Could Not Answer

Could Not Answer

Written by Is-haq Efendi Of Harput

Published by Hakîkat Kitâbevi at Smashwords

Copyright © 2011 by Hakîkat Kitâbevi

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This free e-book may be copied, redistributed, reposted, reprinted, and shared, provided it appears in its entirety without alteration, and the reader is not charged to access it. The printing should be of good quality and typesetting should be properly and neatly done without any mistakes.

Hakîkat Kitâbevi

Darüşşefeka Cad. No:53 P.K.: 35 34083

Tel: +90 212 523 45 56 - 532 58 43

Fax: +90 212 523 36 93

Fatih-ISTANBUL

www.hakikatkitabevi.com

CONTENTS

1 — Preface

2 — Introduction To The First Edition

3 — Diyâ-Ul-Qulûb (Light Of The Hearts)

4 — Observations On The Four Books Called Gospels

a.The Gospel Of Matthew

b.The Gospel Of Mark

c.The Gospel Of Luke

d.The Gospel Of John

5 — Contradictions And Discrepancies Among The Four Gospels

6 — An Observation Of The Epistles

7 — An Answer To The Book Ghadâ-Ul-Mulâhazât

8 — Qur’ân Al-Kerîm And Today’s Gospels

9 — Trinity (Belief In Three Gods) And Its Falsity

10 — Proving The Falsity Of Trinity By Means Of The Statements Of Îsâ ‘Alaihis-Salâm’

11 — Priests’ Attacks On Islamic Worships And Refutations Against Them

12 — Answers To A Priest’s Denigrations

13 — Allâhu Ta’âlâ Is One

14 — A Discourse On Knowledge

15 — A Discourse On Power

16 — Îsâ ‘Alaihis-Salâm’ Was Human He Is Not To Be Worshipped

17 — Îsâ ‘Alaihis-Salâm’ Is A Prophet He Is Not To Be Worshipped

18 — Concerning The Four Gospels

19 — Judaism — The Taurah — Talmud

20 — Talmud

Last Words Of One Of Our Martyrs

Translation Of 147th Letter

Translation Of 83rd Letter

Translation Of 16th Letter

Translation Of 153rd Letter

Translation Of 154th Letter

The Prayer To Be Said After Namâz

The Belief Of Ahl As-Sunna

What Is A True Muslim Like?

FOOTNOTES (1-16)

FOOTNOTES (17-44)

FOOTNOTES (45-70)

FOOTNOTES (71-90)

FOOTNOTES (91-106)

FOOTNOTES (107-119)

FOOTNOTES (120-132)

Bismi'llâhi'r-Rahmâni'r-Rahîm

There are very many books teaching Islam. The book Maktûbât, written by Imâm Rabbânî and consisting of three volumes, is the most valuable. Next after that book is another book with the same title, Maktûbât, and consisting of three volumes, yet written by Muhammad Ma’thûm (Imâm Rabbânî’s third son and one of his most notable disciples). Hadrat Muhammad Ma’thûm states as follows in the sixteenth letter of the third volume of his Maktûbât: Imân means to believe both of the facts stated in the (special expression of belief called) Kalima-i-tawhîd, which reads: Lâ ilâha il-l-Allah, Muhammadun Rasûlullah. In other words, being a Muslim requires also belief in the fact that Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ is the Prophet. Allâhu ta’âlâ sent him the Qur’ân al-kerîm through the angel named Jebrâ’îl (Gabriel). This book, the Qur’ân al-kerîm, is the Word of Allah. It is not a compilation of Hadrat Muhammad’s ‘alaihis-salâm’ personal views or of statements made by philosophers or historians. Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ made a tafsîr of the Qur’ân al-kerîm. In other words, he expounded it. His expoundings are called hadîth-i-sherîfs. Islam consists of the Qur’ân al-kerîm and hadîth-i-sherîfs. The millions of Islamic books worldover are the expoundings of the Qur’ân al-kerîm and hadîth-i-sherîfs. A statement not coming from the Qur’ân al-kerîm cannot be Islamic. The meaning of Îmân and Islam is to believe the Qur’ân al-kerîm and hadîth-i-sherîfs. A person who denies the facts stated in the Qur’ân al-kerîm has not had belief in the Word of Allah. Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ conveyed to his Sahâba the facts which Allâhu ta’âlâ had stated to him. And the Sahâba, in their turn, conveyed those facts to their disciples, who in their turn wrote them in their books. People who wrote those books are called scholars of Ahl as-Sunnat. Belief in those books of Ahl as-Sunnat, therefore, means belief in the Word of Allah, and a person who holds that belief is a Muslim. Al-hamd-u-lillah, we are learning our faith, (Islam,) from books written by the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnat, and not from fallacious books fabricated by reformers and freemasons.

Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: "When fitna and fesâd become rife among my Ummat (Muslims), a person who adheres to my Sunnat will attain thawâb (blessings, rewards in the Hereafter) equal to the total sum of the thawâb that will be given to a hundred people who have attained martyrdom." Adherence to the Sunnat is possible only by learning the books of the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnat. The scholars affiliated in any one of the four Madhhabs of Muslims are scholars of Ahl as-Sunnat. Imâm a’zam Abû Hanîfa Nu’mân bin Thâbit was the leader of the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnat. The anti-Islamic campaigns which the British had been carrying on for centuries for the purpose of Christianizing at least one Muslim ended in outright failure. In their search for new methods to achieve their goal, they established the masonic lodges. Masons deny Hadrat Muhammad’s ‘alaihis-salâm’ words as well as all heavenly religions, and such basic religious facts as Rising after death, and existence of Paradise and Hell.

— 1 —

PREFACE

May hamd[¹] be to Allâhu ta’âlâ! May salutations and benedictions be unto our Prophet Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’, the highest of Prophets, unto his pure Âl, and unto all of those who had the honour of being Companions (As-hâb) to him!

