ABSTRACT
Sa’ada translated the Gospel of Barnabas into Arabic from the English translation of an Italian version which is kept in the Imperial Library of Vienna. In his introduction, the translator kept the discussion to the historical and scientific, rather than the religious, aspects of the text. When knowledge about the existence of the Gospel of Barnabas emerged at the beginning of the eighteenth century, much debate and discussion arose at academic and religious forums, particularly in England. Much controversy ensued, and many scholars bitterly clashed in opinion, ranging from the wildest of realms of fancy and delusion to solid scientific research. The inspiration for the comparison of this Gospel to the work of the famous poet Dante derives from there being many expressions of the Italian version that are similar to those in the poetic works of Dante, where he describes scenes of heaven and hell.
