Muhammad: A Mercy to the Worlds

 Indeed, you are of a great moral character:


I have always been contemplating the praise of Almighty God for the morals of his Messenger Muhammad (peace upon him). I was hoping that I could understand the magnificence of these morals; I wanted to understand the brilliance in this great Prophet's personality. Eventually, when my mother died, I felt extreme sorrow. It would’ve almost destroyed my life if it wasn’t for God’s mercy on me. Despite that I was already married, and did not need her care, missing her still made me lose the desire to talk to people. I felt that the whole world was tightening around me; it felt hard to lose the mother's love. I then remembered the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and how he lived as an orphan, moving from house to house, and how he lived missing his parents’ love. Then I said to myself that these conditions in which the Prophet Muhammad lived have no way brought out a complex human being.  Then I realized that he was different; when a person with this great personality comes out from these conditions, he is truly with unique ethics. I then remembered the verse: And you are of great moral character[205], and I calmed down.

We do not differentiate between one of His messengers:

The British orientalist and archaeologist “Stanley Lee Paul” said: “Muhammed was compassionate and merciful. He visited the patient and the poor, answered the requests of the slaves, and sew up his clothes by himself. So, there is no doubt that he was a holy prophet. He was an orphan and indigent until he became a great leader.”[206]

During my discussion with a group of different nationalities, cultures, and religions, I was talking about monotheism, the attributes of Divine Beauty and Majesty, and the importance of worshipping the Creator without a mediator. Someone from the group then interrupted me with a question.

He asked: Who is greatest, Christ or Muhammad?

I answered: Are you asking for a comparison between one god and another? Or for a comparison between a messenger and another? If you want to compare two gods, then there is no god but One God (the Creator), both Christ and Muhammad are messengers. However, if you're going to compare between one messenger and another, then we do not differentiate between one of God’s messengers.

The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in God and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say, “We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to you is the [final] destination. [207]

The same group member asked: If you love Christ, why don’t you celebrate his birth?

I asked him: Do you mean to celebrate the birth of Christ who is “the son of God” or “the Messenger of God”?

If you mean Christ’s birth who is “son of God”, your question is rejected because God neither begets nor is born, nor there’s any equivalence to Him. Nevertheless, if you mean Christ who is “the messenger of God”, we do not reject remembering or praising him on his birthday; we praise him all the time. Though it was proven he was not born in winter, but the controversy about determining his birthday does not affect the belief in anything.

He asked: Why don’t you let your daughters marry Jews and Christians?

I answered: The Muslim husband respects the source of religion, the holy book, and believes in the messengers of his Christian or Jewish wife; that’s how his faith is achieved. He allows her to practice her religion freely. On the other hand, the opposite is not valid. Whenever a Christian or Jew believes in the Prophet Muhammed, we would let our daughters marry them.

Islam completes faith. For example, if I want to convert to Christianity, I have to lose my faith in Muhammad and the Qur'an. I also have to lose my direct relationship with the Lord of the worlds, and I have to believe in the Trinity and resort to pastors and priests. If I want to convert to Judaism, I have to lose my faith in Christ and the correct Gospel.

I remember meeting with a large group from the state of Malta. I did a simple presentation about Islam, and then they all loudly said with one voice: So Muhammad is not your God!

I answered: No, Muhammad is a messenger of God. Unfortunately, this misconception is promoted by non-Muslims to justify the worship of Christ, Buddha and others.

Say, “I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.” [208]

 Whose description they find written in the Torah and the Gospel:


The American orientalist Senx said in his book “The Religion of the Arabs”:

“Muhammad came five hundred and seventy years after Christ. His mission was to improve human minds by feeding it with the origins of morality, the belief in One God, and the belief of life after this life.”

One day I had the most beautiful situation I experienced in my life; it was a difficult day because of the thousand visitors we had. On this day, a Latino man showed up among the crowded groups of visitors. He asked me in Spanish: Who is the Paraclete?

He said: I have been travelling the world with my wife and daughter searching for the truth. Moreover, I want to know who is the character that Christ talked about in the Bible.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth (Paraclete) comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” [209]

I answered him: The Paraclete is Muhammad (peace be upon him).

He asked: How is this?                                        

I answered: Muslims don’t believe that the Old Testament and the New Testaments are the words of God, but they believe that both have a valid source, which is the Torah and the Gospel (God’s revelations to the prophets: Moses and Jesus Christ). Therefore, some parts of the Old Testament and the New Testament are from God, and other parts are not. Muslims believe that if this prophecy is true, then it is talking about the Prophet Muhammad. It talks about a prophet who comes after Christ goes, and he stays with his teachings forever.

Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and prohibits them from what is wrong and makes lawful for them what is good and forbids them from what is evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So, they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him, and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful.[210]

He said: But this character should not be human but rather a spirit. In Christianity, it refers to the third person in the Trinity, which is considered a god.