Every thousand years since Adam ‘alaihis-salâm’, the first human and the firstProphet, Allâhu ta’âlâ sent to mankind a new religion through a new Prophet with a Sharî’a. Through them He showed human beings the way of living in peace and comfort in this world and attaining endless felicity in the Hereafter. Those Prophets by whom a new religion was revealed are called Rasûl. The superior ones of Rasûls are called Ulul’azm. They are Âdam, Nûh (Noah), Ibrâhîm. Mûsâ (Moses), Îsâ (Jesus), and Muhammad ‘alaihimus-salâtu was-salâm’

And now the world has three religions with heavenly books: Mûsawî (Judaism), Christianity, and Islam. Taurah was revealed to Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ and Injil (the Bible) to Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm.’ Jews say that they have been following the religion revealed to Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm,’ and Christians claim to be following that of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’.

Qur’ân al-kerîm was revealed to the last Prophet, our Prophet, Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’. Qur’ân al-kerîm has invalidated all the rules of other divine books; in other words, it has abrogated some of them and recollected others within itself. Today, all people have to obey Qur’ân al-kerîm. No country in the world today has any original copies of the Taurah or the Bible. These books were later defiled by human interpolation.

All Prophets, from Âdam ‘alaihis-salâm’ to the last Prophet Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’, taught the same îmân, and stated the same principles for their umma to believe. Jews believe in Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ and deny Îsâ and Muhammad ‘alaihimus-salâm’. Christians believe in Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, too, but they do not believe in Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’. Muslims, on the other hand, believe in all Prophets. They know that Prophets have some superior qualities distinguishing them from other people.

The true religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ was soon insidiously changed by his adversaries. A Jew named Paulus (of Tarsus), who said that he believed in Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ and pretended to try to spread Îsâwî religion, annihilated the Injil, which had been revealed by Allâhu ta’âlâ. Later the theory of trinity was inserted into the Îsâwî religion. An unreasonable and illogical doctrine, namely father-son-holy spirit, was thus established. There being no copies of the genuine Injil left now, some people scribbled books in the name of Gospel. The council of clergy that met in Nicea in A.D. 325 annulled fifty of the existing fifty-four so-called Gospels. Four Gospels remained: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Paul’s lies and the theory of trinity propounded by Plato were given place in these Gospels. An apostle named Barnabas wrote a true account of what he had heard and seen from Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, but the Gospel of Barnabas was annihilated.

Constantine the Great, who was formerly a pagan, converted to Christianity in A.D. 313. He ordered that all the Gospels be compiled into one Gospel, but the Council sanctioned four Gospels. A number of ancient pagan elements were assimilated into them. He adopted the Christmas night as the beginning of the new year, and Christianity became the official religion. [It was written in the Injil of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ and in the Gospel of Barnabas that Allâhu ta’âlâ is one.] Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria was a trinitarian. A priest named Arius said that the four Gospels were wrong, that Allâhu ta’âlâ is one, and that Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ is not His son but His created slave and Prophet, but they would not listen to him. Instead, they excommunicated him. Arius propagated unitarianism, but did not live long. For many years Athanasians and Arians fought against each other. Later on, a number of councils came together and made new changes in the existing four Gospels.

In 446 [A.D. 1054], the Eastern church parted from the Roman church. Christians who were adherent to the Roman church were called Catholics, and adherents of the Eastern [Istanbul] church were called Orthodox.

In the sixteenth century the German priest Luther Martin [A.D. 1483-1546] revolted against the Pope, Leon X. In 923 [A.D. 1517] he founded the Protestant church. This same priest directed some abominable aggressions towards the Islamic religion. Luther Martin and Calvin changed Christianity all the more. Consequently, an unreasonable and implausible religion came into being.

The light shed on Europeans by the Andalusian Muslims commenced a renaissance movement in Europe. Upon learning positive science, many young scientists in Europe revolted against Christianity, which was now fraught with absurdities and illogical ideations. The attacks carried on against Christianity were not applicable against Islam. For, since the first day of its declaration, the Islamic religion has been preserving all its pristine purity. It contains no idea or information that would run counter to reason, logic or knowledge. Qur’ân al-kerîm has been preserved precisely as it was revealed, without even one diacritical dot having been changed.

In order to spread the Christian belief and christianize other peoples, Europeans, led by the British, founded missionary organizations. The ecclesiastical and missionary organizations, which had now become the world’s most powerful organizations economically, took to an activity beyond reason. In order to propagate Christianity throughout Islamic countries, they started an intensive hostility against Islam. They began to send thousands of books, brochures and magazines praising Christianity to all parts of Islamic countries. And now books, magazines and brochures teaching Christianity are unceasingly being distributed worldwide. Thus they are trying to blur minds and undermine beliefs.

The Islamic scholars have answered all the views, ideas and philosophical thoughts contrary to the Islamic faith. Meanwhile they have exposed the errors of defiled Christianity. They have declared that it is not permissible to follow the changed and invalidated books. They have explained that, for living in comfort and peace in this world and attaining endless bliss in the next world, it is necessary to be Muslim. Priests have not been able to refute the books of Islamic scholars. The books written by the Islamic scholars to refute strayed religions are numerous. Among them, the following are renowned for replying to Christians:

Tuhfat-ul-erîb, Arabic and Turkish; Diyâ-ul-qulûb, Turkish and English; Iz-hâr-ul-haqq, Arabic and Turkish; Es-sirât-ul-mustaqîm, Arabic; Izâh-ul-marâm, Turkish; Mîzân-ul-mawâzîn, Persian; Irshâd-ul-hiyârâ, Arabic; and Er-redd-ul-djemîl, Arabic and French.

