Jan 21st, 2008: Islam Report

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January 21, 2008

t ISLAM REP( Assembled and written b y : Chuck - JOHNEL

This is what I wrote on the cover page and page 2 of the December 20, 2006 Newsletter (Quote) The events of November 30, 2006 to December 14, 2006 `In The Spirit', during "LIKE A MIGHTY WIND" Prayer Operation, marked a "life-defining moment' as tens of thousands of Christian intercessors joined by even greater numbers of warring Angels of GOD through JESUSCHRISTswept through Islam `In The Spirit' destroying the demons and a demonic infrastructure that has sustained an evil system on earth for 1,400 years - an evil demonic system that has held captive over one billion living souls.

It has taken us five years of prayer, intercession, revelation, scouting, and waiting on God's Commission and Anointing (2001 to 2006) to undertake this work, but when we had God's "GO AHEAD" all those years of prayer-intercessory preparation paid off wonderfully. We (the Net of Prayer and volunteers) literally swept through Islam `In The Spirit' inside of 24 hours on December 3, 2006 destroying every demon of that evil system andfreeing over 1.2 billion living souls.

Through JESUS' Word we understand that it will take a minimum of two years before the "first .si ni scant) evidences" of this waffare surfaces `in this world' and thereafter another 15 years for the whole work to unfold.

Wh y 15 y ears? The spiritual foundations of Islam were laid down in a time dimension of creation; a place deep `In The Spirit' where time is not counted as time is here on earth. For every day we were operating `In The Spirit' in Islam a year will/would pass - thus 15 days = 15 years. It works out like this: (Quote continued on page 2)

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mber 20. 2 TIME WISE: From November 30, 2006 it will be two years before we BEGIN to see (significant) manifestations of what was done `In The Spirit' in Islam show in this world - or by November 30, 2008. Thereafter, it will be a full 15 years for all this work to surface in this world which takes us to 2023.

Onlabout: November 30, 2008 (First manifestations `In This World') Onlabout: November 30, 2009-2011 (FASTING Manifestations - ground work)

On/about: November 30, 2012 (WARFARE Manifestations begin) Onlabout: November 30, 2013 - November 30, 2022 (SOWING THE WORD Manifestations) Onlabout: November 30 2023 (NAMING/ANGELS, CANDLESTICKS, CANDLES) Somewhere in this time period we will DOUBLE AND SET this `In The Spirit' - but when is not known. The DOUBLE AND SET will quicken the whole process.

Whether anything that surfaces visibly and identifiably between now and November 30, 2008 is not known - we will keep our eyes and ears open and alert. (Unquote)

JESUS' Word to Chuck-JOHNEL 12:40 AM Wednesday, November 22, 2006 I ask JESUS about extending our stay in the former Islam areas past December ] 4 t ' and about binding/loosing things in the Islam areas and JESUS told me this: "IT IS WELL TO EXTEND THE `OCCUPY AND WATCH' PRAYER ACTION TO THE SEVEN PRAYER GROUPS. I HAVE SO LED YOU TO DO THIS, IT IS MY WILL.

