THE QUEEN OF PERSIA - ESTHER

Is only part of the Bible trustworthy?

Many Muslims have the mistaken idea that parts of the Bible have been unchanged. Faith is only put in those statements which are supposed to confirm one's own opinions. Some Jews did the same in the days of Muhammad (pbuh). The verse that was revealed to him on that occasion is still relevant for all those who make the same error:

"...Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life?--And on the Day of Judgement they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For Allah is not unmindful of what ye do" (Surah 2, Al Baqarah, verse 85).

Does the Qur'an declare that the Bible has changed?

First of all, it needs to be noted that the Qur'an nowhere explicitly states the Injil (Gospel) was changed!

But what about the Torah? History shows that whenever God revealed Himself, most of His people fell into disobedience after a period of time. So it was with the Jews. In spite of this sad fact, there were always, up to this very day, good Jews who remain true to the book God gave them:

"Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth" (Surah 7, Al A'raf, verse 159).

God's word is truth and good Jews surely would never have changed the meaning or even the words of their Holy Book! Let us now examine what bad Jews did to the Torah:

"There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (as they read) you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, 'That is from Allah,' but it is not from Allah: It is they who tell a lie against Allah and (well) they know it!" (Surah 3, Ali 'Imran, verse 78).

In the verse quoted above, the Jews are reading parts of their Book wrongly, while the written words remain unchanged.

"But because of their breach of their Covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard: They change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the Message that was sent them, nor wilt thou cease to find them- barring a few- ever bent on (new) deceits: But forgive them, and overlook (their misdeeds): For God loveth those who are kind" (Surah 5, Al Ma'idah, verse 13).

The phrase, "They change the words from their (right) places" could mean that they tampered with the text of the Book. However, the second possibility, that the true meaning was distorted, not the text itself, (see also Surah 5, Ma'idah, verse 44) will have to be given preference in the light of the wider context (see above) which clearly shows that:

-The unchanged Torah was with the Jews of Muhammad's
(pbuh) time. (Surah 5, Al Ma 'idah, verses 43,68)

-It was referred to by the Prophet in matters of dispute.
(Surah 3, Ali 'Imran, verse 93)

In Surah 2, Al Baqarah, verses 75-79 (in verse 75, Jews are listening to the Qur'an being recited); Surah 4, Al Nisa, verse 46;, the Jews are accused of changing, writing down wrongly, what Muhammad (pbuh) said. After checking all these references it becomes clear that the Torah remained unchanged!

What does the Hadith Say About the Bible?

For many Muslims, the Hadith provides a key to the correct understanding of the Qur'an. It is therefore most interesting to see what it has to say about the accuracy of the Jewish-Christian Scriptures.

According to a tradition found in Mishkat al-Masabith, Book II, chapter 1, pages 62,63,Muhammad (pbuh) confirms that the Jews and the Christians read the Torah and the Gospel. He does not say anything about them being corrupted!

In Bukhari's chapter "How Revelation First Began," we read that the prophet of Islam was taken to Khadijah's cousin, Waraqa ben Naufal. He used to translate the Torah and the Gospel, as God granted him strength. It does not say that he translated corrupted Holy Books!

In the Mishkat al-Masabith, Book XVI, chapter 1, page 758, we read how:

Muhammad (pbuh) judges according to the Torah that is before him without saying anything about it being changed!

Out of the numerous traditions about this subject there is only one reference found in Bukhari, Sahih, Kitab al-Shahada, number 29, which says that the people of the Book changed it's actual text.

It may be possible that individual Jews in Arabia corrupted distinct texts of the Torah. Some Muslims would interpret Surah 2, Baqara, verses 78-79 to refer to the Torah and not to the Qur'an as mentioned above. But what about all the copies found already in other parts of the world? It is not possible that they have been changed in the same way. Besides that, the Christians who also believe in the Torah of the Jews, were known to be in great opposition to the Jews. How could they have come together to corrupt their common Scriptures?

Therefore, it can be taken as a proven fact that the Bible has not been changed before the time of Muhammad (pbuh). Otherwise, God was demanding us to believe in Scriptures that were already corrupted. If we assume that changes were made during or after the prophet's time, we can simply compare a twentieth century copy with one that was written before the sixth century. The result will be that all the teaching remained the same!

Has the Bible been abrogated (repealed, abolished)?

Most Islamic scholars believe that the Qur'an abrogates not the Bible, but either certain revelations within the Qur'an only, or, also parts of the Sunna.

