Study-Islam.org

CHAPTER VIII

CONCLUSION

Now, respected reader, we have together examined all the asserted proofs of the truth of Islam, and we have inquired into Muhammad's claim to be the Lord of the Apostles and the Seal of the Prophets. It lies with you to decide for yourself, in the sight of God who knoweth men's hearts, whether this claim is true or false. May God Most Merciful guide you to a right decision!

You have to choose between the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and Muhammad ibn 'Abdu'llah: between Him who went about doing good and him who is called the Prophet with the Sword: between Him who said, “Love ¹ your enemies,” and him who said, “Slay ² your enemies and the enemies of God”: between Him who prayed ³ for His murderers, and him who caused those who lampooned him to be murdered. You are doubtless aware of what kind were Christ's life and character, and you know that these form one of the most decisive of the proofs of the truth of His claims. “The Sun has come as the proof of the Sun: if thou seekest the proof of Him, turn not thy face from Him.” On the other hand, you have seen what Muslim writers tell us of the life and character of Muhammad. You must now judge for yourself whether these were so very far superior to Christ's that you are justified in rejecting Christ, and entrusting your eternal salvation to Muhammad instead of to Him. You are aware that the Bible, the Word of God (كلام الله), teaches us that, in accordance with prophecy, Christ laid down His precious life for sinners and made atonement for our sins, whereas Muhammad died a natural death, and did not even claim to die for other men's sins. According to His own promise and the testimony of His disciples, Christ rose again the third day from the dead, and thereby proved that He had overcome ⁴ death. The grave and death still hold Muhammad.

At Medinah, between the tombs in which lie the bodies of Muhammad and Abu Bakr, there may be seen an empty grave, which Muslims call “The grave of our Lord Jesus, the Son of Mary”. ' It has never been occupied. Its emptiness reminds the pilgrim that Christ is alive, ⁵ while Muhammad is dead. Which of the two is the better able to help you? You have been taught to pray to God on behalf of Muhammad; so that you doubtless believe that he needs your prayers instead of being able to aid you. You believe that Christ will come again, and are not expecting His return with fear. We Christians too await His Second Advert with hope and joy, knowing. that His own promise ⁶ and that of His ⁷ angels will be fulfilled. We look and long for the time when the words of the Apostle shall receive their fulfilment: ⁸ “Behold, He cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they which pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over Him.” Hence it is that, as that glorious day draws nearer and nearer, we are the more zealous to obey His parting command ⁹ and to proclaim the Good News to all creation. Our time here on earth is short, and yours may not be long. Hence, as dying men to dying men, we call upon you to turn to the Living God, the Holy, the Just, the Merciful. We pray you to accept into your inmost hearts Him who is the Light of the World, ¹⁰ so that during this life you may walk in the of light of God's truth, and escape the snares and deceits of the Devil and the chains and slavery of sin, and finally may not be ashamed before Christ at His coming to judge the world ¹¹ in righteousness. “For ¹² we must all be made manifest before the judgement-seat of Christ.” To Him has been given “the Name ¹³ which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. Someday you must kneel before Him; why not now?

We bring you the good news of His love, which led Him to lay down His life for you, who as yet do not believe in Him, as truly as for those ¹⁴ who have already become His disciples. He now offers you freely the gift ¹⁵ of salvation, the assurance of God's forgiveness and grace to serve Him in newness of life, and finally a place in the many mansions ¹⁶ in God's immediate presence in the Heavenly Places, into which nothing that defiles ¹⁷ can enter.

Pray therefore, my brother, that God may guide you aright and lead you to a right decision in this great matter ere it is too late. Thus you will be on God's side in the great contest between truth and falsehood, right and wrong. So shall you find the Truth in Him who is the Way, ¹⁸ the Truth and the Life: and, having here walked daily with Him and received into your heart that peace which the world cannot give, being freed from the fear of death and hell, you will be able to look forward with gladness to a glorious Resurrection. And when He comes again to judge the world in righteousness, you shall receive from His pierced hand the crown of everlasting life.