Muslims are taught to believe that the Bible which is in our possession today has been changed from its original form. As a result, many believe it has become corrupted. Almost every Christian-Muslim dialogue begins with this objection against the Bible. Because of this erroneous belief, Muslims reject the Bible as the Word of God. Unless this misconception is cleared, a meaningful dialogue with Muslims will be impossible.
It is important to begin our discussion by clarifying a vital point. It is not because of the existence of strong evidences that Muslims are claiming that the Bible has been changed. But it is because they have to in order to maintain their conviction that the Qur’an is the Word of God. Since the Qur’an contradicts the Bible, one or the other has to be true. And Muslims know for a certainty that two conflicting Scriptures cannot be equally true. That is why they go to such great lengths to discredit the Bible because without this claim, the whole religion of Islam collapses. This is the only reason why Muslims manifest such an aggressive attitude towards the Scriptures that were revealed to the Jews and Christians. However, this assault against the Bible is the downfall for Muslims. Why do we say that?
If the Qur’an itself testifies to the authenticity of the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians and if the Qur’an itself commands the Jews and Christians to live by the teachings of these Scriptures and if these very Scriptures prove Islam is a lie, then the whole belief system of Islam collapses. Let us consider now an important verse in the Qur’an. In view of the importance of this Qur’anic verse, we have provided two different translations:
Surah 5:68 Say: “O followers of the Bible! You have no valid ground for your beliefs unless you truly observe the Torah and the Gospel, and all that has been bestowed from on high upon you by your Sustainer!” (Asad)
Say, “People of the Book, You have no valid ground for your beliefs, unless you truly observe the Torah and the Gospel, and all that has been sent down to you from your Lord.” (Safi Kaskas)
Ironically, Muslims are telling the Jews and Christians not to believe this Qur’anic verse since their Holy Books have now become corrupted. By rejecting this Qur’anic verse as no longer true, Muslims are actually claiming that some parts of the Qur’an are now false. In fact, they are testifying that the Qur’an is outdated and no longer accurate. It is no longer reliable because it is instructing people to observe Scriptures that are corrupted and no longer valid. Therefore, the Qur’an must be updated to remain relevant today. Muslims need a new prophet to update and rectify the existing errors in the Qur’an.
Surah 5:68 identifies the Jews and Christians as the “People of the Book.” This honorable title confirms the fact that the Qur’an recognizes the Jews and Christians as historically belonging to the community of faithful people who were originally given the divine Scriptures of God. No other people were referred to as such in the Qur’an. Not even the Muslims! This in itself proves that they had the authentic Word of God with them. We would like to ask the Muslims the following questions:
Are Allah’s words in Surah 5:68 eternal or not?
Does not Surah 5:68 clearly say that the Jews and Christians “have nothing to stand on unless they uphold the Torah and the Gospel”?
How can the Jews and Christians stand fast by the Torah and the Gospel today, if the Torah and the Gospel are corrupted as you claim?
If the Bible is truly corrupted, will the above admonition of Allah to the Jews and Christians still exist in the Qur’an today?
Muslims often claim that the Qur’an is the eternal Word of Allah. Yet, Muslims refuse to acknowledge the eternity of the teaching of Allah in Surah 5:68. Whenever Surah 5:68 is brought to the attention of Muslims, they deliberately misinterpret this Qur’anic verse. If the perspective of the Muslims is correct, then Surah 5:68 should read as follows:
“O People of the Book you have nothing to stand on unless you uphold the corrupted Torah and the corrupted Gospel.”
Muslims blasphemously distort the true meaning of Surah 5:68 with their tongue. For this and many other reasons, the following Qur’anic verse applies perfectly to the Muslims today:
Surah 3:78: Among them are those who distort the Scripture with their tongues, which you 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. They speak a lie concerning Allah and they know it. (Shabbir Ahmed)
The reason why Muslims have to lie about Surah 5:68 is because it testifies to the authenticity of the Torah and the Gospel. The authenticity of the Torah and the Gospel creates one of the most serious predicaments for Muslims. This is because the Qur’an contradicts the Torah and the Gospel while testifying repeatedly that the Torah and the Gospel are the revealed Scriptures of Allah. Therefore, it begs the question: “How can the Scriptures of Allah become corrupted?” As such, there is no valid reason for the Qur’an to contradict the Torah and the Gospel. Muslims are aware of this predicament. It is known as “The Muslim Dilemma.” However, there is more to Surah 5:68. While we usually emphasize the part of this Qur’anic verse which commands the Jews and Christians to observe the Torah and the Gospel, we often overlook the part that follows immediately. We will now analyze this important part of Surah 5:68. Let us read Surah 5:68 once again:
Say, “People of the Book, You have no valid ground for your beliefs, unless you truly observe the Torah and the Gospel, and all that has been sent down to you from your Lord.” (Safi Kaskas)
Please note that after commanding the Jews and Christians to observe the Torah and the Gospel, Allah adds:
“…and all that has been sent down to you from your Lord.”