I told him: Go back to your book and check how many times the prophets were mentioned as “spirit”. In the New Testament, the term “spirit” can be referred to a person, and according to history, many ancient Christians understood that the “Paraclete” was a man, not a spirit. Many men before the Prophet Muhammad claimed that they were the expected “paraclete”. The Negus king of Abyssinia was Christian, and he was waiting for the coming of “paraclete”.[211]

I added: The prophecy says that the Paraclete speaks what he hears. This is a description of a prophet not of God. The prophet speaks what he hears from God, and this is evidence that this prophecy does not refer to the third entity in the Trinity (as Christians believe), but rather it refers to a prophet sent by God.

He said: But the prophecy says that the Paraclete talks about upcoming events.

I told him: Yes, and this is what the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did. For example, the Roman's victory, after their defeat by the Persians, was mentioned in the Holy Book Qur’an.

I continued: This prophecy can't refer to the Holy Spirit because it says that the Paraclete will appear after Christ is gone. The Holy Spirit already exists, and according to your belief, it appeared to Mary before her pregnancy with Christ.[212]

The term “Paraclete” caused considerable controversy. The word “Paraklytos” in the Greek Bible was originally “Periklytos”, and it was changed during the translation from Syriac to the Greek language.

 “Paraclete” has two meanings in Greek-language.

1-  Comforter, advocate and helper: Paraklytos (παρακλητος) as believed by Christians. This is based on pronunciation, which includes the “a” vowel sound.

2-  Muhammad or Ahmed (the praised one): Periklytos (Περικλητος), as believed by Muslims. This pronunciation is without using the “a” vowel sound.

In addition to the fact that the second meaning has more evidence to support it, it has been proven that the Syriac language did not contain vowels until the fifth century. It consisted of consonants only, and vowels were introduced after the fifth century. However, both meanings apply to the Prophet Muhammad.[213]

He said: The prophecy says that he will convict the whole world[214], so how did Muhammad condemn the world?

I replied: Muhammad convicted the Jews because they didn’t believe in Jesus as a Prophet sent from God. Also, he condemned the Christians because they adopted the Trinity's concept and considered Jesus as God, which is a sin as well because Jesus never claimed to be God or a begotten son of God. When Jesus referred to himself in the Bible as the Son of God, he made it clear that he is not the begotten son, but we are all sons of God metaphorically, in the sense that we are God's servants.

Then the visitor said: the Paraclete guides people to the truth and glorifies Jesus.

I said to him: Prophet Muhammad reminded the world the pure faith (belief in one God and unify him in worship).

I also told him: No one glorified Jesus on earth as much as Prophet Muhammad (peace upon him) did:

-         Prophet Muhammad said: “I am most worthy of Jesus, son of Mary among humankind in the world, and the next life. They said: o Messenger of God, how that? He replied: Prophets are brothers in faith, having different mothers, their religion is one, and there is no prophet between us (between Jesus and me).”

-         The name of Jesus Christ is mentioned more than the name of Prophet Muhammad in the Qur’an (25 times vs 4).

-         The mother of Jesus Christ, Mary, has been elevated over all women according to Qur’an.

-         The Virgin Mary is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an.

-         The Qur’an has a full chapter named after the Virgin Mary. [215]

The visitor, his wife and daughter showed me happiness, and they said: It’s enough for us to get this information from our long trip. We have found the truth; we thank God that He guided us to it after long time of hard work. We had a deep belief that there is no god, but One God (the Creator), and Christ is the Messenger of God. Now we will get out from here with a testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, “O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of God to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Aḥmad.” But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, “This is obvious magic.” [216]

Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons:

I had a discussion with a group of Canadian Jews, and after I talked about monotheism, someone asked me: Oh Muslims, why do you have a problem with us?

I answered him: A Muslim has no problem with anyone. Muslims believe in Jesus, Moses, and other prophets, and they worship God alone without an intermediary.

He said: I do not see any problem in Muhammed being a messenger.

I asked him: Is believing in him one of the pillars of your faith?

He answered: No

I said: Believing in Moses is one of the pillars of the Muslim faith.

He said: Muhammad was not mentioned in our books.

I told him: Then who does the paragraph talk about in the Old Testament?

Then the book will be given to the one who is unlettered, saying, ‘Please read this’. And he will say, ‘I cannot read.’ [217]

Does this prophecy apply to anyone other than Muhammad, the unlettered Prophet?

Up until the birth of Jesus Christ (peace upon him), the Israelites were awaiting a prophet and the Christ to come.

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders[a] in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”[218]

He said: I do not know; we are still waiting for Christ and the expected prophet.

He added: Muhammad copied his book from the Torah.

I asked him: Did the Jews claim this at the time of the revelation?

He answered: No.

I told him: If the Qur’an was copied from the books of Jews, they would be the fastest people in attributing it to themselves.

