B i s m i l l a a h i r R a h m a a n i r R a h e e m Wa`Alaykum Assalaamu wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatahu,
Dear sister Yasmin, I pray you are well and in strength of eemaan by the grace of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala. With reference to your query: "In one of the sessions of da'wa, i was told that the Injeal which was revealed to Prophet Isa (a.s) is still in the pure form, kept in the Museum in Europe. Is it true??" The Muslims are all obliged to believe in the Gospel (Injeel) that Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala revealed to His Prophet`Eesa, Jesus the Messiah `alayhissalaam. Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says in Soorah Al Maa`idah 5:46: "And in their footsteps, We sent`Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), confirming the Tawraat (Torah) that had come before him, and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Tawraat (Torah) that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)." Our belief in the Gospel dictates that we should also believe that it exists and that it was revealed completely, and we believe that everything that the Prophet`Eesa `alayhissalaam brought from Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala was true. However there is nothing in the Holy Qur`aan or Ahadeeth to tell us whether the Injeel/Gospel was written and compiled at the time of `Eesa `alayhissalaam or who wrote it, or who preserved it and disseminated it, or whether the Messiah`alayhissalaam taught it to the people orally or whether the disciples transmitted it and who believed in it, or whether some of it was written down and some was not. Ibn Katheer rahimahullaah said in his Tafseer al-Qur`aan il-`Azeem #1/485: "It seems that what is meant by Book here is writing. But there is no evidence that the revelation was written down at the time of Eesa`alayhissalaam. The fact that the Gospel is called "a Book" in the Holy Qur`aan does not indicate that it was written down on pages at the time it was revealed. The fact that it is called a Book only refers to that which is with Allaah in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz, or that it was something that could be written. That applies to the Holy Qur`aan, as Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala calls it a Book. Rather it was transmitted verbally as well as being written down randomly on skins and parchments. In fact it was not a compiled Book until the time of Aboo Bakr al-Siddeeq radhi-yallaahu`anhu. Al-Taahir ibn`Ashoor wrote in his commentary "Al-Tahreer wa’l-Tanweer (8/470)" on Soorah Maryam 19:30: "The Scripture refers to the law which is usually written lest it be subject to change. The word Scripture is applied to the Law of `Eesa `alayhissalaam just as it is applied to the Qur`aan. Similarly the Christians do not believe that there is a book that was written by the Messiah`alayhissalaam or one of his disciples during his lifetime that was lost after that." Shaykh Ahmad Deedat rahimahullaah said: "We believe sincerely that everything that`Eesa `alayhissalaam said was Revelation from Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala, and that it was the Gospel and glad tidings for the Children of Israel. But throughout his life, the prophet`Eesa `alayhissalaam did not write a single word, and he did not order anyone to write anything. [Source of reference: Hal al-Kitaab al-Muqaddas Kalimat Allaah (Is the Bible God’s Word?), p. 14.] Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullaah wrote in Al-Jawaab al-Saheeh #1/491: "As for the Gospel that is in their hands, they acknowledge that it was not written by the Messiah`alayhissalaam, nor did he dictate it to someone else to write it down. Rather they wrote it after the Messiah was taken up (into heaven)." Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullaah also wrote in al-Jawaab al-Saheeh #3/21: "With regard to the Gospels that the Christians have, there are four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are agreed that Luke and Mark did not see the Messiah, rather he was seen by Matthew and John. These four accounts which they call the Gospel, and they call each one of them a Gospel, were written by these men after the Messiah had been taken up into heaven. They did not say that they are the word of God or that the Messiah conveyed them from God, rather they narrated some of the words of the Messiah and some of his deeds and miracles. Moreover, these books which were written after the time of the Messiah did not remain in their original form. The original versions were lost long ago. Ibn Hazm said in Al-Fasl, 2/4-5: Quote: "With regard to the Christians, there is no dispute among them or anyone else that only one hundred and twenty men believed in the Messiah during his lifetime… and all of those who believed in him concealed themselves and were afraid during his lifetime and afterwards; they called people to his religion in secret and none of them disclosed himself or practised his religion openly, because any of them who was caught was executed. They continued in this manner, not showing themselves at all, and they had no place where they were safe for three hundred years after the Messiah was taken up into heaven. During this time, the Gospel that had been revealed from Allaah disappeared, apart from a few verses which Allaah preserved as proof against them and as a rebuke to them, as we have mentioned. Then when the Emperor Constantine became a Christian, then the Christians prevailed and started to practise their religion openly and assemble in safety. If a religion is like this, with its followers practicing it in secret and living in constant fear of the sword, it is impossible for things to be transmitted soundly via a continuous chain of narrators and its followers cannot protect it or prevent it from being distorted." End quote. I have checked the websites of most European Museums and could not find anything pertaining to your query. Sister Yasmin, I am glad you asked for clarification so you know that some people who give da`wah sessions give incorrect information. Perhaps you could ask the person you who told you "that the Injeal which was revealed to Prophet Isa (a.s) is still in the pure form, kept in the Museum in Europe" to provide you with the daleel if he can from the Qur`aan or Ahadeeth to support his statement as well as the name and address of the Museum and full reference of the "pure form Injeel." May Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aal grant us refuge from the ways of the misguided. We ask Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala to guide us and to grant us all beneficial knowledge and enable us all to do righteous deeds. Aameen. Fee Amaanillaah, Your sister, K a r i m a DDN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: yasmin ahmed Date: Wed Mar 4, 2009 3:41 am Subject: What was the name of the original bible and in what language it was in? Assalamualaikum sister, Jazakallah khair for the information on Bible. In one of the sessions of da'wa, i was told that the Injeal which was revealed to Prophet Isa (a.s) is still in the pure form, kept in the Museum in Europe. Is it true?? Please let me know. Sister Yasmeen.
