Defending the Christian Faith in Conversation with Islam — Sehemu ya 8: "Biblia Imepotoshwa": TahrifDefending the Christian Faith in Conversation with Islam — Unit 8: "The Bible Has Been Corrupted": Tahrif

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Majani hunyauka, maua huanguka; Bali neno la Mungu wetu litasimama milele." (Isaya 40:8, SUV)"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kitengo hiki, unapaswa kuweza:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kueleza maana ya tahrif na tofauti kati ya upotoshaji wa maana na upotoshaji wa maandishi.1. Define tahrif and explain the difference between corruption of meaning and corruption of the text.

2. Kueleza Kurani yenyewe inasema nini kuhusu Taurati na Injili, kwa kutumia Kurani 5:46-47, 5:68 na 10:94.2. Describe what the Qur'an itself says about the Torah and the Gospel, using Qur'an 5:46-47, 5:68 and 10:94.

3. Kueleza "mtanziko wa Kiislamu" kwa maneno rahisi na kuutumia kwa upole.3. Explain the "Islamic dilemma" in simple words and use it with gentleness.

4. Kuuliza ni lini, jinsi gani na nani angeweza kubadilisha Biblia, na kuonyesha kwa nini kila jibu linashindwa.4. Ask when, how and by whom the Bible could have been changed, and show why each answer fails.

5. Kumjibu rafiki Mwislamu anayesema "Biblia yenu imepotoshwa" kwa subira, ushahidi na heshima.5. Answer a Muslim friend who says "Your Bible has been corrupted" with patience, evidence and respect.

Pingamizi Linalotolewa Mara Nyingi ZaidiThe Most Common Objection

Mapema au baadaye karibu kila Mkristo anayezungumza na jirani Mwislamu husikia maneno yaleyale: "Biblia yenu imebadilishwa." Waislamu wengi husema hivyo kwa wema na bila hasira. Wamesikia kutoka kwa wazazi wao, imamu wao au mhubiri wa redioni, nao wanaamini kuwa ni ukweli rahisi. Kwao, hilo linaeleza fumbo kubwa. Uislamu hufundisha kwamba Mungu alituma vitabu kwa manabii wa zamani, lakini Biblia wanayosoma Wakristo leo inafundisha mambo ambayo Uislamu unayakana, kama vile uungu wa Yesu, kifo chake msalabani na kufufuka kwake. Kama Biblia inasema mambo haya, Waislamu wengi hufikia hitimisho kwamba lazima mtu fulani aliibadilisha.Sooner or later almost every Christian who talks with a Muslim neighbour hears the same words: "Your Bible has been changed." Many Muslims say this kindly and without anger. They have heard it from their parents, their imam or a preacher on the radio, and they believe it is a simple fact. For them it explains a great puzzle. Islam teaches that God sent books to earlier prophets, yet the Bible that Christians read today teaches things Islam denies, such as the deity of Jesus, His death on the cross and His resurrection. If the Bible says these things, many Muslims conclude, then someone must have changed it.

Pingamizi hili ni muhimu kuliko karibu yote mengine. Kama rafiki yako Mwislamu anaamini kuwa Biblia imepotoshwa, kila aya unayomwonyesha anaweza kuikataa. Unaweza kunukuu Yohana 1:1 au Marko 10:45, naye akajibu, "Aya hiyo iliongezwa baadaye." Kabla mazungumzo kuhusu Yesu hayajaendelea, swali kuhusu Biblia sharti lishughulikiwe. Kitengo hiki kinampa mchungaji zana za kulishughulikia kwa utulivu.This objection matters more than almost any other. If a Muslim friend believes the Bible is corrupted, then every verse you show him can be dismissed. You may quote John 1:1 or Mark 10:45, and he may answer, "That verse was added later." Before the conversation about Jesus can go forward, the question of the Bible must be faced. This unit gives the pastor the tools to face it calmly.

Neno wanalotumia Waislamu kwa shtaka hili ni tahrif (tah-REEF). Ni neno la Kiarabu lenye maana ya "mabadiliko," "upotoshaji" au "kuondoa kitu mahali pake sahihi." Mwislamu anaposema tahrif, anamaanisha kwamba Wayahudi na Wakristo wamebadilisha vitabu alivyowapa Mungu.The word Muslims use for this charge is tahrif (tah-REEF). It is an Arabic word that means "alteration," "distortion" or "changing something from its proper place." When a Muslim speaks of tahrif, he means that Jews and Christians have changed the books God gave them.

Istilahi MuhimuKey Terms

• Tawrat (Taurati): kitabu ambacho Waislamu wanaamini Mungu alimpa Musa.• Tawrat (Torah): the book Muslims believe God gave to Moses.

• Zabur (Zaburi): kitabu ambacho Waislamu wanaamini Mungu alimpa Daudi.• Zabur (Psalms): the book Muslims believe God gave to David.

• Injil (Injili): kitabu ambacho Waislamu wanaamini Mungu alimpa Yesu.• Injil (Gospel): the book Muslims believe God gave to Jesus.

• Ahl al-Kitab (Watu wa Kitabu): jina la Kurani kwa Wayahudi na Wakristo, kwa sababu walipokea Maandiko ya zamani.• Ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book): the Qur'an's name for Jews and Christians, because they received earlier Scriptures.

• Sura na aya: sura ni sehemu (au "sura") ya Kurani na aya ni mstari. "Kurani 5:47" inamaanisha sura ya 5, aya ya 47.• Sura and ayah: a sura is a chapter of the Qur'an and an ayah is a verse. "Qur'an 5:47" means sura 5, ayah 47.

Aina Mbili za TahrifTwo Kinds of Tahrif

Wasomi Waislamu katika historia yote hawajamaanisha jambo moja kwa tahrif. Ni muhimu kujua tofauti hiyo, kwa sababu Mkristo mwadilifu anaeleza Uislamu kama Mwislamu mwenye ufahamu angeutambua.Muslim scholars through history have not all meant the same thing by tahrif. It is important to know the difference, because a fair Christian describes Islam as an informed Muslim would recognize it.

