One cannot but pity the Christian world on what their faith or fellowship as they used to call it now has become. One of the Christian critics of Islam Mr. Lazarus  said ‘Muslims are dumb about the nature of Allah, it is only what Allah says about Himself they can stemmer’, which invariably means, ‘God is dumb in Christianity, his children are his mouthpiece, he cannot say anything clear of himself except for Christians to cook-up their whims’. The issue of ‘knowing God personally’ is one of those tantalizing hope cooked up by Christians themselves.

Mr. Gilchrist in his introduction says: 

“Christians and Muslims have many things in common. They believe in one God, worship in holy sanctuaries (churches and mosques), have similar annual religious calendars (Christmas, Good Friday and Easter for Christians; Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Laylatu’l Mir’aj and Laylatu’l Qadr for Muslims), and set aside one day a week for a major community worship service (Sunday and Friday respectively)... Many Christian churches are no different. Catholic and Orthodox priests chant out the same prescribed prayers week after week just as Muslim imams do.”

This observation is only correct to uncritical mind. Muslims believe in Allah and follow the path of the Prophet, all what Muslims do in terms of worship are recommended by their Lord-Allah and the right course of it all were observed and demonstrated by Prophet Muhammad(SAW). They are all found in the Quran and hadith which the Prophet said in his last sermon: “I am leaving among you Muslims things  which if hold fast to it, you will never go astray, that thing are the book of Allah and my Sunnah” (Hakeem). No single practice is observed today by Muslims but they have a sample of it from the hadith and ordered by Allah. On the other hand, no single practice of Christian worship of today was ever observed by Jesus or ordered by his father. They are difficult to be extracted from the Bible, they are all aberration from Jesus’ dictate.

Muslims observe salat in the mosque because the Prophet observed the same and even built mosque! But did Jesus build a Church, or ever worship in a church? Did he ever clap, sing, dance and speak in tongues? All what Christians do today as worship Pentecostal, Catholic and Orthodox, all of them are never part of Jesus. Where did Jesus order Sunday worship or holiday? Muhammad(SAW) observed Jumat on Friday and there is Sura Jumah in the Quran- Quran 62 by Allah to that effect, so what kind of common is he talking about? Muslims worship is that of obedience and guidance whereas Christian worship is that of disobedience, ignorant and innovation. Is there any true similarity?

It has been noticed that Christians after their failure to confuse Muslim world about godly and sonship status of Christ, have shifted to eroding worship and the knowledge of true God and his love to attack Muslims but present Islam with shortsightedness and misinterpretation and misrepresentation even without substantiated evidence from Jesus or his father but majorly from Paul and their own mind to confuse Muslims. This is the mind of Mr. Gilchrist who says: “Formal monotheism. Is this really what God wants? A slavish commitment to repetitive ceremonies for as long as we live? A verse from the Bible shows how monotonous and ultimately meaningless this can be. I will accentuate the key words to emphasize the point: ‘And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins’ (Hebrews 10:11). The irony is obvious when you compare the repetitions with their inability to achieve anything: every – daily – repeatedly – the same – yet never availing”!

Note the Biblical verse he quoted is Paul’s recommendation. No single Jesus’ practice was supported by Paul! No!! No one!!! For every Jesus deed and worship, Paul gave the exact opposite! Let any Christian bring one Jesus recommendation that sound like this, which you can compare “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering often times  the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins” Hebrew 10: 11 with Jesus recommendation to a man who he recommended to keep the law for eternal life –Mark 10:17 -21. And see if Paul has not deviated from true cause or if he was true to his conscience.

Meanwhile if we asked, ‘is this formal monotheism in worship that God really want’? We say Yes! In Christianity such daily repeated service will never avail only because they do exactly opposite of what Jesus taught them! Christianity itself is innovation of Paul from head to toe so how will innovation against Jesus teachings avail?

One of the tangible things that are missing in Christianity is the essence of their being on this earth. I’ve asked dozens of Christians and I’ve read many of their books, I’ve not come across any particular answer. I once asked three contributors to Answering-Islam .com two questions to tell me, ‘the essence of creation and where it is written in the Bible’ and to tell me ‘what is the reason why despite their effort to paint Islam black we still see many Christians converting to Islam’? While two of them answered me the second question none out of the three has a single response to the question on essence of creation. I once read in one of their books ‘God created us so that we may fellowship with him’- without any biblical support because the god is dump?

In the Quran, Allah says: “I have not created the Jinn and man for no other purpose than go worship Me”Q51: 56. This must continue as long as we live as it is stated: “And continue worshipping your Lord until what is certain (death) comes to you” Q15: 99. Even though the Prophet told us that all what Muslims do with the fear of Allah in mind or for His sake will be counted and rewarded for him as worship. The peak and core mode of all worships that testify to one’s belief and love for the Almighty is the Salat. And this made the Prophet to have said: “the first thing of the servant of Allah to be reckoned on the  Day of Judgment will be his Salat. If it is good, the rest of his deeds will be good. And if it is rotten the rest of his deeds will be rotten” (Tabarani). Allah says: “Enjoin Salat on your people and be constant therein. We ask you not for provision. It is We that provide for you and the end is for the righteous” Q20: 132.

Righteousness in Christianity is not defined and is likened to the filthy rag (Isaiah 64: 6). The definition of a righteous or religious man and elements of righteousness in Islam Q2: 177 are distinctively different from what we have in Christianity. Allah orders: “O you who believe, bow down and prostrate yourselves in salat and worship your Lord and do good deeds that you may prosper” Q22: 77. This order was observed by every Prophet even god of Christians- Jesus, but instead of recording the complete salat as observed by Jesus we are only told he prostrated trice (Matthew 26: 39-44), all his other Islamic worship and righteous recommendation are summarily hidden under the excuse of lack of space-John 21:25. So all what is upsetting Christians against Islamic worship, stated and or not which made Mr. Gilchrist concludes: “Islam places a tremendous emphasis on formal, repetitive worship. There is no room for spontaneous prayer or praise…no variation of this ceremony is allowed at any time”, are all Jesus’ practices hid under John 21: 25. The little prostration that was reported about him did not catch Christians mind programmed by Paul even the wordings of  supplication - ‘Lord Prayer’ recommended by Jesus (Matthew 6: 9-13) did not satisfy their revolt hearts let alone Jesus way of life which is not fashionable before any Christian.

His saying, ‘Muslims don’t know God personally and lack the love of God’ is senseless because it only base on the refusal of the Muslims to take Jesus as god incarnate or son of God that came to dwell among mankind. How many Christians know Jesus personally and what are that qualities in the holiest Christian in the world today that are not found in the weakest Muslim and what hope or assurance do Christians have in the hereafter that is not found in the Quran, as we are going to see in this discourse? How can one have belief in a person but lacks his love? Are love and belief antonym? That because of Muslims objection that Jesus is not incarnate god they don’t know God personally, they lack his knowledge/experience of his relationship is another ruse, for how can it possible to worship God that is not known or loved. Muslims who do not know or love Allah have bowed out of the faith to embrace lesser and confused god like trinity. The Prophet said: “Allah says, ‘know Me before you worship Me. You cannot know how to worship Me if don’t know Me”(Muslim). Muslims know Allah to the level which He and His Prophets revealed Him to us not as Paul or his followers wrongly conceived him or want us to believe.

Cain and Abel: The Only Acceptable Sacrifice

Mr. Gilchrist took us down the memory lane to formulate the Christian God’s love for blood of both animal and man and his progressive transformation from the supreme and respected concealed God to ordinary physical and disgraced man all to satisfy one tribe of people among thousands he created.

Disregarding every other explanation and value in the story of Cain and Abel despite that it is stated  that God called the attention for his short coming in his offering God said: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted…” Genesis 4: 7. “And the Lord said unto him, therefore whoever slay Cain vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord  set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him” Genesis 4: 15- showing that Cain presented rotten stuff of his produce that made his offering not accepted and despite being a murderer, God still protected him from punishment. But Christians are blind to this and picked what interested him-‘the lamb; first born; and blood’ to weaving it toward  the target, as Gilchrist said, “there seemed to be no real difference between the two offerings, but the Bible says, ‘the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he (God) had no regard”- and again while Jesus and his father are neutral in giving reason for the acceptance of Abel’s sacrifice, it was  Paul again who has the answer to the undisclosed fact to God and his son as Mr. Gilchrist quoted Hebrew 11: 4 saying: “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he received approval as righteous,… Abel’s sacrifice tells you what that faith was. He presented the shed blood of his lambs... He knew he was implicated in his parents’ sin in the Garden of Eden and that he could offer nothing to God from the fruit of his own labours to redeem himself.”  

