Muhammadan Objections

190	OBJECTIONS ON THE GROUND OF MUHAMMAD'S

living Prophet and not the dead one should be obeyed, more especially as Christ Himself asserts that He is alive for evermore (Rev. i. 18). His "time" has no end, for He says: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. xxiv. 35). You cannot any longer argue that the Bible has been corrupted (chapter II), or that it has been annulled (chapter III), so that these words of Him, whom you confess to be a true prophet, must have weight with you. Remember, too, that the Qur'an itself bears witness to the Bible and bids you profess belief in it (Surah II., Al Baqarah, 130). What does this mean, if you no longer need the Bible?

197. M. We believe in Jesus and in all the prophets, but Muhammad is the last and greatest of them all, and he is our prophet and enough for us.

C. Prove his claim.

198. M. We have many proofs, among the principal of which are: (1) His miracles, (2) the style of the Qur'an, (3) the spread of Islam, (4) the prophecies regarding Muhammad still contained in the Bible, and (5) many others which have doubtless been erased by the Jews and Christians

C. We have already considered points 1 and 2 (§§ 126-165), and the question whether any prophecies concerning Muhammad have ever been erased from the Bible (§ 14). Let us now deal with the two which remain.

DIVINE MISSION AS LAST OF THE PROPHETS

191

199. M. The faith of Islam could never have spread so quickly over so many lands as it did, if it were not the true faith and Muhammad a true prophet.

C. If that argument is correct, then Buddhism must be the true faith, for it spread over more countries than Islam, it spread very quickly, and it spread peaceably; whereas Islam was spread principally by the sword, certainly a very trenchant argument! Now Buddhism was originally an Atheistic philosophy¹, and is now a system of demon-worship. It cannot therefore be true. Again, while Muhammad merely preached his faith, comparatively few embraced it; but when he drew the sword and handed it on to his successors to wield after him, then land after land was quickly² won. In this we see no proof of the truth of his claims. Both before and after Muhammad there have been great conquerors.

200. M. God would not permit such vast numbers of men to remain century after century in error, therefore Islam must be true.

C. In spite of your own belief that "He misleadeth whomsoever He willeth" (Surah LXXIV.,

¹ "Noble Eightfold Path," passim.
² The slowness of the progress of Christianity, since it was made generally by peaceful means, in contrast with the rapidity of that of Islam, made by the sword for the most part, is a proof of the superiority of the Christian faith. See Dean Church's arguments on Christian civilization. (Rev. J. P. Ellwood.)

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