Bible is the Book which has faced lots of criticisms and oppressions. One of the major criticisms against Bible is that it has corrupted, and present Bible is not the actual word of God! This argument is often raised by the Muslims. Let us check is this argument true!
If we look the Islam history, the Qur’an says Muslims to respect the Gospel given to Jesus Christ and read by Christians. The Qur'an presupposes that the Gospel possessed by Christians is in fact identical with the original one proclaimed by Jesus.2 In the first four centuries after Muhammad (600 - 1000 AD) no Muslim theologian seriously contended that the Gospel texts were not authentic. They might accuse Christians of giving a wrong interpretation to the words; they would not dispute the words themselves. As studies of Muslim apologetics have shown it was only with Ibn-Khazem who died at Cordoba in 1064, that the charge of falsification was born.
In his defence of Islam against Christians, Ibn-Khazem came up against the contradictions between the Qur'an and the Gospels. One obvious example was the Qur'anic text `They slew him not and they crucified him not' (Sura 4:156). `Since the Qur'an must be true,' Ibn- Khazem argued, `it must be the conflicting Gospel texts that are false. But Muhammad tells us to respect the Gospel. Therefore, the present text must have been falsified by the Christians.' His argument was not based on historical facts, but purely on his own reasoning and on his wish to safeguard the truth of the Qur'an.5 Once he was on this path, nothing could stop him from pursuing this accusation. In fact it seemed the easiest way to attack the opponents. `If we prove the falsehood of their books, they lose the arguments they take from them.'6 This led him eventually to make the cynical statement `The Christians lost the revealed Gospel except for a few traces which God has left intact as argument against them.
Later writers took up the same reasoning, enlarged it and embellished it. The falsification of the Bible was thus asserted by Salikh Ibn-al-Khusain (died 1200), Ahmad at-Qarafi (died 1285), Sa'id Ibn-Khasan (died 1320), Muhammad Ibn-Abi-Talib (died 1327), Ibn-Taimija (died 1328) and many others. From then on it became a fixed ingredient of Muslim apologetics!!
WHAT DOES ACTUALLY QUR’AN SAYS ABOUT BIBLE?!
1. Qur’an 3:3 says “It is He(Allah) Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong).”
Here Qur’an says clearly that Torah (Old Testament), Injeel (Gospel) are given by Allah. In other
Here Qur’an says clearly that Torah (Old Testament), Injeel (Gospel) are given by Allah. In other
Words, we can say that these are the Words of Allah.
2. Qur’an 7:157 says “Those who follow the messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) WITH THEM. ”
Here it is clear that Torah and the Injeel are the books with them! Here “them” refers to the “people of the book” who already got the scriptures(Jews and Christians). We know that Mohammed was lived in 6th century, and in that time Christians used Latin Vulgate edition of the Bible. The present Bibles are just copies of that Bible. It contains 66 Books, including 4 gospel accounts according to Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. And many epistles written by Paul, Peter, and James… Many Muslims often say that the Torah,Injeel which Qur’an says is not the present Bible. This verse clearly says that that Qur’an is referring to present Bible when it says “Torah, Injeel and Zabour”!
Here it is clear that Torah and the Injeel are the books with them! Here “them” refers to the “people of the book” who already got the scriptures(Jews and Christians). We know that Mohammed was lived in 6th century, and in that time Christians used Latin Vulgate edition of the Bible. The present Bibles are just copies of that Bible. It contains 66 Books, including 4 gospel accounts according to Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. And many epistles written by Paul, Peter, and James… Many Muslims often say that the Torah,Injeel which Qur’an says is not the present Bible. This verse clearly says that that Qur’an is referring to present Bible when it says “Torah, Injeel and Zabour”!
3. In 3:3 “It is He(Allah) Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong)”
Here we can see that In the Gospel there is criterion! In other words, one can know what is right and wrong, by reading the Bible! So thus the Qur’an gives high value to the Bible!
Here we can see that In the Gospel there is criterion! In other words, one can know what is right and wrong, by reading the Bible! So thus the Qur’an gives high value to the Bible!
4. In this verse we can see another characteristic of the Gospel-Guidance to mankind. In Quran 5:44-48 too, we can see that Bible (Torah, Injeel) is Guidance. This verse suggests that Gospel is not only just Guidance, but it is Guidance to the entire mankind!
5. Qur’an 6:91 says “No just estimate of Allah do they make when they say: "Nothing doth Allah send down to man (by way of revelation)" Say: "Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought?- a light and guidance to man”
Qur’an says that the Bible is Light and Mercy too! So it is clear that Qur’an gives high value to the Bible.
