the universal principles, and that they contain both the promise of reward and the threat of punishment. In fact, all parties concur in believing in the Last Day, yet they have disputed certain meanings of the Scriptures and differed in their interpretation of those meanings—just as the Jews and the Christians disagreed over the Messiah foretold by the prophets: is he the Messiah, son of Mary—peace be upon him—or is another Messiah still awaited?