Of these, Diyâ-ul-qulûb, written by Is-haq Efendi of Harput,[²] especially answers the wrongful writings and slanders written by Protestant priests against Islam. The book was first published in Istanbul in 1293 [A.D. 1876]. Simplifying the book, we published it in Turkish in 1987. Now we present the English edition. We used brackets for adding statements borrowed from a second book. As will be seen in various parts of the book, the priests could not answer the questions they were asked. We therefore considered the title Could not Answer appropriate for our book. The unscientific, unreasonable and immoral contents of today’s existing copies of the Holy Bible are obvious. On the other hand, the writings of Islamic scholars, shedding light on reason, knowledge, science and civilization, teem in the world’s libraries. Being unaware of this fact would therefore be no more than a flimsy pretext. Now, those who search for a religion other than the Islamic religion brought by Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ will not escape endless torment in the world to come. In our book, the meanings of âyat-i-kerîmas are explained in such terms as It is purported that..., It purports that..., It is meant that..., etc. The meaning of these expressions is According to the explanation of the scholars of Quranic interpretation (Tafsîr)... . For, the meanings of âyat-i kerîmas were understood only by Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’, who explained them to his As-hâb. The scholars of Quranic interpretation distinguished these hadîth-i-sherîfs (explaining the âyat-i-kerîmas) from those hadîth-i-sherîfs concocted by munâfiqs, mulhids and zindiqs, who could not find hadîth-i-sherîfs to suit their purposes and so made their own interpretations of âyat-i-kerîmas within the principles of the science of Tafsîr. The interpreations of those religiously ignorant people who know Arabic but who are unaware of the science of Tafsîr are not to be called Tafsîr of the Qur’ân. For this reason, it is stated in a hadîth-i-sherîf: "He who interprets Qur’ân al-kerîm according to his own inferences will become a kâfir."

May Allâhu ta’âlâ bestow on us all the fortune of obeying the master of this world and the next, Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’! May He protect us against believing the erroneous ideas and propagandas of missionaries, especially those heretics called Jehovah’s witnesses! Âmîn.

Mîlâdî - Hijrî Shamsî - Hijrî Qamarî

2000 - 1378 - 1420

A Warning: Missionaries are striving to advertise Christianity, Jews are working to spread out the concocted words of Jewish rabbis, Hakîkat Kitâbevi (Bookstore), in Istanbul, is struggling to publicize Islam, and freemasons are trying to annihilate religions. A person with wisdom, knowledge and conscience will understand and admit the right one among these and will help to spread out that for salvation of all humanity. There is no better way and more valuable thing to serve humanity than doing so.

— 2 —

INTRODUCTION

TO THE FIRST EDITION

Hamd and praise are merited by Allâhu ta’âlâ, who is wâjib-ul-wujûd (whose existence is absolutely necessary), and belong to Him alone. All the order and the beauties in the universe are the visible lights of the works of His power. His infinite knowledge and power appear on things depending on their various qualities. All existence is a drop of His ocean of knowledge and power. He is one; He does not have a companion (partner, likeness). He is Samad, that is, the being with whom all creatures will take refuge. He is free from being a father or son. It is purported in the twenty-third âyat of sûra Hashr: "Allâhu ta’âlâ does not have a companion, a partner in being ilâh (God). He is the Ruler whose domain never ceases to exist. He is free from any deficiency. He is far from defects or powerlessness. He has secured Believers against the endless torment. He dominates over and preserves everything. He is capable of enforcing His decree. [When man wants to do something, Allâhu ta’âlâ creates it if He, too, wills it to be so. He alone is the Creator. No one other than He can create anything. No one except He can be called Creator. He has shown the way to salvation that will provide men’s living in peace and comfort in this world and the next and attaining endless felicity, and commanded them to live in this way. Greatness and highness belong to Him.]Allâhu ta’âlâ is free from the polytheism and calumny of the polytheists."

May salât and selâm be addressed with love via the blessed grave, which is a Paradise garden, of the Messenger of Allâhu ta’âlâ, Muhammad Mustafâ ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’, who is the highly honoured Prophet of the latest time. For, that Sarwar ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’ was sent with Qur’ân al-kerîm for saving humanity from the darkness of ignorance and establishing tawhîd and îmân. The sixty-fourth âyat of sûra Âl-i-’Imrân purports the following declaration: "O My Habîb![³] Say unto the Jews and Christians, who are ahl al-kitâb: Concede to the word which is common between us and you without any difference among the heavenly books and Prophets: ‘We worship none but Allâhu ta’âlâ and we do not attribute any partner to Allâhu ta’âlâ.’ " Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’ was commanded to adapt himself to the genuine meaning of this divine call.

May selâm and benedictions be addressed via the blessed graves of his ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’ Âl and As-hâb. Each of them is a star of hidâya guiding to the way of happiness and salvation approved by Allâhu ta’âlâ. They each sacrificed their lives and property for the spreading of the Islamic faith. They carried and taught the Kalima-i-tawhîd [the Arabic expression which reads ‘Esh-hadu anlâ-ilâha il-l-Allah wa esh-hadu anna Muhammadan ’abduhu wa rasûluh,’ and which purports, I definitely believe and testify that Allâhu ta’âlâ exists and is one; and I definitely believe and testify that Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ is His created slave and Messenger] all over the world.

As anyone with reason will see, when the universe is observed with prudence, all the deeds and situations in this universe are in an order dependent upon unchangeable laws. A discreet person will conclude at once that a Khâliq (Creator), who is wâjib-ul-wujûd (necessary existence) and who establishes these laws and preserves them as they are, is necessary. Then, Jenâb-i Haqq (Allah) is the absolute Creator, Who is eternal in the past and eternal in the future, Who is the original beginning of everything, and how He is cannot be comprehended through mind. He has collected all sorts of perfection and superiority in Himself. He is Ahad, that is, He is One in His person, deeds and attributes. He does not have a likeness.

