Christianity—A Journey from Facts to Fiction, by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, (1928–2003), Khalifatul Masih IV, was first published in U.K. in 1994 by Islam International Publication Ltd., and it is being reissued now.
The book is a critique of the fundamental tenets of Christianity, or to put it in modern philosophical terminology—used here loosely—it is a deconstruction of the myth of Christianity. The critique or the deconstruction is based on forceful, flawless and impeccable logical arguments to dismantle the myth so that its entire fabric is unravelled just in about two hundred pages. At the very outset the author, in his foreword, says: ‘I have chosen to address the question solely from a logical point of view. I believe that this is the only platform, common to all, which can be used for a fruitful constructive dialogue. Otherwise any discussion on the basis of what the individual scriptures present, along with their various interpretations, would lead to a tangle of controversy from which it would be difficult to wriggle out.’ When the author uses scriptural, scientific and historical evidence in the context of his discourse, he uses it only to develop his logical arguments which are his mainstay. Logic being his forte, no unprejudiced reader, Christian or non-Christian, would find himself able to defy his logic.
However, when the author explodes the myth of ‘Christianity’, he—God forbid—does not mean to be disrespectful to Jesus Christ(as), or refute Christianity understood as the true teachings and examples of Jesus Christ(as). He says: ‘I must emphasize, however, that I do not mean to be disrespectful, in any way, to the Christians or to the person of Jesus Christ(as). As a Muslim, it is a fundamental article of my faith to believe in the truth of Jesus Christ(as) and to accept him as a special and honoured Messenger(as) of God, holding a unique position among the Prophets of Israel…. My purpose is not to drive a wedge between Christians and Christ(as). On the contrary, I wish to help Christians to come closer to the reality of Jesus Christ(as) and away from the myth created around him’
The Christian myth, according to the author, has led to the moral decadence of Christians and has helped promoting Western Imperialism. It has also been a hindrance in the progress of knowledge, especially scientific knowledge which was made possible only when the myth was renounced, with the unfortunate consequence of turning most Christian scholars, scientists and other intellectuals to atheism—in fact, it (the myth) turned Europe into a breeding ground of atheism.
Putting aside the myth and turning to facts, we find that Jesus Christ(as) was a man, and no more than a man, and a great Prophet of God. ‘His real greatness lies in the fact that he transcended and conquered the forces of darkness that had conspired to vanquish him despite being a human being and no more than a human being. That victory of Jesus(as) is something to be shared with pride by the children of Adam(as). He taught humanity by his example of perseverance in the face of extreme suffering and pain. Not to surrender but to remain steadfast in the teeth of extreme trial was the noblest achievement of Jesus(as). It was his life of suffering and pain [not his fictional death on the cross to suffer for three days and nights in Hell] that redeemed humanity.’ He did not voluntarily accept death: he conquered death.
I believe that this book needs to be read from cover to cover. The main theme of the book—the critique of Christian doctrines like the Godhead of Christ(as) his ‘Resurrection’ and ‘Ascension’ etc—is covered in the first six chapters. The seventh chapter traces the history of the evolution of Christianity. The last chapter—Christianity Today—is important in its own right and must not be skipped over. Its two main themes are: (1) the relationship of Christianity and the West and (2) prophecy about the second coming of Christ(as) which was fulfilled with the advent of the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as). Analyzing the relationship of Christianity to the West, the author makes a very important observation and says: ‘From the above it should be evident that the Christianity we are talking about is very distant from the Christianity of Jesus Christ(as). To conceive of Western culture as Christianity is a manifest error. To attribute the current form of Christianity, in its various spheres, to Christ(as) is indeed an insult to him. There are exceptions of course to every rule… [Thus] there is a small number of individual islands of hope and life in the Christian world where Christian sincerity, love and sacrifice are genuinely practiced. There are the islands of hope around which rage oceans of immorality that are slowly and gradually corroding and finally claiming more edges of these islands. Had the Christian world not been bejewelled with such shining examples of Christianity practiced in the spirit of Jesus Christ(as), however a few and far between, a total darkness would envelop the Western horizon. Without Christianity there is no light in Western civilization, but, alas, that light is also fast fading.
It is essential for the Christian world to return to the reality of Christ(as) and to cure themselves of their split identity and inherent hypocricy1.’
Summing up the theme of the Coming of the first Messiah—Jesus Christ(as)—and his second Coming in the person of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as). The author says: ‘Here is the case of Messiah who was a fact of history and not the product of fiction, and here again is the case of Messiah whose re-advent was as realistic as was his first appearance as a commissioned Divine leader. It is entirely upto the people of this age to choose to live continuously in a world of legends and fancies… or to accept the hard realities of this life.’
As Muslims we believe in, deeply love and have the greatest regard for this Noble Prophet(as) of Allah Jesus Christ(as). And as Ahmadi Muslims we believe in his second coming which was fulfilled in the person of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as) the Promised Messiah and Mahdi. And we invite the whole world to Jesus Christ(as), the Prophet of Allah. We invite the entire world to the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa), the last and the greatest Prophet(as) of Allah, about whose advent Jesus Christ(as), like other Prophets(as), prophesied. And we invite the whole world to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(as), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi who was the true servant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(sa), who was raised by Allah in the likeness of Jesus Christ(as) and who was sent by Allah to complete the mission of the Holy Prophet(sa)—the revival of Islam and its final victory over all other faiths and creeds.
May Allah guide and bless all.
Mirza Anas Ahmad
M.A. M. Litt. (OXON)
Wakilul Isha’at,
Rabwah
Pakistan
1 Italics are mine.