Aina ya kwanza ni tahrif al-ma'na, yaani "upotoshaji wa maana." Msimamo huu unasema kwamba maneno ya Taurati na Injili bado yapo, lakini Wayahudi na Wakristo wameyaelewa vibaya au kuyaeleza vibaya. Waandishi wengi wa mwanzo wa Kiislamu walishikilia msimamo kama huu. Walinukuu Biblia na hata kubishana kwa kuitumia, jambo linaloonyesha kwamba waliona maneno yake bado yanaweza kuaminiwa.The first kind is tahrif al-ma'na, which means "corruption of the meaning." This view says that the words of the Torah and the Gospel are still there, but Jews and Christians have misunderstood them or explained them wrongly. Many early Muslim writers held a view like this. They quoted the Bible and even argued from it, which shows they thought its words could still be trusted.

Aina ya pili ni tahrif al-lafz, yaani "upotoshaji wa maandishi" au "wa maneno." Msimamo huu unasema kwamba maneno halisi ya Biblia yalibadilishwa: aya ziliongezwa, ziliondolewa au ziliandikwa upya. Msimamo huu mkali ulitetewa kwa urefu na msomi Mwislamu wa Uhispania, Ibn Hazm wa Cordoba, katika karne ya kumi na moja, na baadaye ukaenea sana. Leo, Waislamu wengi wa kawaida wanaosema "Biblia imepotoshwa" wanamaanisha aina hii ya pili. Wahubiri maarufu kama Ahmed Deedat wa Afrika Kusini waliueneza sana barani Afrika kupitia mijadala na vijitabu.The second kind is tahrif al-lafz, which means "corruption of the text" or "of the words." This view says that the actual words of the Bible were changed: verses were added, removed or rewritten. This stronger view was argued at length by the Spanish Muslim scholar Ibn Hazm of Cordoba in the eleventh century, and it later became widespread. Today, most ordinary Muslims who say "the Bible is corrupted" mean this second kind. Popular preachers such as Ahmed Deedat of South Africa spread it widely in Africa through debates and booklets.

Angalia historia hii inaonyesha nini. Wasomi Waislamu hawajakubaliana kama aya za Kurani kuhusu upotoshaji zinahusu maneno yaliyobadilishwa, maelezo ya kupotosha, au yote mawili. Kwa hiyo Mkristo anapaswa kuuliza: ni maandishi gani yanasemekana kubadilishwa, na ni ushahidi gani unaounga mkono dai hilo?Notice what this history shows. Muslim scholars have disagreed about whether the Qur'an's passages on distortion refer to changed wording, to misleading explanation, or to both. So the Christian should ask: which texts are said to have been changed, and what evidence supports that claim?

Kurani Inasema Nini Kuhusu Taurati na InjiliWhat the Qur'an Says About the Torah and the Gospel

Mahali pazuri pa kuanzia ni Kurani yenyewe. Waislamu wanaiheshimu kama neno la Mungu, kwa hiyo inachosema kina uzito kwao. Tunaposoma kwa makini, tunaona kwamba inazungumza kuhusu Taurati na Injili kwa heshima kubwa.The best place to begin is the Qur'an itself. Muslims honour it as the word of God, so what it says carries weight with them. When we read it carefully, we find that it speaks of the Torah and the Gospel with great respect.

Kurani Inathibitisha Vitabu vya ZamaniThe Qur'an Confirms Earlier Books

Kurani mara nyingi inasema kwamba ilikuja "ikisadikisha yaliyokuwa kabla yake" (Kurani 3:3). Inataja Taurati na Injili kuwa vitabu ambavyo Mungu alivishusha kama mwongozo na nuru. Katika Kurani 5:46 inasema kwamba Mungu alimpa Yesu Injili, ambamo mna mwongozo na nuru, ikisadikisha Taurati iliyokuwa kabla yake. Kurani haivionyeshi vitabu hivi kuwa vimepotea. Inavionyesha kuwa vitabu ambavyo Wayahudi na Wakristo wa siku za Muhammad bado walikuwa navyo.The Qur'an often says that it came "confirming that which was (revealed) before it" (Qur'an 3:3). It names the Torah and the Gospel as books God sent down as guidance and light. In Qur'an 5:46 it says that God gave Jesus the Gospel, in which is guidance and light, confirming the Torah before it. The Qur'an does not present these books as lost. It presents them as books that the Jews and Christians of Muhammad's day still had.

Kurani 5:47: "Watu wa Injili Wahukumu"Qur'an 5:47: "Let the People of the Gospel Judge"

Katika aya inayofuata mara moja Kurani inasema: "Watu wa Injili na wahukumu kwa yale aliyoyateremsha Mwenyezi Mungu ndani yake" (Kurani 5:47, tafsiri ya kawaida). Hii ni amri ya kushangaza. Wakristo walioishi katika karne ya saba wanaambiwa wahukumu kwa yale Mungu aliyofunua katika Injili. Hilo lina maana tu kama Injili waliyokuwa nayo mikononi mwao bado ilikuwa ufunuo wa Mungu. Hakuna mtu ambaye angeambiwa ahukumu kwa kitabu kilichoharibiwa au kupotoshwa.In the very next verse the Qur'an says: "Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein" (Qur'an 5:47, Pickthall). This is a striking command. Christians living in the seventh century are told to judge by what God revealed in the Gospel. That only makes sense if the Gospel they had in their hands was still God's revelation. No one would be told to judge by a book that had been destroyed or corrupted.

Kurani 5:68: "Shikeni Taurati na Injili"Qur'an 5:68: "Observe the Torah and the Gospel"

Kurani 5:68 inasema kwa sehemu: "Enyi Watu wa Kitabu! Hamna msingi wowote (wa uongofu) mpaka mshike Taurati na Injili" (kwa maana ya aya). Tena, Wayahudi na Wakristo wanaambiwa wavishike na kuvifuata vitabu walivyokuwa navyo tayari. Kurani inavichukulia vitabu hivi kuwa kipimo cha kweli, si kipimo kilichovunjika.Qur'an 5:68 says in part: "O People of the Scripture! Ye have naught (of guidance) till ye observe the Torah and the Gospel" (Pickthall). Again, Jews and Christians are told to keep and follow the books they already possess. The Qur'an treats these books as a real standard, not as a broken one.