With that Mr. Gilchrist concocted and laid the foundation of his hypothesis toward incarnate God for his ‘personal relationship’ and ‘shedding of blood’. For Cain he concocted another, saying: “Cain was prepared to acknowledge God as his creator and so he also brought a present, but his was only gesture, a token offering from abundance of his labour… he would come round every now and again to salute God, perhaps once a week or for a harvest ceremony once a year, but no more. Cain was the founder of formal monotheism, worshipping of God without truly loving him. This is the religion of Cain.” Where in the Bible is this conclusion written? But one may not be surprise to find this in any new version or edition of the Bible. Meanwhile, if that is his conclusion then Jesus by his declaration in Matthew 5: 17-19 and by deed in Matthew 26: 39-44 also followed Cain’s religion. What Christians like Mr. Gilchrist said made God reject Cain’s sacrifice was that he presented his farm produce but the god just don’t have interest, he prefers blood of anything at any time especially that of first born. It was a crime to offer what he has! Should he buy a sheep? With what or steal it? Whichever way, Jesus father doesn’t want to know, he need blood!

With Paul’s support he again said:“Abel made only a single offering, but it was an all-embracing commitment of his whole life to me, trusting me for his salvation. I will one day, by a single offering of my own, perfect for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). The Faith of Abel is the only true religion the world has known or ever will know. It is a vibrant, living faith as opposed to dry, outward conformity. It offers God nothing of its own, it trusts God entirely for its salvation”. Paul certainly has more authority over Christianity than Jesus and his father.

Matter of where faith resides is not a new thing even among the idolaters and polytheism. Prophet Muhammad once said: “Taqwa (fear of God) is right here. Takwa is right here” – pointing to his chest. He also said: “Verily Allah does not consider your appearances or your wealth in appraising you but He considers your hearts and your deeds” (Bukhariy).  With this, it is clear that Muslims have vibrant and living faith. It is not dry but being fortified and watered by the seemingly outward but pious worship and righteous deeds that found conformity with Allah’s pleasure and promise of eternal salvation.  

Abraham: The Father of the Faithful

He writes: “All Muslims honour Ibrahim alayhis-salam. He is regarded as one of the greatest messengers of God. Christians likewise look to him as a prototype of a true believer and the father of the faithful. He followed the true faith, the Faith of Abel, and true Christians are said to be ‘those who share the faith of Abraham for he is the father of us all’ (Romans 4:16)”.

Abraham is never at any time father of Christian faith, Jesus called him father of the Jews whereas Paul was the founder and father of Christianity.  To say that Abraham followed the faith of Abel is misrepresentation, falsehood and blasphemy because throughout the Chapter 4 of Genesis in the Bible that tells the story of Abel and Cain no single word- ‘faith’, ‘belief’ or ‘religion’ is mentioned! This is because all what happened was obedience to God’s request and if there were faith, it was element of it not yet built or total the like of which Abraham displayed throughout his life. How can  Abraham followed Abel faith, why didn’t God tell us that? If that is the case Abel then is the father of faith at least for Christian with their logic. Where in the Bible do we read this than that in order for the like of Mr. Gilchrist to have their way. They must formulate new order, disorganize facts and create fresh falsehood to reach their goal. It is a license they received from Paul - Roman3: 7.

Muslims honour Ibrahim not by saying ‘alayhis- salam’ by mouth only, but we emulate him in all his belief, worship, deeds and way of life. We believe and submit to the Almighty as he did. Ibrahim didn’t know God with three heads, he didn’t hear the word trinity, he built house for God and called people for worship in it, he gave zakat/sadaqat and he observed salat. He practiced polygamy and was a true Muslim who submitted to Allah. Muslims do all these, we also commemorate his strong faith to celebrate his sacrificial attempt as Eid Adha and for all this, Muslims became the blessed even Biblically while Christians incur curse because of their disrespect and hatred for every Abraham’s practice and belief. No single practice of Abraham finds a place in Christianity for this we read: “And I (God) will bless them that bless you and curse him that curse you’ Genesis12: 3

As expected Abraham’s faith was proved by a number of works of righteousness and worship. Quoting Q2: 131 “When his Lord said to him (Ibrahim) submit! He said I submit to the Lord of the world”. Mr. Gilchrist said: “This is not true faith, however. It is no more than an uncomprehending resignation to God’s will. It does not tax the Prophet’s faith in God’s faithfulness”. My question is what then is greater than God’s will, when Jesus even recommended ‘God’s will’ as the requisite to Paradise? “Not everyone that say unto me lord , lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father, which is in heaven” – Matthew 7: 21.

Later he said, “The Bible shows that God called Abraham to a much deeper relationship with him than mere submission to his will. …‘And he believed the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness’ (Genesis 15:6). It seems too easy – Abraham just took the promise at face value and, because he believed God, he was declared righteous in his sight. He did not have to pray a number of times a day, fast for many months, go on pilgrimages or donate large sums to the poor to obtain God’s approval. He just believed the promise and was immediately placed on an even footing with God”.

Any sensible person will found the Quranic verse above with the word ‘submit’ which is to accept the authority, control, or yield to superior strength of somebody – God in this case is best  and more encompassing  that be reckoned as righteousness than just mere ‘belief’ which is a feeling or thing one accept as true or real. But then when he talked of tasking faith, there is no doubt that it is worship and righteous deeds found under submission that can tasked faith and they did well in the life of Abraham as we are going to see. But once Mr. Gilchrist intention is to erode worship and righteous deeds, he like his colleagues must belittle what is great, they must turn things upside down , they must create unfounded theory of belief without work, relationship without commitment, lazy body, weak soul and ignorant must be celebrated. Just belief like lesbians, drunkard and gamblers in churches and you are counted as righteous in Jesus name!

Paul has made worshiping God irritates Christians; but the question is, is it all what Abraham did that was recorded in the Bible?  Does it mean it was once he prayed?  During all the time when his faith was being tested again and again or was is that he did nothing? He just sat down and looked, no prayer, no fasting, no worship, no alms giving. Where is that evidence? Well whether found in the Bible or not, the Quran says Abraham confessed of worshipping Allah. Do we need to found the numbers of his worship? Compare what he alleged Abraham for with what he attributed with Cain above, yet without any evidence for either only to arrive at his target.

What is the meaning of deeper relationship with God if prayer, worship, fasting and alms are removed, what else remains that makes it deeper we want to know? Did Jesus not recommend incessant prayer and fasting as the key to godly life and miracle work –Matthew 9: 28-29? Allah says: “And We made them (Prophets) leaders who guided people by Our command, and We sent revelation to them enjoining the doing of good works, and observing salat and the giving of alms. And they were all worshippers of Us alone” Q21: 73. Therefore, whether these and their number are stated in the Bible or not, we know it is undeniable truth that is hiding.

Mr. Gilchrist brought in the story of Ishmael and Isaac and as usual Christians even though they are outcast and irrelevant as far as the history and relationship of the issue of Children of Abraham is concerned, they have chronic pathological hated for Ishmael because of the link to the Prophet of Islam and because it destroyed their piled up lies. To them Isaac is the promised child. Mr. Gilchrist writes: “At first Abraham laughed at the prospect, but then it dawned on him that Ishmael was obviously not the child of the promise. So he cried out to God ‘O that Ishmael might live in your sight!’ but God answered: ‘No! but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him’ (Genesis 17:18-19). …Still, Abraham was severely tested as he realized Ishmael had been rejected by God. At fourteen years of age he was sent away into the wilderness. Whenever Abraham looked on the new youngster he at least knew for certain that he was the child who had been promised. … God said to him: ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you’ (Genesis 22:2). The Qur’an records the incident but does not name or otherwise identify the son who was to be sacrificed – Surah 37:102. It does, however, confirm that the line of nubuwwah – Prophethood, and kitab – scripture, would follow through Isaac’s line – Surah 29:27… When Ishmael started turning into a young man, God told Abraham to reject him, but now, as Isaac reached the same budding moment in his life, God told Abraham to slaughter him”!

The emphatic ‘NO’! in the quoted Genesis17: 18-19 underlined above is the expression of modern day Christians to show their hatred for Ishmael. I have three Bible versions and the word ‘No’ is not found in the King James Version (KJV), not in the New World Translation (NWT) but it is in the recent Easy to Read Version(ERV). They think it must be there and they put it there and it became God’s word! One can see the hypocrisy in the statement above and the so called Biblical God.

God who says: “If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of the strength; the right of the firstborn is his." Deuteronomy 21: 15-17. The same God now ordered his Prophet to reject a child that came from himself! One cannot but feel sorry for Christians’ falsehood in compiling the Bible. The God lost his sense, became an instrument of manipulation and hatred in the hand of jealous woman he created? We read: “…Sarah saw Hagar’s son playing, Sarah became upset. Sarah said to Abraham, ‘Get rid of that slave woman and her son. Send them away! When we die, our son Isaac will get everything we have. I don’t want that slave woman’s son sharing those things with my son Isaac’. This upset Abraham very much. He was worried about his son Ishmael. But God said to Abraham, ‘don’t worry about the boy and the slave woman. Do what Sarah wants. Isaac will be your only heir” Genesis 21: 9-12 (ERV). Unfortunately, Isaac did not become the only heir of Abraham after his death, as Ishmael was ‘miraculously’ present at the burial even after about 75 years that he has been unlawfully ‘sent’ away into the wilderness! –Genesis 25: 9. Even earlier, God ordered Abraham: "And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him [Abraham], saying, This [Eliezer of Damascus] shall not be your heir, but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir." Genesis 15:4. Did Ishmael not come out of Abraham bowel?

