Why
I BECAME
A CHRISTIAN

 Sultan Muhammed Paulf

A REQUEST
The reader is asked kindly to consider the
following, while reading this book:
1.	What are the spiritual demands upon
mankind?
2.	What religion can fulfil these spiritual
demands?
3.	What is the correct way to read the
Holy Bible?
(Sultan)

WHY I BECAME A
CHRISTIAN
SULTAN MUHAMMED PAUL
THE GOOD WAY - RIKON / SWITZERLAND

Contents
I	Introduction	3
II	Early Life and Studies	5
III	First Encounter with Christians	7
IV	Further Studies	11
V	Further Controversies with Christians	12
VI	Journey to Arabia	15
VII	A Vital Issue	17
VIII	Quest for Salvation	19

IX	Decision and Confession	39
X	Quiz	45
This booklet Is printed by permission of the Gospel Literature Service, Bombay, with
explanations of religious, municipal, and other terms provided by The Good Way. All
English Qur'anic references are taken from Muhammed Marmaduke Plckt hall's The Meaning
of the Glorious Koran, New York, 1954. Bible texts have been taken from the New King James
Version.
All Rights Reserved
Order Number: RBP 7845 ENG
First edition: 1990, Revised edition: 1998
The Good Way-P.O. Box 66»CH-8486 Rikon • Switzerland
Internet: http://www.the-good-way.com • E-mail: info@the-good-way.com

I
INTRODUCTION
Modern man groans under the weight of false
conceptions regarding family, communal, and national
excellence. These false conceptions, which are easily
discernible in all types of individuals and at all levels of
society, issue from self-centredness which, in religious
language, is called "the depravity of man." This inner
corruption is essentially rooted in the human heart and
reveals itself in opposition to the welfare of the whole of
society. Moreover, it manifests itself in rebellion against
the Holy and Living God. The poisonous effects of sin
have so corrupted men's hearts that, in spite of their
awareness of its evil, they enjoy it and freely indulge in
it. It was this fundamental problem of sin and the search
for freedom from its guilt and bondage which confronted
Sultan Muhammed Paul.
There may be those who choose to overlook the
problem of sin and the way of salvation. They prefer to
veil the condition of their hearts from themselves and
others, though they well know that the hidden things of
the heart are open to the inspection of God. For such
persons, this story will have little relevance. Yet, there
are others who are deeply concerned about sin and
salvation in their own lives as well as the lives of their
fellow men. For them, this booklet will help in the
examination of their own experiences in light of those of

Sultan Muhammed Paul. May it prove to be a source of
guidance and blessing from the Living God for all who
ponder its contents.
THE PUBLISHERS

II
EARLY LIFE AND STUDIES
My native land is Afghanistan. My father was a
resident of the capital of Logar, situated about fifty miles
south of the city of Kabul.
My father, Payanda Khan, held the rank of colonel in
the Afghan army and had the title, "Bahadur Khan." He
was known throughout the country as "Colonel Bahadur
Khan." My father had two wives. The first was from
among his near relatives. She bore him three daughters,
but no sons. Lest the family should die out, he married
the daughter of Sayyid Mahmud Aqa, a member of one
of the most noble and illustrious families of Afghanistan.
My younger brother, Taj Muhammed Khan, and I were
born of this marriage. I was born in 1881.
Shortly after Abdur Rahman Khan, the Amir (ruler),
arrived from Russia to the throne of Kabul, he captured
six of the country's notables and deported them to some
unknown destination. Later, they were put to death.
Among these was my father. Then a second calamity
befell my family. For political reasons, my two maternal
uncles were seized, sent to the state prison in Kabul,
and later banished to India. Shortly afterwards, my third
uncle, with his mother and servants, came to India, with
permission from the Amir, while the rest of my nearest

relatives remained in Kabul. Upon arrival in India, they
settled in Hasan Abdal.
Owing to further political difficulties, our whole family
relocated to Hasan Abdal. After several months my
mother passed away. Eventually, after a reconciliation
between my family and the Amir, Abdur Rahman Khan,
all my family, with the exception of my three uncles and
myself, returned to our native land.
Later, I went to Delhi and entered the school,
Madrasa-i-Fatehpuri, to perfect myself in the study of
Arabic. At that time, the head mawlavi (instructor) was
Mawlana Abdul Jalil, a pure Pathan of the District of
Naushera (Pathans being the main ethnic group of
Afghanistan). The second mawlavi was Fateh
Muhammed Khan of Quandahar. By the special
kindness of these two gentlemen, I soon completed my
study of logic and turned to that of the traditions and
commentaries. During the day, I studied with my
classmates. In the evenings, I received special
instruction from Mawlana Abdul Jalil. Thus, by the grace
of God, I mastered these subjects.

Ill
FIRST ENCOUNTER
WITH CHRISTIANS
One day, when I was returning with some friends to
the Chandni Chowk (the main thoroughfare of Delhi), we
saw a large crowd gathered near our school. Arriving at
the scene, we noticed that an argument concerning the
doctrine of the Trinity was going on between a Christian
preacher and one of our fellow students. The former
found support for the doctrine in the following verse of
the Qur'an:
"And we are nearer to him than his jugular
vein" (Qur'an 50:16)..
He was saying that the first person plural
£*» {nahnu, "we") is used here and that if the unity of
God were absolute, the first person singular, tf? {ana,
"I"), would have been used instead. Since the student
was giving an answer that was not to the point, my
friends urged me to answer the argument of the
preacher. Accordingly, I stepped forward and said that
the first person plural of the pronoun, according to Arabic

