Timely words of various Saints and Fathers on Islam
In an age of ecumenism, and acceptance of false religions whilst rejecting the True Faith of God as found in Christ our God, there has been a tendency to whitewash one of the most abhorrent and fastest growing religions that grows as canker in the body.
Besides the Holy Scriptures, we also have the Holy Fathers and Saints in the history of the Christian Church who have dealt with this false religion, and some have even been martyred under it for refusal to deny faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Scriptures warn about the spirit of antichrist that deceives many, even within the Church. This same spirit also creates false religions that deny our Lord Jesus Christ’s Person, Deity and Work of Salvation. In fact, we are commanded by the Holy Scriptures to test the spirits and see if it is of God or of the antichrist. Only the Spirit of God will confess the Deity of our Lord and His person whereas the antichrist spirit will seek to deny it or mock it in some way. (I John 4:1-3; Jude 3; I Corinthians 12:3).
Without further ado, let us hear from various Fathers and Saints in the History of the Christian Church on the nature of this religion of Satan.
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov (19th Century Saint, Father and Theologian in Russia, 1807-1867)
St. Ignatius Brianchianinov
Vainly and erroneously you think and say that virtuous… Muslims will be saved, that is they will join intercourse with God! Vainly you consider the contrary notion a novelty, a brief error! No! Such is the eternal teaching of the true Church, both Old Testament and New. The Church has always confessed that there exists one means of salvation: the Redeemer! She has confessed that the most virtuous of the fallen really do descend to Hell. Did the righteous of the True Church, the illumined from whom shone the Holy Spirit, the prophets and wonderworkers, believers in the Redeemer’s coming but with the demise of the anticipated coming of the Redeemer, descend to Hell so that, as you wish, the Muslims who neither recognize nor believe in the Redeemer receive, because they seem to you good people, that salvation which is delivered solely– solely, I repeat to you, by means of — belief in the Redeemer? — Christians! Know Christ! — Witness that you don’t know Him, that you denied him in claiming the possibility of salvation without Him for some kind of virtue! Claiming the possibility of salvation without belief in Christ denies Him and, maybe not consciously, falls into the grave sin of blasphemy. “Therefore we conclude,” says the Holy Apostle Paul, “that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:28) “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:22-4). You will object: “The Holy Apostle James requires without fail good works; he teaches that ‘faith, if it hath not works, is dead’ (James 2:17).” Look again at what the Holy Apostle James requires. You will see that he, just like all God-inspired writers of Holy Scripture, requires the works of faith, and not the virtues of our fallen state! He requires living faith, confirmed by the deeds of the new man, and not the virtues of the fallen state, which are repugnant to faith. He cites the deeds of Patriarch Abraham, the work from which appeared the faith of a righteous man: this work consisted of offering as a sacrifice to God his only begotten son. To offer one’s son as a sacrifice– this is totally not a virtue according to human nature: it is a virtue as the fulfilment of the command of God, as a work of faith. Take a good look at the New Testament and in general all of Holy Scripture: you will find that it demands fulfilment of the commandments of God, that this fulfilment is called works, that from this fulfilment of God’s commandments faith in God comes to life, as functioning; without works faith is dead, lacking any movement. And contrary to this, you will find that virtuous works of the fallen state, done out of feeling, blood, impulses or tenderheartedness– are prohibited, repudiated! And namely for these virtues you like… the Muslims! To them, though it were repudiation of Christ, you want to give salvation.
Letter No. 203
You are blessed if you recognize the difference between the virtuous of the spirit and of the heart, between the virtuous peculiar solely to the New Adam, and virtuous which the old Adam is capable of joining: between the virtuous of the Gospel and the virtuous of our fallen state, the virtuous to whom are not strange idolaters, Muslims and all such people who shun the following of sacred Truth.
