TEACH ME

YOUR WAY

O LORD!

Iskander Jadeed

«tv

THE QUESTIONS:

Islam, as the chosen Religion of Allah, is a reli-

gion appointed by Allah for his worshippers.

But there are many other religions. Is there

among them something better than Islam?

And if that where the case, what do you think

about the utterance of Allah: Truly the religion

(accepted) by Allah is Islam!

A.G. MAROCCO

TEACH ME

YOUR WAY,

O LORD!

by

Iskander Jadeed

THE GOOD WAY RIKON/SWITZERLAND

RB 4930 E

All rights reserved

THE GOOD WAY P. O. BOX 66 • CH-8486 RIKON (SUISSE)

In his book, The Spirit of the Islamic Religion,

the great scholar Afif Tabbara gives the derivation

of the word Al-Islam from "salima" as meaning:

1. Deliverance and freedom from faults open

or hidden

2. Reconciliation and safety

3. Obedience and surrender

(The Spirit of the Islamic Religion, page 17).

For its spiritual meaning he does not confine

himself to the religion proclaimed by Muhammed,

son of Abdullah but includes every heavenly reli-

gion which avers the unity of God. The Koran

itself testifies to this truth, which is proved by the

saying, "No; Abraham in truth was not a Jew,

neither a Christian; but he was a Muslim and one

of pure faith; certainly he was never of the ido-

lators" (Sura 3: Family of Imran 67).

Abraham lived thousands of years before the

Muslim Era as everyone knows. Nevertheless, the

Koran regarded him as being a Muslim, because

he believed that God was one.

Indeed, in the Jalaleyn exposition of Imran 67

we read: „Abraham leaned away from all other

religions to embrace the upright faith (a Muslim)

believing in God's oneness, for he was no idola-

tor."1

Likewise, Koranic texts indicate that the word

"Islam" applies to the Jews, repositories of the

Torah. We read this statement: "Surely We sent

down the Torah, wherein is guidance and light;

thereby the prophets who had surrendered them-

selves gave judgment for those of Jewry as did

the masters and rabbis" (Sura 5, Table 44). Jala-

leyn's interpretation of the word "Aslamtoo" in

this connection means submission to God's lea-

ding.

It also applies to Christians as proved by the

Koranic saying: "But when Jesus perceived their

unbelief, he said, 'Who will be my helpers unto

God?' The apostles said, 'We will be helpers of

God; we believe in God, witness Thou our "sub-

mission"'"2 (Sura 3, Family of Imran 52).

1 those who add gods to God

(NB Quotations from the Koran are taken from Arberry [Worlds

Classics], and Bible quotations are taken from the NIV.)

2 are Muslims

Now the apostles here were Christ's twelve

disciples who followed him at the start of his

ministry, that is before the Mohammedan era by

several centuries. Even so the Koran calls them

"Muslims" (submission).

"He has laid down for you as religion that He

charged Noah with, and that we have revealed to

thee, and that We charged Abraham with, Moses

and Jesus: 'Perform the religion, and scatter not

regarding it'" (Sura 42, Al-Shura 13).

Islam then, according to this verse is belief

both in Moses and Jesus (I'sa) while upholding

the Torah and the Gospel. In another place the

Koran commends to people the religion of Abra-

ham, Moses, and Jesus, i.e. the religion of the

Torah and the Gospel together. We read this

statement, for instance:

"Say you: we believe in God, and in that which

has been sent down on us and sent down on

Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the

Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and

Jesus and the Prophets, of their Lord; we make

no division between any of them, and to Him we

surrender" (Sura 2, The Cow 136).

"Those are they to whom, We gave the Book,

the Judgment, the Prophethood; so if these dis-

believe in it, We have already entrusted it to a

people who do not disbelieve in it. Those are they

whom God has guided, so follow their guidance"

(Sura 6 Al Anam 89-90).

"And a party of the Children of Israel believ-

ed, and a party disbelieved. So We confirmed

those who believed against their enemy, and they

became masters" (Sura 61, The Ranks 14).

