People News
Pope Benedict XVI angers Muslims during German visit
By M&C News Sep 14, 2006, 21:22 GMT
Pope Benedict XVI signs the golden book of the city of Freising on Thursday 14 September 2006 in Saint Mary and Saint Corbiniano\'s Cathedral, in Freising, where he and his brother Georg where together ordained priests 55 years ago, in 1951. Today is the last day of the pontiff\'s visit to his native Bavaria. EPA/MAURIZIO BRAMBATTI POOL
Pope Benedict XVI is under fire by Muslim leaders for quoting perceived anti-Islamic comments during a speech at a German university.
The Pope quoted a 14th-Century Christian emperor who said Muhammad had brought the world only "evil and inhuman" things.
The Pope addressed an audience at Regensburg University, where he discussed the historical and philosophical differences between Islam and Christianity and the relationship between violence and faith.
Saying these words were not his words, the Pope quoted Emperor Manual II Paleologos of Byzantine, the Orthodox Christian empire which had its capital in what is now the city of Istanbul.
The emperors words were, the Pope said: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."
The Pope is due to visit Turkey in November and the Turkish response was swift and strong, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Istanbul.
The BBC quoted a Pakistani Islamic scholar, Javed Ahmed Gamdi, said jihad was not about spreading Islam with the sword.
In Kashmir, police seized copies of newspapers which reported the Pope's comments to prevent any outbreak of reactionary violence.
The BBC correspondent reports that “Turks see Benedict as a Turkophobe and commentators call his words just before the holy month of Ramadan "ill-timed and ill-conceived."
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Anyone who would write such an ignorant comment has no business telling others that they don't know history. I am a Christian and can still see that what the pope said was stupid. The one problem I have is that most newsmedia are very sensationalist and that the full context of the comment is not given. Three other articles I've read on the same subject do not even note that the Pope was quoting someone else. In any case this is disrespectful to Islam. Even the bible contains comments that could be interpreted to preach the word by sword.(Read the last chapters in the gospels or earlier books of the Old testament). Christian history is just as bloody as Islamic.
Oboy, now he's done it: the Pope has gone & insulted the 'religion of peace'! This means that the peace-loving Muslims will again be rioting & screaming for jihad & detonating themselves amongst Christians & infidels everywhere. And Iran will doubtless place a fatwah & a big juicy bounty on him. Remember the Danish cartoons? That & this ruckus about the Pope's comments show just how much a religion of peace Islam is NOT. Yes, Islam was founded with the sword but unlike the Catholics, Muslims are still using it today (they're perfect for beheadings!) Why are they so upset about these comments? Because the truth stings! And you can read the truth about Islam at www.prophetofdoom.net
I would like to comment on the Pope’s recent message denigrating the prophet Muhammad and misinterpreting Islam and misunderstanding jihad (self control).
1) John Paul II was the embodiment of the love of Jesus and he endeared people to him and Catholicism. Praying to the common God and joint prayers were a fantastic manifestation of our common humanity. Any other direction will alienate Muslims, Christians and Jews away from each other.
2) Arab armies never conquered or stayed in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, or Bangladesh, where 80% of all Muslims reside. Arab armies did reach the Indus, but Mohammad bin Qasim quickly withdrew. The conversions for a vast majority of Muslims (who now live in Asia)was by Sufis and traders and by example and because Islam was LOGICAL and simple...pray to one God.
3) In the 7th century, Arab armies comprised of less than 25,000 able bodied men as soldiers, out of a population of 50,000. It is a physical impossibility to spread Islam to millions with such a small army or by force of arms. Muslims could not have spread Islam through the sword from Arabia to Morocco and destroyed the Byzantine and Roman empires, if Islam did not have grass level appeal based on 'Arianism' (unity of God), which was never actually eliminated even though Emperor Constantine had imposed trinity at the Council of Nicea in 325AD.
4) Did the Pope have selective amnesia about tolerating the holocaust, sprinkling holy water on the marching Nazi soldiers, directing the crusades, supporting the ethnic cleansing of native Americans, supporting conquistador invasions, administering the Spanish inquisition, encouraging colonialism to civilize the natives, and finding quotes in the Bible to support slavery.
