October 27, 2007: Sakshi: An Apologetics Network in India had a dialog with the Islamic Academy of Comparative Religions (IACR) on the topic ‘The Concept of Sin and Salvation in Christianity and Islam’ at Rukumeni Rivera, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Sakshi was represented by Mr. Jerry Thomas and IACR was represented by Mr. Asifuddin Muhammad. Initially both the speakers presented their case followed by two rounds of rebuttals. The dialog concluded with a lively question and answer session. Following is the concluding remark by Bro. Asifuddin Muhammad.  The dialog happened to be very fruitful and the veracity of Christian doctrine was clearly demonstrated while refuting the counterfeit gospel.

Once again my dear brothers, sisters, elders, asalaamalaikkum. Brother Jerry Thomas has not given replies to 75% questions which I have raised. Instead he was insisting that I should reply to his questions. I went on going replying to that. Then finally in the final opportunity of 5 minutes, he abstains from replying to my questions and tried to divert the topic. We are not talking here whether the message of the prophets, which was given to all the prophets, is present in the Bible or not. If we come to that, we can prove in less than 5 minutes time that the Bible is not God’s word. But that is not the topic here.

He has deviated. But still I am allowing that. Further, about the salvation, he says that you will have salvation through Christ. Dozens of questions have been raised on that. He didn’t answer that. He wants people to believe in salvation blindly? Without questioning it? Without verifying it? Without showing from the Bible, what is your reply to what Jesus says. What is your reply? What so many prophets have said about forgiveness, about inheritance of sins, about so many other things? You have left it conveniently! And you want people to believe anything blindly. this is not the world, this is not the age where people are accepting anything blindly anymore. Further, you said that the word ‘bridge’ has to be shown in the Quran. See again how he replies, bridge has to be shown in the Quran. If you wanted all questions to be answered from the Quran only, then why did you quote the hadith? It was you who quoted the hadith in the first opportunity which was given to you, and then when I elaborated on the Quranic ayat in the light of the Hadith, you say ‘no no no, only from the Quran.’ See brother, Quran and Hadith, both are in concordance with each other.  Whatever is mentioned in the Quran is explained in the hadith. That is the reason, you can clearly see, you can clearly see, the Quran is only this much in size, but the hadith is so much big. Like here, the Christian brothers have brought the hadith. That is only Sahih Bukhari. There is Sahih Muslim, al-Tirmidhi,abu Abu Dawood.so many more are there. So all these books together will be an elaborate commentary on the Quran. If you say you should show me only from the Quran, you should yourself abstain from quoting from the hadiths. And now that you have quoted I have to say that passing over the hell doesn’t mean passing through the hell. If you know that much English, it should be sufficient even if you don’t know Arabic to understand the right meaning of the ayat.

Further, I would like to once again repeat, I would like to once again repeat the main points which I have presented to Bro Jerry Thomas that if  Adam is a sinner, that Adam has committed a sin, then it is not Adam’s fault to commit a sin. If Adam was not created to be a sinner, then it was God’s inefficiency, if you want to call it …. Adam was not sent to earth because he did not eat of the fruit. You did not refute it. And this way many more. I can’t repeat all of them, extremely short time left. Brother, any more time left. 45 secs . I would like to conclude my talk by giving translation of the ayat from the Quran which I have quoted at the beginning of my last rebuttal session Allah says in s103:1-3 that by the token of time, God is swearing by time and says that all mankind will be in the state of except those who have brought faith and who do righteous deeds and have exalted people to truth and have exalted people to patience and perseverance. If you have not been doing this and have been relaxing thinking that somebody else has died for me, surely you are wasting your salvation.

And you said without freedom, there is no value for virtue. Brother we are not talking about freedom or its restriction. We are talking about the concept which is in the mind of people. The people around the world are thinking, in the Christian world are thinking that Jesus died for their sins. Even if they are restricted they will commit sin within that limit.  It is no question of freedom or restriction. It is about the concept. If the concept is right, then all things will get set right. (Islamic salutation in Arabic.)