Schaffner

1 1) All of the Nar claim that God {Praise be to Him} is three unique persons and that all of those three persons are one single, harmonious nature. They said: Those three, in the perception of the certainty of the soul, are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They said: the Father is not one who was generated, the Son is a son [ibn] and a generated son [walad mald], and the Holy Spirit is neither a progenitor nor generated. Each one of the three, according to what we have said, is an existent being. They said: These three persons have not ceased being united together. One of them did not precede another in existence in spite of what we mentioned concerning the Father and the Holy Spirit and the generated one [walad]each one of them did not cease in regard to divinity and kingship. There was no difference between all three of them in regard to divinity, or in regard to eternity past, or in regard to power, or in regard to kingship, or in regard to will. All three of them are one in terms of nature [abah]. This [being that is] one in terms of nature is three in terms of separate persons, and that, like the sun, in regard to what is perceived of it by the senses; which is a single sun in its perfection and its essence [dht] and is three different things in its state [l] and its attributes. Each one of them is not the other in regard to its person and its attributeeven if it was identical in its essence and its nature. From that, they claim that the sun in regard to its identity [an] is like the Father and its light in it is like the Son and its heat from it is like the Spirit. Then it remains a sun with no doubt concerning it being one thing, even if it has this multiplicity, because the sun, if its light is separated from it, is not called a sun. Likewise, if its heat is separated from it is also not called a sun. The sun is only called and named a sun when each of these things is in it collectively. The human is likewise although he is as one in regard to humanity, we see him and you see him as a great number of things among which are his soul, his body,

Schaffner 2 his life, and his speech. His body is not his soulality [nafsniyyatihi], and his speech is not his life, because no one is able to claim that life is speech, nor that they are both together one harmonious thing because there are many (among the) living beings that do not talk and do not speak. They said, deceiving us: By maniq, we do not mean words that are heard audibly. Rather, we mean the thought which God created in the human, an instinct and a nature and a natural disposition [fira] particular to man, not in animals other than him like the life which God created in beasts and otherwise among the plants of the earth and its trees. If the life were the speech, then all living things would speak. All of the beasts would speak just as the sons of Adam speak. 2) They said: Since the matter is not like that, it demonstrates what we said about it the Father and the Son [ibn] and the Holy Spirit whether their perception is by reason or sense they became in essence and nature as one singularity and concerning the hypostases, which are the persons, as three in number. Nature unites them and forms them into one, while the hypostases separates them and makes them numerically diverse. The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Spirit. What we said of it in this regard is evident, and has been set forth [above]. All of them are one in regard to nature and essence and they are in three hypostases: Spirit, Son, and progenitor Father [b wlid]. The Father is a progenitor, not one who was generated; the Son is one who was generated, not a progenitor; and the Spirit is a third existent being, neither a progenitor nor one who was generated. 3) They said, then, that these three hypostases did not cease being together as three in number. They did not precede one another in existence, beginning or eternity. One of

Schaffner 3 them, the Son, was sent down from them to the earth to the Virgin Mary1 as a mercy to humans and mankind, without being separated from the Father and the Holy Spirit. He took a veil and a covering from her and became incarnate from her in a body, complete in total humanity. He became manifest in it and appeared in it to the eyes of observers as they looked at him. He ate just as humans eat, and he drank, and he traveled around on his two legs and he persevered and he became weary. As a mercy and compassion for humankind, he submitted himself to the cross and to that which came to him in terms of ill treatment and hardship on account of his generosity and magnanimity. 4) Thereafter, the Nar differed in what they claim concerning the son [ibn] and generated one [walad], and concerning that which was from his incarnation, concerning the body. The Rm said concerning him and their teaching is well-known that the divine hypostasis, who did not cease as an existent being, and was begotten by the father before the ages, was sent down to the Virgin Mary. He took from her a nature without a hypostasis. He was, [in addition] to her nature, a hypostasis. Through the nature he took from her, he did everything that was well-known in her nature. He slept just as she slept her sleep. Even though his hypostasis was not her hypostasis, he did the actions of her naturealthough his origin was not her origin in regard to humanity. They said: He acted according to her nature, thus al-Mas was a complete human with two natures, although he was one hypostasis, not two. Al-Mas, thus, was the eternally begotten Son [ibn] of God and the two natures that were existent in him acted together. They said: When he rejoiced or he wept, or laughed or complained all of them confess and do not doubt that he was weeping and laughing. That which consisted of all of that and things similar to it, 1 All personal names with a well-known English equivalent are rendered thus. 3

Schaffner 4 which is related to the nature of the human, was done by the human nature, and that which consisted of his resurrecting the dead and his healing the blind and the leper and things similar to it was done by the divine nature. 5) The Jacobites said that the Son, who did not cease to exist, left from the heavens to the earth. He descended as a mercy and in compassion for humanity and out of kindness from him toward man with beneficence. He took a body from the Virgin Mary, and became incarnate in it. He became together with it [the body]. They said: Do you not see that man is [composed] of spirit and body, but then is called a man by means of one word? You see both of them, although he is called a man. Is it not said to both of them that they are two in regard to humanity, but it is said that he is one man, while he is, as you know, a spirit and a body. They said: Likewise, al-Mas, who is the association of divinity and humanity, is called a Messiah who is the Son [ibn] of God who does not cease to exist. Do you not see that this teaching, concerning what we mentioned and we reflected upon is evidently true? 6) The Nestorians said that the son, who does not cease to exist, in his love, descended out of mercy and kindness. He became incarnate from Mary during his descent in a perfect and complete body with a nature and a hypostasis from humanity [insnya wadamya]. Al-Mas was two complete natures and two complete hypostases after his incarnation in the body. They said: When we see him eating and drinking, coming and going on earth, and getting tired, suffering, laughing, and crying; we consider all of that and what we saw concerning it and things similar to it to be from humanity. When we see him reviving the dead and healing the sick and walking on the water, we consider that [to be] on account of divinity.

