Summary: Muslims claim that the Holy Bible which Christians have today is a corruption of an original text which has been lost. They charge Christians with distorting the Holy Bible. Yet, on the other hand, Muslims believe that the Koran upholds this same Bible, c

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The Integrity of the Holy Bible

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Please make copies and distribute them to all Churches and communities

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Notes:

(Islam) is the Muslims’ Religion found by (Mohammed) in 610 A. D. in Mecca/Arabia (currently: Saudia Arabia)

(Koran) is the Muslims’ Book believed to be God’s Revelation to Mohammed.

"K" stands for (Koran), Example: (K 1:1) means (Koran chapter 1: verse 1)

(Bukhari) is the book that contains Mohammed’s sayings.

"B" stands for (Bukhari), Example: (B1:1) means (Bukhari volume 1: Chapter 1)

Introduction:

Muslims claim that the Holy Bible which Christians have today is a corruption of an original text which has been lost. They charge Christians with distorting the Holy Bible. Yet, on the other hand, Muslims believe that the Koran upholds this same Bible, calling it "the word of God". God never change Hid word.

The Koran, in its original Arabic text, refers to the Holy Bible using these terms:

"Tawrat" stands for "the Torah" (the first five Books of the Holy Bible)

"Zaboor" stands for "the Psalms"

"Sohof" stands for "the Books of the Prophets"

"Injil" stands for "the Gospel"

The Holy Bible was Descend by God:

The Koran believes that the Tawrat (the Torah), the Zaboor (the Psalms) and the Sohof (the Books of the Prophets) are called the Holy Scriptures of the Jews, which Christians call the "Old Testament".

The Injil is the Holy Scripture of Christians which Christians call the "New Testament". The Koran states that all these Scriptures were:

Revealed by God:

"confirming that which was (revealed) before it (the Koran), even as He (God) revealed the Torah and the Gospel" (K 3:3)

Guidance for Mankind:

The Koran emphasizes that the Torah, the Psalms, the Books of the prophets and the Gospel are God’s Books, His word, light and the "Furkan" that is, a criterion for judgment.

The Torah is:

"the Book of God" (K 2:101; 3:23; 5:44)

"a guidance and reminder" (K 40:53-54)

"light and guidance" (K 5:44)

"the criterion" (K 2:53; 21:48)

The Gospel:

"has clear proofs" (K 2:87)

"was bestowed on Him (Jesus)"

"has guidance and light" (K 5:44)

"is confirming ... the Torah" (K 5:46)

The Universality of the Torah and the Gospel

The Koran teaches that the Torah and the Gospel are guidance for all mankind.

"clear testimonies for mankind, a guidance and a mercy." (K 28:43; 3:3-4; 6:92)

The Gospel as a Standard:

Christians are told to judge according to the Gospel.

"Let the people of the Gospel (Christians) judge by that which God hath revealed therein. Whoso judgeth not by that which God hath revealed, such are evil people" (K 5:47)

The Koran would hardly command Christians to judge by their book if there were any reason to believe that it had been changed. Yet, Muslims today allege that the Holy Bible has been completly distored. Either Muslims who cast doubt on the veracity of the Holy Bible are wrong or Muhammad was wrong!

God’s Word Never Changes:

The Koran claims that no one can alter the word of God.

"It is the law of God which hath taken course aforetime. Thou wilt not find the law of God aught of power to change". (K 48:23)

"There is no changing to the word of God, that is the Supreme Triumph" (K 10:64; 6:34)

The Koran as a Guardian:

The Koran not only cliams to confirm the previous Scriptures but also claims the responsibility of being, "the watcher over it"

"To thee (Muhammed) We (God) sent the Scripture (the Koran) in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it (the Holy Bible), and guarding it in safety." (K 5:48)

Al-Baidhawi, 1300 A.D., in his commentary "Anwar Al-Tanzeel" (The Lights of the Inspiration) on the Koran, explains that "watch over it" means "The Koran is the protector of all the sacred books to preserve them from any kind of change"

The Koran Does Not Suggest "Alteration":

The Koran does not suggest "Alteration" or "corruption" of the biblical text. The Koran accuses the Jews, not the Christians, of concealing the truth by, but it in no way implies that the text had been corrupted.

