Critical Questions Islam Complete

CRITICAL QUESTIONS REGARDING ISLAM There are some critical questions usually asked by atheists and non-Muslims to which most Muslims either opt to avoid or sometimes are unable to offer any answers. It is true that these answers might not convince everyone, yet there is a possibility that some answers may invoke logical minds to widen their search for the truth and ultimately may help them in making the final judgment. It is the duty of every Muslim to understand the obligations which they owe towards God and propagate it amongst others as well. The propagation itself does not amounts to forcing one’s own beliefs/views upon others but rather it is a way of sharing your beliefs/views with others by letting them know how you have experienced the truth and how you want others to share it with you. Q – 1 : How the existence of God can be proved? Ans : This is true that the existence of God cannot be proved through irrefutable scientific evidence. There are numerous signs which lead or indicate towards the existence of God. As God can neither be seen by a human eye nor can be conceived or comprehended by the human perception therefore scientists and philosophers have mostly denied the existence of God. However, where it was not possible to move forward without the concept of a Supreme Being or God who governs the physical laws of this universe they invented the word “NATURE” or at times became agnostics. This phenomenon is somewhat similar to the presence of air all around us. The presence of air can neither be seen nor can be proved without the change in the surroundings. So if someone insists to believe in air only by seeing it he can never be made to believe in existence of air. Likewise there are signs which point to the existence of God. We know for sure that a Boeing 747 or a robot or for that matter a super computer can never come into existence merely as a result of an accident and there has have to be an intellectual mind or an intelligent team with their relentless efforts to invent such complex machines. But unfortunately we are ready to accept this occult theory that this complete universe with such a complex and extremely well coordinated mechanism can be created merely by an accidental incident or out of a sudden explosion (Big Bang) without any role of divine intervention or a creator. Just look at the one small aspect of this universe “the human life cycle”, which is so complicated and coordinated, even much more complex than flying of a modern aircraft, to be labelled as a product of an accident or even evolution. Look at the structure of an atom with so many electrons revolving around the nucleus with such a high speed and widen this concept to so many heavenly bodies orbiting their centre without colliding or even drifting away from each other, and our mind starts boggling, as to how it is possible that such a coordinated system in absolute balance exists with no-one in control and no-one in charge? Why is it every time an apple tree growing out of the apple seed and an orange from the orange seed? Why can’t an apple tree grow from an orange seed or vice versa just as an accident? Why does a hen always lay an egg and a whale always give birth to her offspring? Why as an accident a whale doesn’t lay an egg and why as an accident hen doesn’t give birth to a chicken? Who has set these physical principles in such a strict order?? Indeed there is a creator and there is someone in charge of all that exists and he is GOD or ALLAH. The modern physicists have started to believe in “intelligent design” accepting that this universe is too complex to be a product of “merely an accident”. Although they have not fully accepted the existence of God but beyond the position of any accepted religion they have acknowledged the presence of a supreme intellectual force which governs these principles. The world renowned physicists Stephen Hawking and Sir Roger Penrose are among some of these scientists who believe that there is some intelligent force behind all this. But they can’t go any further than this phenomenon since science doesn’t permit them to go beyond this hypothesis, as experimentation can’t prove the existence of God nor can God be proved as a result of a laboratory test. Therefore, if all other things are subject to creation then indeed this universe also needs to be created at the hands of a creator, who is no other than God or ALLAH.

2

Q – 2 : If everything has a creator then who created God? Ans : This question arises from lack of knowledge about God. Before answering this question it is important we try to understand the concept of God. As no one has seen God therefore the best description of God or Allah can only be offered by God himself which is given in Chapter 112 of Quran (the last and final revealed book of God): 1. Say: He, Allah, is One (the only) 2. Allah is He on Whom all depend (but He is self sustaining and devoid of all needs). 3. He begets not, nor is He begotten. 4. And there is nothing like Him.

These verses make it clear that God needs to have characteristics which are not similar to his creation or are distinct from his creation; otherwise he can’t be a God but somewhat similar to the creation. To elaborate further, a God should not be alike to his creation, he should be unique, he should not have a date of creation or birth, he should not have parents, he should be ever existent, he should be free of all kinds of needs (like eating, sleeping, resting etc) while all other creation should be dependent on Him, He should be independent of all, self-existent and selfsustaining while all others should exist due to Him, etc, so if all these characteristics are present in a being only then can He qualify to be called a God or a creator. If God needs to be created then he is no different than the creation itself and therefore, certainly can’t be a God. A God should be ever existent and everlasting, He should have neither a beginning nor an end, he should be infinite, it is only then He can be termed God. As there is nothing which has any similitude with God in the most minutest form, therefore, nothing can be compared with God, not even the infinite numeric values as their existence is subject to the human existence, the moment humans become extinct so do the numeric values. Therefore only God alone is ever existent. Interestingly, for some years the Big Bang theory which became very popular in early 90’s was considered to be the Theory of the Very First Creation that is “The Universe” itself. The concept was that nothing existed before the Big Bang, not even the time. But since the last few years this theory has also eroded away, as the architects of this theory are now concluding that Big Bang was just another incident in the endless cycle of creation, destruction and re-creation. It is just like a grain of sand on the beach, in which the universe after aging out its life (after trillions and trillions of years) becomes absolute zero and loses the track of time, which in itself is unexplainable in scientific terms. The quantity “absolute zero” constitutes that matter, time and space just cease to exist, which can’t be defined in scientific terms as science opines that matter can’t be destroyed but can be transformed into energy. It is not possible to say that this is the final verdict of this theory, because we still know very little about our Universe and its creation. But let’s for the time being consider it as correct, then indeed there is some one un-destroyable who is doing this all and that is God. This is what the Quran has to say in very simple words in Chapter-55, verse 26-27: “All that exists will ultimately perish away: But forever will abide by (or exist) your Sustainer (or the face of your Lord), in absolute Majesty and Glory”.

Muslim’s concept of God is exactly the same which is also evident from the above mentioned chapter of Quran and Muslims prefer to call him ALLAH, the most pure name of God. Q – 3 : Can God do everything? And if so can He take human form? Ans : We have not seen God; neither have we talked to him. We know God with regards to his universal attributes, like he is very kind, he is just, he is the Sustainer of all that exists, he has power and command over everything, he is ever forgiving, he never forgets etc. In Quran, the final revealed book of God, there are up to 99 attributes mentioned of God. So if we talk in terms of His capabilities, indeed God can do all what He intends, which somewhat constitutes to the term “everything”. But indeed God does not do everything, because he holds such an honourable

3 and high position that by doing certain things he may became somewhat similar to his creation or even inferior than his actual status, thus becoming ineligible to be termed God. For example God can’t do injustice, God can’t lie, God can’t cheat, God can’t go against his promises, God can’t take forms which are similar to his creation, God can’t create a stone which even he can’t destroy, God can’t throw us out of his domain, God can’t marry, God can’t bear children etc. Now this doesn’t mean that God is incapable of doing all these un-godly acts. Indeed he holds absolute capability to perform these acts, but he will never do an act which is not in conformity to his absolute position or which somewhat goes against his divine attributes. So the question posed by some, can God do everything, or can he take different forms, or can he create a stone which even he can’t destroy, etc are impudent questions. However, nowhere the Quran says that God can do everything, but it says that God do whatever he intends to do and he has power over everything. There are numerous acts which God never do, not because he is incapable to do these, but because these do not conform to his absolute position. He can create whatever he wants to create and destroy whatever and whenever he intends so. Q – 4 : Why do we have to submit to God? Doesn’t this denote that God satisfies his whims by asking us to submit or obey? Ans : Again, this is an impudent question asked very unfairly and without any serious consideration. We (humans) live in different societies with different set of customs and values. Yet some basic and principle values remain universal to all societies and cultures. Like we all agree to give proper respect to parents, teachers and obey them, we all agree that we must uphold the state constitution and law, we must abide by the state rules and regulations, we must respect other fellow beings etc. This is because parents feed us, take care of our needs, love us etc, and teachers bring about social and moral revolution in our personality, moreover they impart to us their knowledge and wisdom. Similarly, the state also provides us with numerous facilities, opportunities, luxuries and just society to live in, therefore, we abide by the state law and tend not to divert from it, or in other words we submit to and obey our parents, teachers and the state. We also obey our institutional leaders and business managers and while doing so we do not profess the same kind of argument that the sole purpose of this obedience is to comply with the whims of our parents, teachers, managers or state, rather we feel it as an obligation and take pride in abiding by the law or instructions of our parents/superiors. So creation by design has to obey in various tiers of life in different forms and manifestations. In other words this obedience is embedded, in us by design or by default, since our birth. But unfortunately, we are not ready to give this concession to God. Obeying all other superiors except God is acceptable to us, but the God who created us, who gave us emotions to feel love and affection, who gave us limbs and body parts to enjoy the blessings of this world, who created all this stuff to eat and drink, who created pairs to live a comfortable and colourful life, who gave us ability to think and invent so that we remain distinct from other creatures, etc has been excluded from the list of superiors. His obedience is so burdensome on us that we consider it as a punishment. There are so many uncountable blessings of God on us that it is even difficult for us to count them, so by design it becomes an obligation us to pay tribute to him by submission and obedience. Moreover, God expects us to live peacefully in a harmonious universal society, and to achieve that state he has manifested us with a mandate of obedience. Existence of such a harmonious and peaceful society is only possible if only one universal order is followed. The wide range of variation in the human thinking and perception does not permit to achieve such a state without the help of divine order. That is why there can’t be a purposeful society without the concept of one God and the human perceptive variation doesn’t permit to establish a society based on absolute equality, morality, humanism, justice and freedom.

4 Finally, God is in such a high position, esteem and glory that it becomes an obligation on all his creation to submit to him completely and absolutely. If his creation doesn’t obey and submit then by being too inferior in status they qualify to become a mass of absolutely useless trash without any purpose of existence. Like if a computer or a T.V set is not giving any output then it is a useless piece of equipment having no value or purpose. Likewise if God’s creation ceases to obey it automatically loses its purpose and value for existence. But even this is in God’s infinite mercy that he doesn’t destroy or immediately punish his creation for disobedience and gives them time and respite to repent and seek forgiveness. Q – 5 : Different religions divide us therefore we should create a society based on humanism, equality and social justice abolishing all religions. So why is it important to believe in God while we know what is bad and good for us. Ans : This concept is very openly professed not only by secularists but also by some of the so called “Enlightened Muslims.” This concept not only displays the lack of knowledge of these propagators about Islam but is also devoid of any historical credibility. If we study world cultures and civilizations we see lot of variants that divide the human race like colour, creed, customs, language, tribes, social bindings, national boundaries and ethnicity etc. There are so many divisible factors amongst human beings that without an all encompassing unity it is not at all possible to unite people under the banner of humanism or secularism. On the other hand, it was Islam which reintroduced this concept in 15th century, professing that there has to be no differentiation or division on the basis of colour, creed or ethnicity and humankind as a whole comprises of one community and is equal in God’s eye. The differentiation can only be with regards to deeds and righteousness. This was the basic concept which abolished the decades old tribal and racial enmities amongst the Arabs who fought for centuries over these disputes. Interestingly this single factor formed the basis of conversion of the famous minority leader Malcom X (later Malik Al-Shahbaz) to Islam. History is witness to the fact that the most oppressive regimes emerged where either there was no religion or the religion had the least importance, like amongst Mongols, Nazis, and Communists etc. With the exception of the crusades, although which was also fought for the possession of piece of land (Jerusalem), most wars fought amongst nations were not of religious nature but either nationalists or for the expansion of the territorial boundaries. Europe’s 30 years bloody war was fought on a nationalistic basis, similarly the history’s most bloody wars World War – I and II had nationalistic and territorial reasons. In the 20th century almost all the wars were political or territorial in nature, yet we prefer to live in the same kind of environments which divide us or cause us to fight amongst each other. The Kashmir conflict, Palestinian conflict, Tamil resistance, Vietnam war, Sino-Taiwan conflict, Falkland war, Ireland resistance, Basque resistance, Tamil conflict etc are all territorial or political conflicts, sometimes involving followers of two different religions. Yet, after witnessing that most of the regimes in the world are oppressive in nature and inhumane we still do not prefer to live independent lives free of any kind of central authority, government or ruling elite. Our sole whipping boy is the religion alone and we are not courageous enough to accept the blame but rather avoid reality by fallaciously assuming that by eliminating the concept of religion we will achieve a utopian society. This is an absolutely morbid concept, because even after eliminating religion so many other strong dividing factors will still exist. We did try this concept in “Communist Society” but failed miserably. The only unifying force amongst humanity is that universal formula which was propagated and professed by all the Prophets that, “There Is Only One God, so Only Obey Him” and that the whole of the humankind is equal in God’s divine order except for those who are righteous. This preserved message of Prophet Muhammad was not new for mankind but just a repetition of what was previously told by other Prophets, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus etc. This divine message was deliberately and un-deliberately distorted by the mankind repeatedly, mostly on the pretext that the progress and advancement in the human reasoning and society warrants to bring about some necessary changes in this divine order. On other occasions alterations in this divine message