I also told him: Isn’t our legislation such as prayer, pilgrimage and giving Alms different from yours? Then look at the testimony of non-Muslims which states that the Qur’an is distinguished from other books, it is without human intervention and contains scientific miracles. Therefore, when the one who has a creed acknowledges the validity of the creed that contradicts it, it is the greatest proof of its validity.

In fact, the existence of the similarities prove that it is only One Message and it should be One.

What the Prophet Muhammad brought is not evidence of his deception. God challenged the Arabs and non-Arabs to produce a literary work of a similar book as the Qur’an, but they were unable to do so despite their well-known eloquence and literary powers; the challenge remains.

He said: There is no scientific miracle in the Qur’an, but Muhammad copied this information from earlier civilizations.

I asked him: Was all the scientific information found in ancient civilizations right?

He said: No. Some are true, but there are many myths.

I asked him: How could that unlettered prophet, who grew up in a desolate desert, copy only these true information and leave the myths?

He asked: What do you think of Adam's first wife, whom he married before Eve?

Frankly, I could not help but laugh at this strange information, which I have never heard about in my life.

I said:  This character has never been mentioned in Islam. But what does believing in the existence of this character add to your faith?

He said: Nothing.

I told him: Then think carefully about what else would be added to your faith, and would benefit you, which is the belief in the One and Only true God and worshiping Him alone, and the faith in all His prophets, including Jesus and Muhammad.

He asked: Why did Muhammad neglect Al-Aqsa Mosque (the Holy Mosque in Jerusalem), which was the Qiblah (the direction in which a Muslim turns to pray)?

I asked him: Why did the Samaritan Jews neglect the Qiblah (direction) of Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, and turn their Qiblah (the direction in which a Jew turns to pray) towards AL-TUR in Palestine?

I also told him: The fact that the Jews changed the direction of their prayers was not in terms of revelation and bless from God. There is no command in the Torah about turning the direction of the prayers towards the rock, so it is based on their choice. As for Christians, God did not command them in the Bible, or in others, to turn their direction of the prayers to the East at all.[219]

I continued: In fact, the Qur’an told us that the Holy Mosque in Mecca was the first mosque of worship appointed for humanity, and its structure was raised by the Prophet Ibrahim along with his son Ismail. It is well known that the temple in Jerusalem was built long after the Prophet Ibrahim, while the Holy Mosque was in Mecca before Ibrahim.

Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Bakkah [i.e., Makkah] -   blessed and a guidance for the worlds. [220]

The Kaaba[221] in the middle of the Holy Mosque has always been well known throughout history. People visit it every year, even from the farthest parts of the Arabian Peninsula, and its sanctity is respected from the entire Arabian Peninsula.

It was mentioned in the Old Testament's prophecies: Passing through the Bekaa Valley and making it a fountain.[222]

The Arabs used to glorify the Holy Mosque at the age of ignorance. Upon the mission of the Prophet Muhammad, God made the direction of the prayers towards the farthest mosque in Jerusalem. Then God commanded him to change the direction from the farthest mosque in Jerusalem to the Holy Mosque in Mecca. The aim of the direction transformation was to extract people with good hearts who are loyal to God, and make their hearts get attached only to Him. It lasted until the Muslims submitted and turned their direction in prayer to Makkah at which the Messenger directed them.

Changing the direction of prayer was also a turning point and a sign of shifting the religious leadership to the Arabs after being taken away from the Children of Israel. This is because they have broken their covenants with the Lord of the worlds.

He said: I have to go now. In our faith, we do not shake hands with women because they are below men's level, but I will only shake your hand, as appreciation for your knowledge.

I told him: As for us, we do not shake hands with men, because we are as honourable as the Queens. Therefore, I will not shake hands with you.

The Italian writer Dr. Laura Vicha Valeri says:

“In a wasteland, a valley without cultivation, and isolated from a civilized humanity, a fresh, flowy stream of water burst among the savages, heartless people who do not submit to Sultan and do not adhere to restriction.

That fountain is the religion of Islam that flowed abundantly. It took its way into the ground in a swarm, and it became a small river. It eventually turned into a great river; thousands of streams and rivers branched off from it quickly penetrating the country long and wide. Soon, people tasted this strange drink and recovered from their social diseases. The western men are about to be convinced that Muhammad's sincerity in his vocation was unquestionable. As a messenger calling to God, Muhammad was a merciful and soft-hearted man even with his enemies. Thus, two virtues, both of which are the greatest inconceivable by the human mind, were gathered in him, which are mercy and justice. We don't have to give examples of that, as it is easy to find many of them in the books about his life history.”[223]

Even if I brought you proof manifest:

In my conversation with an atheist, he mocked the miracle of Israa and Mi ‘raj (the night journey from the Holy Mosque in Mecca to the farthest mosque in Jerusalem then to Heaven). He wondered how the Messenger  reached Jerusalem, ascended to heaven, and returned on the same night.

