Ibn Al-Qayyim’s Poem to Christians

قصيدة : أعباد المسيح في نقض النصرانية

Poem – “Oh Worshippers of Christ!”

A poetic refutation of Christianity

by: Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah.
An Islamic Scholar who died in 1350 CE.

أعباد المسيح لنا سؤال … نريد جوابه ممن وعاه

Oh Worshippers of Christ!  We’d like your most wise to answer our question.

إذا مات الإله بصنع قوم … أماتوه فما هذا الإله

If our God was murdered by some people’s actions, then what sort of God is this?

وهل أرضاه ما نالوه منه … فبشراهم إذاً نالوا رضاه

And we wonder.  Was he pleased by what they did to him? If so then blessed are they, for they must have achieved his pleasure.

وإن سخط الذي فعلوه فيه … فقوّتهم إذاً أوهت قِواه

But if he wasn’t pleased with them, then this must mean they overpowered him.

وهل بقي الوجود بلا إله … سميع يستجيب لمن دعاه

So was the present entity left without a God, an All-Hearing being who can hear prayers?

وهل خلتِ الطباق السبع لما … ثوى تحت التراب وقد علاه

And were the Heavens vacated, when he was placed under the earth and the dirt was above him?

وهل خلت العوالم من إلهٍ … يدبرها وقد سُمرَت يداه

And was the Universe left without a God to manage it while his hands were being nailed down?

وكيف تخلت الأملاك عنه … بنصرهم وقد سمعوا بكاه

And why didn’t the Angels help him when they heard him cry out (in pain)?

وكيف أطاقت الخشبات حمل الإله … الحق شد على قفاه

And how could any wooden beam holdup a True God, while He is being fastened to it?

وكيف دنا الحديد إليه حتى … يخالطه ويلحقه أذاه

And could any iron ever be brought to Him so that it would be driven inside Him and cause Him pain?

وكيف تمكنت أيدي عداه … وطالت حيث قد صفعوا قفاه

And how could ever His enemies’ hands ever reach Him, so that they could whip him from behind?

وهل عاد المسيح إلى حياة … أم المحيي له ربّ سواه

And did this Christ revive himself or was there another god that brought him to life?

ويا عجباً لقبر ضم رباً … وأعْجَبَ منه بطن قد حواه

And how strange is it. That a grave could be enclosed on a god. And even stranger is the womb that enclosed him (before.)

أقام هناك تسعا من شهور … لدى الظلمات من حيضٍ غِذَاه

Which he remained inside for nine whole months, in utter darkness being fed by blood.

وشق الفرج مولودا صغيرا … ضعيفا فاتحا للثدى فاه

Then he emerged from the womb as a small child, completely helpless reaching out to be fed.

ويأكل ثم يشرب ثم يأتي … بلازم ذاك هل هذا إله

Thus, he ate, drank, and after he answered the call which comes naturally. So is this really a god?

تعالى الله عن إفك النصارى … سيسأل كلهم عما افتراه

High Exalted is Allah above the lies of the Christians.  Each of whom will be asked about their fabrications.

أعباد الصليب لأي معنى … يعظّم أو يقبّح من رماه

Oh Cross worshippers, for what reason is someone exalted (for accepting this) and blameworthy for rejecting it?

وهل تقضى العقول بغير كسر … وإحراق له ولمن بغاه

And is it not logical that we should break and burn (what humiliated Christ) and the one that made it?

إذا ركَبَ الإله عليه كرها … وقد شدت لتسمير يداه

Since (you claim) that God was forcefully crucified upon it, with his hands nailed to it.

فذاك المركب الملعون حقا … فدسه لا تبسه إذا تراه

For truly what a cursed cross to carry? Which one should discard instead of kissing when glanced upon.

يهان عليه رب الخلق طرّا … وتعبده فإنك من عداه

For (you claim) the Creator was abused upon it.  Yet you appear to worship it, so are you one of His enemies?

فإن عظّمته من أجل أن قد … حوى رب العباد وقد علاه

If you exalt it (i.e. the Cross) because it carried the Lord of all that exists,

وقد فقد الصليب فإن رأينا … له شكلا تذكرنا سنا

then why don’t you also prostrate and exalt the graves?

فهلا للقبور سجدت طُرّا … لضم القبر ربَّك في حشاه

For it was the grave that held your (so-called) god in it.

فيا عبد المسيح أفق فهذا … بدايته وهذا منتهاه

Oh worshippers of Christ, Wake up. For this is what the matter is all about.