens to be expounding prophecies from the Jewish and Christian Scriptures?

As a young man, about 30 years ago, I attended a series of religious lectures by a Christian theologian, a certain Rev. Hiten, at the “Theater Royal”, Durban in South Africa.

Pope or Kissinger?

This Reverend gentleman was expounding Biblical prophecies. He went on to prove that the Christian Bible foretold the rise of Soviet Russia, and the Last Days. At one stage he went to the extent of proving that his Holy Book did not leave even the Pope out of its predictions. He expatiated vigorously in order to convince his audience that the Beast 666 mentioned in The Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, was the Pope, who was the Vicar of Christ on earth.

Christian scholars are ingenious and indefatigable in their efforts to prove their case. Rev. Hiten’s lectures led me to ask that if the Bible foretold so many things – not even excluding the “Pope” and “Israel”, – then surely it must have something to say about the greatest benefactor of mankind, prophet Muhammad, may the peace of Allah be upon him.

As a youngster I set out to search for an answer. I met priest after priest, attended lectures, and read everything that I could lay my hands relating to the fields of Bible prophecies. Tonight I’m going to narrate to you one of these interviews with a Dominee of the Dutch Reformed Church.

Lucky Thirteen

I was invited to the Transvaal (South Africa) to deliver a talk on the occasion of the birthday of the prophet Muhammad. Knowing that in that province of the Republic, the Afrikaans language is widely spoken, even by my own people, I felt that I ought to acquire a smattering of this language so as to feel a little “at home” with the people. I opened the telephone directory and began phoning the Afrikaans-speaking Churches. I indicated my purpose to the priests that I was interested in having a dialogue with them, but they all refused my request with “plausible” excuses.

No. 13 was my lucky number. The thirteenth call brought me pleasure and relief. A Dominee Van Heerden (“Dominee” is the Afrikaans equivalent of “priest”) agreed to meet me at his home on the Saturday afternoon that I was to leave for Transvaal.

He received me on his verandah with a friendly welcome. He said if I did not mind, he would like his father-in- law from the Free State, a 70 year old man, to join us in the discussion. I did not mind. The three of us settled down in the Dominee’s library.

Why Nothing?

I posed the question: “What does the Bible say about Muhammad?” Without hesitation he answered: “Nothing!” I asked: “Why nothing? According to your interpretation the Bible has so many things to say about the rise of Soviet Russia and about the Last Days and even about the Pope of the Roman Catholics?” He said: “Yes, but there was nothing about Muhammad!” I asked again: “Why nothing? Surely this man Muhammad who had been responsible for the bringing into being a world-wide community of millions of believers who, on his authority, believe in:

the miraculous birth of Jesus,

that Jesus is the Messiah,

that he gave life to the dead by God’s permission, and that he healed those born blind and the lepers by God’s permission.

Surely this book (the Bible) must have something to say about this great leader of men who spoke so well of Jesus and his mother Mary?”

The old man from the Free State replied: “My son, I have been reading the Bible for the past 50 years, and if there was any mention of him, I would have known it.”

Not One by Name!

I inquired: “According to you, are there not hundreds of prophecies regarding the coming of Jesus in the Old Testament.” The Dominee interjected: “Not hundreds, but thousands!” I said: “I am not going to dispute the thousand and one prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the coming of Jesus Christ, because the whole Muslim world has already accepted him without the testimony of any Biblical prophecy. Muslims have accepted the de facto Jesus on the authority of Muhammad alone, and there are in the world today no less than 900,000,000 followers of Muhammad, who love, respect, and revere Jesus Christ as a great Messenger of God without having the Christians to convince them by means of Biblical dialectics.

Out of the ‘thousands’ of prophecies referred to, can you please give me just one single prophecy where Jesus is mentioned by name? The term Messiah, translated as Christ, is not a name but a title. Is there a single prophecy where it says that the name of the Messiah will be Jesus, and that his mother’s name will be Mary, that his supposed father will be Joseph the Carpenter; that he will be born in the reign of Herod the King, etc? No! There are no such details! Then how can you conclude that those ‘Thousand’ prophecies refer to Jesus, peace be upon him?”

What is Prophecy?

The Dominee replies: “You see, prophecies are word pictures of something that is going to happen in the future. When that thing actually comes to pass, we see vividly in these prophecies the fulfillment of what had been predicted in the past.” I said: “What you actually do is that you deduce, you reason, you put two and two together.” He said: “Yes.” I said: “If this is what you have to do with a ‘thousand’ prophecies to justify your claim with regards to the genuineness of Jesus, why should we not adopt the very same system for Muhammad?” The Dominee agreed that it was a fair proposition, a reasonable way of dealing with the problem.

I asked him to open up Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verse 18, which he did. I read from memory the verse in Afrikaans, because this was my purpose in having a little practice with the language of the ruling race in South Africa.

“N Profeet sal ek vir hulle verwek uit die midde van hulle broers, soos jy is, en ek sal my woorde in sy mond le, en hy sy sal aan hulle se alle wat ekhom beveel.” (Deut 18:18)

The English translation reads as follows:

“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” (Deut 18:18)

Prophet Like Moses

Having recited the verse in Afrikaans, I apologized for my uncertain pronunciation; the Dominee assured me that I was doing fine. I inquired: “To whom does this prophecy refer?” Without the slightest hesitation he answered: “Jesus!” I asked: “Why Jesus? his name is not mentioned here” The Dominee replied: “Since prophecies are word pictures of something that is going to happen in the future, we find that the wordings of this verse adequately describe him. You see, the most important words of this prophecy are ‘soos jy is’, ‘like unto thee’, or ‘like you’ – like Moses; and Jesus is like Moses.”

I asked the Dominee: “In which way is Jesus like Moses?” The answer was: “In the first place Moses was a Jew and Jesus was also a Jew; secondly, Moses was a Prophet and Jesus was also a Prophet – therefor Jesus is like Moses and that is exactly what God had foretold Moses – ‘soos jy is’.”

“Can you think of any other similarities between Moses and Jesus?” I asked. The Dominee said that he could not think of any. I replied: “If these are the only two criteria for discovering a candidate for this prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:18, then in that case the criteria could fit any one of the following Biblical personages after Moses:- Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Malachi, John the Baptist etc., because they were also all Jews as well as Prophets. Why should we not apply this prophecy to any one of these prophets, and why only to Jesus?” The Dominee had no reply. I continued: “You see, my conclusions are that Jesus is most unlike Moses, and if I am wrong I would like you to correct me.”

Three Unlike

So staying, I reasoned with him: “In the first place Jesus is not like Moses, because, according to you, Jesus is God, but Moses is not God, is this true?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses!”. “Secondly, according to you, Jesus died for the sins of the world, but Moses did not have to die for the sins of the world. Is this true?” He again said: “Yes.” I said: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses!”. “Thirdly, according to you, Jesus went to Hell for three days, but Moses did not have to go there. Is this true?” He answered meekly: “Y-e-s!” I concluded: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses!”. “But Dominee,..” I continued: “..these are not hard, solid facts, they are mere matters of belief over which the little ones can stumble and fall. Let us discuss something very simple, very easy that if the little ones are called in to hear the discussion, would have no difficulty following it, shall we?” The Dominee was quiet happy at the suggestion.

Father and Mother

“Moses had a father and a mother. Muhammad also had a father and a mother. But Jesus had only a mother, and no human father. Is this true?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “Daarom is Jesus nie soos Moses nie, maar Muhammad is soos Moses!” Meaning: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses, but Muhammad is like Moses!” (By now the reader will realize that I was using the Afrikaans language only for practice purposes. I shall discontinue its use in this narration).

Miraculous Birth

“Moses and Muhammad were born in the normal, natural course, i.e. the physical association of man and woman; but Jesus was created by a special miracle. You will recall that we are told in the Gospel of St. Matthew 1:18 “..before they came together, (Joseph the Carpenter and Mary) she was found with child by the Holy Ghost.” And St. Luke tells us that when the good news of the birth of a holy son was announced to her, Mary reasoned: “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee”(Luke 1:35).

The Holy Quran confirms the miraculous birth of Jesus, in nobler and sublimer terms. In answer to her logical question:

‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?’ The angel says in reply: ‘Even so, Allah createth what He willeth: when He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it ‘Be’, and it is’ (the Holy Quran, 3:47).

It is not necessary for God to plant a seed in man or animal. He merely wills it and it comes into being. This is the Muslim conception of the of birth of Jesus. (When I compared the Quran and the Biblical versions of the birth of Jesus to the head of the Bible Society in our largest city, and when I inquired: “Which version would you prefer to give your daughter, the Quranic version or the Biblical version?” The man bowed his head and answered: “The Quranic.”)(see Christ in Islam for the author).

In short, I said to the Dominee: “Is it true that Jesus was born miraculously as against the natural birth of Moses and Muhammad?” He replied proudly: “Yes!” I said: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses, but Muhammad is like Moses. And God says to Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy 18:18 ‘Like unto thee’, ‘Like You’, like Moses and Muhammad is like Moses.”

Marriage Ties

“Moses and Muhammad married and had children, but Jesus remained a bachelor all his life. Is this true?” The Dominee said: “Yes.” I said: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses, but Muhammad is like Moses.”

Jesus Rejected by his People

“Moses and Muhammad were accepted as prophets by their people in their very lifetime. No doubt the Jews gave endless trouble to Moses and they murmured in the wilderness, but as a nation, they acknowledged that Moses was a Messenger of God sent to them. The Arabs too made Muhammad’s life impossible. He suffered very badly at their hands. After 13 years of preaching in Mecca, he had to emigrate from the city of his birth. But before his demise, the Arab nation as a whole accepted him as the Messenger of Allah. But according to the Bible, “He (Jesus) Came unto his own, but his own revived him not”(John 1:11). And even today, after two thousand years, his people, the Jews, as a whole, have rejected him. Is this true?” The Dominee said: “Yes.” I said: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses, but Muhammad is like Moses.”

“Other Worldly” Kingdom

“Moses and Muhammad were prophets as well as kings. A prophet means a man who receives Divine Revelation for the Guidance of man and this Guidance he conveys to God’s creatures as received without any addition or deletion. A king is a person who has the power of life and death over his people. It is immaterial whether the person wears a crown or not, or whether he was ever addressed as king or monarch: if the man has the prerogative of inflicting capital punishment, he is a king. Moses possessed such a power. Do you remember the Israelite who was found picking up firewood on Sabbath Day, and Moses had him stoned to death? (Numbers 15:13). There are other crimes also mentioned in the Bible for which capital punishment was inflicted on the Jews at the behest of Moses. Muhammad too, had the power of life and death over his people. There are instances in the Bible of persons who were given gift of prophecy only, but they were not in a position to implement their directives. Some of these holy men of God who were helpless in the face of stubborn rejection of their message, were the prophets Lot, Jonah, Daniel, Ezra, and John the Baptist. They could only deliver the message, but could not enforce the Law. Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, also belonged to this category.

The Christian Gospel clearly confirms this. When Jesus was dragged before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, charged for sedition, Jesus made a convincing point in his defense to refute the false charge: Jesus answered: “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my Kingdom not from hence”(John 18:36).

This convinced Pilate (a pagan) that though Jesus might not be in full possession of his mental faculty, he did not strike him as being a danger to his rule. Jesus claimed a spiritual Kingdom only; in other words he only claimed to be a prophet. Is this true?” The Dominee answered: “Yes.” I said: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhammad is like Moses.”

No New Laws

“Moses and Muhammad brought new laws and new regulations for their people. Moses not only gave the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, but a very comprehensive ceremonial law for the guidance of his people. Muhammad comes to a people steeped in ignorance. They married their step-mothers and buried their daughters alive; drunkenness, idolatry, and gambling were the order of the day. There was hardly anything to distinguish between the ‘man’ and the ‘animal’ of the time. From this abject ignorance, Muhammad elevated the Arabs, in the words of Thomas Carlysle, ‘Into torch-bearers of light and learning. To the Arab nation it was as a birth from darkness into light. Arabia first became alive by means of it. A poor shepherd people, roaming unnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world. See, the unnoticed becomes world notable, the small has grown world-great. Within one century afterwards Arabia was at Granada on one hand and at Delhi on the other. Glancing in valor and splendor, and the light of Genius, Arabia shines over section of the world..’. The fact is that Muhammad gave his people a Law and Order they never had before. As regards Jesus, when the Jews felt suspicious of him that he might be an impostor with designs to pervert their teachings. Jesus took pains to assure them that he had not come with a new religion – no new laws and no new regulations. I quote his own words: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law of the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot of one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.’(Mathew 5:17-18).

