.
It illustrates on the commonality of the way of life of the Prophets of God and
points to the same root of their mission.
THE GOSPEL OF BARNABA
by
Ishaq Zahid
[1]
JESUS
BORN WITHOUT A FATHER
The
true story of Jesus' birth from Mary is narrated in the Holy Quran. We are told
that he was born without a father by the command of God. Mary was single and a
chaste woman.
She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (God) Most Gracious: (come not near)
if thou dost fear God." He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger
from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son." She
said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am
not unchaste?" He said: "So (it will be): thy Lord saith, `That
is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from
Us': it is a matter (so) decreed." (The Holy Quran, 19:16-21)
The words of the angel, "and thou shalt keep him from wine and from strong
drink and from every unclean meat, because the child is an holy one of God."
in the Gospel tell us clearly that Jesus (peace be on him) never drank wine or
other alcoholic beverages. This point should be worth remembering, as we proceed
through the text.
[2]
The
Islamic version differs greatly on this subject from the Gospel of Barnabas. In
the Islamic version, there is no mention of Jospeh. The Holy Quran asserts that
Mary (peace be on her) was single when she gave birth to Jesus. The verses from
the Quran are very inspiring and are given below:
So
she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of
childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: she cried (in her anguish):
"Ah! would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing
forgotten and out of sight!" But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree):
"Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; "And
shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: it will let fall fresh ripe
dates upon thee. "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eyes. And if thou dost
see any man, say, `I have vowed a fast to (God) Most Gracious, and this day will
I enter into no talk with any human being.' " (The Quran, 19:22-26)
JESUS
SPOKE AS A BABY
At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They
said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! "O sister of
Aaron! thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste! "
He said: "I am indeed a servant of God: He hath given me revelation and
made me a prophet; "And He hath made me Blessed wheresoever I be, and hath
enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; "(He) hath made me
kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; "So Peace is on me the
day I was born, the day that I die, and the Day that I shall be raised up to
life (again)"! Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of
truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.
It is not befitting to (the majesty of) God that He should beget a son. Glory be
to Him! When He determines a
matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is. Verily, God is my Lord
and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight. But the
sects differ among themselves: and woe to the Unbelievers because of the (coming)
Judgment of a momentous Day!
(The Holy Quran, 19:27-37)
It appears that St.
Barnabas was not an eye witness to the birth of Jesus (may peace be on him).
Most likely St. Barnabas included this text based on his understanding at a
latter time. While it is possible that Mary (peace be on her) got married some
time after the birth of Jesus, the Holy Quran does not allude to it and I am
also not aware of any sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) in this
regard. Nevertheless, marriage of Mary after the birth of Jesus is irrlevant.
What is important to note is that the Islamic version does not support this
Chapter of the Gospel.
[3]
All Muslim boys
are required to circumcise, according to the injunctions of Prophet Muhammad
.
It illustrates on the commonality of the way of life of the Prophets of God and
points to the same root of their mission.
[4] As we have commented earlier, it appears that Barnabas was not an eye witness to the early life of Jesus (peace be on him). The words in the last paragraph, "Behold I and thy father have sought thee...," are contradictory to the fact that Jesus was born without a father. Assuming only that Mary (peace be on her) got married after the birth of Jesus, the words become acceptable. That is, it is common to call a step-father a father.
[5]
Jesus (peace be on him) receives the book at age thirty brought to him by the
angel Gabriel(peace be on him). In Islam, Gabriel is a highly honored and
trustworthy Messenger from God. It is Gabriel who brought revelations from God
to the earlier Prophets and then finally brought the Holy Quran to Prophet
Muhammad (peace be on him).
[6]
"Jesus fell with his face to the ground" signifies prostrations in
worship. Prostration is the highest level of submission to God, done at least
five times daily by no one but Muslims all over the world.
Much has been written to clarify the misunderstanding that God asked Abaraham to
sacrifice Isaac. It was Ishmael who were to be sacrificed, since at the time of
the inspiration to Abraham, he was the only son. The Gospel's concurrence is
only natural.
005.112
One day will God gather the apostles together, and ask: "What was the
response ye received (from men to your teaching)?" They will say: "We
have no knowledge: it is Thou Who knowest in full all that is hidden."
005.113 Then will God say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favour to
thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit, so
that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I
taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel and behold! thou makest
out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and thou breathest
into it and it becometh a bird by My leave, and thou healest those born blind,
and the lepers, by My leave. And behold! thou bringest forth the dead by My
leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) thee
when thou didst show them the clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said:
'This is nothing but evident magic.
[7]
Fasting has been an integral part of worship in all religious communities. The
following verses from the Holy Quran speak about fasting. It is a basic means of
developing God-consciousness within ourselves.
002.183
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those
before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-
002.184 (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a
journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those
who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent.
But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it
is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.
002.185 Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to
mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong).
So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend
it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should
be made up) by days later. God intends every facility for you; He does not want
to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to
glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.
Jesus
descended from the mount, and passed alone by night to the farther side of
Jordan, and fasted forty days and forty nights, not eating anything day nor
night, making continual supplication to the Lord for the salvation of his people
to whom God had sent him. And when the forty days were passed he was an hungered.
Then appeared Satan unto him, and tempted him in many words, but Jesus drove him
away by the power of words of God. Satan having departed, the angels came and
ministered unto Jesus that whereof he had need.
Jesus, having returned to the region of Jerusalem, was found again of the people
with exceeding great joy, and they prayed him that he would abide with them; for
his words were not as those of the scribes, but were with power, for they
touched the heart.
[8]
Fasting has been an integral part of worship in all religious communities. The
following verses from the Holy Quran speak about fasting. It is a basic means of
developing God-consciousness within ourselves.
002.183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to
those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-
002.184 (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a
journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those
who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent.
But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it
is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.
002.185 Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to
mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong).
So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend
it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should
be made up) by days later. God intends every facility for you; He does not want
to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to
glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.
[9] There is an apparent contradiction between this chapter and the following words
from the first two chapter" and thou shalt keep him from wine and from
strong drink and from every unclean meat, because the child is an holy one of
God."
We can argue that while Jesus (peace be on him) did not himself drink wine, he
did convert water to wine for the pleasure of others. If he did so, the wine was
non-intoxicating and heavenly. As the Holy Quran tells us,
"(Here is) a Parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised: in it
are rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never
changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; and rivers of honey pure and
clear. In it there are for them all kinds of fruits; and Grace from their Lord.
(Can those in such Bliss) be compared to such as shall dwell for ever in the
Fire, and be given, to drink, boiling water, so that it cuts up their bowels (to
pieces)?" (The Holy Quran, 47:15)
The wine in the heaven will be not like any wine on earth, for it leaves no
headaches behind, and causes no intoxication, which is a kind of madness or
poison, but is ever a joy to drink. (see n. 4833, translation and commentary of
the Holy Quran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali).
[10]
The words of Jesus, "Therefore if one shall give
you a blow on one side of the face, offer him the other that
he may smite it." are well-known. Islam teaches its followers the same. The
following is one reference from the Quran.
"Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to God, works
righteousness, and says, "I am of those who bow in Islam"?
Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will
he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!
And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and
self-restraint,- none but persons of the greatest good fortune.
