02-07-2008, 10:14 AM
Paul Younan Wrote:I've no doubt that Bahira felt he had the original gospels, if he were referring to the Aramaic. I think the latter part of the claim, references to Mohammed, is probably a very exaggerated claim made by Muslim apologists. We have copies of the Peshitta that are at least 100 years older than Islam, and I've read them without noticing any reference to Mohammed. So that claim falls flat on its face.
Considering what you said here akhi Paul, can you help me with something? I came across this interesting article titled "Muhammad the Borrower" on the "Answering Islam" site, concerning the sources of al-Qur'an:
http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/borrowing.htm
Now what I'd like your help with is this portion of the article:
Author (Silas) is quoting Alfred Guillaume's English translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul:
Quote:The Gospel according to John.....
There is a very interesting passage on pages 103 - 104 of the Sirat. It deals with the Gospel of John. I will quote it in full because of its bearing:
Among the things which have reached me about what Jesus the Son of Mary states in the Gospel which he received from God for the followers of the Gospel, in applying a term to describe the apostle of God, is the following. It is extracted from what John the Apostle set down for them when he wrote the Gospel for them from the Testament of Jesus Son of Mary:
He that hateth me hath hated the Lord. And if I had not done in their presence works which none other before me did, they had not had sin: but from now they are puffed up with pride and think that they will overcome me and also the Lord. But the word that is in the law must be fulfilled, "They hated me without a cause" (i.e., without reason). But when the Comforter has come whom God will send to you from the Lord's presence, and the spirit of truth which will have gone froth from the Lord's presence he (shall bear) witness of me and ye also, because ye have been with me from the beginning. I have spoken to you about this that ye should not be in doubt."
The Munahhemana (God bless and preserve him!) in Syriac is Muhammad; in Greek he is the paraclete.
END OF QUOTE
Guillaume's note for this passage out of the Sirat says:
The passage quoted is John 15.23 ff. It is interesting to note that the citation comes from the Palestinian Syriac Lectionary and not from the ordinary Bible of the Syriac-speaking Churches. The text is corrupt in one or two places; e.g. the phrase "puffed up with pride and think that they will overcome me". Batiru is an obvious corruption of nazaru, which agrees with the Syriac and underlying Greek. Wazannu seems to be another attempt to make sense of the passage. The next word I am unable to explain. The most interesting word is that rendered "Comforter" which we find in the Palestinian Lectionary, but all other Syriac versions render "paraclete", following the Greek. This word was well established in the Hebrew - and Aramaic - speaking world. The menahhemana in Syriac means the life giver and especially one who raises from the dead. Obviously such a meaning is out of place here and what is meant is one who consoles and comforts people for the loss of one dear to them. This is the meaning in the Talmud and Targum. It ought to be pointed out that by the omission of the words "that is written" before "in the law" quite another meaning is given to the prophecy. The natural rendering would be "the word that concerns the Namus must be fulfilled". To Muslims the Namus was the angel Gabriel. Furthermore, the last words are translated as the ordinary Arab reader would understand tashukku; but in Syrian Arabic it could bear the meaning of the gospel text "stumble". See further my article in Al-Andalus, xv, faxc. 2 (1950) 289-96.
END OF QUOTE OF GUILLAUME'S NOTE
I'm battling to follow this. What's up with this "Munahhemana/menahhemana" (could be a typo)? Guillaume says that it's found in the Palestinian Syriac Lectionary, Talmud & Targms. Which Aramaic writings (Peshitta NT, Peshitta Tanakh, Targums, Talmud, Palestinian Syriac lectionary) mention this word and what's the connection with this faulty Gospel quote? I'm sorry if I'm asking for much and if it goes beyond the scope of this forum but I really wanna get to the bottom this! Paul, Yaaqub, Andrew Gabrial Roth, Dave Bauscher, anyone?
Shlama.