You wrote that when you reached in a Christian missionary school you asked your teacher that how is it that Christians can drink wine but Muslims cannot? How come your word of God says one thing and our word of God says something different. After listening this teacher attacked you, saying that how do you know the Holy Quran is the word of God? This was the first incident of your life, which impelled you to investigate about Christianity. Before going to make comparison between Islam and Christianity I would like to inform you that the Christianity itself does not allow its followers to drink wine see letter of Paul to Galatians, chapter 05, verse 21-22. “Envyings, Murder, Revelings and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (The epistle of Paul to the Galatians). And you can find this prohibition of wine in ten commandments of Moses (Peace be upon him).
You wrote “there was a sincerity in their relationship with God and with other people that I had not encountered among my own Muslim people”. Let us analyze this statement in the light of facts.
SINCERITY OF CHRISTIANS WITH GOD AND OTHERS
1. Christian’s God prohibits Christians to touch wine but we see that, all over the world, the Christian dominated areas are the centers of wine, especially a simple Christian as well as their religious people drink freely, when celebrate Easter and other religious days. Is it a sincere relationship with God and with other people?
2. Christian’s God or Jesus taught them to love mankind and stopped them again and again to take revenge. But when we peep into the window of history we find that Christians are beasts for other nations. Read the history of Spain, Read the history of Christians overwhelming upon Philistine. Now in our ages what has done Christian world in 2nd world war with Muslims. Even now a days you can see the dual character of Christian world in case of Philistine, Baghdad, Bosnia and Kashmir etc., I think that the bombardment of atom bomb on two cities, Nagasaki & Hiroshima of Japan was a taken of love, which has been taught in Bible, from Christian world to the whole mankind. Is it a sincere relationship with God and with other people?
3. I ask you does your Lord not forbid you to commit adultery. But we see that the Christian society is a sex free society all over the world. Is it a sincere relationship with God and with other people?
4. What do you say about the world famous sexual scandals of Christian priests and Nuns? In short I can present you a long series of such type of dishonest relationships of Christians with their God and with other people who belong from various religions especially Islam.
UNVEILING THE TEACHINGS OF LOVE IN BIBLE :
Your wrote that the violent tone of many of Qur’anic passages (against the unbelievers and also against the Jewish and Christian people) began to bother you, when you compared with the emphasis on love in New Testament. Mr. in this respect, I inform you that the facts are not like this as you are taking it. Bible itself contains such type of passages against those who do not believe in, according to Christians, begotten son of God. See chapter 3, verse no. 36 of the Gospel of St. John. It mentions, “He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life: and he that beliveth not the son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
This statement of Bible clearly shows that no one can attain solvation, get success, inter into heaven except Christians. Is it not a harassment and violent tone for unbeliever as well as Jewish and Muslim people? What would you argue about it? Pleas read the coming passage too with a deep sight. You will find it a nearer translation of Sura 5:51 which troubled you too much to remain a believer in oneness of Allah Almighty.
“For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefor partakers with them.”
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Ephasians ch. 5, verses : 5,6,7)
I asked you does this passage not threat unbelievers as well as Jewish and Muslims, does this passage not forbid Christians to establish a relation of love with others? If you have an eye of justice you would have to accept that it is a same commandment which Holy Quran commands its followers. If there remains still some doubt in your mind I quote for you an other passage of Bible, which will clearly tell you the reality of love in Christianity. Read it with open eyes. “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”
(The first epistle of Paul the Apostle to Thessalonians, chapter 4 – verse 9)
Is this passage not showing that the love of Christian is only for Christian brethren? A wise and justice person, without any doubt, will say that the teaching of love in Bible is limited for the fold of Christianity. Now I am bringing before you a passage from Bible, which will narrate this limitation of love, in such a manner, that no one can deny the hatred of Christians with others. Read it please,
“And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked man, for all men have not faith ……………… Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and nor after the tradition which he received of us.” (The second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the thessalonians. Chapter 3 : 1 and 6)
These two passages show that a Christian should not make friendship with others. But do you see the prejudices and jealousy of Holy Bible with non-believer which includes Muslims and Jews. Does this Holy Bible not call names to others by saying unreasonable and wicked man? On the other hand it uses a word “brother” for a Christian who believes in, but do not practice the teaching of Bible. Now I ask you where is that love, which is taught by Bible, in part of others? Yes I obviously, say that the slogan of love in Bible is merely in fate of a Christian while other people, who do not have faith in Christianity, are deserveable of the wrath of God and they will go to the Hell. Read it please:
“When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his poseur.” (The second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians. Chapter 1, ver. 7-9) Mr. you have been deceived by Christian missionary and by your Christian friends because they always shout that Christianity is love, its teachings are the teachings of love while the God of Muslims is very dreadful. He will not forgive the sins of people. He does not accept repentance. He is very angry upon his creature. But it is black propaganda against Allah Almighty. It is nothing but a false proclamation. I prove it through verses of Holy Quran that Allah Almighty is All kind and All pity. In this regard you can see the Holy Qur’an. You will find, that [from the first chapter (opening sura Al-Fatiha) to the last chapter (sura Wan-Nas)] each sura of Holy Qur’an starts with Bismillah, which is translated in English in these words, “In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful.”
The Holy Prophet says “He loves his creature more than the love which seventy mothers have with their children”.
I accept that Allah Almighty warns the non-believer as well as Jews and Christians, and call them to the path of guidance i.e. Islam, but not like the style of Bible which is just compels the people to have to believe in its unreasonable doctrine of begotten son of God. See the colossians : chapter 2 ; 6,7,8
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanks giving. Beware least any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of man after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dweleth all the fullness of God head bodily.”