And if (at any time) an incitement to discord is made to thee by the Evil One,
seek refuge in God. He is the One Who hears and knows all things. (The Holy
Quran, 41:33-36)
The entire Chapter of Gospel appears to be in accord with the teachings of
Islam.
[11]
The
miracles of Jesus (peace be on him) were by the commands of God. The Holy
Quran affirms the assertion:
"O Mary! worship Thy Lord devoutly: Prostrate thyself, and bow down (in
prayer) with those who bow down."
This is part of the tidings of the things unseen, which We reveal unto thee (O
Apostle!) by inspiration: Thou wast not with them when they cast lots with
arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary: Nor wast
thou with them when they disputed (the point).
Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a
from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this
world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to God;
"He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be
(of the company) of the righteous."
She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched
me?" He said: "Even so: God createth what He willeth: When He hath
decreed a plan, He but saith to it, 'Be,' and it is!
"And God will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel,
"And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message):
"'I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you
out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it
becomes a bird by God's leave: And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and
I quicken the dead, by God's
leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses.
Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe;
"'(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make
lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you
with a Sign from your Lord. So fear God, and obey me.
"'It is God Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a Way
that is straight.'" (The Holy Quran, 3:42-51)
[12]
As far as the incident of Adam's circumcision is concerned, there is no
mention of it in the Holy Quran. However, it is worth noting that Jesus' words
clearly state that Adam was deceived by Satan. This exonerates Eve from the
Bible's accusation. After all, if it were Eve who made Adam sin, he would have
rebuked her instead.
The Holy Quran is clear on the incident of Adam and
Eve's eating from the forbidden tree. Satan deceived Adam and Eve and made them
transgress the bounds of God. Thereafter, they repented. After accepting the
repentence, God sent them to earth for them and their progeny to live and die
till the Day of Judgement.
[13]The story of Qarun, a rich person from the time of Moses, is worth
relating here.
Qarun
was doubtless, of the people of Moses; but he acted insolently towards them:
such were the treasures We had bestowed on him that their very keys would have
been a burden to a body of strong men, behold, his people said to him: "Exult
not, for God loveth not those who exult (in riches).
"But seek, with the (wealth) which God has bestowed on thee, the Home of
the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, as God
has been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for
God loves not those who do mischief."
He said: "This has been given to me because of a certain knowledge which I
have." Did he not know that God had destroyed, before him, (whole)
generations,- which were superior to him in strength and greater in the amount
(of riches) they had collected? but the wicked are not called (immediately) to
account for their sins.
So he went forth among his people in the (pride of his wordly) glitter. Said
those whose aim is the Life of this World: "Oh! that we had the like of
what Qarun has got! for he is truly a lord of mighty good fortune!"
But those who had been granted (true) knowledge said: "Alas for you! The
reward of God (in the Hereafter) is best for those who believe and work
righteousness: but this none shall attain, save those who steadfastly persevere
(in good)."
Then We caused the earth to swallow up him and his house; and he had not (the
least little) party to help him against God, nor could he defend himself.
And those who had envied his position the day before began to say on the morrow:
"Ah! it is indeed God Who enlarges the provision or restricts it, to any of
His servants He pleases! had it not been that God was gracious to us, He could
have caused the earth to swallow us up! Ah! those who reject God will assuredly
never prosper."
That Home of the Hereafter We shall give to those who intend not high-handedness
or mischief on earth: and the end is (best) for the righteous.
If any does good, the reward to him is better than his deed; but if any does
evil, the doers of evil are only punished (to the extent) of their deeds.
Verily He Who ordained the Qur'an for thee, will bring thee back to the Place of
Return. Say: "My Lord knows best who it is that brings true guidance, and
who is in manifest error."
And thou hadst not expected that the Book would be sent to thee except as a
Mercy from thy Lord: Therefore lend not thou support in any way to those who
reject (God's Message).
And let nothing keep thee back from the Signs of God after they have been
revealed to thee: and invite (men) to thy Lord, and be not of the company of
those who join gods with God.
And call not, besides God, on another god. There is no god but He. Everything (that
exists) will perish except His own Face. To Him belongs the Command, and to Him
will ye (all) be brought back. (The Holy Quran, 28:76-88)
[14]Islamic concept of wealth is in general agreement with
the statements in this Chapter. However, there is a possible divergence of
interpretation of what Jesus (peace be on him) says to his desciples. It is
stated in the Holy Quran that the preference should be given to the Hereafter:
Ye prefer the life of this world; But the Hereafter is
better and more enduring. And this is in the Books of the earliest (Revelation),-
The Books of Abraham and Moses. (87:16-19)
Yea, I have given the good things of this life to these
(men) and their fathers, until the Truth has come to them, and an apostle making
things clear. But when the Truth came to them, they said: "This is sorcery,
and we do reject it." Also, they say: "Why is not this Qur'an sent
down to some leading man in either of the two (chief) cities?" Is it they
who would portion out the Mercy of thy Lord? It is We Who portion out between
them their livelihood in the life of this world: and We raise some of them above
others in ranks, so that some may command work from others. But the Mercy of thy
Lord is better than the (wealth) which they amass. And were it not that (all)
men might become of one (evil) way of life, We would provide, for everyone that
blasphemes against (God) Most Gracious, silver roofs for their houses and (silver)
stair-ways on which to go up, And (silver) doors to their houses, and thrones
(of silver) on which they could recline, And also adornments of gold. But all
this were nothing but conveniences of the present life: The Hereafter, in the
sight of thy Lord is for the Righteous. If anyone withdraws himself from
remembrance of (God) Most Gracious, We appoint for him an evil one, to be an
intimate companion to him. Such (evil ones) really hinder them from the Path,
but they think that they are being guided aright! (43:29-37)
At
another place, God Almighty instructs Muhammad (peace be on him) thus:
And
keep thy soul content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening,
seeking His Face; and let not thine eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and
glitter of this Life; no obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the
remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond
all bounds. (018.028 )
While
giving charity is part of Islamic faith, Islam is not opposed to acquiring
wealth by Islamically lawful means. It may be that Jesus only wanted his
desciples to "cast away their purse and walk with no sandals"
and this wasn't a general directive. After all, he had also said that he had not
come to destory the Torah, and we know that prophets Solomon and David, for
example, lived a wealthy life. May peace and blessings be on all the prophets of
God, the Almighty. At the same time, it should be noted that prophet Muhammad
lived a very simple life and there were times when he and his household had
nothing to eat for days. Whenever he happened to have any wealth, he gave it
away in charity. We see the same moral excellence from many of his companions.
[15]
As
the following verse states, we must be kind and obedient to our parents unless
they ask for something against the Faith. There is no obedience in sin.
Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and
that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy
life, say not to them a of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in
terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility,
and say: "My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in
childhood." (The Quran, 17:23-24)
Later on theAlmighty God says:
We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if
they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship)
anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return
to Me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did. (The Quran, 29:8)
The disciples laughed over the madness of the old man, and stood amazed at the
prudence of Abraham. But Jesus reproved them, saying: 'Ye have forgotten the
words of the prophet, who saith: " Present laughter is a herald of weeping
to come," and further, "Thou shalt not go where is laughter, but sit
where they weep, because this life passeth in miseries"' Then said
Jesus: 'In the time of Moses, know ye not that for laughing and mocking at
others God turned into hideous beasts many men of Egypt? Beware that in anywise
ye laugh not at any one for ye shall surely weep [for it].' The disciples answered: 'We laughed over
the madness of the old man.' Then said Jesus: 'Verily I say unto you,
every like loveth his like, and therein findeth pleasure. Therefore, if ye were
not mad ye would not laugh at madness.' They answered: 'May God have mercy on us. 'Said Jesus: 'So be it.'
