Great Love for Jesus Led me to Islaam

[jello]

Salaam

I would like to request all members to read the book "Great Love for Jesus led me to Islaam", which can be accessed on:

www.geocities.com/hosseincaraballo (Spanish and English Versions)

Please give me your thoughts, and Insha Allah it will be of help in bringing people to Islaam.

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

I'll post it here, for members. One part per post.

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

I

INTRODUCTION

As a Catholic, I was induced to believe that this was the only and the absolute true religion, with Judaism as a preparation for Christianity. Hence the other religions were false. I heard about the existence of Islam, for the first time in my life, in 1978. I’ve learned that the Muslims believe in the Divine origin of the great religions of the World. The Holy Qur’an indicates that Allah has sent prophets to every land in order to guide people to the path of truth and righteousness.

This is how, in order to imprint the Christian message in the deepest part of my brain, the Catholic Church designed a scheme which, when applied from childhood, has very high probabilities of retention, affecting the behavior of people for the rest of their lives. In this scheme, the main figure is Jesus Christ (peace be upon him). From his birth, presumably in December, until his alleged crucifixion just prior to Easter, several activities that did not exist for centuries after Jesus had disappeared were introduced by men to the original message and not by Divine Revelation.

As a tradition in Venezuela, on 24 of December, at midnight, I used to wait for the arrival of Jesus bringing the gifts that I had requested in my yearly wish letter. Being from a poor family, and having several brothers and sisters, it was very difficult for Child Jesus to bring me what I had asked for. I was puzzled on several occasions. Why if Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) had performed so many miracles, as I had learned from nuns and priests, he was not able to bring me a tricycle? It was easier than bringing dead people back to life, wasn’t it? In this way, for several years, “Child Jesus” left me disappointed. This situation remained like this until I discovered that my parents were the ones bringing the gifts and putting them close to my bed. At the same time, when Easter was approaching, I used to watch how Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) was being mistreated until he was hanged on a cross in order to be crucified. I really wanted to get inside the TV set and help him somehow. I asked Allah to help him, and asked him not to let his son be crucified. I ended up going away to hide and cry because “men do not cry”, as I was taught. I could not understand why so much cruelty against a good man. This episode helped me develop a great love for this great prophet of Allah. Perhaps, for other children, the toys brought on Christmas, help the development of the same great love, when their letters are answered in the way they have requested.

If the objective of the Church was to develop that feeling in any way, in my case they were successful. I learned to love Jesus as much as and even more than my own parents. However, when I was still a child, I started to question the Power of God. The concept that I had about God was that He could do whatever He wanted. He had created the Universe, the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the stars, and the human beings. I asked why He couldn’t save Jesus Christ from death on the cross. On one occasion, due to this dilemma, I climbed a small wall that was in the backyard of my house. I talked to God and told Him: “If you are really so powerful, and can do whatever you like, then make me fly when I jump from this wall, otherwise, I will not believe that you are so powerful, because You could not save Jesus from the cross either. Fortunately, the wall was not so high, and of course I fell on the ground, and with every attempt to fly I became more and more convinced that Allah was not that powerful. Childish analysis! When I started High School, my parents allowed me to work with an old man who was a photographer and I walked with him to many places. This man was very famous for practicing witchcraft. Wherever we went, people asked him to tell them about future events in their lives and many of his clients were women. For this other job, he used to smoke a brown tobacco and as it was being consumed and the ashes fell down, he would relate things to his clients. I also learned that he used to hypnotize people in order to know hidden things about their lives. All of these events went to form part of my experience at a very early age. At the same time, my parents were attending a specialized Center in Parapsychology. I went with them several times to see what was happening. It was in this Center that I learned the concepts of Medium ship, spirits, possession, return of dead people to talk to living ones. Here I learned to pray twice a day in a small altar that my father had built with great care and dedication. My father had a book with the title “The Life of Jesus dictated by himself”, that he used to read frequently. In one of the reunions that I went to, the leader of the session prepared a Talisman for me, which, according to him, would protect me, so I took it with me wherever I went. Meanwhile, I continued to think about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. My father once told me that, according to the book that he was reading, Jesus had traveled to other places out of Jerusalem, which made me a little optimistic about my question regarding his crucifixion.

When I finished my studies at high school, I was given the opportunity to obtain an engineering degree in the United States of America by means of a scholarship, which I happily accepted.

Before traveling to the USA in 1977, I saw two Christian people who turned out to be bad models of Christianity committing an act that negatively affected my belief in that religion. They belonged to one of the most pious sect in Christianity. Having helped a man that had suffered an epileptic attack on the street, they searched for his wallet and took for themselves some money that he had. Perhaps, for many people, this may look insignificant, but not for me, who had seen my brother being severely punished by my father when he brought home the equivalent of a quarter of a dollar which he had found on a street, but could not give a satisfactory explanation to my father.

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

II

My Experience in the United States of America




I arrived in the United States of America in 1977 in order to start university studies. First, I went to a school to learn English, and there I met many people from different parts of the world and of different beliefs. In Seattle, Washington State, I had a roommate at the English school from Saudi Arabia. He was working on his Master’s degree. I think his name was Fouad. One day, he asked me if I minded that he prayed in the room. I told him that it did not matter to me. I was surprised since it was the first time in my life to see somebody performing his prayers. Before starting his prayers, he washed his hands, rinsed his mouth, and washed his face and arms in a small sink that was in our room. For the first time in my life, I saw a person washing his feet in a sink meant for washing hands. Then I tended to observe a sequence of movements and rituals while praying. He stood up, knelt down, and prostrated. I remembered that at a church, we would only kneel and pray, but this gentleman was different. After a short period of time, he moved to another place, and for several months, I did not see another Muslim praying. Then at the English school during the break time, students from different countries used to meet and talk about different topics. I remembered that, on one occasion with some students from Iran and others from Japan, we started to talk about the origin of religions and prayers. There was a moment when I told them: “You pray in the way you do because that is the way your ancestors used to do ”. Next I told them that their ancestors used to worship the Sun, the stars, and since then, that tradition has been transmitted through generations up to the present. I, myself, started to doubt about the origin and the belief in God. However, I did not become an atheist due to the deep roots that I had in Christianity.

One day, I was invited to visit a Masjid, and then I observed many people doing the same kind of prayer that I had seen Fouad doing previously. The floor was very cold, but, seeing that the rest of the people were sitting, I got encouraged to continue listening to the Imam who was making a speech. His name was Jamil Abdul Razzaq, from Iraq, and he was speaking in English about “Backbiting”. I remember that his voice was high and emotional. He looked at the audience as if somebody had talked ill about someone else, but he did not point at any one specifically. I think that the objective was to make any one involved in backbiting feel guilty. That same day, I received an envelope with some study guides. One of them was a comparative study between Islam and Christianity.

It took me a long time to read it as I was just starting as a freshman at Oklahoma State University. It was through this comparative study that I learned that Islam and Christianity were both revealed religions. Jesus (peace be upon him) himself said that the message he was conveying was not His but Allah’s: “for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has Himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak.” (John 12:49) Likewise, the Revelation that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) conveyed to the rest of humanity, was sent by Allah through angel Gabriel: {And indeed, it (i.e., the Qur’an) is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit (i.e., Gabriel) has brought it down upon your heart, (O Muhammad) - that you may be one of warners-} [1].

Therefore, the truth of every religion and its divine origin depends to a large extent on the accuracy with which the original revelation from God was conserved and transmitted to the rest of mankind. The degree of deviation and uncertainty depends on the precision with which every word revealed to the prophets was transmitted to others. If they have not been perfectly reported, and they have suffered adulteration, there are extremely high probabilities that the essence of the original message has been lost forever. This is the reason why, in order to make a just and unbiased evaluation, it is necessary to determine up to what extent the Original Gospels and the Holy Qur’an have been kept free from adulterations, additions and deletions.

