May hamd be to Allahu ta'ala! May salutations and benedictions be unto our Prophet Muhammad alaihis-salam, the highest of Prophets, unto his pure Al, and unto all of those who had the honor of being Companions (Ashab) to him!

Every thousand years since Adam alaihis-salam, the first human and the first Prophet, Allahu ta'ala has sent to mankind a new religion through a new Prophet with a Sharia. Through them He has shown human beings the way of living in peace and comfort in this world and attaining endless felicity in the next world. Those Prophets by whom a new religion was revealed are named Rasul. The superior ones of Rasuls are called Ulul'azm. They are Adam, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim. Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad alaihimus-salatu was-salam.

And now the world has three religions with heavenly books; Musawi (Judaism), Christianity, and Islam. Taurah was revealed to Musa alaihis-salam and Injil (the Bible) to Isa alaihis-salam. Jews say that they have been following the religion brought by Musa alaihis- salam, and Christians claim to be following that of Isa alaihis-salam.

Qur'an al-karim was revealed to the last Prophet, our Prophet, Muhammad alaihis-salam. Qur'an al-karim has invalidated all the rules of other divine books; in other words, it has abrogated some of them and recollected others within itself. Today, all people have to obey Qur'an al-karim. No country in the world today has any original copies of the Taurah or the Bible. These books were later interpolated by people.

All Prophets, from Adam alaihis-salam to the last Prophet Muhammad alaihis-salam, taught the same iman, and stated the same principles for their umma to believe. Jews believe in Musa alaihis-salam and deny Isa and Muhammad alaihimus-salam. Christians believe in Isa alaihis-salam, too, but they do not believe in Muhammad alaihis-salam. Muslims, on the other hand, believe in all Prophets. They know that Prophets have some superior qualities distinguishing them from other people.

The true religion of Isa alaihis-salam was soon changed by his adversaries insidiously. A jew named Paulus (of Tarsus) said that he believed in Isa alaihis-salam and pretended to try to spread Isawi religion, but made away with Injil, which had been revealed by Allahu ta'ala. Later the theory of trinity was inserted into Isawi religion. An unreasonable and illogical doctrine, namely father - son - holy spirit, was thus established. The genuine Injil having been lost, some people wrote Gospels later. The council of clergy that met in Nicea in A.D. 325 annulled fifty of the existing fifty-four Gospels. Four Gospels remained: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Paul's lies and the theory of trinity propounded by Plato were given place in these Gospels. An apostle named Barnabas wrote a true account of what he had heard and seen from Isa alaihis-salam, but the Gospel of Barnabas was annihilated.

Constantine the Great, who was a pagan formerly, converted to Christianity in A.D. 313. He ordered that all the Gospels be complied into one Gospel, but the Council left four Gospels. A number of ancient pagan elements were assimilated into these. He adopted the Christmas night as the beginning of the new years, and christianity became the official religion. [It was written in the Injil of Isa alaihis-salam and in the Gospel of Barnabas that Allahu ta'ala is one]. Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria was a trinitarian. A priest named Arius said that the four Gospels were wrong, that Allahu ta'ala is one, and that Isa alaihis-salam is not His son but His created servant and Prophet, but they would not listen to him. Instead, they excommunicated him. Arius propagated unitarianism, but did not live long. For many years Athanasians and Arians fought against each other. Later on, a number of councils came together and made new changes in the existing four Gospels.

In 446 [A.D. 1054], the Eastern church parted with the Roman church. Christians who were adherent to the Roman church were called Catholics, and adherents of the Eastern [Istanbul] church were called Orthodox.

In the sixteenth century the German priest Luther Martin [A.D. 1493-1546] revolted against the Pope, Leon X. In 923 [A.D. 1517] he founded the Protestant church. This same priest directed some abominable aggressions towards the Islamic religion. Luther Martin and Calvin changed Christianity all the more. Thus an unreasonable and implausible religion came into being.