Schaffner 5 7) Every sect of the Nar said, despite their differences and the divergence of their teachings, that the reason of the descent of the divine Son, who descended from heaven, was as a mercy to humankind and to comply with the messengers and prophets. They said that this happened because of the transgression of Adam that is, when he sinned and ate from the tree which God had forbiddenhe disobeyed and God the Blessed and Exalted freed himself from responsibility of him and submitted him to Satan through following him. They said: He became in the domain of Satan and the realm of his authority. Likewise, they claimed that all of his descendants were together with him in it, Satan governing them just as he liked to rule. They said: Among those over whom Satan ruled, i.e., Adam and his descendants, were many souls of the prophets of God and his messengers. Among them were the souls of Noah and Abraham and others from among the messengers and the prophets. They said: The Son used subtle means and stratagems in order to extract those souls from the hand of Satan. On account of that and for that reason he clothed himself in a human [damyan] body in order that he would be, while he was clothed with it, hidden from Satan. With that, the Son disguised himself from him in order that Satan would not be on guard for him or uncover his deception. 8) They said: When sin overcame the people and affliction resided with them, they claim it became evident to Adam what influence Satan had on him and his trickery and deception of him. At that time, the Son deceived Satan by his cunning. He attained what he wanted in regard to the matterhe extracted Adam and all his offspring from the power and hand of Satan. They said: All of that, it was only the Son sacrificing himself on the cross and due to the hardship he encountered before it as a benevolent action from the Son toward us, and out of generosity and kindness and mercy from the Son to us. They

Schaffner 6 said: The Son purchased mankind from his Father, through the suffering and cross that came to him. Which, they claim, means that it was not in accordance with the wisdom and justice of his Father that he take unjustly from Satan what he had conceded to him, i.e., Adam and his descendants, and that had come to obey Satan and his command, because according to their doctrines, they claim he said to Satan, All those who follow you belong to you. They said: For that reason, the Son purchased us justly from his Father and by means of cunning, he wrested from Satan that which was in his hand, i.e., us. 9) When he extracted Adam and the souls of the messengers and prophets after he completed his treatment of Satan, he ascended to heaven after a period of forty days had passed from his crucifixion. They said: He sat at the right hand of his father, complete in his entire being and body, and all of that which was in him in regard to divinity and humanity, and all the attributes that were in both of them and belonged to both of them. They said: He will descend again another time to judge the living and the dead at the annihilation of the world. They said: On account of that, we believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. They said: The Father is he who created things by his Son and preserves them by his Holy Spirit. 10) Concerning this, may one who wants to know, know all of the teachings of the Nar, and the confusion with which they clothed themselves concerning the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the hypostases and nature; and the innovative teachings they had concerning that, which was not taught before them. Neither an answerer [mujb] nor a questioner dispute concerning them, and their teaching is that the three are, in some respect, made into one, and in another respect, the Oneness [al-taud] is made into three.

Schaffner 7 In regard to the reason of the descent [sabab nuzl] of the Son, they claim it is from the sin of Adam, and that which they said concerning that consists of a disparity with all peoples. After this, we did not leave any of their teachings unknown except to the ignorant. 11) We, God willing, begin and refute chapter by chapter what they are saying and defining. May anyone from the People of the Tawd and the Dawa who wants to debate them, understand that. Truly offer, God willing, the chapter of fatherhood and sonship, saying to all of them: Inform us about the these names which you designated and you alleged, which are from the fictitious tales of sayings concerning them. That which you allege, which you claim is among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is not proven by anythingneither from an analogical syllogism nor from any of the five senses. What are these names? Are they natural,2 essential,3 substantial4 names? Or, are they personal,5 hypostatic6 names? Or, do you say they are accidental,7 nonessential8 names? Surely, according to you, if you name the father as such because he, as you claim, begot one who was begotten [walad] and a son [ibn], then these names are not natural or essential names. They are also not hypostatic or personal names, but they are accidental and nonessential, happening at the occurrence of children, clearly differentiating the begetters and the begotten. These are not natural nor hypostatic names, not according to al-Rm, nor according to others. The natural [names] are only but named according to their nature and their essence and according to all of that which completes them in their association.
2 3

abya Dhtya 4 Jawharya. 5 Shakhya. 6 Uqnmya 7 ditha 8 Araya

Schaffner 8 12) We are indeed more knowledgeable about names related to the reason derived from the actions that took place, because the name of the nature is not the name of the hypostasis, and the name of the hypostasis is not the name of the well-known activity. The name of the nature is fixed; there is neither variation nor change in regard to it. There is a name for it, determinate and designatedit does not act without restriction or differ in regard to it, because then it would indicate hypostasis and a passive action, but it is the name of the thing itself. It indicates it, not its kind [jins]. For example, the earth, heaven, fire, and water and the names of things that are similar, which are indicative of the substances [ayn] of things these are the names of the essences [dht] and the natural elements [abi], not the names of hypostases and created things. As for the names of the hypostatic beings, such as Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus; these are neither natural nor accidental. Fatherhood, sonship, actions, and faculty; these are not personal hypostatical names; they are only names indicating substances [ayn], like humanity, which indicates the human. 13) In regard to what we have made clear concerning our definition of the names, {God be praised!}, there is an argument concerning the appellations among them which is not rejected except by one who is among the people of ignorance and blindness, because according to them, names for things are according to three things: A name of a substance [jauhar] is like earth and heaven; a name of a hypostasis is like such and such a person who is well-known; and a third name is accidental and from an occurrence, and by it every thing that comes to be is designated. 14) The three sects of the Nar claim {May God save us from ignorance} that they find, in what is before them, i.e., the books of the prophets, that al-Mas son of Mary is God and

