Through Force or Faith? — Page 260
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 260 God’s person that He is without any associate ( S u rah al-Ikhl ās , 112:2); He does not need any son to do anything ( S u rah al-Ikhl ās , 112:4) (even if it is to forgive sins of man); He is not in need of anyone to affirm His existence and to manifest His powers ( S u rah al-Ikhl ās , 112:3). He has power over everything; is above everyone; is Independent of everyone; is Creator of everything beside Him, is Sustainer of everything and Terminator of everything. His person is indivisible, and beyond any subtraction, deficiency or excess. Status of Man The second subject that we have selected for this comparison of beliefs is the rank and status of man. In other religions before Islam, either there are no teachings at all concerning the status and purpose of man or it is wanting and imperfect. Judaism in general did sate that God created man in His image (Genesis 1:26), but in practical terms, it degraded the entire mankind to a subhuman level except the Children of Israel (Deut. 7; Malachi 1; 2–3) as is also evident from the discriminatory commandments against other nations. Christianity in its original form, which is the pronouncement of Jesus, did not add anything in this regard. We have already observed Jesus calling the Children of Israel as ‘sons’ and other nations as ‘dogs’ (Matthew 15:26). Islam was the first to vigorously present the maxim of equality for entire man- kind in the world, and asserted that the division of races and tribes has no merit. It is only for identification; and the most honourable person in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous ( S u rah an-Nis a’ , 4:2; S u rah al- H ujur ā t, 49:14). The Bible and the Quran