The Gospel of Barnabas: A Witness and a Victim

thanks are due to allah (the almighty) for the bliss of islam, the greatest bliss one can ever have.

we really feel proud that we are muslims and followers of prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) the most honorable human being that has ever been created and members of the most charitable nation brought out to mankind. all the prophets and messengers brought glad tiding of this nation and this prophet (peace be upon him) and ordered their people to follow and support that prophet if they live at his time. therefore, it is not strange to find among the texts of the bible references to that issue despite all efforts of distortion. gold glitters despite all the dust that may fall on it and allah (the almighty ) reveals the right in order to be a proof. 

who was barnabas?

barnabas was one of the disciples of prophet isa (jesus) (peace be upon him) and the writer of the gospel that includes the right narration of many events at that time. however, in 492 ad, pope gelasius prohibited its circulation because it opposed the concept of divinity bestowed on prophet isa (peace be upon him). latin monk fra marino got the gospel of from the private library of his friend, pope sixtus (1585-90) barnabas from the papal library, read it and then embraced islam as dr. khalil sa'dah, the christian scholar, mentioned in the preface to his translation of this gospel.

the description of barnabas in the gospels reveals an honest and truthful man and one of the most devout disciples as mentioned in the acts of apostles: 

"then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in jerusalem: and they sent forth barnabas, that he should go as far as antioch. 011:023 who, when he came, and had seen the grace of god, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the lord. for he was a good man, and full of the holy ghost and offaith: and much people was added unto the lord." (22-24)

the question is: why many people joined him and advocated his call? this is because his faith was that of prophet muhammad (peace be upon him), the faith that is clear and straightforward, the faith that does not include the unsolvable and unfathomable mysteries of trinity and the like christian concepts that need years to be understood, if so at all. 

the gospel of barnabas

the following are some quotations from this persecuted gospel.

the verses 1-15 of the ninety-six chapter of the gospel of barnabas read as follows: 

"when the prayer was ended, the priest said with a loud voice: "stay, jesus, for we need to know who you are, for the quieting of our nation." jesus answered: "i am jesus, son of mary, of the seed of david, a man that is mortal and fears god, and i seek that to god be given honour and glory."

the priest answered: "in the book of moses it is written that our god must send us the messiah, who shall come to announce to us that which god wills, and shall bring to the world the mercy of god. therefore i pray you tell us the truth, are you the messiah of god whom we expect?"

jesus answered: "it is true that god has so promised, but indeed i am not he, for he is made before me, and shall come after me." the priest answered: "by your words and signs at any rate we believe you to be a prophet and an holy one of god, wherefore i pray you in the name of all judea and israel that you for love of god should tell us in what wise the messiah will come."

as for the glad tiding of the coming the final prophet, prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) is mentioned in name and in description. in the ninety-seven chapter we the verses 4-10 read as follows:

"then jesus said: "with your words i am not consoled, because where you hope for light darkness shall come; but my consolation is in the coming of the messenger, who shall destroy every false opinion of me, and his faith shall spread and shall take hold of the whole world, for so has god promised to abraham our father. and that which gives me consolation is that his faith shall have no end, but shall be kept inviolate by god."

the priest answered: "after the coming of the messenger of god shall other prophets come?" jesus answered: "there shall not come after him true prophets sent by god, but there shall come a great number of false prophets, whereat i sorrow. for satan shall raise them up by the just judgment of god, and they shall hide themselves under the pretext of my gospel." herod answered: "how is it a just judgment of god that such impious men should come?""

moreover, the name of prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) is mentioned in the verses 13-18 of the abovementioned chapter: 

"then said the priest: "how shall the messiah be called, and what sign shall reveal his coming?" jesus answered: "the name of the messiah is admirable, for god himself gave him the name when he had created his soul, and placed it in a celestial splendour. god said: "wait muhammad; for your sake i will to create paradise, the world, and a great multitude of creatures, whereof i make you a present, insomuch that whoever shall bless you shall be blessed, and whoever shall curse you shall be accursed. when i shall send you into the world i shall send you as my messenger of salvation, and your word shall be true, insomuch that heaven and earth shall fail, but your faith shall never fail." muhammad is his blessed name." then the crowd lifted up their voices, saying: "o god send us your messenger: o muhammad, come quickly for the salvation of the world!""

at the end the only thing that we can say is what allah (the almighty) says in the noble qur'an and can be translated as:

"say, “o population of the book, (or: family of the book, i.e., the jews and christians) come to a level word between us and you, that we worship none except allah, and that we do not associate anything with him, and that some of us do not take to themselves others (literally: some “others”) as lords, apart from allah.” so, in case they turn away, then say, “bear witness that we are muslims.” (literally: we have surrendered “to allah”)." (3:64)