Other scholars hold the view that the Sunna can abolish the Qur'an as well as the Sunna. Only a few, among them the Ahmadiyyas, teach that the Qur'an actually annuls the Bible. [For more details see Ahmad von Denffer, 'Ulum al-Quran (U.K.: Islamic Foundation), pages 104-113.]

This minority is wrong for two main reasons:

In Surah 5, Al Ma'idah, verse 48 the Qur'an is spoken of as confirming the Scripture that was before it and as a watcher over it. The Arabic meaning of the word "watch" (Muhaimin) can also be rendered "one who safeguards", "stands witness", "preserves" and "upholds". (See Abdullah Yusuf Ali's footnote) This clearly contradicts the view that the revelations given to the prophet of Islam allegedly abrogated the Bible! If this was the case there would be no need to confirm the Torah and the Gospel or even to watch over them in such a determined way.

In Surah 2, Al Baqarah, verse 106 the principle of abrogation is explained: For every revelation that is abrogated something better or similar is substituted. If this verse would refer to the abrogation of the Gospel through the Qur'an, it would mean that the teaching of the former book would be inferior or at least similar to the latter one.

The essence of Christianity consists of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ which is totally rejected by Islam (see also 1 Corinthians 15:14). The Bible teaches that, through faith in Jesus' work, the assurance of forgiveness of sin, of eternal life in God's presence, through grace (God's undeserved favor) is available to everyone! He who puts his faith into practice by obeying what the Gospel says will benefit from all these blessings.

Surely this wonderful teaching cannot be called inferior or similar to the doctrines of the Qur'an! There we read about how people may get forgiveness from God through their good works, and, if He is willing, by His mercy. Paradise will be a place where God is absent. In Surah 76, Dahr, verse 5 and Surah 56, Waqi'a, verses 35-38, we read that what was forbidden on earth will be legal (drinking of wine, and having sexual relationships with many virgins). The prophet taught a real and literal interpretation of these sensual delights in heaven. (See Sahihu Muslim, Mishkat book 23, chapter 13) It normally can only be entered after having spent some time in Hell first.

Furthermore, the minority who says the principle of abrogation given in Surah 2, Al Baqarah, verse 106, applies to the Bible will be left without guidelines as regards to their own book. They will have to depend on a later, unsure historical development about the code of abrogation in order to deal with passages such as:

In Surah 58, Al Mujadilah, verse 12, the believers are commanded to give alms before a private consultation with the Messenger. In verse 13 they are told that it is no longer necessary.

In Surah 33, Al Ahzab, verses 50-51 Muhammad (pbuh) is allowed to marry and divorce an unlimited number of women. In verse 52 he is prohibited to continue to do so.

In Surah 73, Al Muzzammil, verses 2-4, the prophet of Islam is commanded to spend about half of the night in prayer and reading of the Qur'an. In verse 20 of the same Surah, this is changed into what is easy for him and those who followed his example.

Conclusion

The attentive reader is left with a fundamental problem of discrepancy. A number of Biblical teachings (at least as they were believed by some of the prophet's contemporaries) are described as erroneous in the Qur'an. Yet, the Qur'an confirms the Bible to be the unchanged word of God! Surah 4, Nisaa, verse 82, says that the Qur'an is not from God if one finds discrepancies in it! Furthermore, Muslims who say that the Bible is corrupted also contradict their own book.

Many sincere Muslims, who leave room in their hearts for the possibility that they could be wrong in the beliefs they were taught from early childhood, are left deeply moved after understanding these facts. It is with those Muslims that the author identifies with. His life too was worked out for him by others. For a number of years he lived more or less comfortably within the boundaries set by people, often "in the name of God".

Confronted by many other religions and ideas of how to live a meaningful live, he set out to discover the truth for himself. In that process, realizing that it is impossible to detect infinite reality as a finite being, he prayed wholeheartedly, "God if you are there, show me which way is the right one."

A few days later, he heard the Eternal One speaking through some passages of the Bible which were given to him by a friend! After confessing his sins, he asked Jesus to come in his life and use it for his glory. Since that incredible experience the author's life changed, literally like day and night! He now follows Jesus Christ, who died for his sins on the cross, who rose again on the third day, who promises eternal life in heaven and who says:

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:12-13).

"Whoever comes to me I will never drive away" (John6:37).

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the word was God. The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us....He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him....Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."