Schaffner 9 he is the Son [ibn] of God. Thus, in their teaching, they claim this son is his father. Then, again, they made the father his father negligently, heedlessly, discordantly, blindly, lyingly, and aberrantly [which is] in agreement with the words of God in regard to them and those similar to them from among the people of ignorance who defend their writings: <<Surely you speak at variance, and perverted therefrom are some. Perish the conjecturers who are dazed in perplexity.>>9 15) The Nar took and accepted these books, according to what they claim, from the Jews, who, according to them, crucified al-Mas {The blessings of God be upon him}. According to the Nar, there is no one among their leading people or their common people who is just or praiseworthy. His testimony would not be accepted about a Jew like him, so how is their testimony about God the Most High and his messengers accepted? Moreover, regarding all of that which the Nar said: we have sound outcomes in our interpretation. They are obvious to what God made clear of it except to one who does not receive about God an exposition or a recommendation. But the Nar interpret these books with their opinions and in proportion to the conformity of their caprice. Thus they go astray concerning that and what they interpret of it is with the blindness of interpretation, and they lead those who follow them about it astray on the way of evil. If God wills, it will be said to them, concerning what they interpreted and claimed and forged in regard to the books of the prophets [are such that] they invented that which no one preceded them to it, nor did any forger or heretic say it before them. 16) Truly weneither us nor youdid not know the prophets or al-Mas son of Mary {The peace and blessings of God be upon him}. Nor did weneither us nor youknow one of
9

Qurn 51:7-10, Arberrys translation.

Schaffner 10 his disciples. Then we would [have been able to] ask one of them whom we knew about what weus and youdisagreed about. Let us be bound, in regard to interpretation, with that which you understood from the prophets {Upon them be peace}, and let uswe and you be agreed on the truth in regard to that on which we disagreed among the sayings. Justice is unavoidable for us and you in regard to the disagreement that occurred between us and you. If we treat each other equitably, we will be in harmony. If we depart from equitability, we will dispute. Still, we would never return to harmony except by a return by us to equitability. Aside from God, being equitable with each other is the just arbiter between two disagreeing parties, and is the healing cure, of which there is never a cure in anything else for those who are equitable with each other. Establish the truth in your souls, so that with your equitability, by the permission of God, you may escape your confusion. Abandon your arbitrary views for the truth, so that you will be happy in regard to your religious and worldly affairs. Establish what your lord sent down to you, i.e., the Torah and the Injl, and renounce the lie about God in both of them by the blindness of interpretation, so that you will be rightly guided, if God wills, to the aims of your paths. You will eat, as God said, from above you and from below your feet. Understand the words of al-azz al-wahhb concerning you and concerning others among the people of the book: <<If they had established the Torah and the Injl and what was sent down to them from their Lord, then they would have eaten from above them and from below their feet. Among them there is a just umma, but many of them, evil is what they do.>>10 There is enough with this as evidence from God to a reasoning people concerning the people of the book. Let one from among them or others who comprehend, learn that, in
10

Qurn 5:65

10

Schaffner 11 regard to what God mentioned to them in regard to food and similar things, there is a clear, amazing sign. To one who understands it with his reason, it proves that it was not sent down except by the one knowledgeable of unknown things, to whom the innermost secrets of the hearts are not hidden. 17) Then, among the people of the book, in particular al-Nar and what they practice greed, toil, and acquisitionwe do not see a community among the people of the book more interested in food and drink and the accumulation of silver and gold than them, a peculiarity not among others than themwhich is well known among their rich and their poor. It is for that reason that God {May he be praised} says concerning themand in it there is an explanation of what we said in regard to all of that about them: <<Surely, many of the religious authorities and monks eat the wealth of the people with vain operations and deter from the path of Godannounce painful torment to them.>>11 18) Apart from a few of them, their monks and deacons are always supplied with sustenance by the mighty and the weak of their community. Among the monks and deacons, there is not [321] one who has to bear the costs of his food or drink or clothing, or what is beneficial to him at all. Those who provide those things to them are among their laity and their weakthat is considered as a pious act and flattery in the view of those who worship. 19) First, what will be said, God willing, to one among them who wants equity for himself, and with those who take part in the debates between him and one of the people proclaiming the divine unity in regard to what they claim from the booksO, be equitable concerning what you claim in regard to the testimonies of the books. Do not make claims concerning them or interpret a dubious interpretation in regard to them, which would
11