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JESUS' Word to Chuck-JOHNEL - November 22, 2006 - (continued) WAIT ON ME AS I WILL SPEAK TO YOU IN SOME DAYS' TIME CONCERNING ANYTHING FURTHER. YOU MAY READILY BIND AND LOOSE IN A NORMAL PRAYER ACTION AWAY FROM THE AREAS WHERETHE SPIRITS BEHIND ISLAM HELD SWAY AND WHERE THE FOUNDATIONS OF MY KINGDOM ARE BEING ESTABLISHED BY THIS PRAYER OPERATION. ALTHOUGH YOU WILL SEE SOME EARLY EVIDENCE OF THE EFFECT OF THIS PRAYER ACTION IT WILL BE A FULL TWO YEARS BEFORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WILL BEGIN TO APPEAR AMONG THE MOSLEMS ; PRIMARILY STARTING WITH AN AWAKENING AND AWARENESS OF THEIR TRUE SPIRITUAL CONDITION. THOUGH THIS WILL NOT BE READILY VISIBLE NOR REPORTED OPENLY IT WILL SURFACE BROADLY AMONG MOSLEMS. MANY WILL BEGIN TO AGGRESSIVELY SEEK ANSWERS TO DEEP QUESTIONS IN THEIR HEARTS AND THAT WILL LEAD TO THESE AND MULTITUDES MORE SEEKING ME AND MY WORD. YEA, THEY WILL SEEK ME AND FIND ME. ALTHOUGH YOUR FOCUS IS RIGHTLY ON ISLAM, AS I HAVE LED YOU, THE INFLUENCE OF THIS PRAYER ACTION WILL ALSO REACH DEEPLY INTO THE HINDU'S AND BUDDHISTS HAVING A LIKE EFFECT, EVEN AMONG RELIGIOUS GROUPS YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF. UNDERSTAND THAT IN THESE COMING DAYS FROM NOVEMBER 30, 2006 TO DECEMBER 14, 2006 YOU WILL ERADICATE THE DEMONIC INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS UNDERGIRDED THE ISLAMIC EMPIRE AND THE ADVANCE OF ISLAM. NOW ABIDE IN ME, EVEN AS YOU HAVE, AND I WILL SAY MORE WHEN IT IS TIME." What I

bring focus on at this time is this part of JESUS' Word:

"ALTHOUGH YOU WILL SEE SOME EARLY EVIDENCE OF THE EFFECT OF THIS PRAYER ACTION IT WILL BE A FULL TWO YEARS BEFORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WILL BEGIN TO APPEAR AMONG THE MOSLEMS ..."

Following the "LIKE A MIGHTY WIND" Prayer Operation into Islam In The Spirit' the Net of Prayer began praying daily LOOSING as follows: We LOOSED a Spirit of Love and forgiveness in the hearts of Moslems, we LOOSED a Spirit

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of Love and Kindness among Moslems, we LOOSED a Spirit of Life among Moslems, we LOOSED a Spirit of Knowledge and devotion to JESUS CHRIST and joy in the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST in Moslems. This was done in the first half of 2007.

DAVID WILKERSON REPORTS: Towards the end of 2007 we received a Newsletter from Wilkerson in which he shared how he heard many unusual stories, while at a conference in Jordan, of Moslems having visions/dreams of JESUS and this resulting in many turning to Christ. Wilkerson indicated that this was happening in every Moslem nation on earth, Later, we heard a report that the number of Moslems turning to Christ is in the millions.

We are seeing the EARLY EVIDENCE JESUS told me of which is reflecting the effect of this prayer operation undertaken in November-December, 2006 which was also the culmination of five years of prayer-intercession seeking God's Commission and Anointing to do this work.

This is a PRAISE THE LORD and GLORY TO GOD in the Highest!!! Amen!

I will now share some interesting tidbits about Islam, for your information and edification.

The following Quotes are drawn from: " What Eery American Needs to Know about the Q ur'an " a history of Islam and the U.S.. Written by: William J. Federer, Published by Amerisearch, Inc., P.O. Box 20163, St. Louis, MO. 63123. (QUOTE) SANTA CLAUS

' When the Muslim Seljuk Turks invaded Asia Minor in 1087 AD, they killed infidel Christians and destroyed Byzantine churches or turned them into mosques. As the Muslims moved closer to the city of Myra, there was great concern over the fate of the remains of Saint Nicholas, the most famous saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Venetian merchants took his remains out of the cathedral in Myra and shipped them to the southern Italian city of Bari for protection, thus introducing Western Europe to the traditions of gift-giving on the anniversary of Saint Nicholas' death, December 6`n Over the centuries, these traditions spread across Europe and eventually were

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brought by immigrants to America. The Dutch settlers pronounced Saint Nicholas "Sant Nicklaus," which was embellished into the modern Santa Claus.

Saint Nicholas' remains are still located in the Cathedral de San Nicolas de Bari, in southern Italy, though in January of 2003, Muslims of Demre (Turkish name for Myra) demanded they be returned to their city for a tourist attraction. (Note - they did not comply.)