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

III

The Gospels

The four well-known Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John help compose the Bible (The New Testament), along with other documents. These were written between 40 and 115 years after Jesus (peace be upon him) had disappeared and are based in documents that have been lost. The Gospel according to Mark, was the first one written in Rome, at least 40 years after the disappearance of Jesus (peace be upon him). The Gospel according to Matthew was written in the Greek Language about 90 years CE. The Gospel according to Luke was written in Greece approximately 80 years CE. These three Gospels are called Synoptic because they originate from the same lost document and they have a lot in common. The Gospel according to John, on the other hand, has deep differences with the Synoptic Gospels. It is in this Gospel of John where the Divinity and preexistence of Jesus (peace be upon him) was affirmed, even though Jesus himself never claimed this. This Gospel was written between 110 and 115 years CE. [2]

Irreality of the Gospels

The Gospels were composed after the first followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) had been divided into several sects. It can be affirmed that they were written in order to reflect the conception of the practical needs of the community. The traditional sources were utilized to write them; however, great care was not exercised to keep the original content free from additions, subtractions and other forms of corruption, according to the purpose of the writers. It is worth mentioning that the four Gospels previously mentioned, were not the only written documents in the centuries following the disappearance of Jesus (peace be upon him). There were many others. For example, “The Gospel according to the Hebrews”, which was a document written in the same language spoken by Jesus (peace be upon him) which is utilized by the Nazarene, who negated the Divinity of Jesus and considered him just as a great prophet. Towards the end of the second century, the Gospels according to Mark, Matthew, Luke and John were included in the body of the main Book, and the Church declared the rest of the existent documents heretical. However, changes were still being made in these Gospels even though they had already been declared to be “The Word of God”.[3]

Some of the factors that must be considered when analyzing the veracity of the Four Canonized Gospels and the fidelity of the messages printed in them are the following:

During the lifetime of Jesus, there was not a written document containing his sayings, acts or lectures.

The first records about the sayings of Jesus, which were made close to the time of his disappearance, have been lost.

The Gospels were written between 40 and 115 years after Jesus’ disappearance and were based on lost documents; as a consequence, there was a loose manipulation of the content.

None of the Gospel writers knew Jesus or heard him speaking.

The Gospels were written in the Greek language while Jesus spoke Aramaic.

For at least one hundred years after the Gospels were written, they did not have any canonic authority, and were changed by the writers of the different sects in order to adapt them to their own needs.

The present Gospels, seen as a whole, are full of contradictions.[4]


These factors have been brought up here in order to demonstrate that the Gospel of Jesus, his Original Message that was revealed by Allah, has not reached us in its original form. In this way, it can be affirmed that the Four Gospels included in today’s Bible, cannot be considered similar or equivalent to the Inspired Gospel of Jesus (peace be upon him).
As a proof of this assertion, the following example can be mentioned:

Jesus’ Ascension to Heaven
The New Testament on which Modern Christian doctrines rest has undergone violent changes and almost every edition differs from the other. Some of the changes that are now taking place are so fundamental that they strike at the very root of Christianity. For example, the only two references to the ascension of Jesus that were found in the Gospels of Mark and Luke in the King James Version, have now been removed from the Revised Standard Version, edited in 1952. Before the removal of these passages the relevant verses read as follows:

So then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19)

And it came to pass; while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up to heaven. (Luke 24:51).

So far as the relevant verse in the Gospels of Mark is concerned, it has been removed along with a number of other verses that immediately preceded and succeeded it, sixteen verses in total. But verse 51 of Luke’s Chapter 24 now reads as follows:

While he blessed them he parted from them.

The words, “carried up to heaven” have been removed ([5]).

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

IV

The Authenticity of the Holy Qur’an

The final revelation of Allah to Mankind, reflected in the Holy Qur’an, has remained untouched for more than 1423 years and free from human changes. This Final message of Allah was brought to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) during a period of twenty-three years. It was revealed in fragments of different lengths. As soon as he received a fragment, he recited it to his companions who wrote and memorized it. At the same time, he indicated the precise location where it belonged in the body of the complete volume. In this way, the Holy Qur’an, in its entirety, had been written and memorized by hundreds of his followers during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, assigned Zaid Ibin Thabit to prepare a volume in the form of a book, after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) died. Then, following the orders of the third Caliph, Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), seven reproductions were prepared and sent to the different centers of the Islamic world. One of these seven reproductions is still kept in Istanbul (Turkey) ([6]).

Both the existence of the Holy Qur’an in its original text in Arabic and the existence of hundred of thousands of people who keep it by heart in different parts of the world, testify to the originality of the last and final revelation sent by Allah to mankind ([7]).

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

V

Jesus Christ’s Life and Mission (peace be upon him)

Very little is known about Jesus Christ’s first years of his life. Virgin Mary gave him birth approximately in the year 7 C.E. in Palestine. All Muslims know and respect Jesus because of the references that exist about him in the Glorious Qur’an as a great prophet of Allah. The essence of his teachings is based on the belief in a unique god and the love for humanity. He performed several miracles; however, he never credited them to himself, indicating always that it was Allah’s Will. Jesus told the Jews that after him, no prophet would appear among them, and that the Kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to a Nation more worthy of it, referring to the descendents of Ishmael who had been rejected by the Jews. In one of the non-canonical Gospels, the Gospel of Barnabas, Jesus mentions the Spirit of Truth, or the Comforter, meaning the Prophet that was expected to come after him to guide the world “into all truth”: “Then said the Priest, “How shall the Comforter be called, and what signs shall reveal his coming? ”Jesus answered: The name of the Comforter is Admirable (Ahmad) for Allah gave him the name when He had created his soul” ([8]).

In the Holy Qur’an, this great prophet of Allah is referred to as ‘Isa the son of Mariam (Jesus the son of Mary).

In Sura Al-Imram we read:

And (mention) when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.

O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow (in prayer).”

That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, (O Muhammad). And you were not with them when they cast their pens[9] as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.

(And mention) when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word[10] from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary – distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near (to Allah).

He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and he will be of the righteous.”

She said, “My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?” (The angel) said, “Such is Allah; He creates what He wills. When He dcrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.

And He will teach him writing and wisdom[11] and the Torah and the Gospel

And (make him) a Messenger to the Children of Israel, (who will say), ‘Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, in that I design for you from clay (that which is) like the form of a bird, then I breath into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allâh. And I cure the blind (from birth) and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of Allâh. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.

And (I have come) confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allâh and obey me.

Indeed, Allâh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.’”

But when Jesus felt (persistence in) in disbelief from them, he said, “Who are my supporters for (the cause of) Allâh? The disciples said, “We are supporters for Allâh. We have believed in Allâh and testify that we are Muslims (submitting to Him).

Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the messenger (i.e., Jesus), so register us among the witnesses (to truth).”

And they (i.e., the disbelievers) planned, but Allâh planned. And Allâh is the best of planners.

(Mention) when Allâh said, O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify (i.e., free) you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you (in submission to Allâh alone) superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.

And as for those who disbelieved, I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and in the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers.”

But as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards, and Allâh does not like the wrongdoers.

This is what We recite to you, (O Muhammad), of (our) verses and the precise (and wise) message (i.e. the Qur'ân).

Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allâh[12] is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then (He) said to him, “Be,” and he was.

The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters.

Then whoever argues with you about it after (this) knowledge has come to you – say, “Come let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly (together) and invoke the curse of Allâh upon the liars (among us).”

Indeed this is the true narration. And there is no deity except Allâh. And indeed, Allâh is the Exalted in Might, Wise.

But if they turn away, then indeed – Allâh is Knowing of the corrupters.

Say, "O people of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except Allâh and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allâh.”[13] But if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims (submitting to Him),

O people of the Scripture, why do you argue about Abraham while the Tora and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Then will you not reason?

Here you are – those who have argued about that of which you have (some) knowledge, but why do you argue about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allâh knows, while you know not.

Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim (submitting to Allah). And he was not of the polytheists.[14]

And in chapter 19 (Maryam), Allah revealed:

16.And mention, (O Muhammad), in the Book (the story of) Mary), when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.