Then said Philip: 'O master, how came it to
pass that Abraham's father wished to burn his son?'
Jesus answered: 'One day, Abraham
having come to the age of twelve years, his father said to him: "Tomorrow
is the festival of all the gods; therefore we shall go to the great temple and
bear a present to my god, great Baal. And thou shalt choose for thyself a god,
for thou art of age to have a god."
'Abraham answered with guile: "Willingly,
O my father." And so betimes in the morning they went before every one else
to the temple. But Abraham bare beneath his tunic an axe hidden. Whereupon,
having entered into the temple, as the crowd increased Abraham hid himself
behind an idol in a dark part of the temple. His father, when he departed,
believed that Abraham had gone home before him, wherefore he did not stay to
seek him.
[16] Abraham (peace be on him) is referred to as
"Friend of God" in the Holy Quran. Here are two citations from the
Quran on his conversation with his father and how God saved Abraham from the
Fire.
021.051 We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct, and well were
We acquainted with him. 021.052 Behold! he said to his father and his people,
"What are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted?"
021.053 They said, "We found our fathers worshipping them." 021.054 He
said, "Indeed ye have been in manifest error - ye and your fathers."
021.055 They said, "Have you brought us the Truth, or are you one of those
who jest?" 021.056 He said, "Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens
and the earth, He Who created them (from nothing): and I am a witness to this (Truth).
021.057 "And by God, I have a plan for your idols - after ye go away and
turn your backs".. 021.058 So he broke them to pieces, (all) but the
biggest of them, that they might turn (and address themselves) to it. 021.059
They said, "Who has done this to our gods? He must indeed be some man of
impiety!" 021.060 They said, "We heard a youth talk of them: He is
called Abraham." 021.061 They said, "Then bring him before the eyes of
the people, that they may bear witness." 021.062 They said, "Art thou
the one that did this with our gods, O Abraham?" 021.063 He said: "Nay,
this was done by - this is their biggest one! ask them, if they can speak
intelligently!" 021.064 So they turned to themselves and said, "Surely
ye are the ones in the wrong!" 021.065 Then were they confounded with shame:
(they said), "Thou knowest full well that these (idols) do not speak!"
021.066 (Abraham) said, "Do ye then worship, besides God, things that can
neither be of any good to you nor do you harm? 021.067 "Fie upon you, and
upon the things that ye worship besides God! Have ye no sense?".. 021.068
They said, "Burn him and protect your gods, If ye do (anything at all)!"
021.069 We said, "O Fire! be thou cool, and (a means of) safety for
Abraham!" 021.070 Then they sought a stratagem against him: but We made
them the ones that lost most! 021.071 But We delivered him and (his nephew) Lut
(and directed them) to the land which We have blessed for the nations.
[17] Abraham's
search for the true God is narrated in the Quran as follows:
006.074
Lo! Abraham said to his father Azar: "Takest thou idols for gods? For I see
thee and thy people in manifest error." 006.075 So also did We show Abraham
the power and the laws of the heavens and the earth, that he might (with
understanding) have certitude. 006.076 When the night covered him over, He saw a
star: He said: "This is my Lord." But when it set, He said: "I
love not those that set." 006.077 When he saw the moon rising in splendour,
he said: "This is my Lord." But when the moon set, He said:
"unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray." 006.078 When he saw the sun rising in
splendour, he said:
"This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all)." But when the sun
set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving
partners to God. 006.079 "For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly,
towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give
partners to God." 006.080 His people disputed with him. He said:
"(Come) ye to dispute with me, about God, when He (Himself) hath guided me?
I fear not (the beings) ye associate with God: Unless my Lord willeth, (nothing
can happen). My Lord comprehendeth in His knowledge all things. Will ye not (yourselves) be
admonished? 006.081 "How should I fear (the beings) ye
associate with God, when ye fear not to give partners to God without any warrant
having been given to you? Which of (us) two parties hath more right to security?
(tell me) if ye know. 006.082 "It is those who believe and confuse not
their beliefs with wrong - that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right)
guidance." 006.083 That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to
Abraham (to use) against his people: We raise whom We will, degree after degree:
for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.
[18] The
last paragraph contains a commandment from the so-called "Ten Commandments," a version of which can be found in the
Bible, King James Version, Exodus, Chapter 20. While the text in the Bible differs from the
above,
the main idea remains the same. What is surprising to note is that Christianity
does not see a contradiction between these words and the images commonly found
in the Churches. Yet, there are Christians who want to display Ten Commandments
in public buildings in the U.S.A.. The text is in perfect harmony with the
teachings of Islam, which gives another proof of the divine origin of the Ten
Commandments, even though the text has gone through generations of paraphrasing
and so many translations.
[19] As
the following verses tells us, humility is part of Islamic Faith.
Speaking
against pride, the Holy Quran states:
031.018
"And swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through
the earth; for God loveth not any arrogant boaster.
[20] The
foremost act of a Muslim is daily prayer. In fact, Muslims are instructed to
pray five times daily at different times during the day and night. In the Holy
Quran, God Almighty says,
The
following verses from the Holy Quran describe the expected behavior in prayer
and ask for the rememberance of God. There is a strong warning to those who pray
to show off.
007.205
And do thou Bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and
in reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be
not thou of those who are unheedful.
So
woe to the worshippers. Who are neglectful of their prayers, Those who (want
but) to be seen (of men), But refuse (to supply) (even) neighbourly needs.
(The Quran, 107:4-7)
A
believer should submit himself or herself completely in the service of God, as
stated below:
Say:
"Verily, my Lord hath guided me to a way that is straight,- a religion of
right,- the path (trod) by Abraham the true in Faith, and he (certainly) joined
not gods with God." Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my
death, are (all) for God, the Cherisher of the Worlds:
No partner hath He: this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who bow to
His will. (The Holy Quran, 6:161-163)
The
following verses from the Holy Quran describe the expected behavior in prayer
and ask for the rememberance of God. There is a strong warning to those who pray
to show off.
007.205
And do thou Bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and
in reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be
not thou of those who are unheedful.
So
woe to the worshippers. Who are neglectful of their prayers, Those who (want
but) to be seen (of men), But refuse (to supply) (even) neighbourly needs.
(The Quran, 107:4-7)
A
believer should submit himself or herself completely in the service of God, as
stated below:
Say:
"Verily, my Lord hath guided me to a way that is straight,- a religion of
right,- the path (trod) by Abraham the true in Faith, and he (certainly) joined
not gods with God." Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my
death, are (all) for God, the Cherisher of the Worlds:
No partner hath He: this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who bow to
His will. (The Holy Quran, 6:161-163)
[21] Every
Muslim recites the following verses five times daily:
Also,
part of the prayers is supplications to God seeking His forgiveness and asking
for good in this life and the hereafter.