Our focus is alleged God rejection of Ishmael. Can the above be true of God or a concocted falsehood of the Bible writers? Why did the God not refuse Abraham in the first instance to marry the slave girl when Sarah made the suggestion? Why also did God give the slave girl child even a son instead of daughter when he knew he didn’t want him? Jesus father surely made a silly mistake and he made it complicated by agreeing to jealous spirit of a woman, he himself has proclaimed his name to be Jealous!

If we are to cross-match Abraham’s love and response to order of the God it will be seen that Ishmael is indeed the promised son. That: “Abraham said ‘O that Ishmael might live in your sight…” Gen 17: 18; “…this (Sarah request to get rid of Ishmael) upset Abraham very much…” Genesis 20: 11; “In the same day was Abram circumcised and Ishmael his son” Genesis 17: 26. And when one read Genesis Chapters 16 to 22 one will be struck marvel at many times God and his angel talked to Hagar on Ishmael far greater than Sarah on Isaac and considering the superiority and blessing of the statements. One will notice supreme love of Abraham for Ishmael than Isaac. So when it was said: “Take your son, your only son, whom you love and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering…” Genesis 22: 2.

There is no doubt that it was Ishmael being referred to. One cannot have two sons and be calling it ‘only son’, it lacks wisdom and moral reasoning but it also implies that the sacrifice took place when Ishmael was the only son Abraham had! Ishmael was certainly Abraham first born and his true son as considered: “And Hagar bare Abraham son and Abraham called his son’s name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael” Genesis 16: 15. “And Abraham took Ishmael his son …” Genesis 17: 23. “And his (Abraham’s) sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave” Genesis 25: 9. – Imagine, Abraham died at age of 175 years (Genesis 25: 7). And he had sent Ishmael away at age of 13 while himself was 100! - How possible did he know the father has died and to be at his funeral after 75 years of separation? You wonder how he got to know. Did Abraham ever and truly send Ishmael and his mother away in the face of Deuteronomy 21: 15-17 above? Otherwise he must have Holy Ghost GSM!

Quran definitely identifies the son that was sacrificed as Ishmael as we read: 

“So We gave him (Ibrahim) the glad tiding of a forbearing son. And when he was old enough to work with him he said, “O my dear son, I have seen a dream that I am slaughtering you, so consider, what you  think of it. He replied ‘O my father, do as you are commanded, thou will find me if Allah please of those who are patient. And when both submitted to the will of God and he had thrown him down on his forehead. We called to him. ‘O Ibrahim, thou has fulfilled the dream… and We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. And We left for him a good name among the following generation. Peace be upon Ibrahim. Thus do We reward those who do good. And We gave him the glad tiding of Isaac, a Prophet and one of the righteous” Q37: 101-113. 

Thus it was after the trial of the sacrifice that the news of Isaac was given. The house of Lord that Abraham built (Genesis 12: 7-8) was not single handedly by Ibrahim but with Ishmael. “And when Ibrahim and Ishmael raised the foundation of the house and prayed, “Our Lord, accept this from us, for surely you are All-Knowing the All Hearing” Q2: 127. That is easy and meaningful to do, and that house is the Kaaba- Q3: 95-97.

Meanwhile, even if for argument sake (wrong one), we agree to  Christians that Isaac was the promised and  the child offer as sacrifice, what about the promises and prophecies of God on Ishmael contained in the Bible verses? Mr. Gilchrist like other Christians talked on one side that is their concern and neglected the integral part. No pointer to the fulfillment Ishmael. We are coming to that.

Mr. Gilchrist writes: “God himself once spoke of the nation of Israel as ‘the offspring of Abraham, my friend’ (Isaiah 41:8). James, an early disciple of Jesus and his blood-brother, also wrote of Abraham’s faith and added ‘he was called the friend of God’ (James 2:23). The Qur’an confirms the title: ‘For God did take Abraham for a friend’ (Surah 4:125)… The Qur’an gives no explanation for the title, however”.

No! The Quran gives many reasons, the most important of it was that Ibrahim show his chronic hatred for idolatry and polytheism of his people but displayed great respect and love for Allah:“There is a good model for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people we have nothing to do with you and with that which you worship beside Allah. We disbelieve all that you believe. There has arisen enmity and hatred between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone”. Q60: 4. see also Q26: 69-88.  In fact he once destroyed their piled up lies and idols like what Christians are doing today- Q21: 51-70. “Ibrahim was indeed a paragon of virtue, obedient to Allah, ever inclined to Him, and he was not of those who set up equals to Allah. He is grateful for His favours. Allah chose him and guided him to a straight path. And We bestowed on him good in this world and in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous” Q16: 120-122.  Aside, he fulfilled many trials and covenant such as of circumcision, building of Kaaba, attempted sacrifice, and he stood hopefully by Allah when being thrown into the fire by the idolaters Q21: 67-70. He was generous Q51: 26-27. “And when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain commands which he fulfilled. He (Lord) said “I will make you a leader of men” Ibrahim asked ‘and from among my offspring?’ He (Lord) said, ‘My covenant does not embrace the transgressor” Q2: 214.   These are some of the reasons stated by Quran that made Ibrahim became Allah’s special friend. There are no similar things in the Bible about the virtues of Abraham rather than personal analysis of  Christians.

Moses: The Man who Knew God Face-to-Face

Jesus once said: “The father himself which sent me hath borne witness of me, ye have neither heard his voice at anytime, nor seen his shape” John 5: 37.

Mr. Gilchrist writes: “A clear trend was developing as God’s relationship with his people progressed. Abel had offered the blood of his lambs as an atoning sacrifice, shadowing a far greater sacrifice to come. Abraham was willing to offer his son Isaac as a similar token of a greater offering to follow. Now the people of Israel were commanded to place the shed blood of their sacrificial lambs across their doorposts. True faith was beginning to define itself. The hope of all God’s true people, trusting solely in his grace and not their religiousness, was increasingly being focused on the shed blood of the true Lamb of God to follow.”  Mr. Gilchrist did not complete the story of bloodthirsty Biblical God who apart from taken blood of his son to redeem Israel has also taken the blood of a daughter to make Israel victorious in war- Judge 11: 29 -40. The fact of the matter is that atonement doctrine started as a rumor and confusion among the Jews who tried to crucify Jesus but unsuccessful. It later caught Paul’s attention who finally repackaged it well for the Gentiles. (You will soon read from us). Paul established atonement. – Roman 5: 6-11. All story of Moses and Biblical God focuses on Israel and nowhere in the commandment demands trinity god or son of God. What does the first commandment purports? Throughout the Bible God solely speaks of Israel. At no time did he find any other nation. It is not possible that that God can turn around to address humanity when his objectives on Israel has never being fulfilled- this must have made Jesus warned his disciples not to go out of Jewish domain.

Mr. Gilchrist said: “With respect, even at this stage God’s revealed presence and favour go far beyond anything comparable in Islam. Far greater intimacy, fellowship, grace and favour between God and his own were to follow, but even at this stage the relationship between God and his people had far exceeded the highest of Muslim expectations. God himself was visibly present among them. The cloud, which was a special manifestation of his presence…The Qur’an confirms the unique, direct relationship between God and Moses: ‘And to Moses Allah spoke directly’ (Surah 4:164). It says nothing further, but confirms the special relationship between them.”

Admitted! But compare the claim with the above Jesus assertion in John 5: 37. Despite all the unique fellowship and relationship the God did not achieve his aim, he got frustrated and regretted his tactic, it was a futile relation effort. Moreso this relation is only for Jewish people not for Gentile Christians! Quran was not written by liars, how then can it say senseless thing like ‘Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face’- that means Moses saw true face of God. That is either exaggeration or frank false. No! Quran is not known for that! God talked to Moses without him seeing His face and when he asked for his face we read: 

“When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him, he said: “O my Lord! Show Thyself to me that I may look upon Thee. Allah said: ‘By no means can thou see Me, but look upon the mount, if it abide in its place, then shall thou see Me. And when his Lord manifested Himself to the mount, He made it as dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon. When he recovered his senses he said: “Glory be to Thee! To Thee I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe”Q7: 142-143.

He also said: “When Solomon had completed the Temple and the priests came out of it after placing the ark of the covenant in the holiest place: ‘A cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord’ (1 Kings 8:10-11). Once again God visibly manifested his presence to the nation as he had done when Moses completed the tabernacle in the wilderness. Islam has never had anything comparable to this”. Neither Christianity but for Jews! But when one read the story of Prophet Muhammad(SAW), in any Islamic book, you will find that many times cloud used to cover his head and follow him about even as little boy. Is that God to celebrate? Muslims don’t celebrate wonders and miracles which Jesus said Satan can even do better- Matthew 24: 24.