In other words he had not come with any new laws or regulation he came only to fulfill the old law. This what he gave the Jews to understand unless he was speaking with the tongue in his cheek trying to bluff the Jews into accepting him as a man of God and by subterfuge trying to ram a new religion down their throats. No! This Messenger of God would never resort to such foul means to subvert the Religion of God. He himself fulfilled the laws. He observed the commandments of Moses, and he respected the Sabbath. At no time did a single Jew point a finger at him to say: ‘”Why don’t you fast’ or ‘why don’t you wash your hands before you break bread’, which charges they always levied against his disciples, but never against Jesus. This is because as a good Jew he honored the laws of the prophets who preceded him. In short, he had created no new religion and had brought no new law like Moses and Muhammad.”

“Isn’t this true?” I asked the Dominee, and he answered: “Yes.” I said: “Therefore, Jesus is not like Moses but Muhammad is like Moses.”

How they Departed

“Both Moses and Muhammad died natural deaths, but according to Christianity, Jesus was killed on the cross. Is this true?” The Dominee said: “Yes.” I averred: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhammad is like Moses.”

Heavenly Abode

“Moses and Muhammad both lie buried in earth, but according to you, Jesus is in heaven. Is this true? The Dominee agreed. I said: “Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhammad is like Moses.”

Ishmael the First Born

Since the Dominee was helplessly agreeing with every point, I said: “Dominee, so far what I have done is to prove only one point out of the whole prophecy – that is proving the phrase ‘Like unto thee’ – ‘Like You’, like Moses’. The Prophecy is much more than this single phrase which reads as follows:

‘I will raise them up a prophet from among their bretheren like unto thee..’

The emphasis is on the words “From among their brethren.” Moses and his people, the Jews, are here addressed as a racial entity, as a whole, and as such their brethren would undoubtedly be the Arabs.

Abraham had two wives, Sarah and Hagar. Hagar bore Abraham a son, his first born, ‘..and Abraham called his son’s name, which Hagar bare Ishmael.’ (Genesis 16:15). ‘And Abraham took Ishmael his son..’ (Genesis 17:23). ‘And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.’ (Genesis 17:25).

Up to the age of thirteen Ishmael was the only son of Abraham, then God grants him another son through Sarah, named Isaac, who was very much the junior to his brother Ishmael.

Arabs and Jews

If Ishmael and Isaac are the sons of the same father Abraham, then they are brothers. And so the children of the one are the bretheren of the children of the other. The children of Isaac are the Jews and the children of Ishmael are the Arabs – so they are bretheren to one another. The Bible affirms: ‘And he (Ishmael) shall dwell in the presence of all his bretheren.’ (Genesis 16:12). ‘And he (Ishmael) died in the presence of all his bretheren.” (Genesis 25:18). The children of Isaac are the brethren of the Ishmaelites. In like manner Muhammad is from among the brethren of the Israelites because he was a descendant of Ishmael the son of Abraham. This exactly as the prophecy has it – “From among their bretheren” (Deut.18:18).

There the prophecy distinctly mentions that the coming prophet who would be like Moses, must arise not from the Children of Israel nor from among themselves, but from among their brethren. Muhammad therefore was among their bretheren!

Words in the Mouth

The prophecy proceeds further: ‘..And I will put my words into his mouth..’ What does it mean when it is said ‘I will put my words in your mouth’? You see, when I asked you (the Dominee) to open Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse 18, at the beginning, and if I had asked you to read, and if you had read, would I be putting my words into your mouth? The Dominee answered: “No.” But, I continued: “If I were to teach you a language like Arabic, about which you have no knowledge, and if I asked you to read or repeat after me what I utter i.e. “Say: ‘He is Allah the One and Only; Allah, the eternal absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him.’ (the Holy Quran 112:1-4) (I read them in Arabic). Would I not be putting these unheard words of a foreign tongue which you utter, into your mouth?” The Dominee agreed that it was indeed so. “In an identical manner”, I said: “The words of the Holy Quran, the Revelation vouchsafed by the Almighty God to Muhammad, were revealed.

History tells us that when Muhammad was forty years of age he was in a cave some three miles north of the City of Mecca. In the cave the Archangel Gabriel commands him in his mother tongue: ‘Eqra!’, which means ‘Read!’, or ‘Recite!’ Muhammad was terrified, and in his bewilderment replied that he was not learned!. The angel commands him a second time with the same result. For the third time the angel continues. Now Muhammad, grasps that what was required of him was to repeat! to rehearse! And he repeats the words as they were put into his mouth:

‘Read! In the Name of the Lord and Charisher, Who Created. Created man from a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Read! and thy Lord is the Most Bountiful, He Who taught (the use of) the pen, taught man that which he new not”. (the Holy Quran 96:1-5).

These are the first five verses which were revealed to Muhammad, which now occupy the beginning of the 96th chapter of the Holy Quran.

The Faithful Witness

When the angel departed, Muhammad rushed to his home. Terrified and sweating all over he asked his wife Khadija to ‘cover-him up!’ He lay down, and she watched by him. When he had regained his composure, he explained to her what he had seen and heard. She assured him of her faith in him and that Allah would not allow any terrible thing to happen to him. Are these the confessions of an impostor? Would impostors confess that when an angel of the Lord confronts them with a Message from on High, they get fear-stricken, terrified, and sweating all over, run home to their wives? Any critic can see that his reactions and confessions are that of an honest, sincere man.

During the next twenty three years of his life, words were ‘put into his mouth’, and he uttered them. They made an indelible impression on his heart and mind; and as the volume of the Sacred Scripture, the Holy Quran, grew, they were recorded on palm-leaf libre, on skins; and in the hearts of his devoted disciples. Before his demise these words were arranged according to his instructions in the order in which we find them today in the Holy Quran.

The words (revelation) were actually put into his mouth, exactly as foretold in the prophecy under discussion: “And I will put my words in his mouth.” (Deut 18:18).

Unlettered Prophet

Muhammad’s experience in the Cave of Hira, and his response to that first Revelation is the exact fulfillment of another Biblical Prophecy. In the Book of Isaiah, chapter 29, verse 12, we read: ‘And the Book is delivered to him that is not learned’ (Isaiah 29:12). ‘The Unlettered prophet’ (the Holy Quran 7:158). And the Biblical verse continues: ‘Saying, read this, I pray thee:’ ‘And he saith, I am not learned.’. ‘I am not learned.’ is the exact translation of the Arabic words which Muhammad uttered twice to the Holy Spirit, the Archangel Gabriel, when he was commanded: ‘Read!’).

Let me quote the verse in full without a break as found in the King James Version, or the Authorized Version as it is more popularly know: ‘And the Book is delivered to him that is no learned, saying: ‘Read this I pray thee’. And he saith: ‘I am not learned.’ (Isaiah 29:12).

Important note : It may be noted that there were no Arabic Bibles in existence in the 6th century of the Christian Era when Muhammad lived and preached. Besides, he was absolutely unlettered and unlearned. He never knew how to read and write Arabic, his own language, let alone knowing a completely different one.

‘He does not speak (aught) of (his own) desire: It is no less than inspiration sent down to him. He was taught by One Mighty in Power’ (the Holy Quran 53:3-5).

Without any human learning, ‘he put to shame the wisdom of the learned’.

Grave Warning

“See!” I told the Dominee, “how the prophecies fit Muhammad like a glove. We do not have to stretch prophecies to justify their fulfillment in Muhammad.” The Dominee replied, “All your expositions sound very well, but they are of no real consequence, because we Christians have Jesus Christ the incarnate God, who has redeemed us from the Bondage of Sin!” I asked: “Not important? God didn’t think so! He had His warnings recorded in the scriptures. God knew that there would be people like you who will light-heartedly discount His words, so He followed up Deuteronomy 18:18 with a dare warning:

‘And it shall come to pass (it is going to happen), that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My Name, I will require if of him.’

(In the Catholic Bible the ending words are ‘I will be the revenger’, ‘I will take revenge!’). “Does not this terrify you? God Almighty is threatening revenge! We shake in our pants if some hoodlum threatens us, yet you have no fear of God’s warning?”

Miracle of Miracles! in the verse 19 of Deuteronomy chapter 18, we have a further fulfillment of the prophecy in Muhammad! Note the words ‘..My words which he shall speak in My Name’. In whose name is Muhammad speaking?” I opened Yusuf Ali’s translation of the Holy Quran, at chapter 114, Surat An-Nas, or The Chapter of Mankind, the last chapter of the Quran, and showed him the formula at the head of the chapter, and the meaning:

‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful’.

And the heading of chapter 113, and the meaning: ‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful’. And every chapter downwards 112, 111, 110,..was the same formula and the same meaning on every page, because the end surahs (chapters) are short and take about a page each. And what did the prophecy demand? ‘..Which he shall speak in My Name’; and in whose name does Muhammad speak? In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

The Prophecy is being fulfilled in Muhammad to the letter; every chapter of the Holy Quran except the 9th begin with the formula: ‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful’. The Muslim begins his every lawful act with the Holy formula. But the Christian begins: ‘In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.’

Concerning Deuteronomy chapter eighteen, I have given you more than 15 reasons as to how this prophecy refers to Muhammad and not to Jesus.

Baptist Contradicts Jesus

In New Testament times, we find that the Jews were still expecting the fulfillment of the prophecy of One like Moses, refer John 1:19-25.

When Jesus claimed to be the Messiah of the Jews, the Jews began to esquire as to where was Elias? The Jews had a parallel prophecy that before the coming of the Messiah, Elias must come first in his second coming. Jesus confirms this Jewish belief:

“Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not,.. then the Disciples understood that he spoke unto them of John the Baptist.” (Mathew 17:11-13).

According to the New Testament the Jews were not the ones to swallow the words of any would-be Messiah. In their investigations they underwent intense difficulties in order to find their true Messiah. And this the Gospel of John confirms: “And this is the record of John (the Baptist), when the Jews sent priests and levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who art thou?’, and he confessed and denied not; but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ’ ” (This was only natural because there can’t be two Messiahs at the same time. If Jesus was the Christ then John couldn’t be the Christ!) “And they asked him: ‘What then? Art thou Elias?’ And he saith: ‘I am not’ ” Here John the Baptist contradicts Jesus! Jesus says that John is Elias and John denies that he is what Jesus ascribes him to be. One of the two (Jesus or John), God forbid!, is definitely not speaking the truth!

On the testimony of Jesus himself, John the Baptist was the greatest of the Israelite prophets: “Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women, there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).

We Muslims know John the Baptist as Yahya. We revere him as a true prophet of Allah. The Holy Prophet Jesus known to us as Eesa, is also esteemed as one of the mightiest messenger of the Almighty. How can we Muslims impute lies to either of them? We leave this problem between Jesus and John for the Christians to solve, for their “Sacred Scriptures abound in discrepancies which they have been glossing over as the ‘dark sayings of Jesus’ ” (See the Times Magazine December 30th, 1974, article How true is the Bible?).

We Muslims are really interested in the last questions posed to John the Baptist by the Jewish elite – Art thou that prophet? And he answered, “No.”(John 1:21).

Three Questions!

Please note that three different and distinct questions were posed to John the Baptist, and to which he gave three emphatic No’s as answers. To recapitulate:

“Art thou the Christ?”

“Art thou Elias ?”

“Art thou that Prophet?”

But the learned men of Christendom somehow only see two questions implied here. To make doubly clear that the Jews definitely had three separate prophecies in their minds when they were interrogating John the Baptist. Let us read the remonstrance of the Jews in the verses following:

“And they asked him, and said unto him: ‘Why baptizest thou then, if

thou be not that Christ..

nor Elias..

neither that Prophet ?’ ”

(John 1:25).

The Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies: a. the coming of Christ. b. the coming of Elias, and c. the coming of that Prophet.

“That Prophet”

If we look up any Bible which has a concordance or cross-references, then we will find in the marginal note where the words the Prophet, or that Prophet occur in John 1:25, that these words refer to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18. And that that Prophet – the Prophet like Moses – “Like unto thee”, we have proved through overwhelming evidence that he was Muhammad and not Jesus!

Muslims are not denying that Jesus was the Messiah, which word is translated as Christ. We are not contesting the Thousand and One Prophecies which the Christians claim abound in the Old Testament foretelling the coming of the Messiah. What we say is that Deuteronomy 18:18 does not refer to Jesus Christ but it is an explicit prophecy about the prophet Muhammad!.”

The Dominee, very politely parted with me by saying that it was a very interesting discussion and he would like me very much to come one day and address his congregation on the subject. A decade and half has passed since then but I am still awaiting that privilege.

I believe the Dominee was sincere when he made the offer, but prejudices die hard, and who would like to loose his sheep?

The Acid Test

To the Lambs of Christ I say, why not apply that acid test which the Master himself wanted you to apply to any would be claimant to prophethood? He had said:

“By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes from the thorns, of figs from the thistles? Every good tree will bear good fruit and every evil tree will bear evil fruit… By their fruits ye shall know them”. (Mathew 7:16-20).

Why are you afraid to apply this test to the teachings of Muhammad? You will find in the Last Testament of God, the Holy Quran, the true fulfillment of the teachings of Moses and Jesus which will bring to the world the much needed peace and happiness. George Bernard Shaw was quoted as saying:

“If a man like Muhammad were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness.”

