Chapter One : Christian MuslimResponses

Debate on TV

At the end of the debate – “Christianity and Islam” – whichappeared on the SABC-TV program “Cross Questions” on Sunday 5thJune 1983, the Chairman, Mr. Bill Chalmers commented: “I think itcan be said from this discussion that there is, at present, somewhatmoreaccommodation on the Islamic side for the founder of Christianity thanthere is on the Christian side for the founder of Islam. What thesignificanceof that is, we leave it to you, the viewer, to determine, but I dothinkyou will agree that it is a good thing that we are talking together.”

“Bill” as he is popularly addressed, without any formalities,on all his programs, by all his panelists, is extremely charming andstupendousin his humility. He is a picture of what the Holy Quran portrays of agoodChristian:

“…And nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou findthose who say: ‘We are Christians’: because among these are men devotedto learning and men who have renounced the world. And they are notarrogant.”(The Holy Quran 5:82)

Jesus – His Status

Were the Muslims on the panel trying to placate the viewers outpolicy,deceit or diplomacy? Nothing of the kind! They were only articulatingwhatGod Almighty had commanded them to say in the Holy Quran. As Muslims,theyhad no choice. They had said in so many words: “We Muslims believe,that Jesus was one of the mightiest messengers of God that he was theChrist,that he was born miraculously without any male intervention (which manymodern-day Christians do not believe today), that he gave life to thedeadby God’s permission and that he healed those born blind and the lepersby god’s permission. In fact, no Muslim is a Muslim if he or she doesnotbelieve in Jesus!”

Pleasant Surprise

Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have beenpleasantly,but skeptically, surprised. They might have not believed their ears.Theymust have surmised that the Muslims were playing to the gallery – thatthey were trying to curry favor with their fellow Christian countrymen;that if the Muslims would say a few good words about Jesus, then inreciprocationthe Christians might say a few good words about Muhammed (may the peaceand the blessings of God be upon all His righteous servants, Moses,Jesus,Muhammed…etc.); that I scratch your back and you scratch my back -whichwould be a sham or hypocrisy.

Hate Cultivated

We cannot blame the Christians for their skepticism. They have beenso learned for centuries. They were trained to think the worst of themanMuhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, and his religion. Howaptlydid Thomas Carlyle say about his Christian brethren over a hundred andfifty years ago: “The lies which well-meaning zeal has heaped roundthis man (Muhammed) are disgraceful to ourselves only.” We Muslimsare partly responsible for this. We have not done anything substantialto remove the cobwebs.

Ocean of Christianity

South Africa is an ocean of Christianity. If Libya boasts thehighestpercentage of Muslims on the continent of Africa, then the Republic ofSouth Africa would also be entitled to boast the highest percentage ofChristians. In this ocean of Christianity the R.S.A. – the Muslims arebarely 2% of the total population. We are a voteless minority -numerically,we count for nothing; politically, we count for nothing; andeconomically,one white man, as Oppenheimer, could buy out the whole lot of us, lock,stock and barrel.

So if we had feigned to appease, we might be excused. But no! Wemustproclaim our Master’s Will; we must declare the Truth, whether we likedit or not. In the words of Jesus: “Seek ye the truth, and the truthshall set you free” (John 8:32).