And she took, in seclusion from them a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel (i.e., Gabriel)), and he represented himself to her as a well-proportined man.

She said, “Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, (so leave me), if you should be fearing of Allah.”

He said, I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you (news of) a pure boy (i.e., son).”

She said, “How can I have a boy while no man has touched me, and I have not been unchaste?

He said, “Thus (it will be); your Lord said; 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter (already) decreed.’”

So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.

And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.”

But he[15] called her from below her, “Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.

And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.

So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, ‘Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to (any) man.’”

Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said, O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented.

O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.”

So she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?”

(Jesus) said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allâh, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.

And He has made me blessed wheresoever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer, and Zakât, as long as I remain alive.

And (made me) dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant.

And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.”

That is Jesus, the son of Mary – the word of truth about which they are in dispute.

It is not (befitting) for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is.

(Jesus said), “And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.”[16]

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

VI

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

In the year 571 AC, in Arabia, Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled. The Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, was born amongst the Ishmaelite Arabs, who had become polytheists and idolaters. Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was outstanding due to the purity of his character, his love for the truth and his compassion for the poor and the weak. Chosen by Almighty Allah at the age of forty as His final Messenger and Prophet for all humanity, he preached about the existence of only one God, the Creator and Sustainer of the whole Universe and whatever it contains. He propagated a universal brotherhood in which there was no distinction because of race, color, language, wealth, or sex. As described by the Holy Qur’an, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is a “Mercy for all nations”. His compassion extended to all, friends and enemies. He dedicated his life and efforts to lead mankind towards the Only True God, to rescue them from error, superstitions and sins. He observed strictly the instructions of the Holy Qur’an to invite people to the truth. “There is no compulsion in religion” (Qur’an 2:256). Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the seal of all Prophets and Messengers, left this world in the year 632 AC, leaving with us the Eternal Message of Allah, the Holy Qur’an, to guide all humanity till the Day of Judgement. The Holy Qur’an, considers the characters of Jesus and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them) equally pure, immaculate, noble and inspired since both of them are prophets from the same Almighty God.

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

VII

Doctrines of Christianity and Islam

The Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity are five:

(1) The Trinity.
(2) The Divinity of Jesus Christ.
(3) The Divine Sonship of Jesus.
(4) The Original Sin.
(5) The Atonement.

Islam does not have any room to hold any of these dogmas. In Islam, the Oneness of Allah is the fundamental belief, as opposed to the Triune God of Christianity. It sees the deification of Jesus as a reversion to paganism. As described in the Holy Qur’an, Jesus was not an incarnation of Allah but his prophet and messenger, and just like any other prophet, He was in every aspect a human being. Islam also rejects the Divine sonship of Jesus. Likewise, Islam does not accept the dogma of the Original Sin, Vicarious Sacrifice and Atonement.
The fundamental doctrines of faith in Islam are:



(1) Oneness of God.
(2) Belief in the angels.
(3) Belief in the revelations (Books).
(4) Belief in the Messengers of God.
(5) Belief in the Day of Judgement.
(6) Belief in the Qada’ and Qadr (Destiny/Fate: good or bad).


The Trinity

This doctrine refers to the existence of three Divine distinct and separate persons in God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. It is curious, however, that Jesus, himself, never mentioned the Trinity. He did not say absolutely anything regarding three Divine persons in the Trinity. The concept that Jesus (peace be upon him) had about Allah, was in no way different from the concept that all the other previous prophets had. Absolutely all of them preached the unity of Allah and not the Trinity. Jesus (peace be upon him) just repeated the same that had been revealed to the prophets that came before him: One of the scribes, who had heard this dispute, seeing how well He (Jesus) had answered, came closer and asked what the first of all the commandments was. And Jesus answered: “The first of the commandments is, Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is One Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength, this is the first commandment” ([17]).

There are also evidences in the Bible that Jesus believed in only one God and not in Three Divine Persons. Jesus believed in one God as is evident from the following saying: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve” ([18]).

The doctrine of the Trinity was developed more than three hundred years after Jesus’ departure. The four Canonized Gospels do not contain any reference to the Trinity. Neither Jesus (peace be upon him) nor his disciples, nor the earlier great scholars and followers of Jesus, taught this doctrine. This doctrine was established after great controversies and opposition more than three hundred years after Jesus’ departure, in the Nicean Council. However, when rationally considered, the Trinity is unsustainable. The belief in Three Divine persons is either finite or infinite. If it is considered infinite, then there are three different infinities, three different Omnipotent persons, and consequently three different Gods. However, if they are considered finite, then neither the Father, nor the Son nor the Holy Ghost can be a god.

Islam preaches the plain and simple Oneness of Allah. It affirms the uniqueness of Allah and says that He has no partners in His Godhead. He is the Self-Sufficient One, on Whom all depend and Who depends not on any one. He neither begets nor is begotten. Nothing can come out of Him and become His equal and partner in Godhead.

{I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did} [John 8: 38-40].

{And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do} (John 17: 3,4)

The Holy Qur’an, affirms the Oneness of Allah in unambiguous language in chapter 112, as stated below:

“Say: He is Allah, the One;

Allah, the eternally Besought of all,

He begets not nor was He begotten.

And there is none comparable unto Him”

(Qur’an 112: 1- 4)

The only verse in the entire Bible that supported the Doctrine of Trinity (first Epistle of John, Chapter 5, verse 7) has been eliminated from the New Standard Revised Edition, after it was found that these were scribal interpolations included in the King James Version ([19]).

The Divinity of Jesus

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is God from all eternity, the Second Person of the Divine Trinity who, more than two thousand years ago chose to appear in a human body and was born of the Virgin Mary. As recorded in the Gospels, this dogma like the previously discussed one, does not find support in the words of Jesus Christ. The fact is that Jesus Christ never claimed Godhood or Divinity. To judge by his own uttering: “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but One, that is God” (Mark 10:18). When Jesus spoke of God, he referred to Him as “My Father and Your Father, and My God and Your God.” (John 20:17). These words of Jesus Christ as reported in the Bible, demonstrate that he, in relation to God, stood like any other human being. He was not the Creator but a created creature like Adam. While he was being allegedly crucified, during the supposed moments of agony, he cried out: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtani” Which can be interpreted as “Lord, Lord, why have you forsaken me”[20].

Like the doctrine of Trinity, the doctrine of the incarnation was developed after Jesus’ departure. It was incorporated into Christianity from paganism. In the mythology that preceded Christianity, it can be seen how some heroes are considered to be gods. Islam has freed its followers from such superstitions by rejecting the doctrine of the incarnation. The Divinity of Jesus has been rejected in the Holy Qur’an where Allah says: “Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allah is the Messiah [‘Isa, Jesus], son of Maryam (Mary).’” But the Messiah [‘Isa, Jesus] said: “O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, My Lord and your Lord.” “Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his Abode. And for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers”{Q. 5:72} Also Allah revealed: “Verily, the likeness of ‘Isa (Jesus) before Allah is the Likeness of Adam. He created Him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!’ – and he was. {Q. 3:59} In the Holy Qur’an, Allah describes Jesus as His Prophet, free from sins, pure and pious, like the rest of His Prophets, but always as a human being.” He [‘Isa, Jesus] said: “Verily, I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet;…”{Q. 19:30}. Islam has a specific concept and point of view regarding the Prophets of Allah. All of them are human beings who, by virtue of their devotion to truth and life free from sins, have been chosen by the grace of Allah to be His messengers.

The message preached by them was not their own but from Allah. Allah transmitted the word to them, so that they could adapt the life according to the Revelation and become, in this way, models for their followers. This is how Allah revealed in the Holy Qur’an: “Say (unto them O Muhammad): I am only a mortal like you. It is inspired in me that your God is One God, therefore take the straight path unto Him and seek forgiveness of Him. And woe unto the idolaters” (Qur’an, 41: 6)

The Divine-Sonship.