idiomatic expression, is used as an honorific and not as
an indication of plurality.
This was the first opportunity I had to meet a Christian
in argument. On that very day, there was born in me an
indescribable eagerness to argue with Christians, an
eagerness derived from a deeply rooted fervour and
concern for things sacred. Consequently, as far as lay
within my power, I began to collect the notable books in
refutation of Christianity. I made a careful study of many
books, and on appointed days I began to go to the
Fountain, to carry on discussions with the Christian
preachers.
One day, an English clergyman, who used to come
with the preachers, gave me his visiting card and invited
me to his house. He was kind and said that I could bring
my friends with me. Accordingly, I went to his residence,
in company with two or three friends. While we drank
our tea, we began an interesting discussion on matters
of religion. He turned to me and asked if I read the Bible.
"Why should I read the Bible?" said I. "Who would read
such an altered book which you people change every
year?" At my reply, a pitying look appeared on the face
of the clergyman, and he said with a faint smile: "Do you
consider all Christians to be dishonest? Do you think we
fear God so little that we would continue to deceive the
world by changing the Holy Scriptures? When Muslims
say that Christians keep altering the text of the Tawrat
8

and the Injil (the Torah and the Gospel), they suggest
that all Christians are dishonest and that they are
deceivers of people. Now this is a serious and
unwarranted indictment. Christians believe in the Bible
as the Word of God, as Muslims do in the Qur'an. Thus,
if no Muslim can change the text of the Qur'an, how is it
that a Christian can change the text of the Book of the
all-wise God — the Holy Bible? If a mischievous Muslim
were to be so foolish as to change the text of any verse
of the Qur'an, would not all Muslims consider him
outside the pale of Islam and publish the facts about
him? In the same way, if some mischievous Christian
were to change the text of any verse of Scripture, would
not all other true Christians consider him outside the
pale of their religion and publicise the facts about him?
Of course they would! From this, you can see that the
Muslims' contention that the text of God's Word has
been altered is absolutely without foundation and futile.
I believe that this contention is held by Muslims who are
generally quite ignorant of the Bible and of the faith and
doctrines of Christians."
The clergyman then gave me two Bibles, one in
Persian and the other in Arabic, and urged me to read
them. We thanked him and departed. I paid no attention
to the plan which this man had suggested. My object in
reading the Bible was to find flaws in it, to prove from it
the truth of Islam, and to silence Christians in argument.
I did not even read through the Bible from beginning to

end, but only those passages which Muslim
controversialists quote in their writings. As long as I
remained in Delhi, I made it my business to carry on
controversy with Christians.

10

IV
FURTHER STUDIES
In time, I decided to go to Bombay. There, I had the
good fortune to meet Mawlavi Hidayat Ullah who was
highly respected in that region as a man of authority and
great learning. His home was in Kabul, and he was
well-acquainted with my family. As soon as we came to
know each other in Bombay, he gladly promised to give
me instruction. He felt that my regular course of studies
was nearly complete, and advised me to give more
attention to the study of literature. He also gave me
permission to use his splendid library. Thus, I began my
study under his guidance. This mawlavi had spent most
of his life in Istanbul (Constantinople), Egypt, and
Arabia, and was a literary genius. He taught in Persian,
the mother tongue of us both, and this facilitated my
course of instruction.
During this time, another fine scholar, an expert in
logic and philosophy, came from Egypt and was
appointed as professor in the Madrasa-i-Zakariyya. This
was Mawlavi Abdul Ahad of Jalalabad District in
Afghanistan. When I learned of his eminence, I entered
the Madrasa-i-Zakariyya and began a study of the
advanced books on logic and philosophy. This mawlavi
treated me as a son and gave me a room next to his
own, so that I could call on him for help at any time.
11

V
FURTHER CONTROVERSIES
WITH CHRISTIANS
One day during the course of a walk, some of my
fellow students and I arrived at the Dhobi Talab (a district
in Bombay). There, we found some Christian preachers
speaking to the people. Immediately, my old enmity was
aroused as I recalled my previous experience in Delhi.
I was ready to advance towards the preachers when a
friend restrained me, saying: "Mawlavi Sahib, never
mind these people. It is a waste of time to argue with
them. These poor fellows neither know how to carry on
a discussion, nor are they familiar with the rules of
debate. They are paid to do this work and are fulfilling
their duty, so there is absolutely no use in arguing with
them." "I know all about these people," I replied. "They
may not know the art and rules of debate, but they
certainly know how to lead people astray. It is the duty
of every true Muslim to rescue his thoughtless Muslim
brethren from their plotting and deception." I stepped
forward and began raising a host of objections to what
they had said. They countered with a flurry of opposition
to my objections.
The discussion was finally cut short for lack of time.
News of our encounter soon spread among the students
of the school. They too were fired with zeal to engage
12

in controversy. We went regularly, twice a week, to meet
the Christians in debate. Eventually, two C.M.S.
missionaries invited us to their home through Mr. Joseph
Bihari Lai, their head catechist. While we were there,
they said that the Dhobi Talab was too far for us to reach
easily, so they offered to open a reading room near our
school, where we could carry on our investigations once
a week to our hearts' content, if we really wanted to
discover the truth about Christianity. I gratefully
accepted this offer. When the reading room was
opened, we met them there, according to a fixed
schedule.
When I perceived that the students in the school and
my other friends knew nothing of the Christian religion,
and were inexperienced in debate, I rented another
house, on the advice of Mawlavi Abbas Khan Sahib.
There, we formed a society called "Nadwatul
Mutakallimin," with the aim of preparing controversialists
against all non-Islamic religions, with special reference
to Christianity.
When my instructor noticed that I was always involved
in controversy and that I had no other interest in life, he
came into my room one day after evening prayers. Just
at that time, i was reading the Injil. He asked me what I
was reading. I told him and he responded angrily, "I fear
lest you become a Christian." I was very much provoked
at his reply and, although I did not wish to seem
13

disrespectful, I could not help saying: "Why should I
become a Christian? Does the mere reading of the Injil
make one a Christian? I am reading it in order to destroy
Christianity root and branch. You should encourage me
in this matter instead of finding fault with me." He replied:
"I said this because I have heard that he who reads the
Injil becomes a Christian. Have you not heard what a
certain poet has said: 'When he reads the Injil, the heart
of the faithful one turns away from Islam'?" "This
information is inaccurate," I replied. After giving me
further counsel, the mawlavi returned to his room.

