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Convergences: Inventories of the Present
The Muslim Jesus: Sayings and Stories in Islamic Literature
This work presents in English translation the largest collection ever assembled of the sayings and stories of Jesus in Arabic Islamic literature. In doing so, it traces a tradition of love and reverence for Jesus that has characterized Islamic thought for more than a thousand years. An invaluable resource for the history of religions, the collection documents how one culture, that of Islam, assimilated the towering religious figure of another, that of Christianity. As such, it is a work of great significance for the understanding of both, and of profound implications for modern-day intersectarian relations and ecumenical dialogue.
Tarif Khalidi's introduction and commentaries place the sayings and stories in their historical context, showing how and why this "gospel" arose and the function it served within Muslim devotion. The Jesus that emerges here is a compelling figure of deep and life-giving spirituality. The sayings and stories, some 300 in number and arranged in chronological order, show us how the image of this Jesus evolved throughout a millennium of Islamic history.
Tarif Khalidi's introduction and commentaries place the sayings and stories in their historical context, showing how and why this "gospel" arose and the function it served within Muslim devotion. The Jesus that emerges here is a compelling figure of deep and life-giving spirituality. The sayings and stories, some 300 in number and arranged in chronological order, show us how the image of this Jesus evolved throughout a millennium of Islamic history.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
19 people are currently reading
543 people want to read
About the author
Tarif Khalidi
28 books35 followersTarif Khalidi was born in Jerusalem in 1938. He received degrees from University College, Oxford, and the University of Chicago, before teaching at the American University of Beirut as a professor in the Department of History from 1970 to 1996. In 1985 he accepted a one-year position as senior research associate at St Anthony’s College, Oxford, and from 1991 to 1992 was a visiting overseas scholar at St John’s College, Cambridge.
In 1996, he left Beirut to become the Sir Thomas Adams’ Professor of Arabic at Cambridge University, the oldest chair of Arabic in the English-speaking world. He was also Director of the Centre for Middle East and Islamic Studies and a Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge. After six years, Professor Khalidi returned to the American University of Beirut, taking on the Sheikh Zayed Chair in Islamic and Arabic Studies, the first chair to be filled at the University since the civil war.
He has published several books, including Images of Muhammad (Random House, 2009), The Muslim Jesus (Harvard University Press, 2001), Arabic Historical Thought in the Classical Period (Cambridge University Press, 1995), and Classical Arab Islam (Darwin Press, 1996). He has also published a recent translation of the Qur'an (Penguin, 2008) and edited a collection of essays, Land Tenure and Social Transformation in the Middle East (Syracuse University Press, 1985).
In 1996, he left Beirut to become the Sir Thomas Adams’ Professor of Arabic at Cambridge University, the oldest chair of Arabic in the English-speaking world. He was also Director of the Centre for Middle East and Islamic Studies and a Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge. After six years, Professor Khalidi returned to the American University of Beirut, taking on the Sheikh Zayed Chair in Islamic and Arabic Studies, the first chair to be filled at the University since the civil war.
He has published several books, including Images of Muhammad (Random House, 2009), The Muslim Jesus (Harvard University Press, 2001), Arabic Historical Thought in the Classical Period (Cambridge University Press, 1995), and Classical Arab Islam (Darwin Press, 1996). He has also published a recent translation of the Qur'an (Penguin, 2008) and edited a collection of essays, Land Tenure and Social Transformation in the Middle East (Syracuse University Press, 1985).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 15, 2016
كتاب الإنجيل برواية المسلمين مقسم لقسمين، أما القسم الأول فهو مقدمة طويلة فيها دراسة لصورة المسيح عليه السلام في الإسلام و افتراقها عن صورة المسيح لدى المسيحية، سواء فيما يتعلق بطبيعته أو مهمته في نهاية الزمان، مع ذكر للدراسات الاستشراقية التي تصدت لهذا الموضوع، و كيفية معالجتها له... ثم دراسة الأقوال المنسوبة للمسيح في كتب التراث الإسلامي من الإسرائيليات من غير القرآن والسنة، و إطارها التاريخي و علاقتها بالمتصوفة و مقارنتها بالأدبيات المسيحية... و من الواضح أن المؤلف يتبنى طرحا علمانيا "دنيويا" في رؤيته لقصة المسيح بشكل عام فضلا عن نظرية المشككين المعروفة فيما يتعلق بالمصادر الإسلامية التي كانت في أوجها حين ألف كتابه... لذلك فإن تقييمي للمقدمة ينقسم حسب جملة قد ذكرها في مقدمته للتفريق بين نوعين من الدراسات للقرآن، دراسة النص نفسه من خلال لغته الخاصة، فهذه كانت جيدة و هو الجانب الأكبر من الدراسة، أما الحديث عن طرق التأثر و محاولة البحث عن أصل غير إلهي للنص الديني أو التشكيك بقصة المسيح فإن الكثير من التخبط و الافتراضات القائمة على التخيل تعتري الكلام، و لم يعجبني بطبيعة الحال، و هو لم يفصل في هذا السياق...ه
أما القسم الثاني من الكتاب فهو ما سماه بالإنجيل برواية المسلمين و فيه سرد لأقوال المسيح عليه السلام المأخوذة من الإسرائيليات حصرا، و محاولته تخمين من أي مصدر أخذت، من دون تطرقه للآيات و الأحاديث النبوية التي تتحدث عن المسيح...ه
الكتاب مؤلف بالانكليزية ابتداء، و هو موجه للجمهور الناطق بالانجليزية و الهدف منه كما يذكر مؤلفه الباحث الفلسطيني طريف الخالدي حين كان أستاذا بكامبردج هو إثراء النقاش بين أوساط المستشرقين حول هذا الموضوع، و قد شجعه على إخراجه إدوارد سعيد...ه
معظم المقولات تدور حول الزهد و حسن الخـُلق و محبة الخـَلق و التقوى، فالمسيح عليه السلام معلم للأخلاق و قدوة للزاهدين و نبي القلب كما سماه المؤلف... أنقل منها: ه
- قال عيسى بن مريم عليه السلام: ما لي لا أرى فيكم أفضل العبادة؟ قالوا وما أفضل العبادة يا روح الله؟ قال: التواضع لله عز وجل. رقم32
- قال عيسى بن مريم عليه السلام: طالب الدنيا مثل شارب ماء البحر، كلما ازداد شربا ازداد عطشا حتى يقتله. رقم 115
- مر بعيسى بن مريم خنزير فقال: مر بسلام. فقيل له: يا روح الله، لهذا الخنزير تقول؟ فقال: أكره أن أعود لساني الشر. رقم 128 >>> هذه نصيحة والدي لي أيضا، لئلا يعتاد اللسان فيصير أسبق لمثل هذا الكلام. ه