While on the other hand the Qur’anic style is a reasonable. It invites mankind for thinking. You can find this reasonable style scattered at various places in the Holy Qur’an. Sometimes it calls people by saying, “don’t you ponder”, Sometimes by saying, “don’t you see”, and sometimes invites by saying, “don’t you reason”.
Please see what does Qur’an say about Christians in its particular style:
“And they say: (God) Most Gracious has begotten a son. Indeed you have put forth a thing most monstrous. At it the skies are ready to burst and the earth to split asunder and the mountains to fall down in utter run. That they should invoke a son for (God) most Gracious. For it is not consonant with the Majesty of (God) most Gracious – that he should beget a son.” (The Holy Qur’an 19:88:42)
Read it also and see that how does Qur’an reveal the facts and challenge the denier. But you will not find such beautiful and strong style in man-made Bible.
All almighty says:
“In the sight of Allah the case of birth of Jesus is like that of Adam, whom he created out of dust and said “Be” and he was. This is the fact of the matter, your Lord is importing and you should not be of those who doubted it.” (Sura 3 verse. 59:60)
Dear, compare this strong evidence of the Holy Qur’an with the epistle of Paul to collisions. You will find it quite different. Because Paul just orders the Christians to believe in and does not explain that how can have a person two natures in one time? How can be a man of flesh and blood a God? While on the other hand the Holy Qur’an denies the deity of Jesus (Peace be upon him) giving the example of Adam (Peace be upon him) . This narration of the Holy Qur’an urges its reader to consider about the belief in Adam (Peace be upon him) . As a result a reader of the Holy Qur’an will reach to a conclusion that a person i.e. Adam (Peace be upon him) had been created without mother and father and yet he is neither a God nor a son of God, then what is problem with belief in Jesus (Peace be upon him) being a man. He will utter that Jesus (Peace be upon him ) is a man as Adam (Peace be upon him) was a man. He would have to accept that Adam (Peace be upon him) , who had been created without any human resources, is not a God so how can be Jesus (Peace be upon him) a God or son of God. If a person does not believe in this Qur’anic teachings then Qur’an challenges him in these words as given below:
“ After the coming of this knowledge to you if anyone argues with you about this matter, say Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) come let us both gather together and also bring our children and your children, our women and your women and then pray to Allah and invoke him to lay the liar under his curse, these narration absolutely true and the fact is that there is no deity except Allah. Indeed Allah is Almighty and all wise than if they turn away (from accepting the challenge) it will be a clear proof of their mischief and Allah has full knowledge of the mischief-makers.”
(sura 3, verses 61 to 63)
This event has been happened in the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) when a group of Christian priests came to Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him). But they turned away from accepting the challenge. You can testify this event from the books written about the life history of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him). From the time period of the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) up till now Christian world does not accept the challenge of the Holy Qur’an.
Mr. do you know why does Christianity face such problems? It is only because of that their beliefs are unreasonable. Human mind rejects it harshly due to its mystery. That is why Paul the Apostle said:
“ and established in faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanks giving. Because least any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit.”
I think after this discussion, you would have come to know that the Qur’anic teaching about the unbelievers and Jews as well as Christians is only for their guidance not for hatred as the teachings of Bible. So there remains no point of objection against the Holy Qur’an in regarding this matter.
Let us come to your next objection and see does it base upon facts or it is too prehabitted and presupposed prejudices of a Christian which usually has been taught to every Christian?
You wrote that God sanctioned MUHAMMAD’S (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) desire to marry the divorced wife of his own stepson. I ask you how did you know Muhammad’s (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) desire? Who told you? In which book have you read and what is your source of knowledge that Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) desired to marry that divorced woman of his stepson? If you have any proof from the Holy Qur’an or tradition of the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) then bring it before us, otherwise you are liar and there would not remain any difference between you and Jews, because they also falsified the Jesus (Peace be upon him) and accused the pious and Holy virgin Mary (May Allah be happy with her). But, indeed, you can never present a single proof in laying blame upon the Holy, the beloved Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him ) of Allah till the day of judgment. It was not a self-serving to Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) at all. He was ordered to marry her, by his example, to disown the superstitious custom of the pagan Arabs, in such matter, of treating their adopted sons as their real sons, which was against the law of God. (i.e. the laws of nature); whereas in arranging a marriage the woman intention ought to be considered. Unhappy marriage was no part of Allah’s ordinance. You wrote that you felt sorrow and shame after reading this passage. But I say to you that this is not a place of feeling sorrow and shame. It is place of proud. When an honest and fair man will read this passage, he, indeed, shout that how great MUHAMMAD (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) is! Who saved whole mankind from such superstitious and wrong customs. He will have to say that Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him ) is a great reformer for mankind who taught the people by his own deeds. Whatever you think about the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) but facts will remain same, this phenomenon can neither be hidden nor be changed that Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him ) is the most perfect and ideal moral example for mankind. Read the coming lines and see that the famous scholars of various religion, including Christianity and Judaism, singing the praising songs of MUHAMMAD (May Blessing and Peace be upon him).
Mr. Ahmad Deedat wrote in “What the Bible says about MUHAMMAD (May Blessing and Peace be upon him)” He writes, “The weekly news magazine ‘Time’ dated July 15, 1974 carried a selection of opinions by various historians, writers, military man, business man and other on the subject, “Who were History’s Great Leaders”, some said that it was Hitler, other said Gandhi, Buddha, Lincoln and the like. But Jules Masserman, a United States psychoanalyst put the standards straight by giving the correct criteria where with to judge. He said, “Leaders must fulfill three functions:-
1. Provide for well-being of the led.
2. Provide a social organization in which people feel relatively secure, and
3. Provide them with one set of belief.
With the Above three criteria, he searches history and analysis – Hitler, Pasteur, Caesar, Moses, Confucius and the lot and ultimately concludes :-
“People like Pasture and Salk are leaders in the first sense. People like Gandhi and Confucius, on one hand , and Alexander, Caesar and Hitler on the other hand, are leaders in the second and perhaps the third sense. Jesus (Peace be upon him) and Buddha belong in the third category alone. Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was MUHAMMAD (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) who combined all three functions. To a lesser degree Moses did the same.”