FIRST CRUSADE 1095-1099 By most numbering, there were nine maj or Crusades and numerous minor ones, continuing from 1095 till 1291 when Acre was finally captured by the Muslims.

Origins can be traced to 1009 when Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah ordered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem destroyed. Pilgrims returning from the Holy Land shared reports of Muslim persecution and cruelty toward "dhimmi" Christians.

Following the defeat of the Christian homelands of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt, the Muslims conquered Sicily. In 1057, the Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard took control of Calabria in the "toe of Italy" and fought against the Muslims of Sicily.

The Italian city-states of Pisa, Genoa and Catalonia fought the Muslims who were raiding Majorca, Sardinia, Catalonia and the coasts of Italy.

In 1071, the Muslims delivered a major defeat to the Byzantine Christians at the Battle of Manzikert and took control of all but the coastlands of Asia Minor.

In desperation, the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I Comnenus humbled himself and sent ambassadors to the Council of Piacenza in March of 1095, appealing for help from his religious rival, the Roman Catholic Pope.

The seriousness of this appeal is highlighted by the fact that it occurred after the beginning of the Great East-West Schism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Byzantine Church which began in 1054.

Encouraged by victories in Spain, where by 1085 the Christian forces recaptured Toledo and Leon from the Muslims, Pope Urban II gave an impassioned plea at the Council of Clermont in 1095 for Western European countries to send protection to the Byzantine Christians.

The First Crusade began in 1097, led by Godfrey of Bouillon. It freed Iconium from the Muslims, though it was later taken back. The First Crusade defeated Turkish forces at Dorylaeum and Antioch, and captured Jerusalem in 1099, holding it for nearly 100 years.

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3" CRUSADE 1189-1192 ROBIN HOOD & MAGNA CARTA In 1190, Pope Gregory VIII called for a Third Crusade. It was led by German King Frederick I, called Frederick Barbarossa (meaning Redbcard), who was the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He was joined by Philip II of France and Richard I of England.

Frederick led 100,000 soldiers across Byzantium, driving out Muslims and temporarily freeing Iconium.

He most likely would have freed Jerusalem and the surrounding area from Muslim domination had he not fallen off his horse while crossing the Goksu River in Cilicia, Asia Minor. Being 67 years old and weighted down with heavy armor, he drowned in waist deep water and the Crusade went into confusion.

Richard the Lionheart assumed leadership of the Crusade and captured Acre.

Due to disagreements, Philip II returned to France in 1191. Richard's troops came within sight of Jerusalem in 1192, but narrowly failed to drive out Saladin (11381193).

Western resolve for the war diminished and political unrest increased back home from King Philip II of France and from Richard's ambitious brother John, who ruled England in his absence, as chronicled in the legends of Robin Hood.

This situation put Richard in the position of having to negotiate a hurried truce with Saladin, who, it was later discovered, was on the verge of defeat.

Saladin allowed Christians to leave Jerusalem if they paid a ransom, but according to Imad al-Din, approximately 7,000 men and 8,000 women could not make their ransom and were taken into slavery.

The vessel Richard sailed away on was shipwrecked, so he decided to travel with a party across Europe in disguise. He was recognized near Vienna and captured

by Duke Leopold V of Austria. The Holy Roman Emperor, Henry VI, imprisoned Richard at Dumstein. England had to place burdensome taxes on its populace to raise the "king's ransom."

In 1197, Henry VI, the Holy Roman Emperor, was preparing for another crusade but died due to malaria.

Once Richard was back in England, he ruled only a few years before being shot with an arrow during the siege of a castle. His brother became the oppressive King John, who lost Britain's claim to French lands.

This caused England's noblemen to surround John on the plains of Runymeade in 1215 and force him to sign the Magna Carta, a document which began the long process of limiting the arbitrary power of monarchs and guaranteeing rights of citizens.