فائدة: السيوطي في كتابه الدر المنثور في التفسير بالمأثور، _و هو عمل موسوعي جمع فيه من دون تحقيق أو تمحيص الكثير من النقولات بغض النظر عن درجة موثوقيتها_ كان قد خصص بعض الأجزاء للمنقولات عن الأنبياء من أحاديث و إسرائيليات و مأثورات و أقوال، و كان الجزء الثالث عن عيسى عليه السلام، ذكر فيه الكثير مما ورد عنه وعن حياته، ثم جمع عينة كبيرة من أقواله التي ذكرها السلف و وضعها تحت عنوان "ذكر نبذ من حكم عيسى عليه السلام"... و كنت قرأت هذا الجزء من كتاب السيوطي و أعجبني، و هو ما دفعني لشراء كتاب الخالدي حين شاهدته... و لم أعثر على كتاب السيوطي من بين مراجعه، هل يا ترى لتأخره فأخذ عمن أخذ عنهم السيوطي، أو لأنه غفل عنه! الله أعلم...ه
صلوات الله على سيدنا عيسى و على نبينا المختار و على رسل الله أجمعين... عسى الله أن يرزقني صحبتهم في الآخرة كما أحببت صحبتهم في الكتب لا أمل من تكرار القراءة عنهم... ه
كتاب لطيف
سلمى
15 آب
2016
أما القسم الثاني من الكتاب فهو ما سماه بالإنجيل برواية المسلمين و فيه سرد لأقوال المسيح عليه السلام المأخوذة من الإسرائيليات حصرا، و محاولته تخمين من أي مصدر أخذت، من دون تطرقه للآيات و الأحاديث النبوية التي تتحدث عن المسيح...ه
الكتاب مؤلف بالانكليزية ابتداء، و هو موجه للجمهور الناطق بالانجليزية و الهدف منه كما يذكر مؤلفه الباحث الفلسطيني طريف الخالدي حين كان أستاذا بكامبردج هو إثراء النقاش بين أوساط المستشرقين حول هذا الموضوع، و قد شجعه على إخراجه إدوارد سعيد...ه
معظم المقولات تدور حول الزهد و حسن الخـُلق و محبة الخـَلق و التقوى، فالمسيح عليه السلام معلم للأخلاق و قدوة للزاهدين و نبي القلب كما سماه المؤلف... أنقل منها: ه
- قال عيسى بن مريم عليه السلام: ما لي لا أرى فيكم أفضل العبادة؟ قالوا وما أفضل العبادة يا روح الله؟ قال: التواضع لله عز وجل. رقم32
- قال عيسى بن مريم عليه السلام: طالب الدنيا مثل شارب ماء البحر، كلما ازداد شربا ازداد عطشا حتى يقتله. رقم 115
- مر بعيسى بن مريم خنزير فقال: مر بسلام. فقيل له: يا روح الله، لهذا الخنزير تقول؟ فقال: أكره أن أعود لساني الشر. رقم 128 >>> هذه نصيحة والدي لي أيضا، لئلا يعتاد اللسان فيصير أسبق لمثل هذا الكلام. ه
فائدة: السيوطي في كتابه الدر المنثور في التفسير بالمأثور، _و هو عمل موسوعي جمع فيه من دون تحقيق أو تمحيص الكثير من النقولات بغض النظر عن درجة موثوقيتها_ كان قد خصص بعض الأجزاء للمنقولات عن الأنبياء من أحاديث و إسرائيليات و مأثورات و أقوال، و كان الجزء الثالث عن عيسى عليه السلام، ذكر فيه الكثير مما ورد عنه وعن حياته، ثم جمع عينة كبيرة من أقواله التي ذكرها السلف و وضعها تحت عنوان "ذكر نبذ من حكم عيسى عليه السلام"... و كنت قرأت هذا الجزء من كتاب السيوطي و أعجبني، و هو ما دفعني لشراء كتاب الخالدي حين شاهدته... و لم أعثر على كتاب السيوطي من بين مراجعه، هل يا ترى لتأخره فأخذ عمن أخذ عنهم السيوطي، أو لأنه غفل عنه! الله أعلم...ه
صلوات الله على سيدنا عيسى و على نبينا المختار و على رسل الله أجمعين... عسى الله أن يرزقني صحبتهم في الآخرة كما أحببت صحبتهم في الكتب لا أمل من تكرار القراءة عنهم... ه
كتاب لطيف
سلمى
15 آب
2016
December 14, 2010
This was an interesting collection of sayings that have been attributed to Jesus in Islamic literature and tradition. The introduction was a bit dry, but I did learn a few interesting points from it. The notes following the sayings were helpful. It was especially interesting for me to see the parallels with and differences between the New Testament Gospel's version of some of these sayings. It would have been useful if the "sayings" had also included all portions of the Koran about Jesus; as is, it only referenced Islamic literature, much of which is probably not even particularly well known among Muslims. Of course, the sayings of Jesus in the Koran can be read separately in the Koran itself, so he probably saw no need to include them, but it would have made the book a better holistic reference on the Muslim Jesus.
May 2, 2019
A well-compiled and revelatory (get it?) collection of Muslim stories of Jesus, revelatory probably for most who might wonder what business any religion has co-opting the heroes of another religion.
Imagine it this way, you Endgame-sniffers: it's like a crossover event in comics, where Spidey shows up in Gotham City to help Batman, or Wonder Woman grabs some shots with Captain America.
Same thing, here. Islam, the natural historical successor to the Christian venture, couldn't help but incorporate JC into its holy text, since he, sorry, He, was the prophet most directly preceding Mohammad. But there are some striking differences. Muslims didn't and don't consider JC any kind of offspring of God, but merely one of the Avengers-type prophets, Earth's mightiest. Fine, whatever. What is interesting and what really shines out in this volume is how JC was utilized in Muslim dogma. He is very much the ascetic champion of the poor: Sufis loved this guy. He is the apocalyptic harbinger, also. Khalidi calls this "the Muslim Gospel" and that makes sense.
Imagine it this way, you Endgame-sniffers: it's like a crossover event in comics, where Spidey shows up in Gotham City to help Batman, or Wonder Woman grabs some shots with Captain America.
Same thing, here. Islam, the natural historical successor to the Christian venture, couldn't help but incorporate JC into its holy text, since he, sorry, He, was the prophet most directly preceding Mohammad. But there are some striking differences. Muslims didn't and don't consider JC any kind of offspring of God, but merely one of the Avengers-type prophets, Earth's mightiest. Fine, whatever. What is interesting and what really shines out in this volume is how JC was utilized in Muslim dogma. He is very much the ascetic champion of the poor: Sufis loved this guy. He is the apocalyptic harbinger, also. Khalidi calls this "the Muslim Gospel" and that makes sense.
April 10, 2016
The stories themselves are really interesting, but it's impossible to determine most of their authenticity. This book doesn't include anything about Jesus (AS) from the Qur'an, and very few of the stories even come from ahadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). I suppose the whole point is that these are stories whose authenticity can't be proven, but I guess I expected something different before I started reading.
It really doesn't help that the author looks at this with a skeptical point of view. It's certainly his right to do so, but I wrongly assumed this book would be more Islamic in nature. That took me out of the introduction at times, such as when he would state with 100% certainty that Jesus (AS) was "adopted" by Islam. It seems he has no interest in the Islamic perspective that Jesus (AS) is part and parcel of Islam, not just there to appease Christians.