The main point of these verses is that the

Koran acknowledged Jewish followers of Moses

and later those who believed in Christ, calling

them "Muslims". It enjoined Muhammed to be

guided by their experience, and instructed him to

inquire of them on how to be rid of religious

doubt, as in the verses:

"So if Thou are in doubt, regarding what We

have sent down to thee, ask those who recite the

Book before thee. The truth has come down to

thee from thy Lord; so be not of the doubters"

(Sura 10, Jonah 94).

Dear Friend,

You have invoked the Koran to claim that

Islam is the only religion chosen of God, for-

getting that the Koran itself upholds the Gospel

when it declares:

"So let the people of the Gospel, judge ac-

cording to what God has sent down therein.

Whosoever jugdes not according to what god

has sent down - they are the ungodly" (Sura 5,

Table 47).

"Oh believers, believe in God and His Mes-

senger and the Book He has sent down on His

Messenger and the Book which He sent down

before. Whoso disbelieves in God and His Angels

and His Book and His Messengers, and the Last

Day, has surely gone astray into far error" (Sura 4,

Women 136).

Perhaps the last two texts will persuade you to

reconsider your position towards the religion of

God in the Gospel; since they call you to follow its

precepts, of which the foremost is belief in Jesus

Christ who said:

"I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one

comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

7

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who

believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John

11:26).

"No one knows the Son except the Father, and

no one knows the Father except the Son and those

to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to

me all you who are weary and burdened and I will

give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Certainly there has been no nobler religion than

the one flowing from God's beloved Gospel. It is

distinguished not by being a letter sent down but

by a divine Person who, at the right time, became

incarnate in order to declare God's love in redemp-

tion, and to save the world by grace. It is the

Gospel which says:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word

was with God, and the Word was God. He was

with God in the beginning. Through him all things

were made; without him nothing was made that

has been made. In him was life, and that life was

the light of men. The light shines in the darkness,

but the darkness has not understood it.

"There came a man who was sent from God; his

name was John. He came as a witness to testify

concerning that light, so that through him all men

might believe. He himself was not the light; he

came only as a witness to the light. The true light

that gives light to every man was coming into the

world.

"He was in the world, and though the world was

made through him, the world did not recognize

him. He came to that which was his own, but his

own did not receive him. Yet to all who received

him, to those who believed in his name, he gave

the right to become children of God - children

born not of natural descent, not of human deci-

sion or a husband's will, but born of God.

"The Word became flesh and lived for a while

among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the

one and only Son, who came from the Father, full

of grace and truth.

"John testifies concerning him. He cries out,

saying, 'This was he of whom I said, "He who

comes after me has surpassed me because he was

before me."' From the fulness of his grace we have

all received one blessing after another. For the law

was given through Moses; grace and truth came

through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God,

but God the only Son, who is at the Father's side,

has made him known" (John 1:1-18).

The apostolic word spoken by Paul the warrior

of the Faith states:

"So also, when we were children, we were in

slavery under the basic principles of the word. But

when the time had fully come, God sent his Son,

born of a woman, born under law to redeem those

under law, that we might receive the full rights of

sons" (Galatians 4:3-5).

The Christian religion is the religion of redemp-

tion, without which we would still be prostrate

under the burden of sin, without hope in the

world, destined to the fires of hell. But God, who

is rich in mercy, devised man's salvation through

the sacrificial death of Christ thus proving his

wonderful and boundless love. Christ expressed

this love by saying:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his

one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

10

The Buddhist religion says:

"Goodness and righteousness both are the road

which leads to Nirvana - The greatest good."

The Jewish religion says:

"Moses writes of the righteousness of the Law,

whoever keeps it shall live by it."

The Islamic religion says:

"The weight in that day is truth. They whose

weights are heavier are the successful."

All these sayings are excellent, but they urge

man to do something of which he is incapable. It is

like asking a paralytic to move or a dead person to

live!

Regarding righteousness, King David said

under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "The

Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men

to see if there are any who understand, any who

seek God. All have turned aside, they have to-

gether become corrupt; there is no one who does

good not even one" (Psalm 14:2-3).

As for keeping the Law, the first and greatest

11

commandment enjoins man to "Love the Lord

your God with all your heart and with all your

soul and with all your strength and with all your

mind". The second charges him to love his

neighbor as himself (Luke 10:27).

