Through Force or Faith? — Page 5
Refutation of the Allegations Made Against Islam 5 profound harmony between what is Greek in the best sense of the word and the Biblical understanding of faith in God’. (The rest is a long lecture. ) In the lecture, as I have already said, he himself concedes that the Kaiser’s own words have [been documented in] more detail as compared with the answers of the Persian scholar. The Christian scholar who wrote this narration obviously had to strengthen his arguments to express his superiority. The counterarguments have not been presented and thus fairness has certainly been compromised. Whatever the meaning of this, what we Muslims under- stand—moreover, what we Ahmad i s understand—I shall briefly explain using the Quran and the practice of the Holy Prophet s as. Not a whole lot can be said here but the answers to these questions shall, God-willing, be prepared for the Pope and an attempt will be made to convey them to him so that, if he is still unaware and oblivious regarding the true teachings of Islam, he should come to know something of it; provided that he, realizing his station, reads what is stated with fairness and ponders over it. Our hearts hold Jesus in high esteem. We acknowledge him as a prophet of Allah, the Exalted. Indeed, we acknowledge all prophets who came to any nation and we hold them all in high esteem. Christians should respect and honour the Holy Prophet s as in deference to the sentiments of Muslims. As I have said, the Pope, alluding to the Kaiser, states that the Kaiser certainly knew of S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:257. This verse [includes]: ۤاَل َهاَرْكِا يِف ِنْيِّدلا