Umar Lahmi: If love has no place in Islam, then love does not exist at all in the world. It can, on the other hand, be said that there is not the least trace of love in Christianity. Where love is merely a verbal claim, it has neither any standard nor proof.Head Priest: Look here. It is a well-known slogan of our Scriptures that God is love. Is it not the proof of love ?Umar Lahmi: It is nothing but merely a verbal claim. Unless there is a standard of love, the prescribed theory of love will not be acceptable.Head Priest: Now, you define the standard of love. Have not our Scriptures called God father? Does not father love his children?Umar Lahmi: Mere repetition of the word love leads us nowhere unless all its conditions are fulfilled. If anyone loves another, he should prove it by the sacrifice of his life and possessions and then only can he be said to have loved truly. Therefore Islam has prescribed obedience and service as the criterion of love which is another name of sacrifice of life and possessions. The Quran says to the Prophet: “Qul in kuntum tuhibbunAllah fat-tabi’unl yuhbibkum Allah” [Say: If you love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you].* Thus this verse has prescribed a standard of love which has discriminated between true and false love. But in your religion there is no criterion of love. Any pretender can stand up and say that he loves Allah.Head Priest: You have again started a long discussion. I want that everything should be comprehensive so that the decision may be arrived atquickly. However, if your Qur’an has also called God father, which is the highest position of love?Umar Lahmi: If the Qur’an had used the word father for God, it would have been the greatest proof of its deficiency. Islam never used this misleading word for God but, on the other hand, has used such words as have the mostsublime significance as compared tothe term father.Head Priest: You are very impudent, calling the word “father” misleading.Now, tell me quickly what better wordIslam has used instead of father. (The head priest’s neck at this time became stiff and foam came from hismouth in great anger.)Umar Lahmi: There is no reason for the loss of temper. I have called the word “father” misleading because it has become the basis of assigning partners to Allah, and people invented a son to Allah. Christians also believe in the divinity of Christ. As to the better word in place of father used by Islam, that word is Rabb (fosterer), which implies a Being who fosters from beginning to end and his fostering care never ends. So by using the word “fosterer” Islam has taught that Allah’s. fostering love is never withdrawn. But the concept of father implies that father will care for his child up to a certain time and will then become indifferent. Besides, a father can care for his child only in optional matters but not in matters beyond his control. If the child falls ill, father cannot cure his illness while the fostering of Allah is. not so; He has power over everything and in nothing is He helpless and His fostering care is everlasting. This proves that, instead of father, fostereris more suited to the Dignity of Allah and, besides, fosterer is indicative of “Unity of Allah,” while father is the source of assigning partner to Allah in the world.Head Priest: The effects of the fostereras indicated by you find no proof in the world while you cannot shut youreyes to father’s love. So how can one accept a word without meaning which has no proof in the world, while you cannot ignore the effects offather’s love.Umar Lahmi: Unfortunately, the creed of Atonement has clouded yourvision, otherwise you could not have said so. We see every day that a child is fostered in its mother’s womb and in childhood and youth and old age the fostering care continues. That is, his fostering continues from beginning to end. Is it not he work of the Rabb (fosterer) which we see very day?Head Priest: The Holy Bible says that God has such a love with the people of the world that He sacrificed His only child for the sake of men. What better proof can be of love that father secrifices his dearest thing for love.Umar Lahmi: This very statement of the Bible refutes your claim. You mean that the father is one who sacrifices his pure and innocent son for the sake of impure and sinful men. That is, father’s love was manifested thus that he killed his innocent son. But the fosterer is one who is not unjust to anyone. On the other hand, He punishes the unjust. The Quran says: “Wa la tuziru waziratun wizra ukhra” [And no burdened soul can bear another’s burden].* But your father killed his own child. If to crucify and kill one’s innocent and sinless child is love we cannot touch such love with a pair of tongs.Head Priest (to other priests) : I had thought that this man was inclined toJesus Christ, but he is a stiff “unbeliever”. Everything that I have said is of high order but how can these people understand them ? (To Umar Lahmi:) Your heart has turned black. Christ does not want to accept you. Now, you go away from here. I have nothing to do with you. You justcame to annoy me. (To the priests:) You should also have no concern with these people. You have seen thatthey are so hot-headed, they would not agree to anything.Uinar Lahmi But, sir…Head Priest: Shut up, now. I have seen for what purpose you came hereand with what object you talk to us.So saying the Head Priest, exhibiting his Christian manners, left for his room on the upper storey. Umar Lahmi and other Muslim divines came out raising the cry of “Nasrun min Allah wa fathun qarib” [Help from Allah and victory is at hand].
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