Experience teaches us that no human person

was able to fulfill the Law. For this reason all

those who tried to do the Law fell under a curse for

it is written: "All who rely on observing the law are

under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone

who does not continue to do everything wirtten in

the Book of the Law" (Galatians 3:10). On the

subject of the weight of our deeds, God through

his servant David said:

"Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn

are but a lie if weighed on a balance, they are

nothing; together they are only a breath" (Psalm

72:9).

Isaiah the prophet said: "All of us have become

like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts

are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf and

like the wind our sins sweep us away" (Isaiah 64:6).

Paul the apostle said: "There is no one righte-

12

ous, not even one; there is no one who under-

stands, no one who seeks God... All have turned

away, they have together become worthless, there

is no one who does good, not even one" (Romans

3:11-12).

It is true that the Law is holy and its precepts are

sacred and just and righteous but it is unable to

give the sinner a full salvation. "For what the law

was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the

sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in

the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And

so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that

the righteous requirements of the law might be

fully met in us, who do not live according to the

sinful nature but according to the Spirit" (Romans

8:3-4).

This is what distinguishes the Christian faith. It

is the religion of redemption which does not leave

man bereft of salvation. Because God deals with

him on the basis of grace when he responds to

Christ's sacrificial death on the cross.

Since the Law was unable to deliver him from

the power of sin and death, it failed to save and

13

sanctify him and make him fit for God's kingdom.

Christ, who is the Lord from heaven became incar-

nate sharing in man's flesh and blood in order to

offer himself a substitutionary sacrifice for sin,

destroying sin, and breaking its hold on man and

bearing its penalty in place of man. By this redemp-

tive, vicarious work he satisfied for us all the

claims of the Law and so filfilled the prophetic

words: "Surely he took up our infirmities and

carried our sorrows, yet we considered him

stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was

crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that

brought us peace was upon him, and by his

wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have

gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all"

(Isaiah 53:4-6). You may find it difficult to accept

the idea of redemption because it depends on

Christ's shameful death on the cross - a theme

which Muslims find offensive. However, the

proofs that Christ died by crucifixion are many

and incontrovertible. I have compiled them in a

booklet entitled, The Cross in the Gospel and the

Koran which you can order from "The Good Way".

14

Among the distinctions of the faith of the

Gospel are its sublime social precepts which befit

every generation, age, people, tongue and nation.

They are based on the "Golden Rule" laid down

by Christ. He said, "In everything, do to others

what you would have them do to you, for this

sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew

7:12).

This Rule forbids narrow selfishness, hatred,

revenge, intrigue, deceit, cheating, and establishes

the unity of mankind, the equality of all its mem-

bers, and demands that each should seek the wel-

fare of others.

It is only a brief rule, but keeping it abolishes

strife and warfare that would make this world the

paradise of bliss. For in it is the distillation of the

teachings of the Law and Prophets, since its object

is to make each one love the other as himself.

Actually this glorious Rule teaches us how to

fulfill the commandment which says: "You shall

love your neighbor as yourself, which the apostle

Paul commented on by saying: "...for he who

loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The

15

commandments, 'Do not steal', 'Do not covet',

and whatever other commandment there maybe;

are summed up in this one rule; 'Love your neigh-

bor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neigh-

bor. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the Law"

(Romans 13:8-10).

And in order for Christ to remove from the

souls of his elect all influences which hinder man

from attaining this lofty height of love he said to

them: "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray

for those who persecute you, that you may be the

sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to

rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the

righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those

who love you, what reward will you get? Are not

even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet

only your brothers, what are you doing more than

others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect,

therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect"

(Matthew 5:44-48).

These principles, then, in their transcendence,

their breadth and depth, demonstrate their super-

iority over natural love and natural benevolence

based on the principle of self-love whose slogan is

16

the expect return and repayment. Therefore,

Christ meant us to love for its own sake, and to

desire the welfare of others as an end in itself and

to cling to righteousness and virtue for the sake of

righteous and virtue.

Christ's apostles expounded their Master's

teaching on love in magnificent expositions in-

spired by the Holy Spirit. Such is:

1. The Apostle John

"Dear friends, I am not writing you a new

command but an old one, which you have had

since the beginning. The old command is the

message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a

new command; its truth is seen in him and you;

because the darkness is passing and the true light

is already shining.