Kurani 10:94: "Waulize Wanaosoma Kitabu"Qur'an 10:94: "Question Those Who Read the Scripture"

Huenda aya ya ajabu zaidi ni Kurani 10:94. Hapa Muhammad mwenyewe anaambiwa: "Ikiwa una shaka juu ya yale tuliyokuteremshia, basi waulize wale wanaosoma Kitabu kilichokuwa kabla yako" (kwa maana ya aya, kwa ufupi). Kama Muhammad alikuwa na shaka, alipaswa kuwauliza Wayahudi na Wakristo waliosoma vitabu vya zamani. Aya hii inadhania kwamba Maandiko yao yalikuwa shahidi wa kuaminika wakati wa Muhammad, wa kuaminika kiasi cha kuondoa mashaka ya nabii.Perhaps the most remarkable verse is Qur'an 10:94. Here Muhammad himself is addressed: "If thou art in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto thee, then question those who read the Scripture (that was) before thee" (Pickthall, slightly shortened). If Muhammad had doubts, he was to ask the Jews and Christians who read the earlier books. This verse assumes that their Scripture was a reliable witness in Muhammad's time, reliable enough to settle the doubts of a prophet.

Hakuna Awezaye Kubadilisha Maneno ya MunguNo One Can Change God's Words

Kurani pia inafundisha zaidi ya mara moja kwamba hakuna awezaye kubadilisha maneno ya Mungu. Kurani 6:34 na 6:115 zinasema, kwa maelezo ya makini, kwamba hakuna awezaye kubadilisha maneno ya Allah, na Kurani 18:27 inasema vivyo hivyo. Waislamu wanatumia aya hizi kwa haki kwa Kurani. Lakini Kurani pia inaiita Taurati na Injili neno la Mungu. Kama maneno ya Mungu hayawezi kubadilishwa, basi Taurati na Injili haziwezi kuwa zilibadilishwa pia.The Qur'an also teaches more than once that no one can change the words of God. Qur'an 6:34 and 6:115 say, in careful paraphrase, that there is none who can change the words of Allah, and Qur'an 18:27 says the same. Muslims rightly apply these verses to the Qur'an. But the Qur'an also calls the Torah and the Gospel the word of God. If God's words cannot be changed, then the Torah and the Gospel cannot have been changed either.

Wasomi wengi Waislamu hujibu kwamba aya hizi zinamaanisha hakuna awezaye kuzuia ahadi na amri za Mungu, si kwamba hakuna awezaye kamwe kubadilisha nakala ya kitabu. Hilo ni jibu la haki, na tunapaswa kulisikiliza. Lakini swali linabaki: Kurani inaiita Taurati na Injili neno la Mungu na inachukulia nakala zilizokuwa mikononi mwa watu wa karne ya saba kuwa kipimo (5:47; 5:68; 10:94). Ni maneno gani yalibadilishwa, na lini?Many Muslim scholars answer that these verses mean no one can stop God's promises and decrees, not that no one could ever alter a copy of a book. That is a fair reply, and we should listen to it. But the question remains: the Qur'an calls the Torah and the Gospel God's word and treats the copies in seventh-century hands as a standard (5:47; 5:68; 10:94). Which words were changed, and when?

Aya Wanazotumia WaislamuThe Verses Muslims Use

Ili kuwa waadilifu, lazima pia tuziangalie aya ambazo Waislamu wanazitoa kuunga mkono tahrif. Kurani 2:75 inazungumza kuhusu wengine waliolisikia neno la Mungu kisha wakalibadilisha kwa makusudi. Kurani 2:79 inawaonya wale wanaoandika Maandiko kwa mikono yao wenyewe kisha wanasema yanatoka kwa Mungu. Kurani 3:78 inazungumza kuhusu wengine wanaopindisha ndimi zao wakati wa kusoma, ili wasikilizaji wadhani ni Maandiko ilhali sivyo. Kurani 4:46 inazungumza kuhusu wengine wanaopotosha maneno kutoka mahali pake.To be fair, we must also look at the verses Muslims bring forward for tahrif. Qur'an 2:75 speaks of some who heard the word of God and then changed it knowingly. Qur'an 2:79 warns those who write the Scripture with their own hands and then say it is from God. Qur'an 3:78 speaks of some who twist their tongues while reading, so that listeners think it is Scripture when it is not. Qur'an 4:46 speaks of some who change words from their proper places.

Zikisomwa katika muktadha wake, aya hizi zinaeleza watu fulani, mara nyingi baadhi ya Wayahudi wa Madina, waliopotosha, kupindisha au kueleza vibaya Maandiko kwa mdomo, au walioandika maneno yao wenyewe na kuyapitisha kuwa ya Mungu. Zinawashtaki watu fulani kwa kushughulikia Maandiko kwa udanganyifu. Hazisemi kwamba Taurati na Injili yote, katika kila nakala duniani kote, iliandikwa upya. Baadhi ya wafasiri Waislamu husoma aya hizi kama ushahidi kwamba maandishi yalibadilishwa, kwa hiyo tunapaswa kuuliza ni maandishi gani, na kuonyesha hati-mkono zinasema nini. Na zimo katika kitabu kilekile chenye 5:47, 5:68 na 10:94, ambazo zinavichukulia vitabu vyenyewe kuwa bado vya kuaminika. Hii ndiyo sababu wasomi wengi wa mwanzo wa Kiislamu walishikilia upotoshaji wa maana tu.Read in context, these verses describe certain people, often some of the Jews of Medina, who misquoted, twisted or misexplained Scripture in speech, or who wrote their own words and passed them off as God's. They accuse some individuals of dishonest handling of Scripture. They do not say that the whole Torah and Gospel, in every copy around the world, were rewritten. Some Muslim interpreters do read these verses as evidence that the text was changed, so we should ask which text, and show what the manuscripts say. And they sit in the same book as 5:47, 5:68 and 10:94, which treat the books themselves as still trustworthy. This is why many early Muslim scholars held only to corruption of meaning.

Mtanziko wa KiislamuThe Islamic Dilemma

Waandishi Wakristo kama James White na David Wood wameifupisha shida hii katika kile kinachoitwa mara nyingi mtanziko wa Kiislamu. Mtanziko ni hali yenye machaguo mawili, yote mawili yakiongoza kwenye matokeo magumu. Wasomi Waislamu wametoa majibu kwake, kwa hiyo uwasilishe kama swali zito, si kama mtego. Kwa kifupi, ni hivi.Christian writers such as James White and David Wood have summarized this problem in what is often called the Islamic dilemma. A dilemma is a situation with two choices, both of which lead to a difficult result. Muslim scholars have given answers to it, so present it as a serious question, not as a trap. Put simply, it goes like this.

