Part 1: The Story Of Waasil Ad-Damashqee

We would like to present to the noble reader a series of refutations against the enemies of this Ummah, The Christians


When our noble Shaykh, Mohammed Ibraheim Al-Masree Al-Atharee - may Allah preserve him- mentioned thisnarration, he mentioned that even if the chain is unauthentic, the narration still serves a purpose as it highlights to us some points against the enemies of this Ummah, The Christians


بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


Reported by Shaykh Abul-Hussein, 'Alee Bin Mohammed Bin Mohammed Bin Abdullah Bin Bishaar As-Sukaree that Abu 'Amr, 'Uthmaan Bin Ahmed Bin Abdullah Bin As-Sammaak narrated to him that 'Ubayd Bin Mohammed Bin Khalaf Al-Bazzaar related that Al-Hassan Bin As-Sabbaah Al-Bazzaar mentioned that Mohammed Bin Katheer Al-Masseesee As-San'aanee narrated from Makhlad BinAl-Hussein, from Waasil (Bin Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Basree) who said:

A young boy from a tribe of Roman generals was taken prisoner- and he was a beautiful young boy- and as soon as (those who captured him) approached the Muslim land he met with the ruler, and this was during the rule of Bani 'Umayyah; and (the ruler) named him Basheer. He (i.e. the ruler) ordered him to the scribes, so he (learned to) write, read the Qur'an, relate poetry, analyse proof and derive rulings, he sought Hadeeth and made Hajj. Then when he reachedpuberty, Shaytaan came to him and whispered to him, and reminded him that Christianity was the religion of his forefathers. Thus he ran away from the Muslim land as an apostate towards the land of the Romans, and that which had been written for him in the book overtookhim. He was then summoned by an oppressive king who asked him concerning his present condition, and that regarding his old condition and what had prompted his entry into Christianity? Thus he informed him of his desire concerning that (i.e. embracing Christianity), and he was elevated in the eye of the king; for he gave him position and made him a general from his generals and bestowed upon him many banquets of honour, and that was the day that was known by him, it was said to be : The banquet of Basheer.1

It was from the pre-ordainment of Allah and his decree that thirty Muslim men were captured, then when they entered upon Basheer he asked each man one by one regarding their religion, and there was amongst them a Shaykh from the people of Damasq (i.e. Damascus, Syria) and it was said (that his name was) Waasil. So Basheer asked him and the Shaykh refused to say anything to him, so Basheer said: “What is wrong with you that you do not answer me?”

The Shaykh replied: “I will not answer you with anything today!”

Then Basheer said to the Shaykh:“I will certainly question you tomorrow, so then prepare an answer” and then ordered him with leaving (his presence).

When it was the next day Basheer called forth, and the Shaykh was entered into his presence.

So Basheer said: “All praise is for Allah, He who existed before anything else did, and He created the seven heavens one above the other with no assistance fromthat what was with him from his creation; then how surprising it isof you (Oh) congregation of 'Arabs, whenyou say:


إن مثَلَ عِيسَى عِندَ الله كَمَثَلِ ءادَم خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثٌمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُون
Verily, thelikeness of 'Isa before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created himfrom dust, then (He) said to him: “Be”- and he was.1
Aal 'Imraan 59


The Shaykh kept quiet; so thenBasheer said to him:"What iswrong with you that you do not answer me?”

So (the Shaykh) replied: “How can I answer you and I am a captive before you; for if I had answered with that which you desire(from me) I would have caused my Lords anger upon me, and I would have destroyed my religion, and if I had answered you with that which you do not desire (from me i.e. that which displeases you) I would have feared for my own self?

So then give me the covenant of Allah and His treaty and that which the prophets took from the nations: that you will not deceive me, neither will you scheme against me, nor will you mistreat me with evil oppression and that if you hear the truth you will submit to it”

Basheer replied: “Then you have from me the covenant of Allah and His treaty and that which Allah, mighty and exalted by He, took upon his prophets and that which the prophets took from the nations: that I will not deceive you, neither will I scheme against you, nor will I mistreat you with evil oppression and that if I hear the truth I will submit to it”

The Shaykh said: “As for that which you described from the characteristics of Allah, mighty and exalted be He, then verily you have done well with the description. As for that which your knowledge has not realised and what your opinion has not consolidated, (then it) is greater, Allah is more magnificent and greater than what you have described him with, thus those that describe can never describe his characteristics (upon their true magnification).

As for what you have mentioned from those two men, then you have done a poor job with the description! Did they not both eat food, drink, urinate, defecate, sleep, wake up, rejoice and feel sadness?”

Basheer replied: “Of course”

He (The Shaykh) questioned: “Then why did you make distinction between them?”

Basheer replied: “Because 'Isa Bin Maryam – may peace be upon him- had two souls in one body: a soul that he knew by way of it the unseen matters, that which is in the depths of the sea and those leaves that fall from the trees, and a soul that healed the lepers and those born blind, and gave life to the dead through it.”

The Shaykh said: “Two souls in one body?!!”