Allâhu ta’âlâ is one, He is azalî, abadî, and qadîm. He is far from any sort of change. Everything other than He in the world of beings becomes old, deteriorates, and changes in process of time. But Allâhu ta’âlâ is far, free from any kind of change. He never changes. As time will not change the expression One plus one makes two, so the oneness of Allâhu ta’âlâ does not change with the elapse of centuries of time.

Man, who has been distinguished from other creatures with such a gift as mind, has been cognizant of this fact since his creation on the earth. This fact has been explained in different ways by different religions and sects. However, since men’s mental and intellectual capacities differ, each person searching for the Creator has imagined Him within his own nature, temperament, knowledge and cognitive capacity, and described Him according to his own understanding and temperament. For, man has likened what he cannot understand or know because of the incapability and shortcoming of his mind to the things he knows. Most of those who claim to have discovered the fact, have plunged into atrocities and aberrations such as magi, idolatry, and polytheism.

Since man, with his imperfect mind, cannot understand the absolute Creator; Allâhu ta’âlâ, the most merciful of the merciful, sent Prophets to every nation in every century. Thus He taught men the truth of the matter. The fortunate ones who believed were saved, and attained happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. The hapless, unlucky ones objected, denied, and remained in depression and frustration.

Each Prophet lived in a different country in a different period, and was sent to a nation with different customs and traditions. Every Prophet, while teaching the existence and oneness of Allâhu ta’âlâ to people, stated some rules and worships that will bring about man’s happiness in this world and the next. According to historians, approximately sixteen hundred and fifty years before the accepted birth date of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, Allâhu ta’âlâ sent Mûsâ (Moses) ‘alaihis-salâm’ as the Prophet. Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ taught the Sons of Israel the belief in the existence and oneness of Allâhu ta’âlâ and some other principles of îmân, as they had been taught by the other Prophets preceding him, such as Âdam, Nûh (Noah), Idris, Ibrâhîm, Is-hâq, and Ya’qûb ‘alaihimus-salâm’, to their own tribes in their own times. Spreading the information pertaining to compulsory worships and principles of social relations far and near, he tried to make the Sons of Israel refrain from polytheism. After Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ the Sons of Israel (Benî Isrâîl) were afflicted with various disasters and tumults, because they deviated from the essentials of îmân. Upon this, Allâhu ta’âlâ sent Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ as the Prophet to the Sons of Israel. Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ spread and taught the tawhîd, which means the existence and oneness of Allâhu ta’âlâ, and other principles of îmân, thus trying to bring the aberrant people back to the right course and reinforcing the religion of Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’.

After Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, his adherents deviated from the true faith taught by Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, as the Sons of Israel had strayed from the right way before. Later, they wrote books called Gospels and pamphlets about Christianity daily. Various councils held at different places made completely contradictory decisions. Thus, altogether different Christian sects appeared. They forsook the principle of tawhîd[⁴] and the religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ thoroughly [and became polytheists and disbelievers]. Upon this Allâhu ta’âlâ sent Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’, His most beloved, highest and last of the Prophets until the day of Judgement, unto the Earth.

Most of the religious commandments taught by Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ pertained to zâhirî [physical, perceptible] deeds, and most of the commandments of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ were on bâtinî matters of the heart (morals, ethics, etc.). Finally, bringing zâhirî and bâtinî together, Allâhu ta’âlâ revealed to Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ the most perfect, the most superior religion, Islam, and the divine book of this religion, Qur’ân al-kerîm. Allâhu ta’âlâ, sending the angel with wah’y to our exalted Prophet, declared to all mankind the most perfect religion, Islam, which is a comprehensive selection of the up-to-date zâhirî deeds commanded by the religion of Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ and the bâtinî matters commanded by the religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, in addition to numerous zâhirî and bâtınî essentials.

Tawhîd, that is, the principle of belief that Allâhu ta’âlâ is one, is not different in any of the heavenly religions; they are all based on the principle of tawhîd. The only difference betwen them is on the knowledge of rules and worships. No disagreement or controversy took place as to the principle of the existence and oneness of Allâhu ta’âlâ until two hundred years after the ascension of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. All the hawârîs (apostles of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’) and their followers and the successors of their followers lived and died up to the principle of the unity of Allâhu ta’âlâ, which was stated clearly in the Injil. None of the three firstly written Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke] contained even one letter denoting to trinity, which means the creed of father-son-holy spirit, in (today’s) Christianity. Then the fourth Gospel, which is ascribed to John, appeared in Greek. This Gospel exhibited some terms indicating trinity [three real beings], which was originally the Greek philosopher Plato’s theory. At that time discussions and controversies on the two Greek philosophies, Rawâqiyyûn and Ishrâqiyyûn, were going on in the schools of Alexandria. Rawâqiyyûn (Stoicism) is a school of philosophy founded at Athens in 308 B.C. by the Greek Philosopher Zeno. Ishrâqiyyûn (Pythagoreanism) is a school of philosophy founded by Pythagoras (in 6th. century B.C.). These philosophies will be dealt with later on. The fanatics of Plato wanted John’s Gospel to become popular. However, in the religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, no statement implying three gods – may Allah protect us against believing such a creed! – had been heard of, so the believers of the religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ rejected and protested it vehemently. Thus the believers of the religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ parted into two groups, which meant number of debates and fights between them. In A.D. 325, during the reign of Constantine I, the Nicene council abandoned tawhîd [the unity of Allâhu ta’âlâ], which was the essential principle of the religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. With the oppression of Constantine, who was a Platonist, they adopted the creed of trinity, i.e. father-son-holy spirit. From that time on, the creed of trinity began to spread far and near. Real believers who believed in the religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ were scattered. So Plato’s philosophy reappeared and the religion of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ was given up. Real believers who believed in this religion hid themselves. Thus the dogma of trinity that took the place of the religion of tawhîd became more and more powerful, and the Nasârâ (Nazarenes) who believed in the unity of Allâhu ta’âlâ were dispersed here and there, excommunicated, killed, and finally annihilated by the trinitarian churches. Soon there was none of them left.

