Taammulat fi al-Anajil wa al-Aqida
- Author died
- -
- Editions
- Taammulat fi al-Anajil wa al-Aqida
Taammulat fi al-Anajil wa al-Aqida (Reflections on the Gospels and Doctrine) is a critical study of the New Testament Gospels and Christian theology by the Egyptian author Baha al-Nahhal. The book was published in a second edition in 1994 in Zagazig, Egypt, under the English subtitle Scientific and Historical Study in the Gospels.
Background and Purpose
The author states that the impetus for the work arose after Christian acquaintances gifted him a copy of the Bible, prompting him to examine the Gospels from an analytical and rational perspective while seeking to avoid metaphysical abstraction. In the preface, al-Nahhal describes the work as a qualitative and quantitative inquiry aimed at compiling findings from Eastern and Western biblical scholars, focusing on what he identifies as historical, scientific, geographical, and medical discrepancies in the Gospel accounts.
Structure and Content
The work examines the development, textual consistency, and factual claims of the four canonical Gospels:
- Oral Transmission and Authorship: The book discusses the period of oral transmission prior to the writing of the canonical Gospels, surveying estimates of the timeline between Jesus and the earliest written texts. Drawing on both Western biblical criticism and Eastern commentaries—including references to Oscar Cullmann, William Barclay, and Abbas Mahmud al-Aqqad—it examines the chronological primacy of the Gospel of Mark and reviews Gospel narratives regarding the disciples' comprehension and reception of Jesus' teachings.
- Historical Critique: In a dedicated chapter on historical issues, the book analyzes Gospel passages concerning the date of Jesus' birth, chronological details involving Lysanias, Annas, and Caiaphas in the Gospel of Luke, the historical accounts of the trial of Jesus, and the narrative surrounding Salome and John the Baptist. It incorporates assessments from the German historical-critical tradition summarized through contemporary Arabic scholarship.
- Geographical Critique: Another chapter focuses on geographical descriptions in the Gospels, particularly Luke. Citing theological and geographical studies such as those of Hans Conzelmann, al-Nahhal discusses textual mentions of localities such as the unnamed "city of Judah," the mountain of temptation, the topography of Nazareth, and the variant readings regarding Gadara, Gergesa, and Gerasa.
- Medical and Scientific Observations: The author addresses New Testament accounts of exorcisms, demon possession, and healing narratives, evaluating them against modern scientific and medical frameworks.
Reception
The book has been referenced in comparative religion literature and online Islamic research compilations. In a critical review published in Majallat al-Bayan, reviewers discussed al-Nahhal's polemical writings, noting his pronounced reliance on a materialist, empirical worldview when critiquing Christian doctrines and traditional theological questions.
Answer updated