"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates

his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his

brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in

him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his

brother is in the darkness and walks around in the

darkness. He does not know where he is going,

17

because the darkness has blinded him" (I John

2:7-11).

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love

comes from God. Everyone who loves has been

born of God and knows God. Whoever does not

love does not know God, because God is love.

This is how God showed his love among us: He

sent his one and only Son into the world that we

might live through him. This is love: not that we

loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as

an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends,

since God so loved us, we also ought to love one

another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love

each other, God lives in us and his love is made

complete in us.

"We know that we live in him and he in us,

because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have

seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to

be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowled-

ges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him

and he in God. And so we know and rely on the

love God has for us.

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God,

18

and, God in him. Love is made complete among

us so that we will have confidence on the day of

judgment, because in this world we are like him.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out

fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The

man who fears is not made perfect in love.

"We love because he first loved us. If anyone

says, "I love God", yet hates his brother, he is a

liar. For anyone who does not love his brother,

whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has

not seen. And he has given us this command:

Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (I

John 4:7-21).

2. The Apostle Peter

"Now that you have purified yourselves by

obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for

your brothers, love one another deeply from the

heart" (I Peter 1:22).

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear

minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

Above all, love one another deeply, because love

covers a multitude of sins" (I Peter 4:7-8).

19

"For this very reason, make every effort to add

to your faith goodness, and to goodness, know-

ledge; and to knowledge, self-control, godliness,

and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to bro-

therly kindness, love. For if you posses these quali-

ties in increasing measure, they will keep you from

being ineffective and unproductive in your know-

ledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:5-8).

"And over all these virtues put on love, which

binds them all together in perfect unity" (Colos-

sians 3:14).

3. The Apostle Paul

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,

but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or

a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy

and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,

and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but

have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess

to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,

but have not love, I gain nothing.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it

does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is

20

not selfseeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no

record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but

rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always

trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

"Love never fails. But where there are prophe-

cies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they

will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will

pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy

in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect

disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a

child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put childish ways behind

me. Now we see but a poor reflection; then we

shall see face to face. Now I know in part, then I

shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

"And now these three remain, faith, hope and

love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corin-

thians 13 - sometimes known as the 'Love Chap-

ter').

This is genuine Christianity. It is the religion

steeped in the spirit of redemption which, if neces-

sary, daily forgives wrongs seventy-seven times.

It is the Christian religion which stands out

21

among the world's religions by virtue of Christ's

blood, which "speaks better things than the blood

of Abel". For Abel's blood cried out to God for

vengeance but the blood of Christ cried out plea-

ding forgiveness of God for his murderers. We

read that Jesus cried from the cross: "Father,

forgive them, for they do not know what they are

doing" (Luke 23:34).

22

THE QUESTION

"Islam is altogether the final message and it is

the religion for all, suited to every time and place,

unlike the Christian which is confined to devotion

and the monastic life. It therefore bids you think

and strive and compare between the Koran and

what you call the 'Gospel'.

We find that the Koran is the word of God, may

he be exalted, while the Gospel consists of men's

words, such as those of Paul and John.

Finally, I desire to lead you to the straight

path... for such fabrications (nonsense) can no

longer escape notice! You have tried more than

once to snatch one of the Muslims but failed to

win anyone, whereas crowds of Christians have

embraced Islam."

A. A. A.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

23

From the expression you used in your letter it is

clear that you have a zeal for religion, and it is fine

for a youing man to be zealous in this way, as long

as his zeal does not carry him to overstep the

boundaries set for dialogue between a Muslim and

a Christian. It is when you challenge the beliefs of

the "People of the Book" in this fashion that you

violate the Koranic injunction, "Dispute not with

the People of the Book save in the fairer manner"

(Sura 9, The Spider 46).

Of course, it was your over-enthusiasm which

placed you in a corner from which you could not

enjoy the vision which the Gospel creates. For that

reason I am not surprised that you consider the

spiritual tracts we sent you as being garbage or

fabrications.

I do not wish to enter into an argument with

you over the statement that Islam is the final

message.

