The Holy War — Page 102
102 have only presented the claim in your own words whilst I have presented those very verses from the Holy Quran. It is clear, however, that a claim possesses no respect or regard without any proofs. Thus, it was asked, that the signs of one who has attained salvation are indeed written in the Noble Quran, according to which signs we see that those who follow this Holy Book indeed attain to salvation in this very life ; but in your religion, the signs that the Messiah as has written down for those who attain salvation—that is to say, of the true believers —where are they to be found in yourselves? For example, in Mark 16:171 it is written that, ‘And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. ’ So now I respectfully entreat you—and if there be any harshness or bitterness in these words, I seek pardon for it—that these three sick per- sons whom you have presented is the very sign of distinction that Jesus as had specifically established for the Christians, saying that if you are true believers, then verily your distinctive mark is that you shall lay your hand upon the sick and they shall be healed. Now forgive my audacity, but if you claim to be true believers , then here at this very moment are three sick persons presented by your very own selves; do lay your hands upon them, and if they are healed, we will accept that you are undoubtedly true believers and have attained salvation. Otherwise there remains no path to acceptance, since Jesus, the Messiah, also says that if ye have faith even as [little as] a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this moun- tain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; but well, at this moment, I do not ask you to move a mountain because they are at some distance from this place. However, this has become such an excellent opportunity since you yourselves have already presented the sick, now lay your hands upon them and show them to us cured. Failing this, you will be deemed to possess not even a mustard seed worth of faith. 1. In the King James Version these verses are Mark 16:17–18. [Publisher]