O Christ Worshippers!

A thought provoking poem by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim to the Christians.

Translated from the original eloquent style of the author in Arabic language

‫ نريد جوابه ممن وعاه‬... ‫أعباد المسيح لنا سؤال‬

O Christ worshippers! We want an answer to our question from
your wise.

‫ أماتوه فما ھذا اإلله‬... ‫إذا مات اإلله بصنع قوم‬

If the Lord was murdered by some people’s act… What sort of God
is this?

‫وھل أرضاه ما نالوه منه‬... ‫فبشراھم إذاً نالوا رضاه‬

We wonder! Was He pleased by what they did Him? If yes,
blessed be they... They achieved (this) pleasure of His.

‫ وإن سخط الذي فعلوه فيه‬... ‫فق ّوتھم إذاً أوھت قِواه‬
But if He was discontented… This means their power subjugated
His!

‫ سميع يستجيب لمن دعاه‬... ‫وھل بقي الوجود بال إله‬

Was the whole entity left without a Sustainer… Who then answered
the prayers?

‫ت الطباق السبع لما‬

ِ ‫وھل خل‬... ‫تحت التراب وقد عاله ثوى‬
Were the heavens vacated… When He laid under the ground
somewhere?
 ‫وھل خلت العوالم من إل ٍه‬... ‫سم َرت يداه‬
ُ ‫يدبرھا وقد‬
Were all the worlds left without a God… To manage while His
hands were nailed?

‫ بنصرھم‬... ‫وقد سمعوا بكاه وكيف تخلت األمالك عنه‬

Why did not the angles help Him (when they heard him) while he
wailed?

‫ الحق شد على قفاه‬... ‫وكيف أطاقت الخشبات حمل اإلله‬

How could the rods stand to bear the True Lord when He was
fastened?

‫ يخالطه ويلحقه أذاه‬... ‫وكيف دنا الحديد إليه حتى‬

How could the iron reach Him and have His body pinned?

‫ وطالت حيث قد صفعوا قفاه‬... ‫وكيف تمكنت أيدي عداه‬

How could His enemies’ hands reach Him and strike Him from
behind?

‫وھل عاد المسيح إلى حياة‬... ‫رب سواه‬

ّ ‫أم المحيي له‬
And was Christ revived by himself… Or was the Reviver another
God?

ً ‫ويا عجبا ً لقبر ضم ربا‬... ‫ب منه بطن قد حواه‬

َ ‫وأع َْج‬
What a sight it is! A grave that enclosed a God!
What’s more strange is the belly that bore Him within it!

‫ لدى الظلمات‬... ‫ض ِغ َذاه أقام ھناك تسعا من شھور‬

ٍ ‫من حي‬
He stayed there for nine months in utter darkness… Fed by blood!
 ‫ ضعيفا فاتحا للثدى فاه‬... ‫وشق الفرج مولودا صغيرا‬
Then he got out of the womb as a baby, weak and gaping to be
breastfed!

‫ بالزم ذاك ھل ھذا إ‬... ‫لهويأكل ثم يشرب ثم يأتي‬
He ate and drank and did what naturally results (1)
Is this a God!?

‫ سيسأل كلھم عما افتراه‬... ‫تعالى ﷲ عن إفك النصارى‬

High Exalted be Allah above the lies of Christians... All of them will
be held accountable for their libels.

‫ألي معنى أعباد الصليب‬... ‫يعظّم أو يقبّح من رماه‬

O cross worshipers… For what reason is it exalted
and blamed whoever rejects it?

‫ وإحراق له ولمن بغاه‬... ‫وھل تقضى العقول بغير كسر‬

Is it not the logic to break and burn it along with the one who
innovated it? (2)

َ ‫ وقد شدت لتسمير يداه إذا ر َك‬... ‫اإلله عليه كرھا‬

‫ب‬
Since the Lord was crucified on it… And his hands were fastened to
it?

‫ فدسه ال تبسه إذا تراه‬... ‫فذاك المركب الملعون حقا‬

That is really a cursed cross to carry… So discard it
Don’t kiss it! (3)
 ‫ يھان عليه رب الخلق ط ّرا‬... ‫وتعبده فإنك من عداه‬
The Lord was abused on it… And you adore it?
So you are one of His enemies!

‫فإن عظّمته من أجل أن قد‬... ‫حوى رب العباد وقد عاله‬

If you extol it because it carried the Lord of the worlds

‫ له شكال تذكرنا‬... ‫سناه وقد فقد الصليب فإن رأينا‬

Why don’t you prostrate yourself and worship graves,

‫فھال للقبور سجدت طُ ّرا‬... ‫لضم القبر ربﱠك في حشاه‬

Since the grave contained your God in it?

‫ بدايته وھذا منتھاه‬... ‫فيا عبد المسيح أفق فھذا‬

So O Christ worshiper, open your eyes,
this is what the matter is all about. (4)

Footnotes

1) Urination and defecation etc.

2) Paul of Tarsus, the real founder of the trinity faith.

3) Don't glorify it.

4) Since you, as a Christian abhor the idea of worshipping a grave, how is it that you find it
acceptable to worship the cross?