A Critique of Gnostic Beliefs in the Gospel of Thomas Based on the Qur'anic Teachings

@  Marzieh Vahdani / MA Graduate in Interpretation and Qur'anic Sciences, Tarbiat Modares College, Mashhad (Corresponding Author)                                                                                                                  m.vahdani067@gmail.com

Mohsen Dimehkargarab / Assistant Professor, the University of Qur'anic Sciences, Tarbiat Modares College, Mashhad

Received: 2019/06/03 - Accepted: 2019/10/06

Abstract

The Gospel of Thomas is one of the discoveries of Nagaa Hammadi and is based on Gnostic-Christian beliefs. Researchers have done a lot of historical and religious studies about these discoveries, especially the Gnostic beliefs that dominate most of these texts. They have sought to discover which one is closer to God, Gnosis or Christianity? In this paper, one of the texts of Nagaa Hammadi (the Gospel of Thomas) and its beliefs (Gnostic-Christian) have been comparatively studied based on the Holy Qur'an. It can be argued that according to this comparative study, more than half of the sayings attributed to Jesus in this Gospel are fabricated and contrary to Islamic teachings, and the claim that the 114 existing sayings are attributed to Jesus is rejected. Some of the sayings seem to be consistent with Islamic teachings; however, it should be noted that, based on the conducted study, they are also in conflict with the Islamic method and attitude.

Keywords: the holy Qur'an, unofficial Gospels, Jesus, Gnosis, Christianity.