But trust Bible with its love for wondrous falsehood not only Moses saw God but with Aaron and other seventy two (72) Israelites even they wined and dined with God!  We read: “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. And they saw the God of Israel; and under his feet were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the noble s of the children of Israel he laid not his hand; also they saw God, and did eat and drink” Exodus 24: 9-11. Mr. Gilchrist sensed the shame, falsehood and nonsensical this narration is and refused to mention it in his analysis of his god special relationship and transformation to man. Thanks God, it was god of Israel they saw not Allah the Almighty God of humanity and universe. If Jesus father can do that for Jewish elders without success we expect him to give the gentiles a trial, he need to extend the same olive branch to Gentiles? Until the God show his face to Muslims directly as he did for the Israelites, Muslims may not honour any message from unauthorized person like Gilchrist. After all, he said: “God was going far beyond religious observances”. God was going beyond limit – that is a great revelation. He must extend that limit to us!

Mr. Gilchrist stated his God’s regret:“Unfortunately God’s immediate presence brought constant tensions and conflict between him and the people of Israel. Time and again they distrusted and rebelled against him. ..Time and again he threatened to destroy them. ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people;… conflict was inevitable. The nation did not want to draw near to God…“God could see that they could not match or reflect his righteousness and could only be exposed to wrath and judgment if he continued to manifest his presence so obviously to them. So he let go of the nation,… but withdrawing his visible presence to avoid further face-to-face conflict”.” – Imagine is that the nature of God, forcing himself into the throats of the stubborn people. You must love and relate with me by force…He has no other people on earth except the hard-hearted ones.

David: A Man after God’s Own Heart

He talked of David as if he was an angel, ‘a man after God’s heart, who loved God beyond limit, will do all God’s will’. He talked about faith and love of God as if the duo is not present in Islam. Because of what he was trying to bring out, he did not mention the act of murderer and adultery of David found in the Bible. The day they want to show that Jesus is the only ‘sinless’ being, all other Prophets will become sinners.

He said: “David expressed his devotion to God in his many psalms. He was a man of great weaknesses and failings, yet in spite of these he longed for God and turned his heart constantly towards him… He did not project an outward appearance of uprightness to the world around him while remaining unregenerate within himself...””.If David is cherished because of his expression then there is no doubt that millions of people like him are on the earth today so they are man after God’s heart. But is that all what he did? God would have told us, ‘eat, forbidden food; dress like cultist; talk like vagabond; behave like animal; exposed like prostitute; don’t pray , don’t worship, don’t fast, don’t give alms, don’t glorify Me but just believe in me and love me and you will be saved’! is that what Jesus recommended for the man who asked him for eternal life?- Mark10: 17- 20.

Jeremiah and Ezekiel: The promise of a New Covenant

Jesus once said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the Prophets: I come not to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled” Matthew 5: 17-18. By this assertion of Jesus nothing calls for ‘the promise of new covenant’! Heavens and earth have not passed after all. So all Mr. Gilchrist is rubbished by this simple saying of Jesus. And the reason is further discussed as below.

Mr. Gilchrist said: “Pious observance of fixed prayer-times, regulated fasting, formal recognition of outward rituals and ceremonies do not and cannot compensate for a heart that is cold towards him. Nor are these observances proof of an obedience that comes from the heart”. Yes they may not for hypocrites and lazy people but for true believers who perform them with love, they help train heart to know its Lords better and be submissive to Him, make it has warm relationship with God. They fortify it and they are integral proof of faith, love and submission to God at least in Islam. Even to which we have strong support in the Bible, in the book of James which reads:  “What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith and have not works? Can faith save him?...even so faith, if it has no works is dead being alone...was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?...for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also”- James 2: 14-26.

One can compare Mr. Gilchrist’s claim with this James declaration and choose who is truly guided and who is lost. When a man asked Jesus for what he should do to attain eternal life? Jesus did not recommend love or special relation with God but the rituals and ceremonies under the law – Mark 10: 19-21.  Are Christians not themselves anti-Christ in their deviation? Did Jesus not observe salat (Matthew 26: 39 -44)? Did he not fast for forty days (Matthew 4: 2               )? Did he not do ablution (John 13: 5-8)? Did he not give arms (Matthew14:16-21)? Did he not prescribe formal supplication (Luke 11: 2-4)? Where in the Bible did Jesus say all these do not count? The relationship between worship, righteous deeds and faith is stronger than what can be separated. They are interdependent as God says: “…I Lord search the mind and try the heart to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” Jeremiah 17: 9. If righteous deeds does not matter why is it been considered here by Jesus’ father? Not that it does not count, but Paul makes all what matters to Jesus no issue to Christians. In Islam and Judaism it all matters. Christianity is Paul’s innovation and making worship and righteous deeds worthless is core of his new faith.

He said: “Throughout the Bible one finds that God’s attitude to sin is absolute. He does not regard the sins that men commit as nothing more than acts of wrongdoing, oversights, mistakes or errors of judgment that can easily be forgiven. They confront and offend his holiness.” But that is not the case, the god did not ordinarily overlook and forgive human error instead he came to commit suicide by it. The god was confused what method again to adopt as all his stratagem had failed.

All effort of the so called Biblical god to force his love into the throats of Israelites to relate personally with them that made him relegate his status of God into watchdog behind the Israel transforming to all forms of objects and creatures yielded nothing! Zachariah 10: 3, Amos 5: 12, 21-, show how god was frustrated and regretted of his diplomacy with people of Israel.

Allah cannot make such foolish mistake as biblical god. For sinners, forget about God forcing himself in relationship with them or committing suicide for their salvation. Allah says: “And even if We opened to them a door from heaven, and they began ascending through it. They would surely say, ‘only our eyes are dazed, rather we are a bewitched people” Q15: 14-15. Had Biblical god realized this he would not have found himself in miserable condition which made him regret as claimed by Gilchrist.

Mr. Gilchrist took us down the memory lane of sweet things in the transformation of God to human being-Jesus, overlooking the bitter truth that erode all his strange hypothesis not even known to Jesus or his father as he writes: “His love appears to have taken time to develop, grow and rise from the deepest recesses of his being. It wasn’t a natural affection for his people, it was a deepening desire for their best welfare in spite of their hostility towards him. It was a strengthening love for a world that was consistently proving to be decidedly unlovable. By the time of Jeremiah and Ezekiel it had reached its zenith and, although God could justifiably have called all mankind to judgment because of its sinfulness…” The changing god one would say! God’s love was not perfect in the beginning but was building up. Meaning that God himself suffered of imperfection at start, reason why every strategic of his failed. The underlined can never possible because Biblical God’s focus was solely on Israel!

If prophecy of Jeremiah 31: 31-34 quoted by Mr. Gilchrist is truly truthful and to be followed, then becoming son of God should not be preached again anywhere in the world for the God has promised to naturally ‘write it upon hearts… And no longer shall each man teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest…” But a little contradiction is added as Mr. Gilchrist said: “Unlike the first covenant, where God had commanded his people consistently “You shall” and “You shall not”, placing the obligation on them to obey him unreservedly, he now consistently declared “I will, I will, I will”, thereby placing on himself the obligation to ensure that his people would respond faithfully to him. ..God’s faithfulness was going as far as it possibly could – guaranteeing the faith of those who were willing to walk through his open door into a deep personal relationship with him… God was willing to enter the darkest recesses of the human world so that we might behold his glorious light””

Only heaven knows how many useless covenants Biblical god made with Israel and the content of it, but now why ‘willing’, when he has vowed in the above Jeremiah 31: 31-34 to establish it in the hearts naturally willingly or unwillingly. What kind of willingness again? It seems Mr. Gilchrist is confused like his God of doubtful mind and unstable character. Even though at no time did the olive branch of every promise ever extended to the Gentiles, everything revolves round his people in Israel alone.

Is the above truly a God or Puppet nature? Time magazine once reported that “The Church of Denmark suspended a pastor after he told a newspaper that God doesn’t exist!” (Time magazine, June 16 2003, page 15). It is the way God is reported in the Bible, the like which Mr. Gilchrist presented that led to such conclusion. Talking of covenant, there is one grand covenant in the Quran which is not found in the Bible. It is a covenant made between the Creator and creatures even at their primordial state in recognition of the true God’s nature, His Lordship and His true worship. Allah says: “And when your Lord brings forth from Adam’s children, out of their loins- their offspring and makes them witnesses against their own selves, by saying: ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said ‘Yes, we do bear witness’. This He (Allah) reveals lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘we were surely unaware of this’. Or lest you should say, ‘It was only our fathers who attributed co-partners to God in the past and we were a generation after them…”Q7: 172-173. This revelation has repealed all meaningless analysis about the true God’s nature and constantly changing covenants in his confusion on what to do for his creature. God is God, the Perfect and Unchanging One, His love which is part of His nature cannot at any instance or for any reason disrupt His nature. It is for his creature to know and seek Him by all legitimate means and out of His love for His creatures He rolled out perfect guidance by which they can find His face and favour. Allah say: “O you men, it is you that stand in need of Allah, but Allah is He Who is Self Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.Q35:15.  

