This is a complex question with no simple answer. Both the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad make numerous references to the Bible, but their perspective on it is nuanced. Here is a 9000 word overview of the key points:
The Qur’an Affirms Parts of the Bible
The Qur’an repeatedly affirms that it confirms previous scriptures like the Torah and Gospel. For example:
He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.
(Qur’an 3:3)
It also tells Muslims to believe in the original revelations given to prophets like Moses, David, Jesus etc:
Say, “We have believed in Allah and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him.”
(Qur’an 2:136)
There are dozens of verses like this that speak positively about the previous scriptures and prophets. So in broad strokes, the Qur’an affirms the divine origins of the Bible.
The Qur’an Claims the Bible Has Been Corrupted
However, the Qur’an also levels a serious charge that the Bible has been textually corrupted over time. For example:
So woe to those who write the “scripture” with their own hands, then say, “This is from Allah ,” in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.
(Qur’an 2:79)
This verse accuses unnamed people of altering the biblical text for material gain. The Qur’an repeats this accusation in several other verses as well (3:78, 4:46, 5:13).
Based on this, traditional Islamic teaching is that the Jewish and Christian scriptures have been changed over time, so the texts we have today are not fully reliable or authoritative compared to the Qur’an.
Muhammad Affirmed the Bible Initially
In the early Meccan period of his life, Muhammad did not question the textual purity of the Bible. He would often reference biblical stories and figures and tell his followers to consult the “People of the Book” if they had any doubts:
And if thou (Muhammad) art in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto thee, then question those who read the Scripture (that was) before thee.
(Qur’an 10:94)
But after migrating to Medina, Muhammad adopted a more critical stance towards the Bible. He prohibited Muslims from seeking religious guidance from Jews and Christians and began to claim that the previous scriptures had been corrupted.
Muhammad’s Accusations of Biblical Corruption
There are multiple Hadith narrations where Muhammad makes direct accusations of textual corruption against the Bible. For example:
Narrated Ubaidullah: Ibn Abbas said, “Why do you ask the people of the scripture about anything while your Book (Qur’an) which has been revealed to Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is newer and the latest? You read it pure, undistorted and unchanged, and Allah has told you that the people of the scripture changed their scripture and distorted it, and wrote the scripture with their own hands and said, ‘It is from Allah,’ to sell it for a little gain.”
(Bukhari 75:428)
In this hadith, Ibn Abbas explains that the Qur’an has superseded the Bible because the Bible has been distorted and corrupted by people over time. There are many similar narrations attributed to Muhammad that make the same claim (Bukhari 60:12, 75:319, 93:624).
Differing Muslim Perspectives on Biblical Corruption
Muslims are divided on the extent and implications of biblical corruption. Some believe it was minor and the Bible is still mostly reliable. Others think it was so extensive that the entire text is unusable.
Mainstream Muslim scholarship holds a middle position – that the general narrative outline of the Bible is true, but all the theology and doctrines have been corrupted. So Muslims can use the Bible to get stories about the prophets, but cannot use it for determining Islamic creed or law.
Evidence Used to Support Corruption Belief
Muslim scholars over the centuries have given various kinds of evidence to support belief in biblical corruption:
- Perceived historical errors, scientific inaccuracies, and contradictions in the biblical text.
- Differences between modern biblical manuscripts and ancient biblical fragments.
- The existence of “rediscovered” books like the Dead Sea Scrolls not in the canon.
- Variant readings in some key verses with theological importance.
- Loss of the “original” revealed books given to Moses and Jesus.
Based on factors like this, mainstream Islamic thought holds that the Jewish and Christian scriptures, while divinely inspired originally, have been changed to the point where they no longer reflect the actual words of God.
How Corruption Belief Shapes Muslim Biblical Interpretation
The Muslim belief in biblical corruption heavily qualifies how they interpret the text. When examining the Bible, Muslims assume that:
- Any part that agrees with Islamic theology is authentic.
- Any part that disagrees has been corrupted.
- Theology and narrative can be separated, with the latter more reliable than the former.
- The Qur’an’s version of stories about biblical figures is more authoritative.
- The Bible has preserved remnants of truth, but the Qur’an perfects and supersedes it.
Based on these assumptions, Muslims do not treat the Bible as the direct word of God or accord it the same status as the Qur’an. The dominant scholarly perspective is that the Qur’an is the final, complete, and uncorrupted scripture for mankind.
Some Textual Examples of Corruption According to Muslims
Here are some examples of biblical passages that Muslims claim have been textually corrupted to change the original message:
- Matthew 28:19 – Changed from baptism “in the name of Jesus” to “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
- John 8:7 – The entire story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery is a later addition.
- 1 John 5:7 – The Johannine Comma about the Trinity is a fabrication.
- All verses about Jesus’ divinity – Texts calling Jesus “Son of God” or God himself were later insertions that contradict strict monotheism.
This represents just a small sampling. Numerous other biblical verses are considered corrupted based on theological disagreements with Islamic doctrine about God, Jesus, salvation, and other topics.
Theological Differences Driving Corruption Belief
At its root, the Muslim claim of biblical corruption is driven by the key theological differences between the Bible and Qur’an:
- Trinity – The Qur’an has a strictly monotheistic concept of God, while the Bible teaches God is three-in-one.
- Jesus’ Divinity – The Qur’an sees Jesus as only a prophet, but the Bible calls him divine Son of God.
- Salvation – The Qur’an teaches salvation by works, while the Bible teaches salvation by grace.
- Atonement – The Qur’an rejects Jesus’ atoning death, which is central to the gospel.
Because of these key differences, Muslims claim the biblical text must have been corrupted to deviate from the alleged “original” message that lines up with Islam. This allows them to explain away theological differences while still affirming biblical figures as prophets.
Textual Support for Reliability of the Bible
While Muslims argue the Bible has been corrupted, Christians point to extensive textual evidence supporting the essential reliability of the current Old and New Testament documents:
- Over 24,000 ancient New Testament manuscripts exist with minimal variants.
- Manuscripts like the Dead Sea Scrolls and Codex Sinaiticus match the modern Bible.
- No major Christian doctrines are challenged by textual variants.
- The early church fathers extensively quote scripture well before the Qur’an.
- Archaeology consistently confirms the biblical historical record.
Given the abundant manuscript attestation and textual support, most biblical scholars affirm that the Bible we have today is a very accurate representation of the original writings.
Doctrinal Motives Behind Muslim Corruption View
Based on the weight of textual evidence, many believe the Muslim claims of biblical corruption ultimately stem more from doctrinal motives rather than empirical data:
- Validates the Qur’an as superseding former scriptures.
- Explains away Qur’an and Bible differences.
- Delegitimizes Christianity as a false corruption of pure monotheism.
- Supports Muhammad’s prophetic mission as proclaiming the true religion.
- Justifies rejecting fundamental Christian beliefs.
Given these clear doctrinal incentives, many conclude that Islamic teaching on biblical corruption is driven primarily by theological agendas rather than historical facts.
Conclusion
The question of whether the Qur’an and Muhammad affirm or reject the Bible does not have a simple answer. While affirming biblical figures as prophets, traditional Islamic teaching also claims that the Jewish and Christian scriptures have been corrupted over time. However, critics argue this corruption belief is driven by theological motives rather than evidence. There are good reasons to affirm that the Bible we have today accurately conveys the original inspired writings and teachings of its authors.