However, I would draw your attention, in love,

to an important truth, namely that when you

assert that Islam superseded all religions including

24

Christianity you contradict the Koran through

your ignorance of its texts which confirm the reli-

gion of the Torah and the Gospel.

Possibly you have gained this idea of abroga-

tion from the book, "Guidance of Seekers, into

the Origins of Religion" by Mawia Mohammad

Takieddine Al Kashani, the Persian who said that

Muhammad is the prophet of this age, and his

religion has abrogated the religions of former pro-

phets.

Replying to this I would say: The Koran itself

does not mention that it has come to supersede the

Torah and the Gospel; likewise the Prophetic Tra-

ditions do not speak in this vein. So this makes

your statement ridiculous and feeble, baseless ex-

cept for the minds of those with an axe to grind,

whose main aim is to inject the poison of fanati-

cism. Even if this allegation does not overturn the

teaching of the Koran does at least confuse it and

makes it say something not contained in it.

Everyone knows that abrogation (something

superseding something else) is specifically applied

25

to the Koran's texts only and occurs in two places:

1. "And for whatever verse We abrogate or

cast into oblivion, We bring a better or the

like of it" (Sura 2, The Cow 106).

2. "We sent not ever any Messenger or Prophet

before thee, but that Satan cast into his

fancy, when he was fancying, but God an-

nuls what Satan casts, then God confirms

His signs - surely God is All-knowing, All-

wise" (Sura 22, The Pilgrimage 52).

Those two texts do not indicate that the Koran

came to annul (or abrogate) the Holy Bible, but

that some of the texts of the Koran annul others.

The scholar Al-Baidawi has left us a comprehen-

sive discussion on the subject of abrogation referr-

ed to in the Pilgrimage Sura, and mentions how

some words from the Al-Hajm Sura were abro-

gated. You could look up these interpretations if

you wish.

Others have also mentioned this phenomenon

such as Yahya, and Jalal-Ed-Din. They are allud-

ed to in the Life of the Prophet by Ibn Hisham,

26

after Ibn Ishaq. Another author, Al-Tabari refers

to this subject in his expanded interpretations.

Ibn Hatem relates the following, basing his in-

formation on Ibn Abbas: "It is possible that the

inspiration descended on the prophet by night and

he forgot the next day. And so the verse was given,

'And for whatever verse We aborgate or cast into

oblivion', etc" (see above).

As for Al-Baidawi, he says, "It (this verse) des-

cended when the idolators or the Jews accused:

"Don't you see that Muhammad commands his

followers then changes his mind and commands

the opposite!" Thus, the occasion of this verse was

clearly to answer the doubts of the scribes and the

Muslims regarding changes in the Koranic text

itself.

Furthermore, the Jalaleyn gives this interpreta-

tion: The prophet was reading from Surat Al-

Najm before a council, "Have ye thought upon

Al-Lat and Al-Uzza and Dmanat the Third, the

other?" (Surat Al-Najm 19-20). Satan putting

words on his tongue without his realizing it:

"Those heavenly beings, youthfully delicate and

27

handsome, we hope they will intercede for us."

This made them happy. But Gabriel informed him

of what Satan had put on his tongue. He was sorry

and consoled himself with the verse, "But God

annuls what Satan casts, etc."

According to Al-Sayouti, annulment was pecu-

liar to this nation, that is, Islam.

Basing our conclusion on these comments

made by scholars we can say that the allegations

that the Koran supersedes the Gospel or Islam

supersedes other religions in unfounded.

In his book, "revealing the Truth", Al-Hajj Rah-

mat Allah Al-Hindi says: "The sayings that the

Torah was annulled by the advent of the Psalms,

and the Psalms annulled when the Gospel appear-

ed, and the Gospel was abrogated when the Koran

came, have no trace either in the Koran or the

Prophetic Traditions.

How true are the words of this scholar. The

Koran, contrary to the advocates of "annulment"

refutes these claims to their foundation when it

states: "He has laid down for you as religion that

He charged Noah with, and that We have revealed

28

to thee, and that We charged Abraham with,

Moses, and Jesus: 'Perform the religion, and

scatter not regarding it'" (Sura 42, Al-Shura 13).

So you see, my friend, that you are attacking

your religion of Islam by claiming that heavenly

religions before Islam have been abrogated. In-

deed, can you tell me how you can as a Muslim,

enjoined to believe what is in the Koran, make

such a claim without a basis in fact?