Allah knows that there is weakness in every man, but out of His love, whenever one lays his hands on any duty or observe any form of worship or His commandment in accordance with the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad(SAW) such is recorded and rewarded geometrically, at least in ten folds and up to or above seven hundred times “…And if there be a good deed, He multiplies it and give from Himself a great reward” Q4:40; Whereas mistake and sin are over pardoned by seeking forgiveness with penitent heart “…Your Lord has taken it upon Himself to show mercy. So whoso among you does evil ignorantly, and repent thereafter and amend, then Allah is Most Forgiving Merciful” Q6; 54. This is Allah mercy that leads to salvation. This is the guidance He offered to man which did not tamper with His generally known nature and status.

Jesus Christ: Son of David, Son of Abraham

“Christianity has the most pessimistic view of what human beings are by nature – bound in sin and slaves to it to such an extent that they cannot acquit themselves – but it also has the most optimistic view of what men and women can become – sons and daughters of God, born of his Holy Spirit, transformed into his personal image, and generating his glory for all eternity. Yet, when God’s supreme deliverer came to achieve this, he was missed by his own people and his mission is still overlooked and rejected by countless millions down to the present day”. That is to say, God plan finally failed! What next should he do? Earlier he said: “God had promised David a son who would rule over his kingdom for ever…”

Are Muslims and non-Jewish world under the kingdom of David? Indeed all what Mr. Gilchrist directed to the Muslim world supposed to be directed towards Jews, but the Jews will not because of wrong placement of Jesus again and again by the Christian apologists. History of Moses and David and Jesus revolved round and round the Israelites. If Jesus had claimed the unknown love and strange relation we would have believed him but propagandists. All biblical Prophet didn’t recognize Gentiles at any time from where Christianity sprang. Even where we see expression of ‘world’, we know it is colloquial Jewish world not all nations of the world or mankind in general. Many times in the Bible Jesus warned his true followers not to take his teachings outside Jewish domain (Matthew 10: 23; 10: 5-6; 15: 24), but because Christianity is a guideless religion of self desire, they must do what they want contrary to the will of their master.

Every strange claim on Jesus was a draft of Paul, but as against God’s command. So  Philippians 2:9-11 that says, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow”, Jews knees refused to bow! If Jews should reject him why should Muslims accept him? In Islam, Yahya’s name (John the Baptize) is superior to that of Jesus. Q19: 8 reads: “Oh Zachariah, We give thee glad tidings of a son whose name shall be Yahya. We have not made any one before him of that name”. That uniqueness is not for Jesus who have about three other persons bearing the name even before and during his time. 2 Samuel 7: 14 is believed to prophesies Jesus and with their strange faith and wild love for him, but the part of the verse portray  Jesus’ suffering not as act of redemption for Christians but as  wages for his sins: “I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.” – So what Jesus witnessed in the hand of men was not to redeem them but as a result of his iniquities. Mr. Gilchrist quoted only the underlined part, but we’ve rooted out the whole verse to scatter his salvation in sonship  and death of Christ. Christianity is guideless fellowship. No guidance in the faith, their sheep is without shepherd. The love and relationship of God has no guide rather it is formulated by Paul and being built by Christian leaders, that is why it assumes bizarre form.

The Holy Spirit: God’s Indwelling Presence

Mr. Gilchrist writes:“Ten days after his ascension, as the disciples were gathered together in Jerusalem, ‘a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind’ and suddenly ‘they were all filled with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 2:2-4)…God’s deepest desire, to enter into the closest possible relationship with his people, was fulfilled as his own Spirit came down on Jesus’ disciples. It was the beginning of the golden new covenant age. God and man united to each other – for all eternity! … But now, as the Holy Spirit came to live in the hearts of God’s people and to remain there until Jesus returns, God became present in his people, resident within the deepest recesses of their hearts. True Christian believers, born of God’s Spirit, know God personally. They allow his Spirit to search the depths of their hearts, to root out all dishonesty, arrogance, pride, lust, religious self-sufficiency and malice. They have an absolute assurance of eternal life. They know all their sins have already been forgiven. They love the Lord with all their hearts. They know that God is worthy of their deepest affections, having paid the supreme price to redeem them.”

God is not worthy of worship, praise and obedient. That are no more needed just show your affection and express your love by heart and you are saved! To show that the spirit of God that entered those disciples is not in Christians of today, that the message of Jesus is for the Israelites only, the incident of Holy Spirit refilling only happened to the Jewish disciples, Paul was not there! It did not come upon the Gentiles anywhere in the world, it did not happened to the Council of Nicaea, and when they spoke they spoke what other people understood –Act 2: 6. But today Christians speak jargons and meaningless languages to express the kind of spirit living in them.

Meanwhile the underlined statement seems to suggest the characteristic of  people with holy spirit or those who are having personal relationship with Father of Christ and all the lengthy message to the Muslim world, even though nowhere in the Bible did Jesus mention such qualities reason for no biblical reference! Muslims need not to accept Jesus as they have more and better qualities and promise from Allah. But then to show that the whole message is not for Muslim world, Muslims have all this endowed on them by Allah. Compare the underlined with what is put in place for Muslims: “Surely success does come to the believers, who are humble in their Salat, and who shun all that which is vain, and who gives alms, and who guard their chastity… and who are watchful of their trusts and covenants…these are the heirs , who will inherit Paradise. They will abide therein” Q23: 1-11.

Another characteristic of sons of god, he said: “They will shine like little sun in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said ‘Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father’ (Matthew 13:43 – emphasis added). Angels will continue to reflect the glory of God when that day comes, but true Christian believers will generate it back to him. Angels are God’s heavenly servants, but God’s redeemed people on earth are his sons and daughters”.

Why in heaven, why not here on earth first, to let us see in Christians that God dwells in them after all Jesus said: “…if you truly have little faith in him …nothing shall be impossible unto you “Matthew 17;20. If Jesus’ face therefore generate light or glow then we expect Christians faces to do the same failure for your faces not to glow on this earth shows that you have no special personal relation with God and belief in blood of Christ is false.

What Allah has for Muslims cannot be compared by that of Christians, how many places in the Quran Allah mentioned the glorious face of the Muslims that will generate light.  In fact what Allah has for Muslims is beyond every imagination “ And no soul knows what joy of the eyes is kept hidden for them, as a reward for their good works” Q32: 17. The Allah spirit in Muslims is itself light and without him coming to disgrace himself as a man who lives amidst us the light is fortified through our love and submission to His will and guides us aright. This will be revealed in the hereafter as the light will be generated: “The day when thou will see the believing men and the believing women, their light running before them and on their right hands. Glad tidings for you this day. Garden through which steam flow, wherein you will abide. That is the supreme triumph” Q57: 12. “Some faces that day will be beaming, laughing, rejoicing” Q80: 38-39.

Mr. Gilchrist writes: “…The Qur’an comes tantalizingly close to acknowledging this revelation. Firstly, it says that an angel appeared to Jesus’ mother and said to her: ‘O Mary, surely Allah gives you good news of a word from him whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary’ (Surah 3:44). …Note the words minhu – ‘from him’ – meaning that Jesus came from God himself and was not just another ordinary human being. In another passage the Qur’an says of true believers ‘These are they into whose hearts He has impressed faith, and strengthened them with a Spirit from himself’ (Surah 58:22). The key words here are very similar: ‘a Spirit from him’ – ruhim-minhu. It is uncanny to find the Qur’an confirming the core of the Christian Gospel. Jesus was the Word who came from God (minhu – ‘from him’), and the Holy Spirit who followed is the Spirit who also came from God (minhu – ‘from him’). The Qur’an emphatically states that these two persons came from God himself. It does not use this expression (minhu) for any other personality in a similar context”.

Funny thing one will say! He was embarrassed and wanted to play fast seeing all what he has been sweating for in the Quran putting Muslims in the same level with Jesus and Holy Spirit. Instead of quoting the whole verse of the Surah 58 : 22, he choose to extract part of the whole verse which states: “Thou will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers, or their sons or their brethren, or their kindred. These are they in whose hearts Allah has inscribed true faith and whom He has strengthened with spirit from Himself. And he will make them enter garden through which stream flow, therein they shall abide. They are Allah’s party. Hearken! It is Allah’s party who will successful”Q58: 22. See what is in the verse, see what our friend picked out!

