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While Western Christians Theorize,Arabic-Speaking Christians & Muslims Dialogue
Rev. Bassam M. MadanyMiddle East Resources Ministrywww.unashamedofthegospel.org
Introduction
The Internet has ushered in a new phase in the history of the Arabic-speaking peoples of the Middle East and North Africa. Communications between ordinary people take placeon a daily basis, as may be observed from the comments of the readers of online Arabicmedia.One of the liveliest Arabic sites on the Internet iswww.elaph.comAs the first Arabiconline daily; it began in London, England, on 21 May 2001. It has correspondentsthroughout the Arab world, as well as in Europe and the Americas. It publishes news andop-ed articles by Arab writers and intellectuals, and welcomes listeners’ comments.The major difference between this new medium and the print press of the Arab world isthe freedom enjoyed by all participants, both writers and respondents. No censorshipinhibits the expression of various and conflicting opinions, as is the case in the printmedia.On 11 June 2007, an article was posted which dealt with an ethical problem known inArabic as
 Khulwa.
This word describes a situation when a man and a woman, working ata government or business office, find themselves alone in a room or a cubicle. It is notmy intention to comment on the specific
 fatwa
that was issued by a professor at
 Al- Azhar University
in Cairo, in which he offered a solution to the problem. My maininterest lies in the comments that came almost instantly from 34 readers. Some referred tothe topic of 
 Khulwa,
but the majority seized the occasion to begin a dialogue on animportant religious subject prompted by the last sentence of the article in
 Elaph.
 
 It called  for a new hermeneutic of the Islamic religious and cultural heritage.
The first response came from a Christian in Alexandria, Egypt. He began,
“One thing isneeded, as the Messiah told Martha, who was burdened by too many concerns.”
Heconcluded, “
We don’t need a new prophet. What we need is the one who said:
‘I am thetruth, the resurrection, and the life.’ 
”
About an hour later, another response was posted.
“The Lord Jesus is the only one who gives rest. He said: ‘Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will  give you rest.’ 
Then he pleaded with the readers; ‘
Come to the king and savior and youwill find rest; you don’t need a
nabi,
or a
mufti 
to help you. Cry out to God and ask him:‘ save me from my bewilderments and confusions, and help me to know thy person.’”
 
I salute the Christian reader who initiated this dialogue that was totally unrelated to the
 Khulwa
problem. He gave a sincere and Biblical
marturia
(testimony) about the LordJesus Christ.Two hours after these comments appeared, a Muslim responded, manifesting hisindignation at the contents of the Christian testimonies:
“The Glorious Qur’an honorsthe Messiah as a human being and as an apostle; but it contradicts the claims of divinityand sonship attributed to him, and warns those who do so, with terrible sufferings in thislife, and at the End.”
He then proceeded to criticize the Christian doctrine of forgivenessof sins, based on the person and work of the Messiah.A Christian responded by elucidating the role of Christ in granting forgiveness to thosewho trust in Him:
“Some people imagine that forgiveness happens simply with a word uttered by God, but  such forgiveness would be cheap and encourages sinning. However, the forgiveness that cost much more than silver and gold, was purchased with the precious blood of a sinlesslamb, is the basis for true forgiveness (I Peter 1:18-19). The Messiah came so that,anyone who believes in him may not perish, according to John 3:16.
Showing his genuine interest in the salvation of the Muslim respondent, the Christianwitness went on saying:
 “Have you ever met a sick person who says, ‘I won’t go to see a doctor unless I’m healed  first?!’ God always takes the initiative by searching for man. God loves the sinners. ‘For while we were yet sinners, the Messiah died for us.’ (Romans 6:23) Forgiveness, inChristianity, is full and free,
(References followed from John 5:24, Romans 8:1-2, andJohn 1:12.)
No one should judge the veracity of these words, as long as he remainsoutside the faith.”
He ended his plea with these words:
“I have given these Biblical testimonies to show you that a man receives forgiveness as a free gift. However, it cost God the precious blood of his beloved Son to bring about our  forgiveness. No one should belittle the value of the Messiah’s sacrifice on the cross.”
Three hours later, a Muslim from the UAE to responded:
“Also the Messiah, pbuh (peace be upon him), said: ‘Away from me, Satan! For it iswritten: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ (Matthew 4:10)
At this point itmust be pointed out that the Muslim misinterpreted or misunderstood our Lord’s answer to the devil. The Muslim continued looking for Scriptural proofs of the Qur’anic view of the Messiah. So he quoted Matt. 10:40:
‘He who receives you receives me, and he whoreceives me receives the one who sent me
.’ The point he was trying to make, can only beunderstood if I refer to the Arabic text of the passage:
‘man yaqbalukom yaqbaluni,wa’man yaqbaluni, yaqbalu al-ladhi arsalani.’ 
 
He
interpreted the verb
arsalani 
, i.e.
 He sent me
 ,
to mean that Jesus was simply a
rasool,
i.e.
one who was sent.
 
A clever 2
 
argument, indeed; however he failed to realize that Christ was referring to the redemptivemission that God had sent him to accomplish.A Christian respondent tried to convince the Muslim that according to the NewTestament, Jesus never refused worship. He said: “
The word ‘worship’ occurs sixty timesin the New Testament; all of them have to do with worshipping Jesus, the Messiah. Heaccepted this worship. At other instances in the NT, when worship was directed at humans, it was always rejected, such as in Acts 10:25, in reference to Cornelius; and tothe Angel in Revelation 19:10, and 22: 8-9 Other references to Jesus accepting worshipare found in Luke 17:12-17 and John 20:29”
A Muslim responded by saying that the Messiah is merely
“bashar” 
i.e. human. He then proceeded to quote from the word of Allah, who has no partners (i.e., the Qur’an) Surat
al-Maida
(Table) 73, and
Women:
156, and
al-Tawba
30 (Repentance) and ended bysaying the ‘
Qur’an has settled the matter. To quote from Biblical texts, is like hanging on to a spider’s web!’ 
In less than 30 minutes, the response came from a Copt. He began by pointing to theQur’anic account of the miraculous birth of the Messiah referring to Surat
 Mariam:
21and Surat
Women
: 171, as well as to other passages that relate the unique qualificationsof the Messiah. He then proceeded to give a Biblical testimony about the Messiah:‘
 Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and the only mediator between God and man.
He ended his words by saying: ‘
 I invite you to receive the Messiah.’ 
Another Christian joined the dialogue, and responded to the Muslim who had assertedthat Jesus was merely a human being:
“We don’t deny that Jesus is human; our Christian faith teaches us that the Messiah isboth God and man, and he is without sin. He is the Son of Man, as well as the Son of God. We believe that God was incarnate and came to our level as human beings, for our  salvation. All the prophets from Adam to John the Baptist, came to prepare the way for the Incarnate God. He came to save his people from their bondage to sin, and to helpthem regain the state they enjoyed prior to the fall. To understand the very essence of theChristian faith, you need to read the Holy Bible.”
Another Christian responded from Beirut, saying:
“The Messiah is the beginning and the end, the way, the truth, and the life. He is the Sonof God. God did call him, ‘this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ This is amystery that is above the human mind. God sent his Son to redeem us on the cross and to save us from our sins. I plead with you dear reader, do try and understand the Christian faith. The Messiah said, ‘he who hears me has heard the Father and he who receives me,the Father will receive.’ Blessed are those who are saved; but the sinner who does not repent will be tormented in the fires of hell, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
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