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MOHAMMED'S DEATH At the age of 63, suffering from the effects of one of his wives poisoning his food, Mohammed died in 632 AD. Mohammed had conquered from the frontiers of Byzantium south to the tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

The Hadith Sahih Bukhari, narrated by Abu Huraira, recorded Mohammed's words while he was dying: Allah's Apostle said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with tenor (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand."

Abu Huraira added: "Allah's Apostle has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures." (Hadith Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 52, No. 220) Within a hundred years of his death, his followers conquered Arabia, Damascus, Syria, Persia, North Africa, the Holy Land, Spain and were at the gates of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Roman Empire.

SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION

"What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea. (Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3).

In the last book of the Bible, the Apostle John wrote a letter to seven churches.

All of these churches were in Asia Minor, and eventually all would be destroyed by Muslims.

Note - the destruction was total. The Moslems leveled the cities, dug up the dead and burned their bones, shattering the tombstones to rubble and leaving nothing to indicate that these cities had ever existed - which is standard Moslem behavior and has been for 1400 years.

COFFEE When John Sobieski won the Battle of Vienna, Muslims fled in panic, leaving many bags of coffee beans. The reason Muslim Turks fought so tirelessly day after day was their practice of drinking coffee, a drink unknown in Western Europe.

Shortly after the battle, Vienna opened its first Turkish coffee house, and within a

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short time, the drinking of coffee spread across Europe, helping to fuel the industrial revolution.

CROISSANT In Larousse Gastronomique, edited in 1938 by Alfred Gottschalk, and in 1988

by Jenifer Harvey Lang, (New York: Crow, p. 338), the origin of the croissant pastry dates to when the Turks were besieging Vienna in 1683, or possibly Budapest in 1686:

The Turks were besieging the city. To reach the center of town, they dug underground passages. Bakers, working during the night, heard the noise made by the Turks and gave the alarm.

The assailants were repulsed and the bakers who had saved the city were granted the privilege of making a special pastry which had to take the form of a crescent in memory of the emblem on the Ottoman flag.

Alan Davidson, in the Oxford Companion to Food (1999, p. 232) recounts the story: According to one of a group of legends, which vary only in detail, a baker of the 17 ` " century, working through the night at a time when his city (either Vienna in 1683 or Budapest in 1686) was under siege by the Turks, heard faint underground rumbling sounds which, on investigation, proved to be caused by a Turkish attempt to invade the city by tunneling under the walls.

The tunnel was blown up. The baker asked no reward other than the exclusive right to bake crescent-shaped pastries commemorating the incident, the crescent being the symbol of Islam. He was duly rewarded in this way, and the croissant was born.

In the French language, the word for croissant is "Viennoiserie." The Romanian word for croissant is "cornulet" which means "little crescent."

LEBANESE CHRISTIANS MASSACRED Maronites took their name from an early Christian hermit, Maron, who died in 410 AD. Though retaining their own liturgy, Maronites have been in communion with the Catholic Church since 1182.

In 1975, the coastal Christian towns of Damour and Jiyya were totally destroyed and their inhabitants massacred or violently evicted from their homes by Muslims. Over the next 17 years, 90,000 mostly Maronite Christian and Greek

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The Staff and Sword ^'he Sward Ministry

January 2l, 21,2Q08 2008

Catholic inhabitants wire were killed, killed, thousands thousands mutilated mutilated and and hundreds hundreds of of thousands thousands evicted or fled, The process of Islamization Islamization in in L^ban.on Lebanon is is advancing advancing through the policies of the Saudi-backed Saudi -backed billionaire billionaire Prime Prime Minister Minister Hariri, who buys large amounts of q f properties properties from poor Christians. The Iran backed He^bollah Hezbollah has stated their goal is to have Lebanon be a completely Islamic state. (UNQUQTE (UNQUOTE "What " What E^er Ever y American Needs to know Knowabout aboutthe theQur'an" Qur'an "aahistory historyofofIslam Islamand andthe theU.S..

U.S..Written Writtenby: by:William William J.J. Federer.)

