All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His help, and seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our evil deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide, and whomever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah’s peace and abundant blessings be upon him, his family, his Companions, and all who follow them in righteousness.

The Claim That the Qur’an and the Sunnah Affirm the Present-Day Torah and Gospel

Introduction

Among the most common objections raised by Christian missionaries today and one that is frequently repeated under the label of the “Islamic Dilemma” is the claim that the Qur’an and the Sunnah affirm the authenticity of the Torah and the Gospel as they exist today, praise them, command the People of the Book to judge by them, and describe the Qur’an itself as confirming the previous Scriptures. They then argue that Muslims contradict these teachings by claiming that the Biblical texts have undergone alteration and corruption.

To support this claim, they cite numerous Qur’anic verses, such as Allah’s statement:

Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light.

And His statement:

Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein.

And His statement:

We have sent down to you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it of the Scripture.

along with other passages that they quote in isolation from their contexts before building this argument upon them.

This objection is by no means new. Rather, it is one of the oldest arguments advanced by the People of the Book since the earliest centuries of Islam. Muslim scholars, both classical and contemporary, have thoroughly answered it and demonstrated its invalidity from numerous angles. Foremost among them was Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) in his monumental work Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ li-man Baddala Dīn al-Masīḥ (The Correct Response to Those Who Altered the Religion of the Messiah), in which he addressed nearly every aspect of this argument. Later scholars further expanded and clarified his discussion.

In reality, this objection rests upon a fundamentally flawed premise: it selectively cites some Qur’anic verses while ignoring others. It fails to interpret the ambiguous texts in light of the clear ones and neglects the essential distinction between the original Torah and Gospel revealed by Allah to Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) and the alterations, concealments, and corruptions that were later introduced by human hands.

The Qur’an affirms both realities simultaneously:

• It affirms that Allah revealed the Torah and the Gospel as guidance and light.
• It also affirms that the People of the Book altered, distorted, concealed, and forgot portions of what they had been reminded of.

Whoever accepts the first category of verses while ignoring the second is using one part of the Qur’an against another. This is precisely the approach condemned by Allah when He says:

Do you then believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part?

Accordingly, the proper method is to consider all of the Qur’anic texts together and to understand them as they were understood by the Salaf (the righteous early generations) and the leading scholars of Qur’anic exegesis not by selecting some passages while disregarding others.

The answer to this objection consists of several complementary arguments, each reinforcing the others, and together they demolish the claim from its very foundation.

A Balanced Approach in Dialogue with the People of the Book

Allah the mighty the majestic instructs the believers in the Qur’an:

“And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best—except for those who commit injustice among them—and say: ‘We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; and our God and your God is One, and we are in submission to Him.’” (Al-‘Ankabūt 29:46)

This noble verse lays down a foundational principle for engaging with the People of the Book: dialogue must be conducted with wisdom, good manners, and justice. The goal is not hostility or argumentation for its own sake, but to invite towards the truth in the most excellent manner—except in cases where oppression or deliberate wrongdoing is present.

A key part of this guidance is the statement: “We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you.” The scholars, including Ibn Kathīr may Allah have mercy on him, explained that this refers to a careful and principled stance regarding reports from the previous scriptures. When people of the book mention matters whose truth or falsehood is unclear, the muslims neither fully affirms nor outright denies them. This is because such reports may contain remnants of truth from the original revelation, or they may have been altered over time.

Instead, the believer adopts a middle path: a general, conditional belief. As Ibn Kathīr explains, we believe in those revelations in principle—on the condition that they are truly from Allah and have not been changed, distorted, or misinterpreted. This protects the creed from falsehood while maintaining fairness and respect in dialogue.

In summary, this āyah and its explanation teach us three key principles:

• Engage with wisdom and excellent manners
• Avoid blind acceptance or rejection of unclear reports

The First Response: Belief in the Torah and Gospel Originally Revealed by Allah Is a Fundamental Article of Faith But This Does Not Mean Endorsing What People Later Altered

The first point that must be established is that a Muslim does not believe in the Torah and Gospel in the same sense that many of the People of the Book do today. Rather, he believes in the Torah that Allah revealed to Moses (peace be upon him) and the Gospel that He revealed to Jesus (peace be upon him), just as He revealed His other Scriptures to His messengers. This is one of the fundamental principles of Islamic belief and is known necessarily to every Muslim.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

As for the final Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, affirming the truth of the Scriptures that Allah revealed before him and the prophets who came before him, this is known by necessity to be part of his religion. It has been transmitted through manifest tawātur (mass transmission), just as his being sent to all mankind has been transmitted. Indeed, this is one of the foundations of faith.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ li-man Baddala Dīn al-Masīḥ (1/261).

