God Arises
The Challenge of The Qur’an
~ 301 ~
After capturing the Roman territories, the fire-
worshippers’ regime took a series of oppressive
measures to eradicate Christianity. The offerings of
the devout over a period of three hundred years
were rifled in one sacrilegious day, the patriarch
Zachariah and the true cross were transported into
Persia and ninety thousand Christians were
massacred. The Christians of the East were
scandalized by the worship of fire and the impious
doctrines of the conquerors. Gibbon comments: ‘If
the motives of Chosroes had been pure and
honourable he must have ended the quarrel with
the death of Phocas, and he would have embraced
as his best ally the fortunate African who had so
generously avenged the injuries of his benefactor
Maurice. The prosecution of the war revealed the
true character of the barbarian; and the suppliant
embassies of Heraclius, to beseech his clemency,
that he would spare the innocent, accept a tribute,
and give peace to the world, were rejected with
contemptuous silence or insolent menace.’
5
What a marked difference there now was in the
balance of strength between the Roman and Persian
empire, and how far superior the Persian conqueror