The light shed on Europeans by the Andalusian Muslims commenced a renaissance movement in Europe. Upon learning positive science, many European young scientists revolted against the now absurd and illogical Christianity. The attacks carried on against Christianity were not practicable against Islam. For, since the first day of its declaration, the Islamic religion has been preserving all its pristine purity. It contains no idea or information that would run counter to reason, logic, or knowledge. Qur'an al-karim has been preserved precisely as it was revealed, without even one diacritical dot having been changed.

In order to spread the Christian belief and to christianize other peoples, Europeans founded missionary organizations. The ecclesiastical and missionary organizations, which had now become the world's most powerful organizations economically, took to an inconceivable activity. In order to propagate Christianity over Islamic countries the started a terrifying hostile act against Islam. They began to send thousands of books, brochures and magazines praising Christianity to all parts of Islamic countries. And now books, magazines and brochures teaching Christianity are unceasingly being distributed in our beautiful country, and some are being sent to addresses from abroad. Thus they are trying to blur minds and derange beliefs.

The Islamic 'Ulama have answered all the views, ideas and philosophical thoughts contrary to Islamic faith. Meanwhile they have exposed the errors of defiled Christianity. They have declared that it is not permissible to follow the changed and invalidated books. They have explained that, for living in comfort and peace in this world and attaining endless bliss in the next world, it is necessary to be Muslim. Priests have not been able to answer the books of Islamic 'Ulama'. The books written by the Islamic 'Ulama to refute strayed religions are numerous. Among these, the following are renowned for replying to Christians:

Tuhfat-ul-arib, Arabic and Turkish; Diya-ul-qulub, Turkish: Iz-har-ul-haq, Arabic and Turkish; Es-sirat-ul-mustaqim, Arabic; Izah-ul-maram, Turkish; Mizan-ul-mawazeen, Persian; Irshad-ul-hiyara, Arabic; and Er-redd-ul-djemil, Arabic and French. Of these, Diya-ul-qulub, written by Ishaq Effendi of Harput[1], is specially an answer to the wrongful writings and slanders written by Protestant priests against Islam. The book was first published in Istanbul in 1293 [A.D. 1876]. Simplifying the book, we presented it to our dear readers' use in 1987. Now we have translated in into English. We used brackets for adding statements originating from a second book. As will be seen in various parts of the book, the priests could not answer the questions they were asked. We therefore considered the title Could not Answer appropriate for our book. The unscientific, unreasonable and immoral contents of today's existing copies of the Holy Bible are obvious. On the other hand, the writings of Islamic 'Ulama, shedding lights on reason, knowledge, science and civilization, teem in the world's libraries. In cannot be an excuse for today's people not to see or know this fact. Now, those who search for a religion other than the Islamic religion brought by Muhammad alaihis- salam will not escape endless torment in the hereafter. In our book, the meanings of ayat al-karimas are explained in such terms as "It is purported that...", "It purports that...", "It is meant that...", etc. The meaning of these expressions is "According to the explanation of the 'Ulama of Tafsir...". For, the meanings of ayat-i karimas were understood only by Rasulullah (sall-allahu alaihi wassallam), who in his turn explained them to his Ashab. The 'Ulama of Tafsir distinguished these hadith ash-Sharifs (explaining the ayat al-karimas) from those hadith ash-Sharifs fabled by munafiqs, mulhids and zindiqs, who could not find hadith ash-Sharifs to suit their purposes and so made their own interpretations of ayat al-karimas within the principles of the science of Tafsir. The interpretations of those religiously ignorant people who know Arabic but who are unaware of the science of Tafsir are not to be called Tafsir of the Qur'an. For this reason, it is stated in a hadith ash-Sharif: "He who interprets the Qur'an al-karim according to his own understanding will become a kafir."

May Allahu ta'ala bestow on us all the fortune of obeying the master of his and the next worlds, Muhammad alaihis-salam! May He protect us against believing the erroneous ideas and propaganda of missionaries, especially those heretics called Jehovah's witnesses! Amin.

