Why

I BECAME

A CHRISTIAN

Sultan Muhammed Paulf

A REQUEST

The reader is asked kindly to consider the

following, while reading this book:

1. What are the spiritual demands upon

mankind?

2. What religion can fulfil these spiritual

demands?

3. What is the correct way to read the

Holy Bible?

(Sultan)

WHY I BECAME A

CHRISTIAN

SULTAN MUHAMMED PAUL

THE GOOD WAY - RIKON / SWITZERLAND

Contents

I Introduction 3

2. Early Life and Studies 5

3. First Encounter with Christians 7

4. Further Studies 11

5. Further Controversies with Christians 12

6. Journey to Arabia 15

7. A Vital Issue 17

8. Quest for Salvation 19

9. Decision and Confession 39

10. Quiz 45

This booklet Is printed by permission of the Gospel Literature Service, Bombay, with

explanations of religious, municipal, and other terms provided by The Good Way. All

English Qur'anic references are taken from Muhammed Marmaduke Plckt hall's The Meaning

of the Glorious Koran, New York, 1954. Bible texts have been taken from the New King James

Version.

All Rights Reserved

Order Number: RBP 7845 ENG

First edition: 1990, Revised edition: 1998

The Good Way-P.O. Box 66»CH-8486 Rikon • Switzerland

Internet: http://www.the-good-way.com • E-mail: info@the-good-way.com

I

INTRODUCTION

Modern man groans under the weight of false

conceptions regarding family, communal, and national

excellence. These false conceptions, which are easily

discernible in all types of individuals and at all levels of

society, issue from self-centredness which, in religious

language, is called "the depravity of man." This inner

corruption is essentially rooted in the human heart and

reveals itself in opposition to the welfare of the whole of

society. Moreover, it manifests itself in rebellion against

the Holy and Living God. The poisonous effects of sin

have so corrupted men's hearts that, in spite of their

awareness of its evil, they enjoy it and freely indulge in

it. It was this fundamental problem of sin and the search

for freedom from its guilt and bondage which confronted

Sultan Muhammed Paul.

There may be those who choose to overlook the

problem of sin and the way of salvation. They prefer to

veil the condition of their hearts from themselves and

others, though they well know that the hidden things of

the heart are open to the inspection of God. For such

persons, this story will have little relevance. Yet, there

are others who are deeply concerned about sin and

salvation in their own lives as well as the lives of their

fellow men. For them, this booklet will help in the

examination of their own experiences in light of those of

Sultan Muhammed Paul. May it prove to be a source of

guidance and blessing from the Living God for all who

ponder its contents.

THE PUBLISHERS

II

EARLY LIFE AND STUDIES

My native land is Afghanistan. My father was a

resident of the capital of Logar, situated about fifty miles

south of the city of Kabul.

My father, Payanda Khan, held the rank of colonel in

the Afghan army and had the title, "Bahadur Khan." He

was known throughout the country as "Colonel Bahadur

Khan." My father had two wives. The first was from

among his near relatives. She bore him three daughters,

but no sons. Lest the family should die out, he married

the daughter of Sayyid Mahmud Aqa, a member of one

of the most noble and illustrious families of Afghanistan.

My younger brother, Taj Muhammed Khan, and I were

born of this marriage. I was born in 1881.

Shortly after Abdur Rahman Khan, the Amir (ruler),

arrived from Russia to the throne of Kabul, he captured

six of the country's notables and deported them to some

unknown destination. Later, they were put to death.

Among these was my father. Then a second calamity

befell my family. For political reasons, my two maternal

uncles were seized, sent to the state prison in Kabul,

and later banished to India. Shortly afterwards, my third

uncle, with his mother and servants, came to India, with

permission from the Amir, while the rest of my nearest

relatives remained in Kabul. Upon arrival in India, they

settled in Hasan Abdal.

Owing to further political difficulties, our whole family

relocated to Hasan Abdal. After several months my

mother passed away. Eventually, after a reconciliation

between my family and the Amir, Abdur Rahman Khan,

all my family, with the exception of my three uncles and

myself, returned to our native land.

Later, I went to Delhi and entered the school,

Madrasa-i-Fatehpuri, to perfect myself in the study of

Arabic. At that time, the head mawlavi (instructor) was

Mawlana Abdul Jalil, a pure Pathan of the District of

Naushera (Pathans being the main ethnic group of

Afghanistan). The second mawlavi was Fateh

Muhammed Khan of Quandahar. By the special

kindness of these two gentlemen, I soon completed my

study of logic and turned to that of the traditions and

commentaries. During the day, I studied with my

classmates. In the evenings, I received special

instruction from Mawlana Abdul Jalil. Thus, by the grace

of God, I mastered these subjects.

Ill

FIRST ENCOUNTER

WITH CHRISTIANS

One day, when I was returning with some friends to

the Chandni Chowk (the main thoroughfare of Delhi), we

saw a large crowd gathered near our school. Arriving at

the scene, we noticed that an argument concerning the

doctrine of the Trinity was going on between a Christian

preacher and one of our fellow students. The former

found support for the doctrine in the following verse of

the Qur'an:

"And we are nearer to him than his jugular

vein" (Qur'an 50:16)..

He was saying that the first person plural

£*» {nahnu, "we") is used here and that if the unity of

God were absolute, the first person singular, tf? {ana,

"I"), would have been used instead. Since the student

was giving an answer that was not to the point, my

friends urged me to answer the argument of the

preacher. Accordingly, I stepped forward and said that

the first person plural of the pronoun, according to Arabic

idiomatic expression, is used as an honorific and not as

an indication of plurality.

