Ch8.1: Behind the Curtain

In the course of this talk Umar Lahmi addressed Isabella.Umar Lahmi: So for securing forgiveness of sins all kinds of dirty acts have to be narrated? But how did you use to seek forgiveness?Isabella (lowering her eyes with modesty): On a given date everyone has to go to the great church, the same where you had discussion withMichael and Peter and then…Umar Lahmi: Are girls also bound to appear?Isabella: Yes, every adult girl and boyis present there and the priest enquires from everyone what sins he had committed the previous week. After stating the sins and making confession, the priest, passing his hand on the head of the sinner, says: Now go. By the blessing of Jesus Christ all your sins are forgiven.Umar Lahmi: Are questions put to everyone in seclusion or in the presence of all?Isabella: It would not have been so shameful if everyone were asked to confess in seclusion. But everyone is questioned in the presence of all before the certificate of pardon is granted.Umar Lahmi: Allah forgive! Even in the presence of unmarried boys and girls?Isabella: Yes, and in fact (bowing her head in shame again) unmarried boys and girls have to confess in public and in the hearing of all.Umar Lahmi: Allah forgive us! In the confession of sins many shameful things may have to be stated. Supposing one has committed theft, he shall have to confess it before all.Isabella: Not only theft, even the mostheinous act has to be publicly confessed. If anyone does not confess and conceals something, then the pardon is not granted and the sinner is threatened of Hell.Umar Lahmi: This might be having a very bad effect on the morals of unmarried boys and girls.Isabella: Certainly. But among the Roman Catholics no importance is attached to sins securing pardon of sins being so easy. This has made people bold in committing sins.One of the audience: Are sins of common people forgiven by the priest himself?Ziad (smiling): Probably the priest may not be committing any sins.At this stage Ziad b. Umar leaves the meeting and goes upstairs to devote himself in prayer and devotion.Isabella (lowering eyes in shame andmodesty): You cannot conceive what our religious leaders do, particularly our monks, and how full of sins is their life.Umar Lahmi: What! Are the lives of religious leaders even worse than common people? What are you talking? It does not mean that by becoming a Muslim you make false allegations against anyone. Punishment of false accusation is very severe according to the Holy Quran.Isabella: You must think like that because you are not aware of the black record of the monks’ lives and since you cannot even conceive of these shameful acts, you may not be wrong if you think me lying or disbelieve me.Umar Lahmi: Is it a fact? If so, please let us know in detail.All those present insisted that Isabella should throw some light on these matters so that they may have an idea of the great boons conferred by Islam.Isabella: You know that abandoning the world and the life of a monk have been greatly stressed in Christianity and, therefore, most of our priests have adopted monkery and have forsaken the world. To gain salvation they take great pains and afflict their bodies. In the same way women also become nuns (that is follow in the footsteps of Virgin Mary and lead unmarried lives). But at the same time monks and nuns cannot maintain their chastity. Monks and religious leaders are also corrupt and nuns often completely lose their chastity. Because of confession and pardon monks often find a good opportunity to satisfy their lust. Nunsare mostly involved in this moral depravity while some monks do not spare even their mothers and sisters. [Laski, History of Civilization of Europe, Vol. II].