A.D. (1993)
Hijri (Solar) (1371)
Hijri (Lunar) (1411)

Hamd and praise are merited by Allahu ta'ala, who is wajib-ul-wujud (whose existence is absolutely necessary), and belong to Him alone. All the order and the beauties in the universe are the visible lights of the works of His power. His infinite knowledge and power appear on things depending on their various qualities. Al the existence is a drop of His ocean of knowledge and power. He is one; He does not have a companion (partner, likeness). He is Samed, that is, the being with whom all creatures will take refuge. He is free from being a father or son. It is purported in the twenty-third ayat of sura Hashr: "Allahu ta'ala does not have companion, a partner in being ilah (God). He is Ruler whose domain never ceases to exist. He is free from anything that is deficiency. He is far from defects or powerlessness. He has secured believers against the endless torment. He dominates over and preserves everything. He is capable of enforcing, His decree. [When man wants to do something. He creates it if He, too, wills it be so. He alone is the Creator. No one other than He can create anything. No one except He can be called creator. He has shown the way to salvation that will provide men's living in peace and comfort in this world and the next and attaining endless felicity, and commanded them to live in this way. Greatness and highness belong to him]. Allahu ta'ala is free from the polytheism and calumny of the polytheists".

May salat and salam be offered with love to the blessed grave, which is a Paradise garden, of the Messenger of Allahu ta'ala, Muhammad Mustafa (sall- allahu alaihi wassalam), who is the highly honored Prophet of the latest time. For, that Sarwar (sall-allahu alaihi wassalam) was sent with Qur'an al-karim for saving humanity from the darkness of ignorance and establishing tawhid and iman. The sixty-fourth ayat of sura Al-i-'imran purports the following declaration: "O My Habib! Tell the Jews and Christians, who are ahl al-kitab! Concede to the word which is common between us and you without any difference among the heavenly books and Prophets: 'We worship none but Allahu ta'ala and we do not attribute any partner to Allahu ta'ala.'" Rasulullah (sall-allahu alaihi wassalam) was commanded to adapt himself to the genuine meaning of this divine call.

May salam and benedictions be donated upon the blessed graves of His (sall-allahu alaihi wassalam) Al and Ashab. Each of them is a star of hidaya guiding to they way of happiness and salvation approved by Allahu ta'ala. They each sacrificed their lives and property for the spreading of the Islamic faith. They carried and taught the Kalima-i-tawhid (Allah is one) all over the world.

As anyone with reason will see, when the universe is observed with prudence, all the deeds and situations in this universe ar in an order dependent upon unchangeable laws. A discreet person will conclude at once that a Khaliq (Creator), who is wajib ul-wujud and who establishes these laws and preserves them as they are, is necessary. Then, Janab-i Haqq (Allah) is the absolute Creator, who is eternal in the past and eternal in the future, who is the original beginning of everything, and how He is cannot be comprehended through mind. He has collected all sorts of perfection and superiority in Himself. He is Ahad, that is, He is One in His person, Deeds and Attributes. He does not have a likeness.

Allahu ta'ala is one, He is azali, abadi, and Qadim. He is far from any sort of change. Everything other than He in the world of beings gets old, deteriorates, and changes in process of time. But Allahu ta'ala is far, free from any kind of change. He never changes. As time will not change the expression "One plus one makes two", so the oneness of Allahu ta'ala does not change with the elapse of centuries' time.

Man, who has been distinguished from other creatures with such a gift as mind, has been cognizant of this fact since his creation on the earth. This fact has been explained in different ways by different religions and sects. However, since men's mental and intellectual capacities differ, each person searching for the Creator has imagined Him within his own nature, temperament, knowledge and cognitive capacity, and described Him according to his own understanding and temperament. For, man has likened what he cannot understand or know because of the incapability and shortcoming of his mind to the things he knows. Most of those who claim to have found out the fact, have plunged into atrocities and aberrations such as magi, idolatry, and polytheism.

