A number of passages are neglected that support the arguments...

A number of passages are neglected that support the arguments, but seem to give no particular new information relevant to the particular issue at hand. Finally, those passages containing the expression “people of the Book” but focus on issues other than da’wa are obviously neglected as well. The Roots of Da’wa The first five points made by the holy Qur’an in relation to meeting people of the Book are fundamental and must be taken into consideration in every da’wa situation.

We might want to call them the roots of da’wa. The ones that follow them are also basic, but more often relate to the specific problems of particular situations. These can be called the branches of da’wa, as they are generally speaking particular applications. All sixteen points should be memorized, practiced, and taken constantly into account while dealing with people of the Book.

1.1 Forgive and Overlook Quite a number of the People of the Book wish they could turn you (people) back to infidelity after you have believed, from selfish envy, after the Truth has become manifest unto them: But forgive and overlook, till Allah accomplish his purpose; for Allah has power over all things. Qur’an 2:109 I once patiently explained the Biblical evidence for the oneness of Allah to a young Christian. He failed to accept it. Rather, he tried to make me believe in the Trinity.

I met him on a later occasion, went through even more detailed arguments, with the same result. On a third occasion I met the same young man. He again rejected my arguments, and put heavy emotional pressure on me to accept Jesus (as) as God Almighty. At that point I made a mistake. I asked him if Jesus (as) had been circumcised. At first he did not want to answer, so I asked him to open his Bible to Luke 2 and find out. He reluctantly admitted that Jesus (as) had been circumcised.

I then asked him whether the piece that had been cut away had also been God or not. He looked at me reproachfully. I suppose I should be happy that he did not hit me. Much as I felt he had tried my patience, and much as my argument appeared reasonable and valid to me, still it was not productive. The holy Qur’an, in its first passage telling us how to deal with the people of the Book, advises us to avoid problems of this sort. The ayat does not tell us to avoid proclaiming the truth.

Before we are to exercise forgiveness and overlook the Christian attempt to turn us from the right way, we must be sure that the truth has become evident to them.