The Holy War — Page 95
Proceedings—Debate 26 May 1893 95 unnatural character becomes apparent clearly and it becomes proven that in your rites no correct way has been established to attain salvation. For example, look, the method that Allah, the Lord of Glory , pre- sents in the Noble Quran is that when a man devotes his entire being and his whole life in the way of God Almighty, then in such a case he hands over a true and pure sacrifice by sacrificing his self. And thus he becomes deserving that he should receive life in exchange for death. And this is also written in your books that the one who gives his life in the way of God Almighty, he becomes the inheritor of life. Thus, the person who devotes his entire life in the way of Allah, and puts all his limbs and faculties to work in this way, has such a one still not delivered over a true sacrifice? After having given his life, is there anything else that he has left behind? But the justice of your faith I fail to understand, that one person should sin and another should be sent to the gallows in lieu thereof. If you ponder upon this with care and attention then, without a doubt, you will realize this to be a shameful practice. Ever since God created man, He also made a natural law for him to attain forgiveness, and this I have just mentioned. And in reality there is, in this natural law, which is innate and in place since the very beginning, such beauty and excellence, that God Almighty has placed in the very nature of man, both things—just as He has placed sin in his nature, similarly He has placed therein the remedy for sin. And that remedy is to so devote one’s life in the way of God Almighty as could be called a true sacrifice. Now, in summary, you believe that this remedy to achieve salva- tion, which the Holy Quran presents, is not correct. So first you should present, as opposed to this remedy, in the same reasoned and logical way, the form, which is proven to have been presented by the tongue of the Messiah, also giving the text of his discourse on the matter. And then, after this, present also the signs of this, in his own blessed words, so that all the members of the audience present may be able to make a determination right now.