A Letter

A few days later, Isabella again went in the evening to the same garden where
she had heard the conversation of two Muslim divines. Soon after she had taken
her seat, Umar Lahmi and Muaz also arrived and began to talk on different subjects.



Umar Lahmi: I have heard a curious and interesting report today.



Muaz (surprised): What is it?



Umar Lahmi: The objection, that you raised on a passage of Saint Paul's Epistle
the other day, has reached the ear of the Head Priest and there is a great commotion
among the priests on account of it. It is also said that some sensible persons
have even become sceptics.



Muaz: Well, this seems to be mere gossip. Who could have heard our talk that
day?



Umar Lahmi: Who could have heard our talk? Is it for nothing that the priests
have become so agitated?



Muaz: After all what is the cause of the commotion? Have the priests heard our
objection for the first time?



Umar Lahmi: The reason I cannot tell myself, but what I have heard and why
the priests have become agitated is just for our objection. Several meetings
have been held among the priests to find a solution. The report has reached
me through Christian sources.



Muaz: Just one objection has created commotion among the priests. All beliefs
of Christians are ridiculous. While sin was committed by Adam punishment was
given to all and the entire humanity became sinful. And has this belief any
justification that in retaliation of the sins of all the sinners, an innocent
person is punished and, to bear the burden of all the sins, "the son of God" comes
to earth and is crucified. Is it not the very limit to make Divinity a weak
and powerless person ? If Christians have any answer to all these questions,
let them come forward and explain.



Umar Lahmi (laughing): If it is not Christians who can go to that limit of absurdity,
who else can do this? Everyone can talk reasonably, but there should be someone
to talk nonsense.



Muaz: I think it is time that we exploit this
Commotion.



Umar Lahmi: It is a very good suggestion and at this time let us publish a
poster in which we should recount all the absurdities of the Christian belief.



Muaz: This is quite good and it will create a commotion among Christians all
over Spain. Isabella and her two classmates sitting in a corner of the garden-
were listening attentively to this talk and were cracking their fingers in
anger. At last Isabella lost her patience and said to her companion; We must
refute their allegations and do everything to convince them. May our Lord Christ
attract them to his side! If these Muslims can be converted it will be such
a great victory for Christianity that henceforth Muslims will never be able
to raise their heads in this country. And Isabella raised her head to the heaven
and earnestly prayed to God to bring these "unbelievers" and enemies of Christianity to
the Christian fold that "Thy Greatness is manifested."



A companion: Sister Isabella.' These "unbelievers" are very hot-headed.
How can they give up Satan and take the hand of Lord Christ? But the trouble
is that our priests are also afraid of these Muslims. It was just yesterday
that, on seeing your worry about the objection about our religious law and
curse, I put it to the priest of our parish who ignored it saying that we should
pay no attention to what these Muslims say. Their answer is not discussion
but the drawn sword. When such is the condition of our priests, why should
the Muslims not become arrogant?



Isabella: The thing is that our priests do not like to talk to these "unbelievers" and
keep quiet. But their silence does not mean that they cannot solve their problems.
Yet if they are assured that after being convinced most of the Muslims will
be ready to embrace Christianity, they will face them most willingly.



The companion: Written promises may be taken from these Muslims and they should
be made to talk face to face with our priests, so that on the one side our Christian
divines are forced to talk to them and these Muslims are forced to embrace our
faith.



Isabella: This is quite good. But will these Muslims be ready for it?



The companion: Why not, what have you just heard from their own lips?



Isabella: Then why to wait? Inform them just here that they should be prepared
to discuss with our priests. I am giving you a chit which you may take to them
and see what they reply.

The companion: But first
ascertain from our divines. These "unbelievers" may
be ready, and our divines may not agree.



Isabella: If these people give a written undertaking that on being convinced
they will embrace Christianity; our divines will certainly have a dialogue
with them.



Isabella then wrote out the note: "Please pardon me. I overheard your
talk very attentively and since we are also interested in theological questions
I hope you will not mind my intrusion. You have just told your companion that
if Christians satisfactorily explained relation between religious law and curse
you will embrace Christianity and you also want to challenge Christians on
religious law and curse, so, as servants of our Lord Jesus Christ, we gladly
accept your challenge, provided you give a written undertaking of it.—A
Humble Servant of Christian Faith."



