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the gigantic work, which the Prophet of Makkah did
alone in the short period of but twenty-three years of his
apostolic mission.

The mystery of the pre-existence of the spirits of the
John Prophets has not been revealed to us, but every true
Muslim believes it. It was that pre-existing spirit that by
the power of the Word of Allah “Kun”(“Be!”) a Sarah, a
Hanna, and a Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to Isaac (pbuh)
, to the Baptist, and to Jesus (pbuh) . There are several other
names as recorded in the Old Testament - for instance,
Samson, Jeremiah.

The Gospel of Barnabas reports Jesus (pbuh) as speaking
of the Spirit of Muhammad (pbuh) , which he declares to
have been created before everything else. Hence the
Baptist’s witness about the Prophet whom he foretold:
“He who comes after me has become before me, for he
was before me” (John i. 15).

It is useless to interpret these wonderful words of the
Baptist about Muhammad (pbuh) as referring to Jesus (pbuh)
as the author of the Fourth Gospel attempts to do.

There is a remarkable chapter about John the
Baptist (pbuh) in the well-known book of Ernest Renan
on La vie de Jesu. Long ago, I carefully read this work.
If the learned French writer had the least consideration
for Muhammad’s claim in the world of Prophets, I am
sure his profound investigations and comments would
have led him entirely to a different conclusion. He,
like all other dissident and Biblical critics, instead of
finding out the truth, criticizes religion adversely and
leads his readers to scepticism. I am happy to say that
it is my privilege, by the grace of Allah, to solve the
problem, to ring up the curtain of mystery, which has
covered the true sense, and meaning of “the Least in
the Kingdom of Heaven!”