This blessed status is acquired by the Muslims, not by any other means, not by believing in Jesus as son of God or God incarnate but by digesting and adopting the teachings of the Quran which in itself was brought down by Holy Spirit: “Say, the spirit of holiness has brought it (Quran) down from your Lord with truth, that He (Allah) may strengthen those who believe, and as a guidance and glad tidings for the Muslims”Q16: 102. So, ordinarily reading and following the teachings of the Quran facilitates and endows spirit of holiness on a person. And among the guidance is to believe in Oneness of Allah without partner and the Prophethood of Muhammad(SAW) as well as believing true Christ as mere servant of Allah sent to children of Israel and to worship Allah through salat and to do good deeds. Nowhere in the Bible can we read where Jesus asked anybody to ‘believe him as Lord and Saviour’, nowhere in the Bible did the words ‘saviour’ or ‘salvation’ come out of Jesus’ mouth. Holy spirit of God is  God’s active force, it is in every one but only strengthened by conscious obedience to the will and law of Allah. Allah says: “…Allah began the creation of man from clay. Then He made his progeny from an extract of an insignificant fluid. Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His Spirit. And He has given you ears, and eyes, and hearts , but little thanks do  you give” Q32: 7- 9. Here again the world ‘min ruhii” is used, to show that every man created by him has the spirit from Him like Christ, though his was fortified as a prophet.

The Truth of Knowing God Personally; Forgiveness of Sin and Love for God: Mr. Gilchrist said: “I have, in recent years, often asked Muslims three crucial questions. Firstly, do you know God personally? Have you come into the greatest of all relationships – a living, personal relationship with him? Secondly, are your sins forgiven for his sake? Have you been cleansed not only from the guilt of all your sins but also their power? Lastly, do you love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength? Do you have real evidence that God is truly to be loved, that he has done something outstanding to prove his love for you, and asks only that you respond to him in heartfelt love in return? I have received a variety of answers to these questions, but a young Muslim woman recently gave me three answers that, in my view, correctly reflect the only real answers a Muslim can give according to Islamic theology. Firstly, she said: “According to Islam it is impossible to know God personally. You can believe in Allah, pray to him, worship him, but never know him.” She went on: “it is also impossible to know you are forgiven of all your sins. You can pray for forgiveness, try to keep the laws of Allah, and hope in his mercy, but you can never know for sure in this life that you are forgiven.” Lastly she said: “do I love God with all my heart? I’ve never really thought about that. I believe in him, I’m willing to serve him – but love him? That has never crossed my mind.”

Can this response of the so called Muslim woman be true with the facts provided by Quran and hadith as we are to see? Imagine, out of numerous answers received by Mr. Gilchrist only that of ignorant Muslim lady if at all is true was ‘correct’ in his view! In Islam there is guidance to perfect love of God, reasonable terms of special relationship and right procedure to forgiveness all packaged under its righteousness which prevent bastardization of existence of God or distortion of His way of acting or degrade His esteemed status and uniqueness as shamefully presented by Christianity. Christian god is no match for Prophet Muhammad(SAW) in the welfare and special relationship with mankind towards forgiveness and salvation. (Q9: 128; Q18: 6).

The Prophet said: “Allah says ‘Know Me before you worship Me. If you don’t know Me, you would not know how to worship Me”. Muslims don’t know God as Christians know Him as cloud, stone, lion, trinity head, god incarnate or watch dog after children of Israel but we know Him according to what He and his Prophet revealed Him. Q2: 255 and Q112: 1-4 well known by Muslims tell what they know of their Lord. Closeness of Allah to the Muslims is greater than the special relationship of Christian god coming to dwell among his creature as Christ which is even no more now. For Muslim Allah says: “And when My servants ask thee about Me, say, ‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way” Q2: 186. “…And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein”Q50: 16. The prophet once instructed his followers: “Lower your voices in prayer and in remembrance of Allah for you are not calling upon One, who is deaf or absent” (Muslim) What kind of special relationship is greater than this?

And when we are talking about love, it is against common sense to say one is worshiping and supplicating God or any object that is not loved. Such worship will lack life and prayer will not be answered. The love of Allah is stressed with His prophet- Muhammad(SAW). Allah says: “If you love Allah, follow me (Muhammad), then Allah will love you and forgive you your faults. And Allah is most Forgiving merciful” Q3: 31. Allah wants our hearts to cling tenaciously unto him than any other thing. We must love Him even if it involves the sacrifice of all else. Thus He says: “If your fathers , and your sons and your brethren , and your wives and your kinfolk, and the wealth you have acquired, and the trade whose dullness you fear, and the dwellings which you love are dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decision…” Q9: 24. For anybody who believes and appreciate Allah’s mercy and favours on him (Q6: 125-127; Q 14: 32-34), He relates as special friend with such: “Allah is the friend of those who believe; He brings them out of every darkness into light…” Q2: 257.

Prophet Muhammad(SAW) said “Allah says, ‘Whoever draws near to Me by a foot, I draw near to Him by a yard, and if he draws near Me by a yard, I draw near him by a mile; and if he comes to Me walking, I come to him running; and whoever comes to Me with earth full of sins, but associates nothing with Me, I come to him with an equal measure of forgiveness” ( Muslim). Beside, Allah’s love enjoin on Muslims to love others, as the Prophet said: “The best part of faith is that you love for the sake of Allah and hate for the sake of Him, and make your tongue act in mentioning Allah and that you love for men what you love for yourself and hate for them what you hate for yourself” (Ahmad).

The Prophet said: “When your good works gives you pleasure and your evil works grieves you, then you are becoming man of faith” (Ahmad). How possible is for one to belief and worship a God or even an object which he doesn’t love? It is surely contrary to reason. Worship without love cannot be acceptable, because Allah sees into the heart. The Prophet said: “Verily Allah does not consider your appearances or your wealth in  appraising you  but He considers your hearts and your deeds” Bukhariy. The relationship that develops from belief and love for Allah is heart based and the limbs testify to it by righteous acts: “Behold, the friends of Allah shall certainly have no fear, nor shall they grieve. Those who believed and kept to righteousness for them are glad tidings in the present life and also in the hereafter there is no changing the words of Allah that indeed is the supreme triumph” Q10: 62 – 64.

A ‘Muslim’ who didn’t love Allah, said, ‘as an accountant he used to be irritated when prostrated in dust for His Creator and as such he checked out to Christianity where he doesn’t need to humble yourself as a servant but behave arrogant as  a prodigal son’. Allah says: “Those who near to your Lord, disdain not to worship Him. They glorify Him and prostrate before Him” Q7: 206. And for his likes there is ready made substitute: “O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion, Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allah, and never fear of the blame of the fault finders. That is the Grace of Allah, which He bestows on whom He will. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creature’ needs, All-Knower”. Q5: 54.

The more your spiritual inclination, the more is your desire and your opportunity to serve and worship your Lord. With all what Christians claim, I’ve studied many of them critically their lives has no degree over that of humble Muslims not in a single way.

The greatest of Allah mercy and love on man is to being guided to Islam as a Muslim just like Isa (true Christ) and other Prophets. Allah says: “Whomsoever Allah wishes to guide, he expand his bosom for Islam,…this is the path of your Lord leading straight to Him. We have explained the signs in detail for a people who would be admonished. For them is the abode of peace with their lord, and He is their Fiend because of what they did”Q6: 125-127.  This is so because Islam is the faith of all prophets including the only ‘son of god’.

Abraham and Other Prophets Practiced Islam

Long before both Ishmael and Isaac were born, God made a covenant with Abraham: ".. .saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the Euphrates."(Genesis 15:18). Greater part of Arabia lying between the Nile and the Euphrates, where later all the descendants of Ishmael were settling, and they are Muslims. And to Isaac and his des­cendants, God says: “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed [Isaac] after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land Canaan, for an ever­lasting possession; and I will be their God." (Genesis 17: 8). Here Abraham was mentioned “a stranger" in Canaan but not in the land between the Nile and the Euphrates. As a Chaldean he was more an Arab than a Jew. So by placement his tendency was more Islamic than Judaism. Christianity has no reference in the belief and life of Abraham not even of Jesus.

All what Mr. Gilchrist said about the faith of Abraham with skewed eyes and tricky mind not minding, was named Islam by him and called himself a Muslim! Allah says: “…so follow the faith of your father Ibrahim. He named you Muslims both before and in this book, so that the messenger may be a witness over you and that you may be witnesses over mankind…” Q22: 78.  Allah says Abraham was a Muslim:“Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was ever inclined to Allah as a Muslim in obedient to Him and he was not of those who associate gods with Allah. Surely the nearest of men to Abraham are those who followed him and this prophet (Muhammad) and those who believe and Allah is the friend of believers” Q3: 67 – 68.

“And who will turn away from the religion of Ibrahim but he who is foolish of mind? Him (Ibrahim) did We choose in this world and in the next he will surely be among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, ‘Submit’, he said ‘I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds. The same(faith of submission) did Ibrahim enjoin upon his sons, and so did Jacob, saying ‘O my sons, truly Allah has chosen this religion for you, so let not death overtake you except as  Muslims ” Q2: 130 –131.

“He (Allah) has prescribed for you (men), the religion which we He enjoined on Noah, and which We have revealed to thee (Muhammad) and which We enjoined on Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying remain steadfast in obedience, and be not divided therein…”Q42: 13.