Overall, I just feel that this book certainly succeeds in what it set out to do, i.e. present some stories with interesting parallels in the Bible, apocryphal Christian and Jewish writings, and early Sufi literature. Its intent is not to present itself as things Jesus (AS) truly said, so it won't be blamed for my own ignorance on the book. Still, I deducted a star because of the author's constant need to remind the reader of his belief that the "Muslim Jesus" is essentially a fictional character. It may be his right, but that doesn't mean it isn't irritating.
It really doesn't help that the author looks at this with a skeptical point of view. It's certainly his right to do so, but I wrongly assumed this book would be more Islamic in nature. That took me out of the introduction at times, such as when he would state with 100% certainty that Jesus (AS) was "adopted" by Islam. It seems he has no interest in the Islamic perspective that Jesus (AS) is part and parcel of Islam, not just there to appease Christians.
Overall, I just feel that this book certainly succeeds in what it set out to do, i.e. present some stories with interesting parallels in the Bible, apocryphal Christian and Jewish writings, and early Sufi literature. Its intent is not to present itself as things Jesus (AS) truly said, so it won't be blamed for my own ignorance on the book. Still, I deducted a star because of the author's constant need to remind the reader of his belief that the "Muslim Jesus" is essentially a fictional character. It may be his right, but that doesn't mean it isn't irritating.
October 10, 2007
Growing up only knowing the Christian view of Jesus, this book helped open my eyes to the similarities and differences of the Christian and Muslim views of Jesus. While Christianity views him as the savior and messiah, Islam views him as a prophet, a moral role model, and a traveling ascetic teacher. The Islamic slant of his death (or rather, his ascension into heaven while still alive) sets the tone for his return in quite a different way that the Christian view does. Another note: the Christian Jesus told parables to tell lessons, but interestingly these parables were all lost in Islamic writings about Jesus (because parables hold little to no importance in Arabic culture). This is a very informative book from a very interesting point of view.
February 3, 2015
This book was recommended years ago by one of my teachers in response to one of my queries. Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain a copy, and further still was much delayed from reading it - finally now that I have - I must say it's been a rather pleasant, delightful and a wonderful read. Acquainting yourself remotely with the "Muslim Jesus" is at once spirit-boosting and humbling. A must read for those spiritually inclined, Muslims and non-Muslims alike; texts like these are a much needed antidote to our torn world today, were globally mistrust in sown of 'the other' and exploited to our collective demise and detriment.
September 21, 2022
Whilst a few of the 300 sayings are quite nice sounding, there is seemingly only one quote here which we can safely say is fully authentic ‘sahih’ from an Islamic perspective. Many of these other quotes come from all over the place and are seemingly re-hashes of biblical quotes, other ahadith or quotes from Muslim scholars.
I would not recommend reading this book, it refers to itself as the Muslim gospel, which is frankly an embarrassment and there is a better alternative out there, called ‘Al-Fawaaid’ by Ibn Qayyim.
I would not recommend reading this book, it refers to itself as the Muslim gospel, which is frankly an embarrassment and there is a better alternative out there, called ‘Al-Fawaaid’ by Ibn Qayyim.
August 26, 2010
عمل مهم آخر للباحث القدير طريف الخالدي، يتتبع فيه ما قيل عن المسيح في التراث الاسلامي، أي الرؤية الاسلامية ليسوع. يظهر المسيح في هذه النصوص شخصا مسلما، بل وطبيب عند الاطباء وفيلسوف عند الفلاسفة
الكتاب مترجم عن الانجليزية
الكتاب مترجم عن الانجليزية
April 9, 2008
I read this book for class, and wrote the following in response to it. In short, the book provides an interesting perspective on the Muslim version of Jesus, but the way Khalidi describes how this Jesus came to be... well, decide for yourself.
Khalidi, Tarif. The Muslim Jesus. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2001.
Before I read The Muslim Jesus, I expected it to be a book that focused on an alternate view of Jesus. I already knew that Christians and Jews view Jesus differently, and that Muslims view Jesus as a prophet but not as an aspect of God (as the Christian idea of the trinity). This alternate view is provided, but I was surprised to find out how this alternate view came to be.
From what I read of Khalidi’s text, it seems that Muslim scholars borrowed from Christian texts and reworked them to fit the views of their own religion. Jesus is a figure in their sacred texts and stories as a prophet, as I expected him to be, but he is also changed very much from the Christian figure of Jesus to the point that some of his speech is elaborated to give a more specific meaning and some is shortened, possibly to offer a more broad meaning that could be interpreted many different ways. Still, Khalidi writes that “The Qur’an pronounces Christians the closest of all religious communities to the Muslims…” in spite of these major differences in belief regarding what Christians describe as their “savior” and what Muslims describe as a “prophet” (Khalidi, 16). This reworking of an already prominent religious figure seems in some ways disrespectful of the religion being “borrowed” from, implying that Christianity somehow “got it wrong,” and Islam was going to set the record straight.
Certainly there is some merit in retelling history in a different way in order to tell a different side or explain one’s own version of the truth. Early Muslims believed (as some might believe today) that the religion of Christianity is a perversion of Jesus’ teachings. If Jesus was not the messiah and he didn’t intend on beginning a new religion, then the writings about Jesus and what he said and did may have been embellished to make him appear more like a messiah or Christ figure for people to follow as the son of God and their savior. Khalidi writes:
…Jesus is a controversial prophet. He is the only prophet in the Qur’an who is deliberately made to distance himself from the doctrines that his community is said to hold of him. The term Qur’an employs in this regard is “cleansing” (3:55): Jesus will be cleansed from the perverted beliefs of his followers…. […] With Jesus, as with no other prophetic figure, the problem is not only to retell his life accurately. (Khalidi, 12)
If those writings were embellished to make Jesus appear more divine, then it would make sense for Muslims to change them so they seem more correct.
The problem with changing or “correcting” an already inaccurate text however, is that if you don’t have a strong handle on what the original text was you may be moving further away from the telling of the actual events rather than closer to the truth. Muslims used the teachings from their sacred texts to make Jesus into an Islamic figure. I wonder if there were more historical documents to support the retelling of Jesus as the figure portrayed in Islam, or if the retelling of Jesus as a prophet without divine parentage was a way of using an already prominent religious figure to gain momentum for a new religion.
Q1: From what I understand, Islam was established in part by borrowing texts and stories from Judaism and Christianity. What other religions do you think may have borrowed or plagiarized from one another? How did the other religions create their sacred texts or establish their core teachings? Was it divine inspiration or do you think some of these religious leaders may have been exposed to other traditions or may have adapted some of their stories from the religions of others?
Q2: There doesn’t seem to be any use of historical documents to establish whose stories are more correct. Muslims and Christians clearly have very different views of who Jesus was, who his father was, how he lived, what he taught, and even how he died. How can one establish which version is closer to the truth when we don’t have historical documentation to back up these claims? For all we know, neither version of Jesus’ life is “correct.” How can you know what to put your faith in if you don’t know the facts?
Khalidi, Tarif. The Muslim Jesus. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2001.