Federer.}

HOW T^ HAW TOBEAT BEATYOUR YOUR 'L^VIFE WIFE ISLAM STYLE and INSTRirCTIQNS INSTRUCTIONS This past Qetober, October, 2007 2007 FOX FOXTV TVIWews News covered covered aa story story about about an Islamic Cleric, a Dr. Dr. Muhammad Al'Arifi, a Saudi Arabian TV personality, (the Moslem equal to our Dr. Phil) gave Fhil} gave instructions instructions on Arab TV on the right way of qf beating one's wife. If she cannot be trained and if reprimanding them does not work, they need be beaten.

However, Dr. Dr. Al'Arifi, Al'Arifi, with with true trueYslamic Islamic compassion, suggested suggested they they not not be be beaten beaten on the face so as to make them "ugly" and he showed where to beat a woman so it doesn't leave lease marks. hit your your wife wife in in the the face face since you would Dne of his charming comments was, "do not hid One not do phis this to to your your donkey or camel. " Translation = ^ a woman is on par with a donkey or camel.

The Islamic Doctor wend went on on to to explain that since Allah made men bigger and stronger stronger that this is so we can o^erpawer overpower and beat our wives. Women, he said, have a defense also - "their "theirtear^.s. tears. " I beli^^e believe there was talk of this Doctor writing a book, "How to beat your wife". Hey, I've got a good idea, why nvt not have the women's liberation movement in the U.S. write a ft^rward forward for far Dr. Dr. Al'Arifi Al'Arifi book boflk "How "Haw to to Correctly Beat Your Wife" and work to have it translated into En^lash English and anti be be published published in in America.

America.

I write this with tongue in check, since the "women's movement" (like true liberals} liberals) support Islam and do not have a peep to say about the well known abuse women in Moslem nations endure.

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Quotes from "SECRET BELIEVERS what Happens Vhen Muslims Believe in Christ" written by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen. (QUOTE) A Middle Eastern county It was Sunday morning in the town of Suq al Khamis, and Ahmed was considering the unthinkable. The lanky teenage boy paced around his room, trying to decide whether or not to take the risk. He looked up at the poster over his bed, even though he had the words memorized:

Allah is our objective.

The messenger is our leader.

The Quran is our law.

Jihad is our way.

Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.

It was that last statement that made Ahmed shudder. Just last night he'd suffered another nightmare. He was in a pit with all kinds of snakes. They were coiled around him, striking at him with their terrifying fangs.* He'd wakened in a sweat, recognizing again the threat of eternal punishment that Allah promised to all who did not faithfully follow the pillars of Islam. The dreams varied — sometimes he could feel flames scorching his flesh; other times he was hung by his hair as the skin was scraped off his body. This was the terrifying message of Islam as taught by the faction of Muslim Brotherhood that often met in his home. Yes, Allah was merciful; but he was also a god of horror and fear who took pleasure in torturing infidels.

According to the teaching, every Christian was kafrr, an infidel. His only hope for escaping the horrors of hell was to live an exemplary life of Islam. Or to die in jihad.

(Page 13) . ..Ahmed pulled the rumpled letter out of his pocket and reread Zaki's shocking words: "Isa** is the most amazing man who ever lived. I can't help but compare Him to our Prophet, peace be upon him. I won't say anything more. Get a copy of the Injil and read it for yourself. We'll talk when I'm home for the holiday." *Note by C-J: Iperceive Ahmed was seeing his destination if he continued the life of a Moslem - hellfire and torment. **Note by C-J..' - "Isa " is the name in the Qur'an that speaks of JESUS CHRIST. Ahmed stuffed the letter back in his pocket and thought again about his options.... (Page 14) Ahmed would go to a local Christian P r iest and asked him about Christianity, Father Alexander replied:

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QUOTE continued) Father Alexander gave a nervous laugh and said, "No, that's not a good idea. You just turn around and go back home. This place is for Christians. If you want to worship God, go to the mosque."

The words stunned the boy. It hadn't occurred to him that the church wouldn't welcome him. Haltingly he tried to explain: "I just want to find out what you believe."

"I' m sorry. This is not the time or place." The priest's voice became severe.

