Some contend
that Quran 6:91 (Al-Anaam) says that the Jews and Christians changed the
Bible. Let’s take a look at it and see
if that is really what it is saying.
Quran 6:91
(Al-Anaam)
No just estimate of Allah do they make
when they say: "Nothing doth Allah send down to man (by way of
revelation)" Say: "Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought?-
a light and guidance to man: But ye make it into (separate) sheets for show,
while ye conceal much (of its contents): therein were ye taught that which ye
knew not- neither ye nor your fathers." Say: "(Allah) (sent it
down)": Then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.
Before we delve
into this ayah, I would like to examine a similar passage.
Quran 15:90-93
(Al-Hijr)
|
Yusuf Ali Translation
|
Hafs
|
Ibn Kathir
|
|
(Of just such wrath) as We sent down on those who divided
(Scripture into arbitrary parts),-
|
كَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا
عَلَى ٱلْمُقْتَسِمِينَ
|
|
|
(So also on such) as have made Qur'an into shreds (as they please).
|
ٱلَّذِينَ
جَعَلُوا۟ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ عِضِينَ
|
ٱلَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا۟ القُرَان عِضِينَ
|
|
Therefore, by the Lord, We will, of a surety, call them to
account,
|
فَوَرَبِّكَ
لَنَسْـَٔلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
|
|
|
For all their deeds.
|
عَمَّا كَانُوا۟
يَعْمَلُونَ
|
Here, we can
see that, just as people divided the Scripture (like in the ayah in question),
they have also made the Qur’an into shreds.
So, if Quran 6:91 really is saying that the Bible itself was corrupted,
then we must also conclude that the Qur’an was also corrupted.
Not only that,
but the Qur’an suffers a worse fate. If
Qur’an 6:91 is saying that the people literally divided the Bible up into
separate sheets, then it can still be properly reassembled and read. But, taking Qur'an 15:91 literally would mean that
the people shredded the Qur’an.
Shredding a book renders it unreadable and useless.
I think that
most of the people who try to say that the Qur’an is perfectly preserved will
instantly agree that Qur’an 15:90-93 is being figurative. If Qur’an 15:90-93 is figurative, and it
clearly links these activities with those described in Quran 6:91, then
shouldn’t we also interpret Qur’an 6:91 figuratively? If Quran 6:91 can only mean a literal
destruction of the Biblical text, then Quran 15:90-93 must indicate that the
Qur’anic text was destroyed. But, since
we all agree that Quran 15:90-93 is figurative, we must also agree that Quran
6:91 is figurative as well.
Now, let’s look
at the context of Qur’an 6:91 and see if we can draw out the meaning instead of
reading our preconceptions into it.
Qur’an 6:89-92
Qur’an 6:89
|
Yusuf Ali Translation
|
Hafs
|
Nafi`
|
|
These were the men to whom We gave the Book, and authority, and
prophethood: if these (their descendants) reject them, Behold! We shall
entrust their charge to a new people who reject them not.
|
أُو۟لَٓئِكَ
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ ۚ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ
بِهَا هَٓؤُلَآءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًۭا لَّيْسُوا۟ بِهَا
بِكَفِرِينَ
|
أُو۟لَٓئِكَ
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ والنبوءة فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَٓؤُلَآءِ فَقَدْ
وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًۭا لَّيْسُوا۟ بِهَا بِكَفِرِينَ
|
The people rejected the former prophets.
Qur’an 6:90
|
Yusuf Ali Translation
|
Hafs
|
Ibn Kathir
|
|
Those were the (prophets) who received Allah.s guidance: Copy
the guidance they received; Say: "No reward for this do I ask of you:
This is no less than a message for the nations."
|
أُو۟لَٓئِكَ
ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَبِهُدَىٰهُمُ ٱقْتَدِهْ ۗ قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ
عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ۖ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَلَمِينَ
|
أُو۟لَٓئِكَ
ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَبِهُدَىٰهُمُ ٱقْتَدِهْ ۗ قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عليهي أَجراً إِنْ هُوَ
إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَلَمِينَ
|
Muhammad receives the same guidance given to the former prophets,
namely that he has a message for the nations.