Before I read The Muslim Jesus, I expected it to be a book that focused on an alternate view of Jesus. I already knew that Christians and Jews view Jesus differently, and that Muslims view Jesus as a prophet but not as an aspect of God (as the Christian idea of the trinity). This alternate view is provided, but I was surprised to find out how this alternate view came to be.
From what I read of Khalidi’s text, it seems that Muslim scholars borrowed from Christian texts and reworked them to fit the views of their own religion. Jesus is a figure in their sacred texts and stories as a prophet, as I expected him to be, but he is also changed very much from the Christian figure of Jesus to the point that some of his speech is elaborated to give a more specific meaning and some is shortened, possibly to offer a more broad meaning that could be interpreted many different ways. Still, Khalidi writes that “The Qur’an pronounces Christians the closest of all religious communities to the Muslims…” in spite of these major differences in belief regarding what Christians describe as their “savior” and what Muslims describe as a “prophet” (Khalidi, 16). This reworking of an already prominent religious figure seems in some ways disrespectful of the religion being “borrowed” from, implying that Christianity somehow “got it wrong,” and Islam was going to set the record straight.
Certainly there is some merit in retelling history in a different way in order to tell a different side or explain one’s own version of the truth. Early Muslims believed (as some might believe today) that the religion of Christianity is a perversion of Jesus’ teachings. If Jesus was not the messiah and he didn’t intend on beginning a new religion, then the writings about Jesus and what he said and did may have been embellished to make him appear more like a messiah or Christ figure for people to follow as the son of God and their savior. Khalidi writes:
…Jesus is a controversial prophet. He is the only prophet in the Qur’an who is deliberately made to distance himself from the doctrines that his community is said to hold of him. The term Qur’an employs in this regard is “cleansing” (3:55): Jesus will be cleansed from the perverted beliefs of his followers…. […] With Jesus, as with no other prophetic figure, the problem is not only to retell his life accurately. (Khalidi, 12)
If those writings were embellished to make Jesus appear more divine, then it would make sense for Muslims to change them so they seem more correct.
The problem with changing or “correcting” an already inaccurate text however, is that if you don’t have a strong handle on what the original text was you may be moving further away from the telling of the actual events rather than closer to the truth. Muslims used the teachings from their sacred texts to make Jesus into an Islamic figure. I wonder if there were more historical documents to support the retelling of Jesus as the figure portrayed in Islam, or if the retelling of Jesus as a prophet without divine parentage was a way of using an already prominent religious figure to gain momentum for a new religion.
Q1: From what I understand, Islam was established in part by borrowing texts and stories from Judaism and Christianity. What other religions do you think may have borrowed or plagiarized from one another? How did the other religions create their sacred texts or establish their core teachings? Was it divine inspiration or do you think some of these religious leaders may have been exposed to other traditions or may have adapted some of their stories from the religions of others?
Q2: There doesn’t seem to be any use of historical documents to establish whose stories are more correct. Muslims and Christians clearly have very different views of who Jesus was, who his father was, how he lived, what he taught, and even how he died. How can one establish which version is closer to the truth when we don’t have historical documentation to back up these claims? For all we know, neither version of Jesus’ life is “correct.” How can you know what to put your faith in if you don’t know the facts?
January 9, 2010
This is generally a more complete collection of the sayings in Islamic literature about Jesus than the one edited by Javad Nurbakhsh. Excellent book, including several sayings I would never have heard about otherwise.
There are two sayings which I could not find in Khalidi's collection which should probably be there. One is an account of Jesus taking explicitly pacifist views, and quoting from the Sermon on the Mount, cited in Al-Ghazali, cited in "A Moslem Seeker after God," p. 274. This may have been excluded since it seems taken right out of the New Testament, but it is significant in my mind because pacifism is not a doctrine endorsed by Islam and it is therefore significant that al-Ghazali thinks that this saying wasn't just made up. The other is cited by Nurbakhsh, p. 107, and is the story of Jesus taking care of a grey donkey, I can't find this story in Khalidi either. These are however extremely small problems in a very good volume.
There are two sayings which I could not find in Khalidi's collection which should probably be there. One is an account of Jesus taking explicitly pacifist views, and quoting from the Sermon on the Mount, cited in Al-Ghazali, cited in "A Moslem Seeker after God," p. 274. This may have been excluded since it seems taken right out of the New Testament, but it is significant in my mind because pacifism is not a doctrine endorsed by Islam and it is therefore significant that al-Ghazali thinks that this saying wasn't just made up. The other is cited by Nurbakhsh, p. 107, and is the story of Jesus taking care of a grey donkey, I can't find this story in Khalidi either. These are however extremely small problems in a very good volume.
January 31, 2012
I really love this, so far! I can't wait to dig in deeper. Here is a sample from the book:
231- It is said that once Jesus was sitting, an old man was working with a shovel scooping up the earth. Jesus said, "O God, remove hope from him." The old man put aside his shovel and lay down, remaining thus for an hour. Then Jesus said, "O God, restore hope to him." The man got up and began to work. Jesus asked him about this, and the man said, "While I was working, my spirit said to me, 'How long must you work- you, an old man?' I threw the shovel away and lay down. Then my spirit said to me, 'It's God's truth: you must earn a living as long as you live.' So I went back to my shovel."
Attributed to Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111)
This is so beautiful! It is exactly the same sentiments I have read attributed to Zen monks, specifically, the Zen poet, Ryōkan.
231- It is said that once Jesus was sitting, an old man was working with a shovel scooping up the earth. Jesus said, "O God, remove hope from him." The old man put aside his shovel and lay down, remaining thus for an hour. Then Jesus said, "O God, restore hope to him." The man got up and began to work. Jesus asked him about this, and the man said, "While I was working, my spirit said to me, 'How long must you work- you, an old man?' I threw the shovel away and lay down. Then my spirit said to me, 'It's God's truth: you must earn a living as long as you live.' So I went back to my shovel."
Attributed to Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111)
This is so beautiful! It is exactly the same sentiments I have read attributed to Zen monks, specifically, the Zen poet, Ryōkan.
Read
May 7, 2025O livro diz que o Corão foi escrito por vários profetas num estilo admonitório bem diferente do da bíblia e mais parecido com a poesia e a prosa, tendo um certo paralelo no estilo oracular dos adivinhos pré-islâmicos. Com relação à forma, as referencias a Jesus no Corão podem dividir-se em quatro grupos:
1. Nascimento e histórias de infância;
2. Milagres;
3. Conversas entre Jesus e Deus ou entre Jesus e os israelitas; e
4. Pronunciamentos divinos sobre a humanidade, servidão e lugar na linha profética. A primeira impressão que se pode obter das coletâneas iniciais desses provérbios e historias, segundo o autor, é que cada profeta representa um tipo de moral um tanto delimitado. Davi representa o arrependimento; Jó, o conforto divino depois da provação; Noé, a gratidão; Adão, o pranto pelo pecado; Luqman, a sabedoria antiga, e assim por diante.
