Tarikh (al-Tabari) 403
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
تَحْرِيفُ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَبْدِيلِهِمْ أَدْيَانَهُمْ أَمَّا الْيَهُودُ فَقَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ التَّوْرَاةَ عَلَى يَدَيْ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَكَانَتْ كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَىثُمَّ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ تَمَامًا عَلَى الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ وَتَفْصِيلًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ [ الْأَنْعَامِ: 154 ] وَقَالَ تَعَالَى قُلْ مَنْ أَنْزَلَ الْكِتَابَ الَّذِي جَاءَ بِهِ مُوسَى نُورًا وَهُدًى لِلنَّاسِ تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَاطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيرًا [ الْأَنْعَامِ: 91 ] وَقَالَ تَعَالَى وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ الْفُرْقَانَ وَضِيَاءً وَذِكْرًا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ [ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ: 48 ] وَقَالَ تَعَالَى وَآتَيْنَاهُمَا الْكِتَابَ الْمُسْتَبِينَ وَهَدَيْنَاهُمَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ [ الصَّافَّاتِ: 117، 118 ] وَقَالَ تَعَالَى إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ فَلَا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ [ الْمَائِدَةِ: 44 ] فَكَانُوا يَحْكُمُونَ بِهَا وَهُمْ مُتَمَسِّكُونَ بِهَا بُرْهَةً مِنَ الزَّمَانِ، ثُمَّ شَرَعُوا فِي تَحْرِيفِهَا وَتَبْدِيلِهَا وَتَغْيِيرِهَا وَتَأْوِيلِهَا وَإِبْدَاءِ مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهَا، كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَإِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِيقًا يَلْوُونَ أَلْسِنَتَهُمْ بِالْكِتَابِ لِتَحْسَبُوهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ [ آلِ عِمْرَانَ: 78 ] فَأَخْبَرَ تَعَالَى أَنَّهُمْ يُفَسِّرُونَهَا وَيُئَوِّلُونَهَا، وَيَضَعُونَهَا عَلَى غَيْرِ مَوَاضِعِهَا. وَهَذَا مَا لَا خِلَافَ فِيهِ بَيْنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَهُوَ أَنَّهُمْ يَتَصَرَّفُونَ فِي مَعَانِيهَا وَيَحْمِلُونَهَا عَلَى غَيْرِ الْمُرَادِ، كَمَا بَدَّلُوا حُكْمَ الرَّجْمِ وَالتَّحْمِيمِ مَعَ بَقَاءِ لَفْظِ الرَّجْمِ فِيهَا، وَكَمَا أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ، وَاذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفُ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ، مَعَ أَنَّهُمْ مَأْمُورُونَ بِاقَامَةِ الْحَدِّ وَالْقَطْعِ عَلَى الشَّرِيفِ وَالْوَضِيعِ. تبديل اليهود لألفاظ التوراة فَأَمَّا تَبْدِيلُ أَلْفَاظِهَا ; فَقَالَ قَائِلُونَ بِأَنَّهَا جَمِيعَهَا بُدِّلَتْ، وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ: لَمْ تُبَدَّلْ، وَاحْتَجُّوا بِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِنْدَهُمُ التَّوْرَاةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ اللَّهِ [ الْمَائِدَةِ: 43 ] وَقَوْلُهُ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ [ الْأَعْرَافِ: 157 ] الْآيَةَ. وَبِقَوْلِهِ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ [ آلِ عِمْرَانَ: 93 ] وَبِقِصَّةِ الرَّجْمِ فَإِنَّهُمْ - كَمَا ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، وَفِي صَحِيحِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ، وَجَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَفِي السُّنَنِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَغَيْرِهِ - لَمَّا تَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي قِصَّةِ الْيَهُودِيِّ وَالْيَهُودِيَّةِ اللَّذَيْنِ زَنَيَا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: " مَا تَجِدُونَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ فِي شَأْنِ الرَّجْمِ ؟ " فَقَالُوا: نَفْضَحُهُمْ وَيُجْلَدُونَ، فَأَمَرَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِإِحْضَارِ التَّوْرَاةِ فَلَمَّا جَاءُوا بِهَا وَجَعَلُوا يَقْرَءُونَهَا وَيَكْتُمُونَ آيَةَ الرَّجْمِ الَّتِي فِيهَا، وَوَضَعَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ صُورِيَا يَدَهُ عَلَى آيَةِ الرَّجْمِ، وَقَرَأَ مَا قَبْلَهَا وَمَا بَعْدَهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: " ارْفَعْ يَدَكَ يَا أَعْوَرُ " فَرَفَعَ يَدَهُ فَاذَا فِيهَا آيَةُ الرَّجْمِ فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِرَجْمِهِمَا، وَقَالَ: " اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَوَّلُ مَنْ أَحْيَا أَمْرَكَ إِذْ أَمَاتُوهُ ". وَعِنْدَ أَبِي دَاوُدَ أَنَّهُمْ لَمَّا جَاءُوا بِهَا نَزَعَ الْوِسَادَةَ مِنْ تَحْتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا تَحْتَهَا، وَقَالَ: آمَنْتُ بِكِ وَبِمَنْ أَنْزَلَكِ. وَذَكَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَنَّهُ قَامَ لَهَا. وَلَمْ أَقِفْ عَلَى إِسْنَادِهِ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَهَذَا كُلُّهُ يُشْكِلُ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُهُ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّمِينَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ: إِنَّ التَّوْرَاةَ انْقَطَعَ تَوَاتُرُهَا فِي زَمَنِ بُخْتُنَصَّرَ، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مَنْ يَحْفَظُهَا إِلَّا الْعُزَيْرُ، ثُمَّ الْعُزَيْرُ إِنْ كَانَ نَبِيًّا فَهُوَ مَعْصُومٌ وَالتَّوَاتُرُ إِلَى الْمَعْصُومِ يَكْفِي، اللَّهُمَّ إِلَّا أَنْ يُقَالَ: إِنَّهَا لَمْ تَتَوَاتَرْ إِلَيْهِ، لَكِنْ بَعْدَهُ زَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَى وَعِيسَى، وَكُلُّهُمْ كَانُوا مُتَمَسِّكِينَ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَلَوْ لَمْ تَكُنْ صَحِيحَةً مَعْمُولًا بِهَا، لَمَا اعْتَمَدُوا عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ أَنْبِيَاءُ مَعْصُومُونَ، ثُمَّ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِيمَا أَنْزَلَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مُنْكِرًا عَلَى الْيَهُودِ فِي قَصْدِهِمُ الْفَاسِدِ إِذْ عَدَلُوا عَمَّا يَعْتَقِدُونَ صِحَّتَهُ عِنْدَهُمْ - وَأَنَّهُمْ مَأْمُورُونَ بِهِ حَتْمًا - إِلَى التَّحَاكُمِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَهُمْ يُعَانِدُونَ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ، لَكِنْ لَمَّا كَانَ - فِي زَعْمِهِمْ - مَا قَدْ يُوَافِقُهُمْ عَلَى مَا ابْتَدَعُوهُ مِنَ الْجَلْدِ وَالتَّحْمِيمِ الْمُصَادِمِ لِمَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ حَتْمًا، وَقَالُوا: إِنْ حَكَمَ لَكُمْ بِالْجَلْدِ وَالتَّحْمِيمِ فَاقْبَلُوهُ، وَتَكُونُونَ قَدِ اعْتَذَرْتُمْ بِحُكْمِ نَبِيٍّ لَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ لَكُمْ بِهَذَا بَلْ بِالرَّجْمِ فَاحْذَرُوا أَنْ تَقْبَلُوا مِنْهُ. فَأَنْكَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِمْ فِي هَذَا الْقَصْدِ الْفَاسِدِ الَّذِي إِنَّمَا حَمَلَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ الْغَرَضُ الْفَاسِدُ، وَمُوَافَقَةُ الْهَوَى لَا الدِّينُ الْحَقُّ فَقَالَ وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِنْدَهُمُ التَّوْرَاةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ وَمَا أُولَئِكَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ [ الْمَائِدَةِ: 43، 44 ] الْآيَةَ. وَلِهَذَا لَمَّا حَكَمَ بِالرَّجْمِ قَالَ: " اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَوَّلُ مَنْ أَحْيَا أَمْرَكَ إِذْ أَمَاتُوهُ " وَسَأَلَهُمْ مَا حَمَلَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا ؟ وَلِمَ تَرَكُوا أَمْرَ اللَّهِ الَّذِي بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ؟ فَقَالُوا: إِنَّ الزِّنَا قَدْ كَثُرَ فِي أَشْرَافِنَا، وَلَمْ يُمْكِنَّا أَنْ نُقِيمَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَكُنَّا نَرْجُمُ مَنْ زَنَى مِنْ ضُعَفَائِنَا فَقُلْنَا: تَعَالَوْا إِلَى أَمْرٍ نِصْفٍ نَفْعَلُهُ مَعَ الشَّرِيفِ وَالْوَضِيعِ فَاصْطَلَحْنَا عَلَى الْجَلْدِ وَالتَّحْمِيمِ فَهَذَا مِنْ جُمْلَةِ تَحْرِيفِهِمْ وَتَبْدِيلِهِمْ وَتَغْيِيرِهِمْ وَتَأْوِيلِهِمُ الْبَاطِلِ. وَهَذَا إِنَّمَا فَعَلُوهُ فِي الْمَعَانِي، مَعَ بَقَاءِ لَفْظِ الرَّجْمِ فِي كِتَابِهِمْ، كَمَا دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ الْحَدِيثُ الْمُتَّفَقُ عَلَيْهِ. فَلِهَذَا قَالَ مَنْ قَالَ هَذَا مِنَ النَّاسِ: إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَقَعْ تَبْدِيلُهُمْ إِلَّا فِي الْمَعَانِي وَإِنَّ الْأَلْفَاظَ بَاقِيَةٌ، وَهِيَ حُجَّةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ، إِذْ لَوْ أَقَامُوا مَا فِي كِتَابِهِمْ جَمِيعِهِ ; لَقَادَهُمْ ذَلِكَ إِلَى اتِّبَاعِ الْحَقِّ، وَمُتَابَعَةِ الرَّسُولِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ [ الْأَعْرَافِ: 157 ] الْآيَةَ وَقَالَ تَعَالَى وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ مِنْهُمْ أُمَّةٌ مُقْتَصِدَةٌ [ الْمَائِدَةِ: 66 ] الْآيَةَ وَقَالَ تَعَالَى قُلْ يَاأَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَسْتُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ حَتَّى تُقِيمُوا التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ الَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ [ الْمَائِدَةِ: 68 ] الْآيَةَ. وَهَذَا الْمَذْهَبُ وَهُوَ الْقَوْلُ بِأَنَّ التَّبْدِيلَ إِنَّمَا وَقَعَ فِي مَعَانِيهَا لَا فِي أَلْفَاظِهَا - حَكَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي آخِرِ كِتَابِهِ " الصَّحِيحِ " وَقَرَّرَ عَلَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَرُدَّهُ، وَحَكَاهُ الْعَلَّامَةُ الْإِمَامُ فَخْرُ الدِّينِ الرَّازِيُّ فِي " تَفْسِيرِهِ " عَنْ أَكْثَرِ الْمُتَكَلِّمِينَ. مس الجنب للتوراة وَذَهَبَ فُقَهَاءُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ إِلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ لِلْجُنُبِ مَسُّ التَّوْرَاةِ وَهُوَ مُحْدِثٌ، وَحَكَاهُ الْحَنَّاطِيُّ فِي فَتَاوِيهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِ الشَّافِعِيِّ وَهُوَ غَرِيبٌ جِدًّا. وَذَهَبَ آخَرُونَ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ إِلَى التَّوَسُّطِ فِي هَذَيْنَ الْقَوْلَيْنِ مِنْهُمْ شَيْخُنَا الْإِمَامُ الْعَلَّامَةُ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ: أَمَّا مَنْ ذَهَبَ إِلَى أَنَّهَا كُلَّهَا مُبَدَّلَةٌ مِنْ أَوَّلِهَا إِلَى آخِرِهَا، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا حَرْفٌ إِلَّا بِدَّلُوهُ فَهَذَا بِعِيدٌ، وَكَذَا مَنْ قَالَ: لَمْ يُبَدَّلْ شَيْءٌ مِنْهَا بِالْكُلِّيَّةِ بَعِيدٌ أَيْضًا وَالْحَقُّ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَهَا تَبْدِيلٌ وَتَغْيِيرٌ، وَتَصَرَّفُوا فِي بَعْضِ أَلْفَاظِهَا بِالزِّيَادَةِ وَالنَّقْصِ كَمَا تَصَرَّفُوا فِي مَعَانِيهَا. وَهَذَا مَعْلُومٌ عِنْدَ التَّأَمُّلِ، وَلِبَسْطِهِ مَوْضِعٌ آخَرُ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. كَمَا فِي