Qurn 9:34

11

Schaffner 12 increase you in confusion even further. If you and we will interpret the books on the basis of what you had said and what we had said, then we would have a similar interpretation, but our teachings concerning it differ from your sayings. If that is more agreeable to you, then understand what will be introduced to [against] you in relation to it. Nothing but what weus and you are agreed upon about it will be introduced concerning it. 20) Weus and you togetherall agree it is your teaching and our teaching, that the most reliable of the witnesses and the most just among them are five witnesses and it will be incumbent upon us and you that we accept them. The first of them, we and you claim, is the witness of God. The second is the witness of the angels of God. The third is the sayings of al-Mas and his witness. The fourth is in what his mother and his progenitor [wlida] testify about him. The fifth is the witness of the disciples and what they had said. Among these five witnesses, there is nothing you deny. We and you will be satisfied with them in regard to what we claim and you claim concerning al-Mas. 21) We found and you found divergent testimonies in all of the four Gospels, both in our opinion and your opinion. We and you had encompassing knowledge of what is in the Gospel, which is called among you the Gospel of Matthew12, which you do not deny, such as his words at the beginning of what he is writing in his gospel: This is the birth of Jesus [Yesua] al-Mas, son of David. This is his witness, and it is from the disciples, that the father of al-Mas is David, and that al-Mas is his son and he was born from him. In addition to this witness, there are many similar things in the four gospels. Concerning that, there is an argument against youirrefutable, manifest, and brilliant: 22) Among them is the witness of al-Mas {The blessings of God be upon him} to his
12

m-th-l : matta

12

Schaffner 13 disciples that they are all sons of the father, and that God is the father of all of them together. This proves that the interpretation of sonship and fatherhood is different from the claim you maintained about them. 23) Among them is the witness of al-Mas that the disciples are his brothers. If you wish to say that that is in regard to genealogy or something else, then they are, on account of that, not to him according to his witness {Blessing of God be upon him} when you claim that he is the son of the father. 24) Among them is the witness of his mother {Blessings of God be upon her}, that he is the son of Joseph [Ysuf], her forefather and her father. 25) Among them is the saying of Philip [Filifus] to one who questioned him, when he said to him after his question about him: He is the one whom Moses [Ms] mentioned in the Torah [al-Trh], and his genealogy {Blessings of God be upon him} is in it, when giving his name, he said: Yas ibn Ysuf.13 Everyone among you who has some knowledge knows that. 26) Among them, there is also the witness of John [Yay], which proves that the meaning of sonship and offspringship is only a meaning of love and patronage and worship, since he says: Truly these are those who received his words and submitted to him in regard to what they heard of him. They were not born from flesh and blood, or from the mixture of bile and phlegm. But they claim to have been born from God and to have been given from the generosity of God, that which they approved and praised.14 27) The interpretation of this and things similar to it, if there was truth in it, can only be according to that which would be valid for it to be true about him, and not according to 13 John 1:45, Matthew 1:1 14 John 1:12-13, 16 13

Schaffner 14 what is impossible for minds and intellects. The saying concerning the interpretation is false and self-contradictorythat the lord is a slave, and the progenitor is something generated with his birth. That is the most ignorant of ignorances and in that there is contempt for reason. 28) Surely they heard the words of the angel to Mary {Blessings and peace of God be upon them and upon her} when that which they brought consisted of the good news of her giving birth to al-Mas, her son: You will give birth to a son.15 They did not say, You will give birth to the son of God. They said, He will be called Jesus [Yas], and he will be greatly exalted by God and inherit the throne of his father, David.16 If he were like what they said, then the angel would have said, You will give birth to the Son of God, and he will be born from you. Then he would have been too great in rank and importance to have been called the son of a man. 29) Likewise, the angels said to Josephwho you claim was her husbandwhen he wanted to repudiate her and let her go her way when her pregnancy was apparent, O Joseph son of David, do not forsake the way of your wife. Surely, the one who is in her is from the Holy Spirit. He will be called Jesus [Yasa] and through him, God will revive his people from their sins, with the permission of God.17 30) Among that which they claim, and they know that it is a proof against them and testifies against what they claimed and they believed, which consisted of the errors of their teachingsthey claim God said in their Injl in regard to al-Mas b. Maryam {Blessings

15 Luke 1:31 16 Luke 1:31-2 17 Matthew 1:19-21 14

Schaffner 15 of God be upon him}: This is my beloved and pure son.18 And the words of Simon Peter [Simn al-Saf] to him: You are the son of the true God.19 What they mentioned from thisif it is trueand things similar to it, which they were claiming about God and about his messengers, an interpretation was found for it, which makes what they said vain and vanishing. They do not deny it and they do not refute it, and they will not call those who differ from them in regard to it liars, nor can they dispute it. Among that is that about which they and others are united. None of them differed in regard to it, nor did they dispute with each otherthose that were angels of God and those among the messengers of God who had passed away. They did not glorify al-Mas at all, nor did they worship him. Not one of them claims that God begot him. 31) Among the interpretations which they mentioned in regard to the generated one [walad] and the son [ibn] in [323] the time of al-Mas and every time, is that the people did not cease calling one whom they adopted, loved, and was beloved to them as son [ibn] and offspring [walad], even though he was not their son [walad] by means of sexual generation. Moreover, that did not cease to be well-known among them, in the past and more recent times and in particular the ancient times among the scholars and wise people. The wise person among them said: O, my son to one whom he taught, and the pupil called his teacher by the name of fatherhood. It is saidI said and we said O, our father, and perhaps one of them said, O, my father. Or do you not see what one of them said: The fathers of our spirits, They are those who brought us out of the abode of ruin. 18 Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Mark 9:35 19 Matthew 16:16 15