Read it also how a famous historian Gibbon a Christian, praises Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) in his “Decline and fall of Roman Empire” He says,
“The human brute, almost without sense, is poorly distinguished from the rest of the animal creation. There was no hardly anything to distinguish between the man and the animal in human form. From this object barbarism, Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) elevated them.”
In this respect I can give you a long list of sayings of the non-muslims scholars who have bow their heads down before the undisputable and the Holy Personality of MUHAMMAD (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) and they praised the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) in such a manner that a reader feels as if they were Muslims. But, with a grief, I have to say that Christians are unfortunate in understanding the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) and his teachings. They have fallen in the dark pit of prejudices and ignorance as it happened with Jews in case of Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him) . You too falsify the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) as Jews did about Jesus (Peace be upon him) and did not believe in him having seen miracles, but suggested him a liar. Same case is with Christians who do not believe in Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) yet having a sufficient knowledge about his miracles and his teachings. They just endeavor to falsify the Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) by laying different wrong blames. The blames which you have laid upon the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) is one amongst those false blame that he married the divorced wife of his adopted son. I think that you charged the Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) only because of your lack of knowledge about the life history of the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) . if you know about him you would have not said these ugly words. Now come and see the life history of Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) you will not find even a single wrong there. I reveal you some facts about his marriages so that you may not be driven by the enemies of Allah and by their leader satan. O Mr.! The Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) never married due to his own desire but due to the order of Allah and for the cause of Islam, so that he could make near other tribes to preach them Islam. From the age of twenty-five till the age of fifty he had only one wife, Khadijah (May Allah be happy with her), fifteen years his senior, to whom he was devotedly attached and whose memory, he cherished till his dying day even though she was a widow. With the exception of Ayeshah (May Allah be happy with her), the daughter of his closest friend, Abu Bakar siddiq ( May Allah happy with him ), whom he married due to the commandment of Allah Almighty, all his later marriages were with widows, whose state was pitiable for one reason or another. Some of them were widows of men killed in war. One was a captive, when he made the marriage excuse for emancipating all the conquered tribe and restoring their property. Two were daughters of his enemies, and his alliance with them was cause of peace. It is noteworthy that the period of these marriages was also the period of his great activity, when he had little rest from campaigning and was always busy with the problems of growing empire. He used to pass his nights worshipping Allah Almighty and did not sleep but a little bit, He got his feet injured due to the long standing pasture in prayer so Ayeshah (May Allah be happy with her) had to say that, “O, Messenger of Allah (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) why do you worship so much even though Allah had given you already the good news of forgiveness. He, immediately, replied, “ should I not be a thankful to my Lord.” An eye of justice will undoubtedly appreciate him instead of arising objections. It is Christians only who criticize without knowing the matter of fact and speak against the holiness of Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) without any proof but, in doing so, they forget what the man made Bible utters, really shameful, against the holiest personalities of their mankind – Read this passage from man made Bible :
“ Because Lot was afraid to stay in Zoar, he and his two daughters move up into the hills and lived in a cave. The elder daughter said to her sister, “our father is getting old, and there are no men in the whole world to marry us, so that we can have children. Come on, let make our father drunk, so that we can sleep with him and have children by him. That night they gave him wine to drink, and elder daughter had intercourse with him. But he was so drunk that he did not know it ……………………………………………… so that night they made him drunk, and the younger daughter had intercourse with him. In this way both of Lot’s daughter (Peace be upon him) became pregnant by their own father.” [Genesis chapter 19]
What to say about a religion whose prophets had such shameless character. A lot of thanks to Allah Almighty who has blessed us by Islam and prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) who told us the holiness of all the Prophets ( Peace be upon them ) of Allah. Lot (Peace be upon him) is also pious and Holy man according to Islam. Read the coming passage from man made Bible too and clap upon the Bible which reveals such dirty words about Prophet David (Peace be upon him) which should never be said for a Holy man.
“David got up from his rope and went to the palace roof. As he walked about up there, he saw a woman having a bath. She was very beautiful ………………………………………………………. David (Peace be upon him) sent messengers to fetch her. They brought her to him and he made love to her. (She had just finished her monthly ritual of purification) ……………………”
[ 2 - Samuel chapter - 11 ]
Now I bring before you marriage custom from Bible. If you have an eye of bashfulness you will sink down in the earth. Read what the man made Bible charges upon innocent Prophet of Allah (Peace be upon him) “ Now Kind David ( Peace be upon him) was old and strick ……………………….. and let her stand before the Kind, and let her cherish him and let her lie in thy bosom ………………………..”
( I Kings chapter – 1 )
Mr. You have laid a blame on Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) and the authenticity of the Holy Qur’an because of a single marriage only, but what is your opinion about Bible which narrates about Solomen (Peace be upon him) as given into inverted commas : “ And he had seven hundred wives, princesses and three hundred concubines ;”
( I – King chapter 11:3 )
I think you have received answers of your questions which you encountered in the Holy Qur’an. Now, you should return to the, only religion near Allah, Islam, witnessing that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) is his servant and messenger (Peace be upon him) and asking Allah for forgiveness to your sins. Indeed, He is the only acceptor of repentance, the most merciful.
And the utterance of these two witnesses itself remove all the sins, which had been committed, before Islam. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) said that the one who uttered that there is no God except Allah, he will inter into the heaven (Jannat).