In 399 [A.D. 1054] the Patriarch of Istanbul, Michael Kirolarius, revolted against the unbearable oppression of the western church whose center was in Rome. He refused to accept the belief that the Pope in Rome was the caliph of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ and the representative of St Peter, (an apostle accepted as the first Pope). He opposed the Roman church in some essential matters such as priests’ living in isolation from the people.

Each of the ecclesiastical assemblies, which they called councils, made totally different decisions. They separated themselves from those who would not agree with their decisions. Thus seventy-two sects appeared. Nevertheless the Roman church abode by its course. In those years the European rulers were entirely ignorant and oblivious to all these events. They were practising all sorts of robbery and cruelty on their subjects who were no different from flocks of sheep. Lest anyone would stand against these robberies and cruelties, the rulers were exploiting the authority which priests had over the ignorant people. It was as if they (the kings) were under priests’ authority. Priests, in their turn, well aware of the rulers’ ignorance, intensions and weaknesses, exploited their sovereignty to their own advantages. In appearance Europe was under the kings’ sovereignty, but the only, and independent, domination belonged to priests. In fact, in the earlier years of Christianity, execution of priests’ wishes and desires was dependent upon the Italian kings’ sanction. Afterwards papal authority was augmented, to the extent that enthronement and dethronement of kings became possible only when priests wished so. The time’s ignorant populace, being totally unaware, were crushed between their rulers’ oppression and cruelty and priests’ avarice and greed. They endured all sorts of torment and trouble. They kept silent patiently, (as if all those situations were Allah’s commandments). Thus the darkness of ignorance and bigotry turned the whole continent into ruins and disrepairs.

In the meantime, Islamic countries were under administrations quite antonymous to those of the Christian Europe. Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Turkistan had made material and spiritual progress in all areas under the Amawî (Umayyad) and Abbâsî (Abbasid) khalîfas. [At that time Muslims were in welfare both spiritually and materially.] Under the reign of Andalusian Amawî sultans, Muslims had improved Spain to greatness and to the peak of civilization. Great care was given to science, arts, trade, agriculture, and ethics. Spain, which had been a territory of savagery under the Gothic invasion, was now like a garden of Paradise with the Islamic administration. European businessmen and industrialists could never pay back the debt they owe to Islam. They ought to be thanking Muslims forever. For, the first spark of knowledge in Europe was thrown off from the Andalusian Muslims.

The brilliant civilization that had appeared in Andalusia overflowed Andalusia and spread over Europe. Some talented Europeans noticed the civilization in Andalusia and translated the books of Islamic scholars into European languages. Owing to the books they translated, compiled and published, European people began to rise from their sleep of ignorance. Eventually, one Martin Luther of Germany came forward with a view to being the renovator, the restorer of Christianity. Luther opposed the majority of unreasonable ecclesiastical principles. [Martin Luther, a German priest, founded the Protestantism, a sect of Christianity. Christians adherent to the Pope are called Catholics. Luther was born in 888 [A.D. 1483], and died in 953 [A.D. 1546]. He wrote numerous books. He was an adversary of the Pope and an unbridled enemy of Islam. Catholics and Protestants are still hostile to each other.] Then Calvin appeared. Joining Luther in his protestations, he disagreed with him in some matters. Luther and Calvin refused the ways of worship prescribed by the Roman church. They opposed the idea of the Pope’s being a deputy of Peter and a successor of Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. The followers of Luther and Calvin were called Protestants.

The Roman church had already lost one-third of its adherents with the separation of the Eastern Church; and now the appearing of Protestantism took away another third. This event exasperated the popes. They resorted to an atrocious measure: victory, using the military powers of the time’s Catholic kings, by putting all the Protestants to the sword. Since belief and conscience can never be changed by force, this measure had the opposite effect. It caused Protestantism to spread in England and America. Upon this the Roman church took to the project of increasing their population by Christianizing believers of other religions and savage tribes. They established Catholic schools all over the world. In order to disseminate and propagate the name Catholic, they educated and trained extremely fanatical priests that they called missionaries. They sent them in groups to other countries such as America, Japan, China, Abyssinia (Ethiopia), and to Islamic countries. It was only some ignoramuses that missionaries were able to deceive by various promises and advantages in the countries they arrived. In ignorant communities they provoked daughters against mothers, sons against fathers, and made them hostile against one another. They aroused various tumults and coups in the countries they were stationed. Eventually, governments and peoples being fed up with missionaries’ mischief and instigation, they were deported from most of the countries they were located in. In some countries they were punished even more severely; they were executed. These missionaries, with the pretext of propagating Christianity, inflicted so much damage to humanity that they caused the whole world to hate Christianity. In fact, when a person reads the history books written about the unprecedented barbarous measures and persecutions practised by the Roman church with Catholic bigotry and materialistic desires, e.g. the inquisition massacres on St. Bartholomew’s eve, his hair will stand on end with horror.