Schaffner 16 The one who taught knowledge is the best father He is the father of spirit, not the father of sperm. That, {Praise be to God!}, is the most common existing thing in all of the communities the merciful among them say it to one who is not born as a son to him. 32) An example of that was what al-Mas {Blessings of God be upon him} said many times to the disciples, which the Nar do not deny: Lead us to our father. They said: O, our father, make food descend from your heavens for us.20 And his saying to them {Blessings of God be upon them}: They said, O, our father, may your name be glorified. May your kingdom and your justice descend on the earth.21 Would anyone imagine that he is a father procreating and begetting and undergoing change and feeding himself? Or that crucifixion or hardship or pain would reach him? No {May God be praised}, not at all! May our lord be blessed and exalted above that matterhowever, he is more merciful, more kind, and more affectionate to us, and more forgiving than all their fathers and mothers[even] than ourselves in regard to the worries that worry us. 33) It was mentioned on the authority of one of the wise men, among those who passed from the first of the ancients, that he, when in glorification and invocation of God, said: God is the one who is loving toward mankind in his essence, and only intends love toward them and mercy and compassion on them. Likewise the Compassionate and Generous said: Truly God is kind and merciful with mankind.22 Who is kinder and more merciful with them and nicer and more generous to them than one created them in the beginning, who made them well and bestowed on them his blessings, then, {May He be exalted!}, 20 Matthew 6:11 21 Matthew 6:9-10 22 Qurn 2:143 16

Schaffner 17 guided them in the right way and made clear to them error and destruction? There is no one! Praise be to God for his favor! 34) Let us listen to the voice of God in regard to all of that, that what can be argued against those who do not believe in his lord in ignorance or impudence, are the sayings of alMas b. Maryam to them, in regard to what they claimed in their Gospel: I am his son and he is my father. And his saying: I came to you from my father, [324] and what I heard from him, I say to you.23 You, if you were from him, you would receive the command from him with which I came to you.24 But, you are from Satan and you are his sons, and for that reason you accept his words, you do not oppose him. You are only sons of sin and Satan is its father. You are subject to your obedience to him, thus you are his sons.25 They said: We are sons of Abraham, and they hurled a great accusation at him.26 He said: You are not the descendants [wuld] of Abraham, nor his sons [ban]. If you were his descendants, you would act in accordance with what he approves,27 but you are the sons of Abraham and sin.28 Inform me, is there one among you who can hope for God on account of his disobedience? Why do you desire my killing. Why do you not accept my words?29 If you acted in obedience to God, then you would be sons of God. 35) He considered, just as you saw, God as a father to those who obeyed him and pleased him, and considered Satan as a father to those who obey him and follow his caprice. This is sufficient as an irresistible, convincing proof, and a definitive testimony against those 23 John 8:38 24 John 8:42 25 John 8:44a 26 John 8:33 27 John 8:39-40 28 John 8:44 29 John 8:37 17

Schaffner 18 among al-Nar who interpret fatherhood and sonship according to what they have interpreted about it. All of that which we have said about it, all of al-Nar confirm it in their Gospel and do not disagree about it. If fatherhood and sonship were not except in accordance with what they said, then it would necessarily follow for them that they would interpret all of what is in their Gospel in regard to fatherhood and sonship just as they interpreted. All of them would affirm in their Gospel what we will mention along with what we have mentioned, if God wills, which are from their sayings. 36) They claim that in it and in what they add to it: Al-Mas departed from the villages and withdrew into the desert and fasted forty days, not eating any food or drinking anything in them. The Devil [Ibls] came to him during his fasting and withdrawal and presented to him all the splendors of the world and showed them to him. When al-Mas saw all of that, the Devil [Ibls] asked him to prostrate to him one prostration, on account of which he would give him all that he saw. Al-Mas cursed him and shamed him, and said: Prostration to anyone other than God is not permissible. Far be it from you, O enemy of God! They claim Ibls said to him, among the words which passed between them: Today is day forty for you. You have not drank a drink and you have not eaten food. Call God, if you are beloved to him, so that he would make these stones as silver and gold for you. He said to him: Do you not know, O Cursed One, that the words of God are sufficient as a replacement for all food and drink for those who love God?30 Among the words of God which he mentioned {Blessings of God be upon him}, there are things of which there is no equal in any book. 37) They claim in their Gospels that God revealed to Joseph, husband of Mary, after she gave 30 Matthew 4:1-4, 8-10 (paraphrased, reordered). 18

Schaffner 19 birth to al-Mas, things of which God was more knowledgeable. Leave with the boy and his mother to Egypt and remain in it, you and Mary and her son (ibn), until I make the death of Hrods evident to you. He was a king of al-Rm, a ruler over the sons of Israel. He wanted the death and destruction of Jesus [s], so Joseph left with Mary and her son (ibn) at night. They claim God completed with all of that, some of what he revealed to him in some of the books of his messengers, when he said {Praise be to him}, From Egypt I called my pure one.31 38) They said in their Gospel: When Hrods died, God revealed to Joseph that he had died, so he departed with s and his mother to the land of Israel.32 They claim that all of this could be found with them in what was in their hands, that is, the Gospel, that, When Joseph arrived with both of them, he heard that Klds became king of the Jews after his father, as his father had ruled. So he was afraid for Jesus [s] and worried about him. God, the blessed and exalted, revealed to him to go to the mountain of Galilee [al-Jall] and stay there. He departed until he descended from it to a city called Nira, confirming what God revealed previously in one of his books, and concerning what he mentioned in regard to s and the matter, in that he would exist and be called a Nir.33 For that reason, they see that everyone who becomes a Christian [tanaara] is called Narn.34 39) When Jesus [s] grew, he appeared in the days of John, and John {Blessings of God be upon both of them} was among those who responded positively to him. He came to him and ordered him to purify him and wash him in the Jordan River. That was a cleansing from sin for those who repent and believe. According to what they claim in their Gospel, 31 Matthew 2:13-15 32 Matthew 2:19-21 (paraphrased) 33 Matthew 2:22-23 (paraphrased) 34 Look up and summarize discussion from McAuliffes Qurnic Christians 19