You wrote that “ even as a Muslim I came to believe that the crucifixion of Christ” was an undisputable historical fact that no honest person that deals with evidence of history could deny.” —– But I tell you that this was your beginning to be a Christian. Because whole Christianity depends upon it as said Paul : “ If Christ be not risen from dead, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain.” ( I – Corinthians 15:14 )
So according to Paul, there is nothing that Christianity can offer mankind, other than the blood and gore of Jesus. If Jesus (Peace be upon him) did not die, and he was not resurrected from dead, then there can be no salivation in Christianity! “For all your good deads,” Says the Christian dogmatist, “are like filthy rags.” ( I Saiah 64:6 )
Professor Jurgen Moltmann in his ___ “The Crucified God”, says:
“The death of Jesus (Peace be upon him) on the cross is the centre of all Christian theology …………… All Christian statements about God, about creation, about sin and death have their focal point in the crucified Christ. All Christian statements about history, about the church, about faith and sanctification, about the future and about hot stem from the crucified Christ”
This is why they highly speak of crucifixion, there is another cause of making propaganda of crucifixion, that they have nothing to present before a Muslim except it. Because Islam is a complete code of life so they can not try to teach us hospitality; for we are the most hospitable of people. Not about ethics or morality; for we are the most moral people ___ i.e. we don’t drink, we don’t gamble, we don’t date, court or dance, we pray five times a day, we fast for one whole month, during the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadaan and we take pleasure in being a charitable people. Despite any of our shortcomings, we venture to suggest that there is no another group of people that can, “show a candle” to us in brotherhood, in piety or in sobriety. So there remains only one thing that a Christian can endeavor to teach us which is crucifixion, because, according to Christian, there is no salvation without belief in crucifixion. But a Muslim can not believe in crucifixion because it is against the teachings of Allah Almighty which he had taught in the Holy Qur’an. As mentioned below:
“ And they said (in boast), we killed Christ Jesus (Peace be upon him) , the son of Mary (May Allah be happy with her), the apostle of God. But they killed him not, nor crucified him. But it was made to appear to them so, and those who differ therein are full of doubts; with no (certain) knowledge, But they follow conjecture. For a surety they killed him not.” (Holy Qur’an 4:15 )
We Muslims believe this categorical Qur’anic statement to be from God. Hence we need not any proof. Had the Christians accepted the Holy Qur’an as the word of God, the problem of crucifixion would never have arisen.
They vehemently oppose the Qur’anic teachings and attack everything Islamic. In the words of Thomas Carlyle — “They (Christians) have been trained to hate the man Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) and his religion.” Whatsoever we can not believe in crucifixion without proof, while Christians have nothing to present as a proof but Bible. But the Bible can’t be a proof because it is not an authentic book, the amazing thing about Christian sworn affidavits (Writings attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) is that not a single one of them is duly attested, a single one bears the signature, mark or thumbprint of its author in the so called originals. They now boast of being in possession of over 5000 ( five thousands ) “originals” of which no two “originals” are identical. Amazing! Little wonder the Christians them selves label their Gospels as ___ “The Gospel according to St. Matthew”, The Gospel according to St. Mark,” “the Gospel according to St. Luke,” and “The Gospel according to St. John.”
When Christian scholars are asked why the words, “according to”, are repeated at the beginning of every Gospel, the obvious implication is that they are not autographed it is only assumed that they are authored by the names of the Gospels carry today. The translators of the “New international Version” have unceremoniously expunged the “According to’s” from the four Gospels in their latest translation of the alleged Gospel writers, Viz., Matthew, Mark, Luke and John it can be categorically stated that 50% were not even the elected twelve Disciples of Jesus (Peace be upon him) . I dare humbly claim that such unattested documents would be thrown out of hand, in any court of law, in any civilized country, in just two minutes. Further more, one of the alleged witnesses, St. Mark tells us that at the most critical juncture in the life of Jesus (Peace be upon him) ___ “All his disciples forsook him and fled.” (Mark 14:50) So the so-called eye-witness were not really eye-witnesses to the happenings, unless St. Mark is not telling us the whole truth, the “Gospel truth”. Yet he is supposed to be speaking under oath. You will agree that a case based on such hearsay evidence would be thrown out of court, twice in two minutes, in any court of law, in any civilized country, that is twice in just 120 seconds flat! Jesus (Peace be upon him) himself assured his disciple that he was not crucified by proving his material life.
“Look at my hands and my feet, and see that. It is I myself, feel me and you will know for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have. He said this and showed them his hands and his feets. They still could not believe, they were so full of joy and wonder, so he asked them, “ have you anything here to eat”. They gave him a piece of cooked fish which he took and ate in their presence.” (Luke 24:39,40)
The above statement narrates the fact that Jesus (Peace be upon him) was neither crucified nor resurrected. But his disciples were taking him a spirit, a ghost, so he made them assured, that he is not a ghost, by showing his hands and eating fish and telling that a ghost does not have flesh and bones because a resurrected body becomes spiritualised so that does not eat and can’t be touched.
There is another point which proves that the whole story of crucifixion of Jesus (Peace be upon him) is a blasphemy. According to Bible, Jesus (Peace be upon him) had to appear after three days, “The messiah must suffer and must rise from death, three days later”. (Luke 24:45) . But according to the so-called eye witnesses he appeared before three days because, according to the Bible, He (Peace be upon him) was hanged in night before Sabbath (Saturday) and buried in the same night. Suppose he remained in his grave a complete day and night of Saturday. But on Sunday morning he was not found in his grave. If you calculate the time it can’t be more then two nights (night before Saturday and night after the day of Saturday) and one day (the day time of Saturday). It can never, never, never be the three days and three nights as Jesus had himself fore told, “according to the scriptures”. Even Einstein the master mathematician can’t help Christian world for this.