5) The propaganda against our prophet has been waged for centuries, and Muslims keep growing. The more they send crusades, the more Islam grows.
MAYBE THERE WOULD BE PEACE WITHOUT RELIGION.
If Muslims don't like their past they should do something about the present state of Islam in the world. Quite naturally parallels will be drawn,, and discussed, by those hoping to see some positive action from Muslims who say they don't celebrate the events in Afghanistan, Somali, Sudan/Dufar, the Philippines, Palestine, Lebanon, India, and Iraq. And yes Christianity did some very evil things in the name of God but, we're talking about today. The year 2006, where people no matter their religion can not turn to the medieval period for justification. Each generation holds responsibility for it's collective actions, and history inspite of politics or religiosity will show today as clearly as it does yesterday.
If I recall, Christians killed a few million people in order to spread their religion. Inquisition, anyone?
India had to face Islamic aggression since many centuries.All that crap about Islam spread in India by sufis and traders is nonsense.In my city the violence of the last Nizam is experienced upto the time of my parents.Muslim aggressors invaded India.a few centuries later,it was the Christians.So dont blame the Muslims only.Muslim or Christian,Its the Indians who have to suffer.Both Muslims and Christians are abrahmic faiths-They descend from Abraham(hence brothers) and belive ,like the jews,that they are the ONLY gods chosen Hence the zeal to convert and show more people,the 'True Light'.
Before collapse of the communist governments of Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, Popes and Vatican wouldn’t care about what Orthodox Christian figures said. Now there is an opportunity to appeal those populations, he makes quotes form Byzantine Emperors. Pope can say whatever he wants to say and try to endure opposition and criticism and possible consequences. I don’t think it will have any appeal to anybody, it will just create hatred towards Muslims in Europe, especially in places Catholics are the majority.
When we go in to the substance of the comment, if Jihad had anything to do with spreading Islam, it would have been effect all the time. However, if you look at the history; Jihad calls had been made by leaders of Islamic countries in only defensive situations, for example, after the first Crusade, which ended with occupation of Jerusalem, or occupation of Egypt by Napoleon. Ottoman Empire didn’t engage in Jihad or made calls for Jihad when they were spreading through Byzantine or Eastern Europe.
In a war context Jihad refers to defense of the religion and struggle to defend Muslim populations.
People also should differentiate between what Ottomans did and what is Islamic religion. Ottomans were tribal leaders who rose to power in a time when it was possible. They not only commanded Muslim soldiers but also Christians in early stages of Empire when Paleologos was ruling. Turks were not the majority in their land and they were not representing the Islamic world. They were merely attracting people who wanted to fight in the frontiers and their motivation was opportunity to plunder and tax people. It wasn’t a religious fight. Byzantine tried to tell the story to Europe as a religious fight to attract support to Byzantine Empire which was ready to collapse.
Some people are still trying to confuse people for their own agenda. If Pope has hatred against Turks and Muslims he can try to influence other people as much as he can. But I suspect this will only cause hatred against Pope himself. I think people in Europe and World deserve more humane religious leaders.
I think religions should be respected and shouldn’t be used for political gain. People in one religion shouldn’t make offensive comments to other religions, because it will never end with positive results. I never seen a religious people changed by comments by other religions representatives. People of religion can focus their energy on positive stuff like poverty and health problems in poor countries.
Wow, some of you folks actually buy that 'religion of peace' nonsense! As has been pointed out numerous times everywhere but the mainstream media, the pope was spot-on in his remarks. Islamic terrorism is not a modern invention, but simply today's battle in a 1400-year old war. There is complete historical continuity here. Terrorists are following 'What Would Mohammed Do' whereas the Inquisition was not consistent with the character of Jesus. And the fact is the Inquisition is history, whereas Al-Qaida, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, Darfur, ad nauseum are here and now. Make no mistake, I'm a heretic (protestant) according to the Mother Church, so I'll always keep a wary eye on the pope (as we should on any man), but his criticism of Islam is still valid. Some of you talk as if anyone associated with an institution that has committed evil in the past has no business pointing out evil in the present. Well, that's pretty untenable, don't you think?
