Christ in Islam
By Ahmed Deedat

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  »  Christian Muslim Responses
  »  Jesus In The Quran
  »  Mother And Son
  »  The Good News
  »  Quranic And Biblical Versions
  »  Answer To Christian Dilemmas
  »  "In The Beginning"
  »  What Is Left

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Chapter 1 : Christian Muslim Responses

Debate on TV

At the end of the debate - "Christianity and Islam"
- which appeared on the SABC-TV programme "CROSS (+) QUESTIONS"
on Sunday 5th June 1983, the Chairman, Mr.Bill Chalmers commented:

"I think it can be said from this descussion that there is
,at present, somewhat more accommodation on the Islamic side for
the founder of Chris tianity than there is on the Christian side
for the founder of Islam.What the significance of that is, we
leave it to you, the viewer, to determine, but I do think you
will agree that it is a good thing that we are talking together."
"BILL" as he is popularly addressed, without any formalities,
on all his programmes, by all his panelists, is extremely charming
and stupendous in his humility. He is a picture of what the Holy
Quran portrays of a good Christian:

"...And nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find
those who say, "We are Christians" 1: because among these are men 
devoted to learning and men who have renounded the world.
and they are not arrogant.  (Holy Quran 5:58)

Jesus - His Status
Were the Muslims on the panel, trying to placate the viewers out
of policy, deceit or diplomacy ? Nothing of the kind! They were
only arti-culating what God Almighty had commanded them to say
in the Holy Quran.  

As Muslim they had no choice. They had said in so many words - 

"We Muslims believe, that Jesus was one
of the mightiest messengers of God, that he was the Christ, that
he was born miraculously - without any male intervention (which
many modern-day Christians do not believe today), that he gave
life to the dead by God's permission, and that he healed those
born blind and the lepers by God's permission. In fact no Muslim
is a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus!"

Pleasant Surprise
Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have been
pleasant ly, but sceptically, surprised. They might have not believed
their ears.  They must have surmised that the Muslims were playing
to the gallery-tha they were trying to curry favour with their
fellow Christian countrymen; that if the Muslims would say a few
good words about Jesus, then in reci rocation the Christians might
say a few good words about Muhummed (May the Peace and the Blessings
of God be upon all His righteous servents-like Moses, Jesus, Muhummed
); that I scratch your back and you scratch my back - which would
be a sham or hypocrisy.
Hate Cultivated

We cannot blame the Christians for their scepticism. They have
been so programmed for centuries. They were trained to think the
worst of the ma Muhummed (pbuh) and his religion. How aptly did
Thomas Carlyle say about his Christian brethren over a hundred
and fifty years ago - 

"The lies which wellmeaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhummed)
are disgraceful to ourselves only."

We Muslims are partly responsible for this stagg ring
ignorance of the 1,200,000,000 Christians of the world. We have
not done anything substantial to remove the cobwebs.

Ocean of Christianity
South Africa is an ocean of Christianity. If Libya boasts the
highest percentage of Muslims on the continent of Africa, then
the Republic of South Africa would also be entitled to boast the
highest percentage of Christians. In this ocean of Christianity
- the R.S.A. - the Muslim is barely 2% of the total population.
We are a voteless minority-numericall we count for nothing; politically,
we count for nothing, and economica-lly, one white man, as Oppenheimer,
could buy out the whole lot of us, lock, stock and barrel.

So, if we had feigned to appease, we might be excused. But no!
We must proclaim our Master's Will; we must declare the Truth,
whether we liked it or not. In the words of Jesus (pbuh): "Seek
ye the truth, and the truth shall set you free" - (john 9:32).

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