5 were done once social and ethnic prejudices became more important than the overall human community. Thus the scriptures were repeatedly corrupted to suit the requirements and prejudice of the ruling elites to an extent that facts and falsehood indistinguishably intermingled with each other. But God kept on sending the Prophets with his message to provide humankind with a unifying mandate until his last messenger Muhammad (pubh) appeared with the last and final message the “Quran”. There was a unique claim with this message, that the message this time was protected from all kinds of alterations. That is the reason that the original text of Quran is still the same even more than 1400 years after its revelation. Unfortunately, Muslims could not protect themselves from human division and ultimately got divided into hundreds of sects and sub-sects but their reason for division is different from other nation. They only divided because they stopped reading their scriptures with understanding but still Islam is distinct from all other religions because its original message is still intact, so anyone who intends following the righteous path or wants to distinguish truth from the falsehood can refer to the original source and divine message “The Quran” and “The Hadith” or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Therefore, the key to human unity is not in abolishing all the religions but rather following one divine order and that is to obey one God (Allah). Q – 6 : What is Free Will and what is destiny? Are we free in this world to act on our own or are we destined to act according to God’s will? If everything is destined then why we should be held accountable for our deeds and if we are free then it means that there is no destiny? Ans : This is a very sensitive, complex and troubling question which most of the scholars try to avoid. The reason for its avoidance is that most people are unable to precisely comprehend the concept, and while believing in “Qadar” or destiny is amongst the basic fundamentals of Islam, any major deviation from the actual concept will disqualify the individual from being a Muslim/faithful. It is not certain the answer to this question will satisfy all; however, this answer may help to remove some or most of prevailing misconceptions. The word “Taqdeer” translated as destiny has come from the root word “Qadar” having various offshoots and meanings in Arabic like, Precise Estimate, Precise Quantity, Pre-designated course, Power over everything, Grip and control over everything etc. So there can be wide ranging words emerging from root word “Qadar”. Let me explain a few things to you before touching the subject of Taqdeer, that we are always confronted in our lives one out of these 3 situations: (1) COMPULSIONS: To be born at the destined place is our compulsion. We can’t select our parents, place of birth, death etc. But surely this is all known to Allah and he has given us no authority over it. Even I have lot of compulsions with respect to my body, like I can’t tell my face to stop growing beard, or my hands to grow by some length etc. These are in absolute control of God and I have no authority over these compulsions. Its compulsory for the earth to revolve and sun to shine they have to do it by compulsion. Chicken is to be hatched from the egg and not by birth and it’s a compulsion. (2) LIMITATIONS: We are born with certain limitations, like we can’t fly in air but can jump in air; we can’t run on water but can swim. We can’t convince everyone with our arguments but can explain them in beautiful terms; we can’t limitlessly extend our life but can enhance it by certain precautions etc. We can change our surroundings, environments, friends etc but we can’t live independently of these. But God has all the powers and He alone can change them into compulsions or options. (3) OPTIONS: We have certain set of options like we can choose our friends, our religion our deeds. He has given us the option that we can choose an evil course or a righteous course. He has given us this option by His will; he may have made us without the iota of disobedience like of angels. He has not given the option of disobedience to the angels; they have to obey God under all circumstances. Likewise He has not given the option to the sun to stop shinning or the earth to stop rotating. But it must be remembered that the outcome has not to be linked with the option.

6 Like I might try to kill someone by a bullet but if God has not destined his death he would be saved by maybe hospital authorities, or I might even miss the target. Here I would be rewarded by the nature of my intent and the gravity of the act committed. Similarly, God does not immediately leash His wrath on someone who acts devilishly. Because it goes against the purpose for which we are sent in this world. Before explaining this concept it is necessary that we try to comprehend, what really is God’s WILL, which must not be confused with what we understand as wish or desire or want or need etc. In real terms God’s will is incomprehensible by human intellect or reason, but due to limitation of the human language this word is also used for God besides being used for human beings. There can be various levels or dimensions or mediums of God’s Will known as “Sunnathe-Allah” or God’s way: 1. God’s Absolute and Incomprehensible Will: This is the domain of Allah beyond the comprehension of any living creation whether be these angels, humans, jinn, etc. About this no one has any knowledge except Allah himself as to how he plans, how he decides, how he executes, how he creates, how he orders, how he intends etc. No one has any knowledge about this. The fact is also elaborated in the Quran 20:110 “He knows all that is before them and all that is behind them, while they can never comprehend it in knowledge.” Moreover, he alone is the creator, executioner, eternal and absolute, beside him everything is perishable as said in the Quran 28:88 “And call not with Allah any other god; there is no god but He, everything is perishable but He; His is the judgment, and to Him you shall be brought back.” So how, when and why he will destroy or re-create everything no one knows except for him alone. At other place it is said in Quran that “…When he decrees a thing, he says to it only; Be! And it is (happened).” 2:117, 16:40, 36:82, 40:68. It is also said in 27:65 “Say: No one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen but Allah; and they do not know when they shall be raised”.

2. God’s Partially Known Will: This is the domain about which God has partially informed some of his creation as mentioned in the Quran 72:26-27 “(Allah is) The Knower of the unseen!

so He does not reveal His secrets to anyone, O Except to him whom He chooses as an apostle;….”. The same message is repeated in 11:123 “And Allah has the knowledge of unseen in the heavens and the earth, and to Him is returned the whole of the affair; therefore only serve Him and rely on Him, and your Lord is not heedless of what you do”. This indicates that

God has given some matters to his creation like angels etc who execute them according to his instructions and will. Like the angel Israfeel has been appointed to blow the horn like instrument and announce the end of the world. The angel Gabriel (Jibraeel) was appointed to bring the message of God to the Prophets of this world. But the details of this domain are only partially known to the creation. Similarly, the purpose of creating Adam or mankind were not fully comprehended or known to the angels and they possessed very little knowledge about the human abilities, which in their opinion would result in disarray. So out of sheer inquisitiveness they asked some questions from God regarding their purpose and usefulness. This showed that they were not completely aware of the human attributes and what wisdom is hidden behind this creation which was later also acknowledged by them in 2:32 “They (angels) said: Glory be to Thee! we have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us; surely Thou are the absolute Knowledgeable, the most Wise”. This domain is known as the “Order of Allah” (Amar-ullah) and

the creation executes some of the tasks appointed by God to them. Like the separation and union of soul or spirit from the body, growth, decomposition, disease etc and why there is no waste as a result of decomposition. 3. Allah’s Designated Will: This is God’s order which has been designated by him and there ought to be no change in the order or the course of action expect once God directly intervenes. Various examples can be sought in this regard like God has designated all heavenly bodies, critical and sub-critical matter to be in the state of motion, he created/designated fire to

7 burn and ice/snow to be cool, he created/designated water and air to fill the vacuum on earth within the gravitational parameters, he designated the heart to ensure a regular blood supply while the lungs, to perform the breathing action. These are the designated physical and universal phenomenons which are constant and can’t be turned around except once God intends to turn them around. So these phenomenons could also be reversed like Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was thrown into fire, but God reversed the property of fire which didn’t burn Abraham but rather had a cooling effect, similarly the sea split across like a wall once Moses hit the Red Sea with his stick, which is an unusual phenomenon. So God is not governed by these physical phenomenons rather he designates and governs them. God’s designated will can be further sub-divided into three categories: a. Matters Beyond Intervention (Compulsions or Specified Matters): These are matters whose course can’t be altered except by God alone, like to be born at the destined place is our compulsion. We can’t select our parents, place of birth, death, its compulsory for the earth to revolve/rotate and the sun to shine, a chicken is to be hatched from the egg and not by birth, and it’s a compulsion that this has been designated or destined by God and it has to happen without fail. Allah has given no one the authority to make any amendments in these matters. Even we have compulsions with respect to our body, like we can’t cause our face to stop growing a beard, or our hands to grow by some length, or our eyes to see across a concrete wall etc. These matters are absolutely in control of God and he has given us no authority to make any amendments or alterations with regards to these compulsions. b. Matters Beyond Direct Human Intervention (Limitations or Partially Specified Matters): We are born with certain limitations, like we can’t fly in air except in an aircraft or jump to a certain level; we can’t run on water but can swim or sail in a boat, we can’t convince everyone with our arguments but can explain them with logic and wisdom which still may not appeal to an individual at all; we can’t limitlessly extend our life but can slightly enhance and improve its quality by certain precautions and the use of technology etc. Similarly, we can make certain choices with regard to our surroundings, environments, friends etc but we can’t live independently by either eliminating or excluding these factors from our lives. It is God alone who has the power and authority to make any amendments to our existing limitations like he may designate creatures of water to live on land and vice versa. So we can’t altogether change the nature of these limitations but can bring about certain improvements only because God has designated them to be so. c. Unspecified or Optional Matters Designated for Human Intervention by God’s Will: These are the matters which God has left to our choice by his will. This set of options is spread across the wide spectrum of our life like we can choose our friends, religion, deeds, food etc. If he had intended he could have restricted our choice or would have given us no freedom of action, the way he created angels. Angels have not been given the mandate of free will or to act at their own. Their actions are restricted to obedience within the divine parameters and they can’t act on their own. He has given us the option to either choose an evil course or a righteous path and we exercise this freedom of action within God’s will; he may have made us without an iota of disobedience like angels, but it was not in his will to make us like that. Through his messengers and revelations he defined the parameters of what is permissible and forbidden to us and gave the mandate as to how we should act in our lives. On the other hand, He has not given this option to other creation like the sun to stop shining or the earth to stop rotating etc. However, it is very much possible that the outcome of my act may not conform to my wish or desire, like I may try to kill someone but if God has not destined his death he would be saved or

8 my desire to achieve a specific aim might never be fulfilled if God had not given the approval for it. So here I would be rewarded by the virtue of my intent and the gravity of the act committed. It must be remembered that God does not immediately leash His wrath on someone who acts devilishly, because it goes against the purpose for which we are sent in this world. We have been sent down to earth with a different set of these options, limitations and compulsions as a test, as to who will act righteously and who will act devilishly for an appointed term also known as the DOOMSDAY or the LAST DAY. And we would be rewarded in our next life according to our actions either in hell or heaven. 4. The Destiny or Pre-designation: It is now evident that we have a limited free will to act, but it is not Absolute Free Will and it is subject to God’s Will so we may be able to exercise it under some freedom and not absolute freedom. Like once American soldiers desecrated the Quran they told the inmates of the prison camp to call to their God for help and then asked that why doesn’t your God come to your rescue? They failed to realize that God would never come because if He had, then indeed there is no test and everyone would certainly be on the desired course without exercising their own wisdom and limited free will. So, if anyone who commits a sin or does a good deed is rewarded immediately, then no one would have the mandate to exercise his/her free will which would render the concept of the day of judgement invalid. So along with the human free will divine scriptures were sent through the messengers to keep humanity on the desired course and each time we corrupted the revelations by virtue of our free will, God sent another messenger with the same original message until the appointed term (day of Judgement) grew nearer and nearer. Finally God sent His last messenger Muhammad with the final revelation the “QURAN”. Here God changed his Un-specified Will (which allowed us to make alterations in the divine scriptures) to Specified Will in which we are unable to make any changes to the divine or Quranic script. Thus the free will or the option to corrupt revelation was withdrawn by God. God, being absolute, is also absolute in his wisdom and knowledge. He is incomprehensibly much greater in knowledge than the fortune tellers, and He knows exactly each and every single thing/event which is to happen in future. Rather, anything which is to happen in future is endorsed and recorded by God. He knows beforehand what is to come, how we will behave; how we will act and what we will do, so if someone acts immorally it is indeed within his domain to punish him/her immediately, but it is a proof of his mercy and blessings to mankind that he gives ample time for repentance and reversion. As God knows by virtue of His knowledge (from among our options) precisely how we will be behaving, He even knows who will be performing acts for the hell and heaven. Therefore, after authorizing these, He has all written it down. This act of endorsement is known as destiny. But we have not been foretold about our deeds and as to how we will lead our lives; therefore, we cannot use this as an excuse for our wrongdoings. Indeed, if God would have informed us of our actions beforehand, indeed this world would have been in complete chaos and confusion. For example, if God would have informed me that I will die in a train accident, I would immediately stop travelling by train. Similarly if everyone knows what he will do, then he will try to avert or alter these things according to his own desire, thus turning the whole system into chaos. Here an important question arises that, “Can God intervene??” and the answer is of course He can, yet he rarely intervene but usually permits us to take our course, but surely He guides and helps those who are sincere in their efforts to adopt a righteous course and leaves the arrogant non-believers at their own. So the bottom line remains that “DESTINY IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR ACTIONS WHICH WE ARE TO DO AND WRITTEN DOWN BY GOD AFTER ENDORSEMENT, AND NOT THAT HE HAS PREDESTINED OUR ACTIONS BY WRITING THEM DOWN.”

(I am highly grateful to Mr. Sahib Mustaqim Bleher, from Islamic Party of Britain, to have spared his precious time in reviewing the draft and making necessary amendments thereof in the above six questions).