Different kinds of "corruption":

The Koran uses the word "corruption"for the following meanings:

1. To pervert words from their meaning by distorting them with the tongue:

For example,

"Some of those who are Jews change words from their context ... distorting with their tongues and slandering religion" (K 4:46; 3:78)

The Koran accuses certain Jews of deliberately mispronouncing words spoken by Muhammad.

Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi, Muslim interpretor died 1228 A. D., believed that the "corruption" of the Bible is in interpretation of the Bible, not in text of the Bible. "Al-Tafseer Al-Kabeer" (The Great Commentary) by Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi

2. To misinterpret verses:

For example,

"They ( the Jews) used to listen to the Word of God then they used to change it, after they had understood it, knowingly" (K 2:75)

Shalh Waliullah, Muslim scholar, states that the "Corruption" of the Bible means that the Jews misquoted or mistranslated the Torah. He asserts that the original Bible was not and cannot be altered nor changed, it being the word of God. "Alfouz Al-kabeer fi Osul Al-Tafseer" by Shalh Waliullah

Facts:

Was the Bible corrupted before Muhammad or in his time or after?

a. Before Muhammad:

Accusations by Muslim apologists that the text of the the Torah and Gospel had been corrupted before the coming of Muhammad.

If so, why does the Koran affirm that the message revealed to Muhammad was simply a confirmation of the previous Scriptures, the Holy Bible?

b. In Muhammad’s Time:

According to the Koran, which was written approximately 700 years after the writing of the Holy Bible was in pure form in Muhammad’s time.

Had the Gospel not been genuine and totally accurate in the time of Muhammad, then the Koran would not have instructed Christians to judge by that which God had revealed in the Gospel.

c. After Muhammad:

Some Muslims claim that the Holy Bible was changed sometime after Muhammad began preaching. However, this charge contradicts the Koran since it claims to be the guardian of the previous inspired books. So, such Muslims who claim that there has been "corruption" of the Holy Bible, charges the Koran with failure in its role as Guardian.

The Koran asks Muslims to believe in the Bible:

If the pre-Islam Scriptures had been corrupted, why does the Koran asks Muslims to believe them?

"Say, (O Muslims): ‘We believe in God and that which is revealed unto us (the Koran) and which was revealed unto Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the tribes and that which Moses and Jesus received and that which the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have surrendered’" (K 2:136)

Documentary Evidence:

Numerous manuscript copies of all parts of the Bible written centuries before the time of Muhammad are available today.

For example, the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were written before 68 A.D. contain most of every book of the Old Testament except Esther. (F. F. Bruce, "Second Thoughts on the Dead Sea Scrolls", London, Paternoster Press, 1956, p. 31)

Also, one of the oldest Greek manuscripts of the entire New Testament which is available for research is Codex Alexandrius. This manuscript dates from the 5th century A.D. and may be seen daily and studied in the British Museum in London. Manuscripts of portions of the New Testament which date back to the 2nd century may also be studied.

Documents like these, Modern bonafide translations are basically the same in content as those current in Muhammad’s time. They do not differ in any item of doctrine which Muslims call in question. We, Christians, believe that God who preserved his Word in the past is able to preserve it always in the future.

Has the Bible Really Changed?

If the Bible and the Koran do disagree they cannot both be right. Has, then, the Koran made a mistake in vindicating the Bible? No! For reference has been made to the historical documents which substantiate the Bible.

We urge Muslims to follow the Koran’s clear advice to Muhammad and his followers:

"If thou art in doubt concerning that We (God) revealed unto thee (Muhammad), then ask those who read the Scripture (that was) before thee (Muhammad)" (K 10:94)

Why?

"Because it is truly "a guidance to all mankind" (K 3:4)