Many people have heard of this Gospel, mistakenly known as The Gospel of Barnabas. Numerous studies have immediately declared it to be a fabricated Gospel with no connection to truth, claiming it was produced by certain Jews or Muslims who converted from Christianity. But where does its real story lie?
And what about its famous mention — directly on the tongue of Jesus (peace be upon him) — of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) by name, as the awaited Seal of the Prophets?
Over a hundred years have passed since the appearance of the first English translation of this significant and controversial Gospel, carried out by the English priest Lonsdale Ragg and his wife, Laura Ragg. But did that translation meet scholarly standards? Did it, and the Arabic version translated from it by Dr. Khalil Sa‘adah — without consulting the original manuscript — succeed in decoding the Gospel of Barnabas?
In this new, comparative Arabic translation we are now preparing, for the first time, the ancient origins of this Gospel are being revealed. It provides clear textual evidence that an original version existed in Greek, which was then translated into Latin, then into Italian and Spanish, within a long historical chain of concealment and prohibition.
This translation today sheds new light on vital material in the two manuscripts, both textually and doctrinally. In its pages, the essence closest to the true nature of Jesus (peace be upon him), his mission, and his strong denial of any claim of divinity are made clear, confirming he was raised up and never crucified. The latest manuscript evidence from the Spanish version, which surfaced thirty years ago, poses a new question: What did Peter really know?
One of the major themes of the Gospel of Barnabas is its account of the life of Jesus (peace be upon him) and his fierce opposition to the Pharisaic temple-based Judaism that had deviated from the Law of Moses (peace be upon him), later giving rise to the Talmud.
Above all, what crowns this pure, ancient Christian document is its explicit prophecy of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It affirms that the true religion as revealed by Allah to Moses, then to Jesus, then to Muhammad (peace be upon them all), was a continuous, harmonious chain with no interruption, whose core and fabric was always Tawheed (pure monotheism).
Discovery and the Vatican’s Displeasure
The Vatican was deeply troubled by the discovery of a version of the Bible — that Christians call the Gospel — estimated to date back 1,500 to 2,000 years. This book is displayed in the Ethnography Museum in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
It’s believed that this secret version was discovered in 2000 and kept under tight secrecy. It is, in fact, a copy of the Gospel of Barnabas — one of Jesus’ disciples according to tradition — in which it is stated that Jesus was not crucified, was not the Son of God, but a Prophet. It says Jesus ascended to heaven alive and that Judas was the one who was crucified in his place.
A report by National Turk stated that this Gospel was seized by a smuggling gang during an operation in the Mediterranean region — a gang involved in illegal excavations and in possession of explosives. The book itself is estimated to be worth over 40 million Turkish lira (about $28 million).
According to expert and religious authority reports, they insist the book is authentic, not a forgery. It is written in Aramaic, the language of Jesus, on leather pages with gold letters. Its contents directly contradict the teachings found in the New Testament. Notably, it predicts the coming of Prophet Muhammad, who would call to Islam about 700 years later, just as Jesus did before him.
What is the Gospel of Barnabas?
The Gospel of Barnabas is not considered a canonical gospel by Christians, who do not acknowledge it. Yet, due to the weight of its content and its clear parallels with the four Gospels in describing Jesus (peace be upon him) and his message, it deserves to be highlighted in key points:
🔹 Who Was Barnabas?
Barnabas — real name Yusuf (Joseph), nicknamed Son of Exhortation — was a Levite from Cyprus, said to be the uncle of Mark, the author of one of the four Gospels. He was among the earliest Christian preachers and appears, according to his Gospel, to have held a position of trust with Jesus (peace be upon him). Christians regard him as an influential preacher. One notable deed was selling his field and donating the proceeds to the preachers. When Paul (Saul the Jew) claimed conversion to Christianity, the disciples initially feared him due to his past hostility, but Barnabas vouched for him. Later, they parted ways over differences in preaching.
🔹 The Gospel’s Early History
The first recorded mention of the Gospel of Barnabas dates back to around 492 CE, when Pope Gelasius I issued a decree banning a number of books, including the Gospel of Barnabas, well before the advent of Islam. After that, its trace vanished until the late 16th century when the Latin monk Fra Marino found letters from Irenaeus denouncing Paul and citing the Gospel of Barnabas. Fra Marino, who became close to Pope Sixtus V, found the Gospel in the papal library, secretly took it, read it with deep interest, and later converted to Islam (according to orientalist Sale’s preface to his Quran translation).
