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Corruption of Previous Scriptures: Difference between revisions
Corruption of Previous Scriptures (view source)
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==Introduction== | ==Introduction== | ||
While early Islamic scholars such as Ibn al-Layth, Ibn Rabban, Ibn Qutayba, Al-Ya'qubi, Al-Tabari, Al-Baqillani, Al-Mas'udi, and Al-Bukhari would disagree,<ref>Camilla Adang (1996), ''Muslim Writers on Judaism & the Hebrew Bible from Ibn Rabban to Ibn Hazm'', Leiden: Brill. ISBN 90-04-10034-2.</ref><ref> G. Parrinder, ''Jesus in the Qur'an'', Faber and Faber, London 1965; Dutch translation, Ten Have, Baarn 1978, p. 124.</ref> today it is a common belief among Muslims that the Qur'an states that the previous scriptures (the Taurat and Injil) have been textually corrupted by those who were charged with safeguarding it (ie the Jews and Christians). Thus, the Qur'an is the 'return' to the true message of the God of the Bible. | While early Islamic scholars such as Ibn al-Layth, Ibn Rabban, Ibn Qutayba, Al-Ya'qubi, Al-Tabari, Al-Baqillani, Al-Mas'udi, and Al-Bukhari would disagree,<ref>Camilla Adang (1996), ''Muslim Writers on Judaism & the Hebrew Bible from Ibn Rabban to Ibn Hazm'', Leiden: Brill. ISBN 90-04-10034-2.</ref><ref> G. Parrinder, ''Jesus in the Qur'an'', Faber and Faber, London 1965; Dutch translation, Ten Have, Baarn 1978, p. 124.</ref> today it is a common belief among Muslims that the Qur'an states that the previous scriptures (the Taurat and Injil) have been textually corrupted by those who were charged with safeguarding it (ie the Jews and Christians). Thus, in this line of thinking, the Qur'an is the 'return' to the true message of the God of the Bible. | ||
{{Quran|2|79}} is often presented as evidence for this claim. | {{Quran|2|79}} is often presented as evidence for this claim. | ||
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*{{Quran|5|41}} The Jews ''"alter the words from their places."'' | *{{Quran|5|41}} The Jews ''"alter the words from their places."'' | ||
Evidently, the Qur'an charges that the Jews and Christian's corrupted their scriptures; but only in their oral | Evidently, the Qur'an charges that the Jews and Christian's corrupted their scriptures; but only in their oral traditions and sermons/homilies. Qur'an 2:77 charges that the Jews deliberately "keep secret" parts of their Taurat from the people who do not know the Jewish scriptures. If the textual copies of the scriptures have been corrupted, this begs the question of how would the Jews knew what was in it. One answer is it that there are 'original' Taurat's still in existence, accessibly by an elite clerical class. These elite Jews are supposedly literate people because they 'knew what their book said but hid it behind their backs.' This could indicate that they keeping the information from the illiterate people (like Muhammad). This would fit with the Qur'an's charge that the Jews 'distorted the book with their tongues.' | ||
The Jews 'altered the words from their places' and 'forgot a good part of the message'; this also does not speak to physical scriptural corruption, but (alleged) corruption in their recitations to those who did not know the Jewish scriptures. Consider the claims made in Qur'an 5:15, where the Qur'an alleges that Muhammad 'made clear' what the Jews had 'concealed'; Muhammad also made clear that which they had 'passed over.' If the actual text was corrupt, this would presumably have been some kind of miracle, but there's no indication that this was the case. If the physical corruption claim is true, the Qur'an should be using words like "the parts that the Jews removed from their books" or "the parts which have been omitted." | The Jews 'altered the words from their places' and 'forgot a good part of the message'; this also does not speak to physical scriptural corruption, but (alleged) corruption in their recitations to those who did not know the Jewish scriptures. Consider the claims made in Qur'an 5:15, where the Qur'an alleges that Muhammad 'made clear' what the Jews had 'concealed'; Muhammad also made clear that which they had 'passed over.' If the actual text was corrupt, this would presumably have been some kind of miracle, but there's no indication that this was the case. If the physical corruption claim is true, the Qur'an should be using words like "the parts that the Jews removed from their books" or "the parts which have been omitted." | ||
There is no such wording in the language of the Qur'an; only | There is no such wording in the language of the Qur'an; the only mentions of fabrication are that the Qur'an accuses the Jews of lying about what was written in their Taurat, in order to reject Muhammad as a prophet of their God. | ||
==The Message of the Qur'an Confirms the Previous Scriptures == | ==The Message of the Qur'an Confirms the Previous Scriptures == | ||