So too, the accounts in the Gospel of Christ’s crucifixion and death, and of his coming to the disciples after being raised up, are not statements made by Christ. Rather, they concern what those who came after him saw. What Allah revealed is what was heard from Christ as he conveyed Allah’s message.

If it is said:

“If the disciples believed that Christ was crucified and that he came to them several days later, yet they were the ones who transmitted the Gospel and the religion from Christ, then this casts doubt on their transmission.”

The answer is:

What must be accepted from the disciples, and from everyone who transmitted from the prophets, is only what they transmitted from the prophets, for authoritative proof lies in the prophets’ words. Anything beyond that depends upon evidence: if it is true, it is accepted; otherwise, it is rejected.

Thus, what the Companions transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, of the Quran and hadith must be accepted, especially what was transmitted through numerous independent channels, such as the Quran and many Prophetic traditions. As for their own statements, whatever they unanimously agreed upon is protected from error by their consensus. Whatever they disputed must be referred back to Allah and the Messenger.

Umar initially denied the death of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, until Abū Bakr corrected him. They also disagreed about his burial until Abū Bakr settled the matter with the hadith he narrated. They disagreed about dispatching Usāmah’s army, and they disagreed about fighting those who withheld zakat. None of this undermined what they transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

The Christians are not unanimous concerning Christ’s crucifixion, and none of them witnessed