Dos 303 provérbios e histórias do livro, transcreverei abaixo os que mais gostei:
1. Cristo passou por um grupo de pessoas que lhe lançaram insultos, e respondeu com bênçãos. Passou por outro grupo que o insultou, e respondeu igualmente. Um dos seus discípulos perguntou: ‘Porque é que quanto mais eles vos insultam, mais os abençoais? É como se convidásseis isso sobre vós mesmo.’ Cristo respondeu: ‘Uma pessoa só pode externar aquilo que tem dentro de si’. Outra parecida: 1.2. Conta-se que Jesus disse ‘Deus vos preserve’ a um homem que não merecia ser assim tratado. Perguntaram a Jesus: ‘Por que dizeis isso a alguém como ele?’ ele respondeu: ‘Uma língua acostumada ao bem fala assim com todos os homens’.
2. Disse Jesus: ‘Para o homem paciente, o infortúnio cedo resulta em tranquilidade; para o pecador, a tranquilidade cedo resulta em infortúnio’.
3. Dizia Jesus: ‘Se algum de vós der esmola com a mão direita, que o esconda da esquerda. Se rezar, que baixe a cortina da porta, pois Deus concede Seu favor como concede Seu sustento’.
4. Disse Jesus: ‘Por que eu não vejo em vós a melhor adoração?’ Eles disseram: ‘Qual a melhor adoração Espírito de Deus?’ Ele disse: ‘A humildade diante de Deus’.
5. Disse Jesus: ‘Ponde o vosso tesouro no céu, pois o coração do homem está onde está o seu tesouro’.
6. “Dizia Jesus: ‘Caridade não significa fazer o bem àquele que bem voa faz, pois isso é retribuir o bem com o bem. Caridade significa que deveis fazer o bem àquele que vos prejudica’.”
7. “Disse Jesus: ‘Não adianta virdes a saber o que não sabíeis, enquanto não agirdes de acordo com o que já sabeis. Demasiado conhecimentos só aumenta o orgulho se não agirdes de acordo com ele’.”
8. Jesus disse aos discípulos: ‘Ó discípulos, não lanceis pérolas diante de suínos, pois os suínos nada podem fazer com elas. Não concedais sabedoria a quem não deseja, pois a sabedoria é mais preciosa que pérolas e quem rejeita sabedoria é pior que um suíno’.
9. Disse Cristo: ‘Se desejais dedicar-vos inteiramente a Deus e ser a luz dos filhos de Adão, perdoai àqueles que vos fizeram mal, visitai os doentes que não vos visitam, sede bondosos com aqueles que são indelicados convosco, e emprestai àqueles que não vos reembolsam’.
10. Jesus costumava comer folhas de árvores, vestir camisas de crina e dormir onde quer que a noite o encontrasse. Não teve filhos que pudessem morrer, nem casa que pudesse cair em ruína; nem poupava o seu almoço. Dizia sempre: ‘Cada dia traz consigo seu próprio sustento’.
11. Disse Jesus: ‘Trabalhais para um mundo mesquinho e ignorais a grande vida após a morte, e sobre todos vós a morte passará’.
12. Disse Jesus: ‘Aquele que busca coisas mundanas é como o homem que bebe água do mar: quanto mais bebe, mais detento fica, até que ela o mata’.
13. Perguntaram a Jesus: ‘mostrai-nos um ato pelo qual possamos entrar no paraíso.’ Disse Jesus: ‘Não faleis de modo algum.’ Eles disseram: ‘Não podemos fazer isso.’ Jesus respondeu: ‘Então falai apenas o que é bom’.
14. Jesus certa vez passou por um homem que sofria e sentiu piedade dele, então disse: ‘Ó Deus, eu vos imploro que o alivieis.’ Então Deus revelou-lhe: ‘Como vou aliviá-lo daquilo com que estou aliviando?’. Essa história curiosa parece apontar para a necessidade de paciência no sofrimento como um modo de purgar a alma.
15. Disse Jesus: ‘Abençoado aquele que abandona um desejo presente por uma promessa ausente, invisível’. 16. Conta-se que Jesus disse: ‘Ó Deus, como posso eu dar-vos graça quando minhas graças são uma bênção concedida por Vós pela qual devo dar graça?’ Deus respondeu: ‘Se sabes disso, já me agradeceste’. Este provérbio se assemelha a um enigma teológico sobre o problema de livre-arbítrio e predestinação. Se Deus é o benévolo autor de todos os atos humanos, que mérito tem a ação de graças? Ainda assim, a pia aceitação desse ‘mistério’ pelo verdadeiro crente é recompensada por Deus.
17. Jesus passou certa vez por um encantador de serpentes que perseguia uma serpente. A serpente disse: ‘Espírito de Deus, dizei a esse homem que se ele não me deixar em paz, eu o cortarei em pedaços’. Quando passou de novo, Jesus viu a serpente na cesta do encantador. ‘não me disseste que cortarias esse homem em pedaços? Como acabaste onde estás?’ ‘Espírito de Deus’, respondeu a serpente, ‘ele me fez um juramento e depois traiu o juramento. O veneno de sua deslealdade é pior para ele que o meu’. 18. Pediram os discípulos a Jesus: ‘Dizei-nos, qual homem é o mais dedicado a Deus?’ ‘Aquele que trabalha para Deus sem buscar o louvor da humanidade’, respondeu Jesus. ‘Qual homem dá conselho sincero por amor de Deus?’, perguntaram. ‘Aquele que começa cumprindo seus deveres para com Deus antes de seus deveres para com os homens (e prefere) os deveres de Deus aos deveres dos homens. Quando diante de duas escolhas, assuntos mundanos e assuntos da vida após a morte, ele começa com o que se refere à vida após a morte e depois volta a atenção para este mundo’.
1. Nascimento e histórias de infância;
2. Milagres;
3. Conversas entre Jesus e Deus ou entre Jesus e os israelitas; e
4. Pronunciamentos divinos sobre a humanidade, servidão e lugar na linha profética. A primeira impressão que se pode obter das coletâneas iniciais desses provérbios e historias, segundo o autor, é que cada profeta representa um tipo de moral um tanto delimitado. Davi representa o arrependimento; Jó, o conforto divino depois da provação; Noé, a gratidão; Adão, o pranto pelo pecado; Luqman, a sabedoria antiga, e assim por diante.
Dos 303 provérbios e histórias do livro, transcreverei abaixo os que mais gostei:
1. Cristo passou por um grupo de pessoas que lhe lançaram insultos, e respondeu com bênçãos. Passou por outro grupo que o insultou, e respondeu igualmente. Um dos seus discípulos perguntou: ‘Porque é que quanto mais eles vos insultam, mais os abençoais? É como se convidásseis isso sobre vós mesmo.’ Cristo respondeu: ‘Uma pessoa só pode externar aquilo que tem dentro de si’. Outra parecida: 1.2. Conta-se que Jesus disse ‘Deus vos preserve’ a um homem que não merecia ser assim tratado. Perguntaram a Jesus: ‘Por que dizeis isso a alguém como ele?’ ele respondeu: ‘Uma língua acostumada ao bem fala assim com todos os homens’.