This was the first opportunity I had to meet a Christian

in argument. On that very day, there was born in me an

indescribable eagerness to argue with Christians, an

eagerness derived from a deeply rooted fervour and

concern for things sacred. Consequently, as far as lay

within my power, I began to collect the notable books in

refutation of Christianity. I made a careful study of many

books, and on appointed days I began to go to the

Fountain, to carry on discussions with the Christian

preachers.

One day, an English clergyman, who used to come

with the preachers, gave me his visiting card and invited

me to his house. He was kind and said that I could bring

my friends with me. Accordingly, I went to his residence,

in company with two or three friends. While we drank

our tea, we began an interesting discussion on matters

of religion. He turned to me and asked if I read the Bible.

"Why should I read the Bible?" said I. "Who would read

such an altered book which you people change every

year?" At my reply, a pitying look appeared on the face

of the clergyman, and he said with a faint smile: "Do you

consider all Christians to be dishonest? Do you think we

fear God so little that we would continue to deceive the

world by changing the Holy Scriptures? When Muslims

say that Christians keep altering the text of the Tawrat

8

and the Injil (the Torah and the Gospel), they suggest

that all Christians are dishonest and that they are

deceivers of people. Now this is a serious and

unwarranted indictment. Christians believe in the Bible

as the Word of God, as Muslims do in the Qur'an. Thus,

if no Muslim can change the text of the Qur'an, how is it

that a Christian can change the text of the Book of the

all-wise God — the Holy Bible? If a mischievous Muslim

were to be so foolish as to change the text of any verse

of the Qur'an, would not all Muslims consider him

outside the pale of Islam and publish the facts about

him? In the same way, if some mischievous Christian

were to change the text of any verse of Scripture, would

not all other true Christians consider him outside the

pale of their religion and publicise the facts about him?

Of course they would! From this, you can see that the

Muslims' contention that the text of God's Word has

been altered is absolutely without foundation and futile.

I believe that this contention is held by Muslims who are

generally quite ignorant of the Bible and of the faith and

doctrines of Christians."

The clergyman then gave me two Bibles, one in

Persian and the other in Arabic, and urged me to read

them. We thanked him and departed. I paid no attention

to the plan which this man had suggested. My object in

reading the Bible was to find flaws in it, to prove from it

the truth of Islam, and to silence Christians in argument.

I did not even read through the Bible from beginning to

end, but only those passages which Muslim

controversialists quote in their writings. As long as I

remained in Delhi, I made it my business to carry on

controversy with Christians.

10

IV

FURTHER STUDIES

In time, I decided to go to Bombay. There, I had the

good fortune to meet Mawlavi Hidayat Ullah who was

highly respected in that region as a man of authority and

great learning. His home was in Kabul, and he was

well-acquainted with my family. As soon as we came to

know each other in Bombay, he gladly promised to give

me instruction. He felt that my regular course of studies

was nearly complete, and advised me to give more

attention to the study of literature. He also gave me

permission to use his splendid library. Thus, I began my

study under his guidance. This mawlavi had spent most

of his life in Istanbul (Constantinople), Egypt, and

Arabia, and was a literary genius. He taught in Persian,

the mother tongue of us both, and this facilitated my

course of instruction.

During this time, another fine scholar, an expert in

logic and philosophy, came from Egypt and was

appointed as professor in the Madrasa-i-Zakariyya. This

was Mawlavi Abdul Ahad of Jalalabad District in

Afghanistan. When I learned of his eminence, I entered

the Madrasa-i-Zakariyya and began a study of the

advanced books on logic and philosophy. This mawlavi

treated me as a son and gave me a room next to his

own, so that I could call on him for help at any time.

11

V

FURTHER CONTROVERSIES

WITH CHRISTIANS

One day during the course of a walk, some of my

fellow students and I arrived at the Dhobi Talab (a district

in Bombay). There, we found some Christian preachers

speaking to the people. Immediately, my old enmity was

aroused as I recalled my previous experience in Delhi.

I was ready to advance towards the preachers when a

friend restrained me, saying: "Mawlavi Sahib, never

mind these people. It is a waste of time to argue with

them. These poor fellows neither know how to carry on

a discussion, nor are they familiar with the rules of

debate. They are paid to do this work and are fulfilling

their duty, so there is absolutely no use in arguing with

them." "I know all about these people," I replied. "They

may not know the art and rules of debate, but they

certainly know how to lead people astray. It is the duty

of every true Muslim to rescue his thoughtless Muslim

brethren from their plotting and deception." I stepped

forward and began raising a host of objections to what

they had said. They countered with a flurry of opposition

to my objections.

The discussion was finally cut short for lack of time.

News of our encounter soon spread among the students

of the school. They too were fired with zeal to engage

12

in controversy. We went regularly, twice a week, to meet

the Christians in debate. Eventually, two C.M.S.

missionaries invited us to their home through Mr. Joseph

Bihari Lai, their head catechist. While we were there,

they said that the Dhobi Talab was too far for us to reach

easily, so they offered to open a reading room near our

school, where we could carry on our investigations once

a week to our hearts' content, if we really wanted to

discover the truth about Christianity. I gratefully

accepted this offer. When the reading room was

opened, we met them there, according to a fixed

schedule.

When I perceived that the students in the school and

my other friends knew nothing of the Christian religion,

and were inexperienced in debate, I rented another

house, on the advice of Mawlavi Abbas Khan Sahib.

There, we formed a society called "Nadwatul

Mutakallimin," with the aim of preparing controversialists

against all non-Islamic religions, with special reference

to Christianity.