Kurani inathibitisha kwamba Taurati na Injili zilizokuwa mikononi mwa Wayahudi na Wakristo katika siku za Muhammad zilikuwa neno la Mungu. Wakristo mara nyingi huieleza changamoto hii hivi, kama chaguo kati ya uwezekano mawili kuhusu vitabu hivyo.The Qur'an affirms that the Torah and the Gospel in the hands of Jews and Christians in Muhammad's day were the word of God. Christians often put the challenge this way, as a choice between two possibilities about those books.

• Chaguo la kwanza: Biblia ya karne ya saba ilikuwa ya kuaminika. Basi Kurani inathibitisha kitabu kinachofundisha uungu wa Kristo, kifo chake msalabani na kufufuka kwake. Lakini Kurani inakana mambo haya. Kwa hiyo Kurani inapingana na Maandiko yenyewe inayoyathibitisha.• Choice one: the Bible of the seventh century was reliable. Then the Qur'an is affirming a book that teaches the deity of Christ, His death on the cross and His resurrection. But the Qur'an denies these things. So the Qur'an contradicts the very Scripture it confirms.

• Chaguo la pili: Biblia ya karne ya saba tayari ilikuwa imepotoshwa. Basi Kurani ilikosea ilipowaambia Wakristo wahukumu kwa Injili (5:47), ilipowaambia Wayahudi na Wakristo wavishike vitabu vyao (5:68) na ilipomwambia Muhammad awaulize wanaovisoma (10:94). Pia lingemaanisha kwamba maneno ya Mungu yalibadilishwa, jambo ambalo Kurani inasema haliwezi kutokea.• Choice two: the Bible of the seventh century was already corrupted. Then the Qur'an was mistaken when it told Christians to judge by the Gospel (5:47), told Jews and Christians to observe their books (5:68) and told Muhammad to ask those who read them (10:94). It would also mean that God's words were changed, which the Qur'an says cannot happen.

Machaguo haya mawili yanaibua swali zito kwa dai la Waislamu kwamba Injili ilipotoshwa. Waislamu wengi hujibu kwamba Kurani inasifu Injil ya asili aliyopewa Yesu, si Injili nne za Agano Jipya. Sikiliza jibu hilo kwa heshima. Swali linalofuata ni la kihistoria: Wakristo walikuwa na maandishi gani ya Injili katika siku za Muhammad, na tunajuaje? Hii si hila. Ni swali la kweli linalotokana na kusoma maneno ya Kurani yenyewe. Unaposhiriki hoja hii, fanya hivyo polepole na kwa wema. Mwombe rafiki yako azisome aya hizo mwenyewe. Lengo si kushinda mjadala bali kumsaidia mtu unayempenda aone kwamba Biblia inastahili kusomwa.These two choices raise a serious question for the Muslim claim that the Gospel was corrupted. Many Muslims answer that the Qur'an praises the original Injil given to Jesus, not the four Gospels of the New Testament. Listen to that answer with respect. The next question is historical: which Gospel texts did Christians have in Muhammad's time, and how do we know? This is not a trick. It is an honest question that follows from reading the Qur'an's own words. When you share it, do so slowly and kindly. Ask your friend to read the verses for himself. The goal is not to win an argument but to help a person you love see that the Bible deserves to be read.

Lini, Jinsi Gani na Nani?When, How and by Whom?

Njia ya pili ya kujibu shtaka la tahrif ni kuuliza maswali rahisi ya kihistoria. Kama Biblia ilibadilishwa, basi mabadiliko hayo yalifanyika wakati fulani, kwa njia fulani, na watu fulani. Dai zito linahitaji majibu mazito ya maswali haya.A second way to answer the charge of tahrif is to ask simple historical questions. If the Bible was changed, then the change happened at some time, in some way, by some people. A serious claim needs serious answers to these questions.

Ilibadilishwa Lini?When Was It Changed?

Wakristo mara nyingi huliuliza swali hili kama chaguo kati ya nyakati mbili: kabla ya Muhammad au baada ya Muhammad.Christians often put this question as a choice between two times: before Muhammad or after Muhammad.

Kama upotoshaji ulitokea kabla ya Muhammad, basi amri ya Kurani ya kuhukumu kwa Injili (5:47) haina maana, na Muhammad angekuwa ametumwa kuwauliza watu ambao vitabu vyao vilikuwa tayari vimeharibika (10:94). Kwa hiyo Waislamu wengi huweka mabadiliko hayo baada ya Muhammad, baada ya mwaka wa BK 632 hivi. Wengine hujibu badala yake kwamba 5:47 inarejea ufunuo wa asili tu au sehemu zilizobaki za kweli. Ikiwa ni hivyo, uliza kwa wema ni ushahidi gani unaoonyesha ni sehemu zipi zilibadilishwa, na lini.If the corruption happened before Muhammad, then the Qur'an's command to judge by the Gospel (5:47) makes no sense, and Muhammad would have been sent to ask people whose books were already broken (10:94). So many Muslims place the change after Muhammad, after about AD 632. Some answer instead that 5:47 refers only to the original revelation or to the parts that remained true. If so, ask kindly what evidence shows which parts were changed, and when.