As for the Crusades, more power to those who will protect Western Civilization from those who would rape and subjugate it. Although there were many things that went wrong in the Crusades, the root cause was a strike against the constant raids and threatened invasion of Europe by Muslims. I only wish our political leaders would have the courage to say these things, teach them in the public schools, and act on them militarily whenh needed, so that christian and catholic leaders wouldn't have to. But, when those who are supposed to be protecting their people are PC-nite-nite, someone has got to say it.
Muslim leaders, by the way, impugn everything about Christianity: saying the Bible is corrupted, our greatest theologian Paul led the church astray, Jesus never died on the cross, and anyone who believes in the trinity is guilty of shirk (polytheism or blasphemy) (eg www.ukim.org under the 'free books' section -- and that seems to be a fairly moderate site). For the pope to simply point out that Mohammed added nothing but blood to the history of faith is a fair and restrained comment.
History is full of people at the bottom trying to knock off those on top. The USA -- a good Christian leader -- loves finding willing dictators, etc., to implement policies that are good for America... and not so good for the people living under that dictator. The US cares about democracy only when the leader is friendly. The current jihad has much to do with US bases in the mideast since the first Gulf War. People somehow believe their faith is always the true one. We kill them and they kill us. Seems we're very confused about religion.
A Sharia professor at Qatar University has invited Pope Benedict XVI to participate in a public debate to challenge his recent comments about Islam.
I think they should just get in the ring and let the Pope beat this moron with his staff.
'Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword' Matthew 10:34
'And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, Ox and sheep, and Ass, with the edge of the sword..' Joshua 6:21
For all those that take aim at Islam & Muslims, Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!
Bunch of racist bush supporters just cause u guys are so arogant u can't see your own 'dark sides' doesn't mena u have to tell other people that there religion is bad. and on the website www.prophetofdoom.net everything quoted and translated from arabic is from a radical point of view i hope u guys have a long time to think about the images ur destroying with shaytaan.
'Muslim Leaders Call Pope's Remarks Anti-Islamic
oh cry me a river you Islamic Scumbags. Allah is a Murderer and Child Molester, hows that for a remark.'
First of all dumbass Allah is arabic for god the same god the christians and the jews believe in. So next time ignorant one do a little research before u insult ur own god. (unless ur an atheist than u have no right to be dissing other peoples religion.)
Some intellectual defunct here WHO SHOULD BE WEARING A HELMET stated that islam is spreading and growing peacefully.
Really?
I do see it growing, but it has nothing to do with peace, love, or tolerance.
Islam is growing inside many western prisons by threats of force and intimidation to all non-muslim inmates.
Islam is spreading by invasion and murder as shown in Southern Sudan, Burma, and now Somalia.
Do gangs of armed men waving machine guns on trucks pointed at civilians in Mogadishu constitute a peaceful conversion of the locals to islam???
I think not.
Cancer and AIDS are also the fastest growing diseases to humans, but does that make them healthy or positive for the patient?
No.
Do you islamic jihadist see what I am conveying to you???
Islam spreads by war, demographics, murder, and intimidation.
One more question.
If islam is so tolerant of others and peaceful than why are all other religions outlawed by pain of death in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, etc, etc?
It is time perhaps that we western nations outlaw islam here and reclassify it as a hostile, political organization bent on violently overthrowing every non-islamic nation on this planet.
Think about it.
Violence is human, Voiolence is not religious. Some very violent humans happen to be chritians, some very violent people happen to be muslims, others happen to be Tutsis and other happen to be hutus and others just happen to be jews. Peaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace Peooooooooooooooooople Peaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace, Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase
The Pope is a man of peace and no doubt loves everybody. I believe his comments were said in the light of the wisdom of what his past Orthodox brothers had said. As Christians we pray for all the people of the world. It does not mean we should not use the wisdom of our forefathers because it is not politically correct to do so in these times we live in. The truth sometimes hurts, but does not mean we don't love for our Muslim brothers.
pope is try to bring more in the world ,you are offend the muslim world let us pray to god let the world be peace
pope dont creat more problem in the world .muslim and christian we pray to one god. let us keep on praying to god let the world being in peace
pope is try to bring more problem in the world ,you are offend the muslim world let us pray to god let the world be peace
I'm just appalled at all these comments. I stumbled across this news piece off news.google.com and so many of these comments are written by emotional people who do not even seem to have read anything at all. I'm a lecturer of European History and working towards my Ph.D. and agnostic by belief. I'm just so shocked at the belligerent attitude... I mean what is wrong with us today? We JUST WANT TO FIGHT!! Thats it... Muslims and Christians have their own chapters of shame... No one can point fingers at anyone and one thing I must add is - I have never read any such comments from Muslims. From cartoons to Popes comments, they're all coming from the other side.