When my instructor noticed that I was always involved

in controversy and that I had no other interest in life, he

came into my room one day after evening prayers. Just

at that time, i was reading the Injil. He asked me what I

was reading. I told him and he responded angrily, "I fear

lest you become a Christian." I was very much provoked

at his reply and, although I did not wish to seem

13

disrespectful, I could not help saying: "Why should I

become a Christian? Does the mere reading of the Injil

make one a Christian? I am reading it in order to destroy

Christianity root and branch. You should encourage me

in this matter instead of finding fault with me." He replied:

"I said this because I have heard that he who reads the

Injil becomes a Christian. Have you not heard what a

certain poet has said: 'When he reads the Injil, the heart

of the faithful one turns away from Islam'?" "This

information is inaccurate," I replied. After giving me

further counsel, the mawlavi returned to his room.

VI

JOURNEY TO ARABIA

This interesting religious conflict went on for some

years, when suddenly I became possessed with the

desire to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. Immediately, I

made the necessary arrangements, boarded the

steamship, "Shah-i-Nur," headed for Jeddah, and then

went to Mecca. From Mecca, I corresponded with

Mawlavi Hassamud Din, editor of the Kashful Haqaiq.

On the day of pilgrimage, I donned my pilgrim attire and

proceeded to Mt. Arafat. On that day, I saw a wonderful

sight: the rich and poor, the high and low, all dressed in

the same white garment. It looked as if all the dead, clad

in their shrouds, had emerged from their graves to

render their accounts. The sight brought tears to my

eyes. But at the same time a thought struck me: "If Islam

is not the true religion, what will my cohdition be on the

Day of Resurrection?" Then and there, I prayed to God:

"O God, show me the true religion and Your true way. If

Islam is the true religion, keep me steadfast in it, and

grant me grace to silence the opponents of Islam. If

Christianity is the true religion, then reveal its truth to

me. Amen."

After a brief visit to Medina, I returned to Bombay.

During my absence, the "Nadwatul Mutakallimin" had

disbanded. Immediately upon my return, I organised

another society in its place. I myself became president

15

of this society, and Abdur Rauf was its secretary. At his

house, near Grant Road, our organisation held its

meetings. It was our custom each week to invite a

non-Muslim to address us, and one of our members was

to answer the argument of our guest. Munshi Mansur

Masih used to come regularly to speak for the

Christians. Others came to speak on behalf of the Arya

Samaj (a Hindu theistic association).

16

VII

A VITAL ISSUE

One day, Munshi Mansur Masih addressed us very

convincingly that there is no salvation in Islam. The

members of our society asked me to answer him. To the

best of my ability, I tried to prove that there is perfect

and certain salvation in Islam. The audience

appreciated my address; yet, in my innermost being, I

knew very well that my answer left me unconvinced. In

fact, as I spoke, I was compelled to admit the weakness

of my position. Though I had made much more noise

than my antagonist, his voice was thundering in my soul

with an indescribable power.

It was nearly 11 p.m. when this discussion ended. I

returned home and sat down to think carefully about

what Munshi Mansur Masih had said. The more I

thought, the more evident it became to me that salvation

is the vital breath of religion and its necessary

foundation. Without it, a religion is not a religion.

Furthermore, I recognised that man is a bundle of

forgetfulness, disobedience, and transgression. His life

never remains so pure as to be absolutely free from the

stain of sin. Sin has become man's second nature. It is

a true saying that "to err is human." The essential

question is: How can one escape accountability and

punishment? How is one to be saved? It became my

duty to investigate this matter honestly and without

17

prejudice. If I found that salvation was certainly to be

had through Islam, then I would thank God. How bright

my eyes would be and how glad my heart! But if Islam

provided no such assurance, then I would be compelled

to seek that religion which presents a satisfying plan of

salvation. When I came to this decision, I fell on my

knees in prayer before God and wept bitterly,

covenanting that thereafter I would not read the Bible as

I had been reading it. I would read it so that I, a miserable

sinner, might discover in it the way of salvation.

18

VIII

QUEST FOR SALVATION

From that day onward, I changed my attitude and, as

a genuine seeker of truth, began reading and comparing

the Bible with the Qur'an. For my further peace of mind,

I borrowed a copy of the Avesta (the Zoroastrian book

of sacred writings) from a Parsi friend, and bought a

copy of the Satyarth Prakash. Then, I began to compare

all these books. After reading the Avesta carefully and

talking with Parsi scholars, I became still more dejected

regarding the way of salvation, for there is no reasonable

method of salvation set forth in this religion.

I turned next to the study of the Satyarth Prakash

written by Swami Dayanand Sarasvati, which may be

considered the most authoritative work setting forth the

doctrines of the Arya Samaj. I read it with the hope that

I might find in it that for which I was searching. But

instead, I found strange doctrines which made my hair

stand on end. I learned from it that God cannot forgive

sins. I was amazed at this and concluded that it was

absolutely useless for anyone to join the Arya Samaj in

the hope of gaining salvation. According to the Arya

Samaj, God could not forgive a man's sins, whether

committed before or after his becoming an Arya

Samajist. Hence, punishment is inescapable.

19

Furthermore, I discovered that the Arya Samaj do not

consider salvation to be eternal. It became clear to me

that there is no salvation with the Arya Samaj and that,

even if salvation were obtained by one way or another,

it would not be eternal. Consequently, since salvation is

temporal, would not one continually fear that further

happiness might be refused him at any time? When I

reached this point and saw that there was no salvation

here for a sinner like myself, I discontinued my study of

the Satyarth Prakash.

