Episode 27

The Prophet Muhammad is said to have received revelations from God over a span of 23 years. These revelations were compiled into the Quran, the holy book of Islam. For Muslims, the Quran holds an indescribable significance. It’s expected that any Muslim can recite certain verses, and to be considered a scholar, one should be able to recite the entire Quran from memory. The Quran is so revered that only the original Arabic text is considered authentic; translations are not seen as the true word of God. The very word “Quran” means “that which is to be read,” hinting at the deep emotional connection Muslims have with it.

The Quran states there are 25 prophets, with Muhammad being the last, and no more prophets or messengers will follow. This is a divine decree for Muslims, not to be contradicted. So when some Western charlatan claims to be a prophet and the Western church acknowledges it, it’s no wonder the Islamic world is in an uproar.

Initially, I was too focused on survival to consider the impact of declaring myself a prophet on Islam. Even when assassins came for me, I overlooked the Quran’s teachings, which was my mistake. But honestly, how could I have anticipated the Islamic reaction? I wasn’t a deity, nor was I a Christian. At the time, it seemed like the best course of action. Any minor variables could be adjusted later.

I turned to the siblings who were eyeing me with suspicion and hostility. “Alright, my dear brother and sister, can I at least get your names? I can’t keep calling you ‘assassin,’ ‘man,’ ‘woman,’ ‘brother,’ or ‘sister.’”

The sister turned her head away, but the brother squirmed to meet my gaze and spoke. “Nasr al-Azami. I’m the successor to the Old Man of the Mountain, the one who upholds the words of the great Allah.”

“The Old Man of the Mountain? Rashid ad-Din Sinan?” I asked, genuinely surprised.

Nasr nodded proudly. “Indeed, it seems even European nobility knows of the great Old Man of the Mountain. Yes, I am to be his successor.”

Well, this was unexpected. Rashid ad-Din Sinan was a legendary figure, the leader of the Syrian Assassins, known as the Old Man of the Mountain. Many Syrians today still regard him as an imam favored by God, with some even believing he was divinely possessed. He was one of the most famous assassins in Islam, alongside Hassan-i Sabbah, with many legendary tales, some of which are confirmed as true.

“Well, for someone claiming to be the successor of such a great assassin, your skills seem a bit lacking…”

“I admit I underestimated you. I foolishly believed that Allah would aid in killing a false prophet like you,” Nasr confessed.

Despite his words, he had hidden weapons under the floor and behind chairs. I didn’t point this out to embarrass him. Whether he truly was Rashid Sinan’s successor remained to be seen. Anyone can claim anything. I could just as easily declare myself the next Pope or Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire if I wanted.

If I had a perfect memory of historical records, it would be easy to verify, but my knowledge of Islam wasn’t exhaustive. I could recall famous figures like Saladin or Rashid, but not every obscure name like Nasr al-Azami.

However, the sister, Fatima, reacted immediately. “Brother! Are you out of your mind, begging for your life and using the Elder’s name?”

“Silence, Fatima! You can’t understand my struggles. To surpass that Amir in the succession race, I must use every means possible!”

“What? Was this assassination attempt just a ploy to get ahead in the succession? You told me it was to uphold Allah’s law!”

“I didn’t lie. You agreed that a false prophet must die!”

“With such impure intentions, failure was inevitable! You’ve sullied not only his name but yours as well!”

Ah, siblings. Watching them tear into each other was almost heartwarming. But thanks to their argument, I had a clearer picture of the situation. I interrupted their accusations of betrayal.

“So, you thought you’d be outdone in the succession because of family connections, so you tried to make a name for yourself by killing me? And your sister had no idea, thinking this was all for God?”

”…”

“Your brother was wrong, but you were naive. If you knew his situation, you should’ve realized there was more to it. It’s common sense.”

Nasr nodded in agreement. “You’re quite objective. She is a bit naive.”

Fatima, on the other hand, glared at me. “Shut up! I didn’t ask for your opinion!”

“I wasn’t asking for yours either,” I replied.

These siblings had a knack for verbal sparring. I dismissed my subordinates and grabbed a bottle of wine, sitting down comfortably. I kept their hands tied, just in case, and poured myself a drink.

“Now that we know each other a bit better, let’s get to the main point.”

“The main point being…?”

“How you can save yourselves.”

“Alright, I’m listening.”

“Let me ask you seriously. Why do you think you failed to kill me? And why am I so calm despite the attempt on my life? Fatima, you seem the most upset, so you tell me.”

“Because you’re insane.”

A plausible reason, but only half correct. I sipped my wine and shook my head.

“Your imagination is lacking. Why not consider this: it wasn’t just a failure; it was destined to fail.”

“What do you mean…?”