VI
JOURNEY TO ARABIA
This interesting religious conflict went on for some
years, when suddenly I became possessed with the
desire to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. Immediately, I
made the necessary arrangements, boarded the
steamship, "Shah-i-Nur," headed for Jeddah, and then
went to Mecca. From Mecca, I corresponded with
Mawlavi Hassamud Din, editor of the Kashful Haqaiq.
On the day of pilgrimage, I donned my pilgrim attire and
proceeded to Mt. Arafat. On that day, I saw a wonderful
sight: the rich and poor, the high and low, all dressed in
the same white garment. It looked as if all the dead, clad
in their shrouds, had emerged from their graves to
render their accounts. The sight brought tears to my
eyes. But at the same time a thought struck me: "If Islam
is not the true religion, what will my cohdition be on the
Day of Resurrection?" Then and there, I prayed to God:
"O God, show me the true religion and Your true way. If
Islam is the true religion, keep me steadfast in it, and
grant me grace to silence the opponents of Islam. If
Christianity is the true religion, then reveal its truth to
me. Amen."
After a brief visit to Medina, I returned to Bombay.
During my absence, the "Nadwatul Mutakallimin" had
disbanded. Immediately upon my return, I organised
another society in its place. I myself became president
15

of this society, and Abdur Rauf was its secretary. At his
house, near Grant Road, our organisation held its
meetings. It was our custom each week to invite a
non-Muslim to address us, and one of our members was
to answer the argument of our guest. Munshi Mansur
Masih used to come regularly to speak for the
Christians. Others came to speak on behalf of the Arya
Samaj (a Hindu theistic association).

16

VII
A VITAL ISSUE
One day, Munshi Mansur Masih addressed us very
convincingly that there is no salvation in Islam. The
members of our society asked me to answer him. To the
best of my ability, I tried to prove that there is perfect
and certain salvation in Islam. The audience
appreciated my address; yet, in my innermost being, I
knew very well that my answer left me unconvinced. In
fact, as I spoke, I was compelled to admit the weakness
of my position. Though I had made much more noise
than my antagonist, his voice was thundering in my soul
with an indescribable power.
It was nearly 11 p.m. when this discussion ended. I
returned home and sat down to think carefully about
what Munshi Mansur Masih had said. The more I
thought, the more evident it became to me that salvation
is the vital breath of religion and its necessary
foundation. Without it, a religion is not a religion.
Furthermore, I recognised that man is a bundle of
forgetfulness, disobedience, and transgression. His life
never remains so pure as to be absolutely free from the
stain of sin. Sin has become man's second nature. It is
a true saying that "to err is human." The essential
question is: How can one escape accountability and
punishment? How is one to be saved? It became my
duty to investigate this matter honestly and without
17

prejudice. If I found that salvation was certainly to be
had through Islam, then I would thank God. How bright
my eyes would be and how glad my heart! But if Islam
provided no such assurance, then I would be compelled
to seek that religion which presents a satisfying plan of
salvation. When I came to this decision, I fell on my
knees in prayer before God and wept bitterly,
covenanting that thereafter I would not read the Bible as
I had been reading it. I would read it so that I, a miserable
sinner, might discover in it the way of salvation.

18

VIII
QUEST FOR SALVATION
From that day onward, I changed my attitude and, as
a genuine seeker of truth, began reading and comparing
the Bible with the Qur'an. For my further peace of mind,
I borrowed a copy of the Avesta (the Zoroastrian book
of sacred writings) from a Parsi friend, and bought a
copy of the Satyarth Prakash. Then, I began to compare
all these books. After reading the Avesta carefully and
talking with Parsi scholars, I became still more dejected
regarding the way of salvation, for there is no reasonable
method of salvation set forth in this religion.
I turned next to the study of the Satyarth Prakash
written by Swami Dayanand Sarasvati, which may be
considered the most authoritative work setting forth the
doctrines of the Arya Samaj. I read it with the hope that
I might find in it that for which I was searching. But
instead, I found strange doctrines which made my hair
stand on end. I learned from it that God cannot forgive
sins. I was amazed at this and concluded that it was
absolutely useless for anyone to join the Arya Samaj in
the hope of gaining salvation. According to the Arya
Samaj, God could not forgive a man's sins, whether
committed before or after his becoming an Arya
Samajist. Hence, punishment is inescapable.
19

Furthermore, I discovered that the Arya Samaj do not
consider salvation to be eternal. It became clear to me
that there is no salvation with the Arya Samaj and that,
even if salvation were obtained by one way or another,
it would not be eternal. Consequently, since salvation is
temporal, would not one continually fear that further
happiness might be refused him at any time? When I
reached this point and saw that there was no salvation
here for a sinner like myself, I discontinued my study of
the Satyarth Prakash.
The most weighty task confronting me was that of
examining the Qur'an and the most reliable of the
Traditions. Before beginning my search for the doctrine
of salvation in these works, I raised my hands to God in
prayer:
"O God, You know that I am and was born
a Muslim, and that for generations my
ancestors were born Muslims and have died
in this religion. In it, I too have been raised
and have received my education. Therefore,
remove every obstacle that would prevent
me from discovering Your true way, and
show me the path of Your salvation, so that
when I leave this transitory world, I may not
be displeasing to You. Amen."
20

What I found out through studying the Qur'an was
what I had known before: attaining salvation is
dependent upon doing good works. I found many verses
which declare this doctrine, but shall quote only two of
them here:

"But as for those who believe and do good
works, for them are the Gardens of Retreat —
a welcome (in reward) for what they used to do.
And as for those who do evil, their retreat is the
Fire. Whenever they desire to issue forth from
thence, they are brought back thither. Unto
them it is said: Taste the torments of the Fire
which ye used to deny" (Qur'an 32:19,20).
 C* J
21

