At some unknown time in history, some unknown people gathered at some unknown location….
Someone: We’re all here because I have discovered the name “Muhammad” in the Bible. Therefore, we have to expunge it forever from all records of Scripture.
Someone Else: What?!! How can we desecrate the book we love and reverence?
Someone: Oooo look at Mr Virtuous & Devout here! I reiterate. This MUST be done!
Someone Else: How?
Someone: I will issue an edict, just like Uthman did and…
Someone Else: Burn everything??! You must be insane!
Someone: Not burn. I’m not THAT stupid. We just need to alter the text so it doesn’t say ‘Muhammad’.
Someone Else: Corrupt our own holy scriptures? And how do you propose we do that? There are thousands of manuscripts, distributed all over the known world.
Someone: Should be a fairly simple exercise. We send out our goons everywhere. They find these manuscripts and take out their quill and ink and make the necessary edits on the spot and then return the manuscripts to their owners. Then move to the next location.
Someone Else: Are you sure you have thought this through? Why would anyone give up their cherished books for someone to do this?
Someone: We will make them an offer they cannot refuse. (rubs hands in villainous fashion)
Someone Else: You don’t think there could be even one honest and truthful Jew, Christian or Muslim in the world who would stand up against this?
Someone: (continues rubbing hands in villainous fashion)
Someone Else: What is to stop them from talking afterwards anyway? There would be a global uproar. Everyone will hear of this. Exposing this would have us go down in history as the scums of the earth eternally.
Someone: Don’t worry. I know the guy who writes history. I will tell him not to breathe even one word of this sinister plot I’m concocting. No one will EVER know our names!
Someone Else: Even if you do this, what about the books that have been translated into other languages – Syriac, Slavic, Gothic, Ethiopic, Coptic, Armenian…how are your stupid goons going to alter the text uniformly in every existing copy?
Someone: Google Translate, of course! Look! Are you in this or not?
To be continued….