Lakini kama upotoshaji ulitokea baada ya Muhammad, tatizo tofauti linajitokeza. Tunazo nakala za karibu Biblia nzima zilizotengenezwa muda mrefu kabla Muhammad hajazaliwa. Codex Sinaiticus na Codex Vaticanus, vitabu viwili vikubwa vilivyoandikwa kwa mkono vyenye sehemu kubwa ya Agano la Kale na Agano Jipya la Kigiriki, vilinakiliwa katika karne ya nne, zaidi ya miaka mia mbili kabla ya Muhammad. Vipande vingi vidogo vya mafunjo ya Agano Jipya ni vya zamani zaidi. Nakala hizi za Agano Jipya ndizo ushahidi wa Injili. Zinaonyesha kwamba Injili nne zilikuwa zikinakiliwa na kusomwa karne nyingi kabla ya Muhammad. Nakala hizo zina tofauti ndogo za maneno, ambazo Kitengo cha 9 kinaeleza, lakini hazionyeshi kwamba masimulizi ya Injili kuhusu Yesu, msalaba wake na kaburi lake tupu yalibadilishwa katika siku za Muhammad. Hati za Bahari ya Chumvi, zilizopatikana kwa mara ya kwanza mwaka 1947, ni aina nyingine ya ushahidi. Ni nakala za Maandiko ya Kiebrania, yaani Agano letu la Kale, na zinajumuisha kitabu cha kukunjwa cha Isaya kilichokaribia kukamilika, kilichonakiliwa kabla ya wakati wa Kristo. Hazina sehemu yoyote ya Agano Jipya, kwa hiyo hazituambii chochote moja kwa moja kuhusu Injili. Zinachoonyesha ni kwamba Maandiko ya Kiebrania yalikuwapo muda mrefu kabla ya Muhammad. Kitengo cha 9 kitachunguza hati hizi kwa undani zaidi. Kwa sasa, jambo ni rahisi: ukiacha tofauti ndogo za maneno, Biblia tunayosoma ndiyo Biblia iliyokuwapo kabla Uislamu haujaanza.But if the corruption happened after Muhammad, a different problem appears. We possess copies of nearly the whole Bible made long before Muhammad was born. Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, two great handwritten books that contain most of the Greek Old and New Testaments, were copied in the fourth century, more than two hundred years before Muhammad. Many smaller papyrus pieces of the New Testament are older still. These New Testament copies are the evidence for the Gospels. They show that the four Gospels were being copied and read centuries before Muhammad. The copies do show small differences in wording, which Unit 9 explains, but they do not show that the Gospel accounts of Jesus, His cross and His empty tomb were replaced in Muhammad's day. The Dead Sea Scrolls, first found in 1947, are a separate kind of evidence. They are copies of the Hebrew Scriptures, our Old Testament, and they include a nearly complete scroll of Isaiah copied before the time of Christ. They contain no part of the New Testament, so they tell us nothing directly about the Gospels. What they show is that the Hebrew Scriptures existed long before Muhammad. Unit 9 will study these manuscripts in more detail. For now, the point is simple: apart from small differences in wording, the Bible we read is the Bible that existed before Islam began.

Ilibadilishwaje?How Was It Changed?

Kufikia karne ya saba Biblia haikuwa kitabu kimoja mahali pamoja. Ilikuwa imenakiliwa maelfu ya mara na kuenea katika mabara matatu. Ilikuwa imetafsiriwa katika Kisiria, Kikopti, Kilatini, Kiethiopia, Kiarmenia na lugha nyingine. Wakristo wa Ethiopia, Misri, Siria, Roma na Uajemi wote waliisoma. Mara nyingi hawakukubaliana wao kwa wao na hawakuwa na kiongozi mmoja aliyeweza kuwaamuru wote.By the seventh century the Bible was not one book in one place. It had been copied thousands of times and spread across three continents. It had been translated into Syriac, Coptic, Latin, Ethiopic, Armenian and other languages. Christians in Ethiopia, Egypt, Syria, Rome and Persia all read it. They often disagreed with each other and had no single leader who could command them all.

Ili kubadilisha Biblia baada ya Muhammad, mtu angelazimika kukusanya kila nakala katika kila lugha kutoka kila nchi, kuzibadilisha zote kwa njia ileile, na kutoacha alama yoyote ya maandishi ya zamani. Hakuna mtawala katika historia aliyekuwa na uwezo huo. Na kama jambo hilo lingejaribiwa, tungetarajia kupata nakala za zamani zenye ujumbe "wa asili" unaokubaliana na Uislamu. Nakala kama hizo hazipo.To change the Bible after Muhammad, someone would have had to gather every copy in every language from every country, change them all in the same way, and leave no trace of the older text. No ruler in history had that power. And if it had been tried, we would expect to find old copies with the "original" message that agrees with Islam. No such copies exist.

Nani Aliibadilisha?Who Changed It?

Waislamu mara nyingi husema "Wayahudi na Wakristo" ndio waliobadilisha Biblia. Lakini Wayahudi na Wakristo walikuwa wapinzani waliobishana vikali wao kwa wao. Wote wawili husoma Agano la Kale. Kama Wakristo wangelibadilisha Agano la Kale ili lionyeshe Yesu, Wayahudi wangewafichua. Kama Wayahudi wangelibadilisha, Wakristo wangepinga. Ugomvi wao kwa kweli ulilinda maandishi, kwa sababu kila upande ulimchunga mwenzake.Muslims often say "the Jews and Christians" changed the Bible. But Jews and Christians were rivals who argued strongly with each other. Both read the Old Testament. If Christians had changed the Old Testament to point to Jesus, the Jews would have exposed them. If the Jews had changed it, the Christians would have objected. Their disagreement actually protected the text, because each watched the other.

Pia, ni lazima tuulize: wangepata faida gani? Sehemu ambazo Waislamu wanazichukia zaidi, kama msalaba wa Kristo, ndizo hasa sehemu ambazo Wakristo wa mwanzo waliteswa na kufa kwa ajili yake. Watu hawabuni mafundisho yanayowaletea mateso kisha wakafa kwa ajili yake.Also, we must ask: what would they gain? The passages Muslims dislike most, such as the cross of Christ, were the very passages for which early Christians suffered and died. People do not invent teachings that bring them persecution and then die for them.

Je, "Injili ya Barnaba"?What About the "Gospel of Barnabas"?