From above discussion you would have to admit that the crucifixion of Christ (Peace be upon him) is nothing but the doctrine of false propaganda that no honest person who deals with evidence of history could accept it.
If you are still in a doubt then I tell you another point which will assure you that Jesus (Peace be upon him) was neither crucified nor was resurrected.
According to Bible, “You ask me for a miracle? No! The only miracle you will be given is the miracle of the prophet Jonah (Peace be upon him) . In the same way that Jonah (Peace be upon him) spent three days and nights in the big fish. So will be the son of man, spent three days and nights in the depths of the earth.” (Matthew 12:39,40)
It proves that Jesus (Peace be upon him) did not die as like as Jonah (Peace be upon him) did not die because he had given same miracle as was given to Jonah (Peace be upon him) . This whole discussion proves that the doctrine of crucifixion is nothing but a false story. But Christian world will not accept it because the base of their religion depends upon crucifixion.
You wrote that “the character of Jesus (Peace be upon him) as manifested in his beautiful sermon on the mount, impressed you:.
I inform you that the character of a man can be known by his practical life only and you can’t get a complete knowledge about the practical life of Jesus (Peace be upon him) except a few events which have been mentioned in Bible. So it is not right to say that the character of Jesus (Peace be upon him) impressed you, but you would be correct, if you say that his teachings impressed you. I advise you to compare it with teachings of Islam, when you will compare the teachings of Jesus (Peace be upon him) , which have been mentioned in the sermon on mount with the teachings of the last Prophet of Allah Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) will come to know that the teachings of Jesus (Peace be upon him) is a little part of the teachings of the last Prophet of Allah (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) and it is noteworthy that Jesus (Peace be upon him) taught his followers by sayings only while the Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) taught his followers not by tongue only but within a practical manner too.
Here I am writing a few sayings of Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) from various sermons so that you could compare it with the teachings of Jesus ( Peace be upon him).
He says “O ye people Allah says; O people we created you from one male and one female and made you into tribes and nations so that you are known to one another. Verily in the sight of Allah, the most honoured amongst you is the one who is the most God fearing.” There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab and for a non-Arab over an Arab, nor for the white over the black, nor for the black over the white except in piety. All mankind is the progeny of Adam (Peace be upon him) and Adam (Peace be upon him) was fashioned out of clay.
Behold! Every claim of privilege whether that of blood or property, is under my feet except that of custody of Allah’s house (Ka’ba) and supplying of waters to the pilgrimage.
Behold! All practices of the days of ignorance are now under my feet. The blood revenges of the days of ignorance are remitted. All interest and usurious dues accuring from the age of ignorance stand wiped out.
O, people! Verily you have got certain rights over your women and your women have certain rights over you. It is your right upon them that they must not allow anybody save to you to come to your bed and admit non to enter your homes whom you don’t like but with your permission. And it is for them not to commit acts of impropriety, which if they do, you are authorised by Allah to separate them from your beds and chastise them , but not severely, and if they refrain, then clothe and feed them properly.
Behold! It is not permissible for a woman to give anything from the wealth of her husband to anyone but with his consent.
Treat the women kindly, since they are your helper and are not in a position to manage their affairs themselves. Fear Allah concerning them, for verily you have taken them on the security of Allah, and have made their persons lawful unto you by words of Allah.
All debts must be repaid, all borrowed property must be returned, gift should be reciprocated.
Beware! No one committing a crime is responsible for it but himself. Neither the child is responsible for the crime of his father, nor the father is responsible for the crime of his child.
O, people! Every Muslim is the brother of other Muslim and all the Muslims form are brotherhood. Blessed is he, too, who busied himself in finding his own faults rather than finding faults with others. And blessed is he, too, who spent from what he earned by lawful means, who set in the company of the people endowed with wisdom and religious insight, and who associated with the poor and down-trodden.
Fortune is he, who kept his word decorum pure and good; adorned his heart with piety and kept the people protected of his mischief.
Glad tidings are for him who protected his tongue from loose talk; who always acted according to the sunnah and was never actuated by an innovation.
Beware! All the food and wholesomeness with all of its species lie in paradise; and verily all wickedness along with its various branches rest in Hell.
O,’people, I get you inclined to what Allah, the Honored and Glorified, hath got inclined and forbad you from what Allah hath forbidden. Verily the Honored and Glorified, whose Dignity is great enjoins truth and loves truthfulness. He bestows position near to him upon those who do right and so are they being mentioned and keep on gaining attainments.”
I have brought before you a drop from huge ocean of the teachings of the last Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him). You will not find any difference between the teachings of Jesus (Peace be upon him) , sermon on mount, and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him). A noble man who have an eye of just, will immediately accept the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) instead of rejection. Because he guided mankind in every walk of life, whether you are a father or a son, a mother or a daughter, a husband or a wife, whatever you are, the teachings of the Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) guide you according to the requirements of your field, as a minaret of light, in such a beautiful manner that an observer will, surely, appreciate you.
Now I want to draw your attention to the sermon of Jesus (Peace be upon him) , that is the sermon on mount:
“Be on your guard against false prophets, they come to you looking like sheep on the outside but on the inside ………………………… . A healthy tree bears good fruit but a poor tree bears bad fruit …………………….. . So then you will know the false Prophets by what they do.” (Matthew, 7:15 to 20)
Please consider in this passage with a deep sight being away from narrow-mindedness, you will come to know that Jesus (Peace be upon him) himself prophecies about a prophet that will come after him as well as he is giving a criterion to make differentiate between a false prophet and a true one, by telling that hence healthy tree bears good fruit, so a true prophet must have good character and good teachings.
