the ignorant Muslims, to the point that they began having their children baptized, claiming that this would ensure a long life for the child. They even induced them to visit the churches and houses of worship they venerate. Many ignorant Muslims have begun dedicating vowed offerings to places venerated by Christians, just as many of them now visit Christian churches and seek blessings from their priests, monks, and others like them.

Those who venerate graves and shrines bear a striking resemblance to Christians. Indeed, when I arrived in Cairo, one of their highly regarded monks met with me and debated with me about the Messiah and the Christian religion. I demonstrated to him the falsity of those beliefs and answered what he claimed constituted proof. Later, I learned that he had written a book seeking to refute the Muslims and disprove the prophethood of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. A Muslim brought it to me and began reading it aloud so that I could answer the Christians’ arguments and expose their flaws.

Among the last things I said to that Christian was, “You are polytheists.” I explained some of their practices that constitute associating partners with Allah: their devotion to statues and graves, their worship of them, and their appeals to them for aid.

He said to me, “We do not associate them as partners with Allah or worship them. We only seek access to Allah through them, just as Muslims do when they come to the grave of a righteous man and cling to the grille that