"And whoso doeth good an atom's weight will
see it then, and whoso doeth ill an atom's weight
will see it then" (Qur'an 99:7,8).
At first glance, these verses were very beautiful and
consoling, but in my mind they raised a question: Is it
possible for us to do only good and no evil? Does man
possess such power? When I considered this carefully,
and at the same time reckoned with the faculties and
passions of man, it became clear to me that it is
impossible for man to remain sinless. He has no power
to continually do good and only good.
The moral philosophers of Arabia claimed that there
are four faculties in man which give rise to all his actions.
Of these four, three powerful ones work against his
spiritual interest. There is only one, the angelic faculty,
which impels man towards God, helping him to obey
God's commands; but its effects are hidden from man's
sight. On the other hand, there is the combined strength
of the other three faculties, the effects of which delight
and motivate man at once. Therefore, the mind of man
sees only what is on the surface; he cares only for the
present, pays more attention to worldly things, and
becomes careless in the things of the Spirit and God. A
distinguished Muslim described the matter thus:
"I am trapped in four things, the ascendancy
of which is the cause of my misery and suffering.
22

These four things are Satan, the world, lust, and
greed. How may I be free from these when all
of them are my enemies? Evil desires allure me
and throw me into the dark abyss of sensuality
and pleasure."
According to the Arabic philosophers, the three
faculties gained mastery over the angelic faculty, and
Adam did that which God forbade him to do. The result
has been manifestly inherited by his descendants down
to the present time. According to a Tradition:
It is related from Abu Huraira that the Apostle
of God said: "When God created Adam, he
stroked his back, and there fell from his back all
the men whom He was creating from his
descendants until the Day of Resurrection. And
He placed before the eyes of each man a flash
of light. Afterwards, He brought them to Adam.
Adam said: 'O my Lord, who are these?' He
replied: They are thy descendants.' And he saw
a man among them whose flash of light between
his eyes astonished him. He said: 'O my Lord,
how long have You fixed his life?' He replied:
'Sixty years.' Adam said: 'My Lord, increase it
from my life by forty years.' The Apostle of God
said: "When the life of Adam was completed,
except for forty years, the angel of death came
to him. And Adam said: 'Are there not yet forty
23

years of my life remaining?' He replied: 'Did you
not give them to your son, David?' Then Adam
denied this, and his descendants have denied,
and Adam forgot and ate of the tree, and his
descendants have forgotten, and Adam sinned
and his descendants have sinned" (Tirmidhi).
From this Tradition, it is clear that all the children of
Adam are assuredly sinners because Adam's sin has
entered into all. Accordingly, saints and religious leaders
have confessed their sins. Thus Adam, the first of the
prophets, and Eve say:
"They said: 'Our Lord! We have wronged
ourselves. If You forgive us not and have not
mercy on us, surely we are of the lost!'"
(Qur'an 7:23)
Likewise, the Prophet Abraham says:
11:
24

"Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and
believers on the day when the account is cast."
(Qur'an 14:41)
The Prophet of Islam makes this prayer:
"O God, wash my iniquities with
snow-water"(Bukhari).
Abu Bakr, the first caliph of the Prophet of Islam, says
in his famous poem:
"O God, how shall I be saved, for there is no
goodness in me? I am overwhelmed with
iniquities, but am wanting in goodness."
In addition to all this evidence, the following verse
from the Qur'an maintains that all men are sinners:
iSü Z'jl «SuJ^i 'o\
"Lo! man is an ingrate unto his Lord, and lo!
he is a witness unto that" (Qur'an 100:6,7).
In this connection, the following thoughts confronted
me: the Prophet Jesus was also a man. The Qur'an
refers to the sins of the other prophets. But why does
the Qur'an record no sin of Jesus? As I found that the
25

Qur'an records only the sinlessness of Jesus, I therefore
turned to the Injil. Here I found the following verses:
"Which of you convicts Me of sin?"
(John 8:46)
"For He made Him who knew no sin to be
sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him."
(2 Corinthians 5:21)
"For we do not have a High Priest who is
unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).
"[He] committed no sin, nor was guile
found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2:22).
"And you know that He was manifested to
take away our sins, and in Him there is no
sin" (1 John 3:5).
Thus, there is solid evidence to prove that, with the
exception of the Prophet Jesus, all mankind are sinful.
Under these circumstances, who was I that I should
claim to be able to gain salvation by good works, when
26

many religious leaders, philosophers, and saints had
failed to run this impossible course?
Again I turned to the Qur'an to examine its teachings
about the doctrine of salvation by works. I will quote two
verses here which make it clear that no human being
can escape condemnation, no matter what his status
may be:
 "Sfj (Ä
"There is not one of you but shall approach
it. That is a fixed ordinance of thy Lord. Then
we shall rescue those who kept from evil, and
leave the evil-doers crouching there."
(Qur'an 19:71,72)
No one but myself knows with what terror, dismay,
and disappointment I read these words. I, a spiritually
sick man, was reading the Qur'an as if I were consulting
a physician, so that it might offer me the remedy for my
Another translation reads: "There is not one of you who shall not pass through the confines of Hell..."
(N.J. Dawood, The Koran, penguin Books Ltd., Middlesex, 1959). Still another translation reads: "No
one is there of you who shall not go down unto it..." (J.M. Rodwell, The Koran, J.M. Dent and Sons,
London, 1950).
27

sinfulness. But instead of giving me a solution, it said:
"Everyone of you will go to perdition, for this is the
absolute duty of thy Lord."
But my natural love and attachment for the faith of
Islam forbade me to make haste in my personal
decision. I thought it fitting to seek a commentary on this
verse in the Traditions, that I might see what the Prophet
of Islam himself has to say on this matter. After a long
search, I found the following Tradition in the Mishkat (a
famous book of Sunni Traditions):
Ibn Masud said that the Prophet of Islam said:
"All people shall enter hell. Then they will come
out of it according to their works. Those who will
come out first will do so like a flash of lightning,
the next like a gale of wind, then like a horse at
full speed, afterwards like a swift rider, then like
a man springing, and finally, like the walk of a
man" (Tirmidhi and Darimi).
The meaning of the previous verse was now clear. It
is inevitable that everyone will enter hell and then
emerge according to his works. The meaning of the
Qur'an was plain and was supported by the statement
of the Prophet of Islam himself. I wished that I could have
ended my search at this point, but thought it best to seek
an interpretation in the Qur'an itself. Thus, after a long
search, I came upon this verse:
28

