DIALOGUE BETWEEN A MUSLIM AND A CHRISTIAN (INTRODUCTION)

K.H. BAHAUDIN MUDHARY (1921-1979)

DIALOGUE (BETWEEN A MUSLIM AND A CHRISTIAN)

______________________________________ Translated into English from the original title

Dialog Masalah Ketuhanan Jesus (Dialogue Concerning the Divinity of Jesus) by Muhammad Amin Abdul-Samad New Edition October, 2011

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CONTENTS Introduction by the Translator …………………………………

K.H. Bahaudin Mudhary …………………………………… .

Introduction by the Kiblat Centre Publisher …………………

The Occasion Which Led to the Occurrence of the Dialogue …

A Mutual Agreement …………………………………………

The Second Evening …………………………………………

The Third Evening …………………………………………

The Fourth Evening: Jesus the Redeemer …………………..

The Fifth Evening: The Inherited Sin ……………………….

The Sixth Evening: the Qur’ān and the Bible ………………

The Seventh Evening: Acknowledgement of the Messengership of Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. ………………………

The Eighth Evening: Contradiction among Biblical Verses …..

The ninth Evening: Conversion to Islam ……………………….

Reception Speech at the Selamatan by Br. Antonius Muslim Widuri …………………………

Reception Speech by K.H. Bahaudin Mudhary ……………….

Reception Speech by Bapak Burhanuddin Siregar S.H. ……...

Testimony of Conversion …………………………………….

Appendix 1 …………………………………………………….

Appendix 2 …………………………………………………….

Appendidx 3 …………………………………………………..

Endnotes ……………………………………………………..

Bibliography …………………………………………………

iii iv vi 1 2 7 24 36 43 53 59 69 83 89 91 93 95 96 100 102 106 117

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INTRODUCTION by The Translator [In the name of Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful] Over ten years ago (1975), when I was still studying at McGill University in Montreal, I happened to see a friend with a book entitled Dialog Masalah Ketuhanan Jesus (A Dialogue Concerning the Divinity of Jesus) by K.H. Bahaudin Mudhary, published by Kiblat Centre at Jakarta, Indonesia. Despite my occupation with my study, I borrowed the book, read it quickly, and returned it. I found the book fascinating and wished that some day in the future I might be able to translate it into English.

When I went back to Indonesia in 1983, I had the opportunity to bring back some books with me to Canada, including this Dialog.

However, I was unable to start the translation until I moved to Edmonton and later “settled” near al-Rashīd mosque where I worked. By the end of 1985 I had made a pledge to start and continue the project.

Many misprints in the book, especially in the numbering of chapters and verses of the Bible, have been corrected. However, some misprints are corrected with endnote and some notes are also given as commentary and explanation to the text.

I with to express my gratitude and appreciation to my brothers in faith David Rodriguez for his help in reviewing the manuscript before it was published, and Br. Axel Mohamed Knoenagel who took pains, not only in making some corrections, but also in providing some materials needed for this book. May Allah bless and reward these Muslim brothers.

May Allah accept this humble service, and may He guide us always as ever in the right path. Āmīn!!!

Edmonton, May, 1988 / Ramadan, 1408 M.A. Abdul-Samad New Edition, October 2011

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KYAI HAJI BAHAUDIN MUDHARY K.H. Bahaudin Mudhary was born on April 23, 1921, at Sumenep, the island of Madura, Indonesia, and passed away on December 4, 1979, at Surabaya, Indonesia. Although he had just completed Muhammadiyah 1 Teachers’ Training School at Yogyakarta in 1947, he increased his knowledge and broadened his view through reading books in Indonesian, Arabic, English, German and Dutch, especially dealing with philosophy and spiritual matters. He was also skilful in playing almost all kinds of musical instruments from stringed, drawn and blown to piano. He spent his life in the field of da‘wah (Islamic propagation). 2 Mr. Mudhary participated in the Indonesian guerrilla warfare against the Dutch occupation. In 1947 he became Commander of Hizbullah regiment and was imprisoned by the Dutch for more than one year at Kalisosok prison at Surabaya.