[22] A
person must perform ablution or be in the state of ablution before any prayer in
Islam. The ablution involves washing of hands, mouth, nostrils, face, arms and
feet. Additionally, one sweeps the hair, neck and ears with wet hands. A person
must also be wearing clean clothes. It is also important that one has cleaned
himself or herself with water after a "bathroom visit." Thus the body
and clothes must be completely clean before the prayer. Many muslims keep
themselves in the state of ablution by using water in every visit to the
bathroom and then doing an ablution.
[23] The Holy Quran does not provide such detailed account of
Adam ad Eve's temptation and their consequent departure from the paradise. The
narrations also differ in some important points. The Holy Quran does not blame
"the woman" for the fall of Adam. It holds both responsible for the
sin. In fact, at one point, it appears as though it was Adam whom the Quran
blames. It is also important to note that the departure of Adam and Eve from
paradise was not a punishment for the crime. The last part of the current
chapter of the Gospel also alludes to the penance of Adam. According to the Holy
Quran, they repented before God thus,
007.023 They said: "Our Lord! We have wronged our own
souls: If thou
forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."
007.011 It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the
angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis; He refused to be of
those who bow down.007.012 (God) said: "What prevented thee from bowing
down when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst
create me from fire, and him from clay."007.013 (God) said: "Get thee
down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out, for thou art of
the meanest (of creatures)."007.014 He said: "Give me respite till the
day they are raised up."007.015 (God) said: "Be thou among those who
have respite."007.016 He said: "Because thou hast thrown me out of the
way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy straight way:007.017 "Then will
I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left:
Nor wilt thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for thy mercies)."007.018 (God)
said: "Get out from this, disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow
thee,- Hell will I fill with you all.
007.019 "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and enjoy (its
good things) as ye wish: but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and
transgression."007.020 Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them,
bringing openly before their minds all their shame that was hidden from them (before):
he said: "Your Lord only forbade you this tree, lest ye should become
angels or such beings as live for ever."007.021 And he swore to them both,
that he was their sincere adviser.007.022 So by deceit he brought about their
fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and
they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over their bodies. And their
Lord called unto them: "Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that
Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?"007.023 They said: "Our Lord! We
have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy
Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."007.024 (God) said: "Get ye down.
With enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your
means of livelihood,- for a time."007.025 He said: "Therein shall ye
live, and therein shall ye die; but from it shall ye be taken out (at last)."
[24]
The
following verse from the Holy Quran affirms that Jesus (peace be on him)
foretold the coming of Prophet Muhammad, also known as Ahmad (peace be on him).
061.006
And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O Children of Israel! I am the
apostle of God (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and
giving Glad Tidings of an Apostle to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad."
But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said, "this is evident
sorcery!"
061.007 Who doth greater wrong than one who invents falsehood against God, even
as he is being invited to Islam? And God guides not those who do wrong.
061.008 Their intention is to extinguish God's Light (by blowing) with their
mouths: But God will complete (the revelation of) His Light, even though the
Unbelievers may detest (it).
061.009 It is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of
Truth, that he may proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may
detest (it).
[25] Prophet
Muhammad (peace be on him) is a direct descendant of Ishmael. His geneology
chart may be found at www.muhammad.net.
The Holy Quran asserts that the message of Muhammad is not limited to arabs, but
is universal.
021.106 Verily in this (Qur'an) is a Message for people who would (truly)
worship God.
021.107 We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.
025.001
Blessed is He who sent down the criterion to His servant, that it may be an
admonition to all creatures;-
025.002 He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: no son has
He begotten, nor has He a partner in His dominion: it is He who created all
things, and ordered them in due proportions.
025.003 Yet have they taken, besides him, gods that can create nothing but are
themselves created; that have no control of hurt or good to themselves; nor can
they control death nor life nor resurrection.
025.004 But the misbelievers say: "Naught is this but a lie which he has
forged, and others have helped him at it." In truth it is they who have put
forward an iniquity and a falsehood.
025.005 And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has caused to be
written: and they are dictated before him morning and evening."
025.006 Say: "The (Qur'an) was sent down by Him who knows the mystery (that
is) in the heavens and the earth: verily He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Prophet
Muhammad is the last messenger sent by God for the guidance of mankind till the
Day of Judgement. The revelations sent to him can be found in the Quran in the
original form without a slight alteration.
[26] It
is an undeniable fact that Ishmael was the first son of Abraham (peace be on
them). He was the one who was put to the test of sacrifice. The event is
celebrated yearly by Muslims all over the world and serves as the biggest
holiday of the year. The festive event is called Eidul-Adha. Millions of Muslims
go for Hajj (pilgrimage) to Makkah. Several hundred thousand goats, lambs and
cows are sacrificed to commemorate the trial of Abraham and Ishmael. Part of the
meat is shared with relatives, friends and the poor. To read more about
this, see www.islam101.com.
[27]
The
following selection of verses from the Holy Quran describe the events of the
Last Day. A lot more can be found in the Hadith books - collections of the
sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him).
And
the Day that the Trumpet will be sounded - then will be smitten with
terror those who are in the heavens, and those who are on earth, except such as
God will please (to exempt): and all shall come to His (Presence) as beings
conscious of their lowliness. Thou seest the mountains and thinkest them firmly
fixed: but they shall pass away as the clouds pass away: (such is) the artistry
of God, who disposes of all things in perfect order: for he is well acquainted
with all that ye do. If any do good, good will (accrue) to them therefrom; and
they will be secure from terror that Day. And if any do evil, their faces will
be thrown headlong into the Fire: "Do ye receive a reward other than that
which ye have earned by your deeds?" (The Quran, 27:87-90)
052.001 By the Mount (of Revelation);
052.002 By a Decree inscribed
052.003 In a Scroll unfolded;
052.004 By the much-frequented Fane;
052.005 By the Canopy Raised High;
052.006 And by the Ocean filled with Swell;-
052.007 Verily, the Doom of thy Lord will indeed come to pass;-
052.008 There is none can avert it;-
052.009 On the Day when the firmament will be in dreadful commotion.
052.010 And the mountains will fly hither and thither.
052.011 Then woe that Day to those that treat (Truth) as Falsehood;-
052.012 That play (and paddle) in shallow trifles.
052.013 That Day shall they be thrust down to the Fire of Hell, irresistibly.
052.014 "This:, it will be said, "Is the Fire,- which ye were wont to
deny!
052.015 "Is this then a fake, or is it ye that do not see?
052.016 "Burn ye therein: the same is it to you whether ye bear it with
patience, or not: Ye but receive the recompense of your (own) deeds."
052.017 As to the Righteous, they will be in Gardens, and in Happiness,-
069.013 Then, when one blast is sounded on the Trumpet,
069.014 And the earth is moved, and its mountains, and they are crushed to
powder at one stroke,-
069.015 On that Day shall the (Great) Event come to pass.
069.016 And the sky will be rent asunder, for it will that Day be flimsy,
069.017 And the angels will be on its sides, and eight will, that Day, bear the
Throne of thy Lord above them.
069.018 That Day shall ye be brought to Judgment: not an act of yours that ye
hide will be hidden.
[28]
The following is a selection of verses from the Holy Quran concerning Hell. May
Allah save us all from it. Ameen.
004.056
Those who reject our Signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire: as often as their
skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may
taste the penalty: for God is Exalted in Power, Wise.
