rce and restrain them was a true mercy.
They were like a man holding in his hand a cup of poison, which, when
about to drink, a friend breaks and thus saves him. If Christ had been
placed in similar circumstances, it is certain that with a conquering
power He would have delivered the men, women and children from the claws
of these bloodthirsty wolves.

Muhammad never fought against the Christians; on the contrary, He treated
them kindly and gave them perfect freedom. A community of Christian people
lived at Najran and were under His care and protection. Muhammad said, "If
anyone infringes their rights, I Myself will be his enemy, and in the
presence of God I will bring a charge against him." In the edicts which He
promulgated it is clearly stated that the lives, properties and honor of
the Christians and Jews are under the protection of God; and that if a
Muhammadan married a Christian woman, the husband must not prevent her
from going to church, nor oblige her to veil herself; and that if she
died, he must place her remains in the care of the Christian clergy.
Should the Christians desire to build a church, Islam ought to help them.
In case of war between Islam and her enemies, the Christians should be
exempted from the obligation of fighting, unless they desired of their own
free will to do so in defense of Islam, because they were under its
protection. But as a compensation for this immunity, they should pay
yearly a small sum of money. In short, there are seven detailed edicts on
these subjects, some copies of which are still extant at Jerusalem. This
is an established fact and is not dependent on my affirmation. The edict
of the second Caliph(9) still exists in the custody of the orthodox
Patriarch of Jerusalem, and of this there is no doubt.(10)

Nevertheless, after a certain time, and through the transgression of both
the Muhammadans and the Christians, hatred and enmity arose between them.
Beyond this fact, all the narrations of the Muslims, Christians and others
are simply fabrications, which have their origin in fanaticism, or
ignorance, or emanate from intense hostility.

For example, the Muslims say that Muhammad cleft the moon, and that it
fell on the mountain of Mecca: they think that the moon is a small body
which Muhammad divided into two parts and threw one part on this mountain,
and the other part on another mountain.

Such stories are pure fanaticism. Also the traditions which the clergy
quote, and