LINGERING DOUBTS

desires from a human being or that Christians are true representatives of God’s religion. The presence of both good and bad aspects within a movement is a common observation, and even Prophet Muhammad œ predicted such occurrences. In a lengthy hadith narrated by Hudhayfah, he asked the Prophet: “We were in ignorance and evil, then Allah brought us this good (Islam). Will there be evil after this good?” The Prophet replied: “Yes.” Hudhayfah continued: “Will there be good after that evil?” The Prophet œ said: “Yes, but it will not be pure. Rather, it will be mixed with impurity.” Hudhayfah asked: “What is that impurity?” The Prophet œ replied: “There will be people who follow other than my Sunnah, and who guide according to other than my guidance. You will see some things they do as good, and you will reject others as wrong.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7084; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1847). In essence, efforts made in the name of religion can be divided into two categories: witnessing to the truth of