Is the Bible True?
A common point of discussion amongst Christians and Muslims has to do with the credibility of the biblical text. It makes sense that this topic would be one worth discussing because they teach very different things about Allah (God), Jesus, salvation, morality, and history to name a few. The predominant view in Islam is that the Bible cannot be trusted because it has been corrupted. But is that true?
One may be surprised to note that nowhere in the Quran does it state that the Bible has been corrupted. Rather, it talks about how Jews misuse and abuse the text by following the rules that they want to follow (Surah 4:46) or that there is a “party” that alters the scripture with their tongues (Surah 3:78) saying certain things are from Allah that aren’t, but the actual statement that the Bible has been corrupted is not found anywhere.
Nevertheless, the Quran does make reference to writings by biblical characters. In Surah 2:87 it says that Moses was given the Torah (from Allah), in 4:163 the Psalms were given to David (from Allah), and in 5:46 the Gospel was given to Jesus (from Allah). Since the Quran is believed to be the preserved speech of Allah, then these writings from Allah, have credibility. Here’s what’s interesting, in Surah 3:3 it says that Allah sent the Book in truth [the Quran] to Muhammad confirming what was [written] before it. Thus, whatever was previously written before Muhammad was told the Quran, was from Allah and credible, presumably this would include the Torah, Psalms and Gospel. This same passage also mentions that it was Allah who revealed the Torah and the Gospel to its authors. Since these works came from Allah, they too must be credible.
Continuing on in the Surah’s, we see 6:34 say that no one can alter the words or decrees of Allah, and in 6:115, it again says that none can alter Allah’s words. If Allah’s words can’t be altered, and it was through Allah that the Torah, Psalms and Gospel were given, then how is it possible that they could have been corrupted? If no one can alter Allah’s words, then no one can alter those writings. It’s impossible! At the very least, the Torah, Psalms and Gospel should be considered completely unflawed from their original version. Does that mean that the Quran is giving credibility to the Biblical text? Not necessarily. One shouldn’t assume that those three writings mean the same thing in the Quran as they do in a Jewish or Christian context. For example, the word “Gospel” itself has no clear identifying description in the Quran. But if we don’t have the original Torah, Psalms and Gospel to review (Islam believes they’re lost), then how do we know that the ones used by the Jews and Christians are not the writings that the Quran is referring to? In other words, how do we know that the Jewish and Christian writings have been corrupted and are not trustworthy without the original Torah, Psalms and Gospel to check and compare? You need something to compare the Biblical texts to if we suppose they are invalid. But since Islam claims that those texts are lost, then there is no way to falsify the claim.
So if the Quran doesn’t support the claim that the Bible has been corrupted, where does it come from?
From the Sunnah of Sahih Bukhari:
Ibn 'Abbas said, "Why do you ask the people of the scripture about anything while your Book (Quran) which has been revealed to Allah's Apostle is newer and the latest? You read it pure, undistorted and unchanged, and Allah has told you that the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians) 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. Does not the knowledge which has come to you prevent you from asking them about anything? No, by Allah, we have never seen any man from them asking you regarding what has been revealed to you!"
~Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 92, Number 461
Sahih Bukhari lived several centuries after Muhammad and spent sixteen years compiling the sayings and deeds of the prophet.[i]So while Muhammad didn’t speak against the Bible, this Sunnah offers the narrative of Bible corruption.
When engaged in any debate by two or more people groups, it is helpful to gather a neutral arbitrator to help sort between the two arguments. Is there, in fact, a neutral arbitrator that can help us sort through this issue? I think we can find one through reading historical documents. If they can give us insight into the events of the Bible, then perhaps we can determine whether or not it is credible.
The Jewish historian Josephus mentions not only that Jesus was crucified, but that it was Pontius Pilate who crucified Him (Antiquities 18:3:3). The Roman historian Tacitus also acknowledges that Jesus was crucified and that it was Pontius Pilate who ordered the crucifixion (Annals 15:44), so we have historical documentation (from people who were not supporters of Jesus) that Jesus was crucified by Pontius Pilate. Is the Biblical account in agreement with this? Yes. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus by Pontius Pilate is a major part of Christian doctrine. So big in fact that Paul in 1 Corinthians equates the acknowledgment of Jesus’ death and resurrection as the gospel by which one is saved (15:1-8). What does the Quran have to say about Jesus’ death?
“’[People make the claim] we have killed the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.’ And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them… and they did not kill him, for certain” (Surah 4:157)
The Quran denies that Jesus was ever crucified, but rather teaches that someone else was crucified instead[ii]. Every other major world religion acknowledges the crucifixion of Jesus. Even history itself attests to the fact that Jesus was crucified. This claim that Jesus wasn’t crucified jeopardizes the credibility of the Quran not the Bible. You can choose to deny His divinity, miracles, character etc., but denying something so attested to by history is much tougher.
While there is so much more that can be said on this topic, this is a start. Understanding how difficult it is for our Muslim friends to grasp the Bible is so important. Perhaps the most important reason is, in the Bible, they can encounter Christ. A being who changed the course of history through the way that He engaged with the people around Him, through the things He taught, through the miracles He performed, and through the life He gave. Thankfully, this message is true and is one I would love our Muslim friends to encounter in the Bible, whose credibility can be trusted.
Footnotes:
[i]https://www.sahih-bukhari.com/
[ii]Islam acknowledges that someone was indeed crucified, just not Jesus. But this is extremely problematic because it means that Allah made it so that people were deceived into believing it was Jesus. That makes one question if it is better to refer to the character of Allah as a deceiver as opposed to good. Especially when he has sealed these People of the Scripture because of their disobedience and disbelief, so that they don’t believe (or believe with little belief) Surah 4:153-159.