Have you forgotten, my friend that the Koran

calls you with every Arab to be guided by the

precepts of The People of the Book? Yes, it says,

"God desires to make clear to you, and to guide

you in the institutions of those before you, and to

turn towards you; God is All-knowing, All-wise"

(Sura 4, Women 25).

Instead, you should ask, "could it be that our

religion is superseded?" as long as the Koran asks

Muhammad himself to follow our guidance when

it says:

"Those are they to whom We gave the Book, the

Judgment, the Prophethood; so if these disbelieve

in it, We have already entrusted it to a people who

29

do not disbelieve in it. Those are they whom

God has guided, so follow their guidance" (Sura 6,

Cattle 89-90).

Instead, you should ask, how could our religion

have been superseded so long as the Koran calls on

Muhammad to resort to our forefathers in order

to remove his own doubts when it says:

"So if thou art in doubt regarding what We have

sent down to thee, ask those who recite the Book

before thee" (Sura 10, Jonah 94).

Tell me, how could our religion have been super-

seded as long as the Koran calls on us to establish

the judgments of the Gospel? It says: "So let the

people of the Gospel judge according to what God

has sent down therein. Whosoever judges not ac-

cording to what God has sent down - they are the

ungodly" (Sura 5, The Table 46).

My dear friend,

One of the distinctive things about our Holy

Bible is the fact that the teachings of its many

books show a complete harmony and move in one

direction, namely the declaration of God's pur-

30

poses for the sons of men. Therefore, it neither has

abrogation nor an abrogated test among its teach-

ings.

God's Book is the Book for all generations and

epochs and the religion it enshrines is God's reli-

gion from eternity and for ever. In it is the divine

statement: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but

my words will never pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

And did not the Koran itself say in the Sura, Cattle

34, "No man can change the words of God." And

in Sura, Jonah 64, "There is no changing the

words of God." And in the Sura, El-Hijr 9, "It is

we who have sent down the Remembrance, and

we watch over it."

In the Sura, The Bee, we also read, "We send

not any before thee, except men to whom we

revealed: 'Question the people of the Remembran-

ce, if it should be that you do not know'" (Sura 16,

The Bee 43).

This text leads us to pose the question: Suppo-

sing a group of devout Muslims who faithfully

follow the Koran were going to the People of the

Book to inquire of them about divine things be-

31

yond their knowledge. On the way they met ano-

ther group of those who claim 'annulment'. They

told them, 'We are going to the People of Remem-

brance to ask them on matters of which we are

ignorant." I wonder if the other group, the objec-

tors dare reply: "Do not go, for their Remembran-

ce (Book) has been annulled!"? Even if they dared

forbid them, what would be the position of the

devout? Would they believe them, or believe the

Koran which said: "Question the people of the

Remembrance, if it should be that you do not

know."

Assuredly, if they accepted the claim of annul-

ment it would have amounted to an admission on

their part that God had failed in his promise which

said: "It is we who have sent down the Remem-

brance, and we watch over it."

My noble friend,

I don't blame you when you judge Christianity

as being the religion of devotion and monasticism,

for this betrays your limited knowledge of Christi-

anity. For monasticism is not of the essence of the

Gospel but grew out of human endeavors on

32

which I am unable to comment within the limited

space of this letter.

And now what would you say if I took the

endeavors of some unorthodox Islamic groups,

not strictly adhering to the Koran, in order to

attack and criticize Islam? Would that be fair? I

leave the reply to you... As to your statement that

the Koran is the word of God, whereas the Gospel

consists of the words of men like Paul and John:

This too shows how deficient your knowledge is

about Christianity.

Please understand, my friend, that the Gospel

in its essence is not words penned by Paul or John.

Likewise, our Gospel was not literally brought

down by Gabriel, and then written by men. But it

is a divine Person who became man in the fulness

of time in order to declare that God is love. Fur-

thermore, by this embodied love he accomplished

redemption to save the world by grace.

Regarding your gloating at the fact that some

Christians have embraced Islam and citing it as

proof that the one religion is superior to the other,

I ask you to comment then on the fact that thou-

33

sands of Muslims have embraced the atheistic

communistic creed.