قَوْلِهِمْ فِي قِصَّةِ الذَّبِيحِ: اذْبَحِ ابْنَكَ وَحِيدَكَ، وَفِي نُسْخَةٍ: بِكْرَكَ إِسْحَاقُ فَلَفْظَةُ إِسْحَاقَ مُقْحَمَةٌ مَزِيدَةٌ بِلَا مِرْيَةٍ ; لِأَنَّ الْوَحِيدَ - وَهُوَ الْبِكْرُ - إِسْمَاعِيلُ لِأَنَّهُ وُلِدَ قَبْلَ إِسْحَاقَ بِأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ الْوَحِيدُ الْبِكْرَ إِسْحَاقُ ؟! ! وَإِنَّمَا حَمَلَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ حَسَدُ الْعَرَبِ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَبُوهُمْ هُوَ الذَّبِيحُ فَأَرَادُوا أَنْ يَذْهَبُوا بِهَذِهِ الْفَضِيلَةِ لَهُمْ فَزَادُوا ذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ افْتِرَاءً عَلَى اللَّهِ وَعَلَى رَسُولِهِ، وَقَدِ اغْتَرَّ بِهَذِهِ الزِّيَادَةِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ السَّلَفِ وَالْخَلْفِ، وَوَافَقُوهُمْ عَلَى أَنَّ الذَّبِيحَ إِسْحَاقُ وَالصَّحِيحُ أَنَّ الذَّبِيحَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ كَمَا قَدَّمْنَا. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَهَكَذَا فِي تَوْرَاةِ السَّامِرَةِ فِي الْعَشْرِ الْكَلِمَاتِ زِيَادَةُ الْأَمْرِ بِالتَّوَجُّهِ إِلَى الطُّورِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ فِي سَائِرِ نُسَخِ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى، وَهَكَذَا يُوجَدُ فِي الزَّبُورِ الْمَأْثُورِ، عَنْ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مُخْتَلِفًا كَثِيرًا، وَفِيهِ أَشْيَاءُ مَزِيدَةٌ مُلْحَقَةٌ فِيهِ، وَلَيْسَتْ مِنْهُ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. قُلْتُ: وَأَمَّا مَا بِأَيْدِيهِمْ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ الْمُعَرَّبَةِ فَلَا يَشُكُّ عَاقِلٌ فِي تَبْدِيلِهَا، وَتَحْرِيفِ كَثِيرٍ مِنْ أَلْفَاظِهَا، وَتَغْيِيرِ الْقَصَصِ وَالْأَلْفَاظِ وَالزِّيَادَاتِ وَالنَّقْصِ الْبَيِّنِ الْوَاضِحِ، وَفِيهَا مِنَ الْكَذِبِ الْبَيِّنِ وَالْخَطَأِ الْفَاحِشِ شَيْءٌ كَثِيرٌ جِدًّا فَأَمَّا مَا يَتْلُونَهُ بِلِسَانِهِمْ، وَيَكْتُبُونَهُ بِأَقْلَامِهِمْ فَلَا اطِّلَاعَ لَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَالْمَظْنُونُ بِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَذَبَةُ خَوَنَةٌ يُكْثِرُونَ الْفِرْيَةَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ. تحريف النصارى وضلالهم وَأَمَّا النَّصَارَى فَأَنَاجِيلُهُمُ الْأَرْبَعَةُ مِنْ طُرُقِ مُرْقُسٍ وَلُوقَا وَمَتَّى وَيُوحَنَّا، أَشَدُّ اخْتِلَافًا وَأَكْثَرُ زِيَادَةً وَنَقْصًا وَأَفْحَشُ تَفَاوُتًا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَقَدْ خَالَفُوا أَحْكَامَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ فِي غَيْرِ مَا شَيْءٍ قَدْ شَرَعُوهُ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ، فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ صَلَاتُهُمْ إِلَى الشَّرْقِ، وَلَيْسَتْ مَنْصُوصًا عَلَيْهَا وَلَا مَأْمُورًا بِهَا فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْأَنَاجِيلِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ، وَهَكَذَا تَصْوِيرُهُمْ كَنَائِسَهُمْ، وَتَرْكُهُمُ الْخِتَانَ، وَنَقْلُهُمْ صِيَامَهُمْ إِلَى زَمَنِ الرَّبِيعِ، وَزِيَادَتُهُ فِيهِ إِلَى خَمْسِينَ يَوْمًا، وَأَكَلُهُمُ الْخِنْزِيرَ، وَوَضْعُهُمُ الْأَمَانَةَ الْكَبِيرَةَ، وَإِنَّمَا هِيَ الْخِيَانَةُ الصَّغِيرَةُ الْحَقِيرَةُ، وَالرَّهْبَانِيَّةُ، وَهِيَ تَرْكُ التَّزْوِيجِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ التَّعَبُّدَ، وَتَحْرِيمَهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَكَتْبُهُمُ الْقَوَانِينَ الَّتِي وَضَعَتْهَا لَهُمُ الْأَسَاقِفَةُ الثَّلَاثُمِائَةِ وَالثَّمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ. فَكُلُّ هَذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءِ ابْتَدَعُوهَا، وَوَضَعُوهَا فِي أَيَّامِ قُسْطَنْطِينَ بْنِ قَسْطَسَ بَانِي الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةَ وَكَانَ زَمَنُهُ بَعْدَ الْمَسِيحِ بِثَلَاثِمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ وَكَانَ أَبُوهُ أَحَدَ مُلُوكِ الرُّومِ، وَتَزَوَّجَ أُمَّهُ هِيلَانَةَ فِي بَعْضِ أَسْفَارِهِ لِلصَّيْدِ مِنْ بِلَادِ حَرَّانَ وَكَانَتْ نَصْرَانِيَّةً عَلَى دِينِ الرَّهَابِينَ الْمُتَقَدِّمِينَ فَلَمَّا وُلِدَ لَهَا مِنْهُ قُسْطَنْطِينُ الْمَذْكُورُ تَعَلَّمَ الْفَلْسَفَةَ وَمَهَرَ فِيهَا، وَصَارَ فِيهِ مَيْلٌ بَعْضَ الشَّيْءِ إِلَى النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ الَّتِي أُمُّهُ عَلَيْهَا فَعَظَّمَ الْقَائِمِينَ بِهَا بَعْضَ الشَّيْءِ وَهُوَ عَلَى اعْتِقَادِ الْفَلَاسِفَةِ فَلَمَّا مَاتَ أَبَوْهُ، وَاسْتَقَلَّ هُوَ فِي الْمَمْلَكَةِ سَارَ فِي رَعِيَّتِهِ سِيرَةً عَادِلَةً فَأَحَبَّهُ النَّاسُ وَسَادَ فِيهِمْ، وَغَلَبَ عَلَى مَلِكِ الشَّامِ بِأَسْرِهِ مَعَ الْجَزِيرَةِ، وَعَظُمَ شَأْنُهُ. وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ الْقَيَاصِرَةِ، ثُمَّ اتَّفَقَ اخْتِلَافٌ فِي زَمَانِهِ بَيْنَ النَّصَارَى، وَمُنَازَعَةٌ وَقَعَتْ بَيْنَ بِطْرِيقِ الْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةِ إِكْصَنْدَرُوسَ وَبَيْنَ رَجُلٍ مِنْ عُلَمَائِهِمْ يُقَالَ لَهُ: عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَرْيُوسَ فَذَهَبَ إِكْصَنْدَرُوسَ إِلَى أَنَّ عِيسَى ابْنُ اللَّهِ، - تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ - وَذَهَبَ ابْنُ أَرْيُوسَ إِلَى أَنَّ عِيسَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَاتَّبَعَهُ عَلَى هَذَا طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ النَّصَارَى، وَأَصْفَقَ الْأَكْثَرُونَ الْأَخْسَرُونَ عَلَى قَوْلِ بِطَرِيقِهِمْ، وَمَنْعِ ابْنِ أَرْيُوسَ مِنْ دُخُولِ الْكَنِيسَةِ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ، فَذَهَبَ يَسْتَعْدِي عَلَى إِكْصَنْدَرُوسَ وَأَصْحَابِهِ إِلَى الْمَلِكِ قُسْطَنْطِينَ، فَسَأَلَهُ الْمَلِكُ عَنْ مَقَالَتِهِ فَعَرَضَ عَلَيْهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَرْيُوسَ مَا يَقُولُ فِي الْمَسِيحِ مِنْ أَنَّهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَاحْتَجَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَمَالَ إِلَيْهِ، وَجَنَحَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ قَائِلُونَ: فَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ تَبْعَثَ إِلَى خَصْمِهِ فَتَسْمَعُ كَلَامَهُ فَأَمَرَ الْمَلِكُ بِإِحْضَارِهِ، وَطَلَبَ مِنْ سَائِرِ الْأَقَالِيمِ كُلَّ أُسْقُفٍ، وَكُلَّ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ فِي دِينِ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ، وَجَمَعَ الْبَطَارِقَةَ الْأَرْبَعَةَ مِنَ الْقُدْسِ، وَأَنْطَاكِيَةَ وَرُومِيَّةَ وَالْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةَ فَيُقَالَ: إِنَّهُمُ اجْتَمَعُوا فِي مُدَّةِ سَنَةٍ وَشَهْرَيْنِ مَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى أَلْفَيْ أُسْقُفٍ. فَجَمَعَهُمْ فِي مَجْلِسٍ وَاحِدٍ وَهُوَ الْمَجْمَعُ الْأَوَّلُ مِنْ مَجَامِعِهِمُ الثَّلَاثَةِ الْمَشْهُورَةِ، وَهُمْ مُخْتَلِفُونَ اخْتِلَافًا مُتَبَايِنًا مُنْتَشِرًا جِدًّا فَمِنْهُمُ الشِّرْذِمَةُ عَلَى الْمَقَالَةِ الَّتِي لَا يُوَافِقُهُمْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْبَاقِينَ عَلَيْهَا فَهَؤُلَاءِ خَمْسُونَ عَلَى مَقَالَةٍ، وَهَؤُلَاءِ ثَمَانُونَ عَلَى مَقَالَةٍ أُخْرَى، وَهَؤُلَاءِ عَشَرَةٌ عَلَى مَقَالَةٍ وَأَرْبَعُونَ عَلَى أُخْرَى وَمِائَةٌ عَلَى مَقَالَةٍ وَمِائَتَانِ عَلَى مَقَالَةٍ، وَطَائِفَةٌ عَلَى مَقَالَةِ ابْنِ أَرْيُوسَ، وَجَمَاعَةٌ عَلَى مَقَالَةٍ أُخْرَى فَلَمَّا تَفَاقَمَ أَمْرُهُمْ، وَانْتَشَرَ اخْتِلَافُهُمْ حَارَ فِيهِمُ الْمَلِكُ قُسْطَنْطِينُ، مَعَ أَنَّهُ سَيِّئُ الظَّنِّ بِمَا عَدَا دِينَ الصَّابِئِينَ مِنْ أَسْلَافِهِ الْيُونَانِيِّينَ فَعَمَدَ إِلَى أَكْثَرِ جَمَاعَةٍ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى مَقَالَةٍ مِنْ مَقَالَاتِهِمْ فَوَجَدَهُمْ ثَلَاثَمِائَةٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ أُسْقُفًا قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى مَقَالَةِ إِكْصَنْدَرُوسَ، وَلَمْ يَجِدْ طَائِفَةً بَلَغَتْ عِدَّتَهُمْ فَقَالَ: هَؤُلَاءِ أَوْلَى بِنَصْرِ قَوْلِهِمْ ; لِأَنَّهُمْ أَكْثَرُ الْفِرَقِ فَاجْتَمَعَ بِهِمْ خُصُوصًا، وَوَضْعَ سَيْفَهُ وَخَاتَمَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَقَالَ: إِنِّي رَأَيْتُكُمْ أَكْثَرَ الْفِرَقِ قَدِ اجْتَمَعْتُمْ عَلَى مَقَالَتِكُمْ هَذِهِ فَأَنَا أَنْصُرُهَا وَأَذْهَبُ إِلَيْهَا فَسَجَدُوا لَهُ، وَطَلَبَ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يَضَعُوا لَهُ كِتَابًا فِي الْأَحْكَامِ، وَأَنْ تَكُونَ الصَّلَاةُ إِلَى الشَّرْقِ ; لِأَنَّهَا مَطْلِعُ الْكَوَاكِبِ النَّيِّرَةِ، وَأَنْ يُصَوِّرُوا فِي كَنَائِسِهِمْ صُوَرًا لَهَا جُثَثٌ فَصَالَحُوهُ عَلَى أَنْ تَكُونَ فِي الْحِيطَانِ فَلَمَّا تَوَافَقُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَخَذَ فِي نَصْرِهِمْ، وَإِظْهَارِ كَلِمَتِهِمْ وَإِقَامَةِ مَقَالَتِهِمْ، وَإِبْعَادِ مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ وَتَضْعِيفِ رَأْيِهِ وَقَوْلِهِ، فَظَهَرَ أَصْحَابُهُ بِجَاهِهِ عَلَى مُخَالِفِهِمْ وَانْتَصَرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَأَمَرَ بِبِنَاءِ الْكَنَائِسِ عَلَى دِينِهِمْ، وَهُمُ الْمَلِكِيَّةُ ; نِسْبَةً إِلَى دِينِ الْمَلِكِ فَبُنِيَ فِي أَيَّامِ قُسْطَنْطِينَ بِالشَّامِ وَغَيْرِهَا فِي الْمَدَائِنِ وَالْقُرَى أَزِيدُ مِنْ ثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ أَلْفَ كَنِيسَةٍ، وَاعْتَنَى الْمَلِكُ بِبِنَاءِ بَيْتِ لَحْمٍ يَعْنِي عَلَى مَكَانِ مَوْلِدِ الْمَسِيحِ، وَبَنَتْ أُمُّهُ هِيلَانَةُ قُمَامَةَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ عَلَى مَكَانِ الْمَصْلُوبِ الَّذِي زَعَمَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى بِجَهْلِهِمْ، وَقِلَّةِ عَقْلِهِمْ أَنَّهُ الْمَسِيحُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ، وَيُقَالُ: إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ مَنْ عَدَا أُولَئِكَ، وَخَدَّ لَهُمُ الْأَخَادِيدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَأَجَّجَ فِيهَا النَّارَ وَأَحْرَقَهُمْ بِهَا، كَمَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ فِي سُورَةِ الْبُرُوجِ. وَعَظُمَ دِينُ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ، وَظَهَرَ أَمْرُهُ جِدًّا بِسَبَبِ الْمَلِكِ قُسْطَنْطِينَ وَقَدْ أَفْسَدَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَسَادًا لَا صَلَاحَ لَهُ وَلَا نَجَاحَ مَعَهُ وَلَا فَلَاحَ عِنْدِهِ، وَكَثُرَتْ أَعْيَادُهُمْ بِسَبَبِ عُظَمَائِهِمْ، وَكَثُرَتْ كَنَائِسُهُمْ عَلَى أَسْمَاءِ عُبَّادِهِمْ، وَتَفَاقَمَ كُفْرُهُمْ، وَغَلُظَتْ مُصِيبَتُهُمْ، وَتَخَلَّدَ ضَلَالُهُمْ، وَعَظُمَ وَبَالُهُمْ، وَلَمْ يَهْدِ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ وَلَا أَصْلَحَ بَالَهُمْ بَلْ صَرَفَ قُلُوبَهُمْ عَنِ الْحَقِّ، وَأَمَالَ عَنِ الِاسْتِقَامَةِ حَالَهُمْ، ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعُوا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مَجْمَعَيْنِ فِي قَضِيَّةِ النُّسْطُورِيَّةِ وَالْيَعْقُوبِيَّةِ، وَكُلُّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ تُكَفِّرُ الْأُخْرَى، وَتَعْتَقِدُ تَخْلِيدَهُمْ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَا تَرَى مُجَامَعَتَهُمْ فِي الْمَعَابِدِ وَالْكَنَائِسِ، وَكُلُّهُمْ يَقُولُ بِالْأَقَانِيمِ الثَّلَاثَةِ: أُقْنُومِ الْأَبِ، وَأُقْنُومِ الِابْنِ، وَأُقْنُومِ الْكَلِمَةِ، وَلَكِنْ بَيْنَهُمُ اخْتِلَافٌ فِي الْحُلُولِ وَالِاتِّحَادِ فِيمَا بَيْنُ اللَّاهُوتِ وَالنَّاسُوتِ هَلْ تَدَرَّعَهُ أَوْ حَلَّ فِيهِ أَوِ اتَّحَدَ بِهِ، وَاخْتِلَافُهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ شَدِيدٌ، وَكُفْرُهُمْ بِسَبَبِهِ غَلِيظٌ، وَكُلُّهُمْ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا مَنْ قَالَ مِنَ الْأَرْيُوسِيَّةِ أَصْحَابِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَرْيُوسَ: إِنَّ الْمَسِيحَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ وَابْنُ أَمَتِهِ، وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ. كَمَا يَقُولُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فِيهِ سَوَاءٌ، وَلَكِنْ لَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّ أَمْرُ الْأَرْيُوسِيَّةِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْمَقَالَةِ تَسَلَّطَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْفَرْقُ الثَّلَاثَةُ بِالْإِبْعَادِ وَالطَّرْدِ حَتَّى قَلُّوا فَلَا يُعْرَفُ الْيَوْمَ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ فِيمَا نَعْلَمُ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ The distortion of the People of the Book and their alteration of their religions As for the Jews, God sent down to them the Torah by the hand of Moses b. ʿImrān ﷺ, and it was as God Almighty said: “Then We gave Moses the Book, complete for him who does good, and an explanation of all things” [al-Anʿām: 154]. And He Almighty said: “Say: Who sent down the Book which Moses brought as a light and a guidance for people? You make it into parchments, disclosing some of it and concealing much” [al-Anʿām: 91]. And He Almighty said: “And We gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion, and a light and a reminder for the God-fearing” [al-Anbiyāʾ: 48]. And He Almighty said: “And We gave them the clear Book, and guided them to the straight path” [al-Ṣāffāt: 117, 118]. And He Almighty said: “Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which is guidance and light. The prophets who submitted judged by it for those who were Jews, as did the rabbis and the scholars, by what they were entrusted with of God's Book, and they were witnesses to it. So do not fear people but fear Me, and do not sell My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what God has sent down—those are the disbelievers” [al-Māʾidah: 44]. So they used to judge by it and adhere to it for a period of time, then they began to distort it, alter it, change it, interpret it wrongly, and introduce what was not part of it, as God Almighty said: “And indeed, there is a party among them who twist their tongues with the Book so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book. And they say, 'It is from God,' but it is not from God, and they knowingly speak lies against God” [Āl ʿImrān: 78]. So He Almighty informed that they explain it wrongly, interpret it wrongly, and place it not in its proper positions. And there is no disagreement among scholars about this: that they manipulate its meanings and carry it to other than what is intended, as they altered the ruling of stoning and blackening [the face] while the word “stoning” remained in it. And as they used to leave alone a noble if he stole among them, and if a weak person stole among them they carried out the punishment on him, even though they were commanded to carry out the punishment and amputation on the noble and the lowly. The Jews' alteration of the words of the Torah As for the alteration of its words, some said that all of it was altered, and others said it was not altered, arguing with God Almighty's saying: “And how do they make you judge while they have the Torah, in which is God's ruling?” [al-Māʾidah: 43], and His saying: “whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel, commanding them to what is right and forbidding them from what is wrong, and making lawful for them the good things” [al-Aʿrāf: 157] to the end of the verse, and His saying: “Say: Then bring the Torah and recite it, if you are truthful” [Āl ʿImrān: 93], and with the story of stoning, for they—as established in the two Ṣaḥīḥs from Ibn ʿUmar, and in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim from al-Barāʾ b. ʿĀzib and Jābir b. ʿAbd Allāh, and in the Sunan from Abū Hurayrah and others—when they brought their dispute to the Messenger of God ﷺ regarding the case of the Jewish man and woman who committed adultery, he said to them: “What do you find in the Torah concerning stoning?” They said: “We disgrace them and they are flogged.” So the Messenger of God ﷺ ordered them to bring the Torah. When they brought it and began to read