The most weighty task confronting me was that of

examining the Qur'an and the most reliable of the

Traditions. Before beginning my search for the doctrine

of salvation in these works, I raised my hands to God in

prayer:

"O God, You know that I am and was born

a Muslim, and that for generations my

ancestors were born Muslims and have died

in this religion. In it, I too have been raised

and have received my education. Therefore,

remove every obstacle that would prevent

me from discovering Your true way, and

show me the path of Your salvation, so that

when I leave this transitory world, I may not

be displeasing to You. Amen."

20

What I found out through studying the Qur'an was

what I had known before: attaining salvation is

dependent upon doing good works. I found many verses

which declare this doctrine, but shall quote only two of

them here:

"But as for those who believe and do good

works, for them are the Gardens of Retreat —

a welcome (in reward) for what they used to do.

And as for those who do evil, their retreat is the

Fire. Whenever they desire to issue forth from

thence, they are brought back thither. Unto

them it is said: Taste the torments of the Fire

which ye used to deny" (Qur'an 32:19,20).

C* J

21

"And whoso doeth good an atom's weight will

see it then, and whoso doeth ill an atom's weight

will see it then" (Qur'an 99:7,8).

At first glance, these verses were very beautiful and

consoling, but in my mind they raised a question: Is it

possible for us to do only good and no evil? Does man

possess such power? When I considered this carefully,

and at the same time reckoned with the faculties and

passions of man, it became clear to me that it is

impossible for man to remain sinless. He has no power

to continually do good and only good.

The moral philosophers of Arabia claimed that there

are four faculties in man which give rise to all his actions.

Of these four, three powerful ones work against his

spiritual interest. There is only one, the angelic faculty,

which impels man towards God, helping him to obey

God's commands; but its effects are hidden from man's

sight. On the other hand, there is the combined strength

of the other three faculties, the effects of which delight

and motivate man at once. Therefore, the mind of man

sees only what is on the surface; he cares only for the

present, pays more attention to worldly things, and

becomes careless in the things of the Spirit and God. A

distinguished Muslim described the matter thus:

"I am trapped in four things, the ascendancy

of which is the cause of my misery and suffering.

22

These four things are Satan, the world, lust, and

greed. How may I be free from these when all

of them are my enemies? Evil desires allure me

and throw me into the dark abyss of sensuality

and pleasure."

According to the Arabic philosophers, the three

faculties gained mastery over the angelic faculty, and

Adam did that which God forbade him to do. The result

has been manifestly inherited by his descendants down

to the present time. According to a Tradition:

It is related from Abu Huraira that the Apostle

of God said: "When God created Adam, he

stroked his back, and there fell from his back all

the men whom He was creating from his

descendants until the Day of Resurrection. And

He placed before the eyes of each man a flash

of light. Afterwards, He brought them to Adam.

Adam said: 'O my Lord, who are these?' He

replied: They are thy descendants.' And he saw

a man among them whose flash of light between

his eyes astonished him. He said: 'O my Lord,

how long have You fixed his life?' He replied:

'Sixty years.' Adam said: 'My Lord, increase it

from my life by forty years.' The Apostle of God

said: "When the life of Adam was completed,

except for forty years, the angel of death came

to him. And Adam said: 'Are there not yet forty

23

years of my life remaining?' He replied: 'Did you

not give them to your son, David?' Then Adam

denied this, and his descendants have denied,

and Adam forgot and ate of the tree, and his

descendants have forgotten, and Adam sinned

and his descendants have sinned" (Tirmidhi).

From this Tradition, it is clear that all the children of

Adam are assuredly sinners because Adam's sin has

entered into all. Accordingly, saints and religious leaders

have confessed their sins. Thus Adam, the first of the

prophets, and Eve say:

"They said: 'Our Lord! We have wronged

ourselves. If You forgive us not and have not

mercy on us, surely we are of the lost!'"

(Qur'an 7:23)

Likewise, the Prophet Abraham says:

11:

24

"Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and

believers on the day when the account is cast."

(Qur'an 14:41)

The Prophet of Islam makes this prayer:

"O God, wash my iniquities with

snow-water"(Bukhari).

Abu Bakr, the first caliph of the Prophet of Islam, says

in his famous poem:

"O God, how shall I be saved, for there is no

goodness in me? I am overwhelmed with

iniquities, but am wanting in goodness."

In addition to all this evidence, the following verse

from the Qur'an maintains that all men are sinners:

iSü Z'jl «SuJ^i 'o\

"Lo! man is an ingrate unto his Lord, and lo!

he is a witness unto that" (Qur'an 100:6,7).

In this connection, the following thoughts confronted

me: the Prophet Jesus was also a man. The Qur'an

refers to the sins of the other prophets. But why does

the Qur'an record no sin of Jesus? As I found that the

25

Qur'an records only the sinlessness of Jesus, I therefore

turned to the Injil. Here I found the following verses:

"Which of you convicts Me of sin?"

(John 8:46)

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be

sin for us, that we might become the

righteousness of God in Him."

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

"For we do not have a High Priest who is

unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,

but was in all points tempted as we are, yet

without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).

"[He] committed no sin, nor was guile

found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2:22).

"And you know that He was manifested to

take away our sins, and in Him there is no

sin" (1 John 3:5).

Thus, there is solid evidence to prove that, with the

exception of the Prophet Jesus, all mankind are sinful.

Under these circumstances, who was I that I should

claim to be able to gain salvation by good works, when

26

many religious leaders, philosophers, and saints had

failed to run this impossible course?

Again I turned to the Qur'an to examine its teachings

about the doctrine of salvation by works. I will quote two

verses here which make it clear that no human being

can escape condemnation, no matter what his status

may be:

"Sfj (Ä

"There is not one of you but shall approach

it. That is a fixed ordinance of thy Lord. Then

we shall rescue those who kept from evil, and

leave the evil-doers crouching there."

