Through Force or Faith? — Page 154
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 154 their tyranny and bloodshed to the extent that they had earned—because they had slaughtered Muslim men and mercilessly killed their women and murdered their chil- dren—to have their women killed and their children killed and their old and young slaughtered; and to have them expelled from their land; and to have their towns and villages burnt to ashes. But our Prophet s as did not do any of this. Instead he gave them every relief even to the extent that, though they deserved to be put to death due to their bloodshed, he gave them the option that if anyone of them adopted Islam of his free will, he could come into security. Now, this gentle and merciful conduct is criticized and the battles of Moses as are sanctified. Alas and alas a thousand times. If justice was employed, this difference was not difficult to discern. It is strange that the God who commanded Moses to borrow the utensils and ornaments and, after taking possession of these things on false pre- text, claim them as your own (Exodus, Chapter 12); and show such cruelty towards the enemies that you should kill hundreds of thousands of their children; and take the booty; and take out a portion for God from it; and Moses could choose any woman he desired, and in some cases take expiation money; and the towns and villages of the adversaries be burnt: and yet the same God ordains such acts of kindness in the time of our Prophet s as that do not kill children; do not kill women; do not disturb the her- mits; do not destroy crops; do not demolish churches; and fight only those who have advanced first to kill you; and