The weekly news magazine Time dated July 15, 1974, carried a selection of opinions by various historians, writers, military men, businessmen an others on the subject: “Who were History’s Great Leaders?” Some said that it was Hitler; others said Gandhi, Buddha, Lincoln and the like. But Jules Masserman, a United States psychoanalyst, put the standards straight by giving the correct criteria wherewith to judge. He said: “Leaders must fulfill three functions:

Provide for the well-being of the led,

Provide a social organization in which people feel relatively secure, and

Provide them with one set of beliefs.”

With the above three criteria he searches history and analyses Hitler, Pasteur, Gaesar, Moses, Confucius and the lot, and ultimately concludes: “People like Pasteur and Salk are leaders in the first sense. People like Ghandi and Confucius, on one hand, and Alexander, Caesar, and Hitler on the other, are leaders in the second, and perhaps the third sense. Jesus and Buddha belong in the third category alone. Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Muhammad, who combined all three functions. To a lesser degree, Moses did the same.”

According to the objective standards set by the professor of the Chicago University, Jesus and Buddha are nowhere in the picture of the “Great Leaders of Mankind”, but by a queer coincidence groups Moses and Muhammad together, thus adding further weight to the argument that Jesus is not like Moses, but Muhammad is like Moses. Deut 18:18 “Like unto thee”, like Moses!

In conclusion, I end with a quotation of a Christian Reverend the commentator of the Bible, followed by that of his Master:

“The ultimate criterion of a true prophet is the moral character of his teaching.” (Prof. Dummelow).

“By their fruits ye shall know them.” (Jesus Christ)

A concluding suggestion : come let us reason together!

“Say: ‘O People of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah (God); that we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, lords and patrons other than Allah (God)’. If then they turn back, say: ‘Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (Bowing to God’s Will).’ ” (the Holy Quran 3:64)

People of the Book is the respectful title given to the Jews and the Christians in the Holy Quran. The Muslims are here commanded to invite, O People of the Book!, O Learned People!, O People who claim to be the recipients of Divine Revelation, of a Holy Scripture; let us gather together onto a common platform, “that we worship none but Allah (God)”, because none but God is worthy of worship, not because “The Lord thy God is a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me.” (Exodus 20:25). But because He is our Lord and Cherisher, our Sustainer and Evolver, worthy of all praise, prayer and devotion.

In the abstract the Jews and the Christians would agree to all the three propositions contained in this Quranic verse. In practice they fail. Apart from doctrinal lapses from the unity of the One True God, Allah, may He be praised, there is the question of a consecrated Priesthood (among the Jews it was hereditary also), as if a mere human being – Cohen or Pope, or Priest, or Brahuman, – could claim superiority apart from his learning and the purity of his life, or could stand between man and God in some special sense. Islam does not recognize priesthood!.

The Creed of Islam is given to us here in a nutshell from Holy Quran:

“Say ye: ‘We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes (of the Children of Israel), And that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah (in Islam).’ ” (the Holy Quran 2:136).

The Muslim position is clear. The Muslim does not claim to have a religion peculiar to himself. Islam is not a sect or an ethnic religion. In its view all religion is one, for the Truth is one:

“It was the same religion preached by all the earlier prophets.” (the Holy Quran 42:13).

It was the truth taught by all the inspired Books. In essence it amounts to a consciousness of the Will and Plan of God and a joyful submission to that Will and Plan. If anyone wants a religion other than that, he is false to his own nature, as he is false to God’s Will and Plan. Such a one cannot expect guidance, for he has deliberately renounced guidance.

This book is also available under the title, ‘Atnatu – A Novel Concept of God.’

Say: “Call upon Allah or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (Holy Quran 17:110)

CHAPTER ONE: BELIEF IN GOD UNIVERSAL

WHAT IS HIS NAME?

At the end of my public talk on the subject – “MUHAMMAD (PBUH) the Natural Successor to CHRIST (PBUH)” at question time, a Christian Missionary posed the question: “What is His Name?” Meaning thereby as to the name of God. I stood up to answer. But before I opened my mouth, he spoke into the mike, provided for questioning, that he would answer his own question. I said, “You posed the question so the obligation is on me to reply to your question”. He said, “Yes, but I will answer the question.” (Laughter in the audience). He was actually begging for an opportunity to be heard. Where else on earth would he get such a large audience, and that at the Muslim’s expense, to preach. I said, “Carry on!” (Give him enough rope to hang himself). After some rambling, he concluded that the name of God was “JESUS CHRIST!”

It was not the time, at that meeting; nor is it expedient here to discuss the subject fully – “IS JESUS GOD?” It is enough, for the moment, to say that in the language of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (Peace be upon them all) the name of God Almighty is ALLAH! Proof will be provided in Chapter 4.

Belief in God is ingrained in the nature of man. As long as man existed on earth, the knowledge of God Almighty also co-existed. As Professor Max Fuller in his Hibbert Lectures said:

“RELIGION IS NOT A NEW INVENTION. IT IS, IF NOT AS OLD AS THE WORLD, AT LEAST AS OLD AS THE WORLD WE KNOW. THERE NEVER WAS A FALSE GOD NOR WAS THERE EVER A FALSE RELIGION, UNLESS YOU CALL A CHILD A FALSE MAN. ALL RELIGION, SO FAR AS I KNOW THEM, HAD THE SAME PURPOSE. ALL WERE LINKS IN A CHAIN WHICH CONNECTS HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND WHICH HELD, AND ALWAYS WAS HELD, BY ONE AND THE SAME HAND.”

This is truly a very charitable attitude; truly Islamic. Allah subha nahu wa ta-aala (God Almighty) tells us in the Holy Quran:

And there never was a people without a warner having lived among them (in the past). (Holy Quran 35: 24)

But thou art truly a warner and to every people a guide. (Holy Quran 13:7)

GOD NOT PARTIAL

If God Almighty is not partial to His creatures with regard to material blessings like – fresh-air, rain, sun-shine etc., why should He be partial in regard to His spiritual blessings (The Guidance of God)? He has not been partial! There is no nation or language group on earth who does not know God by some name. This knowledge was given by the Creator Himself through the lips of His chosen messengers. The names of a very few of these messengers we know, the rest have been lost or clouded in superstition.

Though all theology (knowledge of God) originated with God, mankind played fast and loose with those pure and holy concepts, adding frills and adornments where no embellishments was needed – it despoiled the language. In the words of Mrs. Ellen G. White, a “prophetess” of the 7th Day Adventist Movement, in her Bible Commentary it is said:

“LEARNED MEN HAD IN SOME INSTANCES CHANGED THE WORDS, THINKING THAT THEY WERE MAKING IT PLAIN, WHEN IN REALITY THEY WERE MYSTIFYING THAT WHICH WAS PLAIN.”

In the Religious Annals of the world, the Jewish and Christian Scriptures called the Holy Bible abound with graphic examples of portraying God after man’s own pattern:

IMPERFECT DESCRIPTIONS OF GOD

LIKE A MAN (Genesis 11:5)
“And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.”

MOSES SEES GOD’S BACK PARTS? (Exodus 33:23)
“And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.”

WRESTLES WITH JACOB (Genesis 32:28)
“And He (God) said, thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and has prevailed.”

LIKE ONE DRUNK (Psalm 78:65)
“Then the Lord awakened as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.”

REGRETS MAKING MAN (Genesis 6:6)
“And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

SMELLS SWEET FLAVOUR (Genesis 8:21)
“And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart…”

A CROUCHING LION (Numbers 24:9)
“He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up?”

DEVOURING FIRE (Exodus 24:17)
“And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.”

RESTED AND REFRESHED (Exodus 31:17)
” … in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested AND WAS REFRESHED.”

Out of the encyclopaedia of 73 Books of the Roman Catholics and 66 Books of the Protestants called the “BIBLE”, endless number of quotations can be culled to fill a book larger than this publication to illustrate man’s various imperfect descriptions of God. The above examples will suffice, I hope.

In the realm of the spirit, no nation has had as much opportunities as the children of Israel. And despite repeated warnings to the effect that: ‘THY GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD, HE SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GOD BEFORE HIM, NOT EVEN OF THE LIKENESS OF THE THINGS ON EARTH, OR IN THE HEAVENS ABOVE, OR IN THE WATERS BENEATH THE SEA … (Exodus 20:3-5), they took the golden calf for worship, and again and again reverted into idolatry. Nor is the bulk of Christendom any freer from this taint. Visit St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, or St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome and you will have very little to distinguish them from the Temple of Somnath in India. It is a question of Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee.3 You do not really have to go to England or Italy to verify my statement. Why not an inspection in loco to an Anglican or a Roman Catholic Cathedral in your own home town!

CHAPTER TWO: THE CONCEPTS

In the religious terminology of the world, we will find that every “son of man” in his own way, in his own dialect has given some beautiful attributive name for the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth.

THE ZULU CONCEPT

In our own country, South Africa, the Zulus, a very virile and militant people – a nation akin to the Qureish of pre- Islamic Arabia – have given a name to God Almighty – uMVELINQANGI. This word when properly articulated in its own dialect, sounds identical to the Arabic word Walla-hu-gani, meaning – “And Allah is Rich” (Bounteous). It also sounds like “Allegany” of the Red Indians of North America (Remember their ALLEGANY mountain). The origin or real meaning of the word “Allegany,” is not commonly known to the American people. But ask any Zulu as to who or what this uMvelinqangi is and he will surely explain to you in Zulu:

HAWU UMNIMZANI! UYENA, UMOYA OINGCWELE. AKAZALI YENA, FUTHI AKAZALWANGA; FUTHI, AKUKHO LUTMO OLU FANA NAYE.”

Believe me, this is almost a word for word translation of Sura Ikhlas, Chapter 112 of the Holy Quran:

Say: He is Allah the One and Only; Allah the Eternal Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him. (Holy Quran 112: 1-4)

ALMOST ISLAMIC

Now, compare the above verses with my free translation of what the Zulu actually said:

“Oh Sir! He is a pure and Holy Spirit, He does not beget and He is not begotten, and further there is nothing like Him.”

Every African tribe, South of the Zambesi River, that is, in Southern Africa, have given different names to the Almighty – Tixo, Modimo, uNkulunkulu, etc., and each and every African language group will take pains to explain the same pure and holy concept as the Zulu. It is to the glory of the African nations that though they had no written languages, and hence no written records, therefore not being able to recount the names of their respective prophets, yet not a single one of the tribes ever stooped down to worshipping idols or images of either of men or animals, until the White man first introduced his religion and gave the African his anthropomorphic concept of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, and brought the African down to bowing before the statues of Jesus, Mary, St. Joseph, St. Christopher and so on.

Out of the dozens of African tribes inhabiting this part of the world, not a single one of them ever made “umfanegisos” (images) of their God. Yet they were capable of carving out of wood, elephants and lions, and reproducing men and women also, in clay. Besides, the Zulus also had some knowledge of metallurgy. When questioned an old Zulu as to the reason, why the Africans did not make umfanegisos of their Gods, he replied, “How could we make images of Him (God Almighty) when we know that He is not like a man, He is not like a monkey, or an elephant or a snake: He is not like anything we can think of or imagine. He is a pure and Holy Spirit.”

LIKE THE ARABS

This term, uMVELINQANGI, though well known to the Zulus, was not commonly used. Again they were like the pagan Qureish of Pre-Islamic Arabia who knew the name Allah, but passed Him by, because they felt that He was too High, too Pure, too Holy to be approached, so they went for their substitutary and imaginary gods – their Al-Lats, AI-Uzzas and Al-Manats and a hundred besides. The Zulus too would not call upon uMvelinqangi directly, but he was better than the Arab of the Ayyam-ul-jahiliyya (days of ignorance), because he did not go after false gods; he only invoked the spirits of his ancestors to intercede with uMvelinqangi on his behalf, exactly as the Catholics do in invoking the Virgin Mary and the Saints.

The more common term used by the Zulus for their God is uNKULUNKULU which literally means – the Greatest of the Great or the Mightiest of the Mighty (Almighty). More colloquially when taking oath, they would exclaim “iNkosi phe-Zulu” meaning – the Lord Above (knows), or the God in Heaven (knows), or Heaven knows, that I am speaking the truth. The word “zulu” in the language of the Zulu literally means High Heaven, and they consider themselves to be superior to the numerous other tribes of Southern Africa, being in this respect like the Qureish among the dwellers of the desert before Islam.

CONCEPT FROM THE EAST

The Hindi word for God Almighty is PRAMATMA. In Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, “Atma” meant the soul, and “Pram-atma” meant the Great and Holy Soul, or the Holy Spirit, which is really a beautiful description of the “Father” in Heaven. The Bible says, “God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Not in form, shape or size, but in SPIRIT.