it while concealing the verse of stoning in it, ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṣūriyā placed his hand over the verse of stoning and read what was before it and what was after it. The Messenger of God ﷺ said to him: “Raise your hand, O one-eyed one.” He raised his hand, and there was the verse of stoning. The Messenger of God ﷺ ordered both of them to be stoned, and said: “O God, I am the first to revive Your command when they had killed it.” In Abū Dāwūd's narration, when they brought it, he removed the cushion from beneath him and placed it under it, and said: “I believe in you and in the One who sent you down.” Some mentioned that he stood up for it. I have not found its chain of transmission. God knows best. All of this is problematic for what many theologians and others say: that the Torah's continuous transmission was cut off in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, and no one remained who memorized it except Ezra. Then Ezra, if he was a prophet, is infallible, and continuous transmission up to an infallible person suffices—unless it is said that it did not reach him by continuous transmission. But after him there were Zechariah, John, and Jesus, all of whom adhered to the Torah. If it had not been sound and acted upon, they would not have relied on it, for they are infallible prophets. Moreover, God Almighty, in what He sent down to His Messenger Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, may God's prayers and ﷺ and upon all the prophets, rebuked the Jews for their corrupt intention when they turned away from what they believed to be sound among them—and what they were strictly commanded to do—to seeking judgment from the Messenger of God ﷺ, while they obstinately opposed what he brought. But because, in their claim, there was something that agreed with what they had innovated of flogging and blackening, which contradicted what God had strictly commanded, they said: “If he judges for you with flogging and blackening, accept it, and you will have excused yourselves by the judgment of a prophet for you before God on the Day of Resurrection. And if he does not judge with this but rather with stoning, then beware of accepting it from him.” So God Almighty rebuked them for this corrupt intention, which was driven only by corrupt desire and following whim, not the true religion, and said: “And how do they make you judge while they have the Torah, in which is God's ruling? Then they turn away after that, and those are not believers. Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which is guidance and light. The prophets who submitted judged by it for those who were Jews, as did the rabbis and the scholars, by what they were entrusted with of God's Book” [al-Māʾidah: 43, 44] to the end of the verse. Thus when he judged with stoning, he said: “O God, I am the first to revive Your command when they had killed it.” And he asked them what led them to this, and why they abandoned God's command that was in their hands. They said: “Adultery has become widespread among our nobles, and we were unable to carry it out on them. We used to stone those who committed adultery among our weak ones, so we said: Come to a matter that we apply equally to noble and lowly, and we agreed upon flogging and blackening.” This is part of their distortion, alteration, change, and false interpretation. And they only did this in meanings, while the word “stoning” remained in their Book, as indicated by the agreed-upon hadith. Therefore those who hold this opinion say: Their alteration occurred only in meanings, while the words remain, and they are a proof against them. For if they had established all that is in their Book, that would have led them to follow the truth and follow the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, as God Almighty said: “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel, commanding them to what is right and forbidding them from what is wrong, and making lawful for them the good things and prohibiting for them the bad things, and relieving them of their burden and the shackles that were upon them” [al-Aʿrāf: 157] to the end of the verse. And He Almighty said: “If only they had established the Torah and the Gospel and what was sent down to them from their Lord, they would have eaten from above them and from beneath their feet. Among them is a moderate community” [al-Māʾidah: 66] to the end of the verse. And He Almighty said: “Say: O People of the Book, you are on nothing until you establish the Torah and the Gospel and what has been sent down to you from your Lord” [al-Māʾidah: 68] to the end of the verse. This doctrine—the view that alteration occurred only in its meanings, not in its words—al-Bukhārī cited from Ibn ʿAbbās at the end of his Ṣaḥīḥ, and he affirmed it without rejecting it. The learned Imam Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī cited it in his Tafsīr from most theologians. A ritually impure person touching the Torah The Hanafī jurists held that it is not permissible