9 Q – 7 : Why women are suppose to stay at home while men are free to enjoy their freedom and why women remain subjugated to men in most of the Islamic societies? Ans : This is a fair question asked by women living is west as well as in Islamic societies. Unfortunately we have to blame the men or the male dominated societies for this and not the Islam itself. We consider that there are some 57 Islamic countries in the world, and Pakistan is one of them. But I would say there is not a single Islamic country in the world including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, however, they all are Muslim dominated countries. Pakistan maybe one of the most un-Islamic country where there are no human rights, no justice, corruption prevail in every quarter of life, poor dying with hunger while wealthy have their lockers full of black money, crime rate is shooting up day by day, common citizens are dying from water borne diseases while elite have mineral water to even wash their feet etc. While in Saudi Arabia everything is legitimate for the Royal Family and rest are governed with a different law and even Muslims from other parts of the world have yet a different set of laws. They can have tens of wives and maids while others are restricted to four. Surely this is not Islam. Islam nowhere forces the women to stay at home neither does it encourages the women to loiter out of the home. There are specific responsibilities given to both men and women by Allah according to their prescribed role. Both men and women have separate behavioural codes to be followed. Like they both should not intermingle freely, they both should be modestly dressed, they both must not stare the opposite gender, they should not take appearance of each another and they both should not indulge in activities or businesses forbidden in Islam (like modelling, singing, dancing, intoxicants etc). There are limitations on both men and women, like a women is suppose to cover her head once she is among other men (called as Na-mehram in Islam) and a man must cover his body, a woman must hide her ornaments while she is among other men while a man must never wear them whether be in open or close quarters. So there are a few compulsions laid down on both sexes. However, in an ideal situation a man is responsible to take care of the family by earning a living and a woman is suppose to look after the house and children. But, if it becomes difficult to meet the both ends or even if a woman desires so, she can go out for work etc without violating the code of conduct or ignoring her primary obligations and this hold good for the men as well. (But it must be remembered that a man can’t force a woman to share her earning to manage the day to day finances). In an Islamic society men and women are equal beings but not equal in all respect. This is also practically acknowledged by west, as they have separate competitions for men and women in all sports etc. If men and women are equal why can’t there be a cricket or a boxing match between men and women? The westerners just bluff and exploit women for their malicious desires and design when they say that both are equal. The Quran says in 2:228: “…. And Women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, in a just manner, but men have degree over them and Allah is Mighty, the Wise one.”

And in 4:34 “Men are the maintainers and protectors of women because Allah has made some of them to be obvious over others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding in (the husband’s) absence as Allah has (expected) them to guarded;….” So they have different roles, different responsibilities and different rights. Like a mother has three degree preference over her husband with respect to children but as a wife she is has a degree of subordination. However, this subordination is of administrative nature and must not be considered as subjugation or inferiority as already told above. It is just similar to the fact that every institution is headed by one individual other wise there will certainly a clash of interest. A state is run by one President or Prime Minister, a firm has one General Manager or Chief Executive, an army has one Chief Commander and in the same very context the head of a family

10 is happens to be a man which has been appointed by God. So if we object to this status of men and women then we are claiming to be wiser than the God. Moreover, we are not far sighted enough to precisely comprehend the consequences of any such violations, but the state of family affairs in the Western countries clearly demonstrates us that if we violate the Law of God we will also be meeting the same fate. Unfortunately at the moment we are marching right in the same very direction. The Quran warns us of such consequences in Sura Ahzab-33, verse-36 “And its not permissible

for a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any other choice in their matter when Allah and His Apostle have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he surely strays off a manifest straying”.

Also in 2:216 “…. and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know.” And in 16:4 “He has created man from a small drop of semen and now he (the man) has become an open contender (of God).” Also in 36:77 “Does not man see that We have created him from the small seed? Yet he has (stood forth) as an open disputant (to God)”. So if a woman can manage the additional burden of job other than her residential obligations she is free to do choose a job etc. But if she fails to do so she would be held accountable to God on the day of Judgement. Likewise, if a man fails to earn the living and his family suffers or he forces her wife to earn a living, then he too will be held accountable by God. Q – 8. There is lot of divisions amongst the Muslims and everyone claims to be the “Real Muslim” so who is a Muslim according to Quran and Sunnah and what is Islam?? Ans : Every single human in this kingdom is by birth a subject. It is not for him to choose to be or not to be a subject, nor is it possible for him, being born a subject and a natural part of this kingdom, to swerve from the path of obedience followed by other creations. Similarly, he/she does not have the right to choose a way of life for him/herself or assumes whatever duties he/she likes. This does not mean that a man has no free choice, indeed mankind has been gifted with the option of choosing his course of either defiance or submission. But this can be said with absolute certainty that whenever he chooses the path of defiance he would disturb the terrestrial order for being self-centred, short-sighted and inconsistent. Therefore, he has been given a divine writ by God to be followed as a way of living. Islam thus is a word that means peace, submission, surrender and obedience or achieving peace by completely submitting and obeying the God. Being a Muslim goes beyond the adherence to the religion of Islam or being born out of a Muslim family. It is an aspect of nature that encompasses all of God’s creation; a Muslim is not someone who abides by merely the teachings of Islam, but someone who accepts the absolute submission to God. So Islam does not merely consist of bowing, prostration, fasting and pilgrimage; neither is it embedded in the face or dress of a man nor in the adoption of Muslim names. Islam means the submission to God and his Messenger, anyone who refuses to obey them in the conduct of his life-affairs has a heart devoid of Islam. His prayers, fasting and pious appearance is merely a deception. This may sound too naïve and must not be taken as an endeavour to relegate the importance of obligatory rituals but this what is required of the complete mankind to be acknowledged as Real Muslims. 49:14 “The dwellers of the desert say: We believe. Say: You do not believe but say, we have accepted Islam; and faith has not yet entered into your hearts;”

One of the most prudent examples of defiance amongst Muslims is the sectarian divide and interestingly all sects claim to be the “real torch bearer of Islam” whereas in Islam there is no concept of “sects” whatsoever:

11

3:105. And be not like those who became divided (into sects) and disagreed after clear arguments had come to them, and these it is that shall have a grievous chastisement.

6:159. Surely they, who divided their religion into parts and became sects, you have no concern with them; their affair is only with Allah, then He will inform them of what they did.

30:30-32. Then set your face upright for religion in the right state ----, Turning to Him, and be careful of (your duty to) Him and keep up prayer and be not of the polytheists. Of those who divided their religion and became seas every sect rejoicing in what they had with them.

A Muslim is not a Muslim by birth or by appellation, but by virtue of abiding by the Holy law, that is to say Quran and the Prophet’s Sunnah. This is why Islam is referred to as the “Deen” (way of life) and not merely a religion (of dogmas) as most popularly assumed; consequently Islam should not be referred to as merely a set of practices, rituals and dogmas but to an all embracing ethos. However, where there are no specific instructions available on a particular matter we have to resort to Ijtahad, unfortunately some have presumed Ijtahad to be an instrument for substituting the divine order suiting our own environments and requirements. This has been previously done by Jews and Christians resulting in a complete mess and thereby transforming their religion in a set of absurdities and contradictions. Consequently, they had no other option but to separate the religion from state as well as their daily their lives, restricting it to merely a private matter. Another obligatory and misunderstood concept of Islam is Jihad. Jihad must not give an impression of a crazed faith, with blood shot eyes, shouting Allah-0-Akbar, decapitating an unbeliever they see a one, cutting off heads while invoking “La ilahah il-lallah.” Jihad is not merely a war but a struggle – a struggle in the cause of God and strictly along the path set by the God. This struggle must be a continuous struggle encompassing all the dimensions of human life. So an armed struggle may be the culminating stage of the Jihad to establish the order or to rescue the oppressed from the clinches of the oppressor and not the very first stage with “No Hold Barred.” Certainly, there would be situations once it might not be possible to follow the set pattern of Jihad in desired sequence, like we witnessed the oppression in Bosnia, Kashmir, Palestine, Afghanistan (during Russian and American invasion) etc. In these cases the Jihad becomes an obligation for all those fellow Muslims who can fight for the oppressed other than the oppressed themselves. However, in all other situations the call of Jihad should definitely be from the ruler, Caliph or the elected leader of Muslims and if any such ruler is does not exist or is reluctant to call for this religious obligation due to fear, pressure or other unjustified reasons, this responsibility must be shouldered by the religious council of the Islamic scholars. The suffering of innocents, especially Muslims, cannot be permitted under any circumstances whether be it in the name of Nationalism/National interest or collective weakness, until and unless confrontation would certainly mean or result in elimination of the Muslims as a civilization. This confrontation would only be permissible once the Islam as a religion faces extinction or any of the three Muslim’s holy sites in Mecca, Medina or Jerusalem come under direct threat of extinction. The armed struggle under any circumstances should not constitute as a legitimacy to kill the innocent or unarmed civilians whether these be Muslims or Non-Muslims. Q – 9 : If God is control of everything then why there is so much of pain, poverty and starvation? Ans : It is important to understand the real purpose of this life. We Muslims believe that this life is not “The Real Life” but rather is a test and an opportunity to achieve a perfect life. Allah says in Quran: “(It is Allah) Who created Death and Life, that He may test which of you is best in deeds; And He is the Exalted in Might, oft-Forgiving.” (67:2).

12 Every year the question paper in an examination keeps on changing, it does not remain the same. Similarly Allah tests different human beings in different ways. He gives health to some people while others are born with defects or are handicapped. To some people He gives wealth, while others are poor and it’s a test for the wealthy that whether he spends it for the needy and poor or just keeps it to himself. As said in 2:264, “O you who believe! do not make your charity worthless by reproach and

being harsh (in asking for return), like him who spends his property just to be seen by other people and does not believe in Allah and the last day; so his parable is as the parable of a smooth rock with earth upon it, then a heavy rain falls upon it, so it leaves it bare (washing away all his good deeds); they shall not be able to gain anything of what they have earned; and Allah does not guide the unbelieving people.

2:267. O you who believe! spend (benevolently) of the good things that you earn and or what

We have brought forth for you out of the earth, and do not aim at disposing off the bad things in charity, of which you would not take it yourselves except with disdain, and know that Allah is Self-sufficient, Praiseworthy. 2:268. Shaitan (devil) threatens you with poverty and enjoins you to be miser, and Allah promises you forgiveness and His blessings in abundance; and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing”.

Also in Chapter-104, “1. Woe to every slanderer, defamer, 2. Who amasses his wealth and then

keep it counting (with an aim to increasing it); 3. He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal. 4. Nay! he shall most certainly be hurled into the crushing disaster, 5. And what will make you realize what the crushing disaster is? 6. It is the fire kindled by Allah, 7. Which leaps over (and) above the hearts....”

Many infants are born with congenital defects. Some are deaf and dumb, while others are handicapped. An infant is not responsible for his or her defect. In such cases perhaps Allah is testing the parents, whether they yet have faith in Him after this misfortune and whether you still thank Allah even in this sort of misery or not. Because in the next life, which has no ending, neither the child would have any deformity, nor the poor will be in the same state of life. As Quran says in, 3:186 “You shall certainly be tested respecting your wealth/property and your lives, and you shall certainly hear from those who have been given the Book before you and from those who are polytheists very painful and annoying things; and if you remain patient and guard (against evil), surely these are among most steadfast affairs”.

2:155. “And We will most certainly try you with fear (of enemy) and hunger and loss of

property and lives and fruits/crops; and give good news to those who remain patient”. 2:214 “Do you think that you would enter the heaven while the state of those who passed away before you has not yet come upon you; distress and affliction befell on them and they were shaken violently....” 29:2-3 “Do people think that they will be left away only on saying, We believe, and they will not be tested? 3. And certainly We tried those before them, so Allah will certainly judge who are true (believers) and those who are liars”.

So the bottom line remains, “THIS LIFE IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF BUT PROVIDES US WITH MEANS TO ACHIEVE AN END”, that end of which has no limits, where there will be no misery, poverty or pain.

13 Q – 10 : What is the concept of concubine in Islam and why it is permitted for men to take numerous women as slaves or concubine? Ans : The concept of slavery is against misunderstood by most Muslims and Non-Muslims around the world. Some Muslims think that they can take as many women as their concubines as they want, like we see in Saudi Arabia. This is a wrong concept. This concept is explained in detail by Abul-Ala Maudoudi in “Tafheem-ul-Quran” whose summary will be explained here. It must be understood that so many social evils existed before the Prophet Muhammad in Arabian society that it was not possible to eliminate them in one blow. Like alive burial of a baby girl, usury, incest, drinking, gambling and slavery etc. Islam developed a progressive approach to eliminate them all one by one. Like once the drinking was not forbidden, Islam initially refrained the intoxicants from attending the obligatory prayers but subsequently barred its consumption altogether. Likewise, the slavery was not banned immediately but rather a progressive approach was adopted. Initially it was encouraged to treat slave well, to give him the same food and somewhat the same dress as of the owner etc. Later they were given almost equal rights, so once Hazrat Umar had to proceed to Jerusalem along with his slave as the siege had taken very long, only one camel was available for the journey. Caliph Umar decided to share the ride along with his slave and once they was about to enter the Jerusalem it was slave’s turn to ride and even on the insistence of the slave Umar refused to ride the camel. So the Commander in chief of the Muslims entered Jerusalem holding the rope of camel with his slave riding the camel. This is a unique example of equality set by the Caliph Umar. In the same very period once Syria, Jerusalem and portion of Persian and Byzantine Empire came under Muslim rule some of his companions demanded that the land and women of these areas should be distributed equally among Muslims as the booty of war. Hazrat Umar had to ponder on Quran and from verses 5-6 & 9 of chapter 59, he declined to distribute it among Muslims as it has to be commonly shared by state and needy people: “5. And what Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from them, for which you made no expedition with either cavalry or camels. But Allah gives power to His Messengers over whomsoever He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things”. “6. What Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from the people of the townships, - it is for Allah, His Messenger (Muhammad SAW), the kindred (of Messenger Muhammad SAW), the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, in order that it may not become a fortune used by the rich among you. And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) , and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment”. 9. And those who came after them …..”