Despite his pantheistic interpretation of the Divinity, the name the Hindu gives the Supreme Being, in his classical language, is OM (Aum), which means Guardian or Protector. A very suitable attribute about which the Muslim can have no misgivings.

CONCEPT FROM THE WEST

The Anglo/Saxon and the Teuton in their own and other allied European languages call their object of worship “GOD” or words of similar sound and import, i.e.

God in English;

Got in Afrikaans (the language of the descendants of the Hollandse people in South Africa);

Gott in German; and

Gudd in Danish, Swedish and Norwegian languages.

The ancient Phoenicians called their God – ALLON – (not far from Allah if we could only hear it articulated), and the Canaanites ADO. The Israelites not only shared the word EL with the original people of Palestine, but borrowed the name of their chief deity – ADO and turned it into ADONAI, and everywhere the four-letter word YHWH occurred in their Holy Scriptures, they read “Adonai” instead of “Yahuwa.” You will not fail to notice the resemblance between the Jewish Adonai and the heathen Adonis. ADONIS was a “beautiful godling loved by Venus” in the Greek pantheon.

THE LATIN CONCEPT

In the Latin-dominated languages of Western Europe, where Latin had remained dominant in learning and diplomacy for centuries, the chief term used for God is DEUS:

Deus in Portuguese;

Dieu in French;

Dio in Italian;

Dies in Spanish;

Dia in Scotch and Irish; and

Duw in Welsh.

Surprisingly in all the languages above, Deus and all the similar sounding words mean heaven.

Moulana Vidyarthi, in his monumental work – “Muhammad in World Scriptures,” devotes a hundred pages to the names of God in the different languages. And out of a list of 155 attributive names, over 40 of them use the word “Heaven” or the “Above,” in their language in describing God. Though the Muslim chants the Asma-ul-husna (the most beautiful names), 99 as derived from the Holy Quran with the crowning name, ALLAH; “Heaven” is not one of those ninety-nine attributes. Symbolically, heaven may be described as the abode of God, and in the words of Wordsworth in Tintern Abbey:

WHOSE DWELLING IS THE LIGHT OF SETTING SUNS, AND THE ROUND OCEAN AND THE LIVING AIR, AND IN THE BLUE SKY, AND IN THE MIND OF MAN: A MOTION AND A SPIRIT THAT IMPELS ALL THINKING THINGS, ALL OBJECTS OF ALL THOUGHTS, AND ROLLS THROUGH ALL THINGS.

CONCEPT FROM BEYOND THE FAR EAST

Among all the 155 tantalizing names of God in the various tongues, the one that tickled me most was – “A-T-N-A-T-U!” – and this I have adopted as a title of my book, instead of the original title promised – “What is His Name!” for this present publication.

WHAT IS SO FUNNY OR SO NOVEL ABOUT ATNATU?

The aborigine of South Australia calls his God “Atnatu” because some philosopher, poet or prophet had programmed him, that the Father in Heaven is absolutely free from all needs; He is independent; He needs no food nor drink. This quality, in his primitive, un-inhibited language, he conversely named ATNATU, which literally meant “the One without an anus – the One without any flaw” – i.e. the One from Whom no impurity flows or emanates. When I started sharing this novel idea with Hindu, Muslim and Christian friends, without exception, their immediate reaction was one of mirth, they giggled and laughed. Most of them not realizing that the joke was on them. The boot was on the other foot. Though the word “anus” is a very small word, only four letters in English, most people have not heard it. One is forced to use the colloquial substitute which I hesitate to reproduce here, nor will I use the same in public meetings because of people’s hypersensitivity – because in the words of Abdullah Yusuf All, people “HAD PERVERTED THEIR LANGUAGE ONCE BEAUTIFUL, INTO JARGONS OF EMPTY ELEGANCE AND UNMEANING FUTILITY.”

Therefore to ease the situation, in a round-about-way let us say that where you have an “input,” you must allow for an “output.” The one who eats, must have the call of nature – the toilet or the bush – and our primitive friend smelt the need, which he could never attribute to his Creator. Therefore, he called his God – ATNATU! ‘The one without the excretory system or its tail end’.

GOD EATS NOT!

This novel concept of God by primitive man, is not really altogether novel. God Almighty conveys the same truth to mankind, as in His Last and Final Revelation – The Holy Quran – but in a language so noble, so sublime, as befitting its Author. But because of its very finesse, and refined manner of expression we have overlooked the Message. We are commanded to say to all those who wish to wean us from the worship of the One True God -

Say: “Shall I take for my protector any other than Allah the Maker of the heavens and the earth? And He is that feedeth but is not fed.”

In other words, we are made to declare that – “WE WILL NOT TAKE ANYONE AS OUR LORD AND PROTECTOR, OTHER THAN ALLAH, WHO IS THE WONDERFUL ORIGINATOR OF THE UNIVERSE.” And if any have misgivings about his so called “man-gods” or “god-men,” then bring him down to earth, for our God is the One who feeds but is not fed. He is not, in need of food. Does your man-god eat? Or doesn’t he? If he does, then he MUST submit to the call of nature – OUR GOD EATS NOT! How simple the logic, yet how stupendous the argument. Alas! We need primitive man to remind us of the potency of our weapons. We have lost the art or the knack of propagation, because for a good many centuries we have stopped preaching Islam to those around us.

The Christians are knocking at our doors. Only the spiritually blind and the “ostriches” in our midst cannot see. Kuwait had just one Arab Christian family about fifty years ago. Today there are 35 Churches in that little country. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian sect which originated in the U.S.A. a hundred years ago, are claiming that the 2nd largest group of Jehovah’s Witnesses outside their country of origin, is the Muslim country of Nigeria.

In Indonesia, the largest Muslim populated country in the world, there are over 6000 full-time Christian missionaries (Muballighs), not priests, parsons or ministers attached to their respective Churches, but propagators (Crusaders) of their Faith to the non-Christians – harassing “the heathen,” as they call them. These Christians missionaries have more private air-strips of their own than the Indonesian Government has. They have mission ships that anchor off the islands, because Indonesia is a country of over 2000 islands, which have no harbor or docking facilities. They invite the native for refreshment and entertainment on board the ship and subtly initiate them into their blasphemy. In their operation code named “over-kill,” they are aiming to make Indonesia a Christian Nation by the turn of the century. Of the over 60,000 missionaries raising dust throughout the world, more than half of them occupied in Africa. Africa the only Muslim continent today, is now being assailed by these modern day Crusaders who aim at making it a Christian continent, this again, by the turn of the century. Our armor, sword and shield in this battle of Faiths are in the Quran, we have been chanting it for centuries to accumulate sawab (spiritual blessings) only; but now we must bring them forth into the battle field.

DID JESUS EAT FOOD?

Christ the son of Mary was no more than an Apostle; many were the Apostles that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth makes His Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth! (Holy Quran 5:75)

The House of Islam acknowledges that Jesus Christ, the son of Mary was one of the mightiest of Messengers of God. It acknowledges that he was born miraculously, without any male intervention; that he was the Messiah; that he gave life to the dead, by God’s permission; and that he healed the blind and the lepers, by God’s permission – BUT DID HE NOT EAT FOOD?

“And they gave him (Jesus) a piece of broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he (Jesus) took it, and did eat before them.” – (Luke 24:42-43)

Further, the mother of Jesus was a woman of truth, a pious and saintly woman – BUT DID SHE NOT EAT FOOD? Can’t you see the implications? Do we need an Australoid (the aborigine of South Africa) to remind us? Indeed, we do! In this battle for the hearts and minds of people, we need his “Atnatu.” In his simple rustic language, in his childish puerile way, he is telling the world that his God eats not. That the one who eats can never be his God, because he would not be ATNATU. Our primitive brother had no inhibitions. He called a spade a spade.

THE “MOHAMMEDANS”?

The Westerner is an adept at concocting names. When he invented the incandescent lamp, he called his light-bulbs or globes, “MAZDA LAMPS”. Mazda happens to be the “god of light” of the Zoroastrians. In South Africa today, the European is making a great success with the sale of his “RAMA” Margarine. Rama happens to be the “man-god” of a substantial number of our population here. The white man calls himself, Christian, because he is a worshipper of Christ. He calls the worshipper of Buddha a Buddhist, and with the same logic he calls the Muslim a “Mohammedan” presuming that he is a worshipper of Muhammad. But the fact of the matter is, there is no such creature among the thousand million Muslims of the world.

Let us assume that there were such a lunatic, a worshipper of Muhammad (May the Blessings of Allah be upon him) who would in his misguided zeal be called a “Mohammedan.” Now if this so-called “Mohammedan,” in his zeal, went among the primitives of South Australia and with all fan-fare preached his “Mohammedenism,” urging this poor, backward nation, and asked them to accept Muhammad as their god. You could then well imagine this child of nature asking our deluded brother, “Was Muhammad ‘Atnatu’?” The answer will of course be, “No!;” even from our lunatic. What about the heroes and heroines of the world who are worshipped today by the millions of civilized men and women in our own day?

Present your candidates one by one to the native – Why don’t you try with your real or imagined “man-gods” or “goddesses” – and he will hit you for a “sixer” (over the boundary, as in cricket) every time with his “boomerang,” with his “ATNATU!” Is he not higher in his concept of God than the millions in Europe and America, and in Asia and Africa?

PROGRESS IN REGRESSION!

Just picture the American who lands on the moon, and his tribe who sit at home monitoring happenings on the lunar surface and also in the world by means of their satellites, like “gods” with a finger on every pulse. Marvelous, isn’t it? Remember the Bay of Bengal Tragedy? The Americans warned Pakistan about the impending tidal wave. Remember the Ramadaan War in 1973? The Americans warned Israel that the Arabs were on the move. But neither heeded the warning. These same Americans, despite all their depravity wield a power greater than all the “man-gods” put together. Yet this mighty nation and their counterparts in Europe and the world, are worshipping men and monkeys – Nay! The very devil himself! (“The Satan Cult”) How is, this possible?

But Satan made (to the wicked) their own acts seem alluring: he is also their patron today. (Holy Quran 16:63)

Hero and Hero-worshipping is ingrained in man. If he will not worship God, then he will worship something else. But worship he must. What can be better than a handsome man or a beautiful woman, who is one of his own kind? Anthropomorphism, a system in which man conceives of God after his own likeness is traditional. It is modern as well as ancient. Mankind thinks of God as one like himself, in his own image. Does not the Christian Bible say, in the very first chapter of the very first Book?

“And God said, Let us make man in our own image…” (Genesis 1:26)

As to the word “image,” God is not talking about a physical, human likeness, which is not far from a certain family of apes. Little wonder that Darwin claimed that the monkeys are our ancestors! No! We are made in the spiritual image of the Beneficent. We are one with Him in attributes. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, ‘IMBUE THYSELF WITH DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.” As Allah is Holy, we must be holy. As He is just, justice being his attribute, we must imbibe justice. As He is Merciful, we must portray mercy, and so on with each of the 99 attributes of God from the Book of Allah – The Holy Quran. None can be one with God physically, because He is not a physical Being.

THE THREE HYPOSTASES OF THE TRINITY

The poor benighted Christians misunderstood the word “image” as well as the word “us” in the preceding quotation at the very beginning of the Bible. Christians interpret the word “us” to imply the existence of a combination of “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” of their Holy Trinity. They fail to realize that in Hebrew as well as in Arabic there are two types of plurals. There is a plural of numbers as well as that of respect and honor. Here is a plural of honor which you might not have noticed: – the quotation from the Holy Quran about Jesus and his mother, observe the words – “SEE! HOW CLEAR WE MAKE FOR THEM OUR MESSAGES.” No Muslim ever understood by these plurals, a plurality in the Godhead, neither did any Christian Arab or Jew. Ask any Jew who knows Hebrew as to the number of gods in his Hebrew “US” from the first chapter of his Torah, and he will confirm without any hesitation what I am telling you.

THE GODS OF APARTHEID

The deluded souls among mankind not only imagined God in their own likeness physically, but they also gave him a racial bias and racial characteristics:

“ETHIOP GODS HAVE ETHIOP LIPS BRONZE CHEEKS AND WOOLLY HAIR; THE GRECIAN GODS ARE LIKE THE GREEKS AS KEEN-EYED, OLD AND FAIR.” – (Anonymous)

The Greeks and the Romans jettisoned their Minervas, Appolos and Hercules’ and opted for the newest of “man-gods” two thousand years ago, namely, Jesus Christ. These Romans became the pioneers of their mythology couched in a fresh garb to the nations of Western Europe who were tiring of their Thors and Wodenses and so took on the new creed with alacrity.

In turn the Europeans inflicted their tri-theology on their colonies. They gave a man-god, more handsome than the “gods” of the natives. And look how they have transformed him in pictures, sculptures and in the movies. He has blond hair, blue eyes, handsome angular features like those of Jeffrey Hunter in the film “King of Kings.” But no! He does not look anything like the Jew with his proverbial polly-nose. The new “god” is more English/German/Scandinavian, in his bone structure. A white, “man-god,” as against a blue “man-god.” (Rama and Krishna are usually painted blue in Hindu religious pictures). Compare the portraittures and you will pity the subjected people for falling “out of the frying pan into the fire.”