2. Disse Jesus: ‘Para o homem paciente, o infortúnio cedo resulta em tranquilidade; para o pecador, a tranquilidade cedo resulta em infortúnio’.
3. Dizia Jesus: ‘Se algum de vós der esmola com a mão direita, que o esconda da esquerda. Se rezar, que baixe a cortina da porta, pois Deus concede Seu favor como concede Seu sustento’.
4. Disse Jesus: ‘Por que eu não vejo em vós a melhor adoração?’ Eles disseram: ‘Qual a melhor adoração Espírito de Deus?’ Ele disse: ‘A humildade diante de Deus’.
5. Disse Jesus: ‘Ponde o vosso tesouro no céu, pois o coração do homem está onde está o seu tesouro’.
6. “Dizia Jesus: ‘Caridade não significa fazer o bem àquele que bem voa faz, pois isso é retribuir o bem com o bem. Caridade significa que deveis fazer o bem àquele que vos prejudica’.”
7. “Disse Jesus: ‘Não adianta virdes a saber o que não sabíeis, enquanto não agirdes de acordo com o que já sabeis. Demasiado conhecimentos só aumenta o orgulho se não agirdes de acordo com ele’.”
8. Jesus disse aos discípulos: ‘Ó discípulos, não lanceis pérolas diante de suínos, pois os suínos nada podem fazer com elas. Não concedais sabedoria a quem não deseja, pois a sabedoria é mais preciosa que pérolas e quem rejeita sabedoria é pior que um suíno’.
9. Disse Cristo: ‘Se desejais dedicar-vos inteiramente a Deus e ser a luz dos filhos de Adão, perdoai àqueles que vos fizeram mal, visitai os doentes que não vos visitam, sede bondosos com aqueles que são indelicados convosco, e emprestai àqueles que não vos reembolsam’.
10. Jesus costumava comer folhas de árvores, vestir camisas de crina e dormir onde quer que a noite o encontrasse. Não teve filhos que pudessem morrer, nem casa que pudesse cair em ruína; nem poupava o seu almoço. Dizia sempre: ‘Cada dia traz consigo seu próprio sustento’.
11. Disse Jesus: ‘Trabalhais para um mundo mesquinho e ignorais a grande vida após a morte, e sobre todos vós a morte passará’.
12. Disse Jesus: ‘Aquele que busca coisas mundanas é como o homem que bebe água do mar: quanto mais bebe, mais detento fica, até que ela o mata’.
13. Perguntaram a Jesus: ‘mostrai-nos um ato pelo qual possamos entrar no paraíso.’ Disse Jesus: ‘Não faleis de modo algum.’ Eles disseram: ‘Não podemos fazer isso.’ Jesus respondeu: ‘Então falai apenas o que é bom’.
14. Jesus certa vez passou por um homem que sofria e sentiu piedade dele, então disse: ‘Ó Deus, eu vos imploro que o alivieis.’ Então Deus revelou-lhe: ‘Como vou aliviá-lo daquilo com que estou aliviando?’. Essa história curiosa parece apontar para a necessidade de paciência no sofrimento como um modo de purgar a alma.
15. Disse Jesus: ‘Abençoado aquele que abandona um desejo presente por uma promessa ausente, invisível’. 16. Conta-se que Jesus disse: ‘Ó Deus, como posso eu dar-vos graça quando minhas graças são uma bênção concedida por Vós pela qual devo dar graça?’ Deus respondeu: ‘Se sabes disso, já me agradeceste’. Este provérbio se assemelha a um enigma teológico sobre o problema de livre-arbítrio e predestinação. Se Deus é o benévolo autor de todos os atos humanos, que mérito tem a ação de graças? Ainda assim, a pia aceitação desse ‘mistério’ pelo verdadeiro crente é recompensada por Deus.
17. Jesus passou certa vez por um encantador de serpentes que perseguia uma serpente. A serpente disse: ‘Espírito de Deus, dizei a esse homem que se ele não me deixar em paz, eu o cortarei em pedaços’. Quando passou de novo, Jesus viu a serpente na cesta do encantador. ‘não me disseste que cortarias esse homem em pedaços? Como acabaste onde estás?’ ‘Espírito de Deus’, respondeu a serpente, ‘ele me fez um juramento e depois traiu o juramento. O veneno de sua deslealdade é pior para ele que o meu’. 18. Pediram os discípulos a Jesus: ‘Dizei-nos, qual homem é o mais dedicado a Deus?’ ‘Aquele que trabalha para Deus sem buscar o louvor da humanidade’, respondeu Jesus. ‘Qual homem dá conselho sincero por amor de Deus?’, perguntaram. ‘Aquele que começa cumprindo seus deveres para com Deus antes de seus deveres para com os homens (e prefere) os deveres de Deus aos deveres dos homens. Quando diante de duas escolhas, assuntos mundanos e assuntos da vida após a morte, ele começa com o que se refere à vida após a morte e depois volta a atenção para este mundo’.
December 26, 2021
This is an amazing compendium of Jesus stories and sayings, translated and presented in a scholarly manner, from a number of `Arabic sources. The explanatory notes, the chronological arrangement, and bibliographical notes make this a priceless resource on the subject of the idea of Jesus in early Islam. Much of it displays the often direct influence of the canonical Gospel narratives, and there are some stories which are actually from the monks of the desert, but attributed to Christ. There are also, naturally, stories designed to emphasize a Jesus who reflects the Muslim context rather than the Christian or Jewish one, although even some of these use Islamic elements which actually would have been sourced originally from Jewish and/or Christian sources.
June 20, 2012
This is a really neat collection of sayings ascribed to Jesus from Muslim literature. Carefully annotated and thoroughly introduced, this is a unique book that adds to Christian/Muslim relations without arguing or reasoning. Even before reading this book, I had respect for Islam, but the respect I have now is more founded. Many thanks to the author for putting in the hard work and time this volume obviously required. What an achievement!
March 15, 2014
Many lovely sayings and things to consider throughout, unfortunately the editor explains throughout that some seemed to have been manipulated, which was slughtly sad for me because I was hoping to have found a book of more sound hadith about Jesus pbuh.