Notice that Muhammad copied the guidance given to the former prophets
and this guidance is a message for the nations.
This means that the former prophets also had a message for the
nations. This calls into question the common
claim that Muhammad was the only prophet for all mankind.
Quran 6:91
|
Yusuf Ali Translation
|
Hafs
|
Ibn Kathir & Abu `Amr al-'Ala'
|
|
No just estimate of Allah do they make when they say:
"Nothing doth Allah send down to man (by way of revelation)" Say:
"Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought?- a light and guidance
to man: But ye make it into (separate) sheets for show, while ye conceal much
(of its contents): therein were ye taught that which ye knew not- neither ye
nor your fathers." Say: "(Allah) (sent it down)": Then leave
them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.
|
وَمَا
قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ
بَشَرٍۢ مِّن شَىْءٍۢ ۗ قُلْ مَنْ أَنزَلَ ٱلْكِتَبَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِۦ
مُوسَىٰ نُورًۭا وَهُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ تَجْعَلُونَهُۥ قَرَاطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا
وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيرًۭا ۖ وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنتُمْ وَلَآ
ءَابَآؤُكُمْ ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ
|
وَمَا
قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ
بَشَرٍۢ مِّن شَىْءٍۢ ۗ قُلْ مَنْ أَنزَلَ ٱلْكِتَبَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِۦ
مُوسَىٰ نُورًۭا وَهُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ يجعلونه قراطيس يبدونها ويخفون كَثِيرًۭا ۖ
وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنتُمْ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ ۖ قُلِ
ٱللَّهُ ۖ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ
|
Notice that it is criticizing these people for doubting that God
sent down the Book. Does this really
sound like it is trying to tell people that we should doubt the Bible. It goes on to say that the people made the
book into separate sheets and concealed much of it. This doesn’t sound much like people changing
the Bible, but rather removing quotes out of context and ignoring what else was
written. People do this all the time
when they quote a few ayat from the Qur’an and say that it commands Muslims to
kill all unbelievers. Does this quoting
out of context cause all copies of the Qur’an in the world to suddenly change
to reflect this misquoting? Of course
not! That would be a ridiculous
assumption.
Qur’an 6:92
|
Yusuf Ali Translation
|
Hafs
|
Ibn Kathir
|
Shu‘bah
|
Warsh & Abu `Amr al-'Ala' & Abu
Ja`far
|
|
And this is a Book which We have sent down,
bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it:
that thou mayest warn the mother of cities and all around her. Those who
believe in the Hereafter believe in this (Book), and they are constant in
guarding their prayers.
|
وَهَذَا
كِتَبٌ أَنزَلْنَهُ مُبَارَكٌۭ مُّصَدِّقُ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ
أُمَّ ٱلْقُرَىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ
يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
|
وَهَذَا كِتَبٌ أنزلناهو مبارك
مُّصَدِّقُ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يديهي
ولتنذر أُمَّ ٱلْقُرَىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
|
وَهَذَا كِتَبٌ
أَنزَلْنَهُ مُبَارَكٌۭ مُّصَدِّقُ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ولينذر أُمَّ ٱلْقُرَىٰ
وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۖ
وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
|
وَهَذَا كِتَبٌ
أَنزَلْنَهُ مُبَارَكٌۭ مُّصَدِّقُ ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ أُمَّ
ٱلْقُرَىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يومنون بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ يومنون بِهِۦ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ
يُحَافِظُونَ
|
Notice that immediately
after this supposed statement that the Bible has been changed, the Qur’an
clearly states that it is a Book from God confirming the previous
revelations. And, no, it does not say
“in their original form” or “whatever remains” or anything implying that it is
talking about different version of the previous revelations.
Those who try
to use ayah 91 to say that the Bible has been changed do so by making the ayat
into separate sheets and concealing the plain statement of ayah 92, which
confirms the truth of the Bible.
