[سواها قلبي]

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

I decided to reorganize the map so that it would lead us to a set of studies, because we don't need sermons or pompous speeches. The armies of preachers should spare their efforts. We need a calm, objective, and purposeful scientific study, through which we can learn the truth and the straight path, so that we can all walk it as one. You must be patient with me, because the ignorance of entire eras must be erased. This is not a mere hunting trip or a leisurely walk, but rather a study of entire religions. Religions are not studied on a journey or in a single session, but rather through careful study through the sacred texts of both sides. The work map will be organized as follows:


The discussion will be about the issue of the canon of the Gospels.. Questions have been raised about it, including the question of how the Bible was abrogated and distorted, as Muslims claim? .. And do Muslims keep the original Bible? Before I begin, I would like to point out two points. The first: that I begin by answering the Christian questions first.. because the study of Christianity must precede the study of Islam.. And the second: that I do not limit myself to these two questions related to abrogation and distortion.. Rather, there are other topics related to them that must be given attention.. such as the story of writing the Gospels and how some of them were accepted and became canonical, like the four Gospels, and how most of them were rejected, and why?


What are the similarities and differences between these canonical gospels? What is the position of the rest of the New Testament books and their doctrinal value? How was the canonical New Testament formed?


All of this and what is related to it, which is much, much more... I ask God to guide us to the truth, for no one guides to the truth except Him... and to show us the truth as truth and enable us to follow it... and to show us falsehood as falsehood and enable us to avoid it...


These questions and inquiries about the matters of agreement and disagreement in Christianity and Islam are still the subject of controversy between Christians and Muslims.


** The obvious question is: Where do people derive their beliefs from? It is agreed that religious beliefs are derived from the holy books. Therefore, logic dictates that the holy books be studied first before we discuss the beliefs derived from them. There is no doubt that the most important studies of those books are the studies conducted by scholars of that religion.


That is why I am now presenting a summary of some of what Christian scholars have concluded in their study of the Holy Books under the title (Discussion on the Books of the New Testament), which is exactly like the report that anyone interested would receive.


After that, I will present a talk entitled (A Look at the Books of the New Testament) that allows every reader, regardless of his culture, to see for himself the truth of what is in these books and the reasons that made many Christian scholars decide what we will present when talking about the books of the New Testament.


*** And thus the certain picture is completed for every seeker of truth.. and he has the right to ask for that.. because the state of mind of a person who is honest with himself always says:

I want to know... and contemplate... and verify... so that my heart can be reassured...


So, brothers and sisters, the brief points I will now write do not represent the words of a Muslim about Christianity. Rather, they represent the summary of the words of Christian scholars. As for the Muslim's words, they will only come at the end, when we arrive at a comment, clarification, or connection.


It is appropriate here to mention the Arabic names of the most important Christian references and their authors... and a brief introduction to them... so that after that we only need to mention the name of the source and the page number.


Foreign References

1- Title of the book: The Gospels ... Author: Theological Studies at the Union Theological Seminary in New York

2- Title of the book: The Gospel of Mark ... Author: Dennis Nineham - Professor of Theology at the University of London and Editor of the Pelican Series of Biblical Interpretations

3- Title of the book: A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew ... Author: John Fenton - Dean of the Faculty of Theology in England

4- Title of the book: A Commentary on the Gospel of Luke ... Author: George Caird


5- Book Title: Commentary on the Gospel of John... Author: John Marsh - Dean of Mansfield College, Oxford, and Member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches.

6- Book Title: History of Doctrine. Author: Adolf Hernke - Professor of Church History at the University of Berlin.

7- Book Title: Sacred Writings. Author: Günter Lanszeged Minsky - Lecturer in the History of Doctrines at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

8- Book Title: Encyclopedia Americana, 1959 edition.

9- Book Title: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1960 edition.

And there's more to come.

Your brother/Al-Athram