Injeel (, ) is the Arabic name for the Gospel of Jesus (ÿêsÃÂ). This Injil is described by the Quran as one of the four Islamic holy books which was revealed by Allah, the others being the Zabur (traditionally understood as being the Psalms), the Tawrat (the Torah), and the Quran itself. The word Injil is also used in the Quran, the hadith and early Muslim documents to refer to both a book and revelations made by God to Jesus.
The Arabic word Injël () as found in Islamic texts and now used also by non-Arab Muslims and non-Muslim Arabs is popularly believed to come from the found in the Peshitta, the Syriac translation of the Bible. This, in turn, derives from of the New Testament, where it means âÂÂgood newsâ (compare Old English gà Âdspel; Modern English gospel, or evangel as an archaism; cf. e.g. Spanish evangelio).
Some scholars sparingly believe the word Injël comes from KoinàGreek Euangélion (ÃÂÃÂñóóÃÂûùÿý), but more via Classical Syriac Ewanggellëà Ân (ÃÂÃÂâÃÂàÃÂÃÂâ) but via Ethiopic WangÃÂl (áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂ).
The word Injël occurs twelve times in the QurþÃÂn.
According to mainstream Sunni Islam, the Injël is the divinely revealed scripture granted to Jesus (ÿêsÃÂ) by God, referenced in several QurþÃÂnic passages, notably in 5:46âÂÂ47. It is described as a guidance-filled and light-bearing scripture that confirms the Torah. Mainstream Islamic theology holds that the original Injël was not preserved in its revealed form but was subjected to taḥrëfâÂÂa process of textual and doctrinal alteration over time. For example, Abdullah Yusuf Ali wrote:
Most Muslims do not identify the Injël with the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. Rather, they view those texts as later, human-authored biographies composed decades after JesusâÂÂs lifetime. Islamic theology maintains that the original revelation may have already been lost or obscured before these texts were written. While the Gospels may preserve indirect echoes of the original message, they are not considered divinely revealed scripture.
From a textual standpoint, Christian scholars generally assert that the New Testament Gospels have been reliably preserved through a large and early manuscript tradition.
While most Muslims do not believe that the Injeel of the Qur'an refers to the gospels written by the New Testament Apostles, some Muslims identify the Gospel of Thomas as being the Injeel of Jesus.
The Islamic methodology of tafsër al-QurþÃÂn biâÂÂl-kitÃÂb (Arabic: êÃÂóÃÂñ çÃÂÃÂñâàèçÃÂÃÂêçè, "Interpreting the Quran with the Bible") involves interpreting the QurþÃÂn in light of earlier scriptures such as the Torah and the Gospel. This method was notably employed by scholars like Ibrahim ibn Umar al-Biqa'i (d. 1480), who quoted Arabic translations of the Bible in his QurþÃÂnic commentary to draw literary and theological parallels. Other notable Muslim (commentators) or philosophers of the Bible and Qur'an who weaved biblical texts together with Qur'anic ones include Abu al-Hakam Abd al-Salam bin al-Isbili of Al-Andalus, Hamid al-Din al-Kirmani, and the Brethren of Purity.
However, this approach remained controversial and limited in scope. Mainstream Sunni scholarship has traditionally discouraged affirming or denying Biblical narratives unless supported by the QurþÃÂn or authentic hadith. As Griffith notes, Muslim exegetes were aware of the Prophet's reported counsel not to confirm or reject reports from the People of the Book, instead affirming belief in the revelation sent to both communities.