Letter No. 234
Faith is sacred and true only when it is faith in the sacred Truth, when it is faith which yields on the earth the human form of divine Truth, our Lord Jesus Christ. Any other faith, except faith in the sacred Truth, is superstition. The fruits of superstition are ruin. Such faith is condemned by God: it is the faith of idolaters in their idols, Muslims in their false prophet Mohammed and in the Qu’ran, heretics in their blasphemous dogmas and in their hereseiarchs, and rationalists in their fallen human intellect. With this faith will the Antichrist be believed by his followers.
Letter No. 236
There is no doubt that the action of spirits can be nourishing. But thus imparted to believe in them is impossible: if they occasionally speak even truth, it is in order to injure all the more reliably. At the present time their most important work is to let fall all that is true in the idea of God and of all that is divine and to glorify the idea of man in his fallen state, the more reason so to prepare the glorification of that man who extols himself above God according to the prophecy of the Holy Apostle Paul. Such an idea, which ruined men in paradise! Only it now uncoils more vastly. What Papism! What Mohammedism! This is only camouflage; this is particular activity. The Pope and Mohammed serve the fore-representation of the Antichrist…
Letter No. 358
[All emphasis mine]The Blessed Father was talking to one of his spiritual sons who erroneously believed that Muslims could be saved outside of Christ merely on “good works”. He not only has to correct this erroneous notion but also point out that Muslims actually deny the Faith of Christ, thus denying themselves salvation. In addition, he needed to point out that Muhammad was a false prophet and a forerunner of the Antichrist. How timely and needed is this advice today to modern day Orthodox sympathisers with error!
ST JOHN OF DAMASCUS a.k.a ST JOHN DAMASCENE (c.645/676 A.D-749 A.D)
St. John Damascene
And there is also the up until now strong and people-deceiving superstition of the Ishmaelites, being the forerunner of Antichrist. And it is born from Ishmael, who was born from Hagar to Abraham, from which they are called Hagarenes and Ishmaelites. And they call them Saracens, as from Σαρρας κενοι (those empty of Sarah), because of what was said by Hagar to the angel: “Sarah has sent me away empty.” So then, these were idolaters and reverenced the morning star and Aphrodite, who they indeed named Khabar in their own language, which means great. [Proof positive that Allah is of pagan origin and not of Holy Scripture!]Therefore, until the time of Heraclius, they were plainly idolaters. From that time and until now came up among them a false prophet called Mamed, who, having encountered the Old and New Testament, as it seems, having conversed with an Arian monk, he put together his own heresy. And under the pretext of seeming pious, attracting (?) people, he reported that a book was sent down to him from heaven by God. Therefore some of the compositions written by him in a book, worthy of laughter, which he handed down to them as an object of reverence. [Muhammad influenced by Arian heresy and composed the false Scripture, the Qu’ran].
He says there is one God, the Maker of all things, neither having been begotten nor having begotten. He says Christ is the Word of God and His Spirit, only a creation and servant, and that he was born without seed from Mary the sister of Moses and Aaron. For he says the Word of God and the Spirit went into Mary and she bore Jesus who was a prophet and servant of God. And that the Jews, acting against the law, wanted to crucify him and having seized (him), they crucified his shadow. For Christ himself, they say, was not crucified nor did he die, for God took him to himself into heaven because he loved him. [Open denial of Christ’s crucifixion by Muhammad detailed in the Qu’ran]
And he says this, that when Christ went up into the heavens, God questioned him, saying, “O Jesus, did you say that „I am the Son of God and God‟?” And Jesus, they say, answered, “Have mercy on me, O Lord; you know that I did not say (that), nor am I too proud to be your servant, but men who have turned aside wrote that I said this word and lied about me, and are wandering.” And God, they say, answered him, “I know that you did not say this word.” And many other astonishing sayings in this same writing, worthy of laughter, he boasts God sent down to him. [Muhammad putting words into the mouth of Christ openly denying our Lord’s deity, all found in the Qu’ran]
But we say, “And who is the witness that God gave the writing to him, or which of the prophets foretold that such a prophet would arise?” And they are at a loss, as Moses received on Mount Sinai, in the sight of all the people, the Law of God who appeared in cloud and fire and darkness and storm. And that all the prophets, from Moses and onward, foretold the coming of Christ, and that Christ is God, and the Son of God, being flesh, will come, and will be crucified, and will die, and will rise again, and he will be the judge of the living and the dead. And we say, “Why did your prophet not come in this way, with others witnessing about him, nor coming among you as God gave the Law to Moses on a smoking mountain with all the people watching, and, as you claim, provide this book, so you also might have certainty?” They answer that God does as he wills. We know this too, we say. But, we ask, how did the writing come down to your prophet? And they answer that while he was asleep the writing came upon him. And we jokingly say to them that since he received the writing while sleeping, and did not sense the activity, in him is fulfilled the popular proverb (“You are spinning me dreams”).