Ishmael and Muhammad Fulfilled God’s Covenant with Abraham There is no truth in the Bible mentioning Isaac to be sacrificed. The truth is that the covenant between God, Abraham and his only son was made and sealed when on Ishmael he was supposed to be sacrificed. Proved by the fact that on the same day were Abraham, Ishmael and all men of the household circumcised while Isaac was not even born yet: "And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him." Genesis 17: 24-27. A year later Isaac was born and circumcised when he was eight days old: "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him." Genesis 21: 4-5. So when the covenant was made and sealed (circumcision and sacrifice) Abraham was ninety-nine and Ishmael thirteen years old. Isaac was born a year later when Abraham was a hundred years old.

In Genesis 22 it is mentioned that Isaac was to be sacrificed!. But one will see the contradiction there. It is mentioned there "thine only son Isaac." Should it not have been written "thine only son Ishmael" when Ishmael was thirteen years old and Isaac not born yet? When Isaac was born Abraham had two, sons. Because of chauvinism the name Ishmael was changed to Isaac in all of Genesis 22, but God had preserved the word "only" to show us what it should have been. The words "I will multiply thy seed" in Genesis 22:17 was applied earlier to Ishmael in Genesis 16:10. Was the whole of Genesis 22 not applicable to Ishmael then? "I will make him a great nation" had been repeated twice for Ishmael in Genesis 17:20 and Genesis 21:18, and never applied to Isaac at all. The name Ishmael was also chosen by God Himself and superior to Isaac: Ishmael means God Hears. (Genesis 16: 11), whereas Isaac was named by his mother to denote God made me laugh (Genesis 21: 6).

More so, marriage between Abraham and Hagar who was a foreigner was more legal than that between him and Sarah who happened to be his sister: "...and [Sarah] gave her [Hagar] to her husband Abram to be his wife." Genesis 16: 3. Whereas we heard Abraham saying: "And yet indeed she [Sarah] is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife." Genesis 20:12. So the illegality which Christians are trying to level against Ishmael fits Isaac better. Yet, Islam does not deny God's blessings on Isaac and his descendants, but the son of promise is Ishmael from whom later arose Muhammad(SAW)  as the Seal of all Prophets.

The descendants of Ishmael, Prophet Muhammad[PBUT], including all Muslims, remain faithful until today to this covenant of circumcision.  And in their prayers at least five times a day the Muslims include the praise of Abraham and his descendants with the praise of Muhammad(SAW) and his descendants. Do Christians have anything in common with Abraham?

Now, even if for argument sake we agree that the Covenant was made with Isaac according to Genesis 17: 21:, does that exclude Ishmael? But Mr. Gilchrist did not present any promise and covenant of Ishmael, which we found many among the following in the Bible: “And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude” Genesis 16: 10;  “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceeding; twelve princes shall he beget, and  I will make him a great nation” Genesis 17: 20; “And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed; … Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation” Genesis 21: 13 & 18. Where and what are the fulfillments of all these promises and prophecy or the God has jealously discarded it?

The promise of God in Genesis 15: 18 & Genesis 17: 8 apply to Ishmael and Isaac respectively. And all the promises were fulfilled. The progeny of Isaac multiplied exceedingly, from among them arose great prophets. For centuries they ruled over Canaan. Their hold on it was never really abolished, but it becoming weak because of racial discrimination and deviation from God’s will. At a time in history the sons of Isaac and those who observed the letter of the Law of Moses had to withdraw from Canaan. The sons of Ishmael, then became its political as well as its spiritual leaders. That fact that the sons of Israel had to surrender the land of Canaan shows that they had become unworthy of the promise which God had made to them through Abraham. The Law of Moses was to be superseded by the promulgation of a new law for the guidance of the world. In the language of divine revelation the advent of a new law is often described as the birth of a new heaven and a new earth. When the prophecy said that the son of Israel would retain their hold over Canaan until the last day, it means that their hold would continue until the advent of a new law-giving prophet. The prophecy of this is revealed by David: “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever” Psalm 37: 29.(Q 21: 105).

Thus the promise of eternal possession is not for Israel as such but for the righteous. The above David prophecy was a clear warning that the days of Israel’s dominance are numbered. The divine promise made it understood not in a racial sense but spiritual, that the sons of Ishmael  were going to inherit the promises made to Abraham by inheriting the truth and a new covenant was going to be initiated through them. Palestine is for those who keep the covenants of Abraham made with God, pure monotheism in all it ramification and his traditions including circumcision.  This was the mind of Jesus when he predicted the substitution of Jews: “Therefore said I unto you (Jews). The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” Matthew 21: 43. No other nation on earth today portray and keep Abrahamic covenants in line with the will and commands of God in guiding the world than Islamic nations- the Muslims.

Christians on the other hand are outcast as long as history of Abraham and his children are concerned. Christianity is Paul’s innovation and he has condemned and denied for them, all the laws relating to the covenant including circumcision- Galatians 5: 2. The prophecy of Abraham, promised blessing to both Isaac and Ishmael, while claim of Israel now is purely racial on the land of Canaan, that of Ishmael is both for all races having it root on the Arabian territory and spiritual for the guidance of the world toward God’s righteousness which is the grand aim of God to save all Gentiles along with the sons of Ishmael.

The following prophecies no doubt testify to the emergent of Prophet Muhammmad(SAW) as the ultimate guide and source of salvation for the sons of Ishmael and gentiles of all nations as the fulfillment of the blessing and great prophecy to Abraham on Ishmael: Allah says: “And We have not sent thee but as a bearer of glad tiding and a Warner, for all mankind, but most men know not”- Q34: 28. So if you have not known, we want you to know by this discourse and with this biblical 5 star references:

*“I (God) will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him…” Deuteronomy 18: 18-20.

*“And he said, the Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them” Deuteronomy 33: 2.

*“Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken and be snared and be taken. Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples …” Isaiah 8: 13-17

*“And this is the record of John, when Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘who art thou’? and he confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, what then? Art thou Elias? And he said, ‘I am not’. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No!” John 1: 19-21.

*“Jesus said: ‘Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him to you. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment of sin, because they believe not on me of righteousness, because I go to my father, and ye see me no more; because the prince of this world is judged. I have many things to say to unto you but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself but whatever he shall hear, that he shall speak; and will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto  you” John 16: 7-14.

Mr. Gilchrist like his counterparts shied away from mentioning and analyzing these prophecies that has to do with the fulfillment of promises and prophecies of Prophet Muhammad(SAW) in connection with Ishmael because he knows that they will scatter all his one sided Isaac - Jesus’ prophecies and strange analysis of ‘love of God and His so called special relationship’ instead of guidance and righteousness which Jesus stressed several times, which happened to be the core points of Prophet Muhammad’s message.  Mr. Gilchrist said: “The apostle Paul addressed the first true Christian believers as follows: ‘now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known of God’ (Galatians 4:9)”. Meaning that there was no true Christian believer until this period. Thanks to the revelation, it also means there was no Christian or Christianity among the Jewish disciples and during time of Jesus, Christianity all began among Gentile Galatians. So what relevance or true support has Jesus for Christianity? Until Christians celebrate Muhammad(SAW) they are on wrong course, there is nothing like Christianity. Only Islam can save the gentile Christians of today. God recognize only Ishmael and Isaac. Jews are saved through prophethood of Isaac and the whole world is saved through Ishmael’s prophethood that saw emergence of Muhammad(SAW).

Forgiveness is for the Muslims Allah, “The Forgiver of sin and Acceptor of repentance…” Q40: 3, orders: “O my servants who have committed excesses against their own souls! Despair not of Allah’s mercy. Surely Allah forgives all sins. Verily, He is most forgiving merciful. And turn to your Lord and submit yourselves to Him before there comes unto you the punishment, for then you shall not be helped” Q39:53-54. “Know therefore , that there is no God other than Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sins and for believing men and women…” Q47:19.

A sinner who shows remorse for his/her sins, repents and seeks Allah’s forgiveness shall be forgiven. Forgiveness and guidance are what Muslims inherit from Adam(AS) unlike Christians who claim to inherit sins and death from him. Quran states: “Then his (Adam’s) Lord choose him and turned to him with forgiveness and gave him guidance” Q20:122. This is so because Allah said he found no determination in Adam to disobey Him–Q20: 115. Nothing like forgiveness for Adam by the biblical god!  Christian god sent his only son on suicide mission for forgiveness of sins of his own made man, when ordinary world presidents, state governors and chief magistrates, do set criminals and sinners free at will without themselves being convicted or jailed for the freed people. The greatest of Allah’s Mercy in His Greatness and Superiority of Forgiveness, is that in one’s struggle for righteousness, all the evils and sins of a sinner which could have been a burden on him will be forgiven and changed to nature of good deeds and positively credited as such in multiple fold into his record and rewarded accordingly once he accepts Allah. “…Those who repent, and believe and do good deeds; for as to these, Allah will change their evil deeds into goods; and Allah is most forgiving, Merciful Q25:70”.