I thought the new Pope was meant to encourage Christian and Islamic understanding and dialogue. For me as a British Muslim alls I am seeing are deep rooted Islamophobic sympathies in the West.
Dear all! Every religion is for peace in its teaching, people adopt a religion due to worship of God and its love for
mankind. Nobody can adopt a religion permanently if it teaches violence.
Whosoever attacks a religion can be a biased and unfair personality at the most but never evenhanded. However, it can be
discussed that a follower misinterprets its religion to fulfil his illicit vicious motives.
The Pope quoted a 14th-Century Christian emperor who said Muhammad had brought the world only 'evil and inhuman' things, is
by far a controversial and provocative statement. It was as intolerable proclamation at that time as it is today. To quote
means you mean it.
God forbid, If someone says today 'Jesus was a coward person who spread love and kindness in response to hitting by the
opponent and Christians should obey their diviner in the same manner & Christianity is just bunch of lost abandoned teachings
and practices even not abode by its followers anywhere in the world. Christians only spread hatred and bias among mankind for
their vested interests and for the so called thought that they are on right path despite any logic. Their bible is just
reproduction of several fathers, popes which they moulded according to their and king's needs as time demanded.'
Is it a statement that is bearable by the western world (predominantly christian). If No! it is their right to protest and
speak against this (and same applies to religion Islam and Muslims too) and if Yes! then that may be reason that christianity
is only believed by followers not practised because it forbids them from indulging too much into worldly gains and free right
of personal opinion about saying anything about God, the Creator and his prophets is a daring act, a normal sane person
cannot even think of.
Islam teaches tolerance towards other religions despite its clearcut teachings that all religions have been cancelled and
nullified after Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alai Wasallam came in the world and the Holy Qur'an revealed upon him. Moreover, it
also educates that respect other religion heads / prophets and do not insult them. It must teach its goodness and virtue by
being more good and path to the cause of Allah. It respects that Christianity was good for people before the holy prophet
Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alai Wasallam was sent for welfare of mankind.
Pope will not do any service to people by quoting sarcastic remarks against Islam and Messenger of Allah Hazrat Muhammad
Sallalaho Alai Wasallam. It will more hatred among christian and Muslims. one more thing, if Islam spread by war what about
the increasing inclination towards conversion to Islam in the West and all over the world. Where is the war by Muslims.
Instead the west (Christian/ Atheists) is waging war against Muslim world (Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Chechnya and so on)
what about creation of Christian state 'East Timor' right in middle of Muslim country by intervention of the West. The
missionaries propagate christianity by taking benefit of problems of poor uneducated unresourceful persons and giving them
some monetary benefits.
Is there any example of religion preaching in the West (christians and others) as in Muslims common people spend their own
money, time and resources to learn, practise Islam themselves and spread it to others by setting out in the way of Allah
without use of any monetary benefit or so called weapon (as propagandized by the Islam opponents). Belief in God and religion
cannot be spread by mere fear and violence. Someone who so thinks lives in fool's paradise.
Islam is universal and lovely religion spreading by its goodness, kindness, truthfulness and beauty. Some Muslims may be
wrong by not fully practising Islam in their lives (may be due to ) but Islam itself is pure and free from any evil to the
human kind. Lots of examples can be quoted here of people converted to Islam by only reading the Holy Quran and teaching of
the holy prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallalaho Alai Wasallam. Whereas there is rare example of an atheist or other religion
follower who converted to Christianity or any other religion by only reading its teachings and by himself.
This is the golden reality and truth of ISLAM clear like a bright sunny day.
Please think over it deeply and then speak about Islam if you really require the truth and the WAY OF ALLAH.
All praises to Allah the Almighty.
