(yaqub;55286)
TruthTeller,Peace to you,Notice that the verse has to do changing what one listens to. It doesn't change the written text of the Bible.Read any commentary (tafsir) and you will see that it has to do with reading, and forgetting what was read. It has nothing to do with the written text.Forgetting is not the same as corruption.As you can see, it has to do with the twisting of the tongue. It has nothing to do with the written text.Ah... the strongest one perhaps. But, these refers to targums that were written for selling (gain). It does not say that the original text is lost or corrupted.Nay, these verses tell us what the Qur'an accused the Jews and/or Christians (they are not uniformly addressed in the given verses. Some refer to Jews only, for example) of doing during reading of the Bible.All the verses you have given have nothing to do with the underlying text, except for the targums which are not scripture at all. Instead, they refer to "dislocation", mispronunciation, etc. The classical scholars have written much about these. The verses said nothing about changing the written text.The truthful thing is that Muslim scholars tell of two kinds of tahrif (corruption) of the Bible: tahrif-i-lafzi and tahrif-i-manawi. The former refers to the corruption in the underlying text, whereas, the latter refers to the corruption through meaning (through mispronunciation, misinterpretation, etc). The truthful thing is also that classical Muslim scholars believe that only the second distortion is true, and there is no change to the underlying text. It is only centuries later that later scholars started giving this new theory. Muslim theologians as late as al-Ghazali (d. 1111) believe that there is no corruption in the text, only in meaning only.
Yaqub, peace be upon you as well.Above I only posted The Verses, let me now post them with their respective explanations. I hope that will help:"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 Allah loveth those who are kind" – [Qur´an 5:13].This verse refers to the Jews as seen from the preceding verse in the Qur´an. Two points are being stressed in the above verse as can be seen by any layman. First is that the Jews broke the covenant for which they were punished by Allah. Second is that they changed the words of their Scriptures. This is clear evidence that the words of the Torah were changed by the people. They were being misinterpreted and thus consequently when copies were made of the scriptures, the words were changed and written according to their personal interpretations. They abandoned the good in their Scripture and thus down the road they grossly corrupted their Book.Similarly we see in the proceeding verse:"From those, too, who call themselves Christians, We did take a covenant, but they forgot a good part of the message that was sent them: so we estranged them, with enmity and hatred between the one and the other, to the Day of Judgment. And soon will Allah show them what it is they have done" – [Qur´an 5:14].Again we see in this verse, the Qur´an clearly mentions people who call themselves “Christians” (i.e. followers of Christ) broke their covenant and abandoned the true message that was sent to them. When people like Paul came along they abandoned the true teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him) and tried to create a religion of their own. There was a race of popularity being run by Paul. The Jews rejected Paul and today some scholars doubt that Paul himself was a Jew. Paul wanted people to accept his version of Christianity. As a marketing ploy he included paganism in the teachings of Jesus so as to make it appealing to the Romans.Further on we see that the Qur´an speaks more on the people who had corrupted the previous scriptures:"Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] usages and say, “We hear and disobey” and “Hear but be not heard” and “Ra‘ina,” twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], “We hear and obey” and “Wait for us [to understand],” it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few" – [Qur´an 4:46].This verse refers once again to the corruption of the text of the Scriptures of the Jews. They tampered the text, misinterpreted and distorted the meanings of the verses of their Book. Similarly in another place it is stated in the Qur´an:"The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs (ayaat) of Allah. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people" – [Qur´an 62:5].Again we see in the verse that ones who failed to follow the Mosaic Law although it was made obligatory on them are like donkeys with huge tomes. They had the information but they understood it not and falsified the verses of Allah."Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: “This is from Allah,” to traffic with it for miserable price! - Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby" – [Qur´an 2:79].The Quran refers to those people who changed the scriptures and then marketed it as a Word of Allah (swt). Classic example is of Paul who changed the teachings of Jesus and mixed paganism in it to sell it to the Romans. Regardless of what our Christian brothers desire the Qur´an is very clear in its message that the previous scriptures were corrupted by men and the Qur´an only confirms the previous revelations – part of which is in the Bible today. This does not mean that the Qur´an testifies the Bible one holds in their hands today to be free from any error. The Qur´an brings forth parts of the truth which were removed or added from the Bible.Moving on, Allah revealed the following verse in the Bible:"O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not “Trinity”: desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah. Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs" – [Qur´an 4:171].Once again Allah through the Qur´an reveals the corrupted nature of the Bible which Christendom reads. The Qur´an makes it clear that if any text or person says that Jesus was anything more than a messenger of Allah then that text or person does not know the reality of the situation and is speaking falsehood. Further the Qur´an tells the people not to say “Trinity” as that is an incorrect term. The Christians yet use this term which proves according to the Qur´an that their beliefs are corrupted and based on grossly misinterpreted texts of the Bible. Further the verse also states that God does not have a son. Yet our Christian friends will say that according to the Bible God does which further proves that the Qur´an testifies only to the truth in the Bible and exposes the falsehood in the Bible.This brings us to another important verse in the Qur´an:"And behold! Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah?” He will say: “Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden" – [Qur´an 5:116].Repeatedly we see the Qur´an exposing the falsehood in the Bible and confirming only the truth which is in the Bible. Our Christian friends will tell us that Jesus is a god according to the Bible. This verse categorically denies that Jesus ever said or taught any such doctrine. Qur´an once again exposes the falsehood in the Bible which was added by the people and was never part of the original revelations that were sent to Jesus."[Jesus] said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet" – [Qur´an 19:30].Jesus always stated that he was only a prophet of God and not god according to the Quran. Therefore the Qur´an is clearly saying something against the Bible which shows that the Qur´an disagrees with the Bible. As a result to even think that the Qur´an attests the entire Bible to be uncorrupted is simply laughable.Let’s go through some other verses of the Qur´an to see how it declares the Bible and the Christians to be following falsehood:"And they say: None entereth Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian. These are their own desires. Say: Bring your proof (of what ye state) if ye are truthful" – [Qur´an 2:111].The Bible teaches the Christians that salvation can only be achieved by accepting Christ as the lord and savior. If one does not accept him as the lord and savior then that person is not saved and obviously will not enter Paradise. The Qur´an rejects any such idea that to enter Paradise one has to become a Christian. It declares such a thing to be mere fabrication."Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with thee unless thou follow their form of religion. Say: “The Guidance of Allah,-that is the (only) Guidance.” Wert thou to follow their desires after the knowledge which hath reached thee, then wouldst thou find neither Protector nor helper against Allah" – [Qur´an 2:120].Allah informs Prophet Muhammad that the Christians and the Jews want him to follow their religion but he is to reject their religion. Here the Qur´an calls the religion which the Jews and Christians follow to be that which is to be rejected – not accepted as they are one of those who went astray.