This decision was challenged by some of the companions and Hazrat Umar has to constitute a committee of ten companions including some who participated in the Battle of Badar. They finally gave the following decree, “The equipment and prisoners acquired in the battle field will be distributed among Muslims as spoils of war including women and men and rest will be given protection as protected minorities and from their taxation the state will take care of poor and needy. So this law is now to be followed by all Muslims that only those captured on the battle field can be taken as prisoners and not from the whole territory, with following conditions: 1. Only state has the authority to distribute them as slave or concubines and no individual can do it at his own. 2. A contract has to be undertaken between the owner, state and the slave. 3. The individual rights will be the responsibility of the owner including sexual, feeding, clothing etc (a slave man can marry a slave woman at the discretion of owner and in that case the owner can’t have sexual union with that woman). 4. The children born out of the slave woman will have the share in the owner’s property. 5. If anyone accepts Islam he/she will be set free. So these are some of the major conditions for taking women as concubines and no one can take them as slaves or concubines from within an Islamic State as done in Saudi Arabia.

14 OTHER QUESTIONS (These answers were given in response to questions raised by some Christian friends on the internet who had some confusion regarding Quran that it contains contradictions)

The Quran is the book of Wisdom and anyone who has no wisdom and who can't think he can only get the instructions and guidance. But a man with knowledge and wisdom will be boggled with its depth and meaning. Quranic Arabic is the most profound and powerful terrestrial language with regards to its vocabulary and no translation can match of its word which carries extremely vast and deep meanings. That is the reason that a French Doctor Dr. Maurice Bucaille rote the his famous and best selling book "The Quran Bible and Science" he first learned Arabic for almost 13 years and then had to admit that Quran does not even contain a single verse which contradicts the modern science. He wrote this book as a Christian and later accepted Islam. However, there maybe translations containing contradictions for which we will have to refer to the original Arabic text. As Quran says:

“(It is) a Book We have revealed to you is full of blessing that they may ponder over its revelations, and that those endowed with wisdom may seek advice.” (38:29) “These are verses of the Book of Wisdom.” (31:2). “Swearing by the Quran, full of wisdom.” (36:2).

1. What was man created from? Blood, clay, dust, or nothing? As Quran says somewhere from blood, clay, dust and somewhere from nothing? If I say tea is prepared of water. Then I say tea is prepared from milk and then I say that tea is prepared from the tea leaves which statement is wrong? Of course all are true. “Man was created from nothing”. This is to refute the Darwin theory that man has evolved from an inferior species. A lot of work has been done by Haroon Yahya to prove that Darwin had created a hoax which can read on his web site. Man was created from nowhere because there was no specie existing with the name of man neither man evolved from lower species. So when the man was created for the first time he was created from nothing. “The body of man was created from clay”. Dust is not right because clay is actually dust mixed with water. So Adam was the first creation from clay, then God infused a soul in his body and he became a complete human being. “Man was created from blood is not correct”. The Arabic word is “ALAKA” “clot like substance resembling leech” and we don’t have appropriate word for Alaka so we use the word clot of blood which is nearest. You can refer to Prof Keithal Moore a renowned Prof of embryology who says “How could Muhammad seen this in the womb and its only in 1970,s that we exactly discovered the same.” He admits that only a divine revelation can describe these stages of birth. So once man is in mother’s womb he is created or developed from a zygote which resembles a leech which can be confirmed from medical books. 2. Is there or isn’t there compulsion in religion according to the Qur'an? Because in chapter 9 Quran tells to kill the infidels. There is no compulsion in religion. The sura which has been mentioned is number 9 known as “Tauba” or Repentance and its verse 5, says: “So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poorrate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful”.

The first few verses were revealed once the non Muslim tribes had broken down the pact with Muslims of Medina. So it was an announcement of war for those who had broken the pact. Today this verse is still applicable for all those who will not honour the pact or treaty but not for all the non-Muslims as a general rule. The exception can be seen in the same Sura in verse 6, “And if one of the idolaters seek protection from you, grant him protection till he hears the word of Allah, then escort him to a place of safety; this is because they are a people who do not know”.

So these verses can not be universally applied to all the non Muslims but for only those who had

15 broken a pact or have intentionally violated it. And anyone who is not party to it and seeks for protection, his treatment is specified in verse 6 of the same Sura. No where Quran says convert someone forcibly rather verse 256, chapter-2 that, “There is no compulsion in religion; truly the right way has become clearly distinct from error …..”

3. Who was the first Muslim Muhammad(pubh)? Abraham(pubh)? Jacob(pubh)? or Moses(pubh)? As Quran call all of them as first Muslim? Every Prophet is supposed to be the first Muslim in his nation. Adam was first Muslim as a Human, Abraham was the first Muslim in his nation, Moses in his and Muhammad (pubh) was the first in his nation i.e. Arabs, but his message was for whole of the humanity. Once the last Christian priest believing in ‘Tauheed’ (Oneness of God) died in Syria died Muhammad was given the Prophethood. Hazrat Salaman Farsi, who came from Persia, got fed up with the idol worship and accepted Christianity which was not absolutely dominated by the concept of trinity. He kept on travelling from one priest to another (who taught Tauheed) until the last one told him that after his death none is left who believes in oneness of God and that he should go to Arabia where a Prophet is expected to appear. 4. Does Allah forgive or not forgive those who worship false gods? Because its said Allah does not forgive shirk and at other places its said he is ever forgiving? Allah does not forgive the sin of associating partners with Him until and unless one seeks for forgiveness and mercy with a promise, not to repeat it again. You have to follow the complete incident of Moses coming back from the Sena (Sinai) mount. See 2 : 54 (Sura Baqra) “And when Moses said to his people: O my people! you have surely

been unjust to yourselves by taking the calf (for a god), therefore turn to your Creator (penitently), so kill your people, that is best for you with your Creator: so He turned to you (mercifully), for surely He is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.” So all those who were

the perpetrators and who did not repent were killed. But those were ashamed of their act before the return of Moses and had repented camped themselves separately from those who worshipped the calf. So Allah forgave all those who repented before Moses had returned to them. This event is also given in Old Testament Exodus Ch 32, verses 1 – 29 which says that almost 3000 calf worshippers who had not repented even once Hazrat Haroon (Aaron) admonished them were put to death. 5. Are Allah's decrees changed or not? In Quran at places it is said no one can change Allah’s decree while at some places certain orders were changed later, like of writing will, substitute for fasting etc? Allah’s decrees never contradict and no one can alter Allah’s commands except for Him alone. He at times he change his orders when he knows that humans can’t cope up with an immediate change of order and the orders have to be implemented progressively, like of prohibition of intoxication, rules of inheritance etc. Similarly, once we seek for repentance or forgiveness Allah changes his decree from punishment to forgiveness. Secondly, none of the decree given in Quran which was later altered contradicts. For example, once Allah said don’t offer prayers once you are intoxicated and later we were told that wine is altogether forbidden this would still mean that even if someone has violated the commandment and consumed liquor, he still can’t offer the prayers. SO this does not contradict as the first order is still valid. 6. Was Pharaoh killed or not killed by drowning? Because Quran talks of making his body as an example for others, so was he saved? Indeed Pharaoh (Ramases-II) was drowned with all his men narrated at numerous places in Quran. While his Mummy or body was made an example for others to seek a lesson which was discovered in the late 19th century in 1886 by some westerners in a coffin with a thick layer of salt on his complete body and also a name tag. This body which is still kept preserved in the Cairo Museum. It was also shown on Discovery channel on 4th April 2005 in a documentary.

16 Rather till 19th century some people used to call it as an unfulfilled prophecy of Quran which talked of preserving the Pharaoh’s body, in 10:92, “So this day We shall deliver your (dead) body (out from the sea) that you may be a sign to those who come after you, and most surely the majority of the mankind is heedless to Our instructions”.

So before this recovery people had termed it as an error presuming that the Pharaoh’s drowned body must have been eaten up by the sea creatures and now there is no chance of recovery. But the Prophecy came true and his body was found in 1886 with a thick salt layer on it, still lying preserved. 7. Is wine consumption good or bad? As Quran says it has some benefits as well? The wine is not only bad for humans but is also haram (forbidden) however, it may contain certain benefits. Like it gives you pleasure and a false sense of security which enables a man to forget his worries and miseries, it keeps you warm in winters, or may be of some other medical benefit as well but over all it brings more harm than its benefits. The majority of incest cases happened in the west is a result of intoxication, most of the road accidents and street fights happen as a result of drinking liquor. This is what has been clearly stated in the Quran 2:219 “They ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In them is a great sin and (some) benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit…." so it may contains some benefits but overall it is harmful for the mankind.

Regarding some other random objections posed by some Non-Muslims Answers are given: 1. Once you say, the God I worship never reveals himself in one "pure" language...but has translated his word in ALL languages of everyone...so all nations need NOT learn one language (Arabic) in order to pray to him. Do you want to say that actually God revealed Bible in all these different languages? Well if that is what you say you are an ignorant Christian who even doesn’t know in which language it was revealed. It was revealed in Aramaic language from where it was translated in Greek and then to Hebrew. Unfortunately the original Aramaic and translated Greek Bibles were lost once the Persian king Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the land of Jerusalem. So it was re-written on the basis of memory in Hebrew language which exists as the oldest replica of Bible. So Bible was not revealed in many languages but in Aramic language and translated in multiple languages by humans. Likewise the Quran has been translated in various languages as of the Bible. But the only difference is that the originally revealed scripture of Bible does not exist. However, it’s numerous memorised corrupted translated versions full of error and non sense material exist all over the Christian world. It even includes words/phrases which are even inappropriate to quote here. Like “Bastard”, this word or abuse occurs in the Bible THREE times in DEUTERONOMY 23:2, ZECHARIAH 9:6 and HEBREWS 12:8. “Incest” (sexual relationship between close relations like brother-sisters, father-daughter etc) GENESIS 19:33-35 (Prophet Lot and his daughters). Can you believe that well if you do shame on you. Jacob’s son (Reuben) with his step mother GENESIS 35:22. And between brother and sister SAMUEL-2, 13 : 5-14. What is this nonsense? 2. Once you say that the god I worship does not tell us to pray in a certain direction (first towards Jerusalem) and then change his mind to (Mecca). So let me ask how do you pray? Do you think that there were no instructions for Jews and Christians? If you could read the first three chapters of Old Testament you will come to know what it contains for you specially Exodus and Leviticus. And if these instructions were not meant to be followed why were they given to you then? So there were instructions for worshipping etc for you people but it is only that you out of arrogance don’t pay heed to them. As to why the

17 praying direction was changed? It was because before the Children of Ismael or the Ismaelites the Jews were the Ummah or the divine nation. They denied the Prophet Hood of Muhammad (like of Jesus) but were given a time to accept Muhammad as their awaited Prophet or the Messiah. But they didn’t. So the divine honour to worship in the direction of Jerusalem was taken away as a sign that the Jews no more holds the position of “Chosen People of God” and Mecca was declared as the new direction of worship. Kabba or Qibla (in Arabic meaning The Direction) just denotes the direction to pray, unity of Muslim nation-hood and that they all worship one and the only God (Allah). Thus we face one direction to represent that like everything has a centre, this universe has only one centre who is One God (Allah) and we do not face Kabba to worship it. But Christians can’t face one direction as they believe in 3 gods or Trinity but confuse it with One God so how can be there one centre for them? So this must be clearly understood that no Muslim worship the Kabba itself, they just pray in the direction for the sake of unity, and if someone does he/she is not a Muslim but an idolater. 3. Once you say that, the god I worship does not put a tax on unbelievers such as Jazya, this is not true. This is misconception that only non- Muslims are to pay. Muslims are supposed to pay Zakat and non Muslims the Jazya. Don’t you pay tax in America, Britain or any other part of the world? We all pay tax and so is the system in Islamic society, what’s the big deal about it. And if you don’t want to pay Jazya go to some other country, like of if you don’t want to pay tax in America go to some other country. I hope you will land on moon while looking for such a place. Salat (prayers), Fasting etc are not in Christianity or Judaism. That is not true because these are the rituals which were made must for every nation and society by God, whether be Jews, Christians or any other, proof of which can be still found in the Bible. So if you don’t perform them you are free to do that but you will be held answerable in the hereafter. However, it must be remembered that from Muhammad (PUBH) the only permitted pilgrimage is Hajj in Mecca as other nation’s pilgrimage sites like Jerusalem etc are now only sacred but not for pilgrimage. 4. The Quran and Hadith tells us to seek guidance from Anjeel and Torah, why Muslims ignore it. Nowhere the Quran or Hadith tells Muslims to seek guidance from Anjeel or Torah rather it tells us that these were the revelations from God but their people on whom they were revealed altered them purposefully, according to their own desire and whims in return for a very petty benefit. But ultimately they all will be rewarded in eternal hell because due to their evil act a great portion of the humankind went astray. As Quran tells us: “Do you then hope that they

would believe in you, whereas a party from among them indeed heard the Word of Allah (and acknowledged it), then altered it after they had understood it, and they knew of (what they were doing) O And when they meet the believers they say: We believe, and when they are alone with one another they say: Do you tell them of that what Allah has disclosed to you so that they may contend you by this before your Lord? Do you not then understand? O Do they not know that Allah knows what they keep secret and what they reveal? O And there are among them those illiterates who know nothing of the Book but only lies, and they do (not follow anything) but conjecture O Woe, then, to those who write the book with their hands and then say: This is from Allah, so that they may take for it a small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.” (Sura Bakra-2,

verse 75-79). However, there are few verses of Ch – 5 (Sura Maida) which told the Jews of Medina to follow the instructions mentioned therein the Torah. It happened so that a case of Zina (adultery) was brought to Prophet Muhammad by Jews. Prophet said that the punishment would be given according to the Jewish law as by that time the punishment of zina was not specified in Quran. A difference of opinion occurred at the spot. A companion of Prophet who had converted from Judaism to Islam said the punishment according to Torah is stoning to death, while Jews insisted that we will give the punishment of 100 lashes. The Torah was brought and their Rabbi placed

18 his hand on the verses which specified the punishment. At that moment Wahi came of following verses (44-47) of Sura-5:

“43. And how do they make you a judge and they have the Taurat (Torah) wherein is Allah's judgment? Yet they turn back after that, and these are not the believers. 44. Surely We revealed the Taurat in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets who submitted themselves (to Allah) judged (matters) for those who were Jews, and the masters of Divine knowledge and the doctors, because they were required to guard (part) of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses thereof; therefore fear not the people and fear Me, and do not take a small price for My communications; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unbelievers. 45. And We prescribed to them in it that life is for life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and tooth for tooth, and (that there is) reprisal in wounds; but he who foregoes it, it shall be an expiation for him; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unjust. 46. And We sent after them in their footsteps Isa, son of Marium, verifying what was before him of the Taurat and We gave him the Injeel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Taurat and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil). 47. And the followers of the Injeel should have judged by what Allah revealed in it; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the transgressors”.

