So it is nothing but revelation, or the razor-sharp edge of a sword whose twin blades set straight—by cleaving—the two jugular veins of every deviant. (1)

This is the cure for the disease of every rational person, and that is the remedy for the ailment of every ignoramus. (2)

Our plea for success is directed to Allah alone, for He is the One who opens the gates of goodness and makes its means easy.

I have therefore compiled this book (3) and entitled it Hidayat al-Hayara (Guidance for the Perplexed) in Answering the Jews and the Christians. (4)

I divided it into two parts:

(1) replies to their questions;

(2) establishing the prophethood of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—by every variety of evidence. (5)

By Allah’s praise, grace, and enabling, the result is a delightful and impressive work: its reader never tires of it, nor does its observer grow weary. It is a book suited to both this world and the next, to increasing faith and bringing joy to humankind. It offers whatever you desire of the signs of prophethood and the proofs of the Message, the glad tidings given by the prophets about their Seal (6), the explicit extraction of his name from their scriptures, the mention of his description, qualities, and conduct from their books, and a distinction between the sound religions