014.016
In front of such a one is Hell, and he is given, for drink, boiling fetid water.
014.017 In gulps will he sip it, but never will he be near swallowing it down
his throat: death will come to him from every quarter, yet will he not die: and
in front of him will be a chastisement unrelenting. 014.018 The parable of those
who reject their Lord is that their works are as ashes, on which the wind blows
furiously on a tempestuous day: No power have they over aught that they have
earned: that is the straying far, far (from the goal).
020.074
Verily he who comes to his Lord as a sinner (at Judgment),- for him is Hell:
therein shall he neither die nor live.
035.036
But those who reject (God) - for them will be the Fire of Hell: No term shall be
determined for them, so they should die, nor shall its Penalty be lightened for
them. Thus do We reward every ungrateful one! 035.037 Therein will they cry
aloud (for assistance): "Our Lord! Bring us out: we shall work
righteousness, not the (deeds) we used to do!" - "Did We not give you
long enough life so that he that would should receive admonition? and (moreover)
the warner came to you. So taste ye (the fruits of your deeds): for the
wrong-doers there is no helper."
037.062
Is that the better entertainment or the Tree of Zaqqum? 037.063 For We have
truly made it (as) a trial for the wrong-doers. 037.064 For it is a tree that
springs out of the bottom of Hell-Fire: 037.065 The shoots of its fruit-stalks
are like the heads of devils: 037.066 Truly they will eat thereof and fill their
bellies therewith. 037.067 Then on top of that they will be given a mixture made
of boiling water. 037.068 Then shall their return be to the (Blazing) Fire.
037.069 Truly they found their fathers on the wrong Path; 037.070 So they (too)
were rushed down on their footsteps!
039.071
The Unbelievers will be led to Hell in crowd: until, when they arrive, there,
its gates will be opened. And its keepers will say, "Did not apostles come
to you from among yourselves, rehearsing to you the Signs of your Lord, and
warning you of the Meeting of This Day of yours?" The answer will be:
"True: but the Decree of Punishment has been proved true against the
Unbelievers!" 039.072 (To them) will be said: "Enter ye the gates of
Hell, to dwell therein: and evil is (this) Abode of the Arrogant!"
050.030
One Day We will ask Hell, "Art thou filled to the full?" It will say,
"Are there any more (to come)?"
070.015
By no means! for it would be the Fire of Hell!- 070.016 Plucking out (his being)
right to the skull!-
074.026
Soon will I cast him into Hell-Fire! 074.027 And what will explain to thee what
Hell-Fire is? 074.028 Naught doth it permit to endure, and naught doth it leave
alone!- 074.029 Darkening and changing the colour of man! 074.030 Over it are
Nineteen. 074.031 And We have set none but angels as Guardians of the Fire; and
We have fixed their number only as a trial for Unbelievers,- in order that the
People of the Book may arrive at certainty, and the Believers may increase in
Faith,- and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and the
Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the Unbelievers may
say, "What symbol doth God intend by this ?" Thus doth God leave to
stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom He pleaseth: and none can know the forces
of thy Lord, except He and this is no other than a warning to mankind.
078.021
Truly Hell is as a place of ambush, 078.022 For the transgressors a place of
destination: 078.023 They will dwell therein for ages. 078.024 Nothing cool
shall they taste therein, nor any drink, 078.025 Save a boiling fluid and a
fluid, dark, murky, intensely cold, 078.026 A fitting recompense (for them).
078.027 For that they used not to fear any account (for their deeds), 078.028
But they (impudently) treated Our Signs as false.
098.006
Those who reject (Truth), among the People of the Book and among the Polytheists,
will be in Hell-Fire, to dwell therein (for aye). They are the worst of
creatures.
[29]
I just want to draw attention to a couple of verses in the Holy Quran. The first
one allude to the fact that Israelites were given a responsibility by God to
convey and practice the message of God as is without alterations, but they did
it not.
003.187
And remember God took a covenant from the People of the Book, to make it known
and clear to mankind, and not to hide it; but they threw it away behind their
backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And vile was the bargain they
made!
Allah,
the One God of all, has given us life with all its blessings. He wants us to
live a life of obedience to Him in every walk of our lives. If we spend our time
and energy and our possessions in the service of God, the reward is paradise. On
the contrary, as the Gospel states, if we spend our persons and our goods
against the will of God, the punishment will be without measure.
009.111
God hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs
(in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and
are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and
the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than God? then rejoice in
the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.
[30] The
story of Prophet Jonah (Yunus in arabic, peace be on him) is mentioned in the
Holy Quran in the following verses:
037.139
So also was Jonah among those sent (by Us). 037.140 When he ran away (like a
slave from captivity) to the ship (fully) laden, 037.141 He (agreed to) cast
lots, and he was condemned: 037.142 Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he
had done acts worthy of blame. 037.143 Had it not been that he (repented and)
glorified God, 037.144 He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the
Day of Resurrection. 037.145 But We cast him forth on the naked shore in a state
of sickness, 037.146 And We caused to grow, over him, a spreading plant of the
gourd kind. 037.147 And We sent him (on a mission) to a hundred thousand (men)
or more. 037.148 And they believed; so We permitted them to enjoy (their life)
for a while.
As
far as vengeance is concerned, a Muslim is expected to repel evil by good. A
shining example is from the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). When he
went to preach to a nearby town, Taif, every one rejected him and ridiculed him.
Not only did they reject him, they also threw stones at him. The Prophet got
hurt and was bleeding. At that moment, angel Gabriel (peace be on him) appeared
and asked the prophet that if he so wished, he could crush the whole of Taif by
squeezing them with the two mountains. The prophet said no. He told Gabriel that
he will pray for them and if they do not believe, may be their next generation
will. The prophet cared so much for the salvation of mankind. Allah, the one God,
has described him as mercy for the worlds.
[31]
Islam condemns hypocrisy. One of the
"qualities" of the hypocrites mentioned by Prophet Muhammad (peace be
on him) is that when such a person speaks, he lies. Allah's punishment on a
hypocrite is sever. Having said that, the statement about a day old child being
unclean may lead someone to reinforce the Christian concept of "born in
sin." In Islam, every child is born good and on the right path. It is only
later that his or her parents and the surrounding society help the child turn a
believer or a disbeliever.
[32]
Islam condemns hypocrisy. One of the
"qualities" of the hypocrites mentioned by Prophet Muhammad (peace be
on him) is that when such a person speaks, he lies. Allah's punishment on a
hypocrite is sever. Having said that, the statement about a day old child being
unclean may lead someone to reinforce the Christian concept of "born in
sin." In Islam, every child is born good and on the right path. It is only
later that his or her parents and the surrounding society help the child turn a
believer or a disbeliever.
[33] This
chapter apparently marks the beginning of a new stage in the life of Jesus. We
see an escalation of propaganda against him. Misconceptions about his role
as a prophet and his status are now wide spread and has even affected his
disciples. Jesus (peace be on him) has given a clear argument to disprove those
who think of him as son of God.
"But
know ye not that God hath created all things of nothing with one single ,
and all men have had their origin out of a piece of clay? Now, how shall God
have likeness to man?"
"Be,
and it is." are the words of the Holy Quran, describing the powerful way of
how God creates anything.