'First of all dumbass Allah is arabic for god the same god the christians and the jews believe in. So next time ignorant one do a little research before u insult ur own god. (unless ur an atheist than u have no right to be dissing other peoples religion.)'
first of all Moron..learn how to spell. and second...Christians don't believe in the God the Islamic Morons do...Islamic God believes in self genocide...blowing up babies...hiding among women and children while believing they are fighting a 'holy war'
so crawl back under your rock you pathetic piece of worm waste.
Maybe it should just come down to the 'Christians' vs 'Islam'. I know for a fact that there isn't enough women and children for the Muslims to hide behind nor be able to hide from them being 6 fold out-numbered by the Christian based religions.
Prophecies of St Malachy... The Last Popes
266 John Paul II (1978-2005) 110 De labore Solis
(of the eclipse of the sun, or from the labour of the sun)
Hist.: Karol Wojtyla was born on May 18, 1920 during a solar eclipse. He also comes from behind the former Iron Curtain (the East, where the Sun rises). He might also be seen to be the fruit of the intercession of the Woman Clothed with the Sun labouring in Revelation 12 (because of his devotion to the Virgin Mary). His Funeral occurred on 8 April, 2005 when there was a solar eclipse visible in the Americas.
267 Benedict XVI (2005-) 111 Gloria olivæ
The Benedictine order traditionally said this Pope would come from their order, since a branch of the Benedictine order is called the Olivetans. St Benedict is said to have prophesied that before the end of the world, a member of his order would be Pope and would triumphantly lead the Church in its fight against evil. While the Holy Father chose the name 'Benedict', this does not seem enough to fulfil the prophecy. Nor is it clear how Benedict XVI (a Bavarian) is 'Glory of the Olives'. Since he is said to have remarked in the Conclave after saying he would take the name Benedict that it was partly to honour Benedict XV, a pope of peace and reconciliation, perhaps Benedict XVI will be a peacemaker in the Church or in the World, and thus carry the olive branch.
In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, & Judex tremêdus judicabit populum suum. Finis.
(In extreme persecution, the seat of the Holy Roman Church will be occupied by Peter the Roman, who will feed the sheep through many tribulations, at the term of which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the formidable Judge will judge his people. The End.)
And so are all christians. Any one who has read christian history thoroughly knows that Christians are more violent then Muslims. Their history is filled with bloodshed. Anybody remember their conquest of Jerusalem? Compare that to Muslim victory of Jerusalem. Who killed more civillians? Even today, who is killing innocent civillians in Iraq and Afghanistan? Christian monsters. Jesus was a symbol of love. Unfortunately his followers forgot what he said and put it behind them. It's just sick that they still call themselves 'Christian', the followers of the Christ. It's funny.
And for those who might mention Muslim suicide bombers, they are not terrorists, they are just reacting to what is enforced on them. They are just returning the favour. If you want to stop them, stop yourselves.
Rational thinking indicates that the world was in dire need of revelation, of water from the fountain of spiritual guidance, at the time when the Holy Prophet appeared. He led an ideal life, a perfect example to be followed throughout the future. He started his mission against immense difficulties. He and his followers met strong persecution and opposition. But he was protected and helped by God in miraculous ways. Before his death his mission was firmly established all over Arabia and was rapidly spreading to other countries.
He worked miracles. He foretold the future, and his prophecies were fulfilled not only in his lifetime but continue to be fulfilled in our time as well. He brought a teaching which has attracted countless adherents since he appeared. In short, all rational tests prove that the mission of the Holy Prophet Muhammad was truly from God.
There is also another test, the historical one, which our present day world requires of a messenger of God. A notable American Bishop of the Catholic Church wrote in a nationally famous magazine that the test of history available to all men, all civilizations and all ages can be applied only to Jesus, because:
There were no predictions about Buddha, Muhammad, or anyone else -except Christ. Others just came and said: “Here I am, believe me”. Christ alone steps out of the line and answers: My coming was foretold, even to the smallest detail.
This statement is quite challenging and requires attention. We Muslims believe that Jesus was a true prophet of God. We also accept his advent as having been foretold in the previous scriptures.
But what about Muhammad?