Again we ask, “Why, when he commanded us in your writing not to do or to receive anything without witnesses, did you not ask him that „First you show through witnesses whether you are a prophet, and that you came from God, and which Scripture witnesses about you?‟” They are silent, ashamed. To whom we say, “For good reason! Since it is not allowed for you to marry a woman without witnesses, nor to buy, nor acquire property (?), nor do you allow yourselves to have a donkey or an animal unwitnessed. For you indeed also have wives, and properties, and donkeys, and all the rest through witnesses, and you have only a faith and a writing unwitnessed. For he who handed this down to you has in no way an assurance, nor is any previous witness of him known, but he received this also while sleeping.” [A worthwhile refutation of the Divine origin of Muhammad’s revelations! It is laughable and worse than that, immoral and without any heavenly character as evidenced by the behaviour cited here].
And they call us Associators, because, they say, we introduce an associate to God by saying Christ is the Son of God and God. To whom we say that this is what the Prophets and Scripture have handed down. And you, as you insist, accept the Prophets. If, therefore, we are wrong saying Christ is the Son of God, they also are who taught and handed it down to us. And some of them indeed say that we have allegorized the Prophets, imputing (sayings) to them. Others say that the Hebrews, hating (us), have deceived us, having written as from the Prophets, so that we might be destroyed.
And again we say to them, “You say that Christ is the Word of God and the Spirit. How then do you rebuke us as „Associators‟? For the Word and the Spirit are each of them unseparated from Him in Whom they have been born. If, therefore, in God is His Word, it is obvious he is also God. But if he is outside of God, as according to you, God is irrational (αλογος) and lifeless (απνοσς). Therefore, in avoiding to associate with God, you have mutilated him. But it would be better for you to say that he has an associate than to mutilate him, and represent him like a stone, or wood, or any of those insensible things. Thus, indeed, falsely accusing us, you call us „Associators.‟ But we call you „Mutilators of God.‟” [Muslims are refuted as being Mutilators of God due to their inconsistency regarding Christ’s titles in the Qu’ran. Thus the Blessed Father has defended the Trinity well along with the Deity of our Lord using their own sources!]
They also accuse us as idolaters for reverencing the Cross, which they despise. And we say to them, “Why, therefore, do you rub yourselves against the stone by your Khabathan, and love kissing the stone?” And some of them say Abraham had relations with Hagar upon it, and others that he tied up the camel around it when about to sacrifice Isaac. And we respond to them, “The Scripture says that there was a mountain like a grove, and wood from which also Abraham cut for the whole burnt offering on which he laid Isaac, and that he left the donkeys with the servants. Therefore, from what source is your foolish saying? For there is no wood of a forest lying in that place, nor travelling by donkeys.” They are indeed ashamed. Nevertheless, they say the stone is of Abraham. Then we say, “If it is of Abraham, as you foolishly say, therefore are you not ashamed, kissing this thing only because Abraham had relations with a woman upon it, or that he tied up a camel? But you censure us because we show reverence to the Cross of Christ through which the strength of the demons and the deceit of the Accuser is destroyed?” And this thing which they say is a stone is the head of Aphrodite which they reverenced, who they also called Khabar, upon which also even up to now the shadow of an inscription appears to careful observers. [A good refutation of the accusations of idolatry laid against Christians and proof that the reverencing of the Ka’aba by Muslims is more guilty of idolatry and superstition beyond belief compared to the reverence given to the Cross].
