THE CHALLENGE OF THE QUR’AN

The Challenge of The Qur’an ~ 297 ~ peninsula on the other coast of the Persian Gulf, while the Roman empire, known as the Byzantine empire, was situated on the western side, stretching from the shores of the Red Sea to the Black Sea. The frontiers of both the empires met on the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates in the north of Arabia. These empires were the super powers of their times and Edward Gibbon, the noted historian, holds that the Roman empire, whose history dates back to the early part of the second century B.C., was the most civilized empire of its time. More than any other civilzation, the Roman Empire has attracted the attention of historians, one of the most famous historical works being Edward Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The second chapter of the fifth volume is of particular concern to us. Constantine, a former Roman emperor, having embraced Christianity in the year 325 A.D. made this new faith the state religion. Thus the majority of the Romans became Christians, following in the footsteps of their king. The Persians, on the contrary, were worshippers of a sun-god. Eight years before Muhammad, may peace be upon him, attained prophethood, Maurice, who