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Writer's pictureEdward D. Andrews
3 days ago12 min read

The Islamic Understanding of the Bible: Reverence and Rejection


The Islamic perspective on the Bible is complex, and it begins with an inherent tension. On one hand, the Qur’an praises the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, calling them the “Book of God” and “a light and guidance to man” (Surah 5:44). At various points, the Qur’an encourages Christians and Jews to look into their own Scriptures for divine truth, even advising Muhammad to test his message against earlier revelations (Surah 10:94). Such affirmations highlight a certain reverence for the Bible within Islamic teaching.


However, despite this respect, Muslims claim that the Qur’an has superseded the Bible, rendering it obsolete. Islam teaches that the Qur’an is the final and most complete revelation from God, and that all previous Scriptures, including the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospels, have been either corrupted or altered (Surah 5:48). Muslim scholars hold that the Bible, while originally divine in origin, has been tampered with by human hands.



Islamic Doctrine of Tahrif: Corruption of Scripture


Central to the Muslim critique of the Bible is the concept of tahrif, or corruption. Muslim theologians accuse Jews and Christians of having distorted the biblical text, either by changing its wording (tahrif bi’al-lafz) or by misinterpreting its meaning (tahrif bi’al-ma’ni). Early Islamic commentators, like Al-Tabari and Ar-Razi, generally believed in the corruption of meaning without alteration of the text. However, later scholars, including Ibn-Hazm and Ibn-Khaldun, emphasized the corruption of the text itself.


The Qur’an supports this accusation in several places. For instance, Surah 3:78 says, “There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues.” Similarly, Surah 2:75 accuses the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) of having altered the words of God after having received them.


Despite these accusations, there remains a notable tension within Islamic teaching. On the one hand, the Qur’an acknowledges the original divine authority of the Torah, Psalms, and Gospels (Surah 5:46). On the other hand, Muslims believe these Scriptures have been rendered unreliable due to human corruption. This internal contradiction creates a dilemma for Islamic scholars: if the Bible was once the Word of God, how can it now be considered untrustworthy?



The Qur’an’s Conflicting View of the Bible


One of the central issues in Islamic theology is the tension between the reverence for previous Scriptures and the claim that the Qur’an supersedes them. For example, Surah 10:94 directs Muhammad to consult those who have been reading the Book (i.e., Jews and Christians) if he has doubts about the truthfulness of his message. This command implies that the Bible of Muhammad’s day was still reliable enough to serve as a reference point for divine truth.


Yet, if the Qur’an is indeed the final revelation, why would Muhammad need to consult corrupted Scriptures? This question reveals a deep inconsistency within the Islamic position. Christians argue that if the Bible was trustworthy in Muhammad’s time, and since the manuscript evidence shows that the Bible of today is essentially the same as it was in the seventh century, then Muslims should also accept the Bible’s current form as reliable.



Manuscript Evidence for the Bible’s Reliability


The accusation that the Bible has been corrupted is not supported by historical evidence. The textual transmission of both the Old and New Testaments has been remarkably faithful. For the Old Testament, the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 demonstrated that the Hebrew Scriptures have been accurately preserved for over two millennia. These scrolls, which include nearly every book of the Old Testament, date from the third century B.C.E. to the first century C.E. When compared with the Masoretic Text, the primary Hebrew text used today, the Dead Sea Scrolls show a high degree of consistency, affirming the careful preservation of the Old Testament.


Similarly, the New Testament has a wealth of manuscript evidence supporting its reliability. There are over 5,898 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, along with thousands of Latin, Coptic, and Syriac translations. Some of these manuscripts, such as the John Ryland Fragment (P52), date to the early second century C.E., only a few decades after the original writings. These early manuscripts, along with the writings of early Church Fathers, confirm that the New Testament we have today is substantially the same as the one used in the first few centuries of Christianity.


This overwhelming manuscript evidence undermines the Muslim claim that the Bible has been corrupted. If the Bible had been altered, there would be significant discrepancies between the thousands of manuscripts from different regions and time periods. However, the consistency of these manuscripts demonstrates that the Bible has been faithfully transmitted over the centuries.



Islamic Critique of Christian Doctrines: A Response


Muslims not only challenge the textual integrity of the Bible but also criticize key Christian doctrines, including the incarnation of Christ, the Trinity, and original sin. These doctrines, they argue, are later corruptions that do not reflect the original teachings of Jesus.


The Incarnation of Christ


Islam vehemently denies the Christian doctrine of the incarnation, which teaches that Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh (John 1:14). Surah 5:75 states, “They do blaspheme who say: ‘God is Christ the son of Mary.'” For Muslims, the idea that God could become a man is not only irrational but also blasphemous, as it seems to imply a division in the divine nature, which contradicts the strict Islamic understanding of monotheism.