This dogma, like the previous ones discussed is not in conformity with the teachings and sayings of Jesus Christ. In the Bible, this same expression has been used to refer to many of the earlier prophets. Israel, for example, was called the “Son of God” in one of the books of Moses: “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is My son, even My first born.” (Exodus 4:22). Also, in the Psalms, the same title was given to David: “I will declare the decree: the Lord had said unto me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten thee”. (Psalms 2:7) Likewise, in I Chronicles, 22:10, Solomon was called the Son of God: “He shall build a house for My name: and he shall be My son, and I will be his Father and I will establish the throne of his Kingdom over Israel forever.”

From the above statements and for many others in the Bible, it has been established that the word “son” really meant nearness to Allah in love. Even Jesus himself said that every man who did the will of the Father in Heaven was a Son of God. Henceforth, what made a man worthy of being called the Son of God, was a devout life and a kind and merciful behavior. This is what Jesus (peace be upon him) said in the following sayings: “Love your enemies… that ye may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:44,45). “Blessed are the Peacemakers: for they shall be called the sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Analysis of all of the previous sayings leaves no doubt regarding the meaning that Jesus assigned to the word “son”. Therefore, in view of this, there can be no justification to regard Jesus as the Son of God in an exclusive and unique sense. When Jesus used the phrase “Son of God”, it meant exactly the same as it meant when it was used for Adam, Israel, David, and Solomon.

The Holy Qur’an emphatically and categorically rejects the dogma of the Sonship in chapter 2 verse 116: They say, “Allah has taken a Son.” Exalted is He! Rather to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him.”

Once again, reason and common sense are on the side of Islam. According to philosophy, a being that comes from another being and exists as a separate individual and becomes his equal, cannot be regarded as perfect. To attribute a son to God would implicate denying the perfection of God.

The Original Sin.

According to the explanation of this dogma, Adam (peace be upon him) sinned when he disobeyed Allah by eating from the forbidden tree of knowledge. As a result, and according to the Christian theology, all his descendants inherit the sin of Adam, which means that all human beings are born with this Original Sin. For God’s justice to be satisfied, a price must be paid for every sin that has been committed. In other words, Allah will not let any sin go unpunished. According to Christians, the only thing that can wipe out sin is the shedding of blood. And according to Paul “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22) But this blood must be perfect, sinless, and incorruptible. . Therefore, Jesus Christ, the alleged Son of God, shed his holy, sinless blood, suffered indescribable agony, and died to pay the penalty for the sins of men. Because He was the infinite God, He alone could pay the infinite price of sin. Therefore, nobody can be saved unless he accepts Jesus Christ as his redeemer. Moreover, everyone is condemned to suffer eternally in Hell Fire because of his or her sinful nature, unless he/she accepts atonement made for his/her sins by the blood of Jesus Christ.

This dogma can be divided into three distinct parts: (1) The Original Sin, (2) the belief that God’s Justice requires that the penalty of blood must be paid for sin, and (3) the belief that Jesus has paid the price for the sins of men by his death on the cross and that salvation is only for those who believe in his vicarious sacrifice. Regarding the first part, the Reverend De Groot (Catholic Teachings, p. 140) writes: “Scripture teaches us that Adam’s sin passed unto all men (our Blessed Lady excepted). For in words of St. Paul: Therefore, as by the offence of one (Adam) all men were taken to condemnation; so also by the Justice of one (Christ) many shall be made just”. (Rom. 5:18,19).

These words make it plain that all men inherited Adam’s sin. Like many other Christian beliefs, the doctrine of the Inherited Sin also finds no support in the words of Jesus or of the prophets who had come before him. They taught that every man was accountable for his own actions; the children will not be punished for the sins of the father. Jesus himself regarded children as innocent and pure, and not born in sin. It is clear from his reported saying: “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for such is the Kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.” (Mark 10: 14,15).

Islam condemns the dogma of the Original Sin and regards the children as pure and sinless at birth. Sin, it says it is not inherited, but it is something which one acquires for himself by doing what he should not do or not doing what he should do. Rationally considered also, it would be the height of injustice to condemn the entire human race for the sin committed thousands of years ago by the first parents. Sin is a willful transgression of the Law of God or the Law of right and wrong. The responsibility or blame for it must lie only on the person committing it, and not on his children. It is the height of misanthropy and cynicism to consider it sinful at birth. How unreasonable and hard-hearted a man can become by believing in the dogma of the inherited sin is shown by the theological dictum of Saint Augustine that all unbaptized infants are doomed to burn eternally in the Fire of Hell. Till recently, the unbaptized infants were not buried in consecrated grounds in Christendom because they were believed to have died in Original Sin. The very basis of the doctrine of the Atonement, that is, the belief in Original Sin, having been found to be wrong on the authority of Jesus Christ as well as reason, the superstructure of dogma built on it must also be false.

The second part of the Christian doctrine of Atonement is that God’s Justice requires that a price must be paid for the Original and other sins of man. If God were to pardon a sinner without punishment, it would be a denial of His Justice. The Reverend W. Goldsack (The Atonment, p.5) writes in this connection: “It should be as clear as daylight to any one that God cannot break His own law: He cannot forgive a sinner without first giving him an appropriate punishment. For if He did so, who would call Him Just and Equitable”? This view shows complete ignorance of the God’s attributes. God is not a mere judge or king. He is as the Holy Qur’an describes Him: “Master of the Day of Judgement”. He is not only Just but also Merciful and Forgiving. If He finds some real good in man and sees that he is sincerely repentant, having a real urge to conquer the evil within him, then Almighty God will forgive his failings and sins altogether. After all, the only proper motive for punishment is to check evil doing and reform the offender. To punish a person for his supposed past sins, even after he had repented and reformed himself, is a sign of vengeance and not of justice. The God we worship is the God of love and mercy. If He prescribes a law and demands obedience, it is not for His own benefit, but for the benefit of mankind. And if He punishes a man for his faults and sins, it is not for His own satisfaction or compensation, as the Christian dogma proclaims, but to check evil and purify the sinner. God can and does forgive the faults and sins of those in whom He sees real goodness and those who have turned away from their sins and reformed themselves without punishing them or any other person on their behalf. This is not against God’s Justice. Thus, the Holy Qur’an reveals: “Say: O my people, who have acted extravagantly against your own souls, despair not of the mercy of God, Verily Allah forgives all sins. Lo! He is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful. So, turn unto Him, repent and surrender unto Him, before there come unto you the chastisement, when you can not be helped.” (Qur’an 39: 53,54)

The third part of the Christian dogma of the Atonment is that Jesus paid the penalty for the original and other sins of men by his death on the cross of Calvary, and that salvation cannot be obtained without belief in the saving power of his blood. J.F. DeGroot (Catholic Teachings, p. 162) writes: “Since Christ, God and man, has taken upon Himself our sins in order to atone for them by giving satisfaction to God’s outraged justice, He is the mediator between God and man.” This dogma is not only a denial of the mercy of God but also of His Justice. To demand the price of blood in order to forgive the sins of men is to show a complete lack of mercy. To punish a man who is not guilty for the sins of others, whether the former is willing or not, is the height of injustice. Christians claim that Jesus Christ willingly suffered death to pay the price for the sins of men. By this, the reply from the Islamic point of view is: Firstly, it is not historically correct to say that Jesus had come to die willingly and deliberately for the sins of men. We read in the Bible that he did not wish to die on the cross. For when he learnt that his enemies were plotting against his life, he declared that his “soul was exceedingly sorrowful unto death”. He asked his disciples to keep watch over him to protect him from his enemies, and he prayed to God, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from me; nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.” (Mark 14:36)

Secondly, we fail to see how suffering and death of one man can wipe out sins of others. It sounds something like the father taking out a tooth to relieve the pain of the son. The idea of substitutionary or vicarious sacrifice is illogical, meaningless and unjust. Thirdly, the idea that shedding of blood is necessary to appease the wrath of God has come into Christianity from the primitive man’s image of God as an all-powerful demon. We see no connection at all between sin and blood. What is necessary to wipe away sins is not blood, but sincere repentance, remorse, and persistent struggle against evil inclinations to carry out the Will of God as revealed to us through the Prophets.