After sometime the same punishment was also specified for the Muslims and then next verses were revealed (48-49): 48. And We have revealed to you the Book with the truth, verifying

what is before it of the Book and a guardian over it, therefore judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires (to turn away) from the truth that has come to you; for every one of you did We appoint a law and a way, and if Allah had pleased He would have made you (all) a single people, but that He might try you in what He gave you, therefore strive with one another to hasten to virtuous deeds; to Allah is your return, of all (of you), so He will let you know that in which you differed; (Muhammad Asad has offered its

translation in note 65, that by guardian Allah said that Quran is the judge because it is devoid of any alterations and thus only those verses hold valid which conforms to the Quranic verses.) 49. And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires, and be cautious of them, lest they seduce you from part of what Allah has revealed to you; but if they turn back, then know that Allah desires to afflict them on account of some of their faults; and most surely many of the people are transgressors.

Moreover to judge according to Injeel was for that time till when the Quran was not revealed but once it had been revealed now the judgment was suppose to be made according to Quran as it did not bring any new message but cleared all the MESS which was created by the People of the Book by altering the text. As made clear in next verses and also in verse 65-67, “65. And if the

followers of the Book had believed and guarded (against evil) We would certainly have forgiven their evil deeds and We would certainly have made them to enter the gardens of bliss”. “66. And if they had kept up the Taurat and the Injeel and that which was revealed to them from their Lord, they would certainly have been blessed by the fruits/blessings from above them and from beneath their feet, among them there are some keeping the moderate course, but most of them are evil in their conduct”.

5. Muslims fly commercial airliners into buildings in New York City. Most Muslims including some westerners and Americans see this as a plot by the Zionist Jews which also involved US intelligence agencies. There have been numerous books published in Europe and USA which poses some serious questions about the incident of 9-11. Like “9 11 – A Big Lie” and “Pentagate” by Terry Messian, “The CIA and Sep 11” by Von Bulow (German excommunication minister), “Operation 9/11” by Gerhard Wisnewski are among some of these books which exposes how shamelessly the American government covered up the evidence. There

19 are some responsible and authentic web based organizations which are also demanding a full scale revelation of the facts regarding 9/11 and its subsequent cover-up. One such scholarly site is “scholarsfor911truth.org” it is founded by over 70 professors of different American Universities. More recently over 80 pages document has been published by two professors of Harvard University with the title “Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy” which explains as to how the American administration has become hostage to the Jewish Lobbies in the United States. Interestingly this report could not find space in any of the newspaper or magazine in the United States the so called “Champion of Freedom and Liberty”. The US intelligence agencies are famous for orchestrating such events, and in the past they tried to do that with Cuba. “Body of Secrets” by James Bamford exposes that with the help of recently de-classified documents made public. Another very informative documentary “Loose Change” very scientifically shows the evidence as to how the events of 9-11 took place and how there was a cover-up by the US administration. None of the material mentioned above is from the Muslims but Europeans and Americans themselves. However, whosoever did that, all Muslims have already condemned the killing of innocent civilians. 6. Muslim officials block the exit where school girls are trying to escape a burning building because their faces were exposed (in Saudi Arabia). Who told this ridiculous story?? This has been reported by the same media who is befooling the Americans? Making them to believe that a few handfuls of people armed with nail cutters and fruit cutting knives, hijacked 4 planes deceiving all the security measures, the Federal Aviation authority (FAA), the US Air Defence system (NORAD), The US Air force on Langley, Air Base Washington and rammed them into buildings? While the helpless US authorities could do nothing about that except for saying that: ANYONE WHO SPEAKS AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATION POLICY AND SEEKS FOR THE ANSWERS IN THIS WHOLE RIDDLE NOT LOYAL TO THE AMERICANS AND IS BELIEVING IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES. If the Saudis were so against the

women’s education why did they permit these schools to be run in first place, where did they come from and what were they doing in such a restricted area? Waiting for the fire to erupt to block the exits?? This story has no truth in it and is only a shameful propaganda of that media which is controlled by Zionists. This story couldn’t be found by me on any of the world renowned media. 7. Muslims cut off the heads of three teenaged girls on their way to school in Indonesia in a Christian school. If this has happened it is shameful and can’t be termed as the policy of all the Muslims, like we can’t blame Christians for the execution of Jews in Europe. But I am sure this would not have been an isolated incident rather an incident in the series of racial or religious violence for which both parties are to be blamed. But just by the way how many of Americans or Europeans were outraged on the killing of over 600000, innocent Iraqis?? Which still is adding up, or for AbuGhraib or Guantanamo bay?? 8. Muslims murder teachers trying to teach Muslim children in Iraq. Are we sure who is doing that?? Who brought this misery to Iraq?? Who broke the Iraqi prison to rescue the British mercenaries indiscriminately killing the Iraqi civilians disguised as insurgent?? BRITISHERS and AMERICANS! This incident was reported by all international channels including BBC and CNN. Saddam was whose crony?? Who armed him with WMD’s?? Who supported him for over a decade??? Americans and the WEST?? For what?? To serve their hidden agenda in the Middle East. Isn’t that true?? US and UK should hold the blame and not the Iraqis for all this mess and misery.

20 9. Muslims murder over 80 tourists with car bombs outside cafes and hotels in Egypt. Muslims kidnap and kill athletes at the Munich Summer Olympics. Muslims fire rocket-propelled grenades into schools full of children in Israel. Because these tourists must be belonging to the west and the Palestinians want that such news should catch the attention of the west who should try to find the roots of he Middle East conflict, which is occupation and double standards. The fact is that the western media has always projected the Israelis as the innocent victims of the Palestinian resistance, while it has always blacked out the issue of occupation and refugees. What else should they do once they have become refugees in their own land and once western media shows them as terrorists, while their governments blindly supports Israel? And once over 5000 innocent Palestinian including women and children are massacred at Shabra and Shitela refugee camps under the supervision of Ariel Sharon which by the way failed to catch attention of western public. So now they have resorted to a new kind of tactics to catch the attention of west and delivering them the message that if their women and children are not safe so would be of their perpetrators. But unfortunately, a the Western medium which is absolutely in the control of Jews portraying lop sided picture in which wolf keeps crying so when injustice prevails, where they can only see the Palestinians firing rockets into schools while Israelis throw flowers on the Palestinians? In such a situation the victim usually resorts to such desperate measures. “Ticket to Paradise” by Yvonne Ridley is one such book which shows the other side of the story. 8. Muslims slaughter hundreds of children and teachers in Beslan, Russia. Muslims shoot children in the back. This is wrong and condemnable. But why are they doing so no one in the west has ever tried to study or find what Russian forces are doing with Chechens, their women and children?? No voices are raised once Russian forces did the same. So these are desperate measures but obviously unjustified like the actions of the Russian forces. 9. Muslims beat the charred bodies of Western civilians with their shoes, and then hang them from a bridge. This is the natural fallout of what Americans soldiers have done in Guantanamo Bay, Falluja, Haditha and Abu Gharib. While prisoners kept by the Muslim in their prisons are treated exactly opposite. That is why the unexpected treatment at the hands of (the so called the most brutal regime) Taliban led the famous British Journalist Yvonne Ridley to accept Islam. She herself said in the interview that, “Exactly what has happened to Muslim prisoners in Abu Graib and

Guntanamo Bay, I had thought would happen to at the hands of Taliban but the way they treated me, even for me being disrespectful and arrogant came as a complete surprise to me”.

While most of western Journalists and aid workers released from Iraq accept that nothing of that sort happened to them what the Muslims prisoners had experienced in Abu Graib and Guantanamo bay. Please don’t accept that the prisoners would be kept in five star hotels but just remember that the treatment at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay does not conform to the Muslim values and teachings but rather is indicative of the western respect for the human values. 10. Newspapers in Denmark and Norway publish cartoons depicting Mohammed and Muslims are outraged. Muslims have never made fun of religious beliefs of Jews or Judaism neither have they ever been disrespectful to any of their religious figure. They have only targeted the hateful and brutal Zionism or the unjust political figures and I am sure most of westerns are not aware of what is the difference between Judaism and Zionism. Did Muslims show any outrage on other cartoons depicting Muslims as extremist or terrorist? But the issue of Prophet Hood is one of the most sensitive issue for Muslims but the ignorant and godless west know nothing about this sensitivity. In fact they have shamefully lost the respect for anyone’s religious sanctity or sensitivity. If this is FREEDOM OF SPEECH then the destruction and killing should be termed as the FREEDOM OF

21 ACTION, if being disrespectful to human values and sentiments is justified why shouldn’t it be same for the human life and property?? Point to be pondered by the Westerns:If Jews were persecuted by the Europeans why should the Palestinians pay the price? If the US is so concerned about the Jewish homeland why can’t it give some land on American continent to Israel and why Palestinians should be made homeless to accommodate Jews??? Ahamadi Najad’s statements are immediately shown as breaking news on the western channels but why the Palestinians cries and miseries have been completely been ignored for over 50 years?? Isn’t that media (in the hands of Jews) making fool of American public and shouldn’t American and European public share the blame? The media tycoons must be laughing that how cleverly they have fed the one sided story distorting the facts to the ignorant public and have successfully polluted their minds with hate and prejudice how they perceive these to be their original thoughts. This ignorance is taking the toll and making some Muslims desperate, ultimately resorting to violence without distinguishing between innocent and accountable. United States and United Kingdom are very much part of the problem as the unjust policy of US is behind all the issues including 9/11 and all other terrorist attacks. The US foreign policy is the architect of almost all the problems and Danish cartoons is one of them. These were some questions posed by a Jewish Lady from US regarding Islam, Jesus and Christianity, to which the answers are given below: Q-1 Jesus (Peace be upon him) in Islam: That statement regarding Jesus is partially true that: “Islamic belief is incomplete without a belief in Jesus... Jesus is so fundamental in Islamic belief....” in fact the complete statement would be in the light of Quran, that belief in all the Prophets of God is central to Islam and denial of any would render a person as a non-believer.

“150. Surely those who disbelieve in Allah and His apostles and those who make distinction between Allah and His apostles and say: We believe in some and disbelieve others, and desire to take a course in-between (this and) that. 151. These are the true unbelievers, and We have prepared a disgraceful chastisement for the unbelievers. 152. And those who believe in Allah and His apostles and do not make a distinction between any of them (surely) Allah will grant them their reward; and Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful”. (Sura Nisa-4, verses 150-152). At

numerous other places the same message is repeated (Sura Baqra-2, Verse-136), however Allah does say in Sura Baqra-2 verse-253 that, “We have given preference to some of these apostles

over the others among them are they to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees of) rank; and We gave clear miracles to Isa (Jesus) son of Marium (Mary), and strengthened him with the holy spirit...” Sura-6, verse-86, “And Ismail and Al-Yasha and Yunus and Lut; and everyone of them We gave preference over whole mankind of the worlds”.

This is the preference to Prophets is given by Allah and we are not supposed to make any differentiation between them. Like, if a president of a country gives some special appointment or position to one of his ministers it certainly doesn’t mean that other ministers have become inferior to that particular minister or the other’s position is to be undermined. Similarly, some Christian missionaries pose the question: “Moses is mentioned by name in Quran over 124 times, Jesus over 23 times and Muhammad just 5 times, so who is greater?” and a Muslim is left answerless. But its very simple to clarify, Quran is a direct speech of Allah to Muhammad, and if for example you are talking to me directly how many times you would address me by name, may be once or twice. But if you are mentioning someone else to me you would each time do it by telling me his name otherwise I wouldn’t be able to comprehend about whom are you talking? Similarly, why believing in Jesus as a messenger of God and as a normal human being is important in Islam? Because to be born of a virgin was not within the power of Jesus, it was

22 Allah (God) who created him like that. And why believing in Adam, to have been created out of nowhere or Eve to be created from a man, is so central to Islam? Because it was not to the Adam’s or Eve’s credit rather it was Allah (God) who created them like that, and indeed Allah has power over all things. Therefore, believing in these two Prophets, in other words, is believing in the all encompassing power of God. So once the similitude of Adam of Eve is given it is to make it clear to the Christians that if you claim the divinity of Jesus as a son of god on the pretext of miraculous birth, then Adam and Eve are more deserving cases than Jesus, and why don’t you consider them as son/daughter of god or claim them to be divine?? Q-2 Was Jesus a Jew?