Clearly he would not let Ahmed into the building.

"Then can I at least borrow the Inj i l * T'

* Note - The Injil is the Moslem term for the Bible.

"Why do you want the Injil? You have your Quran. Now go. The service is about to start, and you should not be seen here."

Ahmed started to protest then noticed that several of the parishioners had stopped to stare at the strange scene. He'd lost any chance to slip quietly into the church. If he lingered any longer, someone might report this to his father. He turned and quickly dashed across to his bike. (Page 15) ....Poetry filled the void when Zaki was away. Zaki, the one friend who knew about Ahmed's spiritual journey — who, in fact, had encouraged him to ask the forbidden questions about Islam and had brought him a Bible — was overseas, starting postgraduate studies to become a doctor. Zaki was the only one who knew about his fear of death. At night when he couldn't sleep, Ahmed visualized the tortures that would be inflicted on all who did not measure up to Allah's standards. (Page 24) ....and the subtle message that he (Ahmed) noticed was of the god of Islam who treated people as slaves. He had read the works of Jean-Paul Sartre and Karl Marx and considered for a time the utopian vision of Communism... . ....Whom did God favor? Over the past year he had read and reread the Injil, and the teachings of Jesus, the Prophet called Isa in the Quran, still astonished him.

He memorized several of the Prophet's statements from the Injil: "If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also." The Quran by contrast commanded him to fight and kill. "I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." The Quran permitted him to marry up to four women, and to keep all women captured in any invaded country. He knew the arguments against the Bible — that it was distorted and required the corrective of the Quran.... (Page 25, 26) ....As the prayers (in the Mosque) ended, Ahmed turned to his neighbor and said, "Peace be upon you," and noticed that the young man was already developing a dark spot in the center of his forehead, caused by repeatedly bowing and forcefully

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(QUOTE continued) touching his head to the floor. This was a mark of pride for a devout Muslim, demonstrating for all to see that he faithfully prayed five times a day. (Page 26) They sat down on the floor as the Imam placed the Quran on a rehal, an ornate wooden stand. In his youthful exuberance, in his thirst for truth, Ahmed felt compelled to speak. Maybe others in the room had similar thoughts but only lacked the boldness to voice their doubts. He would raise the right question, the honest question. Politely addressing the Imam, he asked: "Why do we, the religion that honors the prophets, ignore the greatest Prophet of all?" The Imam looked at him, stunned that anyone would speak before he had started his lesson. Ahmed couldn't stop now: "Is there anyone greater than the Prophet 1sa? [ look at Him and see perfection. I look at Him and see God." That's when all hell was unleashed on Ahmed. (Page 27) Note by C-J.• Father Alexander was reluctant to engage the young Moslem, Ahmed, because Moslems were known to come pretending to be seeking Jesus and would turn them over to the authorities and they'd be arrested, their church destroyed and some might be executed.

Brother Andrew meets a Moderate Moslem - Professor Kamal ...."He's one of my students," said the professor. "As part of his program he teaches Quran to local high school students."

Brother Andrew observed the building as Kamal explained that this mosque was similar in design to the famous Al-Azhar University Mosque in Cairo. "I earned my PhD at Al-Azhar,"' he said. "It is the center of Islamic learning and a degree from there is the most prestigious in the world. My vision is that someday this university will have that same kind of reputation."

That is a big vision," said Andrew.

"Inshallah. God willing, it can happen."

As they collected their shoes and strolled across the campus, Andrew took advantage of the opportunity to say how glad he was that the professor was open to a discussion with Christians. "You are so knowledgeable about Islam. I would really be interested to hear your vision of the ideal Islamic society."

"Yes, Islam is an integrated system," the professor answered. He locked his hands behind his back and seemed to switch into a lecture mode, as though Brother Andrew and Butros were two students in his very popular classes. "It not on]y prepares one for a happy life in the hereafter, but it also deals with all problems and

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(QUOTE continued) the probable solutions that help in eradicating them. That can only be achieved by establishing the Islamic society and by strengthening its main foundations."