In response, Christians point to the consistent biblical teaching that Jesus is both fully divine and fully human. The New Testament affirms the deity of Christ in passages like John 1:1, which declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus himself claimed divinity when he said, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), a reference to the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. The incarnation is the central mystery of the Christian faith, and it is affirmed by the biblical witness as essential to God’s redemptive plan.


The Doctrine of the Trinity


The Qur’an explicitly rejects the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, accusing Christians of polytheism. Surah 4:171 states, “Say not ‘Trinity’: desist, it will be better for you, for God is one.” Muslims argue that the doctrine of the Trinity violates the unity of God and introduces multiple deities into the Godhead.


However, Christians maintain that the doctrine of the Trinity is not a denial of monotheism but a fuller understanding of God’s nature as revealed in Scripture. The Bible teaches that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4), but that this one God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Each person of the Trinity is fully divine, yet there is only one divine essence. The concept of the Trinity is not derived from pagan influence or later theological development but is rooted in the biblical revelation of God’s nature.


Original Sin


Islam also rejects the Christian doctrine of original sin, which teaches that all humans inherit a sinful nature due to Adam’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden (Romans 5:12). Muslims believe that while Adam and Eve sinned, their sin did not affect their descendants. Rather, each person is born in a state of purity and is responsible only for his or her own actions.


The biblical doctrine of original sin, however, is based on the consistent testimony of Scripture that human beings are born with a sinful nature. Psalm 51:5 declares, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” The Apostle Paul elaborates on this in Romans 5:12-19, explaining that through Adam’s disobedience, sin entered the world, and death spread to all people. Yet, through Jesus Christ, the “second Adam,” humanity can be redeemed and restored to a right relationship with God.



The Qur’an and the Bible: Inconsistent Teachings


One of the most significant challenges for the Islamic view of the Bible is the inconsistency within the Qur’an itself. On one hand, the Qur’an acknowledges the divine origin of the Torah, Psalms, and Gospels, calling them revelations from God (Surah 5:46). On the other hand, Muslims claim that these Scriptures have been corrupted and are no longer trustworthy.


If the Bible had been corrupted before the time of Muhammad, as some Muslim scholars claim, it raises the question of why the Qur’an would direct Christians and Jews to look into their Scriptures for guidance (Surah 5:68). Moreover, if the New Testament had been corrupted, Muhammad would not have asked Christians in his day to refer to their own Scriptures to confirm his message (Surah 10:94).


Furthermore, the historical manuscript evidence for the Bible shows that the New Testament of Muhammad’s day is virtually identical to the one we have today. If the Qur’an encouraged people to consult the New Testament during Muhammad’s time, and that same New Testament teaches the deity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity, then Muslims face a serious theological dilemma. How can they claim that the Bible has been corrupted when the Qur’an itself affirms its reliability?



A Christian Response to Islamic Criticisms


The Islamic view of the Bible, while acknowledging its original divine origin, ultimately rejects its reliability and authority due to accusations of corruption. However, the historical and manuscript evidence overwhelmingly supports the integrity of the biblical text. Furthermore, the Qur’an’s own affirmation of the Bible, along with its internal inconsistencies regarding the status of previous Scriptures, presents a significant challenge to the Islamic critique.


Christian doctrines such as the incarnation, the Trinity, and original sin are not later corruptions of the biblical message but are firmly rooted in the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments. These doctrines reveal the fullness of God’s redemptive plan for humanity, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ.


In engaging with Muslims on these issues, it is essential for Christians to demonstrate the reliability of the Bible, to clarify misunderstandings about Christian doctrine, and to share the transformative power of the Gospel message, which alone brings salvation and reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).



The Focus on the Corruption Period by Islamic Apologists


Islamic apologists often emphasize the period of textual transmission known as the “Corruption Period” to argue that the Bible is unreliable. This refers to the era when the Old and New Testaments were copied by hand, during which various textual variants entered into the manuscripts. This focus on corruption allows Islamic critics to claim that the Bible cannot be trusted in its current form, but this argument overlooks key facts and misrepresents the broader history of biblical textual transmission.


In particular, Islamic apologists frequently cite the works of scholars like Bart D. Ehrman, who highlights the presence of textual variants in the Bible. Ehrman, an agnostic scholar, points to the existence of more than 400,000 textual variants in the New Testament manuscripts. However, what apologists fail to explain is the true nature of these variants. The vast majority of these differences are trivial—misspellings, flipped words (e.g., “Jesus Christ” vs. “Christ Jesus”), or grammatical adjustments that do not affect the meaning of the text. The actual number of significant variants that impact theological doctrine is extremely small, and in nearly all cases, scholars have been able to reconstruct the original wording.