Her companion handed over this chit to Umar Lahmi who immediately showed it
to Muaz and promptly wrote the answer: "We thank you for the trouble and
we agree that if your elders explain to us the dilemma of religious law and
curse, we assure you that I myself and my associates will embrace Christianity.
Now say where and when we should come to discuss —A Humble Servant of
Islam, Umar Lahmi."



Isabella on reading this replied: "About time and place I will I come
tomorrow and let you know.—A Servant."



Coming' out of the garden of Cordova Isabella's first concern was to find out
a learned man for dialogue with the Muslims and so, before going home, she
went to her kind teacher and told him all that had happened. The teacher who
was himself a priest and well versed in religious problems, on seeing Isabella's
worry, snubbed her and asked her if it was such a serious matter as to cause
her worry. Isabella then showed him the note which Umar Lahmi had given her
in the garden that evening and in which there was an undertaking that if this
problem was solved, he along with his associates will accept Christianity.
On this the teacher agreed to take up the matter and felt the need of some
eminent scholars. He pacified the anxiety of Isabella and had her leave to
depart saying that he would fix up the time by noon next day. Isabella spent
a restless night and the question continued to haunt her -what was going to
happen the next day, for if her learned men were unable to satisfy Muslims
then Christians will be browbeaten for ever. At last morning came and, after
finishing her toilet, she began to study the Bible. Just at noon she took with
her two of her friends and repaired to the house of the priest where she found
a large number of priests gathered, waiting for someone on whose arrival the
chair was offered to him; Isabella's teacher, after the praise of Jesus Christ,
explained the object of the gathering and earnestly requested the scholars
to take courage and prepare for a dialogue with the Muslims trying to convert
them to Christianity.



One priest: We wondered what was the grave problem for which we had been asked
to meet together. On reaching here I found that it was a simple affair. Just
call these Muslims even now and any one of us will convince them.

Another priest: It is true that the matter is not very grave as we often hold
discussions with the Muslims. But since the news has gone out that Christians
have no answer to the objection of Muslims, the issue has assumed importance
and now we should fix time for the discussion.



A person: Tomorrow is Sunday and all Christians will gather in the great church,
so Muslims should be called there tomorrow, and may Lord Jesus give them guidance.

A priest: This is a good suggestion. (Then addressing Isabella :) Your respected
father who leads prayer in that church should be present as possibly we may
need his help at some stage since you are the intermediary for this talk between
us and the Muslims.



Another person: Her father is the Head Priest of all Spain and there is no
one else more learned in the problems of Christianity than he, and therefore
his presence is essential.



Michael (Isabella's teacher): Surely, surely.



So the proposal was unanimously adopted and Sunday was fixed for the dialogue.
At Isabella's request Michael wrote out a permit for Umar Lahmi to enter the
church.



Now it was just one and a half or two hours for the sun to set. Isabella prepared
herself to go to the garden when her other two companions also arrived and
they slowly walked towards the garden where they found Umar Lahmi and Muaz
already sitting and, unlike other days, some other people were also with them.
Isabella herself handed over Michael's letter to Muaz which was opened and
read by everyone.



Muaz (to Isabella): We are very thankful for all your painstaking and if either
of the parties gets guidance the credit of it will first go to you.



Umar Lahmi (to his companions): She is a scholar of Christian philosophy and
well learned in theology. How praiseworthy is her zeal to try to take us out
from "disbelief"!



Isabella: I am a humble servant of Jesus Christ and thank you for accepting
the invitation.



One Muslim. Allah forbid! Just see how Christians assign partners to Allah
and deify Christ. Surely, they are out of their senses, otherwise how can a
living man. ...



Umar Lahmi: You have already entered into controversy. It has to be decided
tomorrow at the great church. (To Isabella :) You may assure the priests on
our behalf that we shall certainly come to the church just after breakfast.



Isabella immediately left with her companions and did no longer stay at the
garden as she used to do for she had to make arrangements and hold consultations
for the next day's gathering.