The
similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; He created him from dust,
then said to him: "Be". And he was. (The Holy Quran, 3:59)
[34]
In this Chapter Jesus (peace be on him) talks about the contamination of his
gospel and talks about the coming of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). The
following verse from the Holy Quran summarizes the era during and after Jesus.
002.253
Those apostles We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them God
spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave
clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit. If God had so willed,
succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after clear (Signs) had come to
them, but they (chose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If God had so
willed, they would not have fought each other; but God
Fulfilleth His plan.
The
words of Jesus about the truth brought by Muhammad being the clearest are
resounded in the following verses of the Holy Quran:
003.003
It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming
what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of
Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of
judgment between right and wrong).
009.033
It is He Who hath sent His Apostle with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to
proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it).
048.028 It is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of
Truth, to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is God for a Witness.
The
following verses from the Holy Quran affirms that Jesus was a man like other men, but only born without a father by the command of
God.
003.059
The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; He created him from dust,
then said to him: "Be". And he was.
004.171
O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of God aught
but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of God, and His , which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from
Him:
so believe in God and His apostles. Say not "Trinity" : desist: it
will be better for you: for God is one God: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He)
above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And
enough is God as a Disposer of affairs.
004.172 Christ disdaineth nor to serve and worship God, nor do the angels, those
nearest (to God): those who disdain His worship and are arrogant,-He will gather
them all together unto Himself to (answer).
[35] The
following two verses of the Holy Quran summarise Allah's dislike towards those
whose words and deeds don't match. It is addressing Muslims whose speech and
actions do not conform.
061.002
O ye who believe! Why say ye that which ye do not?
061.003 Grievously odious is it in the sight of God that ye say that which ye do
not.
[36] The
prayer of Jesus (peace be on him), as given in the last paragraph, beautifully
describes God. The following verses from the Holy Quran similarly glorify and
explain who God is.
Say:
He is God, the One and Only; God, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not,
nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him. (The Quran, Chapter 112,
Al-Ikhlas)
002.115
To God belong the east and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the
presence of God. For God is all-Pervading, all-Knowing.
059.022
God is He, than Whom there is no other god;- Who knows (all things) both secret
and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.059.023 God is He, than Whom there is
no other god;- the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of
Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to
God! (High is He) above the
partners they attribute to Him.059.024 He is God, the Creator, the Evolver, the
Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever
is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is
the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
053.025
But it is to God that the End and the Beginning (of all things) belong.
085.013
It is He Who creates from the very beginning, and He can restore (life).
It
is not clear to which event the yearly Jubilee is being referred to by Prophet
Jesus. Looking at the annual Islamic events, it could be any of the following:
Eidul-Fitr, which comes at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
We
have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power: And what will explain
to thee what the night of power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand
months. Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by God's permission, on
every errand: Peace!...This until the rise of morn! (The
Quran, Chapter 97)
Verification
of Gospel of Barnabas
By
S A Fadel
The "Gospel
of Barnabas " was written by Barnabas, the apostle of Christ (PBOH) , but
some mistakes had happened during its copying , after all the Holy Quran is the
only book preserved by God.
1
- Comparing the Gospel of Barnabas and the new testament's Gospels shows that
Barnabas mentions all the events contained in the four gospels. However, there
are events mentioned in the Gospel of Barnabas which are not mentioned in the
four gospels of the testament. Barnabas contains a lot more events than any of
the four Gospels separately. The writer of the Gospel of Barnabas knows that
Mary Salomy is the sister of virgin Mary, that Taboor is the mountain that Jesus
(PBOH) mounted when the holly spirit declared his prophecy. The writer was thus
very close to Jesus Christ (PBOH).
On
the contrary the writer of the Gospel does not know when prophet Muhammad (SAAWS)
was sent, but only states when he would be sent. See (ch.72:13) for reference.
It is quite known to all who lived after the spreading of Islam that it was more
than 600 years between Jesus and the Prophet (PBOT). The Gospel of Barnabas also
states that the Prophet will revenge from those who say that Jesus is more than
a man (ch. 72:17); but what really happened was that the Prophet Muhammad never
fought the Christians. It states " the moon shall minister sleep to him in
his boyhood, and when he shall be grown up he shall take her in his hands."
(ch.72 :18 ). Regarding his boyhood, no one said such a thing about the moon,
but perhaps the division of the moon in his time is the explanation of "
take her in his hands." So the writer of the Gospel of Barnabas is very
ignorant of the Islamic history, which does not permit that he is a Muslim , and
assures that he lived prior to the advent of Muhammad (SAAWS).
2
- Barnabas is a known apostle of Christ (PBOH) even as the new testament says
that he is one of the first 83 disciples (12 +72 mentioned in Luke 10:1,after
eliminating Judah ). What he preached is similar to what is in the Gospel
related to him. He preached the creator of heavens and earth, insisted that
circumcision should proceed and was against the permissibilty of the unclean
meat. He was against Paul in these aspects which caused them to separate, as
Paul accused him and Peter to be hypocrites. On the other hand, Paul was against
these 83 disciples and was satisfied by there killings. Then through Barnabas he
pretended that he had faith in Christ (PBOH). Many of his own words show clearly
that he is a hypocrite (`Acts 23:6, 1 corinthos 9:20,21 ,1 corinthos 10:32 ).
And that he is very proud of himself (1 Rom 1:1 , 1 cornithos 1 :1 , 7:8,
10:33,11:1 ,1 Tsalonic 2:3 ,Efsos 1 :4 ,Philip 4:3 ) which assures that he could
not be true apostle of Jesus. The relationship between Paul and Barnabas
explains clearly the preface of the Gospel of Barnabas.
3
- The writer of the Gospel of Barnabas can not be a Muslim, since there are much
contradictions between his words and what are well known facts to the Muslims.
For instance,
·
he sometimes
refers to God as "our father " which is rejected in the Holy Quran.
·
He referred to
both "Christ " ,"Messiah" or "messenger of God " (PBOT)
as lords, which is completely prohibited in Islam .
·
He related that
three magi bent down doing obeisance to Jesus ( Ch.7: 7), Mary the virgin, and
the disciples fell with their faces to the ground for the angels (Ch.221 :13 ),
which is also not accepted by any Muslim .
·
The writer of
"Gospel of Barnabas " considers Satan as an angel ,which contradicts
the Holy Quran for Satan is a ghost, a genie.
·
He says that
devils do the punishment for the sinners in hell, contradicting the Holy Quran
which states that this is angels' job naming one of them "Malek"(PBOH).
·
He hadn’t
mentioned some of the miracles attributed to the Christ in the Holy Quran, such
as making a shape of birds of clay then by the will of God they are converted to
living birds.
·
that Jesus (PBOH)
spoke right after his birth.
·
He lessens the
miracle of the table which descended from the sky, saying that it was just
blessing a small amount of food to satisfy a great multitude of people.
·
The
commandments of Jesus (PBOH) differ from what is known in Islam, for instance he
permits drinking wine, which is totally forbidden in Islam. Muslims can’t
accept that any prophet of God can permit wine.
·
The punishment
of stealing and fornication are death, it is not so in Islam ; but it may be so
in the commandments given to the Christ (PBOH).
4
- His knowledge of the prophets of Israel is tremendous sometimes giving details
not known from the old testament. Most of the Muslims did not know many of them.
