Ch 7.2: Meeting of the Men of Allah

Isabella: The weaknesses of Christianity have become manifest toall of them, and they have recognisedthe truth of Islam, but they have not yet mustered enough courage to give up their ancestral religion and declare their adherence to Islam.Ziad: Well, Allah will give them the necessary courage. We shall also pray for them.Umar Lahmi: Bring Michael’s daughter also some day so that her doubts may also be removed.Isabella: Tomorrow or day after I willsurely bring her with me and if all thefour girls do not come, I will bring at least this one (Michael’s daughter) with me.Ziad: I tell you, daughter, again that you should accept Islam after clearing all your doubts and never, by any greed or deception, for Allah wants sincerity and the Quran says that a Muslim’s life and death, prayerand devotion, sitting and standing, sleep and walking everything should be for Allah and the pleasure of Allah should be the aim of our life.Isabella: Oh sir, I say it and bring God to witness that no lust or greed has brought me to the threshold of Islam, nor the acquisition of wealth and power is my aim. You yourself know the honour my father enjoys in Cordova and throughout Spain.Ziad: May Allah reward you, give youfirmness and shower His bounties onyou.Umar Lahmi: Islam is the only religion by accepting which Allah’s bounties are showered on man and all his sins are forgiven.Isabella (smiling): All my sins are forgiven every week by the priest of Cordova, who is in charge of the department of inquisition and (bowing her head) I am already sinless and innocent.Ziad: What is this department of inquisition and what is the meaning of the priest forgiving sins ? Can any man also forgive sins ?Isabella (with a sham humility): Oh sir, this story is most interesting and probably quite novel to you, as you are not aware of the inner working of Christianity.Ziad: Will you inform us of these matters? Such interesting facts should certainly be worth knowing and no one can relate them better than you.Isabella: Oh sir! Christians go before the altar of the Christ in the presence of the head priest every week and confess their sins which the head priest forgives as, according to Christian creed, the head priest has power to do that as he is considered to be the representative of Saint Peter.Ziad: La hawla wala quwwata ilia billah [Allah forgive us! There is no power or authority except with Allah]. Can any man forgive sins except Allah ? This is why the Quran has accused Christians that they have made their priests and elders their Rabb (fosterer) besides Allah. (In surprise) Have the priests the authority to forgive all sins?Isabella: Yes, provided the sinner confesses all his open and secret sins before the priest. If he has concealed anything it will not be forgiven.