I told him: Today, what happened to me was even more extraordinary. While giving a lecture, I was present in more than twenty countries at the same time.

He laughed and said: You mean social media, of course.

I told him: Human technology delivered my voice and image to all parts of the world at the same moment. Couldn’t the Creator of humanity be able to ascend His Prophet (the body and spirit) to the heavens 1400 years ago?

This journey happened according to Divine Power and Will, which is beyond our awareness. It differs from our human law; it considered signs and proofs of the Lord of the Worlds’ Power. He is the One who enacted and developed these laws.

Ibn al-Qayyim said: “The journey of Israa and Mi ‘raj was a new test for Muslims in their faith and certainty. It was an opportunity for the Prophet  to see the wonders of Divine Power, to learn metaphysical beliefs, and to honour the invocation of God in a place that no humans have ever reached. It was also an opportunity for him to be a reason in reducing his sorrows and worries, renewing his determination to continue his call to worship One God, and confront the harm of his people.

There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of God an excellent pattern:

Gandhi, the famous Indian leader, spoke to “yang India” newspaper about the Prophet Muhammad's characteristics. He said:

“I wanted to know the characteristics of the man who, without any conflict, possesses the hearts of millions of people. I became convinced that the sword was not how Islam gained its status, still, rather it was through the simplicity of the Messenger with his accuracy and sincerity in promises, his dedication, and loyalty to his friends and followers, along with his courage and absolute confidence in his Lord and his message. These are the qualities that paved the way and bypassed the difficulties, not the sword. After I finished reading the second part of the life of the Prophet, I found myself sorry that there was no more to learn about his great life.”

I had a dialogue with a Christian from Cameron and his British girlfriend. While I was saying there is no god but One God, he interrupted me by saying:

Why did Muhammad harass a little girl?

I asked him: Can I understand from your interrupting that you agree there is no god to be worshipped but God, and your problem now is with the details of  the Messenger’s life?

He said: No, no, I disagree, Christ is also god.

I told him: Why don't you discuss the same point with me, which I am talking about then?

He said: Do not answer my question with a question. Why did your messenger harass a girl?

I asked him: Who told you this?

He said: The Book of Bukhari[224] that you believe in.

I told him: Did Mrs Aisha ever complain?

Didn’t you read in Bukhari about Mrs Aisha’s strong love for the Messenger (peace be upon him)? Does the girl love a harasser?

Didn’t you read in Bukhari that it is marriage and not harassment?

How old was Mary when she gave birth to Christ according to your faith? how old was she when she was engaged to a 90 - year - old man before she became pregnant with Christ? Isn't this age close to the age of Aisha when she married the Messenger?

I continued: It’s strange that the Prophet’s enemies accused him of the most heinous acts at the time. They said he was a poet and a madman. But this story doesn’t matter; no one ever mentioned it, except you now. So this story is either a natural thing that people used to do at that time, where history tells us stories of the marriage of kings at a young age, such as the story of the Queen of England Isabella in the eleventh century who married at the age of eight and many  others[225], or it didn't happen the way you perceive it.

He asked: Why did Muhammad marry nine women, even though it was forbidden for his companions? By specifying that they can only marry four women?

I asked: Why, according to your claim, you accuse God's prophets of fornication as mentioned in your book? Even though the accusement is far from them.

He answered: To teach us that fornication is forbidden.

I told him: Wondrous! You believe that the prophets of God committed major sins of fornication, killing and drinking wine under the pretext of teaching their followers the right or wrong. You condemn the Messenger’s legal marriage by order of God to teach Muslims the lessons.

During his life and before his prophecy, the Messenger remained in his marriage for 25 years without marrying another woman, and his wife was 15 years older than him. Then, the Messenger married more than once after his mission as an order from God.

When the verse of determining marriage by only four was revealed, the Messenger had more than four women, but because they are considered as mothers of the believers, they cannot marry anyone else if he divorced them.

He asked: Why did Muhammad fight his enemies? Christ was not a fighter, but rather a lover of his enemies.

I told him: Why then did you believe in Moses when he was a fighter, and you believed in David when he was a fighter?

Moses and Muhammad assumed political and secular affairs, and each of them migrated from the pagan community. So Moses migrated from Egypt with his people, and Muhammad migrated to Yathrib[226]. Before that, his followers migrated to Abyssinia to run away from the political and military influence in the country from which they fled with their religion. The difference is that Jesus was sent to non-pagans  “the Jews” (unlike Moses and Muhammad, their environments are pagan: Egypt and the Arab countries), which made their circumstances more difficult. The change entrusted to Moses and Muhammads’ call is radical and comprehensive, and a massive shift from paganism to monotheism.