And what is your opinion of tens of thousands

of Indonesian Muslims who have embraced the

Christian religion.

34

Awaiting the receipt of a kind gesture from you,

I wish you every good and peace with God. I am

praying especially for you that your love will

grow, perhaps this love will grant us more accep-

tance and favour on your part. Maybe love will

make you search out truths more intelligently.

You will then test all things and hold fast to the

good.

Dear Reader,

If you read this book carefully you can answer

the following questions and obtain a booklet from

our various publications, provided you answer 25

questions correctly. Of course, in doing this you

will also grow in the truth of God and his love.

1. What are the different meanings of the word

Islam?

2. Why does the Koran call Abraham a "Mus-

lim" even though Islam was not yet in existen-

ce?

3. Why were the Jews and the followers of Christ

also called Muslims?

4. How did Mohammad regard God's inspira-

tion to Moses and Jesus?

5. Which Koranic verses call on a Muslim to

accept and read and observe the Torah and the

Gospel?

6. Give three words of Christ which you consider

most important for yourself?

35

7. What do you understand from the verses in

the Holy Bible that Christ is "The Word of

God" incarnate.

8. How did Paul testify that Jesus was incarnate?

9. What is the pith and essence of Christ's reli-

gion?

10. How do you understand the text in John 3:16?

11. What are the prominent principles in other

world religions?

12. What does the Holy Bible say about man's

good works?

13. Which are the two most important command-

ments in the Torah?

14. How does the Law judge man?

15. Why didn't the Law offer salvation to man?

16. What is Christ's attitude towards the Law and

how did he fulfill it in practise?

17. What is the meaning of "grace" in relation to

the Law in the Gospel teachings?

36

18. How do you understand the famous prophecy

about the Lamb of God in the Book of Isaiah?

19. Write down the words of the "Golden Rule"

and explain its meaning.

20. What does it mean to fulfill the Law?

21. How did Christ explain the love of one's

enemy to his disciples?

22. Write down the verses you find most impres-

sive from John the apostle.

23. What advice did Paul the apostle give as being

essential for our times?

24. What have you learnt from the "Love Chap-

ter" - 1 Corinthians 13:1-7?

25. What is the difference between the cry of

Abel's blood and the blood of Jesus Christ?

26. How do you understand the Koranic text "Do

not argue with the People of the Scriptures"?

27. How does the statement that Islam has an-

nulled Christianity constitute an attack on the

Koran itself?

37

28. What is the source of the idea of abrogation?

29. What are the two cases for abrogation which

can be applied to Koranic texts?

30. How do the Islamic authorities explain and

defend the possibility of abrogation in the

Koran?

31. How does the Koran prove the impossibility

of abrogating former revelations and establish

previous laws?

32. If a Muslim is unsure of something in the

Koran, which text guides him to the Christians

for teaching and direction?

33. Who are the "ungodly" according to Sura,

The Table 47?

34. What does Christ say about the permanence

of his words, even if heaven and earth were to

pass away?

38

Send your answers, together with your full

address written clearly, to the following address:

BOOKS AND CASSETTES IN ENGLISH AND URDU

Qty.

Order

No.

Lang. Title

First

edi-

tion Author

Cass.

Min.

Book Price

Pages SFr

R - 4000 EXAMINING THE SOURCES

RB4003 Engl.

The Infallibility of the Torah

1974

Iskander

64

6,—

and the Gospel

Jadeed

RB4003 Urdu

The Infallibility of the Torah

1984

Iskandcr

_

64

6,—

and the Gospel

Jadeed

RC4003 Engl.

The Infallibility of the Torah

1986

Iskandcr

C62

—

9,—

and the Gospel (Part i)

Jadeed

RC4003 Urdu

The Infallibility of the Torah

1988

Iskandcr

C62

_

9,—

and the Gospel (Part l)

Jadeed

RC4004 Engl.

The Infallibility of the Torah

1986

Iskander

C38

_

6,—

and the Gospel (Part 2)

Jadeed

RC4004 Urdu

The Infallibility of the Torah

1988

Iskander

C66

_

9,—

and the Gospel (Part 2)

Jadeed

RB4030 Engl.