If Jesus is so fundamental in Islamic belief- then why is He not taken at HIS word? Why is He esteemed in the Qur’an as what I see as Allah and yet in the natural scheme of things is not….is this because He was a Jew?

As I have understood the second part of her question that why the sayings of Jesus is not taken literal as given in the Bible because he was from the Jewish race. Although the answer to this question should be that even Christians don’t listen to Jesus, Why? Because Jesus said, the John the Baptist is the greatest Prophet among the Children of Israel, “Verily I say unto you among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist...”. But this is not a sufficient answer as the question needs more elaboration and is a little too short. However, I will try to answer all possibilities related to it: (a) Which are the words of Jesus in the contemporary Bible (New Testament)? First of all we Muslims or anyone who is a neutral does not believe that the existing Bible is the word of God. The original message of the “INJEEL” or the so called New Testament was revealed to Jesus in Aramaic language translated in Greek language then translated to Hebrew language and from there it was translated to various other languages. So the roots of existing Bible come from Hebrew and how many times the text lost its originality we can’t be sure of that may be 10 times or even more. Like the translation of the Quran can’t be termed as the word of God but the translation of the message of God similarly the Bible in its existing form can’t be termed as the word of God under any circumstances. Only the text which match the Quranic text can be called as “may be” this is the word of God. This is the reason that the Quran is not accepted or permitted to be translated without an Arabic text and should be destroyed immediately if it is without an Arabic text. Secondly, can we differentiate in the Bible between the words of Jesus and the one who wrote all this (Paul, John, Matthew, etc)? All these Gospels contain a running commentary (Matthew, Mark, John, Luke, Acts, etc) with very few lines attributed to Jesus himself. Who is the commentator? No one knows? May be Paul, maybe John or maybe the translator himself. Interestingly almost all the Encyclopaedias written by westerners themselves, also say the same very thing, that the original writers of all these books are unknown. They were not even the disciples of Jesus and Jesus was never the founder of Christianity, rather it was Paul. Neither did ever Jesus claimed that he has brought a new religion to the Hebrews, he rather said, in the Gospel of Mathew Ch.5 V.17 - 20, ‘Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the Prophets - I am come not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, till the heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall not pass away from the law, until all be fulfilled. And whosoever therefore, shall break one of the least commandments and teach men to do so, will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whosoever shall keep them, and teach them so, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For verily, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharisees, in no way shall you enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’ Also Mathew 10: 5 to 6, ‘... go ye not into the way of the Gentiles’ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’. Also Mathew 15:24 ‘…. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ So once he didn’t mean to bring a new religion, how come

Paul or Christians developed a new religion?

23 (b) Did Jesus ever say I am god and worship me? Or did he actually mean the he is “son” of god once he used this term? There word “son of God” is used in Bible many a times. For example: Luke 3:38, “….Adam, which was the SON OF GOD”, Genesis 6:2 & 8 “That the SONS

OF GOD saw the saw the daughters of men, and they were fair…” & “And when the SONS OF GOD came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them….”, Exodus 4:22 “….thus saith the Lord, Israel is MY SON, even my firstborn.” Similar statements are repeated in

Jeremiah 31:9, Psalms 2:7, Romans 8:14. In the similar terms Jesus is mentioned as “...only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish,...” (John 3 verse 16) and therefore should not be taken in literal sense and if Jesus status as son is taken that way then all others who have been mentioned as sons of god should also be taken in the same context. Why only the Jesus should be considered as the son? For example there is no equivalent word of “ABD” either in English or Urdu and the nearest match in English is “servant” while in Urdu is “Banda”. Prophet clearly forbid to use “Abd” for the humans and restricted the term only for God. Similarly the word “SON” in Bible is the wrongly translated word either from Aramaic, or from Greek or from Hebrew. Unfortunately no Original Aramaic or Greek copy of Bible exist and the existing copies are the lately translations. (c) Was Jesus a Jew? If by the term JEW we mean people, who are holding a certain set of belief and principles in the religion of Judaism, then Jesus was surely not a Jew. However, he was sent to the Jews or Jewish nation. As told in Quran, Sura Al-Imran 3, verses 65-68, “65. O

followers of the Book! why do you dispute about Ibrahim, when the Taurat and the Injeel were not revealed till after him; do you not then understand? 66. Behold! you are they who disputed about that of which you had knowledge; why then do you dispute about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allah knows while you do not know. 67. Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian but he was an absolutely devoted Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists. 68. Most surely the nearest of people to Ibrahim are those who followed him and this Prophet and those who believe and Allah is the guardian of the believers.” Because according to Jewish

history the Jewish race was founded by the Jacob (Hazrat Yaqoob) who was grandson of Ibrahim and son of Isaac (Hazrat Ishaq).

Jesus was born amongst the Children of Israel but he was not a Jew as he didn’t follow the set of belief system necessary to be termed as a Jew and neither did he believed in the racist god with the name of Yahweh. This was the reason Jews tried to execute and crucify him. Same is said in Sura Baqra-2, verses 135-140, “And they say: Be Jews or Christians, you will be on the right

course. Say: Nay! (we follow) the religion of Ibrahim, (who was) absolutely devoted Muslim (Hanif), and he was not one of the polytheists....140. Nay! do you say that Ibrahim and Ismail and Yaqoub and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Are you better knowing or Allah? And who is more unjust than he who conceals the testimony that he received (in the Book) from Allah? And Allah is not at all unaware of what you do”. So Jesus said in Sura Maryum-19, verse36, “And surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore worship Him alone; this is the right path”.

Same words are contained in Gospel of Mathew-19: 17 ‘And Jesus said unto him, ‘Why thou callest me good? For there is none good, except One, that is God - And if you want to enter life, keep the commandments’ and Mark 12:29, ‘….Hear Oh Israel, the Lord our God, is in one lord’.

So we believe in these words of Jesus as they are in complete conformity to Quran and Old Testament. Muslim is not a label (as most Muslims and Non-Muslims believe) but it means one who submits himself to God and His commandments and Quran and Bible says that all the Prophets were Muslims as they submitted themselves to the Will of God. (d) Jesus is called as word of God, Spirit of God, nearest to God, ‘Rehmah’ (blessings) etc in Quran. Brother all these titles are given to Jesus just to tell that he is a normal human being and a Prophet of God.

24

Allah spelled his spirit not only in Jesus but all the new born humans. It was only that Jesus was born without any male intervention. He also spelled his spirit into Adam (Sura-38:Verse-72) “So when I have made him(Adam) completely and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down in prostration in front of him”. Similarly, all other humans receive the sprit from Allah but Allah,

according to Muslim tradition (Hadith) has designated an angel to do that and as it happens as a routine we don’t notice it. Adam, Eve and Jesus are only signs for us to believe that Allah has power over all things he can create from nowhere (Adam), without father (Jesus) or even without mother (Eve). It is not the case that Allah spelled his spirit only in Jesus or Adam while Satan is spelling in rest of us. The others have not been specifically mentioned and therefore we consider it as a NATURAL COURSE. See Quran Sura 2: verse-28, “How do you deny Allah and

you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, then you shall be brought back to Him”. The word of God means his order (Sura-3: verse-47) “She (Mary) said: My Lord! How shall a son be (born) to me? And no man has even touched me? He (angel) said: Same way, Allah creates whatever He wills; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it happens”. and Sura-19: verse-35, “It beseems not Allah that He should take to Himself a son, glory to be Him (He is above all these things); when He has decreed a matter He only says to it "Be," and it happens”.

He says BE and it happens, so he said BE in case of Jesus and he was conceived without any male intervention. (Please don’t confuse that Allah has to say “BE” like we spell from our mouth, it’s an allegorical term meaning that He intends and it happens. We can’t comprehend how he intends or say). And for rest of the mankind/creatures he also says ‘BE’ and that happens with the male intervention. There is no concept of natural phenomenon in Islam (which is supposed to be out of the reach or control of God). All what happens is because Allah has ordered it to happen like that, but once it becomes a routine; we term it as a natural phenomenon. Like once a hen lays egg or a (female) horse gives birth to a pony, it is considered as to be a natural phenomenon but if it happens vice versa it becomes a miracle. Now if God had willed so, this procedure would have been other way round and we would have termed it as natural course and vice versa. “Surely the likeness of Jesus is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was.” (Sura-3: verse-59). The reasons for Jesus miraculous birth

are surely known to God alone. May be it was to ratify to the Jews that God has power over everything as had developed the concept that they are the chosen people of God and can’t be punished. May be it was a chilling reminder that if they remained arrogant, then they definitely would be punished. (Unfortunately the same false concept has crept in some ranks of Muslims as well that, ‘they being born to the Muslim families are holding a direct visa for heaven, and whatever wrong they do, would eventually be pardoned by God on Prophet Muhammad’s intervention’. Christians hold the same belief towards Christ.) Jesus is called as ‘Rehmah’ (blessings) in Quran because he brought blessings to the bewildering Jews, the message of God. So indeed he was a Rehmah for Jews. Q-3 Qur'an also upholds the Bible as the Word of God? This is not true. The Quran does not term the contemporary Bible as the word of God but rather the original Books as word of God which were revealed to Noah, Ibrahim, Moses, David, Jesus and all other Prophets. Before we scrutinize the various versions, let us clarify our own belief regarding the Books of God. When we say that we believe in the Tauraat, the Zaboor, the Injeel and the Qur'an, what do we really mean? We already know that the Holy Qur'an is the infallible Word of God, revealed to Holy Prophet Muhummed (Peace be upon him) word for word, through Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel), and perfectly preserved and protected from human tampering for the past fourteen hundred years. Even hostile critics of Islam have grudgingly vouched for the purity of the Holy

25 Qur’ân: "THERE IS PROBABLY IN THE WORLD NO OTHER BOOK WHICH HAS REMAINED TWELVE CENTURIES (now fourteen) WITH SO PURE A TEXT." (Sir William Muir). The Tauraat we Muslims believe in is not the present-day "Torah" of the Jews and the Christians, though the words — one Arabic, the other Hebrew — are the same. We believe that whatever the Holy Prophet Moses (Peace be upon him) preached to his people, was the revelation from God Almighty, but that Moses was not the author of those "books" attributed to him by the Jews and the Christians. Could Moses have been a contributor to his own obituary before his demise? Did the Jews write their own obituaries? Like it says, "So Moses . . . DIED . . . And he (God Almighty) BURIED HIM (Moses) ... he was 120 years old when he DIED ... And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses …" (Deut. 34:5-10). Interestingly, Isaiah 37 and 2 Kings

19 are identical word for word, yet they have been attributed to two different authors, centuries apart, whom the Christians claim to have been inspired by God.

Likewise, we believe that the Zaboor was the revelation of God granted to Hazrat Dawood (David) (Peace be upon him), but that the present Psalms associated with his name is not that revelation. The Christians themselves do not insist that David is the sole author of Psalms. Similarly, in his life-time Jesus never wrote a single word, nor did he instruct anyone to do so. What passes off as the "GOSPELS" today are the works of anonymous hands. Please do see below to the dialogue between Ahmed Deedat and a Christian priest who in the initial part of discussion claimed there is only one Bible which is the word of God. This incident was narrated by Deedat: Deedat: The question before us is: "Do you accept that the Bible is God's Word?" Holding the "Douay" Roman Catholic Version of the Bible aloft in my hand, I asked, "Do you accept this Bible as the Word of God?" For reasons best known to them, the Catholic Truth Society have published their Version of the Bible in a very short, stumpy form. This Version is a very odd proportion of the numerous Versions in the market today. The Christian questioner is taken aback. Priest: "What Bible is that?" Deedat: "Why, I thought you said that there was only ONE Bible!" I remind him. Priest: "Y-e-s," he murmurs hesitantly, "but what Version is that?" Deedat: "Why, would that make any difference?" I enquire. Priest: Of course it does, and the professional preacher knows that it does. Deedat: He is only bluffing with his "ONE Bible" claim. So how many EXISTING versions of Bible are there in the World: (a) The Roman Catholic Bible was published at Rheims in 1582, from Jerome's Latin Vulgate and reproduced at Douay in 1609. As such the RCV (Roman Catholic Version) is the oldest Version that one can still buy today. Despite its antiquity, the whole of the Protestant world condemn the RCV because it contains seven extra "books" which they contemptuously refer to as the "apocrypha" i.e. of DOUBTFUL AUTHORITY. Notwithstanding the dire warning contained in Revelation 22:18-19 ". . . If any man shall add to these things (or delete) God shall add unto him the plagues written in this Book."