We find that his coming was foretold in clear and precise terms not only by Jesus himself but by Moses and other Biblical prophets as well. In fact it seems from whatever words of Jesus are available to the world, that the bringing of glad tidings of a great coming prophet was one of the chief objects of his mission.
Again and again Jesus said that he was sent to the world only to give as much guidance as the people of his own time could bear. As for complete teaching which would stay forever with mankind, he said:
But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14-26)
Only the prophet of Islam could have fulfilled this prophecy of Jesus. Muhammad was truly sent in his name because he bore testimony to his truth. The Holy Quran says:
The Messiah, son of Mary, was a messenger, 'surely messengers like unto him had passed away before him' (The Holy Quran 5:76)
The Holy Quran reports that the angels told Mary:
Surely Allah gives you good news with a word from Him of whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, worthy of regard in this world and hereafter. (The Holy Quran 3:46)
The Holy Prophet testified to the truth of Jesus as a divine and honored Teacher and Prophet, and declared them mistaken and misguided who thought him accursed. The Holy Quran described his teachings as 'guidance and light .'Further elaborating the same prophecy, Jesus said:
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will sent him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. ... I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. How be it when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak.. and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:7-14)
This prophecy clearly lays down that:
The Comforter will come after the departure of Jesus.
When the Comforter comes, he will reprove the world of sin, truth and justice.
He will guide the world into all truth.
The book revealed to him will contain no human word.
He will foretell things to come.
He will glorify Jesus and clear him of all charges.
Now when we take this prophecy point by point, it is unmistakably proven that it applies to none else but the Holy Prophet Muhammad. He came after Jesus. The Comforter was supposed to reprove the followers of Jesus. Obviously, he could not be a Christian or a Jew .The prophecy must relate to one who would belong to another people but should respect Jesus and promote reverence for him. The Holy Prophet was neither Jew nor a Christian. He was an Ishmaelite. But he defended the honor of Jesus. Thus says the Quran:
[The Jews] slew him not, nor crucified him, but he was made to appear to them like one crucified, and those who differ therein are certainly in a state of doubt about it: they have no definite knowledge thereof, but only follow a conjecture; and they did not convert this: conjecture into a certainty; on the contrary, Allah exalted him to Himself (The Holy Quran 4: 158)
Here the Holy Quran specifically says that Jesus was saved from that accursed death designed for him by his enemies. However, they only suspected that they had succeeded in crucifying him. But Allah had not only saved him but admitted him to the circle of His favored ones.
Of the promise, 'He will show you things to come', we need only say that no prophet has told the world of things to come as much as has the prophet of Islam.
The prophecy said that 'he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that he shall speak'. This description can only apply to the Prophet Muhammad. The New and Old Testaments do not contain a single book in which man's word has not been mixed with God's. The Quran is nothing but the word of God from beginning to end. Not a word even of the Prophet is to be found in it.
When Peter appeared before the people of Jerusalem, his words were: 'Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you'. John starts one of his conversations with 'I, John, who am your brother'. On the same lines we read the utterances of Philip, James and others in the Bible.
About the Holy Prophet, the Quran says:
He does not speak out of his own desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed. (The Holy Quran 53:4-5)
The prophecy had said: 'He will guide you unto all truth'. Again Muhammad was the only prophet who claimed to have brought a universal and perfect law. The Holy Quran says:
Today We have perfected your religion for you and completed Our favor upon you. (The Holy Quran 5:4)
How clearly has the prophecy been fulfilled in the person of the Prophet Muhammad in all of its details. Sometimes an unsuccessful attempt is made to dim the glory of this marvelous prophecy by claiming that this Comforter was the Holy Ghost who came after Jesus to his disciples. One wonders how this claim can be harmonized with the fact that the person foretold in the verses is described with the pronoun 'he,' which could not possibly refer to a spirit. Then, was not the Spirit of Truth supposed to come only after the departure of Jesus? Should it be then assumed that the Holy Ghost was not with Jesus ? Obviously no devoted Christian will accept this assumption. One can also inquire where that truth is which is not found in the New Testament but was later brought by the Holy Ghost.