Basheer asserted: “Yes”

The Shaykh went on to say: “Then did the stronger one know the position of the weaker one or not?”

Basheer: “May Allah damn you! What would you say if I said that it doesn't know?And what would you say if I said that it knows?”

The Shaykh continued: “If you said that it knows, then I would have said: then what benefit is its strength when it does not push away the terrible afflictions that befell it!? And if you said that it does not know, then I would have said: how can it know the unseen matters and not know the position ofthe (weaker) soul that is together with it in one body?!” Basheer kept silent!

The Shaykh went on saying: “I ask you by Allah! Do you worship the cross as a symbol due to 'Isa Bin Maryam being crucified?”

Basheer replied: “Yes”

The Shaykh continued:“Is this by way of approval from him or by way of disapproval?”

Basheer replied: “This (question) is a sister of the first (i.e. its the same)! What would you say if I had said: with approval from him, you would have said: then what is your grudge (with the Jews for crucifying him)? Give them what they asked for and requested (i.e. they requested 'Isa so that they could crucify him, so then give him to them and be happy, as 'Isa approved of this)? And if I had said: with disapproval, you would have said: then why do you worship that which can not protect it self?”

Then the Shaykh said to Basheer:“I implore you by Allah! Did 'Isa eat food,drink, fast, pray, urinate, defecate, sleep, wake up, rejoice and feel sadness?”

Basheer answered: “Yes”

The Shaykh said: “I implore you by Allah! To whom did he fast and pray?”

He (Basheer) replied: “To Allah glorified and exalted be He” then Basheer added: “By the one who causes harm and benefit, it is not appropriate for the likes of you to live with respect to Christianity! I see you to be a man who has learned speech and I am only a man of the sword (i.e. I am a general), however tomorrow I shall bring to you he who Allah will put you to shame by way of!”

He then ordered him to leave.

When it was the next day, Basheer called forth the Shaykh, and when he entered upon him he saw a priest with a mighty beard.

Basheer said to him (i.e. to the priest): “This man is from the 'Arab, he has with him knowledge, intellect and origin of the 'Arab, and he wishes to enter into our religion; so speak to him until he becomes Christian”, then the priest prostrated to Basheer and said “You always bring me good things and this is the best thing you have ever brought to me.”

The priest then proceeded towards the Shaykh and said: “Oh you Shaykh! You are not an old man that's intellect has left him neither who's understanding has parted from him, and neither are you a young man who has not yet completed his intellect and who has not yet reached understanding, tomorrow I am going to dip you into baptism water(Holy water) and baptise you, and you will come out like the day your mother gave birth to you!”

The Shaykh enquired: “Andwhat is this baptism water?”

The priest replied: “Holy water”

The Shaykh went on: “Who made it holy?”

The priest responded: “I make it holy, me and the bishops before me.”

The Shaykh asked: “So do you have any sins or mistakes?”

The priest said: “Yes, but they are few in number.”

So the Shaykh went on to ask:“Then why does the one who makes the water holy not make himself holy?”

The priest kept quiet, then he said: “I do not make it holy myself!”

The Shaykh asked: “Then how is the story then?”

The Priest explained: “Verily it is a Sunnah from 'Isa Bin Maryam.”

The Shaykh asked: “Then how was it performed?”

The priest responded: “Yahya Bin Zakariyya dipped 'Isa Bin Maryam- may peace be upon them- in (a river) in Jordan, and he wiped his head and made Du'a of blessing for him.”

The Shaykh interjected: “So then 'Isa needed Yahya to wipe his head and make Du'a of blessing for him?! So then worship Yahya, for if that is the case, then Yahya is better for you than 'Isa?!”

The priest kept quiet, and Basheer threw himself down on his mattress, shoved his sleeve in his mouth and started laughing; the priest said (to Basheer): “Stand up” (then said to the Shaykh) “May Allah put you to shame, I invited you to Christianity, however you have already entered into Islam!”

The affair of the Shaykh then reached the king; who then called for him; then he addressed him:“What is this that has reached me about your belittlement of our religion and your slandering?”

The Shaykh replied: “I have a religion and I was quiet regarding it, so when I was asked concerning it I did not find any escape from defending it, so then I defended it.”

The King responded: “Do you have with you proofs?”

The Shaykh affirmed: “Yes! Bring whomsoever you like to debate me; then if the truth was with me then why do you blame me for defending the truth? And if the truth was with you then I would have returned to the truth.”1

So then the king called for the greatest of the Christians; as soon as he entered the king and all who were present prostrated to him together.

The Shaykh enquired: “Oh king, who is this?”

The king replied: “He is the leader of the Christians, he is the one from whom the Christians take their religion.”

The Shaykh questioned: “Has he any child, wife or grandchildren?”

The King responded: “What is wrong with you, may Allah put you to shame! This (man) is more virtuous and purer than to be dirtied by women, this (man) is more virtuous and purer than to have a child ascribed to him, and this (man) is more virtuous and purer than to be dirtied by menstrual blood, this (man) is more virtuous and purer than that!”