No sooner had the Catholic church started activity of training missionaries for spreading Catholicism than the Protestants took action. Establishing societies at various places, they collected a wealth of capital. They sent books and missionaries teaching Protestantism to all parts of the world, [under direction of the Ministry of Colonies, which was established in England to annihilate Islam]. As is recorded in the book of expenses, which was published afterwards, the British Protestant society named the Bible House, which was founded in 1219 [A.D. 1804], had the Bible translated into two hundred different languages. The number of books published by this society by the end of 1287 [A.D. 1872] reached almost 70 million. This same society spent two hundred five thousand three hundred and thirteen (205,313) English golds for the propagation of Protestantism. [This society is still carying on its activities; establishing infirmaries, hospitals, lecture halls, libraries, schools, places of entertainment such as cinemas, sports institutions. They are spending extraordinary efforts to coax those who attend such places to becoming Protestants. Catholics are using the same methods. In addition, they are procuring employment for youngsters and giving food to the people in poor countries, thus alluring them to Christianity.] For all these activities (of missionaries), Europeans are not so blind as they were; they have already opened their eyes and realized how pernicious and how incendiary these missionaries are, after numerous experiences. Therefore, missionaries are not popular among Europeans. Missionaries send the books which they issue [in enormous numbers] to other countries free of charge, instead of publicising them among their own European compatriots. They have never had the courage to approach another European country, let alone spreading their religion there, unless that country is under the legislature of their own country. [Catholic missionaries are not allowed to spread Catholicism in Protestant countries, and Protestant missionaries are not allowed to spread Protestantism in Catholic countries.] The moment such an act is noticed, they are deported by the police. These missionaries are despised in all the European countries they go to.

Missionaries have been very successful in exploiting the tolerance which the Ottoman state has always shown to non-Muslim religions. For the last forty or fifty years, they infiltrated into countries under the protection of the Ottoman state. Establishing schools at various places and using the pretence of serving humanity by educating the people’s children, they have deceived some illiterate people. Because ignorant people are not fully aware of their religious commandments and duties in every country alike, and the wealth of the Protestant organization being specially enormous, they have rationed those who have accepted Protestantism to monthy and yearly salaries. In addition, through their embassies and consulates, they have helped those who have obeyed them and become Protestants to acquire distinguished positions at various bureaucratic echelons. They have successfully coaxed the Anatolian and Thracian Christian Ottoman subjects to become attached to them. However, because such people have been persuaded to such an attachment by means of gold and money, they have not given the benefits expected. Al-hamd-u-li-llâh (gratitude be to Allah), they have not been successful in deceiving [coaxing to Christianity] even one well-known Muslim.

In 1282 [A.D. 1866] missionaries, in order to deceive Muslims, published a Bible in Turkish in Istanbul and appended to it a statement in Turkish which meant (in English): This book is the revised version of the former edition, which was translated by Ali Beg and published with the help of Turâbî Efendi. With this statement they divulged, so to speak, that they had managed to deceive some Muslims. We know the person who translated the Bible for a few hundred golds at that time. But it is not known whether he accepted Protestantism. Moreover, since no one is known by the name of Alî Beg and capable of doing this job, it is not unlikely at all that the name was a sham. For, if he had been a well-known person, his popular title would have been written. As for Turâbî Efendi; it is no surprise for this person living in Egypt and married to a Protestant girl to have done them a service such as this. But he was never seen to like or approve the Protestant rites. On the contrary, since he disclosed all their abominations, he cannot be believed to have changed his religion. Even if it had been so, Turâbî Efendi is not a person known by everybody; as a boy he was sent to England by the Egyptian government and learned English in a church school. And this in turn means that ‘Turâbî Efendi inclined towards Protestantism before having learnt Islam.’

It is not possible for any Christian to give the example of a wise Muslim who knows Islam, who has been brought up with Islamic education, who has fully learned the real essence of Islam, who has tasted the spiritual flavour and smelled the sweet scent of kalima-i-tawhîd, and who has, after all, converted to Protestantism. If so, then it should be inquired whether the reason has been one of such things as money, protection, and rank. It is very difficult, even impossible to persuade a person who expresses, Allâhu ta’âlâ does not have a partner or likeness. I believe that He is free from such defects, to believe in the dogma, Allah is one but three or Allah is three but one. If a Muslim who knows the principles of îmân busies himself too much in philosophy, it may be possible for him to tend towards philosophers’ course. But it is impossible for him to become a Christian. For this reason, the real protector of Islamic religion is Allâhu ta’âlâ, and the insidious and harmful activities of missionaries bear no threat to Muslims. In fact, such a thought is no more than a condescension on our part. However, priests stationed in our country, to carry out the task they were assigned by their superiors in their missionary organizations, began to write books misrepresenting Islam as being wrong and Christianity as a superior religion (the fact is quite the other way round) and distribute them free of charge. Always avoiding the truth, they have been trying to misrepresent aberration as the true way. It is fard-i-kifâya (Islamic command) for learned Muslims to refute missionaries’ lies and slanders. Their real purpose is to arouse turmoil in the Islamic religion and to sow discord among kinsfolk such as wife and husband, parents and children, etc., as they have always done in every country. [For, these people think that today’s Gospels are the words of Allah and say that they have been obeying the commandments given in them.] It is written in the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth verses of the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew that Îsâ alaihis-salâm said: (which is never true) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword. (Matt: 10-34, Authorized (King James) Version, 1978) For I am come to set a mat at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. (ibid: 10-35) Following these words, missionary priests deceived ignorant people and incited them against the state. Their real purpose was, by means of these stratagems, to endanger the Islamic religion and its protector, the Ottoman Empire. Thus they threw the seeds of instigation and animosity among the Christian minority who had been leading a peaceful life under the mercy and protection of the Ottoman Empire. Since the time of the Ashâb-i-kirâm till now, no Islamic state interfered in the religious affairs of their non-Muslim subjects, nor did they ever hurt their religious sentiments. The Ottomans, especially, provided all sorts of help and facility regarding the religious practices of non-Muslims living under their rule for six hundred years; let alone interfering in their religious services, Islam commands this help and justice. Our Prophet’s commands in this respect are recorded in Islamic books, [See our other English publications.] It was under the guarantee of the Ottoman state, therefore, that no one, whatever his religion, would be abused or maltreated on account of his or her creed. Being a person’s guest and at the same time slandering and stamping on his sacred beliefs, is an event unprecedented in the world annals. The important fact here is the false charges directed to Islam by Islam’s enemies through destructive words, writings, books, [television broadcasts, video cassettes]. (So the thing to be done) is to call public attention to these lies and slanders, [to answer them], and to exhibit to the whole world the sophisms on which they based their publications under the cloak of truth. The Turkish book which I published with the title Şems-ül-Hakîka (the Sun of Truth) gives very beautiful answers to missionary aggressions directed to Islam. In that book of mine, a number of facts about Christianity are explained in detail, and a lot of questions are propounded. Nevertheless, Christian priests are still publishing new lying, fallacious books, as if they saw neither these questions nor the splendid book titled Iz-hâr-ul-haqq, which was written in Arabic by Rahmatullah Efendi, one of the great ’Ulamâ of India, and was later translated into Turkish. In these new books they are repeating the same old calumnies of theirs. They have not been able to answer even one of the questions we have directed to them in Şems-ül-hakîka and Iz-hâr-ul-haq.

