The neurons poisoned by the devil, as always, followed the principle of “sling mud so something sticks.” They refused to move, unwilling to uncover what lay behind the curtain.

Although Leheb listened intently, missing none of the details, he acted as though he cared nothing for the final part of the conversation.He pretended not to hear when Dr. William said that he had taken them onto his boat, brought them to Italy, then driven them to Germany, visited them in the refugee camp, and that, once they learned enough German, officials helped them find work and housing.

Seeing that Leheb still revealed nothing, Süleyman stood before him and said:

“Fine, let’s say you still don’t trust these people—Christians, or whatever they are—and don’t care that they risked their lives just so you could live. But why are you ignoring me—a Muslim?”

“Do you not know that we are commanded not to befriend the unbelievers? Whoever befriends them becomes like them,” Leheb replied.

Süleyman sighed in frustration.

“Why is it that every deceived terrorist who sits in this chair quotes the same verse? I’ve explained this until my tongue is numb.”

Then he asked:
“Do you pray?”

The look in Leheb’s eyes responded, How dare you insult me with such a question?

Süleyman continued:

“The verse says: Do not approach prayer. Why don’t you obey that command?”

“You are an unbeliever. How can you deny prayer?”

Süleyman shot to his feet, brow furrowed, and shouted:

“You idiot—do you still not understand what I mean?

The verse says: ‘Do not approach prayer while intoxicated.’ In the same way, God says: do not be intimate with destructive, selfish, unjust unbelievers who cannot think rationally. If you read the rest of the scripture, you would understand this meaning. Why should you not befriend non-Muslims who are kind, just, and beneficial to you? Without tolerance and friendship, how will you fulfill the duty of sharing faith, or bring peace and harmony to the world? But fools like you take one sentence from the Qur’an, pluck it out with tweezers, and use it as your reference.

Wake up. Open the guidebook to life—read, think, and reflect.

Otherwise, you will keep being deceived like this.”

Süleyman was angry; he motioned with his hand as if pushing something away.

“Do whatever you want. Imam Eyüp will be here soon. You can tell him why you wanted to burn the Messiah,” he said with a sarcastic tone, and left the room.

Leheb, like most Muslim German citizens, knew who Imam Eyüp was.He also knew that at one point the organization had placed him on their execution list. But the leaders realized that killing such a beloved figure would only worsen their already desperate shortage of recruits.

Criminology had advanced too far—fingerprints, DNA, ballistic evidence—any killer could be easily identified. Realizing they couldn’t erase the evidence, the organization abandoned the plan and decided merely to monitor him from afar.

Imam Eyüp sat beside Leheb, continuing where Süleyman had left off.

“When was the last time you reflected on the meaning of the Qur’an?”

There was no response.
The Imam realized that dialogue would not work, but from subtle twitches in Leheb’s facial muscles, he understood that he was listening—intensely.

“Reading the Qur’an in Arabic—the language of its revelation—undoubtedly benefits a person. Since we perform our rituals in Arabic, this is unquestionable.

If we consider that Allah transmits His will through the molecules in the air, then we can say that the verses of the Qur’an, which contain certain codes, draw down His help, His knowledge, His mercy.

As Dr. William and some quantum physicists say, we calibrate the heart’s resonance according to Allah’s pleasure and the laws He has established. Although the alignment of a person’s aura or heart resonance to the correct frequency begins with our free will, much of the process continues beyond our control.

But there is a problem: the forbidden things we eat, see, and smell; our corrupt tendencies;
our plans driven by greed and desire for status— all these prevent us from uniting with the correct frequency.

Over time, the increasing distortions become like static on a radio—until eventually you cannot hear the station at all.That is why we must experience reflection—tefekkür—a process in which the mind actively resists sin.

For this, you must read the translation.

To draw lessons relevant to our time, you must interpret within the boundaries of the belief in divine unity. And understand this well: Our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) did not provide commentary for the entire Qur’an. He explained only specific verses when questions were asked— so that people could think, reflect, and draw meanings suitable for themselves, so long as they remained within the truths of faith.”