In the field of education, the author founded Pesantren Madura Institution in 1949, became a teacher at Madrasah Muallimin Muhammadiyah (Muhammadiyah Teachers’ College) at Bangkalan, and a 1

Muhammadiyah is a reformist Islamic socio-educational non-political organization founded by Kyai Haji Ahmad Dahlan on November 18, 1912 at Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Its main objectives are to stimulate Islamic education and studies in Indonesia and to promote the Islamic way of life among its members in particular and among Muslims in general. It founded many schools at all levels from kindergarten to university, as well as orphanages and mosques scattered throughout the Indonesian archipelago. By 1972, it had created 837 kindergartens, 1123 elementary schools, 437 junior high schools, 111 senior high schools, 37 universities and colleges, while in the field of health and social welfare, it had founded 5 fullfledged hospitals, 73 maternity clinics, 298 mother and child health centres, 318 dispensaries, 4 pharmacies, 6 nurse and midwife training centres, and 92 orphanages.

See Kusnadi, M.D., Muhammadiyah in Brief (Yogyakarta: The Head-office of Jami’at [sic] Muhammadiyah, 1972), pp. 11-12. The translator himself was a student of a Junior High School as well as a Teachers’ College belonging to this organization.

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Realizing the intensive activities of Christian missionaries among Muslims in Indonesia, Mr. Mudhary studied Christianity and particularly the Bible. This selfstudy helped him succeed in conducting dialogues with Christians, one of whom later converted to Islam.

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teacher of Aridasa Senior High School at Sumenep. From 1960 until 1965 he taught German and French at Public Senior High School at Sumenep.

He became principal of Senior High School Pesantren of Sumenep. From 1967 until 1973 he was a lecturer of Islamics at the National Institute of Education and Pedagogy (IKIP) at Sumenep. He also founded the Academy of Metaphysics in the 1960’s.

Mr. Mudhary also held other positions in the government. He was the Director of the Department of Religious Affairs at Sumenep and a member of regional representatives of Eastern Java.

As a Muslim scholar, Mr. Mudhary was one of the leaders of the Council of ‘Ulamā’ (Muslim scholars) in the province of Eastern Java. As a scholar of metaphysics, his writings dealt mainly with spiritual life in the light of the Qur’ān and Hadith (tradition of Prophet Muhammad, p.b.u.h.).

Mr. Mudhary passed away in 1979 at the age of 58. May Allah bless his soul and reward him for his dedication to the service of Islam. Āmīn!!!

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INTRODUCTION By The Kiblat Centre Publisher [In the name of Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful] Recently, there have been many Christians who have abandoned their religion. They changed their religion not because of compulsion, weakness of faith due to persuasion, or any other reason, but rather because of consciousness through, among other things, a dialogue similar to that conducted at Sumenep (Madura) between Kyai Bahaudin Mudhary and Brother Antonius Widuri.

As we see the importance of the process and contents of this dialogue which ran in a friendly way at Sumenep between the two figures in Islam and Christianity, we decided to publish it in the form of a booklet.

The main role in this dialogue was held by reason and logic based on sound judgement. Sentiment and dogma did not have places in this dialogue. Consequently, Brother Antonius Widuri saw the truth of Islam and witnessed clearly the weakness in the Bible. Eventually, after receiving the guidance of Allah the Most High, he abandoned his religion (Christianity) and embraced Islam.

As a matter of fact, there are still many Christians who are looking for the truth, like Br. Antonius Widuri, but they have not found it yet. This booklet could be used as a guide for them.

As for the Muslims who realize the fact they are still often visited by Christian missionaries at home to be converted to Christianity, this booklet will be useful as a tool in conducting dialogue with them. Furthermore, it is hoped that the contents of this booklet will increase the faith of the Muslims, so that they will not become easily persuaded to change their religion.

Finally, this booklet, which contains the verbatim dialogue concerning the Divinity of Jesus will hopefully fulfil the object of the Publisher.

Wassalam The Publisher (A. Musaffa Basyir)