(b) King James Version, the Authorized Version (AV) of the Protestant Bible, which is also widely known as the "King James Version (KJV) about which Sir Winston Churchill has some pertinent things to say, "THE AUTHORISED VERSION OF THE BIBLE WAS PUBLISHED IN 1611 BY THE WILL AND COMMAND OF HIS MAJESTY KING JAMES THE 1ST WHOSE NAME IT BEARS TILL TODAY." (c) Revised Standard Version which was First published, as Sir Winston says, in 1611, and then revised in 1881 (RV), and now re-revised and brought up to date as the Revised Standard

26 Version (RSV) 1952, and now again re-re-revised in 1971 (still RSV for short). Let us see what opinion Christendom has of this most revised Bible, the RSV:"THE FINEST VERSION WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED IN THE PRESENT CENTURY." — (Church of England Newspaper) "A COMPLETELY FRESH TRANSLATION BY SCHOLARS OF THE HIGHEST EMINENCE." — (Times literary Supplement) "THE WELL-LOVED CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AUTHORISED VERSION COMBINED WITH A NEW ACCURACY OF TRANSLATION." — (Life and Work) "THE MOST ACCURATE AND CLOSE RENDERING OF THE ORIGINAL" — (The Times)

The publishers (Collins) themselves, in their notes on the Bible at the end of their production, say on page 10: "THIS BIBLE (RSV), IS THE PRODUCT OF THIRTY-TWO SCHOLARS, ASSISTED BY AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPRESENTING FIFTY CO-OPERATING DENOMINATIONS."

(d) Authorized Version of the Bible (AV), the revisers and good salesmen, have some very pretty things to say about it. However, their page iii, paragraph six of the PREFACE of the RSV reads; "THE KING JAMES VERSION (alternative description of AV) HAS WITH GOOD REASON BEEN TERMED 'THE NOBLEST MONUMENT OF ENGLISH PROSE.’ ITS REVISERS IN 1881 EXPRESSED ADMIRATION FOR 'ITS SIMPLICITY, ITS DIGNITY, ITS POWER, ITS HAPPY TURNS OF EXPRESSION ... THE MUSIC OF ITS CADENCES, AND THE FELICITIES OF ITS RHYTHM.’ IT ENTERED, AS NO OTHER BOOK HAS, INTO THE MAKING OF THE PERSONAL CHARACTER AND THE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF THE ENGLISHSPEAKING PEOPLES. WE OWE TO IT AN INCALCULABLE DEBT. YET THE KING JAMES VERSION HAS GRAVE DEFECTS." And, "THAT THESE DEFECTS ARE SO MANY AND SO SERIOUS AS TO CALL FOR REVISION . . ."

Can you, imagine a more magnificent tribute being paid to the "Book of Books" than the above? And which one among all these versions is the Book known as to be the WORD OF GOD? Mrs. Ellen G. White, a "prophetess" of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, in her Bible Commentary Vol. 1, page 14, has this confession to make about the fallibility of the "Holy Bible." "THE BIBLE WE READ TODAY IS THE WORK OF MANY COPYISTS WHO HAVE IN MOST INSTANCES DONE THEIR WORK WITH MARVELOUS ACCURACY. BUT COPYISTS HAVE NOT BEEN INFALLIBLE, AND GOD MOST EVIDENTLY HAS NOT SEEN FIT TO PRESERVE THEM ALTOGETHER FROM ERROR IN TRANSCRIBING." “Reading Bible stories to children can also open up all sorts of opportunities to discuss the morality of sex. An unexpurgated Bible might get an X-rating from some censors” The PLAIN TRUTH October 1977.

(e) Contradictions in Bible – The (so called) word of God. There are more than 1000 contradictions in Bibles but few and major I would mention here: (1) "No man hath seen God at any time” JOHN 1: 18. (2) " (God) whom no man hath seen, nor can see .,." I TIMOTHY 6:16. (3) "And he (God) said, Thou canst see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live”. EXODUS 33:20. Contradicted by: (1) "And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” Exodus 33:11. (3) “And they (Moses, Aaron and seventy others) saw the God of Israel . ." EXODUS 24:10. (4) "And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” GENESIS 32:30. (5) “And as a special favour God shows his back parts to Moses "And I (God) will take away my hand and thou shalt see my back parts . . . " EXODUS 33:23. f. Other contradictions: (1) “The "Lord" tempted David . . .” 2 SAMUEL 24:1 or "Satan provoked David . . .” I CHRONICLES 21:1. (2) 700 or 7000? "Horsemen" or "Footmen"… ? 2 Samuel 10:18 vs 1 CHRONICLES 19:18. (3) Solomon had 2000 baths or 3000 baths? 1 KINGS 7-26 vs 2 CHRONICLES 4:5. (4) Solomon had 4000 stalls of horses or 40000? 2 CHRONICLES 9:25 vs 1 KINGS 4:26.

27 (5)

Did Saul enquire of the Lord or didn't he? 1 SAMUELS 28:6 vs 1 CHRONICLES 10:13-14. (6) Heaven: “no man hath ascended” JOHN 3:13 Contradicted by. 2 KINGS 2:11 “Elijah ascended” and GENESIS 5:24 “Enoch ascended”. (7) Jesus lost "None" of his disciples JOHN 18:9 Contradicted by. He lost only "One" JOHN 17:12. (8) “ALL are born sinners”, 2 CHRONICLES 6:36, contradicted by: "Whosoever is born of God DOTH NOT commit sin.." 1 John 3:9. (9) Contradictory God: "For God is NOT the author of confusion . ." I CORINTHIANS 14:33 Contradicted by: (i) " . . I make peace, and CREATE EVIL . . ." ISAIAH 45:7 (by But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and AN EVIL SPIRIT from the Lord troubled him. I SAMUEL 16:14 (ii) "And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should BELIEVE A LIE." 2 THESSALONIANS 2:1 1. (10) GOD DOES NOT SHOW ANY SELF-REPROACH: "God is not a mar, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent . . ." NUMBERS 23:19 Contradicted by: " . . and the Lord REPENTED that he made Saul king over Israel " SAMUEL 15:35 Also: “And the Lord REPENTED of the evil which he thought to do unto his people (Israel)" EXODUS 32:14. g. ABSURDITIES in the Book of God (?) the Holy Bible: (1) A TALKING ass. NUMBERS 22:27-28. (2) FOUR footed fowls. LEVITICUS 11:20 (3) Birth of females a DOUBLE pollution LEVITICUS 12:1,2,5 (4) Shamgar KILLS 600 with an ox goad JUDGES 3:31 (5) Samson KILLS A THOUSAND with the jaw bone of a donkey. JUDGES 15:15-16 (6) A SEVEN HEADED leopard REVELATION 13:1-2 (7) To eat SHIT and drink PISS. 2 KINGS 18:27 and ISAIAH 36:12 (8) DUNG on your faces. MALACHI 2:3 (i) To eat cake with SHIT. EZEKIEL 4:12-15 (9) Samson has SEX with a whore in Gaza JUDGES 16:1 (10) Ruth COHABITS with Boaz in the barn. RUTH 3:4-l5 (1) David SLEEPS with a young virgin l KINGS 1 1:1,3 (11) BASTARD: This word occurs in the Bible THREE times (a) "The BASTARD shall not enter the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation . . . DEUTERONOMY 23:2 (b) "And a BASTARD shall dwell in Ashdod . .ZECHARIAH 9:6 (c) "But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are BASTARDS and not sons. " HERREWS 12:8 (12) SODOMY: The Bible's reason why human beings become lesbians and homosexuals 'Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and WORSHIPPED and SERVED the creature (like men and monkeys) more than the Creator . . . "BECAUSE THEY DO THIS (worshipping men and monkeys), God has given them over to shameful passions. Even women pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts (like lesbianism and bestiality). "In the same way... the men burn with passion for one another (as sodomites and homosexuals) ... ROMANS 1:25-27 (The Good News Bible). So what the Quran says about Bible (Torah, Zaboor, Injeel) and the forgery therein : “Woe, then, to those who write the book (Bible – Old and New Testament) with their hands and then say: This is from Allah, so that they may take for it small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn”. (Sura-2, verse-

79). “O followers of the Book (Jews and Christians)! do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not speak (lies) against Allah, but (speak) the truth; the Messiah, Isa son of Marium is only

28 an apostle of Allah and His Word which He communicated to Marium and a spirit from Him; believe therefore in Allah and His apostles, and say not, Trinity. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one God; Above is His glory from that He should have a son, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth belongs to Him, and Allah is sufficient Protector”. (Sura-

4, verse-171). “Do they not then consider the Quran (with care)? And if it would have been from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many contradictions”. (Sura-4, verse-82). “O followers of the Book! indeed Our Apostle has come to you making clear to you much of what you concealed of the Book and passing over much; indeed, there has come to you light and a clear Book from Allah;” (Sura-5: verse-15) “Those who follow the Apostle-Prophet, the Ummi, whom they find written down with them in the Taurat and the Injeel, who enjoins them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful to them the good things and makes unlawful to them impure things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them; so (as for) those who believe in him and honour him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, these it is that are the successful.” (Sura-7: verse-157). “1. Those who disbelieved from among the followers of the Book and the polytheists could not have separated (from the faithful) until there had come to them the clear evidence,... 4. And those who were given the Book did not become divided only after clear evidence had come to them (because they forged it)... 6. Surely those who disbelieve from among the followers of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of hell, abiding therein; they are the worst of men”. (Sura-98: verses 1-6). “And surely some among the people of the Book are those who believe in Allah and (in) that which has been revealed to you and (in) that which was revealed to them, and humbly submits themselves before Allah; they do not take a small price for the revelations of Allah (by tempering them); these are those whose reward is with their Lord; surely Allah is quick in reckoning”. Sura-3: Verse-199. “Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely, Allah is the Messiah, son of Marium...”. (Sura-5:

verse-17). “Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah is the third of the three; when there is no god but the one God, and if they desist not from what they say, a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve.” Sura-5: verse-73. “And what will be the condition of those who forge lies against Allah (in their scriptures) on the day of resurrection? Most surely Allah is the Lord of grace towards men, but most of them do not give thanks”. Sura-10, verse-60. “116. And when Allah will say: O Isa son of Marium! did you tell these men, to ‘Take me and my mother as gods besides Allah?’ he will say: Glory be to Thee, it did not befit me that I should say what I had no right to (say); if I had said it, Thou wouldst indeed have known it; You know what is in my mind, and I do not know what is in Thy mind, surely Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things. 117. I did not say to them except of what You commanded me: That, Worship Allah, who is my Lord and your Lord, and I was a witness on them as long as I was among them, but when You picked me up, You were the watcher over them, and You are witness over all things”. (Sura-5, verses 116-117).

(Also see 2:116, 5:116-118, 10:68, 18:5, 19:89-92,).

29 Even Bible says not to add or delete anything from the Book, "Whatsoever thing I command you, observe to do it; and thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." Deuteronomy 12:32. So all these verses clearly imply that Christians have corrupted the Bible by adding those beliefs which were never taught by Jesus himself. But this corrupted text still contains a portion of those verses which were actually revealed by God and the most pertinent example can be sought of those verses in which Prophet Muhammad has been prophesied: MUHUMMED in Bible (pbuh): Is a true prophet of God according to the Bible: (a) " . . Every spirit (meaning every prophet) that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in flesh is of God.” 1 JOHN 4:2 MUHUMMED (PBUH) MENTIONED BY NAME IN THE BIBLE: (b) "his mouth is most sweet: yea, he is (in Hebrew “Muhummed-im” translated as) altogether lovely, this is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem”. Song of Solomon 5:16.

Unfortunately, from the original Hebrew manuscript the word "MUHUMMEDIM” has been translated as "altogether lovely” which is actually the word MUHUMMED with "im" added as respect. In the Hebrew language "IM" is the plural of respect. MUHUMMED A "COMFORTER" LIKE JESUS, PEACE BE UPON THEM: (c) "And I will pray the father, and he shall give you ANOTHER Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” JOHN 14:16. "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, (Ismalities) like unto thee (with natural birth), and I will put my words (Wahi) in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." Deuteronomy 18:18. So among the brother of

Isaac i.e. Ishmael was raised the Prophet Muhammad and what he spoke was of the word of GOD or ‘wahi’ that even today exist in its pure form as Quran. Q- 4 Why is the Bible not studied and followed and seen as the WORD of GOD. We Muslims respect all the apostles of Allah and strongly believe that they were devoid of any sin, that they were innocent and they brought one single message to worship only one God (Allah). Anyone who does not believe in apostles or levies charges against them is not a Muslim. So if we start believing in the existing Bible as the word of God we would cease to be Muslims, you know WHY? Because Bible levies such vehement charges against these innocent Prophet that even probably Satan won’t dare to do that: (1) ABRAHAM (Hazrat Ibrahim): Did he wed his own sister Sa’rai (Sarah)? (a) "Why saidst thou (O Abraham), she is my sister? So l might have taken her to me to

WIFE . . . now take her (Sarah) and go thy way.” GENESIS 12:19. (b) "And yet INDEED she (Sarah) is my sister; she is the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my (Abraham's) Wife." GENESIS 20:12. (3) HAZRAT KETURAH: The third wife of Abraham "Then again Abraham took a WIFE, and her name was Keturah”. GENESIS 25:1. Keturah being the WIFE of Abraham is being contradicted in the self-same "Word of God" — i.e. I CHRONICLES 1:32, where Keturah is described as Abraham's CONCUBINE. Here is an extra contradiction in the Bible, unless 'WIFE" and "CONCUBINE" are synonymous terms. (4) DAVID (Hazrat Dawood); had sex with someone else wife? "Man after God's own

heart"— Commits adultery with Bath-sheba the wife of Uriah: (a) "And David sent messengers, and took her (Bathsheba); and she came in unto him, and he LAY (had intercourse) with her. . .” 2 SAMUEL 11:4 (b) “David wickedly caused the death of Uriah, the husband of Bath-sheba.” 2 SAMUEL 11:6-25 (c) David shamelessly dances NAKED, see in index under "PROPHETS, but naked."