Muslims’ Emphasis on the Era of the Copyists


Islamic apologists frequently point to the era of the copyists to argue that the Bible underwent substantial corruption. In their critique, they focus on the period from roughly 100 C.E. to 1500 C.E. for the New Testament, and from 400 C.E. to 500 C.E. for the Old Testament. During these centuries, Christian scribes copied the texts of Scripture, and some took liberties with the text. This critique, however, exaggerates the issue and ignores critical aspects of the Bible’s transmission history.


While there were undoubtedly textual variations introduced during this period, it is important to note that these copyists, whether professional or amateur, were doing the best they could under their human limitations. Unlike the original authors, these scribes were not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Most textual variants were not intentional but arose from human error, such as misspellings or word transpositions. Some copyists did attempt to harmonize difficult passages or strengthen certain doctrines, but modern textual criticism has identified these changes and corrected them.



What Islamic Apologists Ignore: The Restoration Period


While Islamic apologists focus heavily on the corruption period, they neglect the significant efforts that have been made to restore the original text of the Bible. From the 17th century onward, world-renowned textual scholars have devoted their lives to recovering the original words of the New Testament and Old Testament. This period of restoration is crucial for understanding the current state of the biblical text, but it is rarely mentioned by Muslim critics.


The work of scholars such as Johann Jakob Griesbach, Karl Lachmann, Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, Konstantin von Tischendorf, and the team of Westcott and Hort in the 19th century has been instrumental in this process. Their painstaking efforts to compare thousands of manuscripts resulted in the restoration of the New Testament text to a high degree of accuracy. In fact, the 1881 Westcott and Hort Greek New Testament is 99.5% the same as the 2012 Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament, even though Westcott and Hort did not have access to the more than 140 papyri manuscripts that are available today. The New Testament papyri that have since been discovered have only confirmed the accuracy of their work.



The Old Testament Restoration: The Role of the Masoretes


For the Old Testament, the restoration process began even earlier, with the work of the Masoretes between the 6th and 10th centuries C.E. The Masoretes were Jewish scribes who developed a meticulous system to preserve the Hebrew Scriptures. They added vowel pointings, cantillation marks, and notes to the consonantal text to ensure proper pronunciation and prevent further alterations. Their work culminated in the Masoretic Text, which has become the standard Hebrew text used today.


Modern scholars have continued the restoration process, comparing the Masoretic Text with other ancient manuscripts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament). Pioneers like Benjamin Kennicott, S. Baer, C.D. Ginsburg, and Rudolf Kittel laid the groundwork for the critical editions of the Hebrew Bible used by scholars today. Kittel’s Biblia Hebraica (1906) was particularly influential in establishing a critical text, and his third edition, based on the Ben Asher Masoretic text, remains a foundational work for modern Hebrew Bible scholarship.



Exaggeration of the Corruption: Misrepresenting the 400,000+ Variants


Islamic apologists often exaggerate the corruption of the New Testament by quoting figures like “400,000 textual variants,” but they fail to explain the nature of these variants. While 400,000 may sound alarming, these differences are spread across nearly 6,000 Greek New Testament manuscripts. The overwhelming majority of these variants are minor—simple spelling mistakes, different spellings of names, or variations in word order. Only a small fraction of these variants have any impact on the meaning of the text, and none of them affect core Christian doctrines.


Furthermore, textual critics have been able to identify the original wording in virtually all cases where significant variants exist. The science of textual criticism, combined with the sheer number of manuscripts available, allows scholars to reconstruct the original text of the New Testament with a high degree of certainty. The 99.99% accuracy of the restored critical text is a testament to the reliability of the New Testament despite the human errors introduced during the copyist period.



Muslim Apologists’ Use of KJV-Only Arguments


Another tactic used by Muslim apologists is to quote King James Version Onlyists (KJVO) who claim that the Bible was miraculously preserved without any corruption. KJVO advocates argue that there should be no textual variants at all, and they tend to view any textual differences as an attack on the integrity of Scripture. Muslim apologists use these exaggerated claims to make the entire Christian position appear unreasonable and ill-informed.


In reality, no credible textual scholar believes in miraculous preservation without any corruption. The New Testament was preserved through human effort, and while errors did creep into the text over time, these have been corrected through careful scholarly work. The KJV-only movement is an outlier, and its views do not reflect mainstream Christian understanding of the Bible’s textual transmission. By citing KJV-only advocates, Muslim apologists create a false impression that mainstream Christian scholars are naive about the complexities of textual history.



The Restored Critical Text


The Bible we have today, both Old and New Testaments, has been restored to nearly 100% of its original wording thanks to the work of dedicated textual scholars. The textual variants that Islamic apologists point to as evidence of corruption have been carefully studied, and the overwhelming consensus among scholars is that these differences do not undermine the reliability of Scripture. The restoration process has ensured that Christians today can confidently trust in the Bible as a faithful representation of the original texts. The focus on the corruption period by Islamic apologists ignores the far more important period of restoration, which demonstrates the enduring accuracy of God’s Word.


About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220 books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).


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