Imam Eyüp continued, trying to push Leheb toward contemplation with a sarcastic question:

“Since you tried to burn the icon of the Messiah, I assume you derived your ruling from the Qur’an. I’m very curious—what verse did you interpret, and how, that led you to such an act?

Or were you planning to ignite chaos and become the new corrupt ruler of the world once that man of peace was gone?”

Leheb did not flinch.

Imam Eyüp said, “Listen carefully to what I’m about to say,” and began:

“1. As the Qur’an informs us, Jesus never described himself as the son of Allah.

For example, in Surah 3:49:

‘And as a messenger to the Children of Israel, he said: Indeed, I have come to you with a sign from your Allah…’

And in 43:59:

‘Indeed, he (Jesus) is only a servant upon whom We bestowed favor…’

From this we understand that Jesus defined himself as a servant and prophet, and the Qur’an affirms this—stating that he did not err in doing so. In other words, just like all other prophets who delivered only what Allah commanded, Jesus did the same. He never uttered statements that we consider shirk. We never regard him as a liar or someone hungry for status.

2.The Qur’an not only speaks of him with praise, it even uses expressions that Christians still use today to honor him: ‘Spirit of Allah,’ ‘Word of Allah,’ ‘strengthened with the Holy Spirit.’

As long as it does not contradict the doctrine of divine unity, any expression that praises Jesus can be used—including those accepted by Christian communities.

The phrase ‘Spirit of Allah’ does not imply that he is a part of Allah, but that he is created from a spirit Allahç bestowed—reminding us of his coming into the world without a father.

The phrase ‘Word of Allah’ reminds us that his arrival involved a cause beyond causes—
that Allah created him with the word ‘Be (kun).’”

“3. If you pay attention, the expression ‘son of God,’ which contradicts divine unity, appears in no verse of the Qur’an. This shows that the intent was not to diminish the honor of Jesus, but rather to eliminate a misleading expression.

Because the metaphor was distorted and interpreted literally, the term ‘son’ is deliberately absent.We know that in ancient times many nations used the term ‘son’ metaphorically for those who brought virtue and goodness to society.

The Jews spoke of themselves as ‘children of God’;
the Chinese, ‘sons of Heaven’;
the Japanese, descended from the sun;
and in ancient Greece and Brahmanic thought, certain noble figures were believed to be of divine lineage.

Moreover, as long as it does not contradict divine unity, and as long as it does not involve oppression or injustice, we can say that God did not prohibit the customs of societies—He either allowed them or reformed them.

The aim was to make acceptance of monotheism easier for people. For example, polygamy, which was widespread at the time, was reduced to a limit of four wives. When daughters and young children were deprived of inheritance, the Qur’an granted them half the share of a male heir.

What I mean is this:

If we consider these commands and prohibitions, we see why the phrase ‘son of God’ was not used for Jesus in the Qur’an.

Because after the original audience of the Gospel came the Romans—who interpreted the expression literally, not metaphorically, or deliberately distorted its meaning.

Anyone who examines the Qur’an carefully will see that it emphasizes, repeatedly and forcefully, that Allah is One, incomparable, and in no need of a partner. Because of this sensitivity, no Muslim would openly use expressions containing explicit polytheism (associating partners with God).”

Imam Eyüp took a deep breath.

“I will give you an example now—but do not listen carelessly and misunderstand what I am saying,” he began.

“Let us consider a Qudsi hadith in which God says to our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): ‘If it were not for you, I would not have created the universe.’

Now imagine a malicious person taking this statement and saying:

‘If Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not exist, the universe could not have been created.’

Over time, such an interpretation could be accepted—either through ignorance, or by those who wish to establish a new ideological foundation and steer masses toward a particular direction. From studies in the history of religions, we can understand that one of the reasons different theological sects emerged was due to such misinterpretations.

Because the primary source of Islam, the Qur’an, contains no distorted wording of this kind—no verse that can serve as a reference—Islam has never produced a widespread, historically-enduring movement based on explicit polytheism.