MUSLIMS’ DUTY

We Muslims really have done nothing for the benighted millions of the world. We should rescue them from their shirk, or else they will take us down with them to perdition, here as well as in the hereafter. There are many millions more worshiping man-gods today on Allah’s good earth, than those worshipping the one true God – Allah subha-nahu-wa-ta aala. The miseries in the Muslim world exist because of our utter neglect in sharing the Din-ul-lah (The Religion of God) with the nations of the world. Propagation of the Faith is the Awwal (the first) Fard (obligation) of the Muslim. Discount this Pillar of Islam at your own peril. You know that Allah’s whip makes no noise. How can you play your part! Simply by memorizing a single verse of the Holy Quran. The one from page 15 of this booklet. Write it down on a piece of cardboard, together with its meaning, and memorize the words of Allah with the meaning – phrase by phrase – as you see it, and do not let the card go out of your pocket or your handbag until you have transferred it into your God-given computer, the brain. With just this one verse, and with the aborigine’s boomerang (his “Atnatu”) you are set to rout every breed of anthropomorphism inflicting Allah’s creatures. This is your privilege and the destiny of Islam. Allah says:

…That He may make It (ISLAM) prevail over all (FALSE) religion, however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to other than Allah. (Holy Quran 61:9)

Do you really believe Allah’s promise?

…THE PROMISE OF ALLAH IS TRUE… (Holy Quran 4:122)

CHAPTER THREE: WHO IS JEHOVAH?

Astonishing as it may sound, it is an admitted fact that prior to the sixteenth century, the word “Jehovah,” was unheard of. Whenever the origin of this word appeared in its true Hebrew form in Jewish Scriptures (read from right to left as in Arabic) Yet, Huh, Wav, Huh; or Y.H.W.H. these four letters were preceded by a substitute word “Adonai,” to warn the reader that the following word was not to be articulated. The Jews took meticulous care in repeating this exercise in their “Book of God” six thousand, eight hundred and twenty-three times – interpolating the words “Adonai” or “Elohim.” They sincerely believed that this awesome name of God was never to be pronounced. This prohibition was no ordinary affair: it called for a penalty of death on one who dared to utter it, and this taboo has been more successful than all the “DO’s” and “DON’T's” of the Ten Commandments put together.

If Jehovah is the name of God Almighty, and if the 27 Books of the New Testament were inspired by Him, then it is an anomaly of the highest order, that He (Jehovah) signally failed to have His Own Name recorded in “His Word” (N.T.) the Christian addition to the Jewish Bible. The Christians claim that they have in their possession over twenty-four thousand so-called “originals” of their Holy Writ in the Greek language, and yet not a single parchment has “Jehovah” written in it. Curiously this “name of God” (?) has been sacrilegiously replaced by the Greek words ky’ri.os and the.os’, which mean ‘Lord’ and ‘God.’ Yet, miracle of miracles – Alleluya! - no devil or saint has been able to eliminate the word “ALLAH” from the so-called New Testament of the Christians.

NEW FANGLED DOCTRINES

A hundred years ago, all of a sudden, more than a hundred new cults and denominations of Christendom mushroomed in the United States of America. The Seventh Day Adventists, the Christian Scientists, the Mennonites, the Christiadelphins, The Jehovah’s Witnesses and the like. The founder of the last named cult, a Judge Rutherford, about whom the orthodox Christians say that he was no “Judge.” This Judge was a voracious book-worm and a prolific writer. He stumbled across the word “Jehovah” which tickled him immensely, and he made a religion out of it.

Judge Rutherford, followed by Charles T. Russell created a new “church,” which in its system of organization and administration is second to none in the world. There is very much we Muslims can learn from their enthusiasm and methodology. Read, “Thirty Years a Watchtower Slave” by Schelin. It is not their theology I am enamoured with but their modus operandi (the way they operate). Read, how this incorrigible sect came very close to conquering Germany before Hitler. Read, about their second come-back in West Germany. Think, why they are making a most concerted effort in Nigeria. Will the system or religion that prevails in Nigeria, be ultimately the norm of the rest of Africa! This giant is the hero of the majority of the African people south of the Sahara. Muslims must reflect.

VIRILE SECT

The “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” have made the most phenomenal progress of all the religious sects of the past hundred years, on a percentage basis. The Bahaies are moving at a snails-pace in comparison, actually receding in ratio with the other Christian off-shoots. These “Witnesses” are the fittest in their fight against the other Christians as well as against the Muslims. Simply because they program themselves five times a week in their “Kingdom Halls,” and what they learn they implement during the week-ends. We Muslims are supposed to be “programmed” five times a day in our daily Salaat, but we have lost the true purpose of this Pillar of Islam. Our Salaat is for earning Sawaab (spiritual blessings) only.

They have made the word JEHOVAH famous. They knock at people’s doors, asking the question – “What is His Name?” The orthodox Christian replies – “God.” They say, “God is not a name, it is an object of worship. What’s His Name?” “Father,” says the orthodox as a second try. “Is your father God?” Of course not! So what is His Name? “JEHOVAH! is His Name,” says the “Witness” to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He has become a professor of this one word. He has made it into a religion.

THE “TETRAGRAMMATON”

Why not for a change ask him, a question or two. Ask him where he got the word Jehovah from? He will surely reply – “From the Holy Bible.” What does it say? Does it spell out the word J-e-h-o-v-a-h? “No,” he will reply. “There is a ‘tetragrammaton’ in the Bible from which the word Jehovah is derived.” What is a tetragrammaton? No one seems to have heard this highly mystical term. In the University of Illinois in the U.S.A. I asked a gathering of students and lecturers whether any one had heard this jaw-breaker! Not one of them knew its meaning! But every Jehovah’s Witness seems to know, even the commonest of them. They have really specialized – ours is a world of specialization. They are Professors of the one word – Jehovah.

What then is a “tetragrammaton!” The Jehovah’s Witness replies, “Y H W H!”

“No!” “What I want to know from you is, what does the word tetragrammaton mean?” You will find him most reluctant in explaining. Either he does not really know, or he is feeling embarrassed in replying. “Tetra,” in Greek means FOUR, and “grammaton,” means LETTERS. It simply means “a four letter word.”

Can you read into Y H W H the word Jehovah? I cannot. “No!”, says the Jehovah’s Witness, “we ought to add vowels to these four consonants to produce the sound. Originally, both Hebrew and Arabic were written without the vowel signs The native of each language was able to read if even without those vowels. Not so the outsider, for whose benefit the vowels were invented.

THE “J” SICKNESS

Let us add the vowels as the “Witness” suggests. YHWH becomes YeHoWaH. Juggle as you like but you can never materialize Jehovah! Ask him, from which hat he drew his “J”. He will tell you that “this is the ‘popular’ pronunciation from the 16th century.” The exact sound of the four letters YHWH is known neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles, yet he is ramming JEHOVAH down everyone’s throats. The European Christians have developed a fondness (sickness) for the letter “J” They add J’s where there are no Jays. Look!

Yael he converts to Joel

Yehuda to Juda

Yeheshua to Joshua

Yusuf to Joseph

Yunus to Jonah

Yesus to Jesus

Yehowa to Jehovah

There is no end to the Westerner’s infatuation for the letter “J.” Now in the busy streets of South Africa, he charges people who carelessly cross them for “jay-walking,” but nobody charges him for converting Jewish (Yehudi) names into Gentile names.

The letters Y H W H occur in the Hebrew (Jewish) Scriptures 6,823 times, boasts the Jehovah’s Witness, and it occurs in combination with the word “Elohim;” 156 times in the booklet called Genesis alone. This combination YHWH/ELOHIM has been consistently translated in the English Bible as “Lord God,” “Lord God,” Lord God,” ad infinitum.

COMMON ORIGIN

What is YHWH; and what is ELOHIM? Since the Jews did not articulate the word YHWH for centuries, and since even the Chief Rabbis would not allow the ineffable to be heard, they have forfeited the right to claim dogmatically how the word is to be sounded. We have to seek the aid of the Arab to revive Hebrew, a language which had once died out. In every linguistic difficulty recourse has to be made to Arabic, a sister language, which has remained alive and viable. Racially and linguistically, the Arabs and the Jews have a common origin, going back to Father Abraham.

Note the startling resemblance between the languages, very often the same sounding words carry identical meaning in both.

HEBREW ; ARABIC ; ENGLISH

Elah ; Ilah ; god

Ikhud ; Ahud ; one

Yaum ; Yaum ; day

Shaloam ; Salaam ; peace

Yahuwa ; Ya Huwa ; oh he

YHWH or Yehova or Yahuwa all mean the very same thing. “Ya” is a vocative and an exclamatory particle in both Hebrew and Arabic, meaning Oh! And “Huwa” or “Hu” means He, again in both Hebrew and Arabic. Together they mean Oh He! So instead of YHWH ELOHIM, we now have Oh He! ELOHIM.

CHAPTER FOUR : ALLAH IN THE BIBLE

The suffix “IM” of the word “ELOHIM” is a plural of respect in Hebrew.

(Remember that in Arabic and Hebrew there are two types of plurals. One of numbers and the other of honor as in Royal proclamations. Since the plural of honor is uncommon in the language of the European, he has confused these plurals to connote a plurality in the “godhead,” hence his justification for his Doctrine of the Holy Trinity – the Father, Son and Holy Ghost).

Hence ELOHIM = ELOH + IM. Now I want you to perform an exercise. Do you see the words: YA-HUWA ELOH-IM? Place your left hand index finger on the first two letters “YA” meaning oh! and the other index finger on the “IM” a plural of respect. What you now have remaining in Huwa Eloh or Huwa Elah. El in Hebrew means god, and Elah or Eloh also stands for the same name – god. Therefore, “Huwa el Elah” or HUWA ‘L LAH, which is identical to the Quranic expression – Huwal lah hu (meaning: HE IS ALLAH) of the verse QUL HUWAL LAH HU AHUD

Say: He is Allah the One and Only; (Holy Quran 112:1)

The above exercise proves that El, Elah and Elohim are not three distinctly different words. They all represent the single Arabic word Allah. This is not my wishful thinking. Please see below. It is a photostatic reproduction of a page from the English Bible, edited by Rev. C. I. Scofield,D.D., with his Bible Commentary· This Doctor of Divinity is well respected among the Bible Scholars of the Christian world. He is backed in his “NEW AND IMPROVED EDITION” of this translation by a galaxy of eight other D.D.’s:

Rev. Henry G. Weston, D.D., LL.D., President Crozer Theological jeminary.

Rev. W. G. Moorehead, D.D., President Xenia (U.I,) Theological Seminary.

Rev. lames M. Gray, D.D., President Moody Bible Institute.

Rev. Elmore Harris, D.D., President Toronto Bible Institute.

Rev. William !. Erdman, D.D., Author “The Gospel of John,” etc.

Rev. Arthur T. Pierson, D.D., Author, Editor, Teacher, etc.

Rev. William L. Pettingill, D.D., Author, Editor, Teacher.

Arno C. Gaebelein, Author “Harmoney of Prophetic Word,” etc.

I have not listed the above luminaries to awe you. They have been unanimous in supporting Rev. Scofield in his “New and Improved” commentary.

Please note that in their comment No. 1 below left, they concur that – “Elohim, (sometimes El or Elah meaning God)” and alternatively spelled “Alah” (line three, third word). All the eight D.D.’s above could not have been blind in dittoing the spelling “Alah” for God. How far were they from the Arabic word spelled – ALLAH – in English, I ask you dear reader? This is Allah’s handiwork, but the Devil (I must give him a capital “D,” he deserves it) was not slow in making a quick come-back through his agents. He succeeded in firing all the D.D.’s responsible for that debacle, and had them replaced by nine others with more impressive degrees than the previous lot. You will find them in the recent reproduction of “The New Scofield Reference Bible.” You will not be able to lay your hands anymore on the Bible with “Alah” in it. The Devil has seen to that.

MY ONLY PLEA

I had made some public statements regarding my discovery of the word “Alah” as alternatively spelled from the usual Christian spelling “Elah.” My plea to the Christians was this that spell the word as you like, with an “A” or an “E”, with a single “L” or double “LL’s”, but for goodness sake pronounce the word correctly, as we Muslims do. Because even with its proper Anglicized spelling – A L L A H: “IT IS SO FAR FROM ITS ARABIC ORIGINAL, WHEN PRONOUNCED WITH A THIN ENGLISH CONSONANT AND FEEBLE VOWELS, THAT MANY AN ARAB MUSLIM WOULD FIND IT UNRECOGNIZABLE.” Says Rev. Kenneth Cragg, the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem in his book, “The Call of the Minaret,” page 36.