I continued: The number of victims in wars that took place during the Messenger's time does not exceed one thousand people; their purpose was for self-defence, and response to aggression, or insurance of religion. But look at the number of victims that occurred due to wars waged in the name of religion in other religions, they were in millions.

He said: The invasions of your Messenger were looting.

I told him: The Prophet continued to call people to Islam in Mecca for 13 years, and tolerated the Quraish people's persecution. He had no spoils or lootings, and what was taken from the spoils later was either money from the people of war that the Muslims take so that the enemy cannot fight them or recover the funds of immigrants that was taken from them by force. This differs from the pillaging that results in the loss of innocent souls, such as women and children. The Messenger distributed the spoils for those who converted to Islam to bring their hearts together, and for a non-Muslim to make them love Islam. He also called for forgiveness and restitution of rights to their owners, as well as preferring them over themselves in food and clothing.

He said: The angels who came down to help the Muslims in the battle of Badr were weak, and they did not kill all polytheists at that time.

I told him: Then you believe in the descent of the angels.

He said: No, but I will share with you the opinion.

I told him with a smile: The meaning of descending angels in the Battle of Badr is to stabilize the believers' hearts in the battle and teach them that God helps those who seek refuge and trust in Him. Also, God did not want all the polytheists to be killed, knowing that some of them would convert to Islam later.

He said: Why didn’t the angels descend in the battle of Uhud?

I told him: The lesson here is different, and it is about the importance of taking into account the materialistic causes for victory and the importance of obeying the leader.

He said: Isn’t the massacre of the Jews (Banu Qurayza), and the panalty on banditry brutality?

I told him: What is the punishment of the traitors and the covenants' breakers according to the laws of the United Nations today? Just imagine a group determined to kill you all and take your money? What would you do with them?

The Jews of Banu Qurayza broke the covenant and allied themselves with the polytheists to eliminate the Muslims, but their attempts were finally in vain, where the punishment for treason and breaking vows was applied on them, which was mentioned in their law (the law of Moses) completely, when the Messenger of God allowed them to choose the one who governs their affairs, who is one of the Messenger’s companions, and they were sentenced to punishment contained in their Sharia law (legislation).

He said: Islam spread by the sword and did not spread by peace.

I told him: First of all, the word sword was not mentioned in the Noble Qur’an even once. Muslims ruled India for an extended period, and they did not kill Hindus or Christians. Also, Muslims did not force anyone to convert to Islam. Didn’t the Jews and Christians live in Andalusia under Islam's ruling while practicing their beliefs and enjoying their rights?

The countries in which the history of Islam have not witnessed wars are where most Muslims reside, such as Indonesia, India, China and others.

Suddenly, the questioner  surprised me by saying: I am only a prophet, and I have been testing you.

I smiled and told him: We were honoured by your presence; unfortunately, I did not know that. I will call a colleague of mine here at the centre, and he will complete the dialogue with you.

I couldn't complete my dialogue with him because I was exhausted, and I realized that he was manipulative.

My colleague came and said: Welcome, Sir, how can I help you?

He said: I am a prophet, and I can predict your future now.

My colleague told him: Why the future? We are in the present; today I am suffering from some pain, so tell me please what I’m suffering from since the morning.

He said: No, no. Things don’t go like this.

He asked him: So how does it go?

He said: I have to leave the place right away, thank you for having us.

Italian writer Dr Laura Vicha Valery also says:

“It’s enough to say that wars, which are the most basic necessities of human life, have become, thanks to Muhammad, less brutal and cruel, as he was asking his soldiers not to kill an old man, a woman, or a child, and they would not demolish homes that were not taken as military strongholds, nor did they destroy the causes of life, nor they touch the fruit on the trees and palms.”[227]

We have sent you with the truth as a bringer of good tidings and a warner:

Edward Montet, Director of the University of Geneva, said in a lecture: “Islam is a rapidly spreading religion that spreads on its own without any encouragement offered by organized centres, because every Muslim is a preacher by his nature. The Muslim is very faithful, and the intensity of his faith seizes his heart and mind; this is an advantage in Islam that does not exist in other religions. For this reason, you can see a burning desire of a Muslim to preach his religion wherever he goes and transmits the severe contagion of faith to all of the pagans.

The strong Islamic faith has the most outstanding merit in this rapid spread. In addition to faith, Islam is compatible with social and economic conditions. The Muslim has a fantastic ability to adapt according to the environment and make the environment adapt according to what this vital religion requires.”[228]

     I had a dialogue with priests from the Orthodox Church in Ethiopia.

One of them said: Why should the apostate be killed in Islam while claiming that Islam has guaranteed freedom of belief?

I said to him: Faith is a relationship between the human and his Lord. Whenever he wants to cut it, the decision is between him and God.  If he wanted to speak out and take it as an excuse to fight Islam and distort its image, it is an axiom of human-made laws of war that it is imperative to kill him, and this is what no one disagrees about.

