The Honored Injil

This translation with tafsir (interpretation) of the divine words revealed by Allah in the Injil is an unusual one. It is a translation and revision of a unique Arabic translation of the Injil, with comparison to the original text of the Injil in its original language.

The Arabic word Injil is an abbreviation for the word /evangellion/ in the original language in which the Injil was revealed, which means “good news”. It was used at that time for the announcement of the birth of a prince or for the conquest of another country. The Injil is indeed filled with good news of Allah, revealing more of himself and his straight path.

The Injil contains guidance and light (see also Al-Maida 5:46 below), and we pray that Allah would give guidance and light to the straight path to all who read it.

The Arabic source of this Injil was first found online in 2010 and is now available for download.

It is also copyright-free, so is available for quotation, usage, translation, and even printing by anyone.

The Arabic translation states it was made from a unique manuscript of the Injil that dates back to the third century before the Hijra, and which was preserved by Allah in Arab lands. This manuscript was Codex Sinaiticus (325-360 A.D., 307-271 B.H.). See codexsinaiticus.org for more information about this manuscript. In translating from the Arabic, comparison was made to the original manuscript to ensure the highest level of accuracy and faithfulness to the original Injil. This is the Injil which Muhammad (s) would have heard quoted, quite possibly seen in his travels, and which is referred to in the Qur’an.

The Arabic translation of the Injil is clear and of high quality, and is mostly the modern standard Arabic used in books today.

This English translation is a clear translation of the Arabic and Codex Sinaiticus intended for those whose first language may not be English. Thus its sentences are shorter, the grammar is less complicated, the vocabulary used is less technical, and uncommon words are explained in the footnotes or the glossary.

It is also intended for those who are familiar with Arabic terminology and Middle Eastern culture. Thus, Arabic names that are familiar to the majority of Arabs are used instead of their English equivalents. Also, terminology that is familiar to the Arab Middle East is used instead of Western terminology. Arabic words are italicized

There are also a number of footnotes that give cultural or historical information that help to understand the meaning in its context. Verse numbers are at the end of the verse, as was traditionally done in Arabic.

Has there been any change to the Injil?

Codex Sinaiticus is the oldest complete manuscript of the Injil in the world. Later manuscripts have very minor differences such as a missing letter or reversed words, as one would expect from those who copy a large document, but Codex Sinaiticus is the oldest complete manuscript from which other copies would have been made. See Manuscript evidence for superior New Testament reliability, for example, for more information.

The Qur’an does not support the idea that the Injil has been corrupted, even though some Muslims believe so. Below we will see a few of the many references from the Qur’an supporting that the Injil has not been corrupted.

Dr. Abdullah Saeed, Professor of Islamics at the University of Melbourne, has written an article on this subject entitled “The Charge of Distortion of Jewish and Christian Scriptures.” The Muslim World, volume 92 (Fall 2002), pages 419-436. In this article, he shows clearly that the Qur’an does not support this charge of corruption.

There are two types of corruption as understood by Muslim scholars: corruption of the meaning (tahrif al-maana) and corruption of the text (tahrif al-lafz). The word for corruption (tahrif) occurs only four times in the Qur’an (Al-Nisa 4:46, Al-Baqara 2:75, Al-Maida 5:13,41), and it is always used of oral corruption by Al-Yahud (the Jews) of the meaning of the Tawrat, and never of corruption of its written text. It is never used of any kind of corruption of the Injil.

Furthermore, the Qur’an affirms the validity of the text of the Injil and the Tawrat in the days of Muhammad (s). Here are a few of the verses from the Qur’an, with other references in parentheses (all quotations are from The Reference Qur’an, available at referencequran.com). Note that the superscripts ^MS^ and ^MP^ refer to masculine singular and masculine plural, respectively.

“So when you*^MS^** are in doubt about what we have revealed to you**^MS^, ask^MS^** those who are reading the book that was before you**^MS^**."* (Yunis 10:94, see also Al-Nisa 4:163, Al-Nahl 16:43, Al-Anbiya 21:7, Al-Shora 42:13) [Here Allah clearly instructs Muhammad (s) to ask people who were reading the Tawrah and Injil. Why would Allah tell Muhammad to do so if they were reading a corrupted book?]

“Believers, believe in Allah, his messenger, the book he revealed to his messenger, and the book he revealed beforehand. Whoever disbelieves in Allah, his angels, his books, his messengers, and the last day has gone far astray." (Al-Nisa 4:136, see also Al-Baqara 2:4, 136, 213, 285, Aal Imran 3:3,65, Al-Maida 5:44, 45, 47, 68, Al-Anaam 6:154-157, Al-Hijr 15:9, Al-Nahl 16:43-44, Al-Anbiya 21:105, Al-Ankabut 29:46, Al-Ghafir 40:69-72, Al-Shora 42:15) [Muslims who are believers are commanded to believe in the former scriptures, and those who do not have gone astray. This is a serious warning not to disbelieve in the Injil and Tawrah.]