t    _    s      ,   „     ,t
<j-«u]l JJ«JL ^iXtj «-Li llj
 iu jj
*  -    * -
"And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would
have made mankind one nation, yet they cease
not differing, save him on whom thy Lord hath
mercy; and for that He did create them. And the
Word of the Lord hath been fulfilled: Verily I shall
fill hell with the jinn and mankind together."
(Qur'an 11:118,119)
I was so stricken after reading this verse that I slowly
closed the Qur'an and became absorbed in anxious
thought. Even in sleep I found no rest, for my waking
thoughts, taking form in the realm of dreams, made me
uneasy. It was unspeakably hard for me to forsake the
faith of my fathers; I would have been more willing to
forsake life itself. For some time, I kept trying to think of
some method of evading the problem or some way of
escape, so that I would not need to leave Islam. With
this intent, I began to search for help in the Traditions.
This was no easy matter, for the Traditions are
contained in six thick volumes. Moreover, it is a most
29

difficult task to apply the principles of the science of the
Traditions to each Tradition. But despite these
difficulties, I carried my work to completion, with the help
of God.
According to the Traditions, there are three ways of
salvation. First, there is absolutely no connection
between works and salvation. The very worst sinner,
who has spent his whole life breaking God's laws, may
enter paradise. Also, the best kind of man, having spent
his life in good deeds, may enter hell. The following
Traditions speak for themselves:
Hazrat Anas relates that the Prophet of Islam
was riding, followed by Maadh. When the
Prophet repeated thrice, "Anyone who honestly
believes and repeats: There is but one God,
and Muhammed is his prophet,' shall never be
doomed to the fire of hell," Maadh said, "O
Prophet of God, shall I not proclaim these
tidings?" The Prophet answered, "In that case,
they will believe in nothing else but this."
(Mishkat)
On this subject, there is a Tradition handed down by
Abu Dharr, the words of which force the conclusion that
salvation by works is meaningless, for even the
adulterer and thief obtain salvation by the mere
30

repetition, of the words of the Muslim creed. The
Tradition runs thus:
It is related from Abu Dharr that he said: "I
came to the Prophet, and he had a white cloth
over him and was sleeping. Later on, I came to
him after he had awakened. Then, he said: 'Any
servant of God who says, "There is no God but
Allah," and afterwards dies relying on that, will
enter heaven.' I said, 'Although he commit
adultery or steal?' He replied, 'Although he has
committed adultery and theft.11 said, 'Although
he commit adultery and theft?' He replied,
'Although he commit adultery and theft, and in
spite of Abu Dharr'" (Muslim, Bukhari).
I found another Tradition, as comforting as a basket
of sugar to a child, which promises that, whether a man
does good or evil, he can obtain paradise by means of
the repetition of a few words. It reads as follows:
It is related from Ubadah bin Samit that the
Apostle of God said: "Whoever bears witness
that there is no God but Allah alone, and that He
has no partner, and that Muhammed is His
servant and His Apostle, and that Jesus is the
servant of God and His apostle and the son of
His handmaid and his word which He cast into
Mary and a spirit from Him, and that heaven and
31

hell are true, God will take him into paradise, in
spite of what his works may have been!"
(Muslim, Bukhari)2
When I read these Traditions, the question came into
my mind whether it is just that one who spent his whole
life doing evil and never thought of good should enter
paradise at death, while another who has spent his life
in the fear of God, self-restraint, and good works should
be cast into hell at death.
Secondly, it is shown in the Traditions that salvation
is dependent upon the mercy of God — so much so that
the Prophet himself is a needy beggar of this mercy.
Unless God has mercy upon him, the Prophet himself
cannot obtain salvation through works." One Tradition in
the Mishkat reads as follows:
Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet of
Islam said: "No one of you will enter Paradise
through his good works." They said: "Not even
you, O Apostle of God?" "Not even I," he replied,
"unless God cover me with His grace and
mercy. Therefore be strong, and morning and
evening, nay every moment, try to do good."
TTie reader should kindly bear in mind that Christians do not deny the necessity of doing good works.
Christians realise that they are to be always engaged in good works; however, their salvation does not
depend upon their works, for no person can do more than is required of him. Thus, no one can do excess
works which might serve as an atonement for his evil works (See Luke 17:7-10 [Sultan]).
32

Compare also the following Tradition:
Jabir reported that the Prophet of Islam said:
"No good works of yours can ever secure
heaven for you, nor can they save you from hell
— not even me, without the grace of God."
From these Traditions, I understood that no one can
obtain salvation unless God's mercy rests on him. This
comforted me a little, but at the same time I began to
think: If God is merciful, He is likewise just. If God should
forgive by the exercise of His mercy alone, He would be
evading the demands of His justice and righteousness.
Such an evasion of His justice would indicate a defect
in the being of God. Certainly such an act would be
unworthy of the glory of God.
The third thing that became clear to me from the
Traditions was that even the Prophet of Islam cannot
save anyone, not even his daughter, Fatimah, or his
relations. Hence, the idea that the Prophet would
intercede for the faithful, which I thought would surely
be correct, proved to be wrong. One Tradition runs thus:
Abu Huraira related that when the verse,
"Cause thy near relatives to fear," was revealed
to the Prophet of Islam, the Prophet arose and
began to proclaim: "Oh people of the Quraysh,
and you sons of Abdul Manaf, and you Abbas,
33

son of Abdul Muttalib, and you, Safiyyah my
aunt, I cannot save you from the punishment of
the Day of Resurrection. Take care of yourself,
O my daughter Fatimah; you may use my
property, but I cannot save you from God. Take
care of yourself" (Bukhari).
So, after an extended and penetrating study of the
Traditions, there remained nothing more for further
research. In sheer terror and desperation, I closed the
books of the Traditions and prayed to God:
"O God, my Creator and my Lord, You
know the secrets of my heart better than I
know them. You know how long I have been
seeking Your true religion. I have carried my
investigation as far as I have been able. Now,
therefore, open to me the door of Your
knowledge and Your salvation. Grant that I
may enter into the company of Your people
who are well-pleasing unto You, so that I
may be exalted and content, when I enter
Your glorious presence. Amen."
In this desperate and depressed state of mind, I again
began to read the Holy Injil with the idea of correcting
any possible defects in my investigations. As I opened
the Holy Injil this time, my eyes fell on these words:
34