As we have said, this Mamed composed many foolish sayings, and he laid upon each of them a title, like the writing “The Women,” in which also he plainly legislates (for a man) to take four wives and one thousand concubines if he is able, however many he might put under his hand, aside from the four wives. And he legislated to divorce whichever one he wishes, or if he wishes, also to take care of another, for this very reason: Mamed had a companion named Zeïd. This one had a beautiful wife, whom Mamed loved. Therefore, when they were sitting together, Mamed said, “Oh, by the way, God has ordered me to take your wife.” And he answered, “You are the Apostle; do as God has said to you. Take my wife.” Or rather, so we might tell it from the beginning, he said to him, “God has ordered me, that you divorce your wife” And he divorced. And after several days, he says, “But God has ordered that I will also take her.” Then he took (her) and committed adultery with her (and) made this law: “He who wills may divorce his wife, but if after divorcing, he would return to her, another must marry her; for it is not allowed to take (her back) if she has not been married by another. And even if a brother divorces, let his brother marry her, if he is willing.” And in the same writing, he transmits this message: “Plough the land which God has given to you, and beautify it” and do this, and in this way—so I might not say all the obscene things as he did. [Proof from the Qu’ran and Hadiths of the inconsistent and amoral behaviour of the so-called “Prophet” Muhammad].
Again, there is the writing of the Camel of God, about which he says that there was a camel from God, and she drank a whole river, and she could not pass between two mountains through which she could not fit. Therefore, he says, a people was in that place, and indeed on one day they would drink the water and the camel on the next. And while drinking the water, she maintained (?) them by providing milk instead of water. Therefore those men, being wicked, rose up, he says, and killed the camel. But there was a small camel of her offspring which, he says, when the mother had been done away with, cried out to God, and He took her to Himself. To them we say, “From where was that camel?” And they say that it was from God. And we say, “Did any other couple with this camel?” And they say, “No.” We say, “Therefore how did she give birth? For we see you camel is without father, without mother, without genealogy. And having given birth, she suffered evil. But neither does the coupler appear, and the little camel was taken up. Therefore, why did not your prophet, to whom, as you say, God has spoken, learn about the camel: where she pastures, and if any drank milk (?) by milking this one? Or was she not at some time, like her mother having met evil men, destroyed? Or did she enter into Paradise, your forerunner, from whom is your river which you foolishly say is of milk? For you say three rivers are to flow for you in Paradise: of water, wine, and milk. If your forerunner camel is outside of Paradise, it is obvious that she has dried up from hunger and thirst, or that others are enjoying her milk. And your prophet is boasting foolishly as having spoken with God, for the mystery of the camel was not revealed to him. And if she is in Paradise, she again drinks the water, and waterless, you will dry up in the midst of the delights of Paradise. But if you desire wine from the river flowing by, since there is no flowing water, for the camel drank it all, you will be inflamed (?) drinking unmixed wine, and collapse (?) in drunkenness, and fall asleep. And also, being heavy-headed after sleep, and having a headache from the wine, you will forget the pleasures of Paradise. Therefore, why did your prophet not think of these things that might happen to you in the Paradise of delights? Nor did he consider about the camel, where she now lives. But neither did you ask him, as the dream-teller was telling you about the three rivers. But we tell you definitely, your wonderful camel has run ahead of you into the souls of donkeys, where you are soon to live like animals. And in that place is the outer darkness, and endless punishment, the roaring fire, the unsleeping worm, and demons of Tartarus. [Warning of damnation upon Muslims should they continue to follow such vain superstition instead of turning to Christ our God].