(Qur'an 19:71,72)

No one but myself knows with what terror, dismay,

and disappointment I read these words. I, a spiritually

sick man, was reading the Qur'an as if I were consulting

a physician, so that it might offer me the remedy for my

Another translation reads: "There is not one of you who shall not pass through the confines of Hell..."

(N.J. Dawood, The Koran, penguin Books Ltd., Middlesex, 1959). Still another translation reads: "No

one is there of you who shall not go down unto it..." (J.M. Rodwell, The Koran, J.M. Dent and Sons,

London, 1950).

27

sinfulness. But instead of giving me a solution, it said:

"Everyone of you will go to perdition, for this is the

absolute duty of thy Lord."

But my natural love and attachment for the faith of

Islam forbade me to make haste in my personal

decision. I thought it fitting to seek a commentary on this

verse in the Traditions, that I might see what the Prophet

of Islam himself has to say on this matter. After a long

search, I found the following Tradition in the Mishkat (a

famous book of Sunni Traditions):

Ibn Masud said that the Prophet of Islam said:

"All people shall enter hell. Then they will come

out of it according to their works. Those who will

come out first will do so like a flash of lightning,

the next like a gale of wind, then like a horse at

full speed, afterwards like a swift rider, then like

a man springing, and finally, like the walk of a

man" (Tirmidhi and Darimi).

The meaning of the previous verse was now clear. It

is inevitable that everyone will enter hell and then

emerge according to his works. The meaning of the

Qur'an was plain and was supported by the statement

of the Prophet of Islam himself. I wished that I could have

ended my search at this point, but thought it best to seek

an interpretation in the Qur'an itself. Thus, after a long

search, I came upon this verse:

28

t _ s , „ ,t

<j-«u]l JJ«JL ^iXtj «-Li llj

iu jj

* - * -

"And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would

have made mankind one nation, yet they cease

not differing, save him on whom thy Lord hath

mercy; and for that He did create them. And the

Word of the Lord hath been fulfilled: Verily I shall

fill hell with the jinn and mankind together."

(Qur'an 11:118,119)

I was so stricken after reading this verse that I slowly

closed the Qur'an and became absorbed in anxious

thought. Even in sleep I found no rest, for my waking

thoughts, taking form in the realm of dreams, made me

uneasy. It was unspeakably hard for me to forsake the

faith of my fathers; I would have been more willing to

forsake life itself. For some time, I kept trying to think of

some method of evading the problem or some way of

escape, so that I would not need to leave Islam. With

this intent, I began to search for help in the Traditions.

This was no easy matter, for the Traditions are

contained in six thick volumes. Moreover, it is a most

29

difficult task to apply the principles of the science of the

Traditions to each Tradition. But despite these

difficulties, I carried my work to completion, with the help

of God.

According to the Traditions, there are three ways of

salvation. First, there is absolutely no connection

between works and salvation. The very worst sinner,

who has spent his whole life breaking God's laws, may

enter paradise. Also, the best kind of man, having spent

his life in good deeds, may enter hell. The following

Traditions speak for themselves:

Hazrat Anas relates that the Prophet of Islam

was riding, followed by Maadh. When the

Prophet repeated thrice, "Anyone who honestly

believes and repeats: There is but one God,

and Muhammed is his prophet,' shall never be

doomed to the fire of hell," Maadh said, "O

Prophet of God, shall I not proclaim these

tidings?" The Prophet answered, "In that case,

they will believe in nothing else but this."

(Mishkat)

On this subject, there is a Tradition handed down by

Abu Dharr, the words of which force the conclusion that

salvation by works is meaningless, for even the

adulterer and thief obtain salvation by the mere

30

repetition, of the words of the Muslim creed. The

Tradition runs thus:

It is related from Abu Dharr that he said: "I

came to the Prophet, and he had a white cloth

over him and was sleeping. Later on, I came to

him after he had awakened. Then, he said: 'Any

servant of God who says, "There is no God but

Allah," and afterwards dies relying on that, will

enter heaven.' I said, 'Although he commit

adultery or steal?' He replied, 'Although he has

committed adultery and theft.11 said, 'Although

he commit adultery and theft?' He replied,

'Although he commit adultery and theft, and in

spite of Abu Dharr'" (Muslim, Bukhari).

I found another Tradition, as comforting as a basket

of sugar to a child, which promises that, whether a man

does good or evil, he can obtain paradise by means of

the repetition of a few words. It reads as follows:

It is related from Ubadah bin Samit that the

Apostle of God said: "Whoever bears witness

that there is no God but Allah alone, and that He

has no partner, and that Muhammed is His

servant and His Apostle, and that Jesus is the

servant of God and His apostle and the son of

His handmaid and his word which He cast into

Mary and a spirit from Him, and that heaven and

31

hell are true, God will take him into paradise, in

spite of what his works may have been!"

(Muslim, Bukhari)2

When I read these Traditions, the question came into

my mind whether it is just that one who spent his whole

life doing evil and never thought of good should enter

paradise at death, while another who has spent his life

in the fear of God, self-restraint, and good works should

be cast into hell at death.

Secondly, it is shown in the Traditions that salvation

is dependent upon the mercy of God — so much so that

the Prophet himself is a needy beggar of this mercy.

Unless God has mercy upon him, the Prophet himself

cannot obtain salvation through works." One Tradition in

the Mishkat reads as follows:

Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet of

Islam said: "No one of you will enter Paradise

through his good works." They said: "Not even

you, O Apostle of God?" "Not even I," he replied,

"unless God cover me with His grace and

mercy. Therefore be strong, and morning and

evening, nay every moment, try to do good."

TTie reader should kindly bear in mind that Christians do not deny the necessity of doing good works.