30 (5) Lut (Hazrat Lout): Did he had sex with his daughters? "That night they (both the

daughters of Lot) gave him (their father Lot) wine to drink and the older daughter had INTERCOURSE with him ... "The next day the older daughter said to her sister, I slept with him last night. now let's get him drunk again tonight, and you sleep with him. Then each of us will have a child by our father. So that night they got him drunk and the younger daughter had INTERCOURSE with him ... "In this way both of Lot's daughters became PREGNANT by their father. " GENESIS 19:33-35. (6) Jacob (Hazrat Yaqoob): “While Jacob (Israel) was living in the land, Reuben (his firstborn, his eldest son) had SEXUAL INTERCOURSE with Bilhah, his father's concubine.” GENESIS 35:22. (7) Judah: (Yahooduia): "When Judah saw her (Tamar, his daughter-in-law), he thought

she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face. He went over to her at the side of the road and said, "ALL RIGHT, HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?" (He did not know that she was his daughter-in-law). "She said, what will you give me?" (To have sex with me) 'He answered, I WILL SEND YOU A YOUNG GOAT FROM MY FLOCK "She said, "All right, if you will give me something to keep as a pledge until you send the, goat. ' . . He gave them (the pledges) to her. Then had INTERCOURSE, and she became pregnant.” GENESIS 38: 15-18. (8) Sons of David Raped his sister/ step mother?: " . . he took hold of her (Thamar), his

sister, and said unto her, Come lie with me (have sex with me), my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother (Amnon, one of the sons of David) do not force me . . . But he would not listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he overpowered her and RAPED her (his sister)." 2 Samuel 13:5-14. “So they set up a tent for Absalom (another son of King David) on the palace roof, and in the sight of everyone, Absalom went in and had INTERCOURSE with his father's concubines " 2 SAMUELS 16:22 (9) Noah (Hazrat Nooh): "And he (Noah) drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he lay NAKED within his tent." GENESIS You can well guess where "Penthouse" and "Playboy" got their inspiration from. Wherefrom if not from the Book of Books (The Holy Bible)?

Q- 5 Jesus considered as god by Christians: If Jesus is the god of Christians, then this god is holding some very illogical and un-godly characteristics?? (a) A POWERLESS GOD "I can of mine own self do NOTHING . . ." JOHN 5:30 (b) HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE HEREAFTER "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 (c) HE WAS IGNORANT OF THE SEASONS 'And seeing a fig tree afar of having leaves, he came if happily he might find any thing there on. and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, FOR THE TIME OF FIGS WAS NOT YET." MARK 11:13 (d) JESUS (PBUH) AS A THIRSTY "GOD'? " . . (Jesus) saith, I THIRST." JOHN 19:28 (e) JESUS (PBUH) AS A WEEPING "GOD'? “Jesus WEPT.” JOHN 11:35 (f) IMAGINE A "GOD" BEING TEMPTED by THE DEVIL: "Where he (Jesus) stayed forty days, being tempted by Satan" MARK 1:13 (g) HATE AS FOUNDATION OF HIS (Jesus) FAITH: "If any man come to me, and HATE NOT his father, and mother, and wife, and children. . . HE CANNOT be my disciple." LUKE 14:26

31 Q- 6 Christians are told in Quran to judge themselves according to the Injil, "Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein. Whoever does not judge by that which Allah hath revealed, such are evil-livers." (5:47) Indeed this is the verse of Sura Maida verse-47, but it has to be read in context. These verses were revealed in Madina between 5 and 6 Hijra. A case of Zina (adultery) was brought to Prophet by Jews. Prophet said that the punishment would be given according to the Jewish law as by that time the punishment of zina was not specified in Quran. A difference of opinion occurred at the spot. A companion of Prophet Muhammad who had converted from Judaism to Islam said the punishment is stoning to death, while Jews insisted that we will give the punishment of 100 lashes as mentioned in Quran. The Torah was brought and their Rabbi placed his hand on the verses which specified the punishment. At that moment Wahi came of following verses (44-47) of Sura-5: “43. And how do they make you a judge and they have the Taurat wherein is Allah's judgment? Yet they turn back after that, and these are not the believers. 44. Surely We revealed the Taurat in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets who submitted themselves (to Allah) judged (matters) for those who were Jews, and the masters of Divine knowledge and the doctors, because they were required to guard (part) of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses thereof; therefore fear not the people and fear Me, and do not take a small price for My communications; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unbelievers. 45. And We prescribed to them in it that life is for life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and tooth for tooth, and (that there is) reprisal in wounds; but he who foregoes it, it shall be an expiation for him; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unjust. 46. And We sent after them in their footsteps Isa, son of Marium, verifying what was before him of the Taurat and We gave him the Injeel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Taurat and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil). 47. And the followers of the Injeel should have judged by what Allah revealed in it; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the transgressors”.

After sometime the same punishment was also specified for the Muslims and then next verses were revealed (48-49):

“48. And We have revealed to you the Book with the truth, verifying what is before it of the Book and a guardian over it, therefore judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires (to turn away) from the truth that has come to you; for every one of you did We appoint a law and a way, and if Allah had pleased He would have made you (all) a single people, but that He might try you in what He gave you, therefore strive with one another to hasten to virtuous deeds; to Allah is your return, of all (of you), so He will let you know that in which you differed; (Muhammad Asad a converted Muslim from Judaism has

offered its translation in note 65, that by guardian Allah said that Quran is the judge of what is corrupted and what exist as original in the Bible, because it is devoid of any alterations and thus only those verses can be considered as original which conforms to the Quranic verses.) 49. And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires, and be cautious of them, lest they seduce you from part of what Allah has revealed to you; but if they turn back, then know that Allah desires to afflict them on account of some of their faults; and most surely many of the people are transgressors”.

Moreover to judge according to Injeel was for that time till when the Quran was not revealed but once it had been revealed now the judgement was suppose to be made according to Quran as it did not bring any new message but cleared all the MESS which was created by the People of the Book by altering the text. This has made clear in next verses of the same sura(5):

32

“65. And if the followers of the Book had believed and guarded (against evil) We would certainly have forgiven their evil deeds and We would certainly have made them to enter the gardens of bliss”. “66. And if they had kept up the Taurat and the Injeel and that which was revealed to them from their Lord, they would certainly have been blessed by the fruits/blessings from above them and from beneath their feet, among them there are some keeping the moderate course, but most of them are evil in their conduct”.

So these were some of the questions which I tried to answer. Beside these, there are numerous books written by Muslim scholars answering various questions which troubles the westerns like Margert Marcus (who reverted from Judaism to Islam and is currently living in Lahore with the name Maryam Jeemala) wrote “Islam vs West”, “Is Wstren Civilization Universal”, “Western Civilization Condemned By Itself” etc, Another very popular writer is Leopold Weiss (later Muhammad Asad) who reverted to Islam from Judaism in 1926 (died in 1992) wrote several books like “Road to Makkah (Mecca)”, “Islam at the Crossroads” which not only tell the story of his conversion to Islam but also addresses some misconceptions which the westerners have against Islam, Muslims and other religions as well. He also wrote Interpretation (Tafseer) of Quran with the name of “The Message of Quran”. There is yet another learned Professor of mathematics Jeffrey Lang in Kansas University (who converted to Islam from Christianity in 1992) and is author of various books, including “Struggling to Surrender” and “Even Angels Ask” which addresses some very pertinent and troubling questions usually asked by Christians and atheists.

33

QUESTIONS POSED BY CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES Q – 1 : The Quran tells that Bible (Torah/Injeel) is the word of God. Why Muslims don’t follow it? Ans : Quran tells us that Torah and the Injeel was the word of God and not the existing Bible which has been profoundly corrupted by the Jews and Christians. Moreover, the instructions contained in these books were revealed to the people of those times and have been now replaced by Quranic instructions. These were time bound instructions not to be followed universally. The universal and final message to be followed now is Quran and the Prophet Muhammad’s sunnah. The detailed answer to this question can be seen on page 17, serial – 4, also on page 24, Q – 3 and page 29, Q – 4. Q–2: Ans :

Q–4: Ans :

Can God do everything? If yes, then can He take human form as he did in case of Jesus? The detailed answer to this question can be seen on page 2 under Q – 3.

In Quran Jesus is mentioned 25 times while Muhammad is mentioned 5 times, so who is greater? The one mentioned 25 times or the one 5 times? We Muslims believe that Quran is the word of God and revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pubh) through angel Jabraeel. Quran tells us in 10:47, “And for every nation there has been sent a Messenger ….” and that we must not differentiate between the Messengers (Sura – 4) : 150. Surely those who disbelieve in Allah and His apostles

and (those who) desire to make a distinction between Allah and His apostles and say: We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and desire to take a course between (this and) that. 151. These it is that are truly unbelievers and We have prepared for the unbelievers a disgraceful chastisement.

So this should be our beliefs towards Prophets: a. All Prophets are great and they all brought the message of God to their nations. Prophet Muhammad (pubh) is the greatest being the last and the final Prophet. However, we must never say that that Prophet is better than the other Messengers or that one is inferior to the other etc. In a hadith, Prophet Muhammad said, “… don’t give preference to Prophets over each other .… none of my followers should even say that I (Muhammad) am better than Jonah.” (Sahih Bukhari, vol

2). While Prophet Jonah (Younis p.u.b.h) was the only Prophet from whom God got annoyed and thus he has to stay in the fish belly. b. Quran is the direct speech of God and in Quran God is talking to Prophet Muhammad and the mankind. So while two persons talk with each other they won’t address each other with their name in their conversation. However, once they talk about a third person, who is not present there at that time, they will definitely call him with his name. That is why whenever the story about Jesus is mentioned in Quran, he is mentioned by name. Why? Because Jesus was not present there and if his name would have not been mentioned how anyone would have ever known that Jesus is being mentioned. Likewise, Moses has been mentioned 125 times in Quran. This doesn’t imply that Moses is greater than Jesus or Muhammad, but as his story is mentioned numerous times his name is also mentioned.

34

Q – 3 : Jesus had a miraculous birth (without father) while Prophet Muhammad was born in a normal manner. So who is greater? Ans : A miracle is not the criterion for greatness neither is the miracle display of the powers of a Prophet. Miracle is a sign from God given to a Prophet once a nation becomes defiant or does not believe him to be a Prophet. It was not within the folds of Jesus to have been born miraculously but it was God who had decided him to be born like that. So if miraculous birth is the criteria for claiming divinity then Prophet Adam and even Eve is more deserving candidates. Prophet Adam was born without any father or mother, so by that formula he should become the greatest of all and Eve’s birth out of a man is also a greater miracle than the birth of Jesus. So should we call them greatest or god? No! Not at all. It was neither the choice or will of Adam nor of Eve, it is God who had created them like that. Allah says in Quran “…When he decrees a thing, he says to it only; Be! And it is (happened).” 2:117, and in Sura-3: verse-59 “Surely the likeness of Jesus is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was.”

The detailed answer to this question can be seen on page 22, under Q – 2. Q – 4 : According to Quran Jesus is living and is with God while Prophet Muhammad died a natural death. So who is greater the one living in heavens or the one dead? Ans : Another miracle of Jesus was to have been raised up alive. Again, this was not in Jesus’ hand to have been raised up alive rather a miracle given to him by God. We Muslims believe that he was raised up alive while Christians claims for him a miserable fate. Anyhow, we Muslims believe that Jesus will come back again in this world to give a crushing blow to Jews who levelled blasphemous charges against him and remained defiant to God. He would also clear the charges against him levied by the Christians that he is son of god or he is god. This is also stated in Bible, Matthew 7: 21-23, that in the second coming once Christians will greet him he will say, “Not every one that saith unto

me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name have done many wonderful works? And then will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work of iniquity”. (His message goes further till verse 27,

please read them as well). So in the light of the verse of Quran, which says that every life will have the taste of death, we believe that Jesus will come back. Holy Prophet Muhammad (pubh) told us in numerous hadiths (Abu-Dawood, Trimdhi) that near the end times Jesus will lead the Muslim forces to destroy the forces of evil (Dajjal), will marry, live for approx 40 years and will be buried alongside his grave in Medina, at the place which is still vacant. Q – 5 : Jesus raised the dead, alive from their graves, while Muhammad had no such miracle, so who is greater? Ans : This is yet another miracle which Jesus delivered to his nation by the WILL OF GOD as told in Quran that Allah is telling Marry (Maryum) once she has conceived Jesus:

“And (I will make him) an apostle to the children of Israel (who will tell them): That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I fashion for you out of dust the likeness of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah's permission and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah's permission and I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers”. (3:49)

35 So in whole of this verse Jesus is narrating his miracles and he is not attributing these to him but Allah. So these were not in the power of Jesus but Allah to have given him all these miracles. But all these miracles were time bound while Prophet Muhammad was given a living miracle which is still living and will last till the end of this world and that is “THE QURAN”. This challenge is stated in Sura Baqra – 2, verses 23 – 24:

“And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant (Prophet Muhammad), then produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful. But if you do (it) not and never shall you be able to do (it), then be fearful of the fire of which men and stones are the fuel; it is prepared for the unbelievers”.

This living miracle is still challenging the non-believers.

Compiled and written by: Shams uz zaman [email protected]

Pakistan.

[email protected]