If you examine the teachings and character of Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) in this criterion, given by Jesus (Peace be upon him) , you will know that the Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) is the only person who fulfills this prophecy. Don’t bother about the trouble of examining the character and the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him), we have a lot of witnesses who testify that the personality of Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) is the greatest of all and his teachings are the best of all other religious leaders.
First of all, I give you the testimony of Allah, the creator of the universe, the All knowing, the All seeing and the All hearing. He says in his last scripture :
Now read the coming lines.
“And surely you are exalted to a high and noble character.”
Encyclopedia Britanica testifies the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) in these words, “Most Successful of all religious personalities.”
PROFOUNDLY PRACTICAL & RATIONAL :-
“ In all things Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) was profoundly practical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an eclipse occurred, and rumors of God’s personal condolence quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) is said to have announced, “An eclipse is phenomenon of nature. It is foolish to attribute such things to the death or birth of a human being.” (James A. Michemer, op. Cit )
BROAD, LIBERAL AND UNIVERSAL CREED FOR THE WHOLE WORLD :-
“ His creed ……….. necessarily connotes the existence of a universal empire.”
(Joseph J. Nunan : Islam and European Civilization, Demerara 1412.P.37)
“The nobility and broad tolerance of this creed, which accepts as God-inspired all the real religions of the world, will always be a glorious heritage for mankind. On it could indeed be built a perfect world religion.”
(Duncan Greenless : The Gospel of Islam. Adyar 1948, P.27)
“More pure than the system of zoroaster, more liberal than the law of Moses (Peace be upon him) , the religion of Mahomet might seem less inconsistent with reason than the creed of mystery and superstition which, in the seventh century, disgraced the simplicity of the gospels.”
(Edward Gibbon : The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol. V,P.487)
“Islam had the power of peacefully conquering souls by the simplicity of its theology, the clearness of its dogma and principles, and the definite number of the practices which it demands. In contrast to Christianity which has been undergoing continual transformation since its origin, Islam has remained identical with itself.”
(Jean L’heureux : Etude sur L’Islamisme, P.35)
“As a religion the Mohamedan religion, it must be confessed, is more suited to Africa than is the Christian religion: indeed, I would even say that it is more suited to the world as a whole …………………………… …………………….. (Italics are the present writer’s) ……………………. The achievement of the moslam faith enjoys, I maintain, a definite superiority, in proof of which may be cited moslem abstinence, sense of fraternity, condemnation of usury, and recognition of prophets other than its own. Its quality may be summed up by saying that it takes a man as he is, and while it does not pretend to make a good out of him, it seeks to regulate his conduct so that at least he shall become a good neighbor.”
(Lancelot Lawton: The sphere, London, 12th may, 1928)
WISEST, MOST LEARNED AND MOST ENLIGHTENED JURISPRUDENCE :
“The Muhammadan law which is binding on all from the crowned head to the meanest subject is a law interwoven with a system of the wisest, the most learned and the most enlightened jurisprudence that ever existed in the world.”
(Edmund Burke : in his (Impeachment of Warren Hastings”)
Since I have proved by the testimonies of the various well known personalities, belonging to different religions, that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) is the only personality who can be called a “healthy tree which bears good fruit”. So you should believe in him otherwise Jesus (Peace be upon him) himself will reject you and you would not be given any part from heavenly kingdom, as Jesus (Peace be upon him) warns clearly, “Not everyone who called me Lord, Lord! Will enter the kingdom of heaven, ……… ………………, when judgment day comes, will say to me, Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God’s message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles! Then I will say to them. I never know you. Get away from me, you wicked people. (Matthew 7 : 21 to 23)
It would happen only because of you don’t practice his teachings, and reject the last Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) about whom he foretold you. According to the new testament Jesus (Peace be upon him) says :
“The helper will come the spirit who reveals the truth about God and who comes from the father. I will send him to you from the father. And will speak about me.”
(John , 15:26)
This passage, clearly, emphasises on coming of a Prophet after Jesus (Peace be upon him) who will help Jesus in his mission to convey the message of Allah Almighty to his creature as Jesus (Peace be upon him) has done. This prophet, the helper, will reveal the true attributes of God, as Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) has done by teaching mankind i.e. he is the one and only. Allah is independent of all and all are dependent upon Him. Neither has He an offspring nor is he the offspring of anyone and non is like unto Him.” (Al-Qur’an 12)
The last Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) will speak about Jesus (Peace be upon him) too, introducing him, that Jesus (Peace be upon him) is nothing but a man and messenger of Allah like other prophets ( Peace be upon them ) were.
Because Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him) further says:
“It is better for you that I go away, because if I don’t go, the Helper will not come to you, …………………. . And when he comes, he will prove to the people of the world that they are wrong about sin and what is right and God’s judgment. They are wrong about sin because they don’t believe in me, they are wrong about what is right, because I am going to father and you will not see me anymore because they are wrong about judgment, the ruler of this world has already been judged.” (John 16 : 7 to 11)
I can say with confidence that nobody deserves the title of “Helper”, except, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him), because he is the one after Jesus (Peace be upon him) who told the people real meaning of “What is sin and what is right” and what is judgment of Allah. According to the teachings of Christianity, the sin of Adam (Peace be upon him) and Eve was not forgiven. Hence every child is born in sin while according to teachings of Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) the sin of Adam (Peace be upon him) and Eve was forgiven. Every child is born in sinless. Sin is an acquisition and not a heritage as Jesus (Peace be upon him) says :
“You can be sure that on judgment day everyone will have to give account of useless word, he has ever spoken. Your word will be used to judge you – to declare that you are either innocent or guilty.” (Matthew 12 : 36,37)
Hence in this way, the Helper of Jesus (Peace be upon him) , Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) tells you the real meanings of sin. According to the teachings of Christianity Jesus (Peace be upon him) was crucified, in order to remove the sin of mankind and he arisen after three days and met his disciples and the others.