Christians realise that they are to be always engaged in good works; however, their salvation does not

depend upon their works, for no person can do more than is required of him. Thus, no one can do excess

works which might serve as an atonement for his evil works (See Luke 17:7-10 [Sultan]).

32

Compare also the following Tradition:

Jabir reported that the Prophet of Islam said:

"No good works of yours can ever secure

heaven for you, nor can they save you from hell

— not even me, without the grace of God."

From these Traditions, I understood that no one can

obtain salvation unless God's mercy rests on him. This

comforted me a little, but at the same time I began to

think: If God is merciful, He is likewise just. If God should

forgive by the exercise of His mercy alone, He would be

evading the demands of His justice and righteousness.

Such an evasion of His justice would indicate a defect

in the being of God. Certainly such an act would be

unworthy of the glory of God.

The third thing that became clear to me from the

Traditions was that even the Prophet of Islam cannot

save anyone, not even his daughter, Fatimah, or his

relations. Hence, the idea that the Prophet would

intercede for the faithful, which I thought would surely

be correct, proved to be wrong. One Tradition runs thus:

Abu Huraira related that when the verse,

"Cause thy near relatives to fear," was revealed

to the Prophet of Islam, the Prophet arose and

began to proclaim: "Oh people of the Quraysh,

and you sons of Abdul Manaf, and you Abbas,

33

son of Abdul Muttalib, and you, Safiyyah my

aunt, I cannot save you from the punishment of

the Day of Resurrection. Take care of yourself,

O my daughter Fatimah; you may use my

property, but I cannot save you from God. Take

care of yourself" (Bukhari).

So, after an extended and penetrating study of the

Traditions, there remained nothing more for further

research. In sheer terror and desperation, I closed the

books of the Traditions and prayed to God:

"O God, my Creator and my Lord, You

know the secrets of my heart better than I

know them. You know how long I have been

seeking Your true religion. I have carried my

investigation as far as I have been able. Now,

therefore, open to me the door of Your

knowledge and Your salvation. Grant that I

may enter into the company of Your people

who are well-pleasing unto You, so that I

may be exalted and content, when I enter

Your glorious presence. Amen."

In this desperate and depressed state of mind, I again

began to read the Holy Injil with the idea of correcting

any possible defects in my investigations. As I opened

the Holy Injil this time, my eyes fell on these words:

34

"Come to me, all who labour and are

heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

(Matthew 11:28)

I cannot say how I happened to come across this

passage in the Gospel according to Matthew. I did not

intentionally seek it. On the other hand, it was not a

chance occurrence; it was the God-given answer to my

hard labour and sincere investigation. For a sinner like

me, it was indeed the supreme proclamation of good

news. This life-giving verse had a tremendous effect

upon me. It brought me peace, comfort, and joy and

immediately banished all uneasiness and uncertainty

from my heart. The Messiah claims: "I will give you rest."

He shows how salvation depends upon Him. He does

not merely point to a path which is above or beyond Him,

but says: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me"

(John 14:6).

Yet, the question came to my mind: Can one have

confidence in this extraordinary claim of Christ? I

concluded that one could rest upon it, for in the first

place, Christ is accepted by Muslims as sinless, glorious

in this world and the next, the Word of God, and the Spirit

of God. These and other descriptions, which are applied

to Jesus, indicate perfection. Secondly, according to

Christians, he is perfect God and perfect man, free from

all base passion and worldly ambitions. Thus, it is

35

impossible that Christ, who, according to both Muslims

and Christians possesses the highest qualities, would

sin or do anything unworthy of Himself.

I then began to ponder how Christ promised to give

salvation. To set my mind at rest, I began to search

through the Holy Injil and came upon this verse:

"...just as the Son of Man did not come to

be served, but to serve, and to give His life

as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

Upon reading this verse, I discovered how God offers

salvation. Christ gave His life for us sinners. This is a

marvellous way, to which the world can show no

counterpart. Scores of men have founded religions in

this world, but none of them has claimed that his death

will serve for the forgiveness of sins. Christ alone not

only made this claim, but also fulfilled it.

At this thought, I fell into a state of ecstasy. The picture

of Christ and His love for men made an indelible

impression on my heart. But while I was absorbed in this

ecstasy, another question came into my mind: What was

the need of Christ's sacrifice and atonement? Could He

not have given salvation without giving His life? After

some further thought, I found the answer to this also:

God is both merciful and just. If Christ had promised

salvation without giving His life, the demands of mercy

36

would certainly have been fulfilled. But in order to satisfy

the demands of justice also, Christ paid the ransom —

His precious blood. In this way, God has manifested His

love for us.

"In this is love, not that we loved God, but

that He loved us and sent His Son to be the

propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).

I continued my investigation in the New Testament

and read it several times from beginning to end. I found

hundreds of verses and scores of parables which proved

to me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that salvation —

the very heart and purpose of religion—is available only

through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I quote one

passage here to prove this point:

"Now we know that whatever the law says,

it says to those who are under the law, that

every mouth may be stopped, and all the

world may become guilty before God.

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh

will be justified in His sight, for by the law is

the knowledge of sin. But now the

righteousness of God apart from the law is

revealed, being witnessed by the Law and

the Prophets, even the righteousness of

God which is through faith in Jesus Christ

to all and on all who believe. For there is no

37

difference; for all have sinned and fall short

of the glory of God, being justified freely by

His grace through the redemption that is in

Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a

propitiation by His blood, through faith, to

demonstrate His righteousness, because in

his forbearance God had passed over the

sins that were previously committed...."