The prophecies of the Bible had even led its followers to that part of the world where the great Prophet was to appear. Thus it was said:
And he said, the Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; and shined forth from Mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. (Deuteronomy 33:2)
In this verse Moses is promised three manifestations of the glory of God. The first of these appeared on Sinai in the time of Moses. Time passed. The second manifestation promised in the prophecy was to take place at Seir, a part of the world near where the miracles of Jesus took place. 'Rising up from Seir,' therefore, meant the advent of Jesus.
The third manifestation of divine glory was to take its rise from Paran, and Paran (Arabic Faran) is the name of the hills which lie between Mecca, the birth place of Muhammad, and Medina, the town where he died. According to the Old Testament, Ishmael, the ancestor of Muhammad, lived in this part. Thus we have in the Bible:
And God was with the lad (Ishmael): and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran. (Genesis 21:20-21)
Historical and geographical evidence shows that the descendents of Abraham lived in Arabia. All of them held Mecca and Kaaba, the house of worship built by Abraham, in great reverence. His son Ishmael first settled in Mecca. Genesis gives the names of twelve sons of Ishmael including two named Tema and Kedar. (Genesis 25:13-16) This is further supported by the testimony of Isaiah where we read:
The burden of Arabia. In the forest of Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye traveling companies of Dedanim.The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they provided with their bread him that fled. For they fled from the swords, from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it. (Isaiah 21:13-16)
This prophetic passage is a picture of the Battle of Badr which took place about a year after the Holy Prophet's migration from Mecca to Medina. In this battle the sons of Kedar , the people of Mecca and the territories around, unable to withstand the fierceness of Muslim swordsmen and archers, sustained disastrous defeat. God made a handful of men, poorly armed and without provisions, the means of inflicting this humiliation on an army led by experienced generals.
The battles with the Meccans continued against heavy odds until such time that the Prophet Muhammad entered Mecca after a struggle of several years. This was the time when ten thousands of saints accompanied him. The Holy Prophet declared that the message of God had been completed in the form of the Holy Quran. Thus the prophecy of Moses was fulfilled that the Lord would shine forth from Paran with ten thousands of saints, with a fiery Law in his right hand. Thus also the prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled that the spirit of Truth 'will guide you into all truth.' His fiery Law, the Holy Quran, consumed all impurities of flesh and turned the grossest hearts into pure gold.
Could Jesus have fulfilled this wonderful prophecy? He did not rise from Paran. He had only twelve disciples and not ten thousand saints. Isaiah had spoken of one that fled; the flight of Muhammad is such an important part of Muslim history that the Islamic calendar starts from the very year of migration.
This advent was also prophesied by Habakkuk several centuries before Jesus. Thus we have:
God comes from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the ea11h was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand5: and there was the hiding of his power. Before him went the pestilence, and the burning coals went fo11h at his feet. He stood and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, and the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; and the cu11ain of the land of Midian did tremble. (Habakkuk 3:3-7)
This again shows that the third manifestation mentioned earlier was going to be by one who would appear from the land of Tema and Mount Paran. The earth was going to be full of his praise. It is not a mere accident, then, that the Holy Prophet of Islam was named Muhammad, which literally means, the Praised One. Only a man with a name as beautiful as his personality and character could answer to the description of Habakkuk.The enemies of Muhammad suffered destruction, pestilence and humiliation of 'burning coals' in encountering him in spite of overwhelmingly stronger and larger forces.
Moses died while he was still fighting his enemies. Jesus was put on the Cross. The prophet who beheld and drove the nations asunder, as mentioned by Habakkuk,could be, there- fore, none else but Muhammad. His enemies who looked like 'everlasting mountains and perpetual hills' with their immense power were completely routed. Later 'the tents of Cushan' and the 'curtains of the land of Midian,' that is, the land of Canaan then under the Roman Caesar, also found their salvation in surrendering to the servants of the Holy Prophet in the time of that Caesar's successors.
These are just a few of the many prophecies found in the Bible about the advent of that great prophet who was going to lead the world into all truth.
Muhammad was going to be, in the words of Solomon, 'altogether lovely' which in Hebrew is expressed as Mahmaddim. (Song of Solomon 5: 10-16) He was the fulfillment of the 'stone' of Daniel's dream. (Daniel 2:34-35) He was the coming of the lord of the vineyard himself as foretold by Jesus.