Since man, with his imperfect mind, cannot understand the absolute Creator, Allahu ta'ala, the most merciful of the merciful, sent Prophets to every nation in every century. Thus He taught men the truth of the matter. The fortunate ones believed, were saved, and attained happiness in this world and in the hereafter. The hapless, unlucky ones objected, denied, and remained in depression and frustration.

Each Prophet lived in a different country in a different period, and was sent to a nation with different customs and traditions. Every Prophet, while teaching the existence and oneness of Allahu ta'ala to people, stated some rules and worships that will bring about man's happiness in this and the next world's. According to historians, approximately sixteen hundred and fifty years before the accepted birth date of Isa alaihis-salam, Allahu ta'ala sent Musa (Moses) alaihis-salam as the Prophet. Musa alaihis-salam taught the Sons of Israel the belief in the existence and oneness of Allahu ta'ala and some other principles of iman, as they had been taught by the other Prophets preceding him, such as Adam, Nuh (Noah), Idris, Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Yaqub (alaihimus-salam), to their own tribes in their own times. Spreading the information pertaining to compulsory worships and principles of social relations for and wide, he tried to make the Sons of Israel refrain from polytheism. After Musa alaihis-salam the Sons of Israel (Bani Israeel) were afflicted with various disasters and tumults, because they deviated from the essentials of iman. Upon this, Allahu ta'ala sent Isa alaihis- salam as the Prophet to the Sons of Israel. Isa alaihis- salam spread and taught the tawhid, which means the existence and oneness of Allahu ta'ala, and other principles of iman, thus trying to bring the aberrant people back to the right course and reinforcing the religion of Musa alaihis-salam.

After Isa alaihis-salam, his adherents deviated from the true faith taught by Isa alaihis-salam, as the Sons of Israel had strayed from the right way before. Later, they wrote books called Gospels and pamphlets about Christianity daily. Various councils established at different places made completely contradictory decisions. Thus, altogether different Christian sects appeared. They forsook the principle of tawhid and the religion of Isa alaihis-salam thoroughly [and became polytheists and disbelievers]. Upon this, Allahu ta'ala sent Muhammad alaihis-salam, His most beloved one and the highest of Prophets, as the Prophet of earth [mankind].

Most of the religious commandments taught by Musa alaihis-salam pertained to Zahiri [physical, perceptible] deeds, and most of the commandments of Isa alaihis-salam were on spiritual knowledge. Finally Allahu ta'ala revealed to Muhammad alaihis-salam the most perfect, the most superior religion, Islam, and the divine book of this religion, Qur'an al-karim, which subsumed both of the former two. Allahu ta'ala, sending the angel with wah'y to our exalted Prophet, declared to all mankind the most perfect religion, Islam, which is a comprehensive selection of the up-to-date Zahiri deeds commanded by the religion of Musa alaihis-salam and the batini manners commanded by the religion of Isa alaihis-salam, in addition to numerous Zahiri and batini essentials.

Tawhid, that is, the principle of belief that Allahu ta'ala is one, is not different in any of the heavenly religions; they are all based on the principle of tawhid. The only difference between them is on the knowledge of rules and worships. No disagreement or controversy took place as to the principle of the existence and oneness of Allahu ta'ala until two hundred years after the ascension of Isa alaihis-salam. All the hawaris (apostles of Isa alaihis-salam) and their followers and the successors of their followers lived and died up to the principle of the unity of Allahu ta'ala, which was stated clearly in the Injil. None of the three firstly written Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke] contained even one letter denoting to trinity, which means the creed of father - son - holy spirit in (today's) Christianity. Then the fourth Gospel, which is ascribed to John, appeared in Greek. This Gospel exhibited some terms indicating trinity [three real beings], which was originally the Greek philosopher Plato's theory. At that time discussions and controversies on the two Greek philosophies, Rawaqiyyun and Ishraqiyyun, were going on in the schools of Alexandria. Rawaqiyyun (Stoicism) is a school of philosophy founded at Athens in 308 B.C. by th Greek Philosopher Zeno. Ishraqiyyun (Pythagoreanism) is a school of philosophy founded by Pythagoras (in 6th. century B.C.). These philosophies will be dealt with later on. The fanatics of Plato wanted John's Gospel to become popular. However, in the religion of Isa alaihis-salam, no statement implying three Gods - may Allah protect us against such a creed! - had been heard; so the believers of the religion of Isa alaihis-salam refused and protested it vehemently. Thus the believers of the religion of Isa alaihis-salam parted into two groups. A number of debates and fights occurred between them. In A.D. 325, during the reign of Constantine I, the Nicea council abandoned tawhid [the unity of Allahu ta'ala], which was the essential principle of the religion of Isa alaihis-salam, With the oppression of Constantine, who was a Platonist, they adopted the creed of trinity, i.e. father - son - holy spirit. From that time on, the creed of trinity began to spread far and wide. Real believers who believed in the religion of Isa alaihis-salam were scattered. So Plato's philosophy reappeared and the religion of Isa alaihis-salam was given up. Real believers who believed in this religion hid out. Thus the dogma of trinity that took the place of the religion of tawhid became more and more powerful, and the Nazarenes (Nasara) who believed in the unity of Allahu ta'ala were dispersed here and there, excommunicated, killed, and finally annihilated by the trinitarian churches. soon there was none of them left.