"Come to me, all who labour and are
heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28)
I cannot say how I happened to come across this
passage in the Gospel according to Matthew. I did not
intentionally seek it. On the other hand, it was not a
chance occurrence; it was the God-given answer to my
hard labour and sincere investigation. For a sinner like
me, it was indeed the supreme proclamation of good
news. This life-giving verse had a tremendous effect
upon me. It brought me peace, comfort, and joy and
immediately banished all uneasiness and uncertainty
from my heart. The Messiah claims: "I will give you rest."
He shows how salvation depends upon Him. He does
not merely point to a path which is above or beyond Him,
but says: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me"
(John 14:6).
Yet, the question came to my mind: Can one have
confidence in this extraordinary claim of Christ? I
concluded that one could rest upon it, for in the first
place, Christ is accepted by Muslims as sinless, glorious
in this world and the next, the Word of God, and the Spirit
of God. These and other descriptions, which are applied
to Jesus, indicate perfection. Secondly, according to
Christians, he is perfect God and perfect man, free from
all base passion and worldly ambitions. Thus, it is
35

impossible that Christ, who, according to both Muslims
and Christians possesses the highest qualities, would
sin or do anything unworthy of Himself.
I then began to ponder how Christ promised to give
salvation. To set my mind at rest, I began to search
through the Holy Injil and came upon this verse:
"...just as the Son of Man did not come to
be served, but to serve, and to give His life
as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
Upon reading this verse, I discovered how God offers
salvation. Christ gave His life for us sinners. This is a
marvellous way, to which the world can show no
counterpart. Scores of men have founded religions in
this world, but none of them has claimed that his death
will serve for the forgiveness of sins. Christ alone not
only made this claim, but also fulfilled it.
At this thought, I fell into a state of ecstasy. The picture
of Christ and His love for men made an indelible
impression on my heart. But while I was absorbed in this
ecstasy, another question came into my mind: What was
the need of Christ's sacrifice and atonement? Could He
not have given salvation without giving His life? After
some further thought, I found the answer to this also:
God is both merciful and just. If Christ had promised
salvation without giving His life, the demands of mercy
36

would certainly have been fulfilled. But in order to satisfy
the demands of justice also, Christ paid the ransom —
His precious blood. In this way, God has manifested His
love for us.
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but
that He loved us and sent His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).
I continued my investigation in the New Testament
and read it several times from beginning to end. I found
hundreds of verses and scores of parables which proved
to me, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that salvation —
the very heart and purpose of religion—is available only
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I quote one
passage here to prove this point:
"Now we know that whatever the law says,
it says to those who are under the law, that
every mouth may be stopped, and all the
world may become guilty before God.
Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh
will be justified in His sight, for by the law is
the knowledge of sin. But now the
righteousness of God apart from the law is
revealed, being witnessed by the Law and
the Prophets, even the righteousness of
God which is through faith in Jesus Christ
to all and on all who believe. For there is no
37

difference; for all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God, being justified freely by
His grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a
propitiation by His blood, through faith, to
demonstrate His righteousness, because in
his forbearance God had passed over the
sins that were previously committed...."
(Romans 3:19-25)

38

IX
DECISION AND CONFESSION
After completing the investigations which I have
described, I came to the conclusion that I would become
a Christian. Under these circumstances, it appeared to
me to be honourable to present the whole matter before
the society, that they might consider it and that I might
be free from any charge of pursuing my investigations
in secret.
I went to the meeting as usual. It was again the turn
of Munshi Mansur Masih to speak. Before he began, I
interrupted by stating that on this occasion I myself
would speak against Islam. I then proceeded to describe
the results of my many years of research. The officers
of the society were amazed at my words but took comfort
in the hope that I would make the rebuttal to my own
address. When I finished and took my seat, the
vice-president said, "We hope that the president himself
will make his own rebuttal to his unfavourable address."
Again I rose and said: "Listen to me, my friends. What I
have explained to you is not something which is
superficial and fabricated. It is a matter which is certain
and decisive, based on years of investigation. To be
more specific, it began on that day when Munshi Mansur
Masih addressed us on the subject of salvation. At that
time, I promised God that henceforth I would read the
Holy Bible, not as I had read it previously, but as a seeker
39

after truth, so that the way of truth and righteousness
might be revealed to me. Accordingly, setting aside
prejudice and philosophical quibbling, I compared the
Avesta, Satyarth Prakash, the Bible, and the Qur'an. I
came to the conclusion that salvation is to be found in
Christ only. That is all I have to say. If there is any defect
in my investigation, I would be grateful if any of you
gentlemen would point it out. On the other hand, if you
yourselves wish me to make the rebuttal to these
arguments, I tell you frankly that I cannot answer them;
nor is there hope of an answer from anyone else."
I left the meeting, as it was not prudent for me to
remain there longer. Munshi Mansur Masih immediately
followed me. When he caught up with me, he embraced
me and began to shed tears of joy, saying in a trembling
voice, "You must come home with me tonight. It is not
safe for you to spend the night alone in your room." I
replied that the officers of my organisation were
educated gentlemen, and that I need fear nothing from
them. "Of course," I added, "there are others whom one
must fear. I shall come to your house before daybreak.
If I am not there by that time, you may kindly come to
my lodging."
After making this arrangement, we separated. I went
to my room, bolted the door from the inside, and
extinguished the light. I sat down, immersed in thought.
I will never forget the fearful fancies and spiritual
40