Waandishi wengine Waislamu wanataja kitabu kiitwacho Injili ya Barnaba, kinachokubaliana na Uislamu kwa njia nyingi na hata kumtaja Muhammad. Rafiki yako anaweza kusema hii ndiyo Injili ya kweli. Lakini nakala za zamani zaidi za kitabu hiki zinatoka karibu karne ya kumi na sita, zaidi ya miaka elfu moja baada ya Yesu, na wasomi wengi wanakadiria kuwa kiliandikwa kati ya karne ya kumi na nne na ya kumi na sita. Kina makosa ya kihistoria yanayoonyesha kwamba mwandishi wake hakuishi Israeli ya karne ya kwanza. Si Injili ya kale. Hakiwezi kuwa Injil ambayo Kurani iliwaambia Wakristo wa karne ya saba wafuate.Some Muslim writers point to a book called the Gospel of Barnabas, which agrees with Islam in many ways and even names Muhammad. Your friend may say this is the true Gospel. But the oldest copies of this book come from about the sixteenth century, more than a thousand years after Jesus, and most scholars date its writing to roughly the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. It contains historical errors that show its author did not live in first-century Israel. It is not an ancient Gospel. It cannot be the Injil that the Qur'an told Christians of the seventh century to follow.

Mamlaka ya Nabii na Swali la Maneno Yake YaliyorekodiwaThe Authority of a Prophet and the Question of His Recorded Words

Swali kuu kwa wachungaji ni rahisi sana: ikiwa Waislamu wanakubali kwamba Yesu alikuwa nabii, na kwamba manabii wa Mungu wanapaswa kusikilizwa, tufanye nini na mafundisho ya Yesu? Kurani 19:30 inamwita Yesu nabii, na katika 3:50 na 43:63 Yesu anawaambia wasikilizaji wake wamtii. Kurani 5:46-47 inasema kwamba Injil ina mwongozo na nuru. Aya hizi zinatupa msingi mwingi wa pamoja wa kumchukulia Yesu kwa uzito.A central question for pastors is very simple: if Muslims agree that Jesus was a prophet, and that God's prophets should be heard, what do we do with Jesus' teaching? Qur'an 19:30 calls Jesus a prophet, and in 3:50 and 43:63 Jesus tells his hearers to obey him. Qur'an 5:46-47 says that the Injil contains guidance and light. These texts give us much shared ground for taking Jesus seriously.

Lakini rafiki Mwislamu kwa kawaida atajibu kwamba Injil aliyopewa Yesu na Mungu si sawa na Injili nne, ambazo anaziona kuwa vitabu vya baadaye kuhusu Yesu. Usilipuuze jibu hili. Swali basi linakuwa la kihistoria: Wakristo walikuwa nacho nini hasa katika siku za Muhammad, wakati Kurani iliwaambia wahukumu kwa Injili? Hati-mkono za kale, na nukuu za waandishi wa mwanzo wa Kikristo, zinaonyesha kwamba Injili nne za Agano Jipya zilikuwa zikitumika karne nyingi kabla ya Muhammad na zilitumiwa na Wakristo katika wakati wake. Hili peke yake halimalizi imani ya Waislamu kwamba Injil ya asili ni tofauti na masimulizi ya Injili ya baadaye, lakini linaonyesha mazungumzo yanapaswa kuelekea wapi baadaye.But a Muslim friend will usually answer that the Injil God gave Jesus is not the same as the four Gospels, which he sees as later books about Jesus. Do not skip over this answer. The question then becomes historical: what did Christians actually have in Muhammad's day, when the Qur'an told them to judge by the Gospel? Ancient manuscripts, and quotations by early Christian writers, show that the four Gospels of the New Testament were in use centuries before Muhammad and were used by Christians in his time. This does not by itself settle the Muslim belief that the original Injil differs from the later Gospel accounts, but it shows where the conversation must go next.

Basi weka mpangilio wa haki wa maswali. Kwanza, je, tunakubaliana kwamba nabii lazima asikilizwe? Pili, ni masimulizi gani ya maneno ya Yesu yaliyobaki? Tatu, ni ya mapema kiasi gani, yalinakiliwaje na kupitishwa, na hati-mkono zilizobaki zinasema nini hasa? Nne, vyanzo vya mwanzo kabisa vya Kikristo vilirekodi Yesu akifundisha nini kuhusu nafsi yake? Kwa hiyo uchunguzi wa hati-mkono katika Kitengo cha 9 si njia ya pembeni. Ni daraja la kuelekea mazungumzo ya kweli kuhusu Yesu ni nani.So set out a fair order of questions. First, do we agree that a prophet must be heard? Second, which accounts of Jesus' words survive? Third, how early are they, how were they copied and passed on, and what do the surviving manuscripts actually say? Fourth, what did those earliest Christian sources record Jesus teaching about Himself? The study of the manuscripts in Unit 9 is therefore not a side road. It is the bridge to an honest conversation about who Jesus is.

Injil na Injili NneThe Injil and the Four Gospels

Waislamu wengi wanatarajia Injil iwe kitabu kimoja ambacho Mungu alimwambia Yesu aandike neno kwa neno, kama wanavyoamini kwamba Kurani ilitolewa kwa Muhammad. Wanapokuta Injili nne zilizoandikwa na Mathayo, Marko, Luka na Yohana, zinazomweleza Yesu, wanaweza kudhani hilo linathibitisha kwamba ile ya asili ilipotea.Many Muslims expect the Injil to be a single book that God dictated to Jesus, as they believe the Qur'an was given to Muhammad. When they find four Gospels written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, telling about Jesus, they may think this proves the original was lost.

Hapa mchungaji anapaswa kueleza kwa subira kwamba Wakristo wanauelewa ufunuo kwa njia tofauti. Katika mafundisho ya Kikristo, Yesu mwenyewe ndiye Neno la Mungu aliyefanyika mwili (Yohana 1:14). Habari njema (maana ya neno "injili") ni ujumbe kuhusu yeye ni nani na alifanya nini. Injili nne ni mashahidi waaminifu wa ujumbe huo, zilizoandikwa na mitume na wenzao wa karibu. Neno "injili" lilikuwa tayari likitumiwa hivi katika karne ya kwanza: Marko anaanza kitabu chake kwa maneno "Mwanzo wa Injili ya Yesu Kristo" (Marko 1:1, SUV). Hati za mkono na ushuhuda wa Wakristo wa mwanzo zinaonyesha kwamba Injili nne za kanuni zilikuwa zikienea muda mrefu kabla ya Muhammad na zilitumiwa na Wakristo wa wakati wake. Huu ni ushahidi wenye nguvu wa kihistoria kwa maandishi ya Injili ya Kikristo ambayo yeye angeweza kukutana nayo. Mwislamu bado anaweza kutofautisha vitabu hivi na ufunuo wa asili aliopewa Yesu; dai hilo la kitheolojia linahitaji mjadala wake mwenyewe kuhusu ushahidi wake.Here the pastor should explain patiently that Christians understand revelation differently. In Christian teaching, Jesus Himself is the Word of God made flesh (John 1:14). The good news (the meaning of "gospel") is the message about who He is and what He did. The four Gospels are faithful witnesses to that message, written by apostles and their close companions. The word "gospel" was already used this way in the first century: Mark begins his book with "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ" (Mark 1:1). Manuscripts and early Christian testimony show that the four canonical Gospels were in circulation long before Muhammad and were used by Christians in his time. This is strong historical evidence for the Christian Gospel texts he could encounter. A Muslim may still distinguish these books from an original revelation given to Jesus; that theological claim calls for a separate discussion of its evidence.