His expression is quite like that of the old/new testament.
5
- The Holy Quran said more than once that whoever got the true Gospel knows
about Muhammad (SAAWS) as they know their own children. Does "Gospel of
Barnabas " do so? I believe the answer is no.
6
- The manuscript of the "Gospel of Barnabas " was found at Turkey in
which Barnabas preached.
The
final result then is that the origin of "Gospel of Barnabas " was
written by Barnabas the apostle of Christ (PBOH) , but some mistakes had
happened during its copying , after all the Holy Quran is the only book
preserved by God.
Barnabas was a Jew born in
Cyrus. His name was Joses, and due to his devotion to the cause of Jesus, the other apostles had given him
the surname of Barnabas; this term is variously translated as "Son of
Consolation" or "Son of Exhortation".
He was a successful preacher with a magnetic personality. Any
one tormented by the clash of creeds found solace and peace in his company.
His
eminence as a man who had been close to Jesus had made him a prominent member of
the small group of disciples in Jerusalem who had gathered together after the disappearance of Jesus. They observed the Law of
the Prophets, which Jesus had come, "not to destroy but, to
fulfil" (Matthew 5:17). They continued to live as Jews and practiced what Jesus had taught them. That Christianity could
ever be regarded as a new religion did not occur to any of
them. They were devout and practicing Jews distinguished from their neighbours
only by their faith in the message of Jesus.
In the
beginning they did not organise themselves as a separate sect and did not have a
synagogue of their own. There was nothing in the message of Jesus, as understood
by them, to necessitate a break with Judaism. However, they incurred the enmity
of the vested interests among the Jewish higher echelon. The conflict between
the Jews and the followers of Jesus was started by the Jews because they felt
that the Christians would undermine their authority.
ACTS 12: 25
"And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when
they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John,
whose surname was Mark."
ACTS 13: 1 and 2
"Now there was in the church that was at Antioch certain
prophets and teachers, as Barnabas, and Simeon, that was
called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had
been brought up with Herod the tetrach, and Saul.
"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy
Ghost said: Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work
whereunto I have called them.
ACTS 14:11 to 15
"And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted
up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia. The gods are come down to us
in the likeness of men.
"And they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercurius.
"Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city,
brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have
done sacrifice with the people.
"Which when the
apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of,
they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out.
"And saying, Sirs,
why do ye these things? We also are
men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye
should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are
thereon."
The gulf progressively began to widen. During the siege
of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the Christians left the city; and refused
to take part in the Bar Coachaba rebellion in 132 A.D. These
two events brought to the surface the difference between the
Christians and the Jews.
The
question of the origin of Jesus, his nature and relation
to God, which later became so important, was not raised
among these early disciples. That Jesus was a man super-
naturally endowed by God was accepted without question.
Nothing in the words of Jesus or the events in his life led them
to modify this view. According to Aristides, one of the earliest
apologists, the worship of the early Christians was more purely monotheistic
even than of the Jews.
With
the conversion of Paul a new period opened in
Christian Theology. Paul's theology was based on his personalexperience
interpreted in the light of contemporary Greek thought. The theory of redemption
was the child of his brain, a belief entirely unknown to the disciples of Jesus.
Paul's theory involved the deification of Jesus.
The
Pauline period in the history of the Christian Church
saw a change of scene and principles. In place of the disciples,
who had sat at the feet of Jesus, a new figure, who had not
known Jesus, had come to the forefront. In place of Palestine,
the Roman Empire became the scene of Christian activity.
Instead of being a mere sect of Judaism, Christianity not only
became independent of Judaism but also became independent of Jesus himself.
Paul
was a Jewish inhabitant of Tarsus. He had
spent a long time in Rome and was a Roman citizen. He
realised the strong hold which the Roman religion had on the
masses. The intellectuals were under the influence of Plato
and Aristotle. Paul seems to have felt that it would not be
possible to convert the masses in the Roman Empire without
making mutual adjustments. But his practical wisdom was not acceptable to those
who had seen and heard Jesus. However, in spite of their difference, they
decided to work together for the common cause.
As recorded in the Acts,
Barnabas represented those who
had become personal disciples of Jesus, and Paul co-operated
with them for some time. But finally they fell out. Paul wanted to give up the
Commandments given through Moses about things to eat; he wanted to give up the
Commandment given through Abraham regarding circumcision. Barnabas and the other
personal disciples disagreed. The following sentences in the Acts give a hint of
the rift:
"And certain men
which came down from Judaea taught
the brethren, and said, "Except ye be circumcised after the
manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved."
"When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissen-
sion and disputations with them, they determined that Paul
and Barnabas should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this
question" (Acts 14:1 and 2).
After
this rift, there was a parting of the ways. In the
Acts, Barnabas disappears after the rift, because the recording
of the acts of the Apostles was done by the followers of Paul.
Because of Paul's compromise with Roman beliefs and
legends, Pauline Christians grew in number and grew in
strength. A stage was later reached when kings were used as
pawns to further the ends of the Church.
The followers of Barnabas
never developed a central organ-
ization. Yet due to the devotion of their leaders their number
increased very fast. These Christians incurred the wrath of the
Church and systematic effort was made to destroy them and
to obliterate all traces of their existence including books and
churches. The lesson of history, however, is that it is very
difficult to destroy faith by force. Their lack of organization became a source
of strength because it was not so easy to pick them up one by one.
Modern
research has brought to light odd facts about these
Christians. They are like the crests of waves and looking at
them one can visualise a whole body of ocean not yet visible.
We notice that up to the
4th century A.D. there existed a
sect known as Hypisistarians who refused to worship God as
father. They revered Him as an All Mighty Ruler of the world,
He was the Highest of all and no one was equal to Him.
Paul of Samasata was a Bishop of Antioch. He was of the
view that Christ was not God but a man and a prophet. He
differed only in degree from prophets who came before him
and that God could not have become man substantially.
Then we come across
another Bishop of Antioch viz Lucian.
As a Bishop his reputation for sanctity was not less than his
fame as a scholar. He came down strongly against the belief
of Trinity. He deleted all mention of Trinity from the Bible
as he believed it to be a later interpolation not found in the
earlier Gospels. He was martyred in 312 A.D.
Next we come to the famous
disciple of Lucian viz Arius
(250-336 A.D.) He was a Libyan by birth. Peter Bishop of
Alexandria ordained him a Deacon but later excommunicated
him. Achilles the successor of Peter again ordained Arius as
priest. Alexander the next Bishop of Alexandria once again
excommunicated him. Arius however had gathered such a
large following that he became a headache for the Church.
If kept out of Church he could be a great danger to her but
he could not be accommodated within the Church as he wanted to establish the
unity and simplicity of the Eternal God. He believed that how so ever much
Christ may surpass other created beings he himself was not of the same substance
as God. He was as human being as any other man. The teaching of Arius spread
like wild fire and shook the very foundation of the Pauline Church. The
controversy that was simmering for three hundred years suddenly became a
conflagration. No man dared to oppose the organized Church but Arius did,and
remained a headache for her whether he was ordained a priest or was
excommunicated. During this time two events changed the history of Europe.
