The first known translation of the Bible into Arabic was done by a Christian bishop named Rifa’a al-Tahtawi, who lived in Egypt during the 19th century. Tahtawi was a prominent figure in the Coptic Church and was known for his knowledge of Arabic literature and language.

In 1865, Tahtawi completed his translation of the New Testament into Arabic, which he based on the Greek text of the New Testament. He then went on to translate the Old Testament into Arabic, using the Hebrew text, and completed this work in 1867.

Tahtawi’s translation of the Bible into Arabic was a significant achievement, as it made the Christian scriptures more accessible to Arabic-speaking readers and helped to spread the Christian faith throughout the Arab world. However, his translation was not widely accepted by all Arabic-speaking Christians, as some preferred to use other translations, such as the Arabic translation of the Bible by Saadia Gaon, which dates back to the 10th century.