for a ritually impure person (junub) to touch the Torah while in a state of minor impurity. Al-Ḥannāṭī cited this in his Fatāwā from some of al-Shāfiʿī's companions, and it is very strange. Other scholars took a middle position between these two views, among them our shaykh, the learned Imam Abū al-ʿAbbās Ibn Taymiyyah, may God have mercy on him. He said: As for those who say that all of it has been altered from beginning to end, and not a single letter remains unchanged, that is unlikely. Likewise, those who say that nothing of it has been altered at all is also unlikely. The truth is that alteration and change entered it, and they manipulated some of its words by additions and omissions just as they manipulated its meanings. This is known upon reflection, and its full exposition belongs elsewhere. God knows best. As in their saying in the story of the sacrifice: “Sacrifice your son, your only one,” and in one version: “your firstborn, Isaac,” the word “Isaac” is an inserted addition without doubt, because the only one—i.e., the firstborn—is Ishmael, since he was born fourteen years before Isaac. So how could the only firstborn be Isaac?! They were driven to this by envy of the Arabs, lest their father be the one sacrificed, and they wanted to take this virtue for themselves, so they added that to God's Book as a fabrication against God and His Messenger. Many of the early and later generations have been deceived by this addition and agreed with them that the one sacrificed was Isaac, but the correct view is that the one sacrificed was Ishmael, as we have previously stated. God knows best. Similarly, in the Samaritan Torah, in the Ten Commandments, there is an addition commanding one to face Mount Ṭūr in prayer, which is not in the other copies of the Jews and Christians. Likewise, in the transmitted Psalms of David ﷺ, there is much difference, and in it are things that are added and appended to it but are not part of it. God knows best. I say: As for the Arabic translation of the Torah that they have, no reasonable person doubts its alteration and the distortion of many of its words, and the changing of stories, words, additions, and clear, evident omissions. In it there is a great deal of clear lies and gross errors. As for what they recite with their tongues and write with their pens, we have no access to it, and it is presumed of them that they are liars and traitors, frequently fabricating against God, His messengers, and His books. The distortion of the Christians and their misguidance As for the Christians, their four Gospels, from the paths of Mark, Luke, Matthew, and John, are more severely contradictory, with more additions and omissions and more gross disparity than the Torah. They have contradicted the rulings of the Torah and the Gospel in many things that they legislated for themselves. Among those is their prayer toward the east, which is not stipulated or commanded in any of the four Gospels. Likewise, their depiction of images in their churches, their abandonment of circumcision, their transferring their fast to springtime and increasing it to fifty days, their eating of pork, their institution of the great trust, whereas it is only a small, insignificant trust, and monasticism, which is the abandonment of marriage for those who want to devote themselves to worship and making it forbidden for them, and their writing of the canons that the three hundred and eighteen bishops established for them. All these things they innovated and established in the days of Constantine b. Constas, the founder of Constantinople. His time was three hundred years after the Messiah. His father was one of the kings of the Romans, and he married his mother Helena during one of his hunting trips from the land of Ḥarrān. She was a Christian following the religion of the earlier monks. When Constantine was born to her from him, he learned philosophy and became skilled in it, and he had some slight inclination toward the Christianity that his mother followed, so he honored its adherents somewhat, while still holding the beliefs of the philosophers. When his father died and he became independent in the kingdom, he dealt justly with his subjects, so the people loved him and he prevailed among them, and he conquered the entire kingdom of Syria along with the Jazīrah, and his importance grew. He was the first of the Caesars. Then in his time there occurred a disagreement among the Christians and a dispute between the Patriarch of Alexandria, Alexander, and a man among their scholars called ʿAbd Allāh b. Arius. Alexander held that Jesus is the son of God—exalted be God above what they say—while Ibn Arius held that Jesus is the servant of God and His messenger, and a group of Christians followed him on this. The majority, the losers, agreed unanimously on the saying of their patriarch and prevented Ibn Arius and his companions from entering the church. He went to seek redress against Alexander and his companions from King Constantine. The king asked him about his statement, and