DEVIS WARRINGTON (Austrian)

As the Springs mellow, warm hand thaws out the earth after an awfully frigid winter, likewise Islam had a similar effect on me. It warmed my heart and clothed me with a new and lovely dress of knowledge. How beautiful, how true, and how logical Islams teachings are! How clear, how genuine, and how charming a word it is to say that Allhu tal is one, and Muhammad alaihis-salm is His Messenger. How could one ever compare it with the unbelievable, unintelligible Christian credo which imposes the absurdity of Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit? In contrast with these formidable, fearful and never satisfactory tenets of Christianity, this simple and logical belief draws you towards itself. Islam is an undefiled heavenly religion. Despite the centuries that have elapsed since its advent, it answers all the material and immaterial needs of humanity, not only today, but also forever. For instance, Islam clearly states that men are equal and that before Allhu tal there is no difterence of rank and position among men, and it enforces this equality in actual life. The Christian churches profess the same equality, yet there are various echelons among them, such as priests of different ranks, archdeacons, deacons, bishops, and many other ecclesiastics. These people intervene between Allhu tal and the slave and use the

name of Allhu tal for their personal advantages. In Islam, on the other hand, no one can intervene between Allhu tal and the slave. Allhu tal communicates His commandments through the Qurn al-kerm to His slaves. In the following lines, I will quote a commandment of Allhu tal. It is only an example. This example shows very explicitly how simple and clear the commandments are. The two hundred and sixty-seventh yat of Baqara sra purports: O ye who believe! Give of the good things which ye have (honourably) earned, and of the fruits of the earth which We have produced for you, and do not even aim at getting anything which is bad, in order that out of it ye may give away something, when ye yourselves would not receive it except with closed eyes. And know that Allhu tal is free of all wants, and worthy of all praise. (2-267) As I read and learned these profound and beautiful commandments of the Qurn al-kerm, my soul attained peace and I embraced Islam willingly.