Arabic Infancy Gospel

[5][6] The Arabic Infancy Gospel is related to an older East Syriac work titled the History of the Virgin, as it is either an Arabic translation of it[7] or both of them are derived from a common source that might be identified as a Syriac language Infancy Gospel dating to the sixth century or earlier.

It also claims earlier encounters for Jesus with Judas Iscariot, and with the thieves with whom he is later crucified, as well as being one of the earliest documents.

Although this Gospel is thought to have originated from Syriac sources dating back to the fifth or sixth century,[10] it has become known to European readers by way of an Arabic version published by Henry Sike in 1697 together with a Latin translation.

[14] Most recent research in the field of Islamic studies by Sydney Griffith et al. (2013), David D. Grafton (2014), Clair Wilde (2014) & ML Hjälm et al. (2016 & 2017) assert that "all one can say about the possibility of a pre-Islamic, Christian version of the Gospel in Arabic is that no sure sign of its actual existence has yet emerged.

"[15][16][17][18][19] Additionally ML Hjälm in her most recent research (2017) inserts that "manuscripts containing translations of the gospels are encountered no earlier than the year 873".

Unlike Matthew, however, this account cites Zoradascht (Zoroaster) as the source of the prophecy that motivated the wise men to seek the infant Jesus.