He said: Christ said that we should love our enemies. He also said that whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn your left cheek to him. As for Muhammad, he fought his enemies.

I said to him: According to what is attributed to Jesus, peace be upon him, that whoever slaps you in your right cheek, turn your left cheek to him, we have no evidence to prove it to establish provisions on it. If this is true, it may mean forgiving the abuser, but not humiliation and submission. Didn’t Jesus say: “I did not come to bring peace to the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword, fire and division?” [229]

There are orders issued by Christ to his followers to not resist the enemies. If he ordered them to resist their oppressors, this would have eliminated his vocation from its inception. Therefore, if the saying: If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other is correct, it is not a general and absolute rule, but rather an expression of a method of work in exceptional circumstances. I do not think that Christ wastes people's rights, because beating is a case of aggression against others, resulting in retribution.

Prophet Muhammed’s mercy (peace upon him) was manifested on the day he entered Mecca victoriously when he said: Today is the Day of Mercy. He forgave the Quraysh people, who spared no effort to harm Muslims, and he faced evil with good and bad treatment with fair treatment.

And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon, the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. [230]

Among the characteristics of righteous people:

Who spend [in the cause of God] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and God loves the doers of good. [231]

He said: Why did Jesus forgive the adulterer while Muhammad executed the penalty of adultery? [232]

I told him: There is a complete agreement between Judaism, Christianity and Islam to emphasis the punishment for the crime of adultery.

Also, in Christianity, Christ emphasized the meaning of adultery, and did not make it confined to an actual physical act, but instead transferred it to moral awareness[233]. Christianity has deprived adulterers of inheriting in the Kingdom of God, after which they have no choice but eternal torment in Hell[234] . The punishment for adulterers in this life is what the Law of Moses approves, which is stoning (murder by stone)[235].

As Biblical scholars admit, forgiveness for the adulterer, in reality, does not exist in the oldest versions of the Gospel of John, still, it was added to it later, and that what is determined by modern translations. Most importantly, Christ announced at the beginning of his vocation that he did not come to break Prophet Moses’s law and the prophets before him. In addition, disappearance of heaven and earth was easier for him than to drop one point of Moses’s law[236]. Hence, Christ cannot disrupt the Law of Moses by leaving the adulterous woman without punishment. [237]

The penalty in Islam is held by the testimony of four witnesses, with the description of the adultery incident confirming that it occurred, not just the presence of a man with a woman in one place alone.

If one of the witnesses retracts his testimony, applying the punishment should be stopped; this explains the scarcity of execution of prescribed penalty for adultery in Islamic law throughout history because it is not proven except this way. It is not only difficult, but it is almost impossible. Because this type of action is not done in public in general. The presence of four witnesses is almost impossible, and the punishment is not applied without the presence of the four witnesses or the recognition of the perpetrators, and this is also difficult to happen.

One of the general principles in Islam, about the execution of prescribed penalties on the crime, is that:

ü Attentiveness must be taken, making excuses and avoid suspicions that make the judge’s conscience uncomfortable with the execution of prescribed penalties; according to the saying of Prophet Muhammad: “Avoid the penalties which are based on suspicions.”

ü Whoever has sinned while only God knew about his sin and did not show his sin to people, there is no prescribed penalties on him; it is not Islam's ethic to spy on people’s sins.

ü In the case of executing prescribed penalty for adultery based on the confession of one of the sinners, and not based on the four witnesses' testimony, no prescribed penalty on the second party that did not confess his guilt.

-         The repentance accepted by God is only for those who do wrong in ignorance [or carelessness] and then repent soon [after]. It is those to whom God will turn in forgiveness, and God is ever Knowing and Wise. [238]

-         And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of God will find God Forgiving and Merciful. [239]

-         And God wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak. [240]

A woman, entirely by her choice, came to the Prophet (peace upon him) and admitted her adultery. She asked him to execute the prescribed penalty on her, and she was pregnant too. Then the Prophet of God called her guardian, and he said: Treat her good; this indicates the law's perfection and the perfection of the Creator’s mercy with the creatures. The Messenger said to her: Go back until you give birth.

When she came back, he said to her: Go back until you wean your child. Based on her insistence to return to the Messenger after weaning the child, he executed the prescribed penalty on her and said: She repented, and if her repentance was distributed to seventy of the people of Medina, it will be enough for them.

The mercy of the Messenger (peace upon him), was manifested in this noble position.

I am the Messenger of God to you all:

There was a rare visit from three monks coming from a Buddhist temple in Thailand. They were accompanied by a diplomatic delegation from the Thai embassy. ​​ The monks were dressed in what is similar to Muslims pilgrimage clothes, but orange. We were instructed at the beginning of the visit that the monks do not shake hands with women. Also, when it came to taking the memorial photo with me inside the mosque as a tour supervisor, I was supposed to kneel with the embassy staff, while the monks remain standing, as they are considered for them in a higher position than everyone else.