Kujibu kwa NeemaAnswering with Grace

Kujua hoja hizi ni nusu tu ya kazi. Nusu nyingine ni roho ambayo kwayo tunazitumia. Petro wa Kwanza 3:15 inatuambia tutoe utetezi "kwa upole na kwa hofu." Rafiki Mwislamu anayesema Biblia imepotoshwa si adui yako. Kwa kawaida anarudia aliyofundishwa, mara nyingi kwa uaminifu.Knowing these arguments is only half the task. The other half is the spirit in which we use them. First Peter 3:15 tells us to give a defence "with meekness and fear." A Muslim friend who says the Bible is corrupted is not your enemy. He is usually repeating what he was taught, often sincerely.

Maswali Badala ya MashtakaQuestions Instead of Accusations

Mojawapo ya njia bora za kujibu ni kuuliza maswali ya upole. Kwa mfano:One of the best ways to answer is to ask gentle questions. For example:

• "Ni aya zipi unazoamini zilibadilishwa, na zilisema nini hapo awali?"• "Which verses do you believe were changed, and what did they say before?"

• "Unadhani mabadiliko yalifanyika lini, kabla au baada ya Muhammad?"• "When do you think the change happened, before or after Muhammad?"

• "Kurani 5:47 inamaanisha nini inapowaambia Wakristo wahukumu kwa Injili?"• "What does Qur'an 5:47 mean when it tells Christians to judge by the Gospel?"

• "Umewahi kusoma Injili mwenyewe? Je, ungependa kusoma moja pamoja nami?"• "Have you ever read the Gospels for yourself? Would you like to read one with me?"

Maswali huwaalika watu kufikiri badala ya kujitetea. Pia yanaonyesha heshima, kwa sababu yanachukulia imani ya rafiki yako kwa uzito wa kutosha kuiulizia.Questions invite thought rather than defence. They also show respect, because they take your friend's beliefs seriously enough to ask about them.

Mfano wa SokoniAn Example from the Market

Fikiria mchungaji aitwaye Samweli anayeuza viatu katika soko la mji. Jirani yake Ibrahimu, mfanyabiashara Mwislamu, anamwambia siku moja, "Biblia yenu si Injil ya kweli. Ilibadilishwa." Samweli habishani. Anauliza, "Rafiki yangu, Kurani yenu inawaambia Wakristo wahukumu kwa Injili. Ilimaanisha Injili ipi?" Ibrahimu hana uhakika. Katika majuma yaliyofuata wanazungumza mara nyingi. Samweli anamwonyesha ukurasa kuhusu Codex Sinaiticus na kueleza kwamba ilinakiliwa muda mrefu kabla ya Muhammad. Ibrahimu bado hajashawishika, lakini anakubali kusoma Injili ya Luka pamoja na Samweli. Hili ni matokeo mazuri. Kazi yetu ni kufungua mlango; Roho Mtakatifu ndiye anayemwongoza mtu kupita ndani yake.Imagine a pastor named Samuel who sells shoes in a town market. His neighbour Ibrahim, a Muslim trader, tells him one day, "Your Bible is not the true Injil. It was changed." Samuel does not argue. He asks, "My friend, your Qur'an tells Christians to judge by the Gospel. Which Gospel did it mean?" Ibrahim is not sure. Over the following weeks they talk often. Samuel shows him a page about Codex Sinaiticus and explains that it was copied long before Muhammad. Ibrahim is still not convinced, but he agrees to read the Gospel of Luke with Samuel. This is a good result. Our task is to open the door; the Holy Spirit leads a person through it.

Mfano wa Nabeel QureshiThe Example of Nabeel Qureshi

Nabeel Qureshi alikulia katika familia ya Kiislamu ya Ahmadi iliyokuwa na bidii. Alikutana na rafiki yake Mkristo David Wood akiwa mwanafunzi katika Chuo Kikuu cha Old Dominion, na miaka ya mijadala ya kirafiki ikaanza. Katika miaka hiyo alisoma hoja za kihistoria za kusulubiwa, kufufuka na uungu wa Kristo, na pia alichunguza kwa makini vyanzo kuhusu Muhammad na Kurani. Qureshi alihoji kwamba uchunguzi wa kweli wa ushahidi, pamoja na sala ya dhati ya kumwomba Mungu aonyeshe ukweli, ndiyo njia ya mbele kwa kila mtafutaji. Kitabu chake Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (2014) kinapendekezwa kusomwa kwa kitengo hiki.Nabeel Qureshi grew up in a devout Ahmadi Muslim family. He met his Christian friend David Wood as a student at Old Dominion University, and years of friendly debate began. During those years he studied the historical case for the crucifixion, resurrection and deity of Christ, and he also looked closely at the sources on Muhammad and the Qur'an. Qureshi argued that honest study of the evidence, together with sincere prayer for God to show the truth, is the way forward for any seeker. His book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus (2014) is recommended reading for this unit.

Kulifunza KanisaEquipping the Congregation

Wachungaji wawaandae washiriki wao kwa swali hili kabla hawajalisikia sokoni au shuleni. Wafundishe hoja tatu rahisi. Kwanza, Kurani yenyewe inasema vizuri kuhusu Taurati na Injili. Pili, tunazo nakala za Biblia za muda mrefu kabla ya Muhammad, na zina ujumbe uleule. Tatu, hakuna aliyekuwa na uwezo wa kubadilisha kila nakala katika kila lugha. Washiriki wanaojua hoja hizi hawatatikisika, nao wanaweza kuwajibu majirani zao kwa ujasiri na upendo.Pastors should prepare their members for this question before they hear it in the market or at school. Teach them three simple points. First, the Qur'an itself speaks well of the Torah and the Gospel. Second, we have copies of the Bible from long before Muhammad, and they carry the same message. Third, no one had the power to change every copy in every language. Members who know these points will not be shaken, and they can answer their neighbours with confidence and love.

