Islam and Christianity

called Hawâriyyûn (Apostles, or disciples). When he was raised up
to heaven alive, the Apostles dispersed, each going to a different
place to spread the new religion. Some time later, books were
written in the name of Bible. They were history books telling
about Îsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’. The genuine Bible (Injîl) has never been
obtained. Unbelief and polytheism prevailed everywhere. Îsâ’s
‘alaihis-salâm’ religion was kept hidden for three hundred years.
People who were found to have belief in it were subjected to
persecution. The Roman emperor Constantine declared that
religion free in 310, and he himself became a Christian, too. He
built the city of Istanbul and moved his throne from Rome to
Istanbul. However, because the essentials of that religion had
already been defiled and forgotten, it was degenerated into a
plaything in the hands of priests. In the three hundred and ninetyfifth
[395] year of the Christian Era, the Roman Empire was
broken into two different religious states. Those who remained
adherent to the Pope in Rome were called Catholic, while the
people who attached themselves to the Patriarch in Istanbul were
termed Orthodox. Churches were filled with images and icons.
Other nations had already been living in nescience and polytheism.
The Romans captured the entire Europe, Egypt, Syria, and Iraq.
They were advanced in science and arts, yet degenerated in
morals. They took to dissipation and cruelty. They spread their
immoralities in the countries they captured. Fortunately, they did
not attack the Arabian peninsula.
“The Arabs, in the meantime, remained intact in their ignorant
world. Some of them had somehow found themselves in
Christianity, some had been practising the Judaic religion, a great
majority had been worshipping idols, and others were still
adherent to the old traditions and customs surviving from the
dispensations of Prophets Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and Ismâîl
(Ishmael) ‘alaihim-as-salawâtu wa-t-taslîmât’. Most of the
inhabitants of Mekka were idolaters. The Ka’ba was awash in idols
and icons. And the entire world was in darkness and heresy.
Stranded as the Arabs were scientifically, they importantly
concerned themselves with literature. There were eloquent orators
and influential poets among them. Most people boasted with their
poetic skills. This general tendency and emulation towards
perfection was a portent of the Holy Book Allâhu ta’âlâ was soon
to reveal.” This is the end of our translation from Ahmed Cevdet
Pâşa.
– 153 –