I said to them: About shaking hands, I do not shake hands with men, but as for the photo, I will only be standing since I only kneel to God. If you don’t like that, then I will come out of the picture. So they agreed, and the photo was taken for us. I was standing beside the monks at a distance, while the embassy crew sat on the ground.

One of the monks, who was the most fluent in English, asked me: What are your religion's teachings?

I told him: The teachings of our religion are similar to those of your religion, but we follow them fully, and you shortened them.

He said: How is that?

I told him: The commandments that you have regarding respect for human rights, including non-killing and respecting the rights of neighbour and kindness to the poor, are found in the teachings of every religion on earth, including Hinduism, Judaism and Christianity, and they are also in Islam.

However, the difference between Islam and other religions is that other religions marginalized and ignored the first commandment, yet kept the rest.

He asked: What is the first commandment?

I told him:  The belief in One God, to whom all resorted in adversity.

He asked: Do you mean Gautama Buddha?    

I told him: No. I mean the Only Truth and Power in the sky, the Creator of Buddha himself along with all human beings, to Whom all seek refuge when they exhaust all means to save them from crises.

I then said: When a strong fear of thunder happens, doesn’t the Buddhist resort to the Power in the sky to seek protection?

He said: Yes. But what is the evidence that this was among the commandments that we follow?

I told him: The evidence is that you practice it unintentionally. Buddha taught you the religion of Islam by admitting that death is true and giving you a description of the eternal life in which there is neither death nor pain, which is what you call “Nirvana”.

One of the famous scholars, Arthur Lily, says: “The following words were carved in stone: (What Buddha's disciples thought about God, the soul, and the future of man) ‘We recognize and believe in God, who is a being worthy for this (faith).’”[241]

He said: But Buddha is a god.

I asked him: Does God say about Himself, I am not the first Buddha, and I will not be the last Buddha?[242]

Gautama Buddha did not demand any of his followers to worship him as a god or worship anything or any other person. Also, “Gautama” used the word “Buddha” in the context of the word “prophet,” meaning a person who is enlightened by a divine revelation.

Buddha said: Everyone should believe in the next Prophet (Maitreya). [243]

The word “Maitreya” or “Meta” in the Balinese language and all the corresponding terms used in Burmese, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese have the same meaning. It is the same word “Rahmat” in Arabic, which means “Mercy”.[244] Where God Almighty referred in the Noble Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad as a mercy to the worlds.

And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.[245]

He said: Wondrous! Do you assert that Buddha was a messenger of God, who predicted the coming of your Prophet?

I told him: We can never be sure;  the name of  Buddha was never mentioned in the Noble Qur’an, but we see that there are striking similarities between religions; this does not exclude that its source is one, which is the Creator, and they differed due to human distortions.

The Qur’an repeatedly affirmed that God sent messengers and prophets to all nations to recall the worship of One Creator, and mentioned the names of some, and others did not.

He asked: Is there evidence of Muhammad’s prophecy in the books of Hinduism too?

I told him: Yes.

It is Nirachanza or the praised person (Muhammad) that he is a Karama: Prince of Peace or Expatriate, and he is safe, even among a group of sixty thousand and ninety enemies. He rides the camel, and his chariot touches the sky.[246]

Nirachanza, “The man of praise”, refers to the Prophet Muhammad. The actual meaning of the Arabic word “Muhammad” is: “the praiseworthy man.” It is not known exactly how many enemies the Prophet Muhammad had at that time, but it has been proven that there were thousands.

When the Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca[247] to Yathrib[248], he went on the camel.

I also said: There are many others.[249]

Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of God to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.” So believe in God and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in God and His words, and follow him that you may be guided. [250]

The visit ended, and they requested copies of the Qur'an’s translations in  Thai language, and they thanked us very much.

Conclusion:

The conclusion is summarised in these words:

The English philosopher Thomas Carlyle (1881-1795) said: “It has become one of the greatest shame for any civilized individual of this age to listen to what he thinks that the religion of Islam is a lie, and that Muhammad is deceit. So we have to fight the rumours that have such silly and shameful sayings. The message that this messenger performed is still the enlightening lamp, for twelve centuries for about two hundred million people like us; God created them, He created us too. Have you ever seen that a false man can establish a religion and spread it? Wondering how the man who is a liar, cannot build a house of bricks. If he is not aware of the lime's properties, the plaster, the dust and what it's similar to, therefore, what was built was not a house, but a hill of rubble and a mixture of materials. Also, it was not worth staying on its pillars twelve centuries inhabited by two hundred million souls, but it is worthy of collapsing its pillars, so it will be destroyed as if it was not.”[251]

Arguments Concerning the Truth

What is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth:

As a child, I have always been keen on knowing the right religion. Due to my mom’s keen on watching the religious programs, I always asked her about that topic. I was born in Kuwait. As a society that receives expatriates from different countries, it contained other religions and cultures. I always pondered the adherence of each religion's followers in declaring that theirs was the true religion. I used to say to myself: The true religion ought to be one; What is this ‘religion’? Why is Islam the accurate religion? With this question being asked a lot to my mother when I was in elementary school, she told me: Read; search and see for yourself that the true religion is the one that provides you with a direct relationship with your Creator.