ʿAbd Allāh b. Arius presented to him what he said about the Messiah: that he is the servant of God and His messenger, and he argued for that, so the king inclined to him and leaned toward his view. Some said to him: “You should send for his opponent and hear his words.” The king ordered him to be brought, and he summoned from all the provinces every bishop and everyone who had knowledge of the Christian religion, and he gathered the four patriarchs from Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, and Alexandria. It is said that they gathered over a period of one year and two months, more than two thousand bishops. So he gathered them in a single assembly, which was the first of their three well-known assemblies, while they were in extreme, widespread disagreement. Among them was a faction holding a doctrine with which none of the others agreed—these were fifty upon a doctrine, and those were eighty upon another doctrine, and these were ten upon a doctrine, and forty upon another, and a hundred upon a doctrine, and two hundred upon a doctrine, and a group upon the doctrine of Ibn Ariyūs, and a party upon another doctrine. When their affair became grave and their disagreement widespread, King Constantine was bewildered by them, despite his ill opinion of anything other than the religion of the Sabians, his Greek ancestors. He sought the largest group among them upon one of their doctrines, and found them to be three hundred and eighteen bishops who had united upon the doctrine of Alexander. He found no faction whose number reached theirs, so he said: 'These are most deserving of support for their view, because they are the largest faction.' He met with them privately, placed his sword and signet before them, and said: 'I have seen you as the largest faction united upon this doctrine of yours, so I shall support it and adopt it.' They prostrated to him, and he requested that they compose for him a book of laws, and that prayer be towards the east because it is the rising place of the luminous stars, and that they depict in their churches images with bodies. They agreed with him that these be on the walls. When they concurred on that, he began to support them, make their word prevail, establish their doctrine, and banish those who opposed them, weakening their opinion and statement. His supporters prevailed through his prestige over their opponents and were victorious over them. He ordered the building of churches according to their religion, and they are the Melkites, named after the religion of the king. In the days of Constantine, more than twelve thousand churches were built in Syria and elsewhere, in cities and villages. The king took care to build Bethlehem, meaning on the place of the Messiah's birth, and his mother Helena built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem over the place of the crucified one, whom the Jews and Christians in their ignorance and lack of reason claimed to be the Messiah ﷺ. It is said that he killed those besides them, dug trenches for them in the earth, kindled fires in them, and burned them with it, as we mentioned in Sūrat al-Burūj. The religion of Christianity became great, and its affair became very prominent because of King Constantine, but he corrupted it for them with a corruption that has no remedy, no success with it, and no prosperity in it. Their festivals multiplied because of their great ones, and their churches multiplied bearing the names of their devotees. Their disbelief became grave, their calamity thickened, their misguidance became everlasting, and their burden became heavy. Allah did not guide their hearts nor set their condition aright; rather, He turned their hearts away from the truth and diverted their state from uprightness. Then after that they convened two more assemblies regarding the question of Nestorianism and Jacobitism, and each of these factions declares the other an infidel and believes in their everlasting abode in the fire of Hell, and does not deem it permissible to gather with them in temples and churches. All of them profess the three hypostases: the hypostasis of the Father, the hypostasis of the Son, and the hypostasis of the Word, but there is disagreement among them concerning the incarnation and the union between the divinity and the humanity—whether He clothed Himself with it, dwelt in it, or united with it. Their disagreement over that is severe, and their disbelief because of it is gross. All of them are upon falsehood except those of the Arians, the followers of ʿAbd Allāh b. Ariyūs, who said: 'The Messiah is the servant of Allah and His messenger, the son of His maidservant, and His word which He cast to Mary, and a spirit from Him,' just as the Muslims say about him exactly. But when the affair of the Arians settled upon this doctrine, the three factions gained power over them with banishment and expulsion until they became few, and no one of them is known today, as far as we know. And Allah knows best.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.