As much as the Englishman has the right to dictate to us as to how his language is to be sounded, surely we Muslims have as much right to demand a common courtesy when taking the name of God. We do not wish the word Allah to go into limbo like the “Yahuwa” of the Jews. More than 6000 times the formula “YAHUWA ELAH,” or ya”HUWA ALAH,” or “HUWALLAH,” (He is Allah!) occur in the Hebrew manuscripts of the Jewish Bible, commonly called the “Old Testament,” by the Christians. If this fact is openly acknowledged by the learned men of Christianity and broadcasted as Rev. Scofield had done then the day for Muslims and Christians to worship God together would not be far distant. But the Devil will not have it. Vested interests are involved. Instead of pronouncing the word ALAH correctly, they would rather have the whole word omitted.

QUICK ABROGATION

“Now You See It” – “Now You Don’t” is an old, old gimmick in the West. Compare the above and see how cleverly, how deftly the new band of missionaries expunged the word “Alah” from the “Authorized King James Version” of the Scofield translation of the Bible.

As a guide to one of the largest Mosques in the Southern Hemisphere, the JUMA MUSJID, Durban, my companions and I are often asked by the tourists, “Why Allah?” “Is He another God?” The answer of course is “NO!” There is not another god. The Muslim creed, the Kalima is: “There is no god except Allah!” makes this explicit; every Muslim must utter this unequivocal statement. And the second half of the Kalima: “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” excludes even Muhammad (PBUH) from being associated with Allah in His Divinity. We are made to say, so to say – NOT EVEN MUHAMMAD is god, or object of worship. It is Allah, and Allah alone who is the Only Tue God.

UNIQUE NAME FOR UNIQUE GOD

“We Muslims prefer the Arabic word Allah to the English word God, because this English word God is often misused or misapplied,” I explain to my non-Muslim visitors to the mosque, on their so-called “Oriental Tour” as arranged by the Durban Publicity Bureau, I continue, “On your last port of call, you will be ending off at a Hindu house of Prayer, called a Temple, and there, you might rightfully point out to your children the idols and the images found, as ‘the gods of the Hindus’, and if a Hindu overhears you; he will not mind, he will not be offended, because what you said to your child is actually what he believes. Then, again, we speak of the gods of ancient Greece; of gods and goddesses, who ate and drank, who wrangled and plotted; carried away the wives of other gods.

“Further, in English, if some gentleman was to look after somebody’s child as a guardian, we would say that he is a “godfather” to the child, and the woman – a “god- mother” to the child. And if one tried to be a bit too funny, a bit too clever, one would say -’What do you think of yourself, are you a tin god!’ We spell god with a capital “G” (God), and we spell god with a small “g” (god), which creates in your minds grades and grades of divinities.”

This Arabic word, Allah, is never used in any other sense. There is no such thing as an “Allah-father” or an “Allah-mother” or a “Tin-Allah.” ALLAH is a unique word for the only God. Arabic, like every other language, also has its rules of grammar, but in Arabic you cannot make a plural form for Allah, nor can you make a feminine of Allah. All this is very unlike the English word, God. If you want to make a plural, just add an “s” (Gods); You can make God feminine by adding “dess” (goddess); and you can make God diminutive by adding “ling” (godling). Look at the sheer mockery the Westerner has made of the word “GOD,” and how his fertile imagination has run riot and havoc in denigrating the Glory and Majesty of the Incomparable Creator, sustainer and Cherisher of all the worlds as recorded in the Oxford Dictionary:

You have a variety of choices in the list above. Take your pick like that old woman who lit one candle to St. Michael and another to the Devil. So that whether she went to Heaven or to Hell she would have a friend.

Jupiter the god of Heaven

Pluto the god of Hell

Mars the god of War

Neptune the god of the Sea and

Zeus the god-father of them all

with his many wives and many children. His Hercules, his Appolo, his Horus, his Isis and Osiris. Sheer mythology and rank blasphemy, but to a people who believed in mythology, mythology was no mythology; it was empirical truths. And this terminology of the West blended itself well to paganistic theology, with their “gods” and “goddesses.” BUT ALLAH IS FREE FROM ALL CORRUPTIONS. YOU CAN DO NOTHING WITH THIS WORD IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE ARAB. YOU CANNOT MANIPULATE IT IN ANY WAY!

PEARLS OF FAITH

Here is a passage of great sublimity, summing up in marvelous terse verses the Asma-ul-Husna, the Most Beautiful names of Allah.

Allah is He, than whom there is no other god Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He Most Gracious Most Merciful.

Allah is He than whom there is no other god the sovereign the Holy One the Source of Peace (and Perfection). The Guardian of Faith the Preserver of Safety the Exalted in Might the Irresistible the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (high is He) above the partners they attribute to Him.

He is Allah the Creator the Evolver the Bestower of Forms (or colors). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: Whatever is in the heavens and on earth doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the exalted in Might the Wise.

(Holy Quran 59: 22-24)

Where is there in the religious literature of the world anything to compare with this!

“ALLAH” IN EVERY BIBLE AND IN EVERY LANGUAGE

There is no difficulty in our agreeing that in the languages of the world, every nation has given a distinctive name to God. Most of these names are attributive names, describing some aspect of God. But the proper name for God Almighty in the Semitic languages, i.e. in the mother-tongues of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (Peace be upon them all) is ALLAH! This name is still extant in the Christian Bible in every language of the world. The Christians are boasting that they have translated their Bible into over fifteen hundred languages, more specially the translation of the New Testament. In every Gospel that I have scrutinized in the various languages I find the word “Allah” preserved – English or Afrikaans, Zulu or Swahili. Why not check up in your own dialect to prove me wrong. I would love to hear from you.

If what I claim is Gospel Truth, then how is it that the whole Christian world of over 1,200,000,000 people have not been aware of it. This is what effective programming or brain-washing can do. They have been trained NOT to see the obvious. Did not Jesus bewail:

“Seeing, they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” (Matthew 13:13).

FROM THE LIPS OF JESUS

I ask my Christian visitors, “Do you remember your Gospel narrative, that when Christ was supposed to have been on the cross, he cried out with a loud voice:

“ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34).

The above is a translation from the Greek manuscripts “ACCORDING TO ST. MARK.” Obviously his Hebrew has a Greek accent. Because, his so-called originals were written in Greek. But listen to Matthew, who is supposed to have written his Gospel originally in Hebrew, which was aimed at the Jews. St. Jerome, an early Christian father of the 4th and 5th centuries after Christ, testifies as follows:

“MATTHEW, WHO IS ALSO LEVI, AND WHO FROM A PUBLICAN CAME TO BE AN APOSTLE, FIRST OF ALL THE EVANGELISTS, COMPOSED A GOSPEL OF CHRIST IN JUDEA IN THE HEBREW LANGUAGE AND CHARACTERS, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE OF THE CIRCUMCISION WHO HAD BELIEVED.”

Naturally, Matthew’s accent would be more Semitic (Hebrew and Arabic) than that of Mark. Matthew records the same scene as Mark 15:34, but note the variation of the dialect:

Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me’? (Matthew 27:46).

Please memorize the words – “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani.” (Eli – pronounced like L and I in English) Utter the words – ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI; ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI, to your Christian friends and neighbors and ask them whether these words – “Eli, Eli,” sounds like “Jehovah, Jehovah!” to them? No! is the answer if they are not deaf. Ask further, whether “Eli, Eli,” sounds like “Abba, Abba!” (meaning father, father! in Hebrew) to them! Again the reply will be “No!” if they are not deaf. Can’t they see that the cry is to Allah? “Eli, Eli – Elah, Elah, Allah, Allah!” Let them hear these words from your lips and watch their reactions. No honest person can help agreeing with you.

ALLELUYA!

Now ask your Christian friend, if he had heard the word – “ALLELUYA.” No Christian worth the name will fail to recognize it. Whenever the Christian goes into ecstasy, he exclaims – “Alleluya! Alleluya!”, just as we Muslims might exclaim the Takbir – “Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!” Ask him, what is Alleluya? Take him to the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, Chapter 19; we are informed there that John the disciple of Jesus, saw a vision, in which he heard the angels in heaven singing, Alleluya, Alleluya. Ask him again, what is Alleluya! Is it “hip, hip, hooray; hip, hip, hooray!” Are angels in heaven singing – hip, hip, hoorays to God? Every time when God creates a new galaxy, do the angels exclaim – “hip, hip, hooray!” When He explodes a super-nova, do the angels say, “hip, hip, hooray!”? How absurd!

Then what is Alleluya! The last syllable “YA” is a vocative and an exclamatory particle in both Arabic and Hebrew meaning “OH!” In other words YA = OH, (the vocative); and YA = (!), a note of exclamation, or an exclamatory particle, or as is more commonly known an exclamation mark.

The Semite, both Arab and Jew, begins with the exclamatory particle or exclamation mark. The Westerner, in his language ends with the exclamatory particle or exclamation mark, e.g. Stop! Go! Fire! Bang!

Let us repeat the above Tasbih (words of praise) as an Arab or a Jew: ALLE-LU-YA will be YA-ALLE-LU because, as explained above, YA is always at the beginning in both Arabic and Hebrew.

YA ALLE LU would be YA ALLA HU: Meaning, “OH ALLAH!” (You are the Only Being Who deserves worship and Praise) “OH ALLAH!” (You are the Only Being Who deserves worship and Praise).

Unbiased Christians will not fail to recognize Allah as none other than his – El, Eli, Alle, Elah, Alah, Allah. Call upon Him by any name, for His are the Most Beautiful names, as long as those names are not contaminated and as long as they do not conjure up in our minds the images of men or monkeys howsoever glorified they might have been.

THE CONCEPT OF “GOD THE FATHER”

There are many beautiful attributes of God, which are common to both the Holy Quran and the Holy Bible. A lengthy thesis can be written on this. But a very interesting facet I have discovered in this that among the 99 attributes of God given to us in the Holy Quran the word “Father” is not one of them. If the Holy Prophet was the author of the Holy Quran as his adversaries allege, then how could he have avoided the term – Father – for God, for twenty-three years of his prophetic life! Abb, meaning father in Arabic (Abba in Hebrew), is an easier word than Rabb, meaning Lord and Cherisher; yet the attribute Rabb abounds in the Last and Final Revelation of God. The reason for the omission of the word Abb (father) for describing God Almighty is obvious: MANKIND HAD DENIGRATED THAT BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT OF THE LOVING Father in Heaven to being the Father of the “only begotten son” – to being physically like a human being, because begetting is an animal act, belonging to the lower animal functions of sex.

UNIQUE TO THE QURAN AND CONCLUSION

Say: “Shall I take for my protector any other than Allah the Maker of the heavens and the earth? And He is that feedeth but is not fed.” (Holy Quran 6:14)

No creature who is ever in need of earthly food can be “ATNATU!” If you can make the worshippers of the “man-gods” to apply this touchstone to their heroes, you can retrieve millions from the impending Hell-fire. Learn a lesson from the Australoid (give him one last look on the frontispiece), who despite his abject primitiveness still stands high above the millions of the civilized men and women of both East and West who strut the world today.

GLORY BE TO ALLAH!

And Peace and Salutations upon His Messenger Muhammad for conveying the Message of Cod to mankind. May Allah make us worthy to be his followers, Ameen!

WHO MOVED THE STONE or who ROLLED away the stone? (Mark 16.3) is a question which has worried theologians for the past two thousand years. Mr Frank Morison, a prominent Bible scholar, tried to nail down this ghost(s) in a book bearing the same title as this tract. Between 1930 and 1975 his book has gone through ELEVEN editions. Through all his 192 pages of conjectures he failed to answer ,”WHO MOVED THE STONE?” (Faber and Faber, London).

On page 89 of his book, he writes, “We are left, therefore, with the problem of the vacant tomb unsolved” and proceeds to advance SIX hypotheses, very nearly knocking the proverbial nail on the head with his FIRST supposition, i.e. “THAT JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA SECRETLY REMOVED THE BODY TO A MORE SUITABLE RESTING PLACE”. After confessing that this Joseph “might himself have removed it for private reasons to another place, is one which seems to carry considerable weight” (italics mine), he hurriedly disposes this hypothesis on the flimsiest ground.

As you read on, dear reader, I trust that you as well as Mr. Morison will have a satisfactory answer to this problem.

Let us begin at the beginning of this problem. It was Sunday morning, according to the Bible, the first day of the week, when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus (John 20:1). The first question that bedevils the mind is:

01: WHY DID SHE GO TO THE TOMB?

Ans: The Gospel writers say that she went to “anoint” him. The Hebrew word for anoint is “masaha”, which means – ‘to rub’, ‘to massage’, ‘to anoint’. The word and its meaning are the same in the Arabic language also. From this root word “masaha” we get the Arabic word “MASEEH” and the Hebrew “MESSIAH” both meaning the same thing – “the anointed one” which is translated into Greek as “Christos” from which we derive the word Christ.