"And what are those foundations?"

"First, all believers are brothers. God said, `Believers are brothers, so make peace between your brothers.' This brotherhood was a new kind of relationship, not known to Arab society before the advent of Islam. From a sociological point of view, this principle of brotherhood eliminates social defects, imposes social sensitivity among Muslims, and enables them to sustain a high level of social relationships and avoid any kind of fragmentation."

Andrew decided for now not to ask the obvious question about why Muslim societies so often failed to achieve this ideal. Instead, he said, "That's for Muslims. What about the minority in the country who are not Muslims?"

"The principle of brotherhood in Islamic society is not limited to Muslims only. A similar friendship should be realized with non-Muslims. God says, `Allah does not forbid you to be kind and to act equitable towards those who have not driven you from your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are equitable."

"So does Islam believe that all people are equal, whether Muslims or Christians or Jews?"

"Yes, that is another distinguishing foundation of Islam — its call for complete human equality. Every individual, irrespective of origin, color, language, or wealth, enjoys the same social, political, and economic status and privileges. In the Quran Sura 49:13 God said, `0 mankind, we have created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily, the most honored among you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous among you.' There is no distinction between peoples whether Arabs, Persians, English, Africans, Australians, etcetera, except in the degree of piety."

"Professor, I hope this will not offend you, but I can't help observing that there doesn't seem to be a lot of brotherhood and equality in the Muslim world. As you know, I work among the Christian community and they feel intimidated and often are persecuted."

"The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, `A true Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand others are safe.' This means that anyone who injures or hurts his fellow brother by word or deed cannot be regarded as a true Muslim."

"So members of the Muslim Brotherhood who attack Christians and burn down churches are not true Muslims?"

"They are not real Islam. Islam is about peace and brotherhood."

"Would you say that in a true Islamic society no one is forced to believe in God or in a particular religious practice?"

"No one believes without conviction," said the professor, "and there is no conviction without evidence. People are free in choosing their religion and whatever doctrine they want. God said, `Proclaim. This is the truth from your Lord. then. Let him who will believe

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(QUOTE continued)) and let him who will disbelieve.' The question of freedom with regard to belief and worship is of paramount importance in Islam. Every person is entitled to exercise freedom of belief and worship."

The three men walked without talking for a while; then Andrew commented that the professor's vision of Islam was indeed appealing. "I wish others saw it the same way you do. But honestly there are many Christians who suffer under Islam — in this country, in Egypt, in Pakistan, and in many other Islamic countries."

"You are right. This is not good."

"So what can we do about it?"

The professor didn't answer for a moment; then he said, "I think talks like this are helpful."

"Yes," Andrew agreed. "But we need more than talk. We need some doing as well."

The men had walked in a circle and were now back at the mosque and adjoining academic building where they had started. Before they parted, Andrew said, "Professor, this has been a very encouraging discussion. I want to thank you for taking the time to see us.

"The pleasure is mine. Please come and visit me anytime you are in the country."

"I will do that. May I ask you one more rather personal question?" The professor nodded. "I admire your dedication to Islam. You are a truly good man. I was intrigued by your fasting six extra days after Ramadan. I'm sure you are faithful in praying five times a day and giving to the poor, and you've probably been on the haj j ."

"Several times. I lead groups on pilgrimage to Mecca."

"You faithfully practice the five pillars of Islam. Does this guarantee you will go to heaven?"

"No, there is no guarantee of paradise."

"So how can you be sure you will be saved? Apart from dying in a jihad, isn't there any way to have assurance that you are going to paradise?"

The professor looked down at the sidewalk for a moment. "Do more good works," he answered, looking up at Andrew. "That's all you can hope for. The question of paradise belongs to God Himself, not to a man. We are trying to do our best. If you want to reach paradise, you have to do many good things."

As they left the professor and walked to the parking lot, Andrew said to Butros, "How sad! There is such a good, pious, dedicated Muslim, and he has no certainty at all that he will ever see paradise or heaven." (Pages 84 - 87) (UNQUOTE " SECRET BELIEVERS ")