The Christian scheme of salvation is not only morally and rationally unsound, but also has no support in the words of Jesus. Jesus may be said to have suffered for the sins of men in the sense that, in order to take them out of darkness into light, he incurred the wrath of the evil doers and was tortured by them; but that does not mean that his death was an atonment for the sins of others and that only those who believe in his blood be forgiven. Jesus had come to rescue men from sin by his teachings and the example of his godly life, and not by deliberately dying for them on the cross and offering his blood for their sins.

The dogma of Atonment is unsound due to the following reasons:

Man is not born in sin,

God does not require a price to forgive sinners, and

The idea of substitutionary or vicarious sacrifice is unjust and cruel. By sinning we do not harm God, but ourselves. The stain of sins on our souls can be removed, not by the suffering or death of any other person, whether the latter be willing or unwilling, but by our own repentance, turning away from evil and doing good. And so, when Adam, after the act of disobedience, repented and submitted himself completely to God, his sin was forgiven. Neither is the sin of Adam inherited by the children of Adam, nor did it require the suffering and death of Jesus Christ to be forgiven. The truth is that Jesus did not die on the cross at all. The doctrine of the Atonement is a denial of the justice and mercy of God.

Islam rejects the dogma of Atonement. It declares that the forgiveness of sins cannot be obtained by the suffering and sacrifice of any other person, human or divine, but by the grace of God and our own sincere and persistent efforts to fight against evil and do good. The Holy Qur’an states: “That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives, And that his effort is going to be seen. (53: 38-40). Islam promises salvation to all those who believe in God and do good deeds, his reward is with his Lord; and there shall be no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. (2:112)

The Rationality of Islam

The evaluation of the previously described Christian doctrines, leads to the conclusion that they are not rational, and they are not in accordance with the teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him). It suffices to know that during the first years after the disappearance of Jesus, his followers considered Him just like any other prophet of God. The doctrines previously mentioned, were developed many years after he disappeared. Therefore, this is a clear indication that Christianity has considerably deviated from the original message.

Islam revives the eternal message that Allah has revealed to all His prophets. The message revealed to all of them was the same, but with the passage of time it had been misinterpreted and mixed with superstitions and rituals that were meaningless since they were not revealed by Allah.

Islam is a revival and restatement of the religion taught by Jesus and of all other prophets of Allah.

The heart and brain of a religion, the conception of the nature of Divinity, has lost its foundations due to:

The tendency to represent God as a being Who has human forms and passions.

The only God has been associated and mixed with other beings (as in Christianity and Hinduism).

Creatures have been deified and are being worshiped as only God must be worshiped (as for example, Devas in Hinduism, Yazatas in Zoroastrianism, and the Holy Ghost in Christianity.)

Some prophets are being represented as incarnations of God, as for example, Jesus in Christianity, Ezra in Judaism, Buddah in Mahayana Budismo, and Khrishna and Rama in Hinduism.

A personification of the atributes of God, have taken place in separate Divine Persons, for example, The Christian Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Gost, the Hindu Trimuri formed by Brahma, Vishu and Shiva and the Amesha Spentas of Zoroastrianism).


The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), criticized all of these irrational theological tendencies and reinstated the original concept of Allah as the Only Eternal Reality, the Creator and Sustainer of all the Worlds, the Loving, the all-Forgiving, the all-Merciful, the All-Mighty, the all-Knowing. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) purged religion from mistakes, superstitions and nonsense practices, and widened its scope in order to make Islam a source of inspiration for the human race. He unified people of different races, colors and different nations into a universal brotherhood. Islam is a religion without mythology, of simple and rational teachings. Islam appeals to the human reason and conscience. The truth of the Islamic principle follows logically from the belief in Allah’s Oneness and goodness. If Allah is One, all the human beings are creatures of the same God and are equal before Him. Hence the existence of the Islamic belief that man and woman are equal. If only God is the Creator and Provider of all people, He not only grants and facilitates the physical needs but also the moral and spiritual ones, revealing to mankind the path to truth and righteousness.
Allah revealed His Message to selected men who were completely dedicated to the truth, and follow a pious life. They were capable of inspiring others to follow the correct path. For this reason, Islam teaches its followers to believe in all the prophets of all times and of all nations.

As a final point, since Allah has created man as an agent with absolute moral responsibility, with freedom of choice and completely responsible for all his acts, there is an imperative need for the existence of life after death, so that the fruit produced in this present life, good or bad, can be harvested in the life hereafter. Citing the famous Italian Orientalist, Dr. Laura Veccia Vagliery (Apologia dell Islamismo, translated into English as an interpretation of Islam by Dr Caselli, pp. 33,34) writes: “Thanks to Islam, paganism in its various forms was defeated. The concept of the universe, the practices of religion, and the customs of social life, were each liberated from all the monstruosities which had degraded them and human minds were made free of prejudices. Man finally realized his dignity. He humbled himself before the Creator, the Master of all mankind”. She continues, “The spirit was liberated from prejudice; man’s will was set free from the ties which had kept him bound to other men or other so called hidden powers. Priests, false guardians of mysteries, brokers of salvation, all those who pretended to be mediators between God and man and consequently believed that they had authority over other people’s will, fell from their pedestals. Man became the servant of Allah alone and towards other men he had only the obligations of one free man towards other free men. While previously men had suffered from the injustices of social differences, Islam proclaimed equality among human beings. Each Muslim was distinguished from other Muslims not by reason of birth or any other factor not connected with his personality, but only by his greater fear of God, his good deeds, his moral and intellectual qualities.”([21]).

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

VIII

Jesus’ influence in my Reversion to Islam

The information contained in the previous chapters was new for me during my student life. Something was telling my conscience that there was something wrong in the concepts that I had learned in the church and in Christianity. There was a logical trend in this new information. However, there was still something that did not let me make the definite step and change the course that the Church had taught me. My “Talisman” was with me wherever I went. Inside this small package, there were seven small silver crosses and the image and statue of Jesus was always with me. I thought that if I had put it aside, something was going to happen to me. For this reason, I never misplaced it; it was always in my pocket. One day, when I was reviewing the literature that had been given to me in the Masjid; I read two statements that filled up my heart with great joy and happiness. Tears started to flow from my eyes and I said: “My God, this is the truth! This is the answer that I could never find!” At this point, I must tell the reader that up to now I had never touched or read the Holy Qur’an. I had not seen or touched a copy in any language, and the name Qur’an was not part of my vocabulary. In a categorical, emphatic, clear and precise manner, in the study guide that I had received in the Masjid, I read the following about Jesus Christ {…they killed him not, nor crucified him….}. Here, I made a pause in the reading. I continued repeating several times {…they killed him not, nor crucified him….}. At this precise moment, as I was reading these statements, I felt that Allah was answering the question that was puzzling me from childhood, and which made me have doubts about the power of Allah due to the lack of a logical and convincing answer. It was not easy to find this answer. I had to compete with other students to earn a scholarship, I had to travel thousands of kilometers to the State of Washington in the USA, I had to learn to read and speak English and, being from Latin America, I had to have a character that was acceptable among the rest of the Muslims in Seattle in order to find these two statements. The probabilities that this information could reach the hands of a Venezuelan in 1978 were extremely remote. However, a decree by Allah must be fulfilled. In those moments that I was still rejoicing at this great news, I spoke to God and asked Him for forgiveness. I wanted to run with this news to Venezuela and give it to my family and to the rest of the world. It was happening just like in the movies. My hero, the good man in the movie, my beloved prophet, Jesus of Nazareth (peace be upon him) to whom I used to pray twice a day in the small altar in my house, had not been crucified!

