THE CHALLENGE OF THE QUR’AN

The Challenge of The Qur’an ~ 301 ~ After capturing the Roman territories, the fireworshippers’ regime took a series of oppressive measures to eradicate Christianity. The offerings of the devout over a period of three hundred years were rifled in one sacrilegious day, the patriarch Zachariah and the true cross were transported into Persia and ninety thousand Christians were massacred. The Christians of the East were scandalized by the worship of fire and the impious doctrines of the conquerors. Gibbon comments: ‘If the motives of Chosroes had been pure and honourable he must have ended the quarrel with the death of Phocas, and he would have embraced as his best ally the fortunate African who had so generously avenged the injuries of his benefactor Maurice. The prosecution of the war revealed the true character of the barbarian; and the suppliant embassies of Heraclius, to beseech his clemency, that he would spare the innocent, accept a tribute, and give peace to the world, were rejected with contemptuous silence or insolent menace.’5 What a marked difference there now was in the balance of strength between the Roman and Persian empire, and how far superior the Persian conqueror