October 22, 1978

How England was Lost to Islam? that he would also abandon Christian faith which he considered false and would faithfully adhere to law of Mohammed". Baron Hardington, who was ac- companied by Baron Relph Fitznicho- las and Catholic priest Master Robert de London handed King John's letter to the Emir and with the aid of an interpreter proceeded to convey with oratorial skill the rich- ness of England's soil, fertility of its fields and skill of its people "who are handsome and ingenious, are skilled in three languages, Latin, French and English as well as in every liberal and mechanical pur- suit". Ronay describes Emir's reply as "exceptionally level headed" when he said, "I have never read or heard that any king possessing such pros- perous kingdom, subject and obe- dient to him, would thus voluntarily ruin his sovereignty by making tri- butary to a country that is free by giving to a stranger that which is his own by turning happiness to misery and thus giving himself up to will of another conquered as it were without wound". Upon his emissary's return to England, King John "wept bitterly in being baulked in his purpose". Catholic priest, Master Robert de London later was excommunicated and banished from England as result of his role in Magna Carta rebellion. He went to Mongolia to become Tartar Khan's chief diplomat and later to return to Europe even- tually as head of the Tartars that converted nearly half of Europe to Islam. Sunday TIMES (London)

October 22, 1978

Had powerful Moorish ruler Emir Mohammed Al-Nassir overlooked the fact that Islam forbids taking undue advantage of helpless people, England would have become a Muslim country in the 13th century -some 800 years ago. Gabriel Ronay in his book "The Tarter Khan's Englishman" published by Cassel, disclosed that in 1213 King John of England sent a secret emissary of three persons to Moorish ruler Emir Mohammed Al-Nassir with offer of homage and promise that if England were to be received into the Arab fold King John would become the Emir's tribute-paying vassal and he along with his subjects convert to Islam. Ronay came across verbatim account of secret emissary while researching for book on Robert Dad, London Catholic priest who was also one of the emissary sent to Al-Nassir and who was later ex- communicated and banished from England by King John for his role in the Magna Carta rebellion of 1215. This forgotten episode of English history when King John offered to become Muslim along with his sub- jects was dutifully recorded by Saint Alban's chronicler of 13th century, Mathew Paris. There is little to question veracity of his account writes Ronay, because he heard it straight from those emissaries. Nasser's Rebuff: Baron Thoma Hardington, head of King John's emissary, according to Paris accounts, was instructed by John to tell Emir Al-Nassir "great King of Africa, Morocco and Spain that he would voluntarily give up to him, himself and his kingdom, and if he pleased, would hold it as tributary for him and