March 1, 2017
كتاب غريب، لو كتبه شخص مسيحي لما استطاع أن يضع كل هذه المبالغات فيه. المبالغة كانت احيانا تأتي على شكل اقوال إيجابية على لسان المسيح ولكن�� لم يقلها ( على الاقل هذا ما اخبرني به احد الاخوة المسيحين ) ، للتوضيح الكتاب لا يحوي اي ذم او نقد او استنقاص من الديانة المسيحية او الإنجيل
September 23, 2017
كتاب الدكتور طريف الخالدي هذا ربما يكون جديد في فكرته ، وهو أوجد نوع جديد من الأناجيل أسماه بالإنجيل الإسلامي ، قام بجمع روايات الرواة في كتب الرقائق والآثر عن نبي الله عيسى بن مريم، وعلق عليها ، وأظن أن المؤلف غير مسلم من خلال بعض الصياغات التي صاغ بها كلامه أو تعليقاته ، ولكن إطلاعه جيد نوعًا ما حول التاريخ والأديان ، الشيء الغريب أن الروايات الإسلامية عن الأئمة الكبار كابن مبارك وأحمد بن حنبل وابن أبي الدنيا وغيرهم من الأئمة والأدباء، غالبًا ما تقابلها نصوص مقاربه في إنجيل متى ، فأنا أقول -ربما- لو كانت هذه الروايات ليست من الروايات التي أخذها المسلمون من أهل الكتاب كالإسرائيلات أو ما شابه ، فقد يكون إنجيل متى من أصح الأناجيل ، والكتاب مصفف على حسب الرواة بالأقدمية، الأقدم ثم الذي يليه ، ولكن أحيانًا تَلمس مواضع الوضع في الروايات ، مثل تكرار السجع والجناس في قول عيسى ابن مريم رغم أنه لم تكن لغته العربية ، ولكن المؤلف طريف الخالدي الذي جعلني أقول أنه ربما غير مسلم هو المقدمة الطويلة التي كتبها في مقدمة الكتاب والتي -ربما- ألمح على أن الروايات المنسوبة الى المسيح إنما وضعت لظروف سياسة أو اجتماعية أو مذهبية ، فكل طائفة تضع من الروايات ما تقوي بهِ مذهبها وترد بهِ على المخالف وتستغل أسم المسيح في ذلك ، وأحيانًا يتعسف في إثبات ذلك ، والأمر الآخر هو تعليله للسرد القرآني عن المسيح إن بعض الأحداث التي وردت في القرآن غير موجودة في الأناجيل المعتمدة وإنما في الأناجيل الشرقية المنحوله ، فهو كان يلمح على أن مصدر هذه القصص ليس الوحي وإنما هذه الأناجيل المكذوبة ، لذلك أنا شخصيًا أفضل أن يَقفز الشخص عن قراءة المقدمة -رغم أهميتها في كل كتاب- خروجًا من التشويش الذي قد يوجده المؤلف في ذهن القارئ ، ولكن خلاصة المقال أن الكتاب يتعامل معه على أنه جملة من الإسرائيلات -رغم أن أول أثر ورد في صحيح مسلم-، وذلك لوجود انقطاع في السند مابين الراوي الأول والواسطة التي أخذ منها قصة المسيح، فعندما يقول مثلًأ عمر بن خطاب أن المسيح قال كذا وكذا، فعمر من أين أخذ هذه المعلومة؟ فلو كان هذا الآثر مرفوعًا لنسبه الى النبي، ولكن الأرجح أنه من أخبار أهل الكتاب (الإسرائيلات) وقد وضع الإمام ابن كثر منهجًا في التعامل مع هذه الروايات في مقدمة كتابة "البداية والنهاية"، فأقوال المسيح هنا يستأنس بها، وفيها من البلاغة والقوة الدامغة وجلد علماء السوء الشيء الكثير.
March 22, 2024
الانجيل برواية المسلمين
لطريق الخالدي
الكتاب مكون من جزئين جزء يتكلم فيه الكاتب عن طريقة رؤيته و بنائه على الكتاب و الجزء الاخر الذي أطلق عليه الانجيل برواية المسلمين كتاب جدا جميل فيه من الاحاديث و الايات الكثير التي تمدح النبي عيسى ابن مريم (على نبينا واله وعليه وامه السلام) ، فالكتاب محاولة توفيق خطاب تعايشي تلاحمي بين المسيحية و الاسلام بحيث ان يوضح في شتى المذاهب و الحركات الاسلامية يوجد ذكر للإنجيل الاسلامي واستنادات الكتاب متعددة ورائعة فقد استند على علماء المسلمين من سنة و شيعة بل واهل الحديث و المتصوفة و المتكلمين و الفلاسفة و الادباء في ذكرهم لنبي الله عيسى وتوضيح مكانته عند المسلمين .
اللهم ان بعض إشكالاته ما فهمت مغزاها و بعض تعليقاته مادري هل من سبب عند معرفة كيف يبني المسلمين عقيدتهم وقواعدهم الكلامية العقلية و قواعدهم النقلية ، فاعتقد ان هذا الجانب غاب عن الكاتب لكذا مشى على اراء بعض المستشرقين و تعامل مع الموضوع بالنقد الأدبي اكثر من الجوانب التي يبني بها المسلمين من لغة و أصول وغيرها فتعدد الترجمة في كتاب ما وتنقل الترجمة من أولى إلى ثانية فثالثة تجعل من المعاني ركيكة بل تضمحل ولا اعتقد ان اخذ الكاتب بهذا البعد بشكل كبير .
لطريق الخالدي
الكتاب مكون من جزئين جزء يتكلم فيه الكاتب عن طريقة رؤيته و بنائه على الكتاب و الجزء الاخر الذي أطلق عليه الانجيل برواية المسلمين كتاب جدا جميل فيه من الاحاديث و الايات الكثير التي تمدح النبي عيسى ابن مريم (على نبينا واله وعليه وامه السلام) ، فالكتاب محاولة توفيق خطاب تعايشي تلاحمي بين المسيحية و الاسلام بحيث ان يوضح في شتى المذاهب و الحركات الاسلامية يوجد ذكر للإنجيل الاسلامي واستنادات الكتاب متعددة ورائعة فقد استند على علماء المسلمين من سنة و شيعة بل واهل الحديث و المتصوفة و المتكلمين و الفلاسفة و الادباء في ذكرهم لنبي الله عيسى وتوضيح مكانته عند المسلمين .
اللهم ان بعض إشكالاته ما فهمت مغزاها و بعض تعليقاته مادري هل من سبب عند معرفة كيف يبني المسلمين عقيدتهم وقواعدهم الكلامية العقلية و قواعدهم النقلية ، فاعتقد ان هذا الجانب غاب عن الكاتب لكذا مشى على اراء بعض المستشرقين و تعامل مع الموضوع بالنقد الأدبي اكثر من الجوانب التي يبني بها المسلمين من لغة و أصول وغيرها فتعدد الترجمة في كتاب ما وتنقل الترجمة من أولى إلى ثانية فثالثة تجعل من المعاني ركيكة بل تضمحل ولا اعتقد ان اخذ الكاتب بهذا البعد بشكل كبير .
April 25, 2023
Christians can be surprised to learn that Muslims hold Jesus of Nazareth in high esteem. He is known to Muslims as Spirit of God and Word of God and Messiah. He is believed by devout Muslims to have been born of a virgin and to have ascended to Heaven. Even so, the Jesus you meet in the Qur’an and in early Muslim stories and sayings bears only a passing resemblance to the Jesus of the Christian Gospels.
Tarif Khalidi has compiled and translated vignettes told about Jesus and sayings attributed to him by Arabic Muslim poets and scholars of the pre-modern period—303 “snapshots” of the Muslim Jesus culled from sources dating from around 725 to around 1775. The book opens with a 45-page introduction in which Khalidi provides the cultural context for understanding the words and actions of Jesus as Muslim prophet and Sufi mystic.
This book is an invaluable resource for cross-cultural and inter-faith understanding.
