In the story of The Three Rings, the Muslim leader Saladin summoned Melchizedek, a wealthy Jew, to his palace. Saladin, the Sultan of Babylon needed a large amount of money and was hoping that Melchizedek could help him with a loan. Saladin had the preconceived notion or belief that Melchizedek was a greedy and selfish man and would not loan any monies of his own free will. The sultan had tried to trap Melchizedek into answering a question: “Which of the three great laws or religions is the truly authentic one--Judaism, Christianity, or Islam?" Melchizedek thought before he spoke as he knew Saladin was attempting to entrap him with his words. He responded with his story. Once there was a wealthy man whose most cherished possession was a precious ring. He bequeathed this ring to his son, who would be honored as the true heir, and the true head of the family. Succeeding generations followed this tradition, with the principal heir always inheriting the beautiful ring from his father. Then the ring finally came into the hands of a man who had three sons, each the equal of the others in obedience, virtue, and worthiness. This man had loved all of his three sons equally and was unable to favor one son over the others. Secretly, the father had a jeweler make two perfect copies of the ring, and he bequeathed a ring to each of his three sons. Following the father's death, each son laid claim to the deceased man's estate, offering his ring as proof. After careful inspection of the three rings, each failed to reveal which was the authentic one, so the three sons' claims remain unresolved or undecided.
Melchizedek suggested that the same was true with the three great religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The followers of each religion believe themselves to be the sole legitimate heirs of God's truth. Melchizedek told Saladin just as the rings, the question of one true religion will remain undecided. It is the symbolism of the ring...