ON MOHAMMED [HOLY FATHERS ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM MUSLIMS]

- Why do you not venerate Mohammed? For he greatly praised Christ in his books, and said of him: From the virgin, sister of Moses, was born the great prophet, who raised the dead and by great power healed all sorts of disease.

St. Constantine (Cyril) the Philosopher: Tell me, if Mohammed is a prophet, shall we believe Daniel, who said that with Christ all vision and prophecy would cease? How can he be a prophet after that? Therefore, if we call Mohammed a prophet, we reject Daniel.

St. Gregory Palamas: You and we have a custom, established by long time and law: without testimonies do not accept anything and do not consider as true. There are two kinds of testimonies: they come from works and phenomena themselves, or from people worthy of faith. Thus Moses smote Egypt with signs and wonders (Psalm 134:9), he made the sea part and close again with a rod, he made bread fall out of heaven (Exodus 16:4). Is there anything more to be said, since you also regard Moses as worthy of faith? He was also recognized by God as His faithful servant (Num. 12:4), but not as the Son or the Word. Then by divine command he climbed the mountain and died, and was united with those who were before him (Deuteronomy 32:49-50). In regard to Christ, who performed many great and unprecedented deeds, there is the testimony of Moses himself and the other prophets. From the beginning of the age He alone is acknowledged, even by you, as the Word of God; He alone from the beginning of the age was born of the virgin; He alone from the beginning of the age was taken into heaven and remains immortal there; He alone from the beginning of the age, it is hoped, will come down again from there to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Pet. 4:5), who shall rise again. But I say of Him what you Turks also acknowledge. That is why we believe in Christ and believe His gospel. As for Mohammed, we find no evidence of him in the prophets, nor anything unusual or noteworthy in his deeds that can cause us to believe in him. Therefore we do not believe in him, nor do we believe his book.

Rev. Maximus the Greek: Mohammed said: "Moses and those who came after him, the so-called prophets, and Christ himself, were sent from God with miracles and various signs, but I am sent with the sword and have a command to kill those who disobey my words." It is evident from this rude reply, as well as from many of his other acts, that this wicked man was not sent from God; for the good God compels no one by force.