that the one who was crucified was actually a man made to look like the Messiah, just as the Quran relates. Those who reported the crucifixion spoke only of what they saw outwardly: when the Messiah’s likeness was placed upon the person on the cross, they assumed he was Jesus—or else they knowingly fabricated the story.

Among this same faction are people who claim that some of the Scriptural wording has been altered. Certain members of the group argue that much of both the Torah and the Gospel has been changed, and a few go so far as to say that most of the two—especially the Gospel—has been tampered with, for criticism of the Gospel is more frequent and more conspicuous than criticism of the Torah.

One extreme party even says that neither book commands any reverence at all, and that it is permissible to use their pages for istinjāʾ (ritual cleansing after relieving oneself).

Others contend that only a small portion of their wording has been altered, and this view is more convincing.

Indeed, alteration in the Gospel is clearer; many people maintain that these Gospels contain only a little of God’s actual speech.

The Gospel that is truly the word of God is not these Gospels.