Therefore, the Jews and Christians must observe not only the Torah and the Gospel but everything else of the Scriptures they received from God. Allah would never have given this commandment to the Jews and Christians, should there be any reason to believe that parts of their Scriptures are corrupted. It is absolutely significant to note that by including the requirement to observe “all that has been sent down” to the Jews and Christians, Allah is validating all their Scriptures as authentic and uncorrupted. Allah is not talking about observing some parts of the Bible that have been spared from corruption as Muslims dishonestly claim, but about observing the entire Bible. And this includes the complete Torah and the complete Gospel. This means Muslims must accept the entire Bible as the Word of God.
When Muslims fail to recognize the entire Bible as the Word of God, they are defiantly taking a stand against Allah. While the Qur’an clearly testifies to the authenticity of the entire Bible, Muslims are claiming just the opposite. Just compare the unambiguous words of Allah in Surah 5:68 with the denial of this Qur’anic verse by Muslims. Muslims must be warned that Surah 5:68 clearly states that the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians were revealed to them from their “Lord.” And the Word of God can neither be corrupted nor changed:
Surah 10:64: The Word of God shall never change. That is the Supreme Triumph. (W. Khan)
The Qur’an clearly states that the Jews and the Christians will not stand on anything, “unless” they “observe the Torah and the Gospel, and all that has been sent down to them from their Lord.” All these Scriptures that is mentioned in Surah 5:68 can only be found in the Bible we have with us today. Take away the Bible and all these Scriptures of Allah disappears into oblivion. This simply means that the Jews and Christians will have no guidance “unless” they observe the teachings of the Bible. This proves conclusively that the Bible was not abrogated with the arrival of the Qur’an. This also proves that the Qur’an is not meant for the Jews and Christians. Allah commands them to submit to the teachings of the Holy Bible for guidance.
THE SALVATION OF CHRISTIANS
Surah 5:68 belongs to the 5th Surah or better known in Arabic as Surah Al-Maidah. The complete Surah was revealed piecemeal during the period spanning the last five years of Muhammad’s life. The entire Qur’an was compiled within 23 years. And Surah Al-Maidah was revealed progressively from the eighteenth to the twenty-third year. Even at this late stage when the Qur’an was nearing its completion, Allah commands the Christians in Surah 5:68 to follow the teachings of their own sacred Scriptures. And no Qur’anic verses were revealed later to abrogate the commandment that was originally given to the Christians. This means that even now as you are reading this article, the salvation of Christians rests not on the Qur’an but on their obedience to the teachings of the Bible. This also proves that it was never the intention of Allah to replace the Bible with the Qur’an.
Allah spoke to the Christians in the present tense when he commanded them “to stand fast by the Torah and the Gospel” in Surah 5:68. We must ask Muslims the following questions:
How should Christians who read this command “to stand fast by the Torah and the Gospel” understand it today?
Should Christians view this command as no longer applicable for them today?
Since when did this Qur’anic verse become obsolete?
At what specific period in time did this Qur’anic verse become irrelevant for Christians?
Why did not Allah reveal another Qur’anic verse to abrogate Surah 5:68?
Does not this prove that Surah 5:68 is still the standing order for Christians today?
In order for Christians to “stand fast by the Torah and the Gospel” today, not only must the Bible be available to them but it must also remain pure and trustworthy. Otherwise, Christians will be submitting to Scriptures that are no longer the authentic Word of God.
In conclusion, let us consider the absurdity of the claim of corruption by Muslims. If the Bible is truly corrupted and therefore if a Christian today decides to abandon the Bible and follow the Qur’an, do you know what he will discover in his study of the Qur’an? The Qur’an commands him to return to the Torah and the Gospel. It tells him: “You have no ground to stand upon unless you stand fast by the Torah and the Gospel and all that has been sent down to you from your Lord.” In other words, it tells him to go back to the Bible. And if Christians are unable to stand fast by the teachings of the Bible because of corruption, then the Qur’an becomes a false guide by directing Christians to submit to a Book which has become corrupted.
This is a serious error because this commandment of Allah for Christians can still be found in the Qur’an today. Each time Muslims accuse the Bible with corruption, they end up condemning the Qur’an as a false guide. And Allah warns these Muslims. He clearly states that Muslims who “deny His Books” have “gone far, far astray.”
Surah 4:136: O you who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Scripture which He hath sent to His Messenger and the Scripture which He sent to those before him. Any who deny Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Day of Judgment, hath gone far, far astray.” (Yusuf Ali)
Christians know for a certainty that it is Jehovah God and not Allah who inspired the writings of the Holy Bible. However, in order to explain to the Muslims what the Qur’an actually teaches about the integrity of the Bible, we have to go along–at least for the duration of this article–with the Qur’an’s claim that it was Allah who sent the Bible to mankind. It is unthinkable for the Bible which is the eternal Word of Jehovah to become corrupted.
Isaiah 40:8: The green grass dries up, the blossom withers. But the Word of our God endures forever.”
1 Peter 1:25: The Word of Jehovah endures forever.
We encourage both Christians and Muslims to connected to our PAGE and inform your friends about Max Shimba Ministries org,
Shalom,
Dr. Max Shimba for Max Shimba Ministries Org.
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