Mamed speaks again (in) the writing of The Table. And he says that Christ asked God for a table, and he gave it to him. For God, he says, said to him that “I have given to you and to yours an incorruptible table.”
Again, the writing of The Cow, and some other foolish sayings worthy of laughter, I think I should skip because of their number. He legislated that they be circumcised, including the women, and also commanded not to keep the Sabbath, nor to be baptized, and to eat some of the things forbidden in the Law, and to avoid (some of) those it permitted. And he entirely forbade the drinking of wine.
[Found in The Fount of Knowledge contained in chapter: “On Heresies”, and under the section: “The Ishmaelites/Hagarenes”. Emphasis all mine].Enough said from this Blessed Father. Should it not be obvious by now that Muhammad and his Qu’ran and his Allah are not of the True God but of Satan? Should it not be obvious by now that this satanic invention has ruined many souls to hell and also continues to harm the world deceiving others into believing that it is of Heavenly origin? Our Lord Jesus Christ warned very clearly: “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16) regarding such heresiarchs and all the false religions founded by such. If we love Muslims enough, then we would be willing to tell them the Truth about Christ so much so as to pull them out from a painful, fiery eternity meant for the Devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41). It seems that love has waxed cold both towards our Lord and towards the souls of men! May Christ have mercy upon us and give us a real revival of the Holy Spirit to pull souls from going to hell with their false religions and sins and lead them to the Only One Who can save humanity from sin and damnation: Christ our God. May we be revived again by the Spirit of Christ our God. Amen!
ABO, THE PEFRUMER OF BAGHDAD, MARTYR AND SAINT (?-786A.D)
Georgian icon of St. Abo the Perfumer of Baghdad
This saint and martyr was once a Muslim who converted to Christ. When he was caught by his Arab countrymen in Baghdad after leaving Georgia and asked to deny his faith in Christ, here is how he responded when asked by the judge to recant and return to the Islam of his parents:
“You are quite right saying that I am a Saracen by blood, born into that race on both father’s and mother’s side. I was educated in the religion of Muhammad, and lived according to it as long as I remained in ignorance. But when the Almighty had mercy on me and selected me from among my brothers and relatives and saved me through His Son Jesus Christ my God, and granted me a more perfect understanding, then I quitted my former faith, as being a manmade creed based on fables thought up by human subtlety and invention. So now I cling to the true faith of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as revealed to us by Jesus Christ. In that faith I have been baptized and now worship, for this is the True God, and now I am a Christian un-wavering in my conviction.” [Emphasis mine]
When he was preparing to be martyred, he said the following: “I thank and bless Thee, O Holy Trinity, that Thou hast made me worthy to take part in the feats of Thy holy martyrs!” He thus ended his life as a martyr refusing to recant his faith in Christ.
St. Abo, pray for the Church in the Islamic world that they will not be compromisers but follow the way of salvation without deviation. Amen.
[All the words relating to this Saint’s life can be found in: http://www.oocities.org/umaximov/abo-eng.htm ].We are in need of such Saints more than ever in this world. Islam is false and Jesus Christ is Lord. May God grant more Muslims the same salvation that this Saint found in Christ.
Russian icon of St. Abo the Perfumer of Baghdad
OTHER SAINTS AND FATHERS WHO CONFRONTED ISLAM FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST OUR GOD
ST. GREGORY PALAMAS (1296A.D.-1359A.D)
St. Gregory Palamas
In a debate at a Turkish nobleman’s palace, he stated: “It is true that Muhammad started from the east and came to the west, as the sun travels from east to west. Nevertheless he came with war, knives, pillaging, forced enslavement, murders, and acts that are not from the good God but instigated by the chief manslayer, the devil. Consider now, in times past, did not Alexander (the Great) prove victorious from the West to the East? There have also been many others, in many other times, who set out on military campaigns and dominated the world. Yet none of the peoples believed in their leaders as you revere Muhammad. Though Muhammad may employ violence and offer pleasures, he cannot secure the approval of the world. Albeit, the teaching of Christ, though it turns away from (worldly) pleasures, it has taken hold to the ends of the world, without violence, since it is opposed to it. This phenomenon is the victory that overcomes the world. [I John 5:4]”
[All the words quoted can be found in this document containing this Saint’s words in: http://www.scribd.com/doc/55174077/St-Gregory-Palamas-on-Islam ]Regarding the behaviour of the Muslims who had attacked Constantinople, he had the following to say:
“they live a reproachful, inhuman, and God-hating life ….to live a prodigal life in swords and knives, indulging in slavery, murder, plundering, rape, licentiousness, adultery and homosexuality.” [Emphasis mine].
