by Agron Belica
Step by step, his work carefully and plausibly resurrects the reputation of the Baptist, not as a minor gospel figure, the forerunner of Christ, but as a major prophet in his own right. In this latest work he notes that the Quran, while not slighting Jesus, accords Yahya (John the Baptist) such a status, citing five key words in the Quranic text such as sayyid (chief), hasur (concealer of secrets), waliy (protector/guardian), Samiy (One of a Kind), and hanan (God—Gracious-5). He contends...