In 399 [A.D. 1054] the Patriarch of Istanbul, Michael Kirolarius, revolted against the unbearable oppression of the western church whose center was in Rome. He refused compliance to the Pope in Rome as the caliph of Isa alaihis-salam and the representative of St Peter, [an apostle accepted as the first Pope]. He opposed the Roman church in some essential matters such as priests' living in isolation from the people.

Each of the ecclesiastical assemblies, which they called councils, made totally different decisions. They separated themselves from those who would not agree with their decisions. Thus seventy-two sects appeared. Nevertheless the Roman church abode by its course. In those years the European rulers were practicing all sorts of robbery and cruelty on their subjects who were no different from flocks of sheep. Lest anyone would stand against these robberies and cruelties, the rulers were exploiting the authority which priests had over the ignorant people. It was as if they (the kings) were under priests' authority. Priests, in their turn, well aware of the rulers' ignorance, intentions and weaknesses, exploited their sovereignty to their own advantages. In appearance Europe was under the kings' sovereignty, but the only, and independent, domination belonged to priests. In fact, in the earlier years of Christianity, execution of priests' wishes and desires was dependent upon the Italian kings' sanction. Afterwards papal authority was augmented, to the extent that enthronement and dethronement of kings became possible only when priests wished so. The time's ignorant populace, being totally unaware, were crushed between their rulers' oppression and cruelty and priests' avarice and greed. They endured all sorts of torment and trouble. They kept silent patiently, (as if all those situations were Allah's commandments). Thus the darkness of ignorance and bigotry turned the whole continent into ruins and disrepair.

In the meantime, Islamic countries were under administrations quite antonymous to those of the Christian Europe. Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Turkistan had made material and spiritual progress in all areas under the Amawi (Umayyad) and Abbasi (Abbasid) Khalifas. [At that time Muslims were in welfare both spiritually and materially]. Under the reign of Andalusian Amawi sultans, Muslims had improved Spain to greatness and to the peak of civilization. Great care was given to science, arts, trade, agriculture, and ethics. Spain, which had been a territory of savagery under the Gothic invasion, was now like a garden of Paradise with the Islamic administration. European businessmen and industrialists could never pay back the debt they owe to Islam. They ought to be thanking Muslims forever. For, the first spark of knowledge in Europe was thrown off from the Andalusian Muslims.

