Here you revile us entirely on account of icons, but unjustly.

The deal is that you, Muslims, have icons. Only you don't percieve them as icons. Incidentally, even your Iblis is an "icon."

But let's deal with everything in order.

What is an icon? In the general sense of the word it is an image which symbolizes something (or someone) and portrays it. A photo of my friend is also an icon, because it portrays him and nobody else. A banner is the icon of the state. A name is the icon of a personality. I could say "Petya," or I could show a photo, or even a portrait of him. In all these cases I have Petya in mind, not Masha, Vasya, or Abdullah. And anyone acquainted with Petya understands who's being discussed. If I tear up somebody's photograph, it means that I don't love that person. And if I tear up a country's flag, then I could be thrown in jail, because I have thus expressed my attitude towards the country. All will understand that I haven't merely torn up a decorated cloth, or a piece of photographic paper, but an image-- an icon. And all will understand that the respect we show to an image concerns the prototype, that is, it concerns that which the image (icon) shows, aimed at that which it symbolizes. If from the depths of my feeling I kiss a photo of my wife, then that regards not the photographic paper but my wife. Simply, if we are separated but our love is so strong that in seeing the image of a beloved person I wish I could only kiss her.

There is even an African proverb: when you beat a dog, you have its master in mind. But even a person can be an icon: a bureaucrat is the image of a ministry, an ambassador is the image of a country. Honor towards the ambassador is honor towards the country, and if the ambassador is kicked out, it is an insult not to him personally, but to his country. In the Bible it is bluntly said that man is made in the image of God, as such the image of man is His living icon.

If someone among you begins to trample the Qu'ran underfoot, or tear it, what will you do? As a minimum you will be indignant, I suppose? And you will be told, "Oh! you idolaters! I am only trampling and tearing paper, you hardly need the paper. . ." I think that explanation would not convince you. That is to say, you understand that it matters not what the Qu'ran is made of: paper, palm leaves, or written on wood. And you keep the Qu'ran in an honorary place in the house. What for? Do you worship paper? Ink? Binding?

And how would it be with a ceramic statuette of the Qu'ran? Such things are sold in your shops.

So, if I buy ink and a sheaf of paper and start to trample-- that's nothing. But if I write the text of the Qu'ran on that paper with that ink, then something has changed. But strictly what? It is simply that now it has acquired a different meaning and has begun to indicate Allah. And therefore the reverence which you render to the Koran is not to the paper itself, but to Allah, whom you worship, as you say.

In the Christian understanding icons in the pure sense are icons as much (and only as much) as they elevate our mind and heart to God. For example, words about God also might be understood as icons, a verbal icon of God. And the word "God" itself is an icon, a "sonic" icon. Surely God doesn't hide in the word "God," as if in a box! No, but in pronouncing the word "God," I elevate my mind and heart to God and the reverence with which I pronounce is not for the sound, not for the letters with which the word is written, but for Him. And it is perfectly unimportant what the image is made of, from what material, even if from a thought.

Therefore inscriptions of the word "Allah" which you hang in your homes and which you have in mosques-- these are your icons. And as you set them in visible places, and as you protect and revere them, this only repeats our treatment of icons. This also relates to the inscriptions "Bismillya" and "Mohammed." And since you say each time, "may Allah bless and welcome it," and so forth-- this is the reverence which you render to him by means of verbal icons, and through them to him. Surely don't even have to say this, you honor him inwardly, and God knows it. "No," you utter, "the words are witness of our rightness!"

We simply utilize not only verbal icons, but also those written with paints. Because Christianity is far from the superstitious pagan terror before an image. But with you, it seems, the pagan terror is too strong; evidently you haven't left paganism very far behind.

Incidentally, we always associate images with words-- an icon must have an inscription, so that there are no doubts about the depiction. And if on an icon the image or inscription is obliterated, then, rather than dismantling it, we peacefully destroy it, because the icon is not in the wood or the paint, but in the meaning.

The image of a saint is to us an address to God. What does it mean that a person is a saint? Only this, that he is with God, and God in him displays His Divine power (through miracles, wisdom, or love).

But we do not worship saints.

Perhaps it is necessary to say immediately, that Christians have NEVER worshiped icons. We honor icons, but we worship God alone.

Surely you honor the Qu'ran, but don't worship the Qu'ran!

This is generally understood by all: people honor the banner, because they honor the country, and according to custom honor distinguished people, but do not worship them as gods. And if they do worship, then this is pagan. Such is the Christian charge against "image-worshiping"-- it is full of rubbish! Only God Indivisible and True do we worship, but the icons-- we honor.

In the Ten Commandments it is said: Honor thy father and mother. That is it frankly states the necessity of honoring people. In honoring icons we fulfil the fifth commandment without breaking the second (Deutoronomy 5: 8 and 16).

Now as to idols.

An idol in some sense is also an image, but we clearly distinguish one from the other. An idol has nothing to do with God.

It is this sense that the pagans worshiped idols, thinking them to be gods. This is an outrage.

They both worshiped and honored idols, because they thought them to be gods, which they were not, that is to say through the idol they rendered honor to those who were not and are not God, for example, angels, as if equal to God. This too is horrible.

Neither one nor the other has anything to do with Christianity. So to say that an icon is an idol is simply ignorance or swinishness.

An icon unites us with God inasmuch as making icons is commanded by God, of this much is spoken in the Bible and Christ taught us about it. Surely every icon points to God.

But how to demonstrate that our worship is rendered to God? We certainly don't depict God. We can't even describe Him in words! Or thoughts. What then? Stay quiet and not think?

In honoring the Cross of Christ, we worship God, Who with the Cross saved us from evil and showed His great love. In honoring the saints, we worship God, Who in His saints showed his spiritual mercy and blessing. In honoring an icon of Christ, we worship the True God in his incarnate Word-- Jesus Christ.

There is even a practical side-- we clearly demonstrate that it is God whom we worship, He, Who sent the prophets and at the end of times Christ.

As to the "icon" of Iblis.

From what I understand, in Mecca there are three columns which indicate the place where Iblis tempted somebody. And believing Muslims fling rocks there. I don't know how you explain this, but from the Christian point of view it is simple: honor, or in this case dishonor, rendered to the image, is directed and passes to the prototype. At the moment of baptism Christians renounce Satan once and forever in a similar manner: we spit and blow to the side. In principle it is not important which side, as the symbol relates to Satan in any case, and shows our self-determination in regards to that personage.

We don't make a special icon of the Devil, but you, strangely enough, do.

Yes, I have long wanted to ask: I hope you don't believe that the Devil, a spiritual being, might be driven off with stones?

Realize that, when you accuse us of idolatry based on the fact that we have icons, you yourselves fall automatically under the same accusation. Then any pagan will have the complete right to accuse you of black-stone-worship by exactly that law-- in prayer you worship Kaaba (without fail you bow in its direction). Or else that you are bowing emptily, that is you bow in the direction of an empty mikhrab. And even for this, that Allah . . . terrible to say: Allah commanded the angels to bow to a man!

Thus, dear ones, now there is no third way: either recognize icons or live under your own damnation.

With sincere love!

Yours, Alexander.

translated by J. Hargrave