Schaffner 20 he said, I cleanse you all, just as you see, in the water, and the one who is coming to you after me; he is more honorable to God than I. He is the one in whose hand God put the winnowing fork. He does not put anything in his treasure store except the good and pure grain, and that which remained after that was sifted and chaff. That which did not possess value and is not precious is burned in the fire which does not cease, where the burning remains and lasts forever.35 40) When s heard the reports of John {Blessings of God be upon both of them and all the prophets} and what he was doing; his cleansing of the believers (al-muminn), he came to John from the mountains of Galilee [al-Jall] in order that he would baptize him in the water and purify him. Yay {Peace be upon him} detested his arrival and his command on account of that and Yay {Peace be upon him} said: I am in need of you, yet you are coming to me seeking cleansing? s {Blessings of God be upon him and his brother Yay} said: Leave this aside for now. Is it is necessary for us that we achieve all of the qualities of the pious, or all that which we are able to from them. So Yay let him do it at that time. He washed and accomplished from that what he intended to accomplish.36 41) Then he heard that the Jews killed John, so he fled to the land of al-Jall. He dwelt in Kafranm Yatfyy [Napthali] near the border of Zabln. They claim God revealed to [326] Shuab the prophet {Blessings of God be upon him} concerning the place to which Jesus would go, which is Zabln.37 As he went and resided there, he was frequently roaming around, traveling about in the land of al-Jall, preaching and teaching what God requires of every race and tribe, healing every sickness and pain among the Ban Isrl, 35 Matthew 3:11-12 (paraphrased) 36 Matthew 3:13-15 37 Matthew 4:12-13 20

Schaffner 21 until his deeds, his preaching and his teaching were heard in every area and region. All those who had pain or sickness from among the lepers, the demon-possessed, the blind, and the crippled came. He healed them, God willing, from their various horrible sicknesses. A great many from every tribe of the land of al-Jall and from the ten cities and the people of Bait al-Maqdis and from across the Jordan were set free by his touch.38 42) When s {Blessings of God be upon him} saw those crowds, and those that had gathered to him, he climbed a high mountain. He ascended it in order that his words would be heard by all of those who had gathered. When he had ascended, he sat. Then he drew his disciples near to him.39 Then, he said: Blessed in the spirit by God on a future day are the poor who possess piety. How much more will their reward be in the kingdom of God, and the place of rest and dwelling! Blessed are those who are contrite over their sin in this world. How much more will God forgive their sin on a future day! Blessed are the humble before God, how much more will they inherit the earth from God! Blessed are the hungry and thirsty for God with reverence. How much more will they be satisfied with food and their thirst quenched on the Day of Resurrection and Assembly [yam al-baath wa-l-ashr]! Blessed are the merciful in God. How much more will they attain mercy of God! 38 Matthew 4:23-25 39 Matthew 5:1-2 21

Schaffner 22 Blessed are those who are pure in their hearts when they see their Lord. How much more profitable will he make their future and benefit them! Blessed are those who work for the peace of God. Surely they will be called the sincere friends of God! Blessed are those who are rejected for deeds of piety. How much more will they rule in the kingdom of heaven till the end of the age!40 43) Then he said {Blessings of God be upon him} to those who responded positively to him and to his disciples: Blessed are you when you are abused and rejected concerning me and on account of me, when words of evil and lies are said to you on account of me from them. May your joy be great, because God will make your light great in heaven and preserve your rewards in the hereafter. Truly you will be ill-treated, just as the messengers and prophets before you were ill-treated. Or lies will be told about you, just as lies and forgeries were said about God before you.41 44) You are the salt of the earth. When the salt becomes putrid, what will season with salt? At that time it is not good except to be thrown out and discarded. It is something to be trampled underfoot as dust in the intersections of the roads. You are the light of the world, which should not be hidden to those who look and see. Are you able to hide or conceal a city, visible on a hill? Is a lamp lit, then carried under covers? No. Rather, it is carried on a high lamp stand in order to shed light and it illuminates and makes visibleit is not hidden. Likewise, you are lights to men with your light shining in order that they may see, looking to your good work, that they praise God, your Lord, who purified you

40 Matthew 5:3-10 41 Matthew 5:11-12 22

Schaffner 23 and bestowed blessings upon you, which he gave.42 [327] 45) No one should believe that I came in order to refute the Torah [al-taurt] and the Gospel [al-Injl] and the prophets, nor to destroy anything of all the things that came from God. Rather, I came to complete all of those things, and for the confirmation of all the orders of God concerning him and his messengers. Even more, I tell you a true saying, and announce news to you, so understand it as true, that not one of the verses of God will undergo alteration or change, until the heavens and earth are changed and pass away. One who destroys one of the verses of God, or alters the most minor of his commandments, having taught these alterations and deviations to one of the people, whether the verse was little or big, will be considered vile and deficient in the kingdom of God. But the one who teaches them just as they were sent down, will be complete and pure in the end. In truth I say to you, if you were not among the pious, and your piety greater than the piety of the scribes and religious authorities, you will not enter on a future day into the kingdom of God, the Much-Forgiving.43 46) Indeed, you have heard that it was said in the Torah [al-Taurt] not to kill the forbidden soul and the one who killed them deserved painful punishment in this world. Truly I say to you, that the one who said to his brother a vile word, wronging him, deserves punishment unless God brings forth repentance from them. One who said to his brother, in order to insult him, you uncircumcised fool, he deserves the fires of Gehenna [jahannam] in the last day. Rather, the one among you who presents his sacrifice on the altar, approaching it in order to offer it up, then remembers that his brother was upset about himlet him cast away his sacrifice and go to his brother in order to make peace 42 Matthew 5:13-16 43 Matthew 5:17-20 23

