1. An Important Question

1.
Entering the eastern gate of Cordova the young and beautiful Isabella
took to the road which led straightto the Qasrul Shuhada (Palace of
Martyrs). The Muslim government of the day had lavishly beautified the
whole of Spain. The roads of Cordova were wide and well planned
andbeautiful lamps at short distances lighted them and, as Dr Draper
says, one could walk twenty miles intheir light. Isabella walked
slowly and gracefully on the wide and bright road of the Palace of
Martyrs towards her home and her pace today was thoughtful and
dignified. After her evening stroll she used to call on her friends on
the way while returning, but today she was heading straight to her
home and seemed to be absorbed in some thought. In half an hour she
reached her palatial house, where her maidservant was waiting for her
at the door and greeted her. Giving some off-hand answer to the maid's
question as to her delayed return; she entered her room and, sitting
in an easy chair, began to read a book. In the meantime the
maidservant laid the dinner table and called her.But she was so
absorbed inthe book that she did not respond and continued in her
study. The book she was reading was the Holy Bible and she was
particularly studying Saint Paul's Epistles with great care in which
the religious law was denounced as a curse. She read the letters again
and again but could not find a solution to her doubt, which became
moreand more firm as she went on reading. When her mindwas tired she
put away theBible and resolved to ask her father who, she thought,
could explain it.
She did not think that the problem was insoluble. If she could not
find the solution, her father would easily find it as there was no man
in Spain so learnedas her father. So eased in her mind she took her
dinner and began to read the Bible again. Sometime after she went to
her bed.
Next morning rising early she went to the church, it being a Sunday.
On her return her father called herand asked her what chapter of the
Bible she had read last night as she was engaged in comprehending the
inner meanings of metaphysics. If she had any difficulty in solving
any problem she might ask him.
Isabella (kissing his hand): Father, I have read today 1 John, Chapter
3, and if you permit me I may ask a question as I have not yet been
able to solve the problem.
Priest: Surely, surely, my child. Do ask it and I will resolve your difficulty.
Isabella: Our Lord has given us Twelve Commandments in the Old
Testament through Prophet Moses. Are they not about religious law?
Priest: Yes, they all relate to religious law.
Isabella: The next thing is that Saint Paul has said in one of his
letters that religious law is a curse.
Priest: Yes, religious law is a curse and it was to relieve us from
this curse that Jesus Christ came to the world and was crucified.
Isabella: It is clear that religious law is a curse and so grave a
curse that Jesus Christ came to the world toremove it and was
crucified. It, therefore, means that to follow religious law is also a
curse.
Priest: Surely it is a curse and now Christians, insteadof following
the religious law, should have faith in Jesus Christ, as religious law
was effective until our lord was not crucified.
Isabella: Now, is stealing permissible for us?
Priest: What has this got todo with the religious law? My child, you
should think carefully before asking a question as anyone else who
bears this question will take you to be quite foolish.
Isabella: Forgive me. Probably I could not make myself clear. What I
mean is that among the Commandments, which you have just said are part
of religious law, one command is that you should not steal and another
that you should not oppress your neighbour and the third that you
should not disobey your parents. Now,these commandments are still
parts of the religious law which, according to Saint Paul, is a curse.
So to obey the Commandments of Old Testament (that is not to steal,
not to fornicate) is abomination and not to steal and not to molest
your parents are a curse.
Priest: My child, you have not yet understood the position of the
religious law. But, first tell me who put this foolish question in
your mind and what devil put this doubt in you?
On this Isabella reported allthe talk between Umar Lahmi and Muaz
which she had heard in the garden.
Priest: My child, you know it well that these accursed Muslims are
"unbelievers" and have always been inimical to our sacred religion.
Criticism of our holy books is the result of satanic thinking. :->

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