Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/32

26 prophet, and hath commanded me to observe prayer and to give alms so long as I shall live. Peace be on me the day whereon I was born and the day whereon I shall die and the day whereon I shall be raised to life." When Jesus was grown enough to begin his prophecy he took clay from earth and made it in the figure of a bird, and breathing thereon it became a living bird by God's permission. On another occasion he caused a table to descend unto his apostles from heaven, and the day of its descent became a festival day unto Christians. In one of his discourses Jesus is related to speak unto his followers that in latter days there will arise a greater prophet called "Ahmed," glorious (another title of Mohamet), and the world shall obey him. Mohametans assert that the Jewish and Christian scribes maliciously corrupted the books of law and gospel and took out the name of Mohamet from the original writings.

They never believe that Jesus was actually held, crucified and murdered by the Jews, but simply they were deceived by a divine trick in taking Simon, the betrayer, for Jesus, because God has given, him the resemblance of his master in order to punish him for his treason, and to annul the bad intention of the enemies while he took Jesus into heaven, whence he shall come in the last day to testify for Mohamet. In that day God shall say unto Jesus before all Christians, "O Jesus, son of Mary, hast thou said unto men to take thee and thy mother for two gods beside God?" He shall answer solemnly, "Praise be unto Thee! It is not for me to say that which I