The Shaykh continued: “So then you dislike for a human that which occurs from the children of Aadam from defecation, urination, sleep, tiredness from lack of sleep and sexual relations with women, and you allege that The Lord of all creation dwells within the darkness of the body (i.e. by their belief in the trinity, the holy spirit being inside 'Isa), and that He was constricted by the womb (i.e. when Maryam was pregnant), and He was dirtied by menstrual blood (i.e. by being present inside a woman)?”

The priest spoke out: “This is a devil from the devils of the 'Arab, the sea has thrown him upon you, so then send him back to where he came from.”

The Shaykh drew close to the priest and said: “You worship 'Isa Bin Maryam due to him not having any father, then Aadam also had no father and neither any mother, Allah, glorified and exalted be He created him with his own hand and the Angels prostrated to him; so then unite Aadam together with 'Isa so that you have with you two gods!?

Also, ifyou worship him because he gives life to the dead; Then Hazqeel (from the prophets of Bani Isra'eel) you will find him written in the Tourah and the Injeel, We do not reject him and neither do you, he passed by a dead man and invoked Allah for him, glorified and exalted be He, and he raised him (i.e. gave him life) until he (the dead man) spoke to him; so then unite Hazqeel together with 'Isa so that you have with you three gods!?

Also, if you worship him because he displayed to you strange things, then Yash'a Bin Noon was fighting a people, right up until the sun set; so he said to the sun: 'Return with the permission of Allah' then it returned to midday; so then unite Yash'a Bin Noon with 'Isa so that you have with you four gods?!

Also, if you worship him because he was raised into the heavens, then from the Angels of Allah glorified and exalted be He, there are two (that come) for every individual at night and two (that come) during the day, (then) they rise to the heavens, what if we went and added them in order for our intellects to become obscure, and that for us our religion becomes mixed up and that we do not increase inour religion except in bewilderment!?”

Then he (the Shaykh) said: “Oh you priest: inform me about a man if death approached him, would that be easier upon him or for him to be killed?”

He (i.e. the priest) replied: “To be killed”

He (the Shaykh) continued: “Then why did 'Isa Bin Maryam not kill his mother, she was afflicted with the agony of death? If you say that he did kill her, then he who killed his mother was by no means dutiful to her! And if you say that he did not kill her; then he who punishes his mother with the agony of death has not been dutiful to her!?” (T.N. as they say 'Isa is Allah, so then why did he cause the agony of death to befall his mother).

The Priest responded: “Go with him to the great cathedral, for nobody enters it except that they submit and become Christian!”1

The king ordered: “Go with him”

The Shaykh questioned: “Why are you sending me when none of my proofs have been refuted?”

The king responded: “It will not harm you, it is only a house from the houses of your Lord glorified and exalted be He, (you may) mention Allah within.”

The Shaykh said: “If that is the case then there is no harm.”

So then they went and when they entered into the cathedral (the Shaykh) placed his fingers in his ears, raised his voice calling the Adhaan (call to prayer); so they became severely unhappy with that, beat him and throttled him. Then they took him to the king and they said to him: “Oh king, he has made permissible his own death!”

The king turned to him asking:“Why have you made your own death permissible?”

He (the Shaykh) replied: “Oh king, where was I taken?”

He (the king) went on: “they took you to a house from the houses of Allah glorified and exalted be He, in order for you to make mention of your Lord!”

He (the Shaykh) said: “For I did enter and mentioned my lord with my tongue, and I glorified him with my heart, then if every time Allah is mentioned in your cathedrals then your religion becomes humiliated then may Allah increase you in humiliation!”

The king replied: “He has told the truth, there is no reason for you (to kill him).”

They said: “Oh king, we will not be pleased until we kill him.”

The Shaykh spoke: “If you kill me, and that reaches our king, he will kill the priests and bishops, he will destroy the cathedrals, break the crosses and prevent the ringing of bells (within).”

He (the king) asked: “He would do that?”

(The Shaykh) responded: “Yes, so then do not complain (if he does)!”

So then they pondered over that, and decided to leave him.

The Shaykh continued: “Oh king, what do the people of the book accuse the idol worshippers with?”

(The king) replied: “That they worship that which their own hands have made.”

(The Shaykh) continued: “Then why do you worship that which your own hands have made, this is what is in your cathedrals? For if it is in the Injeel; then we do not speak regarding that, and if it is not in the Injeel, then why do you make your religion resemble the religion of the idol worshippers?”

The king replied: “He has told the truth, have you (addressing his people)found this in the Injeel?”

The priest answered: “No.”

So the king said: “Then why do you make my religion resemble the religion of the idol worshippers?” and he ordered the demolishing of the cathedrals; so they started demolishing them whilst crying.

The priest spoke out: “ This is a devil from the devils of the 'Arab, the sea has thrown him upon you, so then send him back to where he came from; do not let a drop of his blood fall in your land, for it will destroy your religion”. So they commissioned some men with taking him back to the land of Damashq (Damascus, Syria), and the king began killing the priests,bishops and generals until they fled to Shaam, as they did not find anybody who could debate him.

End of the narration