The Islamic Dilemma
Christian and Ali discuss the claim that the Bible has become corrupt.
Christian: Hi Ali, I was wondering if you have had a chance to read that John’s Gospel I gave you the other week.
Ali: I did start reading it, but I came across a number of things that I find hard to accept, like Jesus being called God in the first sentence (
John 1:1-3), or the Son of God (
John 1:14,
John 1:18) a bit later on. As a Muslim, I can’t accept that about Jesus. The Quran says that God has no partners (
Quran 3.64,
Quran 112.3), and Jesus is no more than a messenger (
Quran 3.59,
Quran 4.171).
John 1:1-3In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made.
John 1:14The Word became flesh and lived amongst us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:18No one has seen God at any time. The only born Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.
Quran 3:64Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him).
Quran 3:59Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is.
Quran 4:171O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have… read full verse
Christian: Of course, I understand your concern, but like I said to you before, these things are clear throughout the Bible.
Ali: The thing is that we are told that the Bible has been corrupted. The Quran tells us to believe in the Scriptures that came before (
Quran 2.136,
Quran 29.46), but unfortunately these no longer exist. The Bible does contain some things that are true, but a lot has become corrupted over time.
Quran 2:136Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and 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.
Quran 29:46And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our Allah and your Allah is One, and unto Him we surrender.
Christian: It’s interesting that you think that. Others have told me similar things in the past and I decided to research it a little. I asked myself two key questions. First, if the Bible has become corrupt, surely there would be some evidence of different texts with a different message existing before the seventh century. Have you come across any evidence for that?
Ali: No I haven’t. What was your other question?
Christian: Well, let’s say God did allow his word to become corrupted, what would that tell us about God’s character? Could we really trust him? How do we know any text that claims to be from him is 100% reliable and trustworthy?
Ali: Sure, I get what you are saying. But actually, the Quran tells us that the Bible was corrupted and lost.
Quran 2.79 tells us that Christians would write the Bible with their own hands, changing its text, and
Quran 3.78 says that they would alter the Scripture. Clearly whatever the Bible says today, the original was lost long ago.
Quran 2:79Therefore woe be unto those who write the Scripture with their hands and then say, "This is from Allah," that they may purchase a small gain therewith. Woe unto them for that their hands have written, and woe unto them for that they earn thereby.
Quran 3:78And lo! there is a party of them who distort the Scripture with their tongues, that ye may think that what they say is from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture. And they say: It is from Allah, when it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly.
Christian: Well, I looked at these verses recently. They don’t actually say that the Bible was corrupted. Rather, it suggests that at different times, those who claimed to be Jewish or Christian, falsely interpreted or taught the Bible. You probably read in John’s Gospel that many of the Jews in Jesus’ day did the same thing.
Ali: Well, I’ve not studied those verses in detail, but I will go back to them and have a look. However, surely if the Jewish and Christian scriptures were accessible when the Quran was written, the Quran would say as much, no?
Christian: It’s interesting you should say that. I was reading the fifth chapter of the Quran the other day and came across a very interesting verse: “So let the followers of the Gospel judge according to what God has sent down in it. Those who do not judge according to what God has revealed are lawbreakers.” (
Quran 5.47) If the NT was corrupt in the time of Muhammad, why would Christians be asked to judge by it?
Quran 5:47Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are evil-livers.
Ali: Yes, again, I’ve not really looked at those verses before… I need to do some more research. Let me ask you this. Let’s say that the Quran does affirm the Bible in the time of Muhammad. How do you know that the Bible you have, or John’s Gospel is an accurate copy? My imam was telling us the other day that none of the Bible manuscripts agree with each other…
Christian: Well, it’s not quite like that! We have 1000s of manuscripts of the New Testament going right back to the early second century, and yes, there are many differences between them. But over 99% of the differences are minor, like spelling differences, or clear mistakes that are easy to resolve. The other differences that the experts debate over, don’t affect any core teaching of Christianity. It’s clear that the text has been preserved to this day.
Ali: How do you know that what you have today matches the original?
Christian: We know our texts match the originals because the New Testament was sent all round the world, translated, quoted many thousands of times and when we compare all this evidence, even though we don’t have the original documents, as I said earlier we see a single text that matches what we have today.
Ali: So you believe that the Bible is trustworthy?
Christian: I do, but let me ask you a question: do you believe the Bible is the uncorrupted word of God?
Ali: Well, if I say yes, I have to address the fact that the Quran contradicts the Bible.
Christian: And if you say no, my question to you is this: why does the Quran affirm the Torah and the Gospel like in
Quran 5.47?
Quran 5:47Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are evil-livers.
Ali: I see your point. That is quite a dilemma!!