As for the statement ‘If it were not for you, I would not have created the universe,’ what is meant is this: That the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) possessed—at the highest, most exalted level—many of God’s names, except those relating to the act of creation from absolute nothingness.

It means that all those beautiful attributes—character, temperament, behavior, speech, and action—manifested through him. That through his existence, the universe gained meaning,
and that his exemplary life became the seed from which all goodness and beauty on earth grew.

In short, what we derive from this expression is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was unique in manifesting and introducing God’s names and attributes— not that he shared in God’s knowledge, power, or will. To ascribe such a partnership is inconceivable.

4.Inconnection with the previous point, I want to emphasize again that the Qur’an contains verses that praise the Prophet Muhammad. But these praises remain within the boundaries of monotheism.

However, history also reminds us that while defending their religion, some people—through misguidance, ignorance, or arrogance—fell into what we may call hidden shirk.

Not openly worshiping idols, stars, or humans, but slipping into practices that imply divinity in subtle ways. Put differently, when a person deliberately elevates his own desires and presents them as if they were divine commands, we describe such a person as having fallen into hidden shirk.

The Qur’an states:

“They (the Jews) took their rabbis, and (the Christians) their monks, and the Messiah, son of Mary, as lords besides Allah.” (9:31)

Hearing this verse, a member of the People of the Book said to the Prophet (peace be upon him):

“I know that the Christians consider Jesus divine, but I have never heard them call their monks gods.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, in meaning:

“Did they not alter Allah’s rulings? Did they not present their own desires as Allah’s commands, guiding people according to their interests?”

From this hadith we understand that associating partners with God is not limited to worshiping idols, stars, or humans.

In today’s world, we most often encounter it in the form of deliberately interpreting Allah’s verses to serve one’s personal benefit, or the interests of one’s tribe, group, or nation. This, too, is a form of shirk.”

Imam Eyüp glanced at Leheb and added:

“If I were you, I would destroy the idols of those who have turned their egos into pharaohs in the hearts of people. You should have directed your courage not at lifeless stone statues, but at tyrants.”

5.The corruption of divine scriptures has sometimes occurred through erasing or adding verses, yes—but the greater corruption came from extracting meanings that were never intended by the text.

More clearly, as I mentioned earlier, I believe that the phrase “son of God” existed in the original texts, but it must be understood metaphorically. We have no doubt that Jesus conveyed this understanding to his disciples.

In fact, according to a debate Jesus had with the Jews in the Gospel of John, when they accused him of associating partners with God, he referred to the following verses in the Torah to show that he had said nothing wrong:

“You are gods, you are the children of Yahweh” (Deuteronomy 14:1)

and

“The Lord said to David: You are my son…” (Psalms 2:7)

I believe the “son” expressions in the Torah and the Gospel are original and unaltered, though I could be mistaken. It is harder to manipulate written text than to distort its interpretation. For this reason, I think the corruption occurred through interpretation—by taking the phrase “son of God” literally rather than metaphorically.

I say all this so that we Muslims do not impose strange interpretations onto the Qur’an. We know that the Qur’an cannot be corrupted by addition or removal, because of God’s promise, the preservation of written manuscripts, and the existence of millions of memorizers.

I say all this to warn you: Do not let the verses be used to legitimize injustice, oppression, or the killing of the innocent. Instead of burning Jesus—the symbol of love—destroy the seeds of shirk that reside in people’s hearts.

6.There are teachings, warnings, and moral exhortations in today’s Gospel that strongly resemble what the Qur’an expresses—except for matters such as the doctrine of the Trinity.

For example, consider this verse from the Qur’an:

“(The Hour) will come upon you only suddenly. They ask you as though you were fully informed of it. Say: ‘Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know.’” (33:63)

Now compare it to this passage from the Gospel:

“But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36–37)

If we consider these two sacred texts side by side, we can understand the following:

The word “Father” in the Gospel does not differ in meaning from what we call “Allah”—the One who is all-powerful and all-knowing.

