thing. Why is it then, that you blame the Jews? They have merely done what was required of them, and more! And if you say that it was by his disapproval, I would say, why then do you worship what cannot protect itself.” By Allah!” continued the Shaikh, “Didn’t Jesus eat food and drink, and fast and pray, and urinate and defecate, and sleep and wake, and was happy and sad?” “Yes,” said Basheer. “By Allah! To whom did he fast and pray?” asked the Shaikh. “To Allah,” said Basheer. “I swear by the one who can harm or benefit (i.e Allah), it is not fitting that you live except in Christianity. I see that you are a man who has studied the art of debate, and I am only a fighting man. But tomorrow, we shall bring you someone through whom Allah would put you to shame!” With that Basheer ordered that the Shaikh be taken away. The following day, Basheer sent for the Shaikh. When he entered, to his surprise, he saw a priest, with a huge beard, in the room with Basheer. “Indeed this is an Arab,” said Basheer, “who is gentle, intelligent, and has roots with the Arabs. He has a desire to enter our religion. Speak to him, therefore, so that you may make him a Christian.” The priest then prostrated to Basheer, and said to him, “You always bring good things for me, but this is the best that you’ve ever brought.” Drawing closer the Shaikh, the priest said, “You’re not that old that you’ve lost your mind, nor do you have a distorted understanding. You’re not a young person whose mind has not yet fully developed, and has not yet reached a level of understanding. Tomorrow, I’ll dip you in baptism water and baptize you, so that you can emerge as the day you were born.” “And what is this baptism water?” asked the Shaikh? “I blessed it myself, to make it holy,” replied the priest. “What then is the tradition regarding this,?” asked the Skaikh. “This is the tradition of Jesus, the son of Mary!” said the priest. “So what’s the story!” asked the Shaikh. “Verily, John, the son of Zacharia, baptized Jesus, the Son of Mary in the Jordan River,” explained the priest. “He dipped him in the water, anointed his head and prayed for him to be blessed.” So Jesus needed .. John ..to anoint his head and pray for him to be blessed,? asked the Shaikh. At this, the priest fell silent. Basheer laid back, but could not contain his laughter. He put his hand over his mouth and burst out laughing. “Stand up!” said the priest, “may the curse of God be upon you! I invited you to Christianity, but instead you have already entered Islam!!” Soon the news of the Shaikh spread. News of him reached to the King. He sent for the Shaikh and said to him, “What is this, that has reached me, about your belittling of my religion and status?” The Shaikh said, “Indeed, I have a religion, about which I was silent, until I was forced to defend it.” “And do you have proof?” asked the King. “Yes! Bring anyone to debate me, and, if the truth is with me, do not blame me for defending the truth. And, if the truth is with him, I would return to the truth.” The King then sent for the highest ranking Christian and a group of his associates. When the Christian entered, he prostrated to the King. “Oh King, who is this!?” asked the Shaikh.” “This is the leader of the Christians, through whom, you will accept Christianity,” said the King. “Does he have any children?” asked the Shaikh. “Does he have a wife, or does he have grandchildren?” “May God’s be upon curse you!” said the King. “He is wiser and purer, than
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