struggle of that night. It was a night of decision, a night
of most desperate testing. At times, the thought
confronted me that, if I should become a Christian, I
would lose my country, my inheritance, my rights, my
family, my friends — in short, everything. I was also
bothered by the idea that becoming a Christian would
mean entering a world where manners and all else
would be different from that to which I had been
accustomed. Sleep was impossible that night.
Finally, I said to myself: "Sultan, consider that you are
the child of an hour and the world is fleeting. When you
die, your country and inheritance will be of no benefit to
you; nor will your family and friends be of help to you.
All these belong to this world alone. Nothing but your
faith can go beyond the grave. Therefore, it is not wise
to forsake eternal life and spiritual happiness for the
sake of this transitory life." I then bowed my knees before
God and offered this prayer:
"O, omnipotent, eternal God, Searcher of
hearts, I yield myself to You. Accept this
offering and protect me from all the snares
of the devil and from spiritual dangers.
Remove from my heart the world and its
desires. Grant me courage and strength that
I may be able to confess Your only Son
Jesus Christ publicly before all men. Hear
41

and accept my prayer for the sake of Jesus
Christ. Amen."
After finishing this prayer, I felt somewhat drowsy and
slept for a short time. When I awoke, I felt altogether
happy and cheerful. No shadow of the former worry and
uneasiness bothered me.
The day was breaking. I quickly washed and left for
the home of Munshi Mansur Masih. When I arrived
there, I found he had been very worried because I had
not come. He knew that I was accustomed to tea at that
hour and already prepared some for me. After I finished
my tea, we talked things over for a short time and then
engaged in prayer. After prayer, we went to the home of
Padre Ledgeard.
The padre was surprised at our early arrival. Munshi
Mansur Masih proceeded to tell him that I had come to
be baptised. At first, he thought we were not in earnest.
But when he heard what had taken place on the
preceding night, he immediately rose and embraced me,
saying: "I knew that if you would read the Bible seriously
you would surely become a Christian. Thank God that
you have been convinced." He then promised to baptise
me three days later and advised me to memorise the
Ten Commandments, Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's
Prayer, during the interval. He further counselled me not
to stay among Muslims. Upon his invitation to stay either
42

with himself or with Munshi Mansur Masih, I decided to
accept the second alternative.
When Sunday came, the whole church was filled with
Muslims. Seeing the danger, Mr. Ledgeard postponed
my baptism. Finally, by the grace and mercy of God, I
was baptised on August 6, 1903, in St. Paul's Church,
Bombay. My baptism took place in the presence of the
following persons: Rev. Canon Ledgeard, who baptised
me, Munshi Mansur Masih, and two other gentlemen,
whose names I cannot now recall. Immediately after the
ceremony, I was sent to Kanpur, since it was dangerous
for me to remain in Bombay.
When I became a Christian, a wonderful change took
place in my life. My speech, actions, and whole manner
of life were so transformed that a year later, when I
visited Bombay for a short time, my Muslim friends
wondered at it. They marvelled at my mildness, for they
knew how easily I used to lose my temper.
Before I became a Christian, I recognised sin to be
sin, but I did not realise, as I do now, what a dangerous
and destructive force it is. I am still merely a weak man
and a handful of dust, and, when I sin, I cannot describe
the shame and sorrow with which I am filled.
Immediately, I fall on my face and, with tears, I repent
and beg for forgiveness. This attitude can be acquired
only by the recognition of the atoning sacrifice of the
43

Lord Jesus Christ. Sin cannot be removed by
repentance alone. It must be cleansed by the sacred
blood of our Saviour. It is because of the very reason of
sin that the world is daily approaching nearer and nearer
to destruction.
Though Satan may war against me with all the power
at his disposal, I am not in the least disturbed because
I believe that Christ has crushed his head. Satan cannot
harm Christ's faithful servants, nor can he prevail
against them. May God, the Creator of heaven and
earth, the Searcher of hearts, turn the hearts of my
Muslim brethren, as He turned mine, and give them
vision, so that they too, remembering the Day of
Judgment, may realise their deep spiritual need and
come into the fold of the Lord Jesus Christ.

44
I am, my dear Muslim brothers,
Your spiritual well-wisher,
Sultan Muhammed Paul

X
QUIZ
You can answer the following questions easily from the
text, if you have studied this book carefully. Mail your
answers to us. If you have answered at least 15
correctly, we will send you one of our books as a gift.
Please do not forget to write your full name and address
clearly.
1.	What is "the depravity of man" and how does it
manifest itself in mankind?
2.	What was the fundamental problem confronting
Sultan Muhammed Paul?
3.	Quote the response of the English clergyman to the
following question of Sultan Muhammed Paul:
"Why should I read the Bible? Who would read such
an altered book which you people change every
year?"
4.	How did Sultan Muhammed Paul feel after he had
answered the challenge of Munshi Mansur Masih,
concerning salvation in Islam?
5.	In what manner did Sultan Muhammed Paul decide
to study the Bible, after the words of Munshi
Mansur Masih had thundered in his soul?
6.	Of what did Sultan Muhammed Paul become a
seeker, when he began comparing the Qur'an, the
Bible, the Avesta, and the Satyarth Prakash?
45

7.	What did Sultan Muhammed Paul discover about
man and salvation in the Qur'an (32:19; 99:7,8)?
8.	What did Sultan Muhammed Paul learn about
Adam, Abraham, the Prophet of Islam, Abu Bakr,
and all mankind in his study of the Qur'an, and how
is Jesus different from all these other men?
9.	Quote, in full, the five New Testament passages
that Sultan Muhammed Paul found, which proclaim
the sinlessness of Jesus. Include the references in
your answer.