It is stated as follows on the three hundred and ninetieth page of the Persian book Maqâmât-i-akh-yâr: "Fander, a Protestant priest, was very famous among Christians. The Protestant missionary organization sent Fander and some other selected priests to India. They were supposed to work for the propagation of Christianity. In 1270 [A.D. 1854], sometime in the (lunar) month of Rebî’ul-âkhir and on the eleventh of Rajab (another lunar month), debates umpired by some ’Ulamâ and other distinguished personage were held between this missionary group and Rahmatullah Efendi, the great ’âlim of Delhi. After long discussions, Fander and his colleagues were defeated and silenced completely. Four years later, when British forces invaded India [and subjected Muslims and men of religion and especially the Sultan to terrifying torments], Rahmatullah Efendi migrated to Mekka-i-mukarrama (the blessed city of Mecca). In 1295 [A.D.1878] this missionary body came to Istanbul and began propagating Christianity. The Grand Vizier Khayr-ud-dîn Pasha[⁵] invited Rahmatullah Efendi to Istanbul. When confronted with Rahmatullah Efendi, the missionaries were frightened. Being unable to answer the questions, they decided vanishing would be best. The Pasha generously awarded this great Islamic ’âlim. He requested him to write about how he had refuted and routed the Christians. So he began writing his Arabic book Iz-hâr-ul-haqq on the sixteenth of Rajab and finished it by the end of Zi’lhijja, and went to Mekka. Khayr-ud-dîn Pasha had it translated into Turkish and had both of the books printed. They were translated into European languages, and printed and published in every country. British newspapers wrote, If this book spreads, Christianity will be impaired badly. Sultan Abdulhamîd Khân ‘rahmatullâhi ’aleyh’, who was the Khalîfa (caliph) of all Muslims, invited him (Rahmatullah Efendi) again in 1304 [A.D. 1890], and treated him with veneration and hospitality. Rahmatullah Efendi passed away in Mekka-i-mukarrama in the month of Ramadhân in 1308 [1890].

With the help of Allâhu ta’âlâ we have now begun to write this Turkish book, which we name Diyâ-ul-qulûb. Yet, it should be known well that our purpose in writing this book is only to refute the books and brochures published against Islam by Protestant missionaries, thus performing our duty of resisting them. Our Christian citizens who want to preserve their religion and peace are also weary of these missionaries and agree with us in repelling their mischief.

Is-haq Efendi of HARPUT

— 3 —

DIYÂ-UL-QULÛB

(LIGHT OF THE HEARTS)

Protestant priests say as follows in one of the booklets they published against Islam in Istanbul:

"The virtue and the superiority of Christianity is inferred from the fact that it is spreading very fast among people on account of its effects compatible with daily life and universal domination. Allâhu ta’âlâ has sent Christianity down to earth as a true religion superior to other religions. The abolitions, catastrophies, dissipations falling upon Jewry are all obvious punishments inflicted upon them by Allah as a result of their denying Christianity.

If it is asserted that with the rising of Islam, Christianity was abrogated; it is questionable whether Islam is superior to Christianity in its liveliness, life-style, or in its capability of attracting people’s hearts, or whether Christians were condemned with the same terrifying catastrophes with the rising of Islam as had been sent upon Jewry. Christianity spread for three hundred years, without any state power. Islam, on the other hand, was transformed from religion to state power before the Hegira. For this reason, it is a difficult task to make a sound comparison between Islam and Christianity as to the spiritual and incorporeal effects they have upon the human heart. However, Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ called people to religion for three years. Many people became his followers within this period. He chose the twelve apostles from among them. Sometime later he chose seventy more people in the name of ‘Apostles of Gospel’. He sent them forth to guide people to the true path. Later he gathered a hundred and twenty more people. As reported by apostles, it is written clearly in St. Paul’s epistles that Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’, within the forty days before his death, sent forth 500 Christian believers to call people to religion.