02: DO JEWS MASSAGE DEAD BODIES AFTER THREE DAYS?

Ans: ”No!”

03: DO MUSLIMS MASSAGE DEAD BODIES AFTER THREE DAYS?

Ans: ”No!”

04: DO CHRISTIANS MASSAGE DEAD BODIES AFTER THREE DAYS?

Ans: ”No!”

It is common knowledge that within three hours after death, rigor moitis sets in – the breaking up of the body cells – the hardening of the body. In three days the corpse starts rotting from within. If we massage such a rotting body, it will fall to pieces.

05: DOES IT MAKE SENSE THAT MARY MAGDALENE WANTS TO MASSAGE A ROTTING DEAD BODY AFTER THREE DAYS?

Ans: It makes no sense, unless we confess that she was looking for a L-I-V-E Jesus, not a dead one. You will recognize this fact for yourself on analyzing her reactions towards Jesus when she eventually saw through his disguise. You see, she had seen signs of life in that limp body when it was taken down from the cross. She was about the only woman beside Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who had given the final (?) rites to the body of Jesus. This man NICODEMUS somehow, has been deliberately blotted out by the synoptists. The Gospel writers of Matthew Mark and Luke are totally ignorant of this devoted and self-sacrificing disciple of Jesus. His name is NOT even mentioned in the first three Gospels in ANY context. “It is difficult to avoid concluding that the omission in the synoptic tradition of the mysterious disciple was intentional”, says Dr Hugh J Schonfield, one of the world’s leading Biblical scholars.

When Mary of Magdala reached the tomb, she found that the stone had already been rolled away, and the winding sheets bundled on the ledge within the sepulchre. The question now arises:

06: WHY WAS THE STONE REMOVED, AND WHY WERE THE WINDING SHEETS FOUND UNWOUND?

Ans: Because it would be impossible for any tangible material body to come out with the stone blocking the opening, and the same physical body could not walk out with the winding sheets encasing the body. For a resurrected body, it would have been unnecessary to remove the stone or to unwind the winding sheets. Probably having the resurrected, immortalized body, or the spirit of man in mind, a poet said: “STONE WALLS DO NOT A PRISON MAKE, NOR IRON BARS A CAGE”.

While the poor, dejected Mary was investigating the sepulchre, Jesus was watching her from the vicinity. Not from heaven, but from terra firma, from mother earth. We must remember that this tomb was a privately owned property belonging to his “secret disciple” Joseph of Ad mathea – who was a very rich, influential Jew, and one who could afford to have carved a big roomy chamber, out of a rock which according to Jim Bishop (a Christian scholar of note) was 5 feet wide by 7 feet high by 15 feet deep with a ledge or ledges inside Around this tomb was this “secret disciple’s” own vegetable garden. It is hardly expected of any Jew or Gentile to grow vegetables 5 miles out of town for other peoples’ sheep and goats to graze upon’ Surely, this husbandman must have provided his laborers with the gardeners’ quarters to protect his own interests, and perhaps he also had his ‘country home’ around the place where he could relax with his family during the weekends.

Jesus was watching his lady disciple out of whom he had cast out seven devils. He comes up to her. He finds her crying. He questions her “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” (John 20:15).

07: DOSEN’T HE KNOW? WHY DOES HE ASK SUCH A SEEMINGLY SILLY QUESTION?

Ans: He knew why she was crying, and he knew who she was looking for and he was not asking any silly questions. Actually, he was pulling her leg, figuratively of course! He knew that she was looking for him in the tomb, and not finding him there, was crying in her disappointment. He also knew that she would not be able to see through his disguise. Though he had been through an ordeal, he still had that sense of humour to ask her, “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? “SHE SUPPOSING HIM TO BE THE GARDENER, SAITH UNTO HIM” (John 20:15).

08: WHY DID SHE THINK THAT HE (JESUS) WAS A GARDENER? DO RESURRECTED BODIES LOOK LIKE GARDENERS?

Ans: Can you imagine the scene on the RESURRECTION DAY, that you, dear reader, will be made to look like a “gardener” and your father-in-law will also be transformed into a”gardener” and your son-in-law will also be made to look like a “gardener” and your beloved wife will be left in confusion to find her husband! Does this make sense? No! The resurrected body will be you, yourself! Everyone will readily recognise you. It will be the REAL you and not your camouflage. Never mind at what age or under what condition one dies, everyone will know one another. Then why did Mary think that Jesus was a “gardener”?

Ans: Because Jesus was DISGUISED as a gardener.

09: WHY WAS HE DISGUISED AS A GARDENER?

Ans: Because he was AFRAID of the Jews.

010: WHY WAS HE AFRAID OF THE JEWS?

Ans: Because he had not DIED and was not RESURRECTED. If he had DIED and if he was RESURRECTED, he would not have any reason to be AFRAID. Why? Because the resurrected body can’t DIE twice. Who says so? The Bible says so:”… it is ordained unto all men ONCE to die, and after that the judgement.” (Hebrew 9:27). The idea that the resurrected person cannot die TWICE is further supported by what Jesus Christ had most authoritatively pronounced regarding the resurrection.

The learned men of the Jews came to Jesus with a poser, a riddle. They said that there was a woman who had seven husbands in turn. “In the resurrection therefore whose wife shall she be of the seven? For they all had her.” (Matthew 22:28). Jesus could have brushed off the Jews with some curt retort because here was another of their tricks to catch him out. Instead, he has enshrined for us the clearest statement in the Bible regarding the resurrected soul. He said, “Neither shall they die any more, for they are equal unto the angels, and the children of God, for such are the children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36).

“NEITHER SHALL THEY DIE ANYMORE” – that they will be immortalised (For further enlightenment on this aspect please read RESURRECTlON OR RESUSCITATION?). They will not be subjected to death a SECOND time. No more hunger and thirst. No more fatigue or physical dangers. Because the resurrected body will be angelised’ – spiritualised – they will become like spirit creatures, they will become SPIRITS.

Mary Magdalene was not looking for a spirit. She, taking the disguised Jesus to be a gardener, says, “Sir, if you have taken HIM hence, tell me where have you LAID him…” (John 20:15). Note, she is searching for HIM and not IT – a dead body. Further, she wants to know as to where they had LAID him, not as to where they had BURIED him? So that, “I might take HIM away.” (John 20:15).

011: WHAT DOES SHE WANT TO DO WITH A DECOMPOSING CORPSE?

Ans: She wants to put it under her bed? Absurd! She wants to embalm him? Nonsense! She wants to bury him? If so, who dug the grave? No! No! ‘she wants to take him away’.

012: HOW CAN SHE ALONE CARRY A DEAD BODY?

Ans: She is not thinking of a dead, rotting corpse. She is looking for the L-I-V-E Jesus. She is not a “super-woman” of the American comics, who could with ease carry a corpse of at least a hundred and sixty pounds, wrapped with another ‘hundred pounds weight of aloes and myrrh’ (John 19:39) making a neat bundle of 260 pounds. This frail Jewess was not expected to carry this decaying parcel like a bundle of straws. Even if she could carry it, how was she to bury it ALONE? She might have had to dump it in some hole like a heap of rubbish. But dumping and burying are poles apart. She was looking for a Jesus who was very much alive, a Jesus she could hold by the hand and take him home for rest, relaxation and recuperation, “so that, I might take him away”.

The joke that Jesus was playing on this woman had gone too far. During the whole course of the dialogue between Mary and Jesus, she did not suspect in the least that she was actually talking to her Master. She had failed to see through the gardener’s DISGUISE. Jesus must have been laughing under his breath. He could suppress it no longer. “M.A.R.Y!” he uttered. Only one word, but it was enough. This one word “Mary!” did, all that the exchange of words failed to do. It enabled Mary to recognise Jesus. Everyone has his own unique’ and peculiar way of calling his or her near one or dear one. It was not the mere sound of the name, but the way he must have deliberately intoned it that made Mary to respond – “Master!, Master!” She lunged forward to grab her spiritual master, to pay her respects and to give reverence.

The Muslims, when they meet their learned men, or respected elders or saintly people, hold such person’s right hand in the palm of their own hands and fondly kiss the back of the respected one’s hand. The Frenchman kisses the cheeks to show respect and the Arab kisses the neck. Mary the Jewess would have done what any Muslim might have done under similar circumstances.

When Mary makes the effort, Jesus shies back a step or two, saying, “TOUCH me not,” (John 20:17).

013: I SAY – WHY NOT?

Is he a current of electricity or a dynamo, that if she touches him, she will get electrocuted?

Ans: No! Don’t touch me, because it will hurt.

Though he had given no indication of any physical pain or injury he might have suffered, it would be excruciatingly painful if he now allowed her to touch him with love and affection. Can another reason be advanced for this “Touch me not”? Jesus continues, “For I am not yet ASCENDED unto my Father:” (John 20:17).

014: IS SHE BLIND?

Could she not see that the man she was talking to all the time was standing before her? Does it make any sense when he (Jesus) says that ‘HE IS NOT GONE UP’, when he is DOWN right here.

Ans: What Jesus is telling Mary in so many different words is that ‘HE IS NOT RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD’, for in the colloquial language and idiom of the Jew, the expression, “For I am not yet ASCENDED unto my Father” means “I AM NOT DEAD YET’.

It is a sad fact of history that though the Christian Bible is an Eastern Book, full of eastern metaphors and similes, like – “Let the dead bury their dead” (Matthew 8:22) or “Seeing they see not and hearing they hear not” (Matthew 13:13), all the commentators of the Bible have come from the West. The Western World is made to see a Jewish Book, written by the Jews for a Jewish audience, through Greek and Western glasses. An Eastern book ought to be read as an Easterner would read and understand it. All the problems would then be solved.

The difficulty lies not only in apprehending the correct meaning of the Jewish expressions, but Christendom is so programmed that Christians of every race and language group are made to understand the passages differently or opposite to their literal connotations. I will give examples of this anomaly in Lesson No. 3 under the heading “RESURRECTION OR RESUSCITATION?” In that booklet, I will also endeavor to answer the problem as to why one woman – Mary Magdalene – was not AFRAID when she recognized the DISGUISED Jesus yet ten brave men (the Disciples of Jesus) were PETRIFIED on recognizing their Master in that ‘upper.room’, after his alleged passion.

SIMPLE ANSWER

As to the original question of this pamphlet “WHO MOVED THE STONE?” the answer is so simple and so natural that one is at a loss to understand how this problem has eluded Christian scholars of the highest eminence.

The answer to the question, “WHO ROLLED THE STONE INTO PLACE?” is the answer to the title of this tract. and HE (Joseph of Arimathea) rolled a stone against the door of the tomb” (Mark 15:46). St. Mark is here supported word by word by St. Matthew who in Chapter 27 and verses 60 states that HE (Joseph of Arimathea) rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed”. If this ONE man alone could move the stone into place as witnessed by Matthew and Mark, then let me be more generous in adding the name of the other faithful ‘secret disciple’ – NICODEMUS. It was JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA and NICODEMUS, the two stalwarts who did not leave the Master in the lurch when he was most in need. These two had given to Jesus a Jewish burial (?) bath, and wound the sheets with the “aloes and myrrh”, and temporarily moved the stone into place, if at all; they were the same two real friends who REMOVED THE STONE, and took their shocked Master soon after dark, that same Friday night to a more congenial place in the immediate vicinity for treatment. Reasoning even on the Biblical narration, Jesus was A-L-I-V-E! He had escaped death by the skin of his teeth, as he himself had fortold. Write for your FREE copy of “WHAT WAS THE SIGN OF JONAH?”, as well as for a detailed account of the alleged “crucifixon”, under the heading, “CHRIST CRUCIFIED -Hoax or History?” Those of you who have already mastered Lesson No.1 from the booklet “WHAT WAS THE SLGN OF JONAH?” will now do well to memorise the following verses for your Lesson No.2.

“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him. Sir, if thou hast taken him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

“Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him. Rabboni, which is to say, Master.

“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my father: …” John 20:15-17

APPENDIX

The Muslim reader of this and other allied tracts may be tempted to ask, “Do we Muslims need to use the Bible to get at the Truth of God?”

The answer is an emphatic NO! The Muslim position is very clear:

1) Sin is not inherited.
2) The “Trinity” is a fabrication.
3) Jesus is not God.
4) God does not beget sons or daughters.
5) Christ was neither killed nor crucified.

These doctrines are expounded in the most unambiguous terms in the Holy Qur’an. Why, then, must the Muslim adduce the Christian Scriptures to prove his point of view? This is because we are dealing with a mind which has been programmed from childhood to accept dogmas without reasoning. Today, the Christian is groping for the Truth. He is asking questions which he did not dare to ask a few centuries ago. Questions like:

a) IS JESUS GOD?
b) WHAT WAS THE SIGN OF JONAH?
c) IS THE BIBLE GOD’S WORD?
d) WHO MOVED THE STONE?
e) WAS JESUS CHRIST AN IMPOSTER? (A Christian Magazine “Plain Truth” – April ’77), etc., etc.