While, according to the teachings of the helper, Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him), Jesus was neither crucified nor resurrected. But he was uplifted to the sky and he will return as a man before dooms day, as Holy Qur’an proclaims:
“But they killed him not. Nor crucified him. But it was made to appear to them.”
In the same way Jesus (Peace be upon him) denies his resurrection. He says :
“I am going to father and you will not see me any more.” (John 16:10)
Hence according to the teachings of helper, Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him), Jesus (Peace be upon him) had finished his work, as Jesus (Peace be upon him) says :
“I have finished the work, you gave me to do”. (John 17:4) and he was uplifted to the skies before his natural death so he will return to the earth to pass his natural life as a man not as prophet, as Jesus (Peace be upon him) himself says:
“In a little while you would not see me any more, and then a little while later you will see me.” (John 16:16)
In this above extract form John 16:16, the words “a little while” need explanation, because it is controversial between Muslims and Christians. According to Christians, these words mean three days, in order to prove the dogma of resurrection, but resurrection is too a false story as I have mentioned it earlier, while. according to the Muslims, these words (a little while) cover the time period of centuries. Let us examine that who is right in understanding the correct meaning of “a little while later” in the light of facts. If these words are taken as three days, according to the Christians, then it, ultimately, falsifies the prophecy of Jesus (Peace be upon him) about the coming of a helper after him, because there came no prophet, who had to come to after Jesus (Peace be upon him) in three days after the so-called crucifixion of Jesus (Peace be upon him) . So in this way, Christians themselves falsify the words of Jesus (Peace be upon him) . Because neither Bible nor Christians proclaim about a prophet who came in these three days. On the other hand, if it is taken according to the Islamic point of view, it will prove the prophecy of Jesus (Peace be upon him) as well as no one can dare to blame Jesus (Peace be upon him) of telling a lie.
I have explicitly explained the words “a little while later” and mentioned its real meaning in the light of strong and undeniable arguments.
Now there are two points of view before you, and you have to choose either one, Islamic point of view or Christian’s dogma. If you choose later, you will blame Jesus (Peace be upon him) for telling a lie. And however, if you love Jesus (Peace be upon him) , you will choose the former one because it is against the mannerism of love to put a charge on his own beloved one.
In short, the above discussion results that Jesus (Peace be upon him) completed his work and he conveyed the message of Allah to mankind. He taught the people unity of God and that he was a prophet of God, in these words:
“And this is life eternal, that they might know that the only true God and Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him) , whom thou hast sent.”
(John 17:3, 1978 Edition)
Qur’an also testifies him. He (i.e. Jesus Peace be upon him ) spoke “Lo,” I am the slave of God. He hath given me the scripture appointed me a prophet.” He informed the people about the coming of a helper, the prophet in these words”
“When, however, the spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, he will lead you into all the truth about God.” (John 16:13)
The Holy Qur’an also testifies the words of Jesus (Peace be upon him) in these words:
“and bringing good tidings of a messenger who cometh after me whose name is “Praised one.” (Qur’an 61:6)
“The praised” is very meaning of name Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him).
Jesus (Peace be upon him) did not tell only the coming of a prophet after him but also mentioned his Characteristics that:
“He will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak of what hears, and will tell you of things to come.” (John 16:13)
The Holy Qur’an also testifies the Jesus (Peace be upon him) about mentioning the properties of the Prophet i.e. Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) in these words:
“He does not speak of his own desire. It is but a revelation which is sent down to him. One mighty in power has taught him.” (Qur’an 53:3)
“And he is not stingy in the matter of conveying the knowledge of the unseen.” (Qur’an 81:24)
That whole discussion clearly proves that the foretold prophet, by the Jesus (Peace be upon him) , is Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him). If you don’t believe in Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) having read all these references from the Holy Qur’an and Bible, then I write for you, what Jesus (Peace be upon him) told about the people like you, because there is no real remedy for such people.
“Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”
(Matthew 13:13)
The Holy Qur’an also testifies this statement about such people in these words:
“Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return to the path.”
(Qur’an 2: )
Before going to discuss about the prophesies, which you have quoted from old testament, I want to clear that, we Muslims, believe in the Holy Qur’an, and according to the teachings of Qur’an, every country of the world had its divine messengers, who were one and all, human beings, and who were sent to mankind, at different periods of history, ever since the first beginnings of human life on earth.
Jesus (Peace be upon him) was also one among them. Belief in all of them is an article of Islamic faith. The religion preached by all those messengers or prophets ( Peace be upon them ) was the same, namely, Islam (Little submission to the will of God), though it received its perfection of form in the Qur’anic Revelation. Therefore all the divinely inspired teachers of mankind are the prophets of a Muslim. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) being the last and final one. As Muslim believes in all the revealed scripture, though he follows only the Qur’an, firstly, it claims to attain the authentic teachings given in all the former scriptures, and secondly, because none of the former scriptures exists in its original and pure form. Such a case concerns to the Bible also. It has also lost its authenticity and integrity. But Christians offirm that their religion is based upon the New-Testament i.e. Christianity is revealed religion. But I say, it is merely a proclamation without proof. A revealed religion, in order to establish its claim, must produce a book revealed by God to the founder of that religion. But Jesus (Peace be upon him) gave no book to his followers. The New testament is only a collection of four incomplete narrations of his earthly sojourn by four individuals, two of them St. Mark nd St. Luke were not his dispels, the acts of apostles, some Epistle – majority of them by St. Paul, who had not seen him, and revelation of St. John.
