Tathbit Dala'il Nubuwwat Sayyidina Mahammad 3 obligation recites these Gospels in the Hebrew language: he does not do so out of ruse (using) a stratagem, in order to avoid (public) shame. "Therefore people said to them: The giving-up (the language: al-`ud-l `anha) occurred because your first masters (axhabukum al-aw-walun) aimed at deception in their writings (maqalat) using such stratagems as quotations from counterfeit authorities in the lies which they composed, and concealing these stratagems. They did this because they sought to obtain domination (ri'asa). For at that time the Hebrews (al-`ibraniyya) were people of the Book and men of knowledge. Accordingly, these individuals (nafar) altered (ghayyara) the language or rather gave it up altogether, in order that the men of knowledge should not grasp quickly their teaching and their objectives. (For if they had done so these individuals) would have been disgraced before having been (able) to consolidate their teaching and their (objectives ) would not have been fulfilled. Accordingly, they gave up (Hebrew and took up) numerous other languages which had not been spoken by Christ and his companions. (Those who speak these languages) are not people of the Book and have no knowledge concerning God's books and commandments. Such were the Romans (al-Rum), the Syrians, the Persians, the Armenians and other foreigners. This was done by means of deception and ruse by this small group of people who (wanted) to hide their infamy and to reach the goal of their wishes in their aspiration for dominion (which was to be won) through (the instrumentality of) religion. "If this were not so they would have used the language of Abraham, of his children and of Christ, through whom the edifice had been constructed and to whom the books had been revealed. In establishing a proof (meant) for the Children of Israel and the unbelievers among the Jews (al-yahud) it would have been better that a call be made to them in their own tongue (lisan) and a discussion engaged with them in their language (lugha), which they would not have been able to refuse. Know this; it is a great principle. "Know-may God have mercy upon you-that these three sects do not believe that God revealed to Christ in one way or another a Gospel or a book. Rather, according to them, Christ created the prophets, revealed to them the books and sent to them angels. However, they have with them Gospels composed by four individuals, each one of whom wrote a Gospel. After (one of them) came (another) who was not satisfied with (his predecessor's) Gospel and held that his own Gospel was better. (These Gospels) agree in certain places and disagree in others; in some of them (there are passages) which are not (found) in the other. There are tales concerning people-men and women-from among the Jews, the Romans, and other (nations, who) said this and did that. There are many absurdities, (many) false and stupid things and many obvious lies and manifest contradictions. It was this which people have thoroughly studied and set apart. However, a person who reads it becomes aware of this if he examines it carefully. Something-but little-of the sayings, the precepts of Christ and information concerning him is also to be found there. "As for the four Continued / Table of Contents