In the early 18th century (1709 CE), Kämmerer, an advisor to the King of Prussia, discovered an Italian copy of the Gospel in Amsterdam and gifted it to Prince Eugene of Savoy, an avid collector. The manuscript was transferred with the prince’s entire library in 1738 to the Imperial Court Library in Vienna, where it remains. It was translated into English and then into Arabic by Dr. Khalil Sa‘adah, a Lebanese Christian. Another Spanish copy — thought to be translated from the Italian — surfaced around the same period and eventually passed through various scholars, but then disappeared with its English translation.
When the Gospel appeared, it created shockwaves in Christian circles because of its contents. Critics have claimed it was fabricated by a Muslim or an apostate Jew who later became Muslim. But such claims fall flat for several reasons:
- Why would a Muslim fabricate a Gospel for Christians after accepting Islam?
- The Gospel includes information not found in Jewish or Christian texts.
- The Arabic translator, Khalil Sa‘adah (a Christian), described the author as possessing a profound knowledge of the Old Testament and Christianity, more so than many devoted Christian scholars.
- There are minor textual mistakes — like saying the heavens are ten or mixing up angel names — which a Muslim scholar would not have made.
In any case, this book emerged in Christian lands, written in a Christian language and script, and was never cited by Muslim scholars, despite their extensive knowledge and critiques of Christianity. It stands as a sign Allah reveals for truth and to expose falsehood.
Key Doctrinal Points Where Barnabas Differs from the Four Gospels
🔑 1. Jesus is a Man, Not Divine
Barnabas declares that Jesus (peace be upon him) was purely human, not God nor the Son of God, and explains that his Gospel was written to refute these falsehoods — mainly propagated by Paul — including abandoning circumcision and allowing the consumption of impure meats. In the Gospel’s opening:
“Beloved, the great and wonderful God has visited us in these last days by His prophet Jesus Christ with great mercy, teaching and signs that Satan has used to mislead many under the guise of piety — preaching blasphemous doctrines, calling the Christ the Son of God, rejecting the circumcision commanded by God, and allowing every unclean meat — among whom is Paul, of whom I speak with sorrow. Therefore, I write this truth that I saw and heard during my companionship with Jesus, so that you may be saved and not be deceived by Satan to perish in God’s judgment.”
🔑 2. The Sacrificial Son Was Ishmael, Not Isaac
The Gospel explicitly states that the sacrificial son was Ishmael (peace be upon him) — not Isaac — and exposes the scribes’ alterations:
“Jacob asked: O Master, tell us who made this covenant, for the Jews say Isaac, and the Ishmaelites say Ishmael. Jesus answered: Verily, I tell you the truth — the covenant was made with Ishmael, not Isaac…”
🔑 3. Jesus Prophesied Muhammad (peace be upon him) by Name
It records Jesus naming Muhammad explicitly:
“The priest asked: What is the name of the Messiah and what is the sign of his coming? Jesus answered: His blessed name is Muhammad. The crowd then cried out: O God, send us Your Messenger! O Muhammad, come quickly for the salvation of the world!”
Barnabas also records Jesus reassuring his mother and disciples that he did not die and prophesied that Muhammad (peace be upon him) would reveal the truth:
“And this will remain until Muhammad, the Messenger of God, comes — when he comes, he will expose this deception to those who believe in God’s law.”
🔑 4. Jesus Was Not Crucified — Judas Was
The Gospel of Barnabas states that Jesus (peace be upon him) was taken up, and Judas Iscariot — who betrayed him — was made to look like him and was crucified in his place:
“When the soldiers and Judas came near to where Jesus was, Jesus withdrew, afraid, and God commanded Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, and Uriel to take him up from the world. They carried him through a southern window and placed him in the third heaven with angels praising God forever. Judas entered violently, and by God’s will his speech and face changed to resemble Jesus so that even we thought it was him…”
Final Note
This Gospel, with its radically different message, caused uproar among Christians when it surfaced. But for Muslims, it neither adds nor removes from our certainty, for we hold fast to the Book of Allah in our hands, by which we know the truth and measure it.
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