Has anything changed even now? All the above behaviours can be found anywhere where Muslims have the upper hand in a nation.
[Words can be found here: http://www.answering-islam.org/history/byzantine_responses.html ]ST. SOPHRONIOS, PATRIACH OF JERUSALEM (560A.D-638A.D.)
St. Sophronios of Jerusalem
St. Sophronios was not only Patriarch of Jerusalem, but revered by Orthodox and Latins (Roman Catholics) alike. He died broken hearted over the fall of Jerusalem to the Muslims under Abu Bakr, successor of Muhammad. Before the takeover of Jerusalem by Islamic forces, he said the following in a Christmas Sermon, around either 637 or 638 A.D, regarding the Arab Islamic invasion of Jerusalem:
“But the present circumstances are forcing me to think differently about our way of life, for why are [so many] wars being fought among us? Why do barbarian raids abound? Why are the troops of the Saracens attacking us? Why has there been so much destruction and plunder? Why are there incessant outpourings of human blood? Why are the birds of the sky devouring human bodies? Why have churches been pulled down? Why is the cross mocked? Why is Christ, who is the dispenser of all good things and the provider of this joyousness of ours, blasphemed by pagan mouths so that he justly cries out to us: “Because of you my name is blasphemed among the pagans,” and this is the worst of all the terrible things that are happening to us. That is why the vengeful and God-hating Saracens, the abomination of desolation clearly foretold to us by the prophets, overrun the places which are not allowed to them, plunder cities, devastate fields, burn down villages, set on fire the holy churches, overturn the sacred monasteries, oppose the Byzantine armies arrayed against them, and in fighting raise up the trophies [of war] and add victory to victory. Moreover, they are raised up more and more against us and increase their blasphemy of Christ and the church, and utter wicked blasphemies against God. Those God-fighters boast of prevailing over all, assiduously and unrestrainably imitating their leader, who is the devil, and emulating his vanity because of which he has been expelled from heaven and been assigned to the gloomy shades.” [Emphasis mine].
[Words can be found here: http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27707&view=next&sid=122dc02437b20cbc88a9073f513bfd11 and also: http://www.answering-islam.org/history/byzantine_responses.html ]Other words by the Saintly Patriarch in the Christmas sermon relating to the Muslim conquest as a sign of judgment from God for sin of the Church:
“We, however, because of our innumerable sins and serious misdemeanours, are unable to see these things, and are prevented from entering Bethlehem by way of the road. Unwillingly, indeed, contrary to our wishes, we are required to stay at home, not bound closely by bodily bonds, but bound by fear of the Saracens….At once that of the Philistines, so now the army of the godless Saracens has captured the divine Bethlehem and bars our passage there, threatening slaughter and destruction if we leave this holy city and dare to approach our beloved and sacred Bethlehem….If we were to live as is dear and pleasing to God, we would rejoice over the fall of the Saracen enemy and observe their near ruin and witness their final demise. For their blood-loving blade will enter their hearts, their bow will be broken and their arrows will be fixed in them….the godless Saracens entered the holy city of Christ our Lord, Jerusalem, with the permission of God and in punishment for our negligence, which is considerable, and immediately proceeded in haste to the place which is called the Capitol. They took with them men, some by force, others by their own will, in order to clean that place and to build that cursed thing, intended for their prayer and which they call a mosque.” [Emphasis mine. Notice how the Muslims are sent as punishment for sin in the Church just as the children of Israel were punished for sin by foreign invaders. A warning to the Church even today! See the details at: http://www.christianorigins.com/islamrefs.html ].