Qur’an says that the Bible is Light and Mercy too! So it is clear that Qur’an gives high value to the Bible.
QUR’AN SAYS BIBLE CAN’T BE CORRUPTED!
1. The Quran says that Bible is the word of God (Sura 3:3, 5:44, 6:91…) and Quran also says that
6:34- Rejected were the apostles before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those apostles.
6:115- The word of thy Lord doth find its fulfilment in truth and in justice: None can change His words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all.
These verses explicitly say that Allah’s words cannot be changed. The same Quran says that Bible is the Word of God. So, it means that Bible cannot be changed. If Bible is changed, we have to say that Allah’s words are false!
6:34- Rejected were the apostles before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those apostles.
6:115- The word of thy Lord doth find its fulfilment in truth and in justice: None can change His words: for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all.
These verses explicitly say that Allah’s words cannot be changed. The same Quran says that Bible is the Word of God. So, it means that Bible cannot be changed. If Bible is changed, we have to say that Allah’s words are false!
2. Qur’an 5:47 “Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel.”
Here Qur’an says that the Christians will be judged according to Gospel which has revealed to them! If Gospel, has corrupted, then this promise/word of Allah will become wrong! Some may argue that Bible has corrupted, and Qur’an came to confirm it. So the Christians will be judged according to Qur’an which came to confirm the Gospel. But it is not correct, because if Christians are judged by the Qur’an this verse becomes wrong. Because Christians are not judged by the Gospel as this verse suggests. So, in order to fulfill this promise, Gospel should not be corrupted!
Here Qur’an says that the Christians will be judged according to Gospel which has revealed to them! If Gospel, has corrupted, then this promise/word of Allah will become wrong! Some may argue that Bible has corrupted, and Qur’an came to confirm it. So the Christians will be judged according to Qur’an which came to confirm the Gospel. But it is not correct, because if Christians are judged by the Qur’an this verse becomes wrong. Because Christians are not judged by the Gospel as this verse suggests. So, in order to fulfill this promise, Gospel should not be corrupted!
3. 5:68-“ Say: "O People of the Book! ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord."
2:121-“ Those to whom We have sent the Book study it as it should be studied: They are the ones that believe therein: Those who reject faith therein,- the loss is their own.”
In these verses, Qur’an is asking Christians (and Jews) to believe their own scriptures. In 5:68 we can see that Christians and Jews must obey their own Torah and Gospel. And in sura 2, Qur’an is asking Christians to believe therein and not to reject it! This is an advice to Christians. It is not at all saying about Christians in the first century! Since Allah’s words cannot be changed, this verse is applicable now too! In order to ask the Christians to follow the Torah and the Gospel, Gospel must be without corruption. So in this verse too Qur’an is saying that Bible is not corrupted, and it cannot be corrupted till this verse changes!!
2:121-“ Those to whom We have sent the Book study it as it should be studied: They are the ones that believe therein: Those who reject faith therein,- the loss is their own.”
In these verses, Qur’an is asking Christians (and Jews) to believe their own scriptures. In 5:68 we can see that Christians and Jews must obey their own Torah and Gospel. And in sura 2, Qur’an is asking Christians to believe therein and not to reject it! This is an advice to Christians. It is not at all saying about Christians in the first century! Since Allah’s words cannot be changed, this verse is applicable now too! In order to ask the Christians to follow the Torah and the Gospel, Gospel must be without corruption. So in this verse too Qur’an is saying that Bible is not corrupted, and it cannot be corrupted till this verse changes!!
4. 10:94-“ If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed come to thee from thy Lord: so be in no wise of those in doubt.”
In this verse Qur’an says to Muslim that, if anyone has any doubt in the previous scriptures, you should ask to the people who have been reading the book! The book which was revealed is the Bible. If any Muslims have any doubt in that, Qur’an advices he to ask to Christian who was reading the Book before Muslim reads!! This is a very clear evidence for Quranic view of the Holy Bible! If Bible is corrupted, Qur’an won’t say such a thing… It does mean that Qur’an agrees that Bible has not corrupted.
In this verse Qur’an says to Muslim that, if anyone has any doubt in the previous scriptures, you should ask to the people who have been reading the book! The book which was revealed is the Bible. If any Muslims have any doubt in that, Qur’an advices he to ask to Christian who was reading the Book before Muslim reads!! This is a very clear evidence for Quranic view of the Holy Bible! If Bible is corrupted, Qur’an won’t say such a thing… It does mean that Qur’an agrees that Bible has not corrupted.