Kwa Nini Hili Ni MuhimuWhy This Matters

Shtaka la tahrif si jambo dogo. Kama lingekuwa kweli, Wakristo hawangekuwa na neno la kuaminika kutoka kwa Mungu, na ahadi ya Yesu kwamba maneno yake hayatapita (Mathayo 24:35) ingekuwa imeshindwa. Lakini Biblia imetunzwa. Mungu, aliyesema kupitia manabii na hatimaye kupitia Mwanawe (Waebrania 1:1-2), ameulinda pia neno lake. Kama mstari wetu mkuu unavyosema, "neno la Mungu wetu litasimama milele" (Isaya 40:8).The charge of tahrif is not a small matter. If it were true, Christians would have no reliable word from God, and Jesus' promise that His words would not pass away (Matthew 24:35) would have failed. But the Bible has been kept. God, who spoke through the prophets and finally through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2), has also preserved His word. As our key verse says, "the word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8).

Kwa sababu hii Mkristo anaweza kumkaribisha rafiki Mwislamu asome Biblia bila hofu. Hatuhitaji kuificha wala kuomba radhi kwa ajili yake. Jibu bora kwa "Biblia imepotoshwa" mara nyingi ni kuifungua pamoja na kuiacha ijisemee.For this reason the Christian can invite a Muslim friend to read the Bible without fear. We do not need to hide it or apologize for it. The best answer to "the Bible has been corrupted" is often to open it together and let it speak.

MuhtasariSummary

Tahrif ni shtaka la Kiislamu kwamba Wayahudi na Wakristo walibadilisha Maandiko yao. Wasomi wengine Waislamu walimaanisha upotoshaji wa maana tu, lakini leo Waislamu wengi wanamaanisha upotoshaji wa maandishi, msimamo uliotetewa kwa nguvu na Ibn Hazm katika karne ya kumi na moja na kuenezwa barani Afrika na wahubiri kama Ahmed Deedat. Hata hivyo Kurani yenyewe inathibitisha Taurati na Injili, inawaambia Wakristo wahukumu kwa Injili (5:47), inawaambia Wayahudi na Wakristo wavishike vitabu vyao (5:68), inamwambia Muhammad awaulize wanaovisoma (10:94), na inasema hakuna awezaye kubadilisha maneno ya Mungu. Hili linaleta mtanziko wa Kiislamu: ama Biblia ilikuwa ya kuaminika katika siku za Muhammad, na Kurani inapingana nayo, au ilikuwa tayari imepotoshwa, na Kurani ilikosea kuisifu. Maswali ya kihistoria ya lini, jinsi gani na nani pia yanaonyesha kwamba shtaka hilo haliwezi kusimama, kwa kuwa nakala kama Codex Sinaiticus na Codex Vaticanus zinatoka karne nyingi kabla ya Muhammad. Waislamu wengi hujibu kwamba Kurani inasifu Injil ya asili, si Injili nne; jibu la uaminifu ni kuonyesha kutoka kwa hati-mkono ni Injili zipi Wakristo walikuwa nazo kabla na katika siku za Muhammad, huku tukikubali kwamba hili peke yake halimalizi kila imani ya Waislamu kuhusu Injil. Wakristo wanapaswa kujibu kwa maswali ya upole, ushahidi thabiti na mwaliko wa kusoma Biblia pamoja.Tahrif is the Islamic charge that Jews and Christians changed their Scriptures. Some Muslim scholars meant only corruption of meaning, but today most Muslims mean corruption of the text, a view argued strongly by Ibn Hazm in the eleventh century and spread in Africa by preachers such as Ahmed Deedat. Yet the Qur'an itself confirms the Torah and the Gospel, tells Christians to judge by the Gospel (5:47), tells Jews and Christians to observe their books (5:68), tells Muhammad to ask those who read them (10:94), and says no one can change God's words. This leads to the Islamic dilemma: either the Bible was reliable in Muhammad's day, and the Qur'an contradicts it, or it was already corrupted, and the Qur'an was wrong to commend it. Historical questions of when, how and by whom also show the charge cannot stand, since copies such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus come from centuries before Muhammad. Many Muslims answer that the Qur'an praises the original Injil, not the four Gospels; the honest reply is to show from the manuscripts which Gospels Christians had before and in Muhammad's day, while admitting that this alone does not settle every Muslim belief about the Injil. Christians should answer with gentle questions, sound evidence and an invitation to read the Bible together.

Maswali ya TafakariQuestions for Reflection

1. Je, umewahi kumsikia Mwislamu akisema Biblia imepotoshwa? Ulijibu vipi, na ungejibu vipi sasa?1. Have you ever heard a Muslim say that the Bible has been corrupted? How did you respond, and how would you respond now?

2. Ni aya zipi za Kurani zilizojifunzwa katika kitengo hiki unaona zinasaidia zaidi, na kwa nini?2. Which of the Qur'an verses studied in this unit do you find most helpful, and why?

3. Ungemweleza vipi rafiki Mwislamu mtanziko wa Kiislamu kwa njia iliyo wazi lakini yenye wema?3. How would you explain the Islamic dilemma to a Muslim friend in a way that is clear but kind?

4. Kwa nini swali la wakati, kabla au baada ya Muhammad, ni muhimu sana kwa shtaka la tahrif?4. Why is the timing question, before or after Muhammad, so important to the charge of tahrif?

5. Ni hoja zipi tatu ungewafundisha kanisa lako ili waweze kujibu pingamizi hili kwa ujasiri?5. What three points would you teach your congregation so they can answer this objection with confidence?

6. Swali "Je, tunapaswa kumsikiliza nabii?" linawezaje kutuongoza kwenye ushahidi wa hati-mkono badala ya kuuepuka?6. How does the question "Should we listen to a prophet?" lead to the evidence of the manuscripts rather than around it?

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