(Romans 3:19-25)

38

IX

DECISION AND CONFESSION

After completing the investigations which I have

described, I came to the conclusion that I would become

a Christian. Under these circumstances, it appeared to

me to be honourable to present the whole matter before

the society, that they might consider it and that I might

be free from any charge of pursuing my investigations

in secret.

I went to the meeting as usual. It was again the turn

of Munshi Mansur Masih to speak. Before he began, I

interrupted by stating that on this occasion I myself

would speak against Islam. I then proceeded to describe

the results of my many years of research. The officers

of the society were amazed at my words but took comfort

in the hope that I would make the rebuttal to my own

address. When I finished and took my seat, the

vice-president said, "We hope that the president himself

will make his own rebuttal to his unfavourable address."

Again I rose and said: "Listen to me, my friends. What I

have explained to you is not something which is

superficial and fabricated. It is a matter which is certain

and decisive, based on years of investigation. To be

more specific, it began on that day when Munshi Mansur

Masih addressed us on the subject of salvation. At that

time, I promised God that henceforth I would read the

Holy Bible, not as I had read it previously, but as a seeker

39

after truth, so that the way of truth and righteousness

might be revealed to me. Accordingly, setting aside

prejudice and philosophical quibbling, I compared the

Avesta, Satyarth Prakash, the Bible, and the Qur'an. I

came to the conclusion that salvation is to be found in

Christ only. That is all I have to say. If there is any defect

in my investigation, I would be grateful if any of you

gentlemen would point it out. On the other hand, if you

yourselves wish me to make the rebuttal to these

arguments, I tell you frankly that I cannot answer them;

nor is there hope of an answer from anyone else."

I left the meeting, as it was not prudent for me to

remain there longer. Munshi Mansur Masih immediately

followed me. When he caught up with me, he embraced

me and began to shed tears of joy, saying in a trembling

voice, "You must come home with me tonight. It is not

safe for you to spend the night alone in your room." I

replied that the officers of my organisation were

educated gentlemen, and that I need fear nothing from

them. "Of course," I added, "there are others whom one

must fear. I shall come to your house before daybreak.

If I am not there by that time, you may kindly come to

my lodging."

After making this arrangement, we separated. I went

to my room, bolted the door from the inside, and

extinguished the light. I sat down, immersed in thought.

I will never forget the fearful fancies and spiritual

40

struggle of that night. It was a night of decision, a night

of most desperate testing. At times, the thought

confronted me that, if I should become a Christian, I

would lose my country, my inheritance, my rights, my

family, my friends — in short, everything. I was also

bothered by the idea that becoming a Christian would

mean entering a world where manners and all else

would be different from that to which I had been

accustomed. Sleep was impossible that night.

Finally, I said to myself: "Sultan, consider that you are

the child of an hour and the world is fleeting. When you

die, your country and inheritance will be of no benefit to

you; nor will your family and friends be of help to you.

All these belong to this world alone. Nothing but your

faith can go beyond the grave. Therefore, it is not wise

to forsake eternal life and spiritual happiness for the

sake of this transitory life." I then bowed my knees before

God and offered this prayer:

"O, omnipotent, eternal God, Searcher of

hearts, I yield myself to You. Accept this

offering and protect me from all the snares

of the devil and from spiritual dangers.

Remove from my heart the world and its

desires. Grant me courage and strength that

I may be able to confess Your only Son

Jesus Christ publicly before all men. Hear

41

and accept my prayer for the sake of Jesus

Christ. Amen."

After finishing this prayer, I felt somewhat drowsy and

slept for a short time. When I awoke, I felt altogether

happy and cheerful. No shadow of the former worry and

uneasiness bothered me.

The day was breaking. I quickly washed and left for

the home of Munshi Mansur Masih. When I arrived

there, I found he had been very worried because I had

not come. He knew that I was accustomed to tea at that

hour and already prepared some for me. After I finished

my tea, we talked things over for a short time and then

engaged in prayer. After prayer, we went to the home of

Padre Ledgeard.

The padre was surprised at our early arrival. Munshi

Mansur Masih proceeded to tell him that I had come to

be baptised. At first, he thought we were not in earnest.

But when he heard what had taken place on the

preceding night, he immediately rose and embraced me,

saying: "I knew that if you would read the Bible seriously

you would surely become a Christian. Thank God that

you have been convinced." He then promised to baptise

me three days later and advised me to memorise the

Ten Commandments, Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's

Prayer, during the interval. He further counselled me not

to stay among Muslims. Upon his invitation to stay either

42

with himself or with Munshi Mansur Masih, I decided to

accept the second alternative.

When Sunday came, the whole church was filled with

Muslims. Seeing the danger, Mr. Ledgeard postponed

my baptism. Finally, by the grace and mercy of God, I

was baptised on August 6, 1903, in St. Paul's Church,

Bombay. My baptism took place in the presence of the

following persons: Rev. Canon Ledgeard, who baptised

me, Munshi Mansur Masih, and two other gentlemen,

whose names I cannot now recall. Immediately after the

ceremony, I was sent to Kanpur, since it was dangerous

for me to remain in Bombay.

When I became a Christian, a wonderful change took

place in my life. My speech, actions, and whole manner

of life were so transformed that a year later, when I

visited Bombay for a short time, my Muslim friends

wondered at it. They marvelled at my mildness, for they

knew how easily I used to lose my temper.

Before I became a Christian, I recognised sin to be

sin, but I did not realise, as I do now, what a dangerous

and destructive force it is. I am still merely a weak man

and a handful of dust, and, when I sin, I cannot describe

the shame and sorrow with which I am filled.