The Gospel of Barnabas

1978

Iskandcr

_

24

3,—

Is a False Testimony

Jadeed

RB4050 Engl.

No! The Religion of Christ Has

1990

Iskander

_

29

3,—

Not Been Abrogated

Jadeed

R - 4100 THE

UNDERSTANDING OF GOD

RB4101 Engl.

God Is One in the Holy Trinity

1981

liutrus

Zacharia

-

56

5,—

RB4103 Engl.

Trinity and Unity

1988

Pope

Shcnuda III

-

12

3,—

RB4U5 Engl.

Did God Appear in the Flesh?

1971

Iskander

Jadeed

-

48

5,—

R - 4300 CHRISTOLOGY

— 96 8,—

- 12,-

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— 9,-

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32 3,-

24 3,-

88 7,-

40 4,-

rb 4301 Engl. The Person of Christ in the 1975

Gospel and the Koran

rb 4301 Urdu The Person of Christ in the 1983

Gospel and the Koran

rc 4301 Engl. The Person of Christ in the 1986

Gospel and the Koran (Parti)

rc 4301 Urdu The Person of Christ in the 1988

Gospel and the Koran (Part 1)

rc 4302 Engl. The Person of Christ in the 1986

Gospel and the Koran (Part 2)

rc 4302 Urdu The Person of Christ in the 1988

Gospel and the Koran (Part 2)

rb 4355 Engl. What Do You Think About Christ? 1978

RB4355 Urdu What DoYouThink About Christ? 1986

rc 4355 Engl. What Do You Think About Christ? 1982

rc 4355 Urdu What Do You Think About Christ? 1988

rb 4370 Engl. The Light of the World 1984

rb 4380 Engl. How Can We Know the Truth of 1 wi-

the Gospel?

Iskandcr

Jadeed

C88

C94

C60

C94

Iskandcr

Jadeed

Iskandcr

Jadeed

Iskandcr

Jadeed

Iskandcr

Jadeed

Iskandcr

Jadeed

Abd

al-Masih

Abd

C42

C60

al-Masih

Abd

al-Masih

Abd

al-Masih

George Ford —

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Indeed

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First

edi-

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4400 SIN AND SALVATION

KB 4401 Engl.

Sin and Atonement in Islam and

1979

Iskander

_

56

3_

Christianity

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RB4401 Urdu

Sin and Atonement in Islam and

1985

Iskander

48

5,—

Christianity

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RC4401 Urdu

Sin and Atonement in Islam and

1988

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C60

_

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Sin and Atonement in Islam and

1988

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G52

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1969

Iskander

_

48

5,—

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5,—

the Koran

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RC4480 Engl.

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1986

Iskander

C72

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The Cross in the Gospel and

1988

Iskander

C86

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RB4665 Engl.

How Do We Pray?

1977

Iskander

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How Do We Pray?

1985

Iskander

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RC4665 Engl.

How Do We Pray?

1982

Iskander

ladced

C56

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C)

RC4665 Urdu

How Do We Pray?

1988

Iskander

ladced

C88

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4900 MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS

RB4905 Engl.

Themes for the Diligent

1989

Nicola

Ghabriel

-

128

10,—

RB4920 Engl.

Victory of the Truth

1988

Iskander

ladced

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132

11,—

RB4930 Engl.

Teach Me Your Way, 0 Lord!

1982

Iskander

ladced

-

40

4

RB4940 Engl.

Test Everything, Hold On to

1980

Iskander

112

9,—

the Good!

ladced

RT4999 Engl.

Tracts (one thousand)

1985

Servants of

the Lord

-

4

50,—

RT4999 Urdu

Tracts (one thousand)

1978

Servants of

the Lord

-

4

50,—

R-

7800 BIOGRAPHIES

RB7801 Engl. For the Sake of Truth

Why I Became a Christian

THE GOOD WAY P.O.BOX 66 • CH-8486 RIKON (SWITZERLAND)

RB 7825 Engl.

RB7830 Engl.

RB7840 Engl.

RB7845 Engl.

In Search of Assurance

God Has Chosen for Me

Everlasting Life

My Grace Is Sufficient for You

1983

1992

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Ambrie

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Teach me Your Way o Lord!