The psychological weight of the cross carried by Jesus to Mount Calvary fell down and disintegrated in the same manner that a great mountain disintegrates under the effects of dynamite.

What followed after this discovery was not less significant. I reasoned and said, “if this is the truth, then this religion is the true one”. For twenty years, I had been told that Jesus had been killed. I was taken through a road without alternatives. Now another door had been opened with a more logical answer. Now things were getting clearer and the last piece of the “puzzle” was available. This was the last in the sequence of miracles that Jesus (peace be upon him) had performed by the Power of Allah. A man who had given sight back to the blind, who had walked over the surface of water, who had healed the leper, who had made the paralytic walk, who had multiplied the bread and the fish to feed thousands of people, and who had given life back to the dead, undoubtedly, he could not have been crucified! Again I reasoned. I said, I want to belong to this religion. I want to be a Muslim!

In the same manner that the weight of the cross disintegrated, also the resurrection of Jesus on the Sunday of Holy Week (Easter), the Good Friday, the visit to the Seven Churches, the Fasting on Fridays, the eating of fish instead of meat on those alleged Holy Days disintegrated at once and I considered them all as lies. The power of the Talisman disappeared. It was the logical mind of a young man studying to be an engineer, who had been in the Venezuelan Military Academy and who had rejected it due to the great number of impositions. A young man who was a professional fireman and who saved lives and properties and who had not acquired the vices of smoking and alcohol drinking even though these were daily normal vices in the society in which he lived.

During the summer of 1979, I took an optional course at Oklahoma State University, which was part of my curriculum, and illuminated even more the new path through which I had started to walk. The title was “Islamic Tradition”. At the end of the Summer of 1979, and close to the last ten days of the month of Ramadhan, I went to Seattle and before the same Imam who had given me the Islamic Literature, I pronounced the testimony of faith (Shahada) embracing Islam officially. I still remember that the Imam asked me: “Are you sure that you want to embrace Islam?” I said “yes”. Then he insisted: “Even if it is indicated in your passport that you are a Muslim?” I said: “Even so”. Then he said “If that is what you want then repeat after me: I testify that there is no god except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. I testified in English and in Arabic repeating after the Imam, making in this way my final step to Islam.

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

IX

How was my life affected by Islam?

Undoubtedly, changes involve certain adjustments and my case was not the exception. Once I had embraced Islam, I promised Allah that I would do whatever I could to learn a lot about this new religion. When I was still very young and after having finalized my first year at Oklahoma State University, I got married to a girl from Iran. In Stillwater, Oklahoma State, my first Islamic teacher was assigned to me by the Islamic Center of Stillwater; his name was Faiz. He was from Palestine. With the exception of the recent Iranian revolution, where the King (Shah) of Iran had been overthrown, I did not know the political aspects in the Islamic World. I was only interested in learning about my new religion. My brother Faiz, may Allah be pleased with his teachings, dedicated a lot of time to teach me the Prayer and the rest of the pillars of Islam, the pillars of faith, the life after death, the Day of Judgement, and many more things. I always remember the great impact caused by the topic of life after death since during my life as a Christian, nobody had ever taught me something similar and in such great detail. I can summarize it as follows:

According to the teachings of the last Prophet of Allah, what happens to a person when he (she) dies?

Life after death is a topic that invokes a lot of interest in many people. During my life as a Christian, death was a mystery to me. I did not know what was going to happen to me once my body had been buried underground. In Islam I found the answer. When a person dies, he or she must be buried according to the tradition taught by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The body of the person is washed and perfumed. Then it is wrapped in two pieces of white cloth and the body is buried without coffin facing Al- Ka’bah. It has been narrated that the dead person listens to the steps of the living as they go away from the grave and is aware that he/she is being left alone. Shortly thereafter, two angels come to the grave and ask the following three questions:
(1) Who is your God? (2) What is your religion? And (3) Who is your prophet?
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that the believer would not have difficulties in answering them correctly, while the unbeliever would not be able to answer. The person will start to suffer or enjoy his/her staying in the grave after this brief questioning. Depending on the deeds that the person has performed, and what Allah had decreed, the perfumed breezes of Paradise or the foul smell of Hell Fire will start to enter the grave, which at the same time will expand or contract to give comfort or torture to its dweller. I ask Allah to expand my grave and protect me from its torments.

This information from my brother Faiz, clarified some doubts about the punishment deserved by many people that commit crimes and who are not properly punished while they are alive, since they are freed by paying some sort of bribe.
This explains why Allah gives to every human being plenty of opportunities to repent while he is alive so that he or she can start a new life. This also explains the Divine and Infinite Justice of Allah towards His creatures. I understood deeply the concepts of temporary and eternal life. While in the Catholic Church I had learned that Jesus Christ had died to save us, in Islam I learned that every person is responsible for his own acts and will be rewarded or punished according to his deeds. This sounds logical!

The knowledge that I was acquiring little by little was forming a perfect sequence of gears where every learned aspect gave perfect support to previous learning.
I started to dedicate more time to studying my religion. I used to go to the gymnasium very early in the morning, but when the training started to conflict with my Fajr prayer, I abandoned the training and gave priority to my prayers. Before embracing Islam, I had already been for several years studying on my own to be a musician and participated in several shows. I used to be a guitar player and used to sing, but when I saw that these activities overlapped and interfered with my spiritual development, I abandoned them. I dedicated some time to learning to recite the Holy Qur’an in its original revealed language – Arabic. Since I had the responsibilites of a young married man and my engineering studies at the age of 21, I did not have any time for other activities. This, in addition to my reserved character, but mainly the guidance of Allah, determined my attachment to my new religion up to the extent that I wanted to start teaching what little I knew.

When I returned to Venezuela, of course my family did not know about Islam. They used to see how I was praying but they did not criticize nor condemn my actions. I had been in the USA for more than four years without seeing my parents or brothers and sisters; therefore, the love for my family prevailed and they accepted me the way I was.
In my job, I asked permission from my supervisor to pray for five minutes in my office. I was practically the only Venezuelan Muslim in the Oil Industry in 1982. I asked Allah to help me persevere and be steadfast since temptations appeared everywhere and everytime. By the grace and mercy of Allah, I remained chaste and uncorrupted.
Today, after twentythree years since I embraced Islam, I feel happy to have made this decision. Moreover, when I see how many people are embracing Islam every day, I give praise to Allah, the Lord of all that exists. I have found that Islam is the religion that is expanding the fastest in the whole world. My faith gets stronger as I witness that the promise of Allah is being fulfilled gradually: “The light of Islam will expand all over the earth even though the unbelievers may want to put it out.” The unbelievers and the corrupted people have persecuted, tortured and murdered the followers of the last Revelation of Allah since the times of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). First it was in Makkah, then in Europe, passing through the Inquisition and the Crusades, the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate, the division and colonization of Muslim lands by Great Britain, the massacres in Kosovo, Bosnia, Sabra and Shatilla, until today’s injustices in Chechnya, Kashmir, Afghanistan, and the painful genocide taking place against the Palestinians by the Jews in front of the eyes of the whole world, even though the former are the legitimate owners of the land. It is time for the whole world to know that the land of Palestine was unjustly and forcefully taken away from its righteous owners in defiance of a covenant that God had made with the seed of Abraham. In short, the terms of the covenant are:
Worshipping Allah (God), and only God.
Following and acceptance of all the Prophets of Allah, without exception.

Spreading the religion; the word of Allah.
If the above three conditions were carried out, then the seed of Abraham would be entitled to own the land from the Nile to the Euphrates (including Canaan land, Palestine)


As it can be witnessed by the whole world, the Jews did not fulfill their part of the covenant. For this reason, Allah not only took away the kingdom from them and gave it to the Arabs, but also did not give them the Promised Land. Rather He gave it to the ones who fulfilled the covenant completely, the Muslims.

Today, in spite of all the propaganda against Islam, statistics show that certainly Muslims are the ones who have fulfilled the commandment of Allah to propagate the Light of Monotheism all over the world.

