Bismillah. A comment about yesterday’s Daily Mail story (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105714/Secret-14million-Bible-Jesus-predicts-coming-Prophet-Muhammad-unearthed-Turkey.html#ixzz1nLnLDMzu):
The so-called Gospel of Barnabas contradicts the Qur’an, which affirms that Jesus was the Messiah, not the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It also contains the story of Adam’s prayer invoking the name of Muhammad, which is found in a disputed hadith, probably spurious (mawdu’). The “Gospel of Barnabas” would thus appear to be a Muslim fabrication.
UNITY 
February 26, 2012 at 12:12 am |
Thank your for posting this Usama. I have often been troubled that so many Islamic Bookshops have stocked this so called Gospel. I’m also surprised that the popular translator of Sahih Muslim, Saddiqi, quotes the ‘Gospel of Barnabas’ extensively.
As you rightly point out above – In verses 97, 191 Jesus denies he is the ‘Messiah’ (al-Masih), and declares that rather Muhammad is the promised ‘Messiah’ – thus denying the Qur’an and Ahadith which proclaim that Jesus is al-Masih (the ‘Messiah’ in Hebrew i.e. the ‘Christ’ in Greek) who will fight al-Masih al-Dajjal (the anti-Messiah, or anti-Christ) (see Sahih Muslim, vol. 1, p. 109, #323- 325).
Other obvious examples of inaccuracies include:
1) Verse 20 describes Jesus and Barnabas sailing by ship from the sea of Galilee to Nazareth, a city up in the mountains. No water exists between these two places.
2) In verse 54, a Denarius is said to equal 60 minuti which were coins used under Caliph Malik in 685 AD, not in the time of the real Barnabas, before 100 A.D..
3) The Bible quotations in it are from the Latin ‘Vulgate’ translation which didn’t exist until about 380 AD – more than 300 years after this ‘gospel’ was supposedly written
4) In verse 91 the Roman army in Israel alone is said to have numbered 600,000 men, yet historical data shows that the entire Roman empire’s army numbered only 300,000.
Daniel
February 26, 2012 at 2:05 pm |
Thank you very much for that, Daniel.
March 1, 2012 at 5:55 pm |
First of all, this Gospel may just be a historical account rather than a divinely revealed text in the same way that the existing Gospels are. Therefore, like those texts, it may contain mistakes yet still be more accurate depiction of original Christianity than the official Bible(s).
Secondly, this text appears to predate the Quran and the era of Islam so we need an explanation for the mention of Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
Thirdly, the accusation that a Muslim fabricated this book is unsubstantiated. If we assume that it was indeed a forgery, it seems more likely to have been the work of a Christian trying to ingratiate himself with a Muslim ruler. A Muslim would not have suggested Isa (Jesus) was not the Messiah (assuming this is an accurate translation of what the book actually says). It could equally be the work of a Jewish person if it were fake.
However, if the Turkish find turns out to be as old as the evidence suggests (i.e. pre-Islamic), these explanations would be incorrect leaving the official Christian churches with some explaining to do.
June 14, 2017 at 12:43 pm |
There is a contradiction between the Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 23, and chapter 90. The following are the extracts:
The Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 90:
‘…Believe me that by faith are saved all the elect of God. And it is certain that without faith it is impossible for anyone to please God…’
The Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 23:
‘…And having said this, Jesus sat night unto the mountain which they looked upon…
……
The disciples trembled with fear at these words of Jesus, for with vehemence of spirit he spoke. Then said Jesus: Leave fear to him that hath not circumcised his foreskin, for he is deprived of paradise…’
The Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 90, comments that a person could be saved through faith in Allah and yet the Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 23, mentions that a person could only be saved through circumcision his or her foreskin even though he or she might have believe in Allah.
This teaching certainly contradicts Quran 2:62 that mentions that a person could be saved through believing in Allah and doing good deeds.
The following is the extract:
Quran 2:62 (Mohsin Khan translation), “Verily! Those who believe and those who are jews and christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
Thus, the contradiction above has placed the reliability of the Gospel of Barnabas into question.
June 14, 2017 at 11:33 pm |
There is also another contradiction with the book of Quran. The following is the extract:
The Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 136:
‘Jesus answered: ‘Every one, be he who he may, must go into hell. It is true, however, that the holy ones and prophets of God shall go there to behold, not suffering any punishment and the righteous, only suffering fear….’
The above extracted verse mentions vividly that all Muslims and non-Muslims have to be thrown into hell and yet Quran mentions that only those who do evil deeds will have the place in hell. The following is the extract:
Quran 2:81 (Mohsin Khan translation), “Yes! Whosoever earns evil and his sin has surrounded him, they are dwellers of the Fire (i.e. hell); they will dwell therein forever.”
Quran describes hell with burning fire. The following is the extract:
Quran 41:4 (Mohsin Khan translation), “Giving glad tidings [of Paradise to the oen who believes in the Oneness of Allah (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) and fears Allah much (abstains from all kinds of sins and evil deeds) and loves Allah much (performing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], and warning (of punishment in the hell-fire to the one who disbelieves in the Oneness of Allah), but most of them turn away, so they hear not.”
As hell is described in Quran 41:4 to be hell-fire, how could there be no suffering if all Muslims and non-Muslims be thrown into hell-fire? Thus, the accuracy of The Gospel of Barnabas is disputable.
Besides, Quran 2:62 mentions that Jews and Christians and Sabians will not fear or grieve as long as they believe in Allah and do good deeds. The following is the extract:
Quran 2:62 (Mohsin Khan translation), “Verily! Those who believe and those who are jews and christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
As the phrase, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve, is mentioned in Quran 2:62, it implies that these people will not be thrown into hell. Or else, these people will have fear of hell and even grieve over there. As these people who believe in Allah and do righteous good deeds would have no fear or grieve, it implies that these people would end up in paradise.
As Quran 2:62 does not mention that these people must be circumcised with their foreskins or must follow Muslim custom to pray five times or must wear hijab or etc., there is no reason to condemn those non-Muslims who believe in Allah and do good deeds to hell. As the Gospel of Barnabas contradicts Quran 2:62, the accuracy of the Gospel of Barnabas is in question.
The same is mentioned in Quran 5:69 below:
Quran 5:69 (Mohsin Khan translation), “Surely those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah in His Messenger Muhammad and all that was revealed to him from Allah), and those who are the Jews and the sabians and the christians, – whoever believed in Allah and the Last Day, and worked righteousness, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
June 14, 2017 at 11:43 pm |
Allah is the creator of heavens and earth. The following is the extract:
Quran 46:33 (Mohsin Khan translation), “Do they not see that allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Yes, He surely is able to do all things.”
Allah is the Creator of human beings.
Quran 35:11 (Mohsin Khan translation), “And Allah did create you (Adam) from dust, then from Nutfah (male and female discharge semen drops i.e. Adam’s offspring), then He made you pairs (male and female). And no female conceives or gives birth but with His Knowledge. And no aged man is granted a length of life nor is a part cut off from his life (or another man’s life), but is in a Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz) Surely, that is easy for allah.”