*“We made Isa son of Mariam follow in their footsteps, confirming the Tawrah in his possession, and we gave him the Injil, in which is guidance and light, confirming the Tawrah in his possession, as guidance and an admonition to the reverent.” *(Al-Maida 5:46, see also Al-Baqara 2:53,87,213, Aal Imran 3:3,4,48,50,65,184, Al-Nisa 4:47,131, 136,163, Al-Maida 5:43,44,45,47,68, Al-Anaam 6:91,154, Yunis 10:94, Hud 11:17, Al-Raad 13:36, Al-Nahl 16:43,44, Al-Isra 17:2,55, Maryam 19:30, Al-Anbiya 21:48, 105, Al-Muminun 23:49, Al-Furqan 25:35, Al-Shuara 26:196, Al-Qasas 28:43, Al-Sajda 32:23, Al-Fatir 35:25, Al-Safat 37:117, Al-Ghafir 40: 53,54, Al-Ahqaf 46:12, Al-Hadid 57:27, Al-Saff 61:6, etc.) [Allah gave the former scriptures, and they have guidance and light. If they were corrupted, they would not give guidance.]

“Those we sent before you*^MS^** were men we inspired, so ask**^MP^** the people of the reminder if you**^MP^** do not know about the miracles and books."* (Al-Nahl 16:43-44, see also Al-Nisa 4:163) [The former books were given by men inspired by Allah.]

“They believe in what we revealed to you*^MS^** and what we revealed before you**^MS^** and they are certain of the hereafter."* (Al-Baqara 2:4, see also Al-Baqara 2:213, Al-Nisa 4:131, Al-Maida 5:44, 47, 68, Al-Anaam 6:154, Hud 11:17, Al-Nahl 16:43-44, Al-Isra 17:2, Al-Anbiya 21:48, Al-Muminun 23:49, Al-Qasas 28:43, Al-Sajda 32:23, Al-Safat 37: 117, Al-Ghafir 40:53-54, Al-Ahqaf 46:12) [There are indeed many blessings from knowing and believing in the former books, the Tawrah, Zabur and Injil.]

“So let the people of the Injil judge by what Allah has revealed in it. Whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed are unbelievers." (Al-Maida 5:47, see also Al-Baqara 2:213. Al-Maida 5:43,44,45, Al-Anaam 6:89) [The Qur’an is clear that the former books are the standard of Allah’s judgment. Allah would not tell the people of the Injil to judge by it if it were corrupted. This ayah warns against ignoring the Injil.]

“We gave Musa and Harun the criterion, shining, and reminder to the reverent." (Al-Anbiya 21:48) “We ourselves revealed the reminder, and we are its protectors.” (Al-Hijr 15:9), see also Al-Maida 5:48, Al-Anaam 6:34, 115, Yunis 10:64,94, Al-Nahl 16:43, Al-Kahf 18:27, Al-Anbiya 21:7, 105, Al-Ghafir 40:53-54) [The former scriptures are called the reminder (dhikr), and Allah protects the former scriptures.]

“They have good news in this world and in the hereafter: there is no exchanging Allah’s words. That is the great victory." (Yunis 10:64, see also Al-Anaam 6:34,115, and Al-Kahf 18:27). [Allah is far greater than people. Thus the Qur’an says that none of the words of Allah can be changed, either in this world or in the hereafter.]

“And we revealed the book to you*^MS^** with truth, confirming what he had of the book before it and protecting it, so judge among them according to what Allah has revealed."* (Al-Maida 5:48, see also Al-Baqara 2:41, 89, 101, Aal Imran 3:3,50, Al-Nisa 4:47, Al-Maida 5:46, Al-Anaam 6: 92, Yusif 12:111, Al-Fatir 35:31, Al-Ahqaf 46:12, 30, Al-Saff 61:6)  [The Qur’an confirms the former scriptures.]

What do the verse references in the Injil, Zabur, and Tawrat mean?

In the Injil, there are 27 “books” or surahs. Each one has a name. The verses of the Injil are written in the form “Matthew 4:3.” This means the book or surah called Matthew, chapter 4, verse 3. The Tawrat has 38 “books” and references to the Tawrat are in the form Deuteronomy 6:4. The Zabur has 150 chapters and references to the Zabur are in the form Zabur 18:2. The Zabur is sometimes included in the word Tawrat as its 39^th^ book.

The table of contents has information on the page each book of the Injil starts.

As you read the Injil, ask Allah to show you the guidance and light that is in it. Have the attitude of faith that both the Qur’an and Injil encourage.

* “Truly believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned their hearts tremble, and when his signs are recited to them, they make their faith increase, and they trust in their Lord."* (Al-Anfal 8:2) [Reading or reciting the signs (ayat – or verses) increases our faith.]

“So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Allah." (Injil, Romans 10:17) [Allah gives faith to those who read and hear his words.]