This booklet, which they published in Istanbul, goes on as follows: "According to Arabic historians, such as Ibn Is-hâq,[⁶] Wâqidî,[⁷] Tabarî,[⁸] Ibni Sa’d,[⁹] etc., the first believers of Muhammad ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’ are only hadrat Hadîja, his wife; Zayd bin Hârisa, his adopted son and slave; Alî bin Ebî Tâlib, his paternal uncle’s son; Abû Bakr-i Siddîq, his faithful friend and companion in the cave; and a few slaves who had been generously benefited by this last one. Up to the time of hadrat ’Umar’s conversion to Islam, i.e. the sixth year of Bi’that, the number of Muslim converts were fifty. In some other report there is a mention of forty to forty-five men and ten to eleven women. In fact, by the tenth year of Bi’that, the number of the second group of Muslims that migrated to Abyssinia because of the persecutions and hostile treatments inflicted by the Meccan polytheists, reached one hundred and one, eighty-three of which were men and eighteen were women. (Bi’that means Hadrat Muhammad’s ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wasallam’ being designated as the Messenger of Allah.) Wâqidî says in his book that the number of muhâjirs that took part in the holy war of Bedr, which was fought nineteen months after the Hegira, was eighty-three. Accordingly, within the period of thirteen years before the Hegira, believers of Muhammad ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’ were only one hundred. It is written in history books, again, that the number of those who joined him during the Hegira was only seventy-three men and two women. These contrasts make clear which has more positive effect on the hearts: Islam or Christianity. For, if a comparison is made between the number of people who believed Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ through mere preaching without any compulsion or enforcement and those who believed Muhammad ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’ under the same conditions, it will be seen that, whereas one hundred and eighty people believed Muhammad ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’ as a result of this thirteen years’ invitation, Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ had more than five hundred believers within a period of three years. Afterwards, there became differences between Islam and Christianity with respect to modes of spreading. The reasons for these differences were only the methods and media used. First of all, the umma of Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ were belligerent. Being victorious after wars, they improved and became widely known suddenly. Indeed, Islam did not spread owing to its powerful effect on the hearts, as was the case with Christianity. The early Christians, on the other hand, endured Persians’ persecutions and torments for three hundred years. Although they confronted with various hindrances, their number expanded so rapidly that there were several million Christians already by A.D. 313, when Constantine I converted to Christianity. People defeated by Muslims were, outwardly, not forced to accept Islam. But through various discouragements they were deprived of their national customs and traditions. In addition to being subjected to various hostile treatments, they were prohibited from the occasions in which to perform their religious rites. They had no other way than bearing these impediments and oppressions. This came to mean that they were intangibly compelled to accept Islam. For example, more than four thousand churches are reported to have been demolished in the time of ’Umar-ul-Fârûq ‘radiy-Allâhu anh’. It is no wonder that thousands of ignorant, worldly or unprotected people accepted Islam in order to acquire property or position in the chaos of those days. This spreading of Islam is like the appearing of universal conquerors such as Alexander the Great. The great conquests carried on by Muslims does not show that Qur’ân al-kerîm is a book sent by Allah. In fact, all these conquests and performances of Muslims were not appreciated by those Christians that were under their domination. On the other hand, Christians’ call had a stronger effect on Persians. For, there cannot even be a smallest pagan society in Europe today. However, there are very many Christians in Muslim countries.

Having refused Christianity, Jewry was doomed to the wrath of Allâhu ta’âlâ. They were expatriated from their homelands and became an evil nation expelled from wherever they went. Did Christians undergo at minimum the same, let alone more, catastrophes as those of Jewry, for having refused Islam? Today there are some 150 million Muslims on the earth, whereas the number of Christians is over 300 million. A true religion sent by Allah will enjoin justice and reason. It will bestow the fortune of approaching Allâhu ta’âlâ by means of perfect belief and worship. This religion will elevate its believers to highest grades and guide them to material and spiritual peace. These are doubtless facts. If Christianity had been invalidated with the rising of Islam, Islamic countries would necessarily be superior to other countries in respect of wealth and welfare. Now then, Islam’s place of birth is Arabia, which was under Muslims’ domination in the time of Muhammad ‘sall-Allâhu alaihi wasallam’. Later, in the time of the early caliphs, Muslims subdued and dominated many wealthy nations of the world. Nevertheless, the fortune that was obtained in a short time was lost again equally soon. Even today, the Arabs are in misery. Most Muslim countries are desolate, and their land is deprived of agriculture. Muslims living there are far from wealth, civilisation and improvement. They need Europe’s help in knowledge and arts. In fact, when they need an engineer they bring one from Europe. The youth’s navigational and military education and training is entrusted to Christian instructors. Weapons used by Muslim soldiers in wars, sheets of paper that scholars and secretaries write on, and most of the clothings worn and the things used by them, from the youngest to the oldest, are made in Europe. Can anyone deny the fact that they are brought from there? Even the arms used by Muslim soldiers are brought from Europe. On the other hand, Europe has improved and made progress with respect to population, education, state and wealth. They have built immaculate hospitals, orderly schools and orphanages. Now they are trying to promulgate Christianity by establishing hospitals in other countries and sending teachers and books. As for Muslims; why do they not spend any effort to call pagans and Christians to Islam, publish millions of translations of Qur’ân al-kerîm, or send forth scholars and messengers? If Islam’s rising had abrogated and invalidated Christianity, would the state of affairs be as it is now?...

ANSWER: When the theories put forth in the booklets published by Christian missionaries are summarized; the hypothesis that Christianity is a true, validated religion superior to the Islamic religion has been based on the following few proofs: the rapid spreading of Christianity; the fact that the grave catastrophes that fell upon Jewry did not fall upon Christians; Islam’s spreading by the sword, i.e. by fighting, v.s. Christianity’s spreading by preaching, kindness, and feeling of mercy for people; Christians’ outnumbering Muslims; Christian states’ being powerful; Christians’ being ahead of Muslims in industry, wealth and improvement; their trying to do good and paying special attention to this; the fact that there are no pagans in Europe while there are Christians and Jews all over Islamic countries.

In response to their first proof, The rapid spreading of Christianity, it will be enough to quote from Sale, a priest, a Christian historian, and a translator of Qur’ân al-kerîm. [George Sale died in 1149 (A.D. 1736). He was a British orientalist. He translated Qur’ân al-kerîm into English in 1734. In the introduction to his translation he gave detailed information about Islam. It was the first translation of Qur’ân al-kerîm in a European language.] In this translation, which was printed in 1266 [A.D. 1850], he states, "Before the Hegira (Hijra) the blessed city of Medina did not have a single home whence Muslims did not go