The brilliant civilization that had appeared in Andalusia, overflowed Andalusia and spread over Europe. Some talented Europeans noticed the civilization in Andalusia and translated the books of Islamic 'Ulama into European languages. Owing to the books they translated, compiled and published, European people began to rise from their sleep of ignorance. Eventually, one Martin Luther of Germany came forward with a view to being the renovator, a restorer of Christianity. Luther opposed the majority of unreasonable ecclesiastical principles. [Martin Luther, a German priest, founded the Protestantism, a sect of Christianity. Christians adherent to the Pope are called Catholics. Luther was born in 888 [A.D. 1483], and died in 953 [A.D. 1546]. He wrote numerous books. He was an enemy of the Pope and an unbridled enemy of Islam. Catholics and Protestants are still hostile to each other]. Then Calvin appeared. Joining Luther in his protestations, he disagreed with him in some matters. Luther and Calvin refused the ways of worship prescribed by the Roman church. They opposed the idea of the Pope's being a deputy of Peter and a successor of Isa alaihis-salam. The followers of Luther and Calvin were called Protestants.

The Roman church had already lost one-third of its adherents with the separation of the eastern church; and now the appearing of protestantism took away another one-third. This event exasperated the popes. They resorted to a very atrocious measure: a victory by using the military powers of the time's Catholic kings and putting all the Protestants to the sword. Since belief and conscience can never be changed by force, this measure had the opposite effect. It caused protestantism to spread in England and America. Upon this the Roman church took to the project of increasing their population by christianizing believers of other religions and savage tribes. They established Catholic schools all over the world. In order to disseminate and propagate the name Catholic, they educated and trained extremely fanatical priests that they called missionaries. They sent them in groups to other countries such as America, Japan, China, Abyssinia (Ethiopia), and to Islamic countries. It was only some ignoramuses that missionaries were able to deceive by various promises and advantages in the countries they arrived. In ignorant communities they provoked daughters against mothers, sons against fathers, and made them hostile against one another. They aroused various tumults and coups in the countries they were stationed. By and by, governments and peoples being fed up with missionaries' mischief and instigation, they were deported from most of the countries they were located in. In some countries they were punished even more severely; they were executed. These missionaries, with the pretext of propagating Christianity, inflicted so much damage to humanity that they caused the whole world to hate Christianity. In fact, when a person reads the history books written about the unprecedented barbarous measures and persecutions practiced by the Roman church with Christian bigotry and material cupidity, e.g. the inquisition massacres on St. Bartholomew's eve, his hair will stand on end with horror.

No sooner had the Catholic church started activity of training missionaries for spreading Catholicism than the Protestants took action. Establishing societies at various places, they collected a wealth of capital. They sent books and missionaries teaching Protestantism to all parts of the world. As is recorded in the book of expenses, which was published afterwards, the British Protestant society named the Bible House, which was founded in 1219 [A.D. 1804], had the Bible translated into two hundred different languages. The number of books published by this society by the end of 1287 [A.D. 1872] reached almost 70 million. This same society spent two hundred five thousand three hundred and thirteen (205,313) English golds for the propagation of Protestantism. This society is still carrying on its activities; establishing infirmaries, hospitals, lecture halls, libraries, schools, places of entertainment such as cinemas, sports institutions. They are spending extraordinary efforts to coax those who attend such places to becoming Protestants. Catholics are using the same methods. In addition, they are procuring employment for youngsters and giving food to the people in poor countries, thus alluring them to Christianity]. For all these activities (of missionaries), Europeans are not so blind as they were; they have already opened their eyes and realized how pernicious and how incendiary these missionaries are, after numerous experiences. Therefore, missionaries are not popular among Europeans. Missionaries send the books which they issue [in enormous numbers] to other countries free of charge, instead of publicizing them among their own European compatriots. They have never had the courage to approach another European country, let alone spreading their religion there, unless that country is under the legislature of their own country. [Catholic missionaries are not allowed to spread Catholicism in Protestant countries, and Protestant missionaries are not allowed to spread Protestantism in Catholic countries]. The moment such an act is noticed, they are deported by the police. These missionaries are despised in all the European countries they go to.