Sadly, many Orthodox do not learn the object lesson of history as to who really hates and oppresses Christians to the point of having the Stockholm Syndrome towards Muslim terrorists in the Holy Land. If only they could understand this Saint’s words and broken heart, even though he may have handed the keys of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to the Arabs merely to protect the Church, which history reveals did not always work. Christians are on the tenterhooks of Muslim rulers and it only takes one Muslim ruler who decides to follow Muhammad to the end degree that will spell annihilation and destruction for the Church in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Have we lost our minds?
Some non-Orthodox Christian Saints that had encounters with Islam and fought against its evil
St. Francis of Assisi (1181A.D-1226A.D.), Latin/Papist
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi was taken to the Sultan of Cairo. Whilst there, he walked through burning coals for Christ in answer to a challenge by the Sultan. The Sultan was stunned by the miracle of this, and listened to him. Although not converted to Christ, yet the Sultan had respect for him and let him go in peace. St. Francis stated the following to him:
“We have come to preach faith in Jesus Christ to you, that you will renounce Mohammad, that wicked slave of the devil, and obtain everlasting life like us.”
[See this website for the words: http://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/index_content.php/#onislam ]In addition, due to the Sultan’s unwillingness to renounce Islam for Christ in the beginning, he stated:
“If you do not wish to believe we will commend your soul to God because we declare that if you die while holding to your law you will be lost; God will not accept your soul. For this reason we have come to you.”
Although the Sultan could have executed St. Francis and his assistant monk with him at the time, he released them and it is recorded that after St. Francis’ death, this Sultan was dying, trying to find the 2 friars whom witnessed to him earlier. On the Sultan’s deathbed, he received both the Sacrament of Baptism and Last Rites. Glory be to God! For a Muslim to accept Baptism, is a big step since most Muslims see that as the last straw of apostasy from Islam. If only there are more Orthodox Christians as well as Catholic and Evangelical Christians who are bold enough to confront Islam and not engage in meaningless “dialogue” of ecumenism. Thank you God for your Saints and Holy Ones who did not shy away from You and who can teach us how to face heresy and evil in the world.
[Please read: St. Francis of Assisi and the Conversion of the Muslims by Frank M. Rega. The words just quoted can be found here: http://www.realclearreligion.com/index_files/90a6cf37d7a46ec865eea7397276f2d8-349.html ]St. Thomas Aquinas (1225A.D.-1274A.D.), Latin Theologian and Doctor
St. Thomas Aquinas
The following was given in Chapter 6 of his Contra Gentiles:
“On the other hand, those who founded sects committed to erroneous doctrines proceeded in a way that is opposite to this, The point is clear in the case of Muhammad. He seduced the people by promises of carnal pleasure to which the concupiscence of the flesh goads us. His teaching also contained precepts that were in conformity with his promises, and he gave free rein to carnal pleasure. In all this, as is not unexpected, he was obeyed by carnal men. As for proofs of the truth of his doctrine, he brought forward only such as could be grasped by the natural ability of anyone with a very modest wisdom. Indeed, the truths that he taught he mingled with many fables and with doctrines of the greatest falsity. He did not bring forth any signs produced in a supernatural way, which alone fittingly gives witness to divine inspiration; for a visible action that can be only divine reveals an invisibly inspired teacher of truth. On the contrary, Muhammad said that he was sent in the power of his arms—which are signs not lacking even to robbers and tyrants. What is more, no wise men, men trained in things divine and human, believed in him from the beginning, Those who believed in him were brutal men and desert wanderers, utterly ignorant of all divine teaching, through whose numbers Muhammad forced others to become his followers by the violence of his arms. Nor do divine pronouncements on the part of preceding prophets offer him any witness. On the contrary, he perverts almost all the testimonies of the Old and New Testaments by making them into fabrications of his own, as can be. seen by anyone who examines his law. It was, therefore, a shrewd decision on his part to forbid his followers to read the Old and New Testaments, lest these books convict him of falsity. It is thus clear that those who place any faith in his words believe foolishly.” [Emphasis mine] [Words to this can be found here: http://dhspriory.org/thomas/ContraGentiles1.htm#6 ]
Can we see why Muslims refer to the Holy Scriptures as “corrupted”? Because of Muhammad’s brainwashing to the extent where if Muslims were to actually investigate the truth, Islam and Muhammad loses all credibility. Praise God, this is happening throughout the Islamic world and Muslims are coming to the Christ of Holy Scripture, regardless of the denomination they go to: Evangelical/Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic/Latin Church.