Tarif Khalidi has compiled and translated vignettes told about Jesus and sayings attributed to him by Arabic Muslim poets and scholars of the pre-modern period—303 “snapshots” of the Muslim Jesus culled from sources dating from around 725 to around 1775. The book opens with a 45-page introduction in which Khalidi provides the cultural context for understanding the words and actions of Jesus as Muslim prophet and Sufi mystic.
This book is an invaluable resource for cross-cultural and inter-faith understanding.
December 2, 2019
I was interested to read this book to get a better sense of what some Muslims think or have been taught about who Jesus is. These saying/stories were collected from various Islamic authors down through the centuries following Islam's founding by Muhammad. They are extra-Qur'anic & Hadith. Some have some relatively clear connection to saying/stories from the Gospels--though many are from the false Gospels, like Thomas. Some are just kooky & twisted and are nowhere near the true Gospels' portrayal of who Jesus was/is. The test for any/all portrayals of Jesus needs to be what we were instructed by the Apostle John in I John 4:1-8. These clearly fail the test.
January 6, 2018
A fascinating collection of literature about Jesus from an Islamic perspective. This is a scholarly but accessible work and the author is drawn to the person of Jesus. The sayings and stories in question are obviously non-canonical and frequently heterodox in their portrayal of Jesus. That said, this book provides a clearer understanding of why Muslims not only honor Jesus as a prophet but see him as having many unique qualities. It is not surprising, therefore, to witness many being drawn to him as much more than a prophet.
December 14, 2017
الفكرة جميلة وتستحق ان تبحث بشكل جاد في رسالة دكتوراة في قسم العقيدة او قسم الحديث
اما هذا الكتاب فهو مليئ بالنقل عن روايات اسرائيلية فهي بضاعة مأخوذة من المسيحيين او روايات موضوعة او مكذوبة لكن لوتم بحث الموضوع بطريقة منهجية من خلال القران والحديث الصحيح لتغير الكتاب كثيرا
اما هذا الكتاب فهو مليئ بالنقل عن روايات اسرائيلية فهي بضاعة مأخوذة من المسيحيين او روايات موضوعة او مكذوبة لكن لوتم بحث الموضوع بطريقة منهجية من خلال القران والحديث الصحيح لتغير الكتاب كثيرا
August 8, 2022
Fantastic book. Gave me great insight into another religion and came away with maybe there's more in common that different. I think it would be good if more people in the US at least were exposed to this subject.
July 10, 2017
useful link to islam. but what does it say about jesus in the koran?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2018
An interesting study concentrating mainly on the subject of Jesus Christ in Islamic circles. It contains many sayings of Jesus quoted by Muslim writers and historians .
March 20, 2019
A great resource for the non-Arabic speaker on Jesus in the Hadith literature.
August 17, 2023
براي من مقدمه كتاب از بقيه متن كتاب بيشتر خوشايند بود. بعلت بعضي توضيحات و اشارات تاريخي به تاريخ ابتداي اسلام و تاثير جوامع مسيحي شرقي بر محيط اسلامي و شكل گيري متون وا رزشهاي اسلامي!
July 5, 2025
Less interesting than I thought it would be. I got more out of the introductory essay about the role of Jesus in Islam than I did out of the sayings themselves.
August 30, 2011
When I began my studies of Arabic Islamic history I kept hearing that the Christian Jesus and his mother Mary were most revered in Islam and that they showed up countless times in holy text.
I found this to be most surprising. It never occurred to me this thought. As with most historical religious study you tend to find or focus on those absolutes that separate us not the commons that bind us. My ignorance.
While this book is not necessarily exciting as it is not written that way. It is more of a collection of parables or pieces of wisdom. To read it on its own may not be the way to get the most from the book. To have this book on hand as one reads both the Christian and the Islamic holy texts might be better served. You can see how from one to the other culture the text are educating its people with much of the same guidance. All Abrahamic religions share a rich tradition culture and have their roots in an Hellenistic civilization. It was fascinating to me to read the author's introduction on his study methods and data collection. He took great care in the piecing together the "Muslim Gospels" as he refers to them as to show respect and thought to all ho share a moral voice.
A very interesting book to any one studying region, philosophy, or history.
195--- It was related that Christ was asked, "Until what age is it seemly to acquire knowledge?" He answered. "As long as life itself is seemly." (page 162)
I found this to be most surprising. It never occurred to me this thought. As with most historical religious study you tend to find or focus on those absolutes that separate us not the commons that bind us. My ignorance.
While this book is not necessarily exciting as it is not written that way. It is more of a collection of parables or pieces of wisdom. To read it on its own may not be the way to get the most from the book. To have this book on hand as one reads both the Christian and the Islamic holy texts might be better served. You can see how from one to the other culture the text are educating its people with much of the same guidance. All Abrahamic religions share a rich tradition culture and have their roots in an Hellenistic civilization. It was fascinating to me to read the author's introduction on his study methods and data collection. He took great care in the piecing together the "Muslim Gospels" as he refers to them as to show respect and thought to all ho share a moral voice.
A very interesting book to any one studying region, philosophy, or history.
195--- It was related that Christ was asked, "Until what age is it seemly to acquire knowledge?" He answered. "As long as life itself is seemly." (page 162)
February 13, 2010
An excellent work relating the Islamic conception of Jesus (alayhi salam) as an ascetic, something Christians can relate to. Khalidi does commentary on the sayings and stories- showing how some are related to certain Bible passages, other Gospels, other related Islamic texts and even citing reasons why some reports are fabricated. Hamza Yusuf wrote a similar piece, but Khalidi's work was on the shelf much earlier.
Excerpts:
A man saw Jesus (peace be upon him) walking on water and asked, "How can I come to walk on water?"
Jesus (peace be upon him) said: "When you see rocks and diamonds as being equal in worth!"
Jesus (peace be upon him) and his disciple's walked by the corpse of a dog. The disciple's complained, "How foul is it's stench!" Jesus alayhi salam, said: "But how white are it's teeth!"
(Khalidi made the insight as to the disposition of the Prophets peace be upon them as being one that see the good in things as more REAL than any evil or negative aspect. This account really illuminates that- similarly, in Islamic hadiths you find Muhammad (salalahu alayhi wasalam) when asked about his opinion of so-and-so, he says, "I know nothing of him/her except good" which is all the more important because the Prophets are true in their speech.)
Excerpts:
A man saw Jesus (peace be upon him) walking on water and asked, "How can I come to walk on water?"
Jesus (peace be upon him) said: "When you see rocks and diamonds as being equal in worth!"
Jesus (peace be upon him) and his disciple's walked by the corpse of a dog. The disciple's complained, "How foul is it's stench!" Jesus alayhi salam, said: "But how white are it's teeth!"
(Khalidi made the insight as to the disposition of the Prophets peace be upon them as being one that see the good in things as more REAL than any evil or negative aspect. This account really illuminates that- similarly, in Islamic hadiths you find Muhammad (salalahu alayhi wasalam) when asked about his opinion of so-and-so, he says, "I know nothing of him/her except good" which is all the more important because the Prophets are true in their speech.)
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