Missionaries have been very successful in exploiting the tolerance which the Ottoman state has always shown to non-Moslem religions. For the last forty or fifty years, they infiltrated into countries under the protection of the Ottoman state. Establishing schools at various places and using the pretense of serving humanity by educating the people's children, they have deceived some illiterate people. Because ignorant people are not fully aware of their religious commandments and duties in every country alike, and the wealth of the Protestant organization being specially enormous, they have rationed those who have accepted Protestantism to monthly and yearly salaries. In addition, through their embassies and consulates, they have helped those who have obeyed them and become Protestants to acquire distinguished positions at various bureaucratic echelons. They have successfully coaxed the Anatolian and Thracian Christian Ottoman subjects to get attached to them. But because such people have been persuaded to such an attachment by means of gold and money, they have not given the benefits expected. Al-hamd-u-li-llah (thanks to Allah), they have not been successful in deceiving [coaxing to christianity] even one well-known Muslim.

In 1282 [A.D. 1866] missionaries, in order to deceive Muslims, published a Bible in Turkish in Istanbul and appended to it a statement in Turkish which meant (in English): "This book is the revised version of the former edition, which was translated by Ali Beg and published with the help of TuRabi Effendi". With this statement they divulged, so to speak, that they had managed to deceive some Muslims. We know the person who translated the Bible for a few hundred golds at that time. But it is not known whether he accepted Protestantism. Moreover, since no one is known in the name of Ali Beg and capable of doing this job, it is not unlikely at all that the name was a sham. For, if he had been a well-known person, his popular title would have been written. As for TuRabi Effendi; it is no surprise for this person living in Egypt and married to a Protestant girl to have done them a service such at this. But he was never seen to like or approve the Protestant rites. On the contrary, since he disclosed all their abominations, he cannot be believed to have changed his religion. Even if it had been so, TuRabi Effendi is not a person known by everybody; as a boy he was sent to England by the Egyptian government and learned English in a church school. And this in turn means that 'TuRabi Effendi inclined towards Protestantism before having learnt Islam'.

It is not possible for any Christian to give the example of a wise Muslim who knows Islam, who has been brought up with Islamic education, who has fully learned the real essence of Islam, who has tasted the spiritual flavor and smelled the sweet scent of kalima-i-tawhid, and who has, after all, converted to Protestantism. If so, then it should be inquired whether the reason has been one of such things as money, protection, and rank. It is very difficult, even impossible to persuade a person who expresses, "Allahu ta'ala does not have a partner or likeness. I believe that He is free from such defects.", to believe in the dogma, "Allah is one but three" or "Allah is three but one." If a Muslim who knows the principles of iman busies himself too much in philosophy, it may be possible for him to tend towards philosophers' course. But it is impossible for him to become a Christian. For this reason, the real protector of Islamic religion is Allahu ta'ala, and the insidious and harmful activities of missionaries bear no threat to Muslims. In fact, such a thought is no more than a condescension on our part. However, priests stationed in our country, to carry out the task they were assigned by their superiors in their missionary organizations, began to write books misrepresenting Islam as being wrong and christianity as a superior religion (the fact is quite the other way round) and distribute them free of charge. Always avoiding the truth, they have been trying to misrepresent aberration as the true way. It is fardh-i- kifaya for learned Muslims to answer missionaries' lies and slanders. Their real purpose is to arouse turmoil in the Islamic religion and to sow discord among kinsfolk such as wife and husband, parents and children, etc., as they have always done in every country. [For, these people think that today's Gospels are the words of Allah and say that they have been obeying the commandments given in them. It is written in the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth verses of the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew that Isa alaihis-salam said: (which is never true) "Do not think I have come to earth for salvation; I have brought the sword, not salvation. For I have come to sow discord between father and daughter, daughter and mother, daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. One's own household will become one's very enemies". Following these words, missionary priests deceived ignorant people and incited them against the state. Their real purpose was, by means of these stratagems, to endanger the Islamic religion and its protector, the Ottoman Empire. Thus they threw the seeds of instigation and animosity among the Christian minority who had been leading a peaceful life under the mercy and protection of the Ottoman Empire. Since the time of the Ashab al-kiram till now, no Islamic state interfered in the religious affairs of their non-Muslim subjects, nor did they ever hurt their religious feelings. The Ottomans, especially, provided all sorts of help and facility regarding the religious practices of non-Muslims living under their rule for six hundred years, let alone interfering in their religious services, Islam commands this help and justice. Our Prophet's commands in this respect are recorded in Islamic books, i.e. in (Turkish) Herkese Lazim Olan Iman (Iman Which Is Necessary for Everyone). It was under the guarantee of the Ottoman state, therefore, that no one, whatever his religion, would be abused or maltreated on account of his or her creed. Being a person's guest and at the same time slandering and stamping on his sacred beliefs, in an event unprecedented in the world. The important fact here is the false charges directed to Islam by Islam's enemies through destructive words, writings, books, [television broadcasts, video cassettes]. (So the thing to be done) is to call public attention to these lies and slanders, [to answer them], and to exhibit to the whole world the sophisms on which they based their publications under the cloak of truth. The Turkish book which I published with the title Shams-ul-Hakika (the Sun of Truth) gives very beautiful answers to missionary aggressions directed to Islam, In that book of mine, a number of facts about Christianity are explained in detail, and a lot of questions are propounded. Nevertheless, Christian priests are still publishing new lying, fallacious books, as if they saw neither these questions nor the splendid book titled Iz-har-ul-haq, which was written in Arabic by Rahmatullah Effendi, one of the great 'Ulama of India, and was later translated into Turkish. In these new books they are repeating the same old calumnies of theirs. "They have not been able to answer even one of the questions we have directed to them in Shams-ul-hakika and Iz-har-ul-haq.