Hence, I embarked on reading despite my young age, so that before I reached high school, I had had a crystal-clear picture about monotheism, and I felt immense energy to tell the world about this great treasure. I remembered the Noble Verse: What is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth.[252] I was delighted.

And argue with them in a way that is best:

In an interview that was conducted by three journalists of Indian nationality, who according to my understanding came with a missionary campaign for Christianity, one of them said: The Messiah is God.

I told him: What is your evidence?

He said: Christ said in our book: Before Abraham was, I am.

I told him: Is this how God introduces himself, by saying that I was before so and so?

Indeed, I am Allah; There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.[253]

I asked him: How did God introduce himself to Moses? Did He not say: O Moses, that I am God, worship Me?

God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I’m the Lord”.[254]

He faltered.

His colleague hastened to interject quoting: Christ said: “God and I are one?”

I replied: He also said: “The disciples and I are one.” and “God and Christ and the disciples are one.” Again, I repeat, is this how God introduces himself?

For example, let’s say you come to my house in order to ask for my help, but you realize that I am not there. Then, my son tells you: My mother and I are one, how can I help you? God is the ideal.  God and Christ have the same goal (for all people to enter the Heavens), but they do not have the same entity.

He said: The Trinity’s proof is that God in eternity and before He creates the universe had attributes. If he was only one, and not three in one, His attributes would be disrupted, so, he had to be three in one in order to be merciful, give sustenance, and interact through the three who are within Him.

I interjected because his comment angered me: I, for example, have the trait of being “a good speaker”. Therefore, when I decide to be silent and not speak now, does this speaking trait break inside me?

Someone said: You are not only a good speaker, but also endowed with the ability of intuitive replying.

He went on saying: Who is Muhammad?

I said: He is a descendant of Ismail.

He said: But Ismail is not a legitimate son of Abraham.

I asked: Who said so?

So, after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. [255]

This passage in the Old Testament indicates that Hagar was a legitimate wife of Abraham.  The word Ismail means “God hears”, for God responded to Abraham's supplications to be blessed by a son. God chose this name for Ismail. It was never mentioned in the Old Testament that Ismail was an illegitimate son.

You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.[256]

God has vowed to bless Ishmael and bring forth a great nation out of his descendants.

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. [257]

He said: Please give me references to verify for myself.

Then said afterwards: God in your book changes His mind. He says: “There is no compulsion in religion,” and on the other hand He says: “Fight those who do not believe in Allah or the Last Day”. Do you deny the existence of Nasikh and Mansukh (abrogation) in your Book?

I was very impressed by the eloquence of his pronunciation of these two Arabic terms, even though our dialogue was in English.

I countered: There is no abrogation between these two verses. The first verse has a completely different topic; it establishes a great Islamic principle, which is to prevent religious coercion. Whereas the second verse deals with a specific topic, concerning those who repel off God’s pathway, or those who prevent others from accepting the calling of Islam; in fact, there is no contradiction between the two verses.

But overall, the evolution of the legislations’ provisions, a previous rule discontinuing, replacements of rules, reinstating a later provision, releasing the restricted, and restricting the released, are accustomed and familiar things in previous covenants since Adam’s era. Just as the marriage between brothers and sisters was judicious in the law of Adam, peace be upon him, then it became prohibited in all other covenants.

Likewise, permitting work on  Saturdays was advantageous in the law of Abraham, peace be upon him, along with all other laws before him, only to become banned in the law of Moses.

Likewise, God Almighty had ordered the Israelites to kill themselves after worshipping the calf, and then this command was abrogated after that, and many other examples. Therefore, replacing one provision with another is commonplace in the same legislation (the message of the prophet), or between different legislations (messages of different prophets).

I added: The doctor who starts treating his patient with a particular drug and throughout therapy either increases or decreases the doses of the drug in a gradual treatment attempt, you consider him sage.

I continued: I am genuinely amazed by your question, for you have embraced the abrogation made by Saint Paul, which was not in only one commandment, instead he altered the whole creed from Monotheism to the Trinity, and made you violate God's eternal covenant with you to adhere to performing the right of circumcision as mentioned in your book.

He asked: You claim that God protected Christ from crucifixion and murder, so why did he not protect Muhammad from being killed when he died poisoned by a Jewish lady?

I answered: God protected His messenger from the poison of the Jews when the messenger was warned that the sheep was poisoned. He did not die from that poison; he lived nearly four years after the incident, completing his message and great victories.