The question remains, where is the book compiled by the founder of religion? Alas! Christianity is a religion without a revealed book. To the lump excuse, that the four Gospels were revealed to the synoptists and St. John by God. I would refute that:
· St. Luke accepted that it is not a revelation by God, but a compiled biography of Jesus (Peace be upon him) from hearsay. He Says:
“Many people have done their best to write a report of things that have taken place among us ……………… it would be good to write an orderly account for you. I do this……………….. . (Luke 1:1 to 4)
This preface by St. Luke proves that Jesus (Peace be upon him) left no book behind him, so his followers took upon themselves that task of setting forth a declaration of things most surely believed among them.
· Why did God recall His words to these four writers and why did he not reveal to the founder Himself?
But the difficulty does not end here. Even the books written by Jesus followers lost to us for good. Hence no reliance can be placed upon these beautifully bound copies of the “Authorised Version” and the “Revised Version” in English and their multilingual translations in other languages. Their reversed version is an improvement upon the “authorised version” and this is the translation of certain Greek MSS. Viz., Codex Veticanus, Codex Alexandrines, Codex Ephraem and Codex Benzac, supposed to have been scribed during fifth and sixth century after Christ.
· Taking for granted that the original MS, was in Greek, the question arises how to account for the wide gap of five centuries between the original text and its existing copies mentioned above? How can it be proved that Codex Veticanus is the faithful copy of the original text?
· Where is the original text written during the life time of original writers or compilers of the New testaments?
· Is there any evidence available that these Greek MSS. Are genuine or authentic production of the original?
· These books could not be in Greek because Jesus (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) was a Jew, he born in a Jewish family, he preached Jews and his earliest converts were Jews, he spoke Aramic – as it is evident from his last words on the cross, “Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani.. Under these circumstances, it is impossible that Jesus (Peace be upon him) and his disciples spoke and wrote in Greek – a language quite foreign to the Jews.
· All commentators have agreed upon the fact that Matthew wrote his Gospel in Hebrew, but the text has been lost to us, for good. Now arises the pertinent question, who can prove that these existing Greek MSS, are faithful translation of the original Hebrew Gospel which is now no more to be seen in the world?
Thus I say with confidence that Christianity is a religion without any revealed book.
One more question, and I will bring this tragic story to close. According to all church historians of repute, says Mr. Mosheim in his “Ecclesiastical History”, there were current in Christendom no less than 133 Gospels during the first three centuries after Christ.
In this connection, one would venture to ask the following questions:
1. Who selected these four out of 133 Gospels, which were current in the Christian world?
2. What authority had he? What section lay behind the selection?
3. Was it one individual or a body who did it?
4. What criterion did he keep before him in making this selection made?
The authenticity of the Qur’an:
We, Muslim, do not believe in translations or versions or recensions or editions. We are justly proud of possessing the entire word of God, revealed to the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) by Allah Himself in its original purity and pristine glory, in the very language which the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) and his blessed companions ( May Allah happy with them ) spoke. From China to Morocco, one and the same Qur’an is recited by the faithful in mosques and at home. No doubt, we have translated it into so many languages and dialects, but we always recite in Arabic – the original tongue in our daily prayers.
There is preserved in Baroda State Library, a MS of Holy Qur’an compiled in 143 A.H., Two others and more ancient are preserved in Constantinople, and one in Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbikistan, written during the caliphate of Hazrat Usman ( May Allah happy with him ), only eighteen or twenty years after the death of the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) and these M.S. of Qur’an are exactly the same as the one lying on my table at this moment. The copies of the Qur’an current during the caliphate of Usman (Peace be upon him) were made out of the text preserved by Hazrat Abu-Bakar Siddiq (May Allah be happy with her), and his text was collected by him during the life time of the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) and was approved by him in explicit terms. Its authenticity, integrity and genuineness were infect guaranteed by the Holy Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him). He actually supervised the task of compilation and during the last Ramadaan of his life, he recited the whole of the Qur’an from beginning to the end in the presence of the faithfuls, he recited the Qur’an twice before Gabriel (Peace be upon him) .
Moreover, there were more than five score companions of the Prophet (May Blessing and Peace be upon him), who could recite the Holy Qur’an by heart. In short, the Qur’an which we read is not even an iota different from the one recited by the companions of the Holy Prophet ( May Blessing and Peace be upon him).
Finally, the Qur’an has always been free from variations in the text as well as interpolations of all sort which have crept into the text of the New testament. Even the so-called original Greek MSS differ from one another in many places and in the absence of the genuine text, it is quite impossible now to determine the genuineness of the verses in question. But in the words of Sir S. Muir, except the Qur’an, “there is no other book under the sun, which for the last twelve centuries has remained with so pure a text”.
(Vide Life of Muhammad (May Blessing and Peace be upon him) – Introduction – by Sir W. Muir published 1858)
Now, let us come to analyse the first prophecy which you have quoted from Isa, 7:14 :
“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign, the virgin will be with child …………………… …………. Will call him Immanuel.”
In this extract, the word “virgin” is translation of the Hebrew word of a‘lmah. The word a’lmah does not mean “virgin” as generally interpreted by the Christian theologians and therefore applied to the virgin Mary, but it signifies “a marriageable woman, maiden, demsel”. Now Christians also have accepted this, you can see this in the revised version of Bible, and you will find there “a young woman, who is pregnant.” But it is still wrong because the Hebrew word for virgin, is “bthula”. So you can’t use the word “a’lmah” which means a marriageable woman, for Mary (May Allah be happy with her), the mother of Jesus (Peace be upon him) . Then the child’s name is to be Emanuel, which means “God is with us”. There are hundreds of Hebrew names, which are composed of “el” and another noun, which terms either the first or the last syllable of such compound nouns. Neither Isaih nor King Ahaz, nor any Jew, ever thought that the newly born infant would be himself “God-with-us”. They never thought anything else but that his name only would be as such