It is stated as follows on the three hundred and ninetieth page of the Farisi (Persian) book Maqamat-i- ah-yar: "Fander, a Protestant priest, was very famous among Christians. The Protestant missionary organization sent Fander and some other selected priests to India. They were supposed to work for the propagation of Christianity. In 1270 [A.D. 1854], sometime in the (lunar) month of Rabi'ul-akhir and on the eleventh of Rajab (another lunar month), debates umpired by some 'Ulama and other distinguished personage were held between this missionary group and Rahmatullah Effendi, the great alim of Delhi. After long discussions. Fander and his colleagues were defeated and silenced completely. Four years later, when British forces invaded India [and subjected Muslims and men of religion and especially the Sultan to terrifying torments], Rahmatullah Effendi migrated to Mecca-i- mukarrama (the blessed city of Mecca). In 1295 [A.D. 1878] this missionary body came to Istanbul and began propagating Christianity, The Grand Vizier Khayr-ud-din Pasha [2] invited Rahmatullah Effendi to Istanbul. When confronted with Rahmatullah Effendi, the missionaries were frightened. Being unable to answer the questions, they decided vanishing would be best. The Pasha generously awarded this great Islamic alim. He requested him to write about low he had refuted and routed the Christians. So he began writing his Arabic book Iz-har-ul-haq on the sixteenth of Rajab and finished it by the end of Zi'lhijja, and went to Mecca. Khayr-ud-din Pasha had it translated into Turkish and had both of the books printed. They were translated into European languages, and printed and published in every country. British newspapers wrote, "If this book spreads. Christianity will be impaired badly." Sultan AbdulHamid Khan "rahmatullahi alaih", who was the Khalifa (caliph) of all Muslims, invited him (Rahmatullah Effendi) again in 1304 [A.D. 1890], and treated him with veneration and hospitality. Rahmatullah Effendi passed away in Mecca al-mukarrama in the month of Ramadan in 1308 [1890].

With the help of Allahu ta'ala we have now begun to write this Turkish book, which we name Diya-ul-qulub. Yet, it should be known well that our purpose in writing this book is only to answer the books and brochures published against Islam by Protestant missionaries, thus performing our duty of resisting them. Our Christian citizens who want to preserve their religion and peace are also weary of these missionaries and agree with us in repelling their mischief.

Ishaq Effendi of HARPUT

FOOTNOTES

[1] Ishaq Effendi of Harput passed away in 1309 [A.D. 1891].
[2] Khyar-ud-din Pasha passed away in 1307 [A.D. 1889].