and—as for the Christians—the manuscripts are not in the hands of their rank-and-file, nor do they carry them in their hearts the way Muslims memorize the Qur’an. Thus nothing prevents a small clique from conspiring to alter one or more copies—especially when the rest of the community does not know the text by heart. Should a faction decide to change a manuscript or several (1) in its possession, it could do so with ease; if its members then agree not to inform their common folk and followers, that too is entirely possible. Such things, in fact, occur often in the world.

The Jews, for example, colluded and exhorted one another to suppress the Messiah’s prophethood, to deny the glad tidings about him, and to distort them; this conspiracy became notorious among their entire people, in both East and West.

Likewise, they agreed to portray him as a quack physician, a deceitful sorcerer, an impostor born of adultery. They spread this tale even though they had witnessed the dazzling signs with which he was sent and knew full well that, of all God’s creation, he was the furthest from what they accused him of. Yet they broadcast their fabrication and filled their books with it, throughout East and West.

They also conspired to claim that Lot committed incest with his two daughters and fathered children by them, and that report became widespread among them all.

They further alleged that God regretted and wept over the Flood, bit His fingers in remorse, wrestled with Jacob and was thrown by him; that He lies sleeping away from them, and that they beg Him to awaken from His slumber—stories now common to all of them.

In the same way, they agreed upon certain liturgical passages they fabricated after their kingdom had vanished, which they now recite in their prayers—passages unknown (2) to Moses or to any of his followers, such as their words in