Immediately, I fall on my face and, with tears, I repent

and beg for forgiveness. This attitude can be acquired

only by the recognition of the atoning sacrifice of the

43

Lord Jesus Christ. Sin cannot be removed by

repentance alone. It must be cleansed by the sacred

blood of our Saviour. It is because of the very reason of

sin that the world is daily approaching nearer and nearer

to destruction.

Though Satan may war against me with all the power

at his disposal, I am not in the least disturbed because

I believe that Christ has crushed his head. Satan cannot

harm Christ's faithful servants, nor can he prevail

against them. May God, the Creator of heaven and

earth, the Searcher of hearts, turn the hearts of my

Muslim brethren, as He turned mine, and give them

vision, so that they too, remembering the Day of

Judgment, may realise their deep spiritual need and

come into the fold of the Lord Jesus Christ.

44

I am, my dear Muslim brothers,

Your spiritual well-wisher,

Sultan Muhammed Paul

X

QUIZ

You can answer the following questions easily from the

text, if you have studied this book carefully. Mail your

answers to us. If you have answered at least 15

correctly, we will send you one of our books as a gift.

Please do not forget to write your full name and address

clearly.

1. What is "the depravity of man" and how does it

manifest itself in mankind?

2. What was the fundamental problem confronting

Sultan Muhammed Paul?

3. Quote the response of the English clergyman to the

following question of Sultan Muhammed Paul:

"Why should I read the Bible? Who would read such

an altered book which you people change every

year?"

4. How did Sultan Muhammed Paul feel after he had

answered the challenge of Munshi Mansur Masih,

concerning salvation in Islam?

5. In what manner did Sultan Muhammed Paul decide

to study the Bible, after the words of Munshi

Mansur Masih had thundered in his soul?

6. Of what did Sultan Muhammed Paul become a

seeker, when he began comparing the Qur'an, the

Bible, the Avesta, and the Satyarth Prakash?

45

7. What did Sultan Muhammed Paul discover about

man and salvation in the Qur'an (32:19; 99:7,8)?

8. What did Sultan Muhammed Paul learn about

Adam, Abraham, the Prophet of Islam, Abu Bakr,

and all mankind in his study of the Qur'an, and how

is Jesus different from all these other men?

9. Quote, in full, the five New Testament passages

that Sultan Muhammed Paul found, which proclaim

the sinlessness of Jesus. Include the references in

your answer.

10. Summarise, in a few sentences, the two basic

principles which Sultan Muhammed Paul learned

from the following: Qur'an 19:71,72 and its

commentary in the Mishkat, and Qur'an

11:118,199.

11. Briefly summarise the three things that Sultan

Muhammed Paul discovered about salvation,

according to the Traditions. What was his state of

mind after his research?

12. Quote the verse in the Gospel according to

Matthew which Sultan Muhammed Paul found after

his research in the Traditions. What effect did it

have upon him?

13. Quote John 14:6 and explain its significance.

14. What two things did Sultan Muhammed Paul

conclude, which support the extraordinary claim of

Christ?

15. Quote Matthew 20:28, and describe how God

offers salvation.

46

16. What answer did Sultan Muhammed Paul find to

his question: "What was the need of Christ's

sacrifice and atonement? Could He not have given

salvation without giving his life?"

17. Quote the verse from the New Testament that

explains how God has manifested His love for us.

18. What is the very heart and purpose of religion, and

through what means is it made available? Quote

the passage from the book of Romans that

supports the answer.

19. After Sultan Muhammed Paul had addressed his

organisation for the last time, he locked himself in

his room. Quote the words he said to himself as

well as the prayer he offered to God on his knees.

20. What changes did the Muslim friends of Sultan

Muhammed Paul notice in his life, after he had

given his life to Jesus?

If you have any questions about the Christian faith, we

will be happy to answer them for you. Do not forget to

write your full name and address inside the letteras well

as on the envelope.

iiiiifiitfii

GÖÖDQW

P.O. BOX 66

86RIKOt

/ifZERÜlNC

47

THE GOOD WAY

P. O. BOX 66, CH-8486 RIKON

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rb 4001 No Distortion in the Torah and the Gospel 1993

(Balance of Truth, part I, reprint)

RB4003 The Infallibility of the Torah and the Gospel 1974

RB4030 The Gospel of Barnabas Is a False Testimony 197g

rb 4050 No! The Religion of Christ Has Not Been 1990

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RB4io3 Trinity and Unity 1988

RB4U5 Did God Appear in the Flesh? 1971

rb43oi The Person of Christ in the Gospel and the 1975

Koran

RB43SS What Do You Think About Christ? 1978

RB4358 A Question That Demands an Answer! 1993

RB4370 The Light of the World 1984

RB4380 How Can We Know the Truth of the Gospel? 1987

rb 4401 Sin and Atonement in Islam and Christianity 1979

RB4430 How Can You Be Saved, 0 Man? 1993

(Balance of Truth, part II)

RB4480 The CrOSS in the GOSpel and the Koran 1969 hkander Jadeed 48 Eng]. 5.—

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How Do We Pray?

1977

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Themes for the Diligent

1989

Nicola Ghabriel

128

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Victory of the Truth

1988

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132

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Teach Me Your Way, 0 Lord!

1982

Iskander Jadeed

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Test Everything, Hold On to the Good!

1980

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112

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1974

1991

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In Search of Assurance

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God Has Chosen for Me Everlasting Life

1992

Hamran Ambrie

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Sweet Firstfruits

My Grace Is Sufficient for You

Why 1 Became a Christian

1993

1990

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Servants of the

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Ghulam Masih

Naaman

Sultan M. Paul

135

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1986

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Fear not

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You are mine

Isaiah 43:1

Table of Contents

Sultan Muhammed Paul: Why I became a Christian