True, there are some prophecies about Jesus as well in the Old Testament but it is also a fact that there are many which cannot rightly be applied to him. These could be fulfilled in the person of the one who was coming with a Law and whose mission was to be not just to 'the lost sheep of the house of Israel' but to the whole world, one who was spoken of by Jesus as the Comforter and Spirit of Truth. The predictions about Muhammad in the Bible are clear and precise.
The door to the Kingdom of Heaven has been opened by the fulfillment of these prophecies. Blessed are those who accept the call of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to enter His Kingdom and receive His communion.
And our last observation is that all praise is due to God, the Sustainer of the Universe.
HE OR SHE, WHO IS AT ANY POSITION WITH RESPONSIBILITES IN FRONT OF POPULATIONS, NATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL ARENA; SHOULD BE MATURE ENOUGH TO CARRY SUCH RESPONSIBLITIES.
UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY AND IN THE HISTORY, WE FACE SEVERAL CHARACTERS THAT CAN NOT AND COULD NOT FILL THEIR POSITIONS...
THEN, WE COULD ONLY SAY THAT... BETTER LEAVE IT TO TIME, HUMAN WILL SEE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG AND MOST OF THE TIME, LIFE OF A HUMAN COULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES...
TODAY IS THE TIME TO KEEP THE COMMONSENSE, POSITIVE THINKING, UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT CIVILIZATIONS, AS MUCH AS WE CAN...
FOR THE SAKE OF THE HUMANKIND !
WE ARE QUIET YOUNG CREATURES ON EARTH WHEN MANY OTHERS ARE CONSIDERED. SEEMS, MORE THAN 3 - 5 MILLION YEARS SHOULD PASS TO GET FULLY DEVELOPED ...
I totally agree with the Pope. He is the personification of peace and this comment was not meant to begin a war, but to stop one. It is amazing how these people are blinded by the devil, and how they can mix war with religion. It is not religion but terrorism.
I admire the Pope's courage and honesty, especially in a world gone mad with political correctness. What he alluded to is fact. No matter what we would like to believe, we cannot change or rewrite history. Muhammed was a violent and opportunistic individual. No one seems to mind that one of his many wives was just a young child. I guess if you call yourself a 'prophet', you can be pedophile. He fabricated the Koran using the moon god (known as Sin), mixed in some misunderstood pieces of Judaism, Christianity, and Hinduism so it would market better in the area he started his little enterprise. Since he was illiterate, it is understandable why the Koran wound up such a confusing, disjointed, and self-contradicting work. No matter though, if the foundational precept was convert or die. He was responsible for the slaughter of untold numbers of people and his legacy continues today. Muslims continue to slaughter people all over the world, especially, each other. When one looks at the wars taking place worldwide, the vast majority are muslims killing muslims. When explosives are strapped to the chests of one's own children to transform them into remote controlled bombs, there is evil. This cult has nothing whatsoever to do with God.
Orthodox Christians in Turkey have enough problems. Now they will just get worse. A replay of history.
FWIW the remark by the Byzantine emporer is misunderstood. The emperor did not say that everything in Islam is evil - Islam recognizes the teachings of Jesus Christ as they call Jesus a prophet. What the emperor criticized were the things that he saw as innovations upon what teachings are already existent in Christianity, or 'new.' This does not just mean the violence but also the idea that Jesus was 'only' a prophet and not Logos: in other words, leaving out the idea of Logos. See the rest of the emperor's remarks on 'logos.' This did not mean all of Islam.
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The Pope was RightSep 14th, 2006 - 22:10:19
The Pope quoted the Roman Emperor Manuel Paleologos II, whose son was the last Emepror of Constantinople. That son charged into the breach of his city's walls and was slaughtered by the Ottoman Turks.
The history of Islam is the history of violence. The Turks murdered there way into Constantinople, Hungary, Romania, Greece and as far as the walls fo Vienna. They murdered, raped, pillaged and took slaves, including children that were converted to Islam and turned into janissaries.
Islam could not survive without violence. It's time the liberal 'Islam is a peaceful relgion' bunch turned their televisions off and read a couple of history books.
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