Furthermore, generally, ordinary Christians who have fallen on hard times or are sent to prison cannot expect assistance from religion. Formerly, most of them became irreligious. In fact, the revolutionaries famous in history who instigated the French Revolution and were called “irreligious Jacobins,” were mostly disaster-stricken common people. Whereas in Islam, the great majority of those who suffer disaster or imprisonment await succour from religion and they become religious. This situation too, demonstrates an important difference.

THIRD SIGN

The people of innovation say: “Religious bigotry made us backward. Living this age necessitates giving up bigotry. Europe advanced when it abandoned it. Isn’t this so?”

T h e  A n s w e r :  You are wrong and you have been deceived! Or else you are deceiving,  for Europe is bigoted in religion. Tell an ordinary Bulgar or an English soldier or a French Jacobin: “Wear this turban, or else you’ll be thrown into prison!”, and their bigotry will force them to reply: “Not  prison, if you kill me even, I won’t insult my religion and nation in that way!”

Also, history testifies that whenever  the people of Islam have adhered to their religion,  they  have  advanced  in  relation  to  the  strength  of  their  adherence.  And whenever they have become less firm in their religion, they have declined. Whereas with Christianity, it is the opposite. This too arises from an essential difference.

Also, Islam cannot be compared with other religions; if a Muslim abandons Islam and gives up his religion, he will not accept any other prophet; indeed, he will not acknowledge Almighty God either nor probably recognize anything sacred. He will have no conscience that will allow him moral and spiritual attainment; it will be corrupted. Therefore, in the view of Islam, in wartime, an unbeliever has the right to life. His life is protected according to Islam if he is outside the country and makes peace, or if he is inside the country and pays the head-tax. But an apostate does not have the right to life. For his conscience is corrupted and he becomes like poison in the  life  of  society.  But  a  Christian  may  still  contribute  to  society,  even  if he  is irreligious.  He  may  accept  some  sacred  matters  and  may believe  in some  of the prophets, and may assent to Almighty God in some respects.