A common allegation by Muslims is that the Bible is a holy book, but has been corrupted. Is this true? Have Christians corrupted the Bible?
First, what does the Qur'an teach? The teachings of Muhammad note at least 10 aspects of the Bible that show it was uncorrupted at the time of the Qur'an's revelation. The Bible:
1. Was in the possession of Yahya, Mary, and Jesus—3:48; 19:12; 66:12
2. Was with or in the possession of the Jews of Muhammad's day—2:41, 89, 91, 101, 140; 3:81; 4:47; 5:43; 16:43-44; 21:7
3. Was shown in public by them—6:92
4. Was heard by them—2:75
5. Was believed in by them—2:85, 91, 121; 11:17
6. Was read (qaraa) by them and the Christians—10:94
7. Was studied (darasa) by them and the Christians—3:79; 6:156; 7:169
8. Was recited (talawa) by them and the Christians—2:44, 113, 121; 3:93, 113;
"with true recitation"—2:121
9. Was available to Muhammad—3:93; 28:49
10. Was available to anyone in Muhammad's time and could be called upon to determine truth in theological disputes—3:23, 93; 7:157; 26:196-197; 46:10; 53:36-38; and was in fact used by a Jew in comparison to the Qur'an—46:10 (see Ibn Ishaq, pp 240-241).
In addition, history reveals ample evidence to show that the Bible today is essentially the same as the earliest copies of the Bible that were available long before the founding of Islam. Far more than 5,000 copies of the ancient Greek New Testament exist, for example, allowing certainty regarding what the earliest copies said. The first copies of New Testament manuscripts are found from the early second century, within less than a generation after the death of the followers of Jesus. The entire Bible had been translated into Latin by 400 AD, with the Old Testament translated from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek before the first century AD, and the New Testament already translated into many languages prior to the founding of Islam. By the time of Muhammad, the Bible's message had been in existence for more than 500 years and had not been changed.
In contrast to the accusation that the Bible has been changed, the Qur'an teaches that the Bible is an important book for Muslims to know. It teaches that Allah sent the Law and Gospels (Sura 3:3). Sura 2:75 calls the Bible the Word of God. Muslims can read the Bible and see for themselves what it teaches about life, salvation, Jesus, and how a person can know he or she can spend eternity with God (John 3:16).
Copyright 2011-2024 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved.