CONCLUSION
It is clear from the Holy Scripture and the Holy Fathers and Saints that Islam is indeed a threat to both the Christian Faith and to the Church as well as the world. May many professing Christians in the Orthodox Church as well as the other denominations, wake up and to use the words of the late Father Seraphim Rose, “Be Christians once again”, and thus defend Christ our God and Divine Spouse. May Christians not only have a real appreciation of the dangers of Islam but also a compassion willing to bring Muslims to the Only Way, Truth and Life: our Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Christ died for sinners of whom I am chief (I Timothy 1:15). This knowledge is the source of our salvation and the salvation of the world, and hence we appeal as Christians with all compassion, for Muslims to turn to the true Jesus Christ of Scripture, Who is fully God and fully man, Who died for the sins of mankind, Who rose again from the dead, and Who is returning as Judge for the living and the dead to give unto man according to his works. May Orthodox and all other Christians be willing to face this evil religion by the horns and pull souls out from the miry pit that sinks into hell, even if it means we lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. God bless.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and unto the ages upon ages, world without end. Amen.
Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι,
καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. (Greek)
ل مجد ل لآب والاب ن وال روح ال قدس،
والآ ن وك ل أوان وإل ى دهر ال داهري ن . آم ين (Arabic)
פאר האב והבן ורוח הקודש ,
ו מעתה ועד עולם ואל הגילאים הגילאים . אמן . (Hebrew)
Слава Отцу и Сыну и Святому Духу, И ныне и присно и во веки веков. Аминь. (Russian)
Gloire au Père et du Fils et du Saint Esprit, Et maintenant et toujours et aux siècles des siècles. Amen. (French)
Gloria al Padre y al Hijo y Espíritu Santo, Y ahora y para siempre y por los siglos de los siglos. Amén. (Spanish)
榮耀的父與子，和聖靈， 而現在以及永遠與直到世世無盡。阿門。(Chinese)
父と子と聖霊に栄光、 そして今と永遠歳の年齢層に至る。アーメン。 (Japanese)
아버지이자 아들아및 성령이에 영광을 그리고 이제 토록및 연령대의 나이 하려. 아멘. (Korean)
Kemuliaan kepada Bapa dan Anak dan Roh Kudus, Dan sekarang dan selamanya dan sampai usia usia. Amin. (Indonesian)
اف تخار ب ه پ در و پ سر و روح ال قدس ،
و حا لا و ب رای هم ي شه و ب ه ن زد سن سن . آم ين . (Persian)
พระสิริกับพระบิดาและพระบุตรทรงการพระวิญญาณบริสุทธิ์ทรง, และตอนการตลอดกาลและจงทุกวัยที่มีอายุ อาเมน (Thai)
पऩता और ऩुत्र और ऩपित्र आत्मा की जय, और अब और हमेशा के लऱए और उम्र की उम्र के इधार. आमीन. (Hindi)
Baba ve Oğul ve Kutsal Ruh şan, Şimdi ve sonsuza dek ve yaşlanma hızı yaşlar yanına. Amin. (Turkish)
EARNESTLY CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH WHICH WAS ONCE DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS. (JUDE 1:3)
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