Compare, vicarious atonement- death of a ‘god’ for your sins with a God who metamorphosed your sins into good deeds! Which one is the best and fits Almighty Being? That is the guidance toward forgiveness of sin which Jesus promised in John 16.  Allah says: “Verily, We have granted you a clear victory, that Allah may cover for you, your short comings, past and future and that He may complete His favour upon you and may guide you on right path” Q49: 1-2.

Allah in His promise of final success for the Muslims through their righteousness did not forget to hint Christians about their thought: “And as to those who believe and do good works, We shall admit them into gardens beneath which streams flow, abiding therein forever. It is Allah’s unfailing promise and who can be more truthful than Allah in words? It shall not be according to your desires, or according to the desires of the people of the Book (Jews and Christians). Whoso does evil shall be rewarded for it… But whoso does good works whether male or female and is a true Muslim, such shall enter Heaven and not least injustice will be done to them. And who can be better in Faith than he who submits himself to Allah…” Q4:122-125. This is our hope our confidence!

Standard of Righteousness All what Mr. Gilchrist ‘message to Muslim world’ is all about is to disregard worship and religious activities / identities: “Islam claims to simply restate the original religion of submission to God that all the previous Prophets followed and imposed. ..If so, the true religion of God must always have focused on formal, repetitive submission, the homage of a servant to a divine Master who can neither be personally known nor loved for who he really is. The Bible paints a very different picture. It does not see God’s religion as always the same, simply a conformity to exact patterns of worship that have never changed and never will…Not as servants bound to do his bidding, mind you, but as children born of his Holy Spirit, forgiven of their sins, and booked for eternal glory”.

If Bible paints a very different picture and does not see God’s religion as always the same, simply a conformity to exact pattern of worship that has never changed, then a Christian should tell us that spiritual ruse of the meaning of Jesus assertion: “Think not that I’ve come to destroy the law or the Prophets. I come not to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whoso ever shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 5: 17-19. As a result, all the people he mentioned observed the same way to worship and supplicate their God! Why and why didn’t they choose any of what is observed in churches today?

In the Bible which Mr. Gilchrist said paints a very different picture, we read the following in support of the above Jesus assertion about the true mode of worship that is not ever changing: Abraham prostrated to pray and worship God- genesis 17: 3; Ezra and twelve other completed the Islamic salat in worship- Nehemiah 8: 4-6; Moses and Aaron prostrated to worship God –Number 20: 6; David, the great grandfather of Jesus prostrated in worship –Psalm 95: 6-7; entire nation of Israel prostrated  to worship God -2nd Chronicle 7: 3; the Angels prostrated to worship God-Revelation 7: 11 and Jesus find no alternative in his supplication but again choose prostration even trice - Matthew 26: 39-44. What change is in all these? This is what Christians are  trying to deny, this is what they want to take away from mankind with Paul’s theory, but which the verse 19 above by Jesus has told us their consequence. Allah says: “Many of the people of the Book (Jews and Christians) wish out of sheer envy from their ownselves that, after the truth has become manifest to them. But forgive and turn away from them till Allah bring about His decree…”Q2: 109.

 But the book of James has even crucified all his claims further as we read: “What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?...Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead being alone. Yea, a man may say, ‘thou has faith and I have works; show me thy faith without works and I will show you my faith by my works. Thou believe that there is One God, thou doest well, the devils also believe and tremble. But will thou know, O vain man that faith without work is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect” James 2: 12-21.

All the prophets in the Bible projected outward appearance of uprightness to the world around them and it regenerate love and good relation with God in them because they did it only for God and His cause (fiisabilillah) without show or any ulterior motive. As works of faith, Abraham observed salat (Genesis 17: 3); he gave alms (Genesis 18: 6-7); he established hajj (Genesis 12: 7-8); and we know the details of all these were hidden as done for Jesus (John 21: 25) and we care not. Indeed if one carefully read the Book of James who was Jesus blood brother, one will discover that it strictly opposes all doctrines and hypothesis of Paul in totality which Christians are following like Mr. Gilchrist presentation has Paul’s support. Faith and love of God without work or worship, James, brother of Jesus says, it is dead – empty faith!

In line with the above mentioned prophet, when a Muslim performs certain religious acts like salat, zakat, fasting and hajj as well as dawah and jihad, though seem outward in nature but inwardly it is spiritual solely for Allah, based on the intension and spirit by which one performs it –‘fiisabilillah or lillah’. That confirms its credit and acceptance by Allah as true worship that merits reward, forgiveness and mercy. One who sees and performs all this acts only as acts of submission to the greatness of Allah and to adore His majesty without considering what any man may feel, say or offer but to seek nearness, blessing and pleasure of Allah will feel Allah’s presence in his inner self, attains tranquility of soul and confirms assurance success and blessing of this life and hereafter.

But one who wants people to see his prostrations and calmness in salat as too perfect that portray him as godly man, or is alms giving as unequally generous or with the aim of getting any advantage from people in return directly or indirectly or by his hajj and fasting as too holy a man to be respected in his experience with Allah at their performances, it is such people that the benefit and reward of these acts are lost to. It is hypocrisy to expect Allah’s reward and mundane benefit. To prevent this Allah in His love for us as well as Prophet Muhammad(SAW)therefore issued guidance and warning thereto:

The Prophet said: “Actions are only judged by intentions and every one shall get only that which he intended to do…”.The Prophet(SAW) further characterized it as he said: “He who prays to make a show, does but associate partner with Allah, and he who fasts to make a show, does but associate partner with Allah, and he who gives alms to make a show does but associate partner with Allah.”(Ahmad). Allah says: “If you give alms openly, it is well and good, but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you; and He will remove from you some of your sins.  And He is aware of what you do”. Q2: 271. Allah says:  “… so woe unto those performers of salat.  Those hypocrites who delay their salat and those who do good deeds only to be seen of men.” Q107: 4-6. “And complete the Hajj and the Umra for the sake of Allah” – Q2: 196. The prophet said:“Whoever leaves fashionable garments by way of humility while it is in his power to wear them, Allah will call him on the Day of Resurrection at the head of all creation and reward him exceedingly” (Tirmidhi).

The focus of right mindset behind righteous deeds has been spelt out by Allah:“Say, ‘Verily, my salat, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the universe.” Al-Anan: 162. “Is he who follows the pleasure of Allah like him who draws on himself the wrath of Allah and whose abode is Hell?”  Q3: 162. Thus fii-sabilillah is the standard with which Muslim do things to found Allah’s pleasure and make act be rewarded. This is lost in Christianity, reason why their righteousness is seen as filthy rag!

And when it is observed according to the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad(SAW), is not seen or treated as filthy rag by our Merciful Lord but attracts grace and opens the gate of salvation. “Allah will save the righteous and lead them to a place of security and success, evil shall not touch them, nor shall they grieve” Q39:61. And why not when He asked: “Shall We (Allah) treat those who believe and do good works like those who act corruptly in the earth? Shall We treat the righteous like the wicked?” Q38: 28. How would any Christian answer this question?

Jesus has No Message for the Muslims

Jesus once said: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world…”John 9: 5. He is no more now and no more the light. He sensed the advent of Prophet Muhammad(SAW) the greatest light and thus tactically relinquished the guide, light, and salvation to Muhammad(SAW). Allah says: “O Prophet We have sent you as a Witness, a Bearer of glad tidings, and a Warner. And as a Summoner unto Allah by his command, and as a Lamp that gives bright light”.Q33: 45- 46. Thus in Jesus’ message, he didn’t invite Muslims or Muslim-like people. He perceived that some people are coming to establish and uphold righteousness at its peak, with true guide to its perfection. He has the vision in his mind when he prophesized about prophet Muhammad-John 16: 7-14 quoted above and in the Quran: “When Isa (Jesus), son of Mary, said, ‘O children of Israel, surely I am Allah’s messenger unto you, fulfilling that which is before me of the Torah and giving glad tidings of a Messenger who will come after me. His name will be Ahmad…”Q61:6. And again in the Bible he confessed in clear term not to come to call the righteous which is what Muslims are known for but sinful Christians even the Jews specifically, saying: “…Jesus said, ‘They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick…for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” Matthew 9: 12-13. Meaning that Jesus held true and guided righteousness the like found in Islam, in high regard.  That is the reason why Prophet Muhammad(SAW) said: “By Him (Allah) in whose hand Muhammad’s soul is, there is none from amongst the Jews and Christians who hears about me and then dies without believing in the message with which I have been sent, but he will be from the dweller of hell fire” (Muslim). Christians of today need not to wait till they are damned. With all the enumerations above and the fact that Jesus himself has no message for the Muslims, one can confidently say that Mr. Gilchrist ‘message to the Muslim world’ is an EMPTY MESSAGE!

May Allah make acceptance of the truth easy for you!