Schaffner 24 with him.44 47) Indeed it was said in the Torah [al-Taurt], Do not lie when you make oaths, but speak the truth when you swear by God and take an oath. Truly I say to you, do not swear by anything. Do not swear obedience with an oath, nor put to the test, nor make oaths by heaven, which is the place of the throne of God and in it are the angels of God, nor by the earth, which is the dwelling of the mercy of God and his verses, nor by any living thing, nor by the head of a human. On the contrary, let it be that your words are yes and no and certainly not in regard to what you say and decline. That which is other than that is from evil and scorn.45 48) One who asked anything of one of you, let him present it, even if it was expensive and costly.46 49) Truly you have heard that it was said: Love your friends and hate those people who are your enemies. I say to you, love in God your enemies and invoke a blessing on those who curse you and harm you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who cause pain to you in order that you will be among the good friends of God, and in order that you will win the mark of honor and approval from God who makes his sun [328] come up on the godly and the impudent and sends down his rain on the unjust and the pious. If you only love those who love you, what kind of reward will there be at that time for you? Or, is that not the custom and ten-fold like that concerning what they are doing between them?47 50) Do not let people perceive charity and zakh, nor your prayers to God. Your works done 44 Matthew 5:21-24 45 Matthew 5:33-37 46 Matthew 5:42 47 Matthew 5:43-47 24

Schaffner 25 in hypocrisy will be of no avail to God, and you will receive the reward of them in full in this world. But let your charity to God, concerning what is between you and between God be hidden and in secret. Truly God your Lord, who sees your secrets will attribute them to you openly and publicly.48 51) When you are in prayer or submission to God, do not stand in that way in the roads and assemblies like the hypocrites, which they are in on account of their status. In truth I say to you, they have taken their reward for their deeds. When you pray, do not raise your voice and your supplication out of hypocrisy. Truly God knows before you ask him what things you are in need of from him. But if you pray, pray to God alone, and when you judge on his earth, judge with justice.49 52) And say: Our lord who is in heaven, may your name and your wisdom be sanctified, and your kingdom and your power be made great. Reveal your judgment on your earth, just as it proclaims you in your heaven. Provide us food in our days of poverty and forgive us our previous crimes, just as we forgive those who wrong us. Forgive us by your mercy even if we have committed a crime , do not submit us, our lord, to temptation. Save us from the Evil Ones cunning. Truly, to you is the kingdom and the power and from you is judgment and forgiveness, for all eternity and unto the ages of ages. Know that you, if you forgive people what is between them and you, surely God {May He be praised} will forgive you.50 53) When you fast, do not alter your faces. Wash your faces and anoint your heads so that people do not learn of your fasting. Truly God, for whom you are fasting in secret, will 48 Matthew 6:1-4 49 Matthew 6:5-8 50 Matthew 6:9-15 25

Schaffner 26 repay you for your fasting in public openly.51 54) Do not store up your treasures nor put your treasures on the earth. Truly the moth will destroy what is on the earth and the termites will eat it. It will be subject to pests and the thief will take it. But store up your treasures and put your savings in the high heavens, where nothing is corrupted, nor vanishes by theft, nor is there a pest. It is not bestowed as food for a worm nor a termite. In truth I say to you that where your treasure and your savings are, there are your hearts and minds.52 55) Know that the lamp of the body is the eye. If the eye is filled with bright light, then the body is filled with bright light. But if the eye is blind and dark, the body is in blind darkness. If the light which is in you is in darkness, then it does not see and does not perceive. With you, you, your senses see darkness and how much more are your hearts blinder and darker?53 56) Know that God did not put two hearts inside of anyone and that one of you is not able to serve two lords. It is inevitable for him that if he exalts one of them and honors him, he will neglect [329] the other from favor and ignore him. Or, he will despise one of them and honor the other and exalt him. Likewise, you are not able to serve God and exalt him when you strive for wealth, joining it together and multiplying it.54 57) For the sake of that, truly I say to you, do not be concerned with what you will eat or with what you will drink, or with what you will wear. Are not the limbs of the body and bodies which God created for you nobler, greater, and bigger than food and drink? Or, are not the souls which God created for you more preferred by God than clothing and dress? 51 Matthew 6:16-18 52 Matthew 6:19-21 53 Matthew 5:22-23 54 Matthew 6:24 26

Schaffner 27 Look to the birds of the earth and heavens, and the animals of the water which God created, which do not plant a seed, or harvest it, or store it on a whim, or pile it up. God your Lord, who is in heaven, provides subsistence for them every day what is suitable for them in regard to nourishment. Look to the plant of the field which does not weave and does not spin, and is not concerned with anything, and did not work and how God, in his time, clothes every species, beautifying its adornments or in loveliness or in blossoms. Truly I say to you that Sulaimn b. Dd, in all his sovereignty and power, was not equal to the adornment in clothing of a single plant of its kind that God clothed. The grass possesses adornment and blossoms at the time of its flowering, then after a little while and after some time, it will be made into fuel for the fire, still God {His name is Sublime and Exalted} clothes it with splendor and blossoms, as he has not clothed you. You, it is necessary for you, O people of little faith, not to be anxious, occupying yourself. Do not increase the sayings to yourselves, or to others, saying: What will we eat? and What will we drink? and What will we wear? and Where will we go?, as if you would not believe in what I have said. All of these people, whom you see, strive for these things. Do not strive for what they strive. Truly your Lord who is in heaven knows what is necessary for you before you ask it of him. But seek obedience to God and his consent for what you mentioned of all those things, and he will give it to you. He gives it to those who are not concerned with it. Do not be occupied with tomorrow and what is after it and its affairs. Let tomorrow rest with the worries it possesses. Your day is sufficient in regard to the number of its troubles without that which is in tomorrow.55 58) Do not treat anyone unjustly with inequity, for surely just as you judged, you will be 55 Matthew 6:28-34 27

