Eastern roots of Christianity discovered

I was raised on the notion that Christianity represents colonialism and the Crusades. For indeed, the West has misused and misrepresented the message of Christianity. However, when I read the book A Sufi Reading of the Gospel of John, I discovered how distant the West has been from the message of Christ. I also discovered that I have roots in Christianity that go deeper than those of any Westerner.

Shaykh Mustafa al-Jabiri

A review of this book deserves much more time

When the “newborn” book reached my hands in its elegant clothing, I first reflected on its title which brought many questions to my mind, the first one being: “Why would a team of educated Muslims be interested in the Gospel?” “What is a correct interpretation as far as they are concerned?” “Why would they want to do an Arabic translation of a religious text like this?” “And how?” From the first word in this volume to the last, I was gradually overcome with joy, and after each page my astonishment increased and my heart and emotions were filled with amazement.

I want to be very brief, because an adequate review of this book deserves much more time: the introductory articles are abundant and necessary, and I was delighted with them since they certainly answer many old and new questions posed by ordinary people in our society. They answer these questions frankly and with a clear and necessary fidelity that has long been lacking, addressing the gulf that has grown between the Abrahamic religions. The interpretive text of the Gospel remains distinctly faithful to the intended meaning taken from the Holy Scriptures. This book takes its place in the ranks of other Arabic Bible translations, completing their heritage of striving to communicate the Word of God to the hearts and minds of people.

The late Rev. Lucien Accad – former director of the Bible Society of Lebanon

We should not ignore the Christian spiritual heritage

It is most regrettable that we have deliberately, though ignorantly, ignored the Christian spiritual heritage, which forms a part of our Eastern tradition. The time has come for us to open our hearts to this rich legacy.

Dr. Muhammad Fadil al-Jamali – former Iraqi Prime Minister, and one of the founders of the UN Charter

A wind from God blowing in the Arab world

Since the moment I first began to read this series that presents the Word of God in Middle Eastern Arabic language, I felt joy filling my heart, and I knew that a wind from God was blowing in the Arab world. For this I thanked God for his gracious gifts. Satan has been successful in hiding Christ from Arab Muslims, and we as Arab Christians have supported him using many means, the most important of them language. This has made the Word of God in the Holy Bible unclear. But then this translation came to remove the dust and bring the language and expressions back to their pure origin. I have experienced this phenomenon personally and it has become clearer to me in my relationships with Muslims.

E. B.

What makes the best translation

“Do you know why people felt this translation is the best? It is the syntax – it is not ordinary syntax. It is Islamic spiritual language. The idea is to have the book as if written by a Muslim. Sometimes you can hear a rhythm, and it you do not hear it, it does not touch you.”

Dr Nour al-Arabi

Open to the truth

Although I am an Arab Muslim, I am Christian in the sense that I believe that the truth is manifested in human beings. If others become fanatic and close their hearts and minds, that is their problem. For fanaticism directed against the Other, or, let us say, against the truth, is actually a retreat from the self. As such, it explodes in violence and terrorism, as we have all seen, and as a result of which we have all suffered. Hence, there remains no alternative but to open ourselves to the world: to become acquainted with it and come to understand it, be it friend or foe.

Dr. Ali Harb

The True Meaning of the Gospel of Christ: brilliant Gospel text

Recently a friend brought me a pearl of the soul titled “The True Meaning of the Gospel of Christ”, which I was drawn to read with delight. This title is entirely appropriate, without a shadow of a doubt.
This text is clear, flowing and expressive, communicating the Biblical meaning with accuracy and elegance, and with clarity, simplicity and depth. It is academic research and literary elegance that rarely are joined, which you find here mingled in one book.
The text of the Gospels is brilliant, and the text of the Acts of the Apostles is an eloquent history. The articles, footnotes and explanation are rich and enriching. Lest I be accused of partiality, I would like to point out a small blemish. I wish that there were more vowel markings, or a least that the vowelling were more consistent, since there are sometimes many markings, and sometimes they are almost absent.

Saeed Baz – main translator of the Living Arabic New Testament