The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 242
242 Essence of Islam-III lish books in support of their doctrine. In view of all this, and as the Christian missionaries still persist in their vile affirmation, is there not the need for Divine Judgement so that those who base themselves on falsehood may be ruined? Those who adhere to falsehood will now take to their heels and will seek refuge in false pretences. [Anjām-e-Atham, Rūķānī Khazā'in, vol. 11, pp. 41-42] Jesus as a Prophet One strong argument in support of the truth of a Prophet is that he should bring about spiritual reform on a large scale. We find very little of this in the life of Jesus. He had twelve disciples and their example is most discour- aging. They professed great devotion towards Jesus but their example was unmatched in treachery and coward- ice. Did it behove a disciple to betray his Prophet and be- loved leader to his enemies in return for thirty pieces of silver? What was it that compelled his principal disciple Peter to abuse and curse him to his face? Was it appro- priate for his disciples to desert him and disappear as soon as he was arrested? Should this be the attitude of those whose beloved Prophet is apprehended on a capital charge? Afterwards creature worshippers invented all sorts of stories and elevated Jesus to heaven; but the re- cord of their lack of faith is still preserved in the Gospels. Thus the proof of the truth of a righteous Prophet is not to be found in the case of Jesus. Had the Holy Qur'an not confirmed his Prophethood, we could not have counted him as a true Prophet. Can one who taught that he was the son of God, and even God Himself, and that he didn't have to worship anyone and his intelligence was so de- fective as to make him imagine that people would be de- livered from sin by his suicide, be considered for one