It is the duty of the Muslim to help his Christian brethren, “The AhIe-Kitab”, i.e. “THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK” – as they are respectfully addressed in the pages of the Holy Qur’an, in freeing them from the shackles that bind their thinking for the past two thousand years. It instructs us:

110. Ye are the best Of Peoples, evolved For mankind, Enjoining what is right, Forbidding what is wrong, And believing in God, If only the People of the Book Had faith, it were best For them: among them Are some who have faith, But most of them
Are perverted transgressors. Holy Quran 3:110

In this treatise and others, we have used the Christians’ own book of authority, the BIBLE and his own logic, to refute his claims. This is the system which AIIah (Allah: The proper noun for God Almighty in the Semitic languages.) Subha nahu Wa Ta’aala uses when reasoning with His creatures. The Holy Qur’an commands the Muslim to demand from the Jews and the Christians their authority for their fanciful claims that “SALVATION” is exclusively their right:

It says: “Produce your proof if ye are truthful.” Holy Qur’an 2:111

The Christian has already reproduced the Bible in over a thousand languages and broadcasts it to the four corners of the globe, terrifying the nations of the world to accept the “BLOOD OF THE LAMB”, that Christ died for the sins of mankind, that he (Jesus) is the only savior. All this is against the clear evidence of his own Holy Book.

We must free him (the Christian) from his illusions, and there is no better way than to use his own evidence, his own logic, to refute his claims.

“CHRIST” NOT A NAME

Over a thousand million Christians today blindly accept that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. They produce “a thousand and one” prophecies from the Jewish Bible (the Old Testament) to prove their claim that Jesus was the Messiah promised to the Jews. Let us hold the “thousand” prophecies in abeyance for a moment and examine the only unequivocal claim made by Jesus in the Gospels and examine whether he fulfilled his promise to the Jews.

We must admit that the word CHRIST is not a name. It is a title. It is a translation of the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning “anointed.” The Greek word for “anointed” is Christos from which we get the word Christ.

Priests and kings were “anointed” when being consecrated to their office. The Holy Bible confers this title even on a heathen king CYRUS (Isaiah 45:1).

We are reminded in the Gospel of St. Luke that “WHEN EIGHT DAYS WERE ACCOMPLISHED FOR THE CIRCUMCISING OF THE CHILD, HIS NAME WAS CALLED JESUS, WHICH WAS SO NAMED OF THE ANGEL BEFORE HE WAS CONCEIVED IN THE WOMB.” (Luke 2:21). The name that was given to Mary for her yet unborn son was JESUS and NOT Christ. It was only after his baptism at the hands of John the Baptist that he, Jesus, claimed to be the Christ. The Jews were not the ones to accept his claim on its face value. They wanted proof!

MIRACLE AS PROOF

Matthew records that the learned men among the Jews – the Scribes and Pharisees – came to Jesus and asked, “MASTER, WE WOULD SEE A SIGN FROM THEE”. (Matthew 12:38). What they really wanted was some “magic trick,” some “sleight of hand” like producing a rabbit out of a hat or walking on the water or flying in the air or trodding on burning coal. This is the type of “sign” or MIRACLE they were looking for. The Jews mistook him for a sorcerer, a wizard, a charlatan.

NO “SIGN” BUT ONE

With righteous indignation Jesus replies: “AN EVIL AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION SEEKETH AFTER A SIGN; AND THERE SHALL NO SIGN (no miracle) BE GIVEN TO IT, BUT THE SIGN (miracle) OF THE PROPHET JONAS: FOR AS JONAS WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE WHALE’S BELLY; SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH.” (Matthew 12:39-40)

Jesus says, “NO SIGN.” He does not refer the Jews to blind Bartimeus whose sight he had restored. He does not speak about the “woman with issues” who was healed by merely touching him; or about the 2000 pigs he had destroyed to heal “a man possessed;” or the 5000 and the 3000 people he had fed and satiated with a few pieces of fish and a few pieces of bread. ‘No sign,” says Jesus, BUT ONE! -”THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAS!” He is putting all his “eggs” in one basket. His claim to being the Messiah (Christ) stands or falls by the ONLY “sign” he was prepared to give.

Did Jesus fulfil the only sign he gave? Christendom answers with a unanimous Y-E-S! without heeding the Biblical advice – ‘not to take things for granted.’ – but “PROVE ALL THINGS!” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

JONAH FLEES HIS CALL

What was the “sign” (miracle) of Jonah? We have to go to the “Book of Jonah” in the Old Testament to find out. God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh and warn the Ninevites to repent from their “evil ways, and from the violence that is in their hands.” (Jonah 3:8) But Jonah was loath to go as a warner unto the Ninevites, so he goes to Joppa instead of Ninevah, and takes a boat to run away from the Lord’s command.

While at sea, there was a terrible tempest. According to the superstition of the mariners, a person fleeing from his Master’s command creates such a turmoil at sea. They began to enquire among themselves and said, “COME, AND LET US CAST LOTS, (like the tossing of a coin, “head” or “tail”) THAT WE MAY KNOW FOR WHOSE CAUSE THIS EVIL IS UPON US. SO THEY CAST LOTS, AND THE LOT FELL UPON JONAH.” (Jonah 1:7)

Though there was a temporary lapse on the part of Jonah in fulfilling his mission, he manfully and most courageously volunteers: “AND HE SAID UNTO THEM TAKE ME UP, AND CAST ME FORTH INTO THE SEA; SO SHALL THE SEA BE CALM UNTO YOU: FOR I KNOW THAT FOR MY SAKE THIS GREAT TEMPEST IS UPON YOU.” (Jonah 1:12)

DEAD OR ALIVE?

Since Jonah was selflessly offering himself as a “vicarious” sacrifice there was no need for strangling him before throwing him into the sea, no need to spear him or break his arm or limb. In his own words: “TAKE ME UP AND CAST ME FORTH.” The question now arises, that when the shipmaster and the crew threw him overboard, was Jonah dead or alive? Any Christian child who has attended Sunday School will give an immediate reply: “ALIVE!” The storm subsides. Was this perhaps a coincidence? A fish swallows Jonah. Was he dead or alive when swallowed? The answer again is “ALIVE” Was he dead or alive when “JONAH PRAYED UNTO THE LORD HIS GOD OUT OF THE FISH’S BELLY?” (Jonah 2:1)

Surely dead men don’t cry and don’t pray! The answer again is “ALIVE” For three days and three nights the fish takes him around the ocean: dead or alive? “ALIVE!” is the answer. On the third day it vomits him on the seashore: dead or alive? A-L-I-V-E, of course! What had Jesus prophesied about himself? He said: “AS JONAH WAS SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE” “soos Jonah” – “njenga Jonah” – LIKE JONAH. And how was Jonah? Was he dead or alive for three days and three nights? Alive! ALIVE! ALIVE! is the unanimous answer from the Jew, the Christian and the Muslim!

UNLIKE JONAH

If Jonah was alive for three days and three nights, then Jesus also ought to have been alive in the tomb as he himself had foretold! But Christianity hangs on the flimsy thread of the “death” of Jesus for its salvation. So it has to answer that Jesus was DEAD for three days and three nights. The contradiction between his utterance and its fulfilment is obvious. Jonah ALIVE, Jesus DEAD! Very UNLIKE Jonah! Jesus had said “LIKE Jonah” not UNLIKE Jonah. If this is true then according to his own test Jesus is not the TRUE Messiah of the Jews. If the Gospel record is genuine then how can we blame the Jews for rejecting “CHRIST.”

THREE AND THREE =72 HOURS?

The Doctor of Divinity and the Professor of Theology replies that in Matthew 12:40 under discussion, the emphasis is on the TIME factor “as Jonas was THREE days and THREE nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the son of man be THREE days and THREE nights in the heart of the earth.” “Please note,” says the learned theologian, “that the word “THREE” is repeated F-O-U-R times in this verse to prove that Jesus was going to fulfil the prophecy as regards the length of time he was going to remain in the tomb, and NOT ‘As Jonas was’ in relation to his being alive or dead.

If it is the time factor that Jesus was stressing then let us ask whether he fulfilled that aspect of his promise to the Jews as well. The Christian dogmatist answers: “OF COURSE!”

PUBLIC HOLIDAY

The question arises: when was Christ crucified? The whole Christian world answers: “FRIDAY!” Is this the reason we celebrate “Good Friday” “Gooi-Vrydag” – as a Public Holiday in the Republic of South Africa? And every Christian nation from America to Zambia, from Abyssinia to Zaire have a Public Holiday on the “FRIDAY” at Easter. What makes “Good Friday” so good? “It is the death of Christ on the Cross on this day to wash off our sins,” says the Christians. So he was killed on the cross on a Friday, 1950 years ago? “YES!” says the Christians.

From the Gospel records we gather that the Jews were in a hurry to eliminate Jesus. Hence the midnight trial, and then despatching him off to Pilate in the morning; from Pilate to Herod and then back again to Pilate. The vested interests were afraid of the general public. Jesus was their hero. He had been their benefactor. His enemies had to do away with him quickly, and succeeded in doing so. However, as much as they were in a hurry to hang him on the cross, they were in equal hurry to bring him down from the cross before sunset on Friday because of the Sabbath. The Sabbath starts at about 6 p.m. on Friday and the Jews were warned in Deuteronomy 21:23 that the victim of crucifixion was an “accursed of God” and was not to be permitted to remain hanging on the Sabbath day, “that thy land be not defiled which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.”

To satisfy the religious scruples of the Scribes and Pharisees the “secret disciples” of Jesus took down the body from the cross. They gave the body the Jewish burial-bath, plastered it with “one hundred pounds weight of aaloes and myrrh” (John 19:39), then placed the shrouded body into the sepulcher before night-fall.

WHY “SUPPOSED”?

There are numerous differences between the various sects and denominations of Christianity, but on the above they are unanimous. Jesus is SUPPOSED to be in the tomb on the night of Friday. He is still SUPPOSED to be in the tomb on the day of Saturday. He is still SUPPOSED to be in the tomb on the night of Saturday.

Christians agree whole-heartedly with this. It will be noted that I have repeated the word ‘SUPPOSED’ three times. The reason is that the Gospels are silent as to when exactly Jesus came out of the tomb. He could have been taken away on Friday night by his “secret disciples” to a more congenial and restful place, but I have no right to assume about what the Gospel writers are silent. I have, therefore, repeated the word ‘SUPPOSED’ three times.

In the final analysis, let us see whether Jesus was THREE days and THREE nights in the tomb:

You will no doubt note that the GRAND TOTAL is ONE day and TWO nights, and NOT three days and three nights. According to the Christian Scriptures Jesus had failed a SECOND time. FIRST he was unlike Jonah, who was ALIVE in the belly of the fish, which is the exact opposite of what the Christians claim had happened to their master Jesus, who was DEAD for the same period of time as Jonah was – ALIVE.

SECONDLY, we discover that he also failed to fulfil the TIME FACTOR as well. The greatest mathematician in Christendom will fail to obtain the desired result – THREE days and THREE nights. We must not forget that the Gospels are explicit in telling us that it was “before sunrise” on Sunday morning (the FIRST day of the week), that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of Jesus and found it empty.

“GOOD” WEDNESDAY

The Armstrong family has debunked the whole Christian world. They seem to know their arithmetic! Mr. Robert Fahey of the “Plain Truth” magazine, delivered a lecture recently at the “Holiday Inn,’ Durban, where I was present. Mr Fahey attempted to prove to his Christian audience that Jesus Christ was crucified on a Wednesday and not on Friday, as is supposed by Orthodox Christianity for the past two thousand years.

According to him if one counts backwards from Sunday morning deducting 3 DAYS and 3 NIGHTS, one ought to get WEDNESDAY as the answer.

I congratulated Mr. Fahey for his ingenuity. I asked him, how was it possible for the past two thousand years the whole Christian world celebrated GOOD FRIDAY instead of GOOD WEDNESDAY. Thus the 1,200,000,000 Christians of the world today are ignorant of the correct day of the so called crucifixion! It means that even the Roman Catholic Church which claims an unbroken chain of Popes from Peter to this day – according to Mr. Fahey are mislead.

GOD OR THE DEVIL?

The question arises, who deceived the millions of Christians for the past TWO THOUSAND years. GOD or the DEVIL? Mr. Fahey categorically answered: “THE DEVIL!”

“If the devil,” I said, “can succeed in confusing the Christians in the most elementary things of their Faith, whether to celebrate a Good Friday or a Good Wednesday, then how much easier for him to mislead Christians in other things concerning God?” Mr. Fahey blushed and walked away.

If this is the belief of the trend-setters of the Christian Faith in the world today, may we not then ask: is this not the mightiest hoax in history?