Schaffner 28 judged, and the measure by which you measure, you will be measured. Why is that one of you sees the speck in the eye of his brother, and does not see the tall column in his eye? Or how does he say to his brother, Let me extract the speck from your eye, while the tall column which is in [330] his eye he does not see? O sycophant, cheat, and deceiver of others in secret, remove the tall column from your eye first, then only afterward extract it from eye of someone other than you.56 59) Hear me, and understand what I say, do not cast the holy true things before the bark of the dogs. Do not throw your brilliant pearls among the pubic hair of the pigs. They would exceed in desecrating it and putrefy what you threw among them.57 60) Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. Every petition will be given and aspiration granted what is necessary, and each one who seeks assistance, it will be opened to him. Which man among you, when his beloved or his son (ibn) asks him for wheat of bread gives him a stone in place of what he asked for? Or, when he asks him for a fish, gives him a deadly viper? If youand you yourselves are deficient and inferior, and among all of you is injustice and wickedness give your sons proper gifts, and grant gifts when asked for and requested, how will you see it when it comes to God? If the matter is like that in regard to the increase among you concerning it, then [so too will be] that which you asked of him and desired from him. Observe, just as you would like people to do to you, do it to them. Just as you want justice from people toward you, likewise be just toward them. Truly these are the sunna of the messengers and the prophets and a just balance of God for things.58 56 Matthew 7:1-5 57 Matthew 7:6 58 Matthew 7:7-12 28

Schaffner 29 61) Enter in to God and in God is the door of narrowness and fear. Truly the door of safety and wideness is for the disobeyers of God, the cause of destruction and damages. Many are those who enter it and choose it. Some see that, and others do not see it. How narrow is the entrance and the door! The path and causes are obliterated which cause the worshippers to reach life and brings salvation to people! Few are those who find it and to whom it is easy to enter.59 62) Guard against the lies of these Satans [shayyn] who the people see in the disguise of lambs. They are, nevertheless, violent wolves. Their hearts are arrogant and disobedient. Do not be deluded by the appearance of their state. But be aware of them on account of their actions. Does a grape issue from a thorn, or a date from a colocynth? No, that is never the case. It never exists like that. But, good fruit issues from every good tree, and bad fruit issues from every bad tree. You only know the bad tree on account of the badness of its fruit, and likewise, the fire is lit with the bad and likewise are the deeds, when they are something erroneous. The owner of it is nothing but a sinner in error. 63) Not all of those who say, My Lord, my Lord, O my Rest, and so on, will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven on the Day or Resurrection, unless he is among those who practiced what God commanded in regard to piety. There will be many in that Day who will say, Our Lord, in your name we healed and we worked, and in your name we exorcised satans [al-shayyn]. In your name we did many wondrous matters. Then God will say to them in that Day, Get away from me with your deceitful actions. 64) He {Blessings of God be upon him} said: Know that one who heard my words and then acts in accordance with what he heard and accepts it from me, his likeness is similar to 59 Matthew 7:13-14 29

Schaffner 30 the likeness of a man who possessed understanding and wisdom. He built his house on a firmly fixed stone foundation. When the rains came and poured down, and the rivers became great, and the great winds became violent, and began hitting every wall, his house did not fall down or collapse. Instead, those who hear my words without submitting or accepting them is like a man who possessed foolishness and ignorance. He is misled; he built his house on a collapsing edge or on much shifting sand. When the rains came and the rivers swelled and were agitated, pouring forth, and the winds blew violently, his house came down on its foundation. It fell down with a terrible and frightening crash. They said: When he had finished all of these words, there was astonishment among those in his presence on account of his wisdom in regard to it and his sayings. In particular, the scribes and religious leaders were amazed by him. 65) In their Gospels, he {Peace be upon him} said: Truly I say to you, O people and scribes and religious leaders, that many from the East and the West will come in the Day of the Resurrection and Recompense, to recline with Ibrhm and Isaq and Yaqb in the Kingdom of Heaven. Many from among those who claim to be a son to them will be separated from them with darkness in the fire. Then they will abide forever, with crying and gnashing of the teeth. 66) In their Gospels: A man from the scribes came to him. He said, Truly, I desire to follow you and be with you where you are. He {Peace be upon him} said: The foxes of the desolate places have a cave, and the thirds of the heavens have nests, but I do not have a home, or a place to dwell when these two dwell. Every has a home, but I do not have a home to dwell in. 67) In their Gospels: A man from his disciples said to him: O, my teacher, permit me to go

30

Schaffner 31 so I can bury my father. So he said to him: Come, follow me. Be with me and in my footsteps. Leave the dead to bury their dead. There are enough of them for their burial. 68)It is completed. Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, and the blessings of God be upon Muammad, the seal of the prophets, and upon his excellent family, and peace be upon them all.

31