“If I truly incurred God’s wrath, your attempt wouldn’t have failed, especially with a devout believer like you involved.”

Fatima’s eyes flickered with confusion, but she quickly steeled herself and raised her voice. “You may have deceived many with your cunning tongue, but I won’t be swayed. I failed because of the sins my brother and I committed. Enough nonsense. Kill us or let us go. But unlike my foolish brother, I’ll seize any chance to strike you down and uphold God’s word.”

“Just hear me out. It might be interesting.”

If these siblings could indeed become successors to Rashid Sinan, it would be a stroke of luck for me. If I could sway them, I could gain control over the Syrian Assassins and possibly even unite them with the Assassins of Alamut. I was looking for ways to strengthen my domain, and this was a golden opportunity.

Especially if they were devout and capable, they could be incredibly useful. While it might be hard to recruit ordinary Muslims, those with strong faith were often easier to sway.

“I knew you were coming to assassinate me. That’s why I was prepared with armor.”

“You were just being cautious after previous attacks.”

“That’s one way to see it. But do you know why the Western church recognized me as a prophet, yet you call me a fake?”

“We investigated. It’s an impossible situation. We concluded it was a conspiracy by the Western church to undermine our Islamic teachings.”

As Muslims, they had no choice but to believe that. Acknowledging me would mean denying the Quran, so they had to see it as a grand Christian conspiracy.

If left unchecked, this could escalate beyond imagination. I might face a united Islamic front trying to kill me. I needed to take preventive measures before that happened.

“If it’s a conspiracy, then all my prophecies are false. Surely you don’t think I heard the voice of Satan… or Shaytan, as you call him? I trust you won’t make such a childish argument.”

“Allah wouldn’t speak to a heretic who distorts His words.”

“Of course, it must be a lie concocted with the church in advance. Shaitan can’t foresee the future… so I don’t believe it’s the work of Shaitan either.”

“Let me make it clear right here: I am indeed the prophet of the omniscient and omnipotent God you call Allah.”

“Those filthy Christians have defiled the word. Still spouting such nonsense…”

Some Christians vehemently reject the idea that the God of Christianity and Islam are the same, but it’s an undeniable fact that both are Abrahamic religions.

No matter how much they deny it, this is an unchangeable truth.

Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Druze, Bahá’í…

Of course, the Abraham in the Bible and the Abraham in the Quran seem so different that one might wonder if they’re merely namesakes.

Because of this, Christianity and Islam have always viewed each other as false, and this fundamental conflict has never been bridged.

Most Christians believe that Allah is not the same as the God they worship, while Muslims acknowledge the Bible but believe much of its content has been altered.

They hold that the Quran is the only scripture that remains untainted, and any parts of the Bible that differ from the Quran have been changed by human hands.

“That’s why you Christians are worse than others. If you didn’t know God, there might be a chance for salvation, but knowing Him and believing wrongly leaves no room for redemption.”

“It’s true that Christianity has many sins. But God doesn’t cut off His word because of that. In fact, it’s in such times that prophets appear to deliver His warnings, isn’t it?”

“That’s true, but the Quran states that there are no prophets after Muhammad. Your words contradict the Quran…”

“I became a prophet not just because of Christianity’s sins, but because you, too, have strayed. Let me ask you this: why is the Quran compiled differently from the order in which Muhammad received the revelations?”

“That’s…”

“And strictly speaking, the Quran wasn’t written by Muhammad himself but transcribed from the words he received. You can’t deny this clear historical fact, can you?”

Fatima’s eyes burned with even greater anger.

“Are you suggesting the Quran is corrupted like your Bible? That the verse about no prophets after Muhammad is distorted?”

“I’m not saying anything. You decide for yourselves.”

With that, I handed them a piece of parchment with a prophecy written on it.

“Seeing it with your own eyes should convince you, right? It’s something that will happen soon, so come back to me after you’ve witnessed it. We’ll discuss the rest then.”

Nasr’s eyes darted back and forth as he read the parchment.

“What kind of nonsense is this…?”

Fatima, straining to see the contents of the parchment in Nasr’s hand, fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words.

“Isn’t this enough to make you believe me?”

“This ridiculous prophecy… Did you just scribble whatever came to mind?”

“The only condition for your release is this: verify with your own eyes what I’ve written, and then return. After that, it’s up to you to decide what to do.”

With those words, I cut the ropes binding the siblings.

Even with their newfound freedom, they couldn’t bring themselves to stand. They just blinked stupidly, staring intently at the writing on the parchment.

‘It must have been quite a shock.’

Though it was a bit of a waste, seeing the ones who had been shouting about fakes fall silent was oddly satisfying.

A smirk naturally crept up one side of my mouth as I watched them.