10.	Summarise, in a few sentences, the two basic
principles which Sultan Muhammed Paul learned
from the following: Qur'an 19:71,72 and its
commentary in the Mishkat, and Qur'an
11:118,199.
11.	Briefly summarise the three things that Sultan
Muhammed Paul discovered about salvation,
according to the Traditions. What was his state of
mind after his research?
12.	Quote the verse in the Gospel according to
Matthew which Sultan Muhammed Paul found after
his research in the Traditions. What effect did it
have upon him?
13.	Quote John 14:6 and explain its significance.
14.	What two things did Sultan Muhammed Paul
conclude, which support the extraordinary claim of
Christ?
15.	Quote Matthew 20:28, and describe how God
offers salvation.
46

16.	What answer did Sultan Muhammed Paul find to
his question: "What was the need of Christ's
sacrifice and atonement? Could He not have given
salvation without giving his life?"
17.	Quote the verse from the New Testament that
explains how God has manifested His love for us.
18.	What is the very heart and purpose of religion, and
through what means is it made available? Quote
the passage from the book of Romans that
supports the answer.
19.	After Sultan Muhammed Paul had addressed his
organisation for the last time, he locked himself in
his room. Quote the words he said to himself as
well as the prayer he offered to God on his knees.
20.	What changes did the Muslim friends of Sultan
Muhammed Paul notice in his life, after he had
given his life to Jesus?
If you have any questions about the Christian faith, we
will be happy to answer them for you. Do not forget to
write your full name and address inside the letteras well
as on the envelope.

	iiiiifiitfii				
	GÖÖDQW		P.O. BOX 66		
	86RIKOt		/ifZERÜlNC		
	
47

THE GOOD WAY
P. O. BOX 66, CH-8486 RIKON
SWITZERLAND
BOOKS AND CASSETTES
FOR MUSLIMS
IN ENGLISH

Order       Title
No.

First      Author
Edition

Pages   Lang.   Price
SFr.

BOOKS

C. G. Pfander
hkander Jadeed
Iskander Jadeed
hkander Jadeed
Butrus Zacharia
Pope
Shenuda III
Iskander Jadeed
Iskander Jadeed
Abd al-Masih
Abd al-Masih
George Ford
hkander Jadeed
Iskander Jadeed
C. G. Pfander
87	Engl.	8.-
64	Engl.	6-
24	Engl.	3-
29	Engl.	3.-
56	Engl.	5-
12	Engl.	3.-
48	Engl.	5-
96	Engl.	8-
32	Engl.	3.-
56	Engl.	5-
88	Engl.	7.-
40	Engl.	4.-
56	Engl.	5.-
98	Engl.	9.-
rb 4001  No Distortion in the Torah and the Gospel	1993
(Balance of Truth, part I, reprint)
RB4003 The Infallibility of the Torah and the Gospel	1974
RB4030 The Gospel of Barnabas Is a False Testimony	197g
rb 4050 No! The Religion of Christ Has Not Been	1990
Abrogated
RB4ioi  God Is One in the Holy Trinity	1981
RB4io3 Trinity and Unity	1988
RB4U5  Did God Appear in the Flesh?	1971
rb43oi  The Person of Christ in the Gospel and the	1975
Koran
RB43SS	What Do You Think About Christ?	1978
RB4358	A Question That Demands an Answer!        1993
RB4370	The Light of the World	1984
RB4380	How Can We Know the Truth of the Gospel? 1987
rb 4401	Sin and Atonement in Islam and Christianity 1979
RB4430	How Can You Be Saved, 0 Man?	1993
(Balance of Truth, part II)
RB4480	The CrOSS in the GOSpel and the Koran	1969      hkander Jadeed       48   Eng].      5.—

Order
No.	Title	First
Edition	Author	Pages	Lang.	Price
SFr.	
RB4665	How Do We Pray?	1977	Iskander Jadeed	32	Engl.	3.—	
RB 4905	Themes for the Diligent	1989	Nicola Ghabriel	128	Engl.	10.—	
RB 4920	Victory of the Truth	1988	Iskander Jadeed	132	Engl.	11.—	
RB 4930	Teach Me Your Way, 0 Lord!	1982	Iskander Jadeed	40	Engl.	4.—	
RB4940	Test Everything, Hold On to the Good!	1980	Iskander Jadeed	112	Engl.	9-	
RT 4999
RB 7801	Tracts (one thousand)
For the Sake of Truth	1974
1991	Servants of the
Lord
Iskander Jadeed	4
292	Engl.
Engl.	50.—
25 —	
RB 7825	In Search of Assurance	1983	K. K. Alavi	56	Engl.	5 —	
RB 7830	God Has Chosen for Me Everlasting Life	1992	Hamran Ambrie	96	Engl.	8.—	
RB 7835
RB 7840
RB 7845	Sweet Firstfruits
My Grace Is Sufficient for You
Why 1 Became a Christian	1993
1990
1990	Servants of the
Lord
Ghulam Masih
Naaman
Sultan M. Paul	135
80
48	Engl.
Engl.
Engl.	1         1         1	
	Cassettes			Min.			
RC4003	The Infallibility of the Torah and the Gospel
(part 1)	1986	Iskander Jadeed	C62	Engl.	9-	
RC4004	The Infallibility of the Torah and the Gospel
(part 2)	1986	Iskander Jadeed	C38	Engl.	6.—	
RC 4301	The Person of Christ in the Gospel and the
Koran (parti)	1986	Iskander Jadeed	C88	Engl.	12.—	
RC 4302	The Person of Christ in the Gospel and the
Koran (part 2)	1986	Iskander Jadeed	C60	Engl.	9.—	
RC 4355	What Do You Think About Christ?	1982	Iskander Jadeed	C42	Engl.	6 —	
RC4480	The Cross in the Gospel and the Koran	1986	Iskander Jadeed	C72	Engl.	12 —	
RC4665	How Do We Pray?	1982	Iskander Jadeed	C60	Engl.	9 —	

Fear not
for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name
You are mine
	Isaiah 43:1