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

X

How did my reversion to Islam affect other people’s lives?

Having received this great gift from Allah (praised and glorified be He), I felt a strong desire to pass it over to those who had not had the opportunity to listen to this Last Message of Allah to mankind.

I was not very successful at the beginning. Some people took it as a joke, while others advised me to take the message to the children since the older people had already developed their own belief. For a long period of time, my only support was my wife who shared the same belief. The recent revolution in Iran was taking my attention. I wanted to know what was happening in that country. Having worked for about two years in the Venezuelan Oil Industry, I received an offer for a contract to work in Teheran, Iran. It took me only a few days to make the decision. In the same year, I traveled with my wife and my two- year- old son to Iran. During my stay in Iran, I witnessed many things that, Allah willing, will be the subject of another book.

In 1986, when the war between Iran and Iraq was very fierce, I returned to the Venezuelan Oil Industry. In 1990 I traveled again to the United States of America, where I obtained my Master degree in Safety Engineering.

It was in this second trip, when I decided to increase my efforts to propagate Islam. I continued a self-made Islamic training program with the information available at the Bryan College Station Islamic Library while studying at Texas A&M University. From the USA, I used to write to my family about some Islamic topics. When I returned to Venezuela in 1992, after several brief dialogues, my parents and one of my older brothers embraced Islam. Later on, two of my sisters also embraced Islam, as well as another brother and one of my nephews. I sought permission of the Director of the recently opened Masjid in Caracas, and I proposed the creation of a program on Sundays, in order to invite Christians to visit the largest Masjid in Latin America. I undertook the voluntary coordination of this program. I shared with the Imam of the Masjid the presentation of lectures to give the message of Islam and talk about Islam, the Muslims, the Masjid, etc., to the visitors. Praise be to Allah, the first invitation that we made was a complete success and a total of 250 people attended the first lecture ever given to Venezuelans about Islam. For the first time in the History of Venezuela, a mixture of Christians, atheists, Jews, etc, attended a lecture about Islam. The program turned out to be a great success and has been kept as one of the weekend programs to which anyone interested in knowing about Islam can attend. By the grace of Allah, many Venezuelans have embraced Islam.

In 1996, seeing the state of decay and corruption in which my country was, and trying to prevent my children from being programmed in the same way that I was, I decided to migrate with my family to a land where the main way of life was Islam. On this occasion, I traveled to the crib of Islam, Saudi Arabia. From this blessed land, I continue learning and teaching locally and abroad. I keep a strong link with the Islamic Center in Venezuela and with Jubail Dawah and Guidance Center in Saudi Arabia, where I voluntarily give my services whenever they are required.

During the lectures given in different places, I have noticed that many people are interested in Islam. Many of them have embraced this religion while others take the available literature and take their time to read it gradually, just as I did twentythree years ago. Others wish to embrace Islam but they say that they have so many vices that they can not get rid of. At this point, I want to tell the reader that when a person embraces Islam, his or her life does not change in one day. This is a process that develops as the person learns and gradually gets closer and closer to his (her) brothers (sisters) in faith and to the fundamental teachings of the faith. The visitors that have attended my lectures have asked the following questions:

Must I be an Arab to be a Muslim?

Do I have to speak Arabic in order to be a Muslim?

Must I have read and learn the Holy Qur’an to be a Muslim?

To be a Muslim, should I stop believing in Jesus Christ and reject the Virgin Mary?



The answers to all of the above questions are negative. There are Muslims in almost every country and place around the world. The language is not a barrier either, and, as I indicated previously, when I embraced Islam I had not touched the Holy Qur’an or known about it in any language. Finally, a person who does not believe in Jesus as a prophet of Allah and in Mary as Jesus’ mother can not be a Muslim.



Many people hesitate to make the final step to embrace Islam because they think that they do not fulfil certain requirements. The only requirement to embrace Islam is to have a sincere heart that wants to obey the One and Only God of the Universe Who has no associate, children, mother, or father. Nothing resembles Him. All kinds of idolatry must be abandoned. This is the first step: to testify that there is no god except Allah and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is His messenger. Everything else can be learned gradually with patience and dedication. Hypothetically, if anyone dies after having this firm belief, even though he or she has not touched the Holy Qur’an, that person is considered to be a Muslim and is entitled, by the Mercy of Allah, to enter Paradise. When a person testifies that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, this does not mean that he is the only prophet of Allah, but certainly that he is the last Messenger of Allah. Believing in him implies to believe in all the prophets that Allah had sent previously up to prophet Jesus (peace be upon them all).

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

XI

When Faith is inculcated by compulsion.

Allah (Almighty) has revealed that nobody can be forced to embrace Islam. This is a fundamental tenet of Allah’s teachings. {There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path}. (Qur’an 2: 256)

The Catholic Church has reached the position that it has today thanks to the horrendous bloodshed of millions of innocent people. I was astonished when I learned that, only in the Netherlands, three million people were executed when they did not abide and accept the doctrines of the Catholic Church.

“Upon the 15th of February 1568, a sentence of the Holy Office condemned all the inhabitants of the Netherlands to death as heretics. From this universal doom only a few persons were excempted. A proclamation of King Philip II of Spain, dated ten days later, confirmed this decree of the Inquisition and ordered it to be carried out into instant execution… Three million people, men, women and children, were sentenced to the scaffold in three lines. Under the new decree, the executions certainly did not slacken. Men in the highest and the humblest positions were daily and hourly dragged to the stake. Alva, in a single letter to Philip II, coolly estimates the number of executions which were to take place immediately after the expiration of Holy Week at ‘eight hundred heads.’”([22]).

After the Nicean Council took place, “it became a capital offense to possess an unauthorized Gospel. As a result, over a million Christians were killed in the years following the Council’s decision. This was the methodology used by Athanasius to unify the Christians ([23]).

Compulsion is incompatible with religion because:

Religion depends upon faith and will; and these would be meaningless if induced by force.

Truth and Error have been so clearly shown up by the mercy of God that there should be no doubt in the minds of any persons of goodwill as to the fundamentals of faith.

God's protection is continuous and His Plan is always to lead us from the depths of darkness into the clearest light. ([24]).

A simple apology is not enough to pay back for the destruction carried out by the Catholic Church. It destroyed the most precious gift that God had bestowed upon the human beings: Freedom of choice. Men and women must be given the opportunity to choose the religion that they like, but the alternatives must be presented without bias and without compulsion. Neither a guillotine nor a bonfire should have been the options given to those who did not want to accept the doctrines being enforced by the Catholic Church, knowing that Allah had already revealed in his last message to mankind: “There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path” (Qur’an 2:256).

Today, we are witnessing the results of the compulsion in religion in different countries. For example, in Venezuela drug addiction, murder, theft, prostitution, corruption, rape, crime and homosexuality are some of the consequences of forcing people into a religion that is not carried in the heart. If people were really conscious about the message taught by Jesus (peace be upon him) the situation would be different. For this reason, I have come to offer at least an alternative that can save lives, rehabilitate alcoholics, unite the family and society, and bring sunken countries up, if their inhabitants and leaders do not stubbornly keep tight to the paradigms that have been developed as time went on under the influence of the Vatican. No wonder then why Simon Bolivar said: “I think that it will be better for America to adopt the Qur’an, rather than the government of the United States, even though it may be the best in the world”.

The latest heart breaking news in the year 2002 regarding the Catholic Church in the USA relates to the sexual abuse that some priests have committed against innocent children. Astonishingly, the top ranks in the Vatican and in the USA do not feel that such acts are horrendous crimes, and have tried to cover them up by injecting money to buy the victims silence. I kept a report from several years ago where it was stated that more than five percent of the priests in the USA were participating in sexual child abuse. However, it took several years for this news to become headlines in the main TV stations worldwide. While editing this book, I also heard that in England something similar is taking place. God willing, I am going to request to the Venezuelan government to carry out a comprehensive investigation in order to make sure that such sexual abuses are not taking place in my country by the Catholic Church. I feel extremely sad when I see that every week in Venezuela, an average of one hundred Christians kill each other in a country that is not at war and where the Catholic Church has had an almost absolute control of people’s faith. Having witnessed such a state of decay and spiritual loss, by the will of Allah, I am determined to carry out a complete reform of the beliefs that Venezuelans have in their hearts and in their consciences.