By saying “the Father,” they are referring to God, and emphasizing that only He knows when the Last Hour will come. According to both the Qur’an and the Gospel, only God knows the future. Neither Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) nor Jesus can know the unseen unless God informs them.

From these statements, we understand that both divine books convey the same message.

7. I can cite many verses that teach us to show love and tolerance toward the People of the Book. One of the clearest examples is the permission for a Muslim man to marry a woman from the People of the Book. After marriage, she may remain in her own faith. There is nothing wrong with us entering a church and performing our prayers in a suitable place.

Is not every place Allah’s?

Tell me, by what authority or reference can we show intolerance toward a member of the People of the Book and prevent her from practicing her religion? Yes, our religion, out of concern that people may fall into deviation, prohibits making images or statues of the Prophet.

Our historical experience shows how wise and necessary that prohibition was. But according to the Christian religion of today, there is no such prohibition. If seeing Jesus on the cross fills their hearts with love for God and repentance for their sins, why should we be disturbed by that?

Would it be better if they erected statues of mythical gods invented by men, or icons representing science as a deity?

8. Some Muslims and Christians believe that near the end of time, Jesus will return to Earth, call people back to the true path, and restore spirituality and love to the world.

So why are you trying to extinguish the love of Jesus that resides in people’s hearts? What is the point of hurting them? Believing in the One God is what truly matters; after that, whether they love all prophets equally or love one more than the others, it makes no difference.

And do not go searching for Jesus, thinking that he might already have descended. You are not responsible for finding him. It is enough for you to live your life according to the Qur’an and the teachings of Muhammad.

I could list many more reasons why Muslims love the Messiah even more than Christians do. If today the Messiah is remembered in a way that exceeds the respect given to other prophets, the cause of that reverence is not something we can blame on him.

Moreover, there are verses and hadiths stating that near the end of time, he will descend in human form and lead the believers against the wave of disbelief.

Christians hold a similar belief.

The name and image of a prophet must not be tarnished. Believe me, marginal groups who hold hostility toward heavenly religions know the divine statements and narrations about Jesus’ return better than you or I. They are preparing themselves accordingly.

On one hand, they are trying to distort the mission he will undertake when he returns; on the other, they are working to destroy his honor. Imam Eyüp ended with his final sentence:

“And people like you, deceived and misguided, serve them without even realizing it.”

Until that moment, Süleyman had remained silent, simply listening to Imam Eyüp.
Then he stepped in:

“I’ll tell you something. Whether you deny it or not, it’s obvious that you met with the leader of the dark organization before entering the country illegally. And we’re certain that deliberately getting yourself caught at the border was part of the plan you two designed together.

You may or may not answer, but there is one thing I am sure of.”

Up until now, Leheb had only glanced at Süleyman and the others with sidelong eyes. But this time, he lifted his head and, for the first time, gave a clear silent message:
I’m listening to you.

Süleyman understood it immediately and continued:

“We know you met him on a ship. According to Maxi’s report, it was one of those vessels in the Mediterranean involved in illegal operations.”

Süleyman stood up, moved close—just an arm’s length from Leheb—and asked:

“Whoever that person is, I’m certain he avoided using words like ‘God’ or ‘Prophet’ in your presence.”

Leheb’s anti-organization neurons recalled the warnings given by the leader’s lieutenant, known as ‘the Millennium Leader.’

Yes, Demos had cautioned them before their meeting with the organization’s head. He had even claimed that if certain religious expressions were uttered, intelligence agencies monitoring the earth via satellite would automatically begin listening.

Absurd as it sounded, Leheb hadn’t argued. The headache that had been growing since he boarded the ship drained his will to question anything, so he simply said “fine” and let it go.

“How do you know that?” he asked Süleyman.

The mustached demon-hunter replied, his face tired and dim:

“When I said the organization’s leader is a devil, I wasn’t speaking metaphorically.
I meant it literally.”

He turned toward the door. And Leheb called out to him:

“I will tell you everything I know.”