Emperor Constantine
brought a greater part of Europe
under his rule and secondly he began to support the Christians without accepting
Christianity. To the soldier prince the different creeds within the Christian
faith were very confusing. In the Imperial Palace itself the controve sy was
raging not less fiercely. It appears that perhaps the Queen Mother was inclined
towards Pauline Christianity while his sister Princess Constantina was a
disciple of Arius. The Emperor was wavering between the two faiths. As an
administrator he was interested only in uniting all the Christians within one
Church.
It was at this time that
the conflict between Arius and Bishop
Alexander became so widespread and so violent that it became a law and order
problem. So the Emperor anxious to maintain peace in the newly unified Europe
had to intervene.
In 325
A.D. a meeting of all denominations of Christianity
was called at Nicea (Now Isnik, a village). Bishop Alexander
was not able to attend the conference and he deputed his
lieutenant Athanasius, who subsequently succeeded Alexander as Bishop of
Alexandria.
The
conference had many prolonged sessions. Emperor
Constantine could not grasp the full implications of the eccle-
siastical confrontation, but he was very clear in his mind that
for maintaining peace in his realm the support and cooperation of the Church was
necessary. Accordingly he threw his weight behind Athanasius and banished Arius
from the realm. Thus the belief of Trinity became the official religion of the
empire. Fearful massacre of Christians who did not believe in Trinity followed.
It became a penal offense to possess a Bible not authorized by the Church and
according to some estimates as many as 270 different versions of the Bible were
burnt. Princess Constantina was not happy at the turn of events. The Emperor
ultimately was persuaded to accept the faith of the men he killed. The result
was that Arius was called back in 346. The day Arius was scheduled to visit the
Cathedral of Constantinople in triumph, he died suddenly. The Church called it a
miracle. The Emperor knew it was a murder. He banished Athanasius and two other
Bishops. The Emperor then formally accepted Christianity and was baptized by an
Arian Bishop. Thus Monotheism became the official religion. Constantine died in
337. The next Emperor Constantanius also accepted the faith of Arius. In 341 a
conference was held in Antioch and Monotheism was accepted as a correct
interpretation of Christian faith. This view was confirmed by another Council
held in Sirmium in 351. As a result Arianism was accepted by an overwhelming
majority of Christians. St. Jerome wrote in 359 that 'the whole world groaned
and marvelled to find itself Arian'.
In this
context the next important figure is that of Pope
Honorius. A contemporary of Prophet Mohammed (peace be
on him) he saw the rising tide of Islam whose tenets very much r esembled those
of Arius. As the mutual killings of Christians was still fresh in his memory he
perhaps thought of finding a via media between Islam and Christianity. In his
letters he began to support the doctrine of 'one mind', because if God has three
independent minds the result would be chaos. The logical conclusion pointed to
the belief in the existence of one God. This doctrine was not officially
challenged for about half a century. Pope Honorius died in October 638. In 680,
i.e. 42 years after his death, a council was held in Constantinople where Pope
Honorius was anathematized. This event is unique in the history of Papacy when a
Pope was denounced by a succeeding Pope and the Church.
The
next two personalities of this faith that deserve mention were members of the same family. L. F. M. Sozzini (1525-1565) was native of Siena. In 1547 he came under the influence
of Camillo a Sicilian mystic. His fame spread in Switzerland He challenged Calvin on the doctrine of
Trinity. He amplifiedthe doctrine of Arius, denied the divinity of Christ and
repudiated the doctrine of original sin and atonement. The object of adoration according to him could only be the one and only
one God. He was followed by his nephew F. P. Sozzini (1539-1604). In 1562 he published a work on
St. John's Gospel denying the divinity of Jesus. In 1578 he went to Klausonburg
in Transylvania whose ruler John Sigisumud was against the doctrine of Trinity. Here Bishop Francis David (1510-1579)
was fiercely anti-Trinitarian. This led to the formation of a sect known as Racovian
Catechism. It derives its name from Racow in Poland. This city became the stronghold of the faith
of Arius.
Among the present-day
Christians a large number of men
and women still believe in one God. They are not always vocal. Due to the
crushing power of the Churches they cannot express themselves and there is not
much communication between them.
In the
end it will be of interest to quote Athanasius the champion of Trinity. He says that whenever he forced hisunderstanding to meditate on the divinity of Jesus his toilsome and unavailing
efforts recoil on themselves, that the more he wrote the less capable was he of
expressing his thoughts.
At another place he pronounces his creed as:-There are not three but "ONE GOD".
The
Gospel of Barnabas was accepted as a Canonical Gospel in the Churches of
Alexandria till 325 C.E. Iranaeus (130-200) wrote in support of pure monotheism
and opposed Paul for injecting into Christianity doctrines of the pagan Roman
religion and Platonic philosophy. He had quoted extensively from the
Gospel of Barnabas in support of his views.
This shows that the Gospel of
Barnabas was in circulation in the first and second centuries of Christianity.
In 325 C.E., the Nicene Council was held, where it was ordered that all original
Gospels in Hebrew script should be destroyed. An Edict was issued that any one
in possession of these Gospels will be put to death.
In 383 C.E., the Pope secured a copy of the Gospel of Barnabas and kept it in
his private library.
In the fourth year of Emperor Zeno (478 C.E. ), the remains of Barnabas were
discovered and there was found on his breast a copy of the Gospel of Barnabas
written by his own hand. (Acia Sanctorum Boland Junii Tom II, Pages 422 and 450.
Antwerp 1698) . The famous Vulgate Bible appears to be based on this Gospel.
Pope Sixtus (1585-90) had a friend, Fra Marino. He found the
Gospel of Barnabas in the private library of the Pope. Fra Marino was
interested because he had read the writings of Iranaeus where Barnabas had been
profusely quoted. The Italian manuscript passed through different hands till it
reached "a person of great name and authority" in Amsterdam, "who
during his life time was often heard to put a high value to this piece".
After his death it came in the possession of J. E. Cramer, a Councillor of the
King of Prussia. In 1713 Cramer presented this manuscript to the famous
connoisseur of books, Prince Eugene of Savoy. In 1738 along with the library of
the Prince it found its way into Hofbibliothek in Vienna. There it now rests.
Toland, in his "Miscellaneous Works" (published posthumously in 1747),
in Vol. I, page 380, mentions that the Gospel of Barnabas was still extant. In
Chapter XV he refers to the Glasian Decree of 496 C.E. where "Evangelium
Barnabe" is included in the list of forbidden books. Prior to that it had
been forbidden by Pope Innocent in 465 C.E. and by the Decree of the Western
Churches in 382 C.E.
Barnabas is also mentioned in the Stichometry of Nicephorus Serial No. 3,
Epistle of Barnabas . . . Lines 1, 300.
Then again in the list of Sixty Books
Serial No. 17. Travels and teaching of the Apostles.
Serial No. 18. Epistle of Barnabas.
Serial No. 24. Gospel According to Barnabas.
A Greek version of the Gospel of Barnabas is also found in a solitary fragment.
The rest is burnt.
The
Latin text was translated into English by Mr. and Mrs. Ragg and was printed at
the Clarendon Press in Oxford. It was published by the Oxford University Press
in 1907.
This English translation mysteriously disappeared from the market. Two
copies of this translation are known to exist, one in the British Museum and the
other in the Library of the Congress, Washington, DC.
The first edition was from
a micro-film copy of the book in the Library of the Congress, Washington, DC.
IKTHYS