I have asked some Christians the following questions: In those countries or communities where the Bible is the generally used Holy Scripture, why are the rates of murders, thefts, alcoholism, prostitution, homosexuality, incest, and widespread corruption extremely high compared to the same rates in those countries where the Holy Qur’an is being applied even in a very low scale? Many of them have been shocked by this question since they have never thought about making such comparisons.

As an example, in a dialogue that I had with a citizen of the United States, I presented to him a case where the death penalty was imposed upon seven criminals who, under the influence of alcohol, had raped a woman in Saudi Arabia. I told him that, thanks to the application of all the weight of the law, hundreds of thousands of other women had been saved from other potential criminals. He said that the law was too severe and that it could not be implemented in his country. I told him that in the last eight months in his country, with an average of two thousand women raped per day, more than half a million women had been raped! He was shocked and admitted the effectiveness of the application of the Islamic Law. If I could talk to him again I would tell him that, in Islam, if an Imam raped a child, as the priests have done in the church, he would be executed without any delay and faster than other criminals. I am very happy that I embraced Islam, I am proud to be a Muslim!

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

XII

Open Invitation to the Pope, his succesor and to the rest of the World’s Leaders.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

This is an invitation that I make to all the leaders of the world, especially to those who guide and rule over millions of people in other religions, sects and ideologies. Peace be upon all those people who follow the Correct Path. I invite all of you to embrace Islam. Come to Islam and you will be saved from the punishment of Allah. If you are Jew or Christian, Allah will give you a double reward once you embrace Islam. However, if you reject this invitation, you will be held accountable for misleading all those under your responsibility and all of those who choose to follow you.

Just like all my Muslim brothers and sisters all over the world, Allah has given me the responsibility of conveying this message to all human beings. {Say: “O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’” (Qur’an 3:64)

{A person from the people of the Scripture (Jew or Christian) who believes in his prophet (Jesus or Moses) and then believe in Prophet Muhammad (embrace Islam) will have a double reward}([25]).

This saying shows the great importance that Allah has given to the belief in the Last Message and in His Last Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), as well as the great mercy that Allah shows to those who respond to His call despite difficulties.



Having presented the previous proofs so that whoever has eyes can see them, and whoever has sane intellect can analyze and reason, a crossroads has been reached in which Allah (Glorified Be He) calls all people whose hearts have not been sealed yet, whose sight has not been taken away, whose ears have not been deafened. Once again I ratify that it is my duty and responsibility as a member of this great planet, and as one who as submitted by free will to the Law and Commandments of the Supreme Being, The One and Only, The Beneficent, The Merciful, to invite all human beings to stay away from the worship of false deities, the worship of statues, sphinxes, figures, amulets, talismans, horse shoes, and any other thing that has been created by man. Once repented, a person should submit completely to the Will of God, the Only God of the Universe.

It is noteworthy to say that, no matter how much money, prestige, position, and power that an unbeliever might have in this life, he or she will never have enough to buy his or her entrance to Paradise. The poorest among the poorest of all the inhabitants of earth who has testified that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger will be happier and more dignified than the richest person who did not believe in the Last Message sent by Allah for the guidance of mankind.

For this reason, while the soul of an unbeliever is still in his or her body, and he or she can still breath, speak and is conscious of his or her actions, he or she can still repent before Allah (Glorified be He). If the repentance is sincere and he or she testifies that there is no god except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger and stays away from all kind of idolatry, Allah will forgive him (her). Even though he (she) was only a few centimeters away from Hell Fire, Allah will allow him (her) to enter Paradise eternally and all bad deeds will be changed into good deeds. It is the promise of Allah for anyone who wants to repent sincerely and start a new life.

I close this invitation citing the following verses from the Holy Qur’an where Allah (Almighty) gives the opportunity to all human beings to repent sincerely.

Chapter 15: Verses 49 & 50

{Declare (O Muhammad) unto My slaves, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful.}

{And that My Torment is indeed the most painful torment}

Here Allah invites the sinners, to repent without looking at the magnitude of the sins, and He will forgive them. At the same time, He says that no punishment can be compared to His punishment.

Surat 39: Ayas 53 y 54

“{Say: “O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”}

{And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith to your Lord and submit to Him before the torment comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped.}”

Here Allah has clearly stated that the time for repentance has a limited duration. Once it is over (when death arrives), it is no longer possible to obtain forgiveness.

Chapter 3: Verse 135

“{And those who, when they have committed obscenity course) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; - and none can forgive sins but Allah - and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know}”

This is sincere repentance. The person who has committed a sin feels remorse for what has been done and does not repeat it.

Finally, in Chapter 20: Verse 82

“{And verily, I am indeed forgiving of him who repents, believes (in My Oneness) and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous deeds, and then remains constant in doing them}”

I supplicate to Allah, the Creator of all that exists, to guide to the right path all those people whose hearts have not been sealed yet, whose eyes have not been blinded, whose minds are still open to the critical and objective analysis. I ask Allah to guide all those who sincerely perform self-assessments in order to improve their condition towards Him (Glorified be He).

 

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

[1] The Qur’an, Arabic Text with Corresponding English Meanings, Chapter 26, v. 192 to 194, English Revised and Edited by Saheeh International, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Abulqasim Publishing House, 1997 (Al-Muntada Alislami)

[2] Study Guide, Comparative Study – Islam and Christianity- 1978, compiled by Imam Jamil Abdul Razak, Islamic Center of Seattle, Washington, USA

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid.

[5] Revised Standard Version of the Bible, 1952, Gospel according to Mark and Gospel according to Luke.

[6] Prophet Muhammad, The Last Messenger in the Bible, by Kais Al-Kalby, p. 333, Al Diwan Printing Press, 1999, Dubai.

[7] Study Guide, Comparative Study – Islam and Christianity- 1978, compiled by Imam Jamil Abdul Razak, Islamic Center of Seattle, Washington, USA, p.4

[8] Ibíd.

[9] i.e., threw lots.

[10] Refering to the prophet Jesus (upon whom be peace), who was conceived merely by a command from Allah – the word “Be.”

[11] The teachings of the prophets.

[12] i.e., regarding His creation of him.

[13] By obeying another in disobedience to Allâh

[14] Those who associate others with Allah.

[15] There is a difference of opinión among scholars as to wether “he” refers to the baby or to the angel.

[16] The Qur’an Arabic text with corresponding English meaning, Abulqasim Publishing House, 1997 (Al-Muntada Alislami), translated by Saheeh International- Riyadh

[17] The Gospel according to Mark 28, 29, 30.

[18] The Gospel according to Matthew 4:10.

[19] One-ness of God (The Ultimate Solution to the Trinitarian Controversy), Marmarinta – Umar P.Mababaya, 1999, International Islamic Publishing House, p.43

[20] The Sacred Bible, Mark, ch. 15, verse 34, CD (Spanish Versión)

[21] Comparative Study Research Paper “Islam and Christianity”, Masjid at Seattle, Washington, USA, Jamil Abdul-Razzak, pp. 4-18

[22] Jesus Prophet of Islam, MUHAMMAD ATA UR RAHIM, P.117, Presidency of Islamic Research, IFTA and Propagation, Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1984.

[23] Ibid. p. 102

[24] The Meaning of the Holy Qur´an, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, p , 4th Edition, 1989, American Trust Publications.

[25] Sahih Bukhari, prophetic saying # 20, volumen 7.

 

[kadafi]

Subhana'Allah, it was great reading it.

 

[jello]

Salaam

Any other comments about the book ?

Also, how can this book be mass distributed to many people quickly, and without causing problems, etc. ???