So it is clear that Qur’an says Bible is not corrupted! If Qur’an says in other verses that Bible has corrupted, then we have to say that there is contradiction in Qur’an. But Muslims won’t agree that. In fact, no verses in Qur’an say that Bible has corrupted. Yet some people may say that Qur’an says Bible has corrupted. Even though they are submitting that Qur’an contains contradiction, Let us check the verses often cited by the Muslims to prove that Qur’an says Bible has corrupted!
1. Qur’an 2:79 says “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from Allah," to traffic with it for miserable price!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.”
Thus, it means that the books which “literate” Christians follow are true! So this verse is only saying that some people wrote some extra books. But it didn’t make changes in the original scripture!
Muslims often quote this verse to say that Bible has corrupted in the view of Qur’an.If we check immediate context of this verse, we can see “And there are among them illiterates, who know not the Book, but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture.” Here it is not saying that all peoples are illiterates, but here it is saying “there are among them…”. It means that only some people are wrong. And in the next verse Qur’an is saying about them. At the same time, Qur’an is not criticizing other literate people! It can be seen in 121th ayah of the same verse. There we read "Those to whom We have given the Book recite it with
its true recital. They [are the ones who] believe in it. And whoever
disbelieves in it - it is they who are the losers."
This ayah says about "good Christians" who read the scriptures in true way.. If this ayah is true, those scriptures must not get corrupted..Thus, it means that the books which “literate” Christians follow are true! So this verse is only saying that some people wrote some extra books. But it didn’t make changes in the original scripture!
2. Quran 4:157-“ That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not”
Muslims quote this verse to say that Christians follow conjecture. But if we read this verse clearly it says “who differs therein is full of doubts”. So those people who follow conjecture are the people who differ therein and those who have doubts. So this verse also says that not all the Christians follow conjecture… But the people in Christians who have doubts follow the conjecture!
Muslims quote this verse to say that Christians follow conjecture. But if we read this verse clearly it says “who differs therein is full of doubts”. So those people who follow conjecture are the people who differ therein and those who have doubts. So this verse also says that not all the Christians follow conjecture… But the people in Christians who have doubts follow the conjecture!
3. Quran 5:13- “But because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard; they change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the message that was sent them,.”
Here it is argued that Jews have corrupted the Law within them. Here “change the words from right places” doesn’t mean the corruption on the text of the law. It means the Jews were misinterpreting the Law(Torah) within them. That’s why we see in PIKTHALL translation “And because of their breaking their covenant, We have cursed them and made hard their hearts. They change words from their context and forget a part of that whereof they were admonished.” Here it is very clear that the Jews have misinterpreted the Law without looking the context! So this verse is also not saying that Bible has corrupted!
Here it is argued that Jews have corrupted the Law within them. Here “change the words from right places” doesn’t mean the corruption on the text of the law. It means the Jews were misinterpreting the Law(Torah) within them. That’s why we see in PIKTHALL translation “And because of their breaking their covenant, We have cursed them and made hard their hearts. They change words from their context and forget a part of that whereof they were admonished.” Here it is very clear that the Jews have misinterpreted the Law without looking the context! So this verse is also not saying that Bible has corrupted!
4. Qur’an 4:46-“Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say: "We hear and we disobey"; and "Hear what is not Heard"; and "Ra'ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to Faith. If only they had said: "What hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us"; it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah hath cursed them for their Unbelief; and but few of them will believe.”
These verses say that Jews displace the words of God. It can be both changing the scripture as well as misinterpreting the scripture. Later this verse itself says that this means misinterpreting the scripture (twisting tongues). So this verse just says that Jews are misinterpreting the Law with themselves.
These verses say that Jews displace the words of God. It can be both changing the scripture as well as misinterpreting the scripture. Later this verse itself says that this means misinterpreting the scripture (twisting tongues). So this verse just says that Jews are misinterpreting the Law with themselves.
5. 3:78-“ There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (As they read) you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, "That is from Allah," but it is not from Allah: It is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it!”
Here it is saying that a section of the people distorts the Book with their tongues! Here Qur’an very clearly says it’s opinion about the Bible.. some people among Christians misinterpret the Bible. But Qur’an is not saying about the text of the Bible is corrupted!
Here it is saying that a section of the people distorts the Book with their tongues! Here Qur’an very clearly says it’s opinion about the Bible.. some people among Christians misinterpret the Bible. But Qur’an is not saying about the text of the Bible is corrupted!
Whenever Qur’an says about the distortion in the Bible, it means that Christians and Jews are distorting the scripture with tongues! As I have said above.
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