For this reason, Allah says:

Say, ‘We believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit. (Qur’an 2:136)

And He also says:

Say, ‘We believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we are Muslims. (Qur’an 3:84)

Therefore, every praise that the Qur’an gives to the Torah and the Gospel, every command to believe in them, and every description of them as guidance and light refers to the two Books that Allah Himself revealed not to every manuscript written by men, copied centuries later, or affected by alteration, addition, omission, and corruption.

This is not a matter of disagreement among Muslims. Rather, it is explicitly affirmed by the Qur’an itself.

To argue, however, that this praise proves the complete integrity of the present-day Bible is to move from one claim to another without any evidence. The very Qur’an that praises the original revelations is also the Book that informs us that the People of the Book failed to preserve what Allah entrusted to them, but instead altered it, concealed parts of it, and substituted portions of it.

It is therefore impermissible to interpret the verses of praise in a manner that contradicts the verses of condemnation, or to abandon the clear texts because of ambiguous ones. Rather, the Qur’an must be understood as a unified whole, for one part confirms and explains another, and there is never any contradiction within the Word of Allah.

Indeed, using the Qur’an’s praise of the Torah and Gospel as proof that today’s Bible is entirely intact is comparable to arguing that because Allah praises the Children of Israel in certain verses, they must therefore have never disobeyed Him. Yet the Qur’an itself also tells us that many of them disbelieved, murdered the prophets, distorted the words of Allah, and broke their covenants. Just as there is no contradiction between those two sets of verses, there is likewise no contradiction here.

With this, the foundation of the objection collapses before even entering its details. No Muslim has ever claimed that Allah did not reveal the Torah and the Gospel, nor that His revelations were false. Rather, Muslims affirm that Allah revealed two true and divine Scriptures. What they maintain is that, afterwards, some among the People of the Book committed exactly what Allah Himself describes: alteration, concealment, and substitution. The Qur’an then came as a witness to the truth that still remained within those Scriptures while exposing the falsehood that human beings had introduced into them.

The Second Response: The Verses Commanding Judgment by the Torah and the Gospel Are Evidence Against Them, Not for Them

Among the verses most frequently cited by Christian missionaries are Allah’s statements:

Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light.

and:

So let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein.

They argue that Allah commanded the People of the Book to judge by the Scriptures in their possession, and therefore, according to them, those Scriptures must have remained free from corruption.

This is one of the weakest arguments that can be made, for the verses themselves, their context, the reasons for their revelation, and the explanations of the classical commentators all point to the exact opposite of what they claim.

First: The Circumstances of Revelation Show That These Verses Were Revealed to Condemn Them, Not to Praise Them

It is authentically reported from Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that these verses were revealed concerning two Jewish tribes that differed regarding blood-money. The stronger tribe demanded twice the compensation for one of its slain members that it paid to the weaker tribe. When the Prophet ﷺ arrived, they sought his judgment, intending to accept it only if it agreed with their desires, but to reject it if it did not. Allah then revealed these verses, exposing their hypocrisy and manipulation of divine law.

Source: Musnad Aḥmad (1/246, 363); Sunan Abī Dāwūd (3576, 3591, 4494); al-Nasāʾī (8/19). Classified as ḥasan by al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd.

It is also authentically established that these verses were revealed in connection with the case of the two Jewish adulterers. The Jews had replaced the Torah’s prescribed punishment of stoning with flogging and blackening of the face. They said among themselves:

If Muhammad judges with flogging, then accept his judgment; but if he judges with stoning, reject it.

When the Prophet ﷺ exposed their distortion, produced the verse of stoning from the Torah itself, and ordered that the two adulterers be stoned, Allah revealed these verses.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (1329, 6819); Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (1699, 1700).

For this reason, Ibn Kathīr said:

“It is possible that both of these causes the second and the third occurred at the same time, and that these verses were revealed concerning all of them. And Allah knows best.”

Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr (5/229).

Where, then, is the praise for them in these verses? They were revealed precisely to expose their distortion of revelation and their following of personal desires.

Second: The Prophet’s Judgment Agreed with the Truth That Remained in the Torah Not Because the Torah Continued as an Independent Law After His Mission

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not judge between them because their law remained independently binding after his prophethood. Rather, he judged by revelation from Allah, in agreement with the truth that still remained in the Torah, in order to establish the proof against them by means of the very Scripture they claimed to believe.

Ibn Kathīr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

These narrations indicate that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ judged in accordance with the ruling found in the Torah. This was not merely to bind them to what they believed to be true, for they were unquestionably commanded to follow the Muhammad’s legislation. Rather, this occurred through specific revelation from Allah. His asking them about it was to make them acknowledge what was in their own Scripture, which they had agreed to conceal and deny… When they admitted it despite acting contrary to it, their deviation and obstinacy became manifest.

Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr (5/225–226).

Thus, the Prophet ﷺ did not refer to the Torah because he needed it, nor because it remained the ultimate authority after his mission. Rather, he used it to expose their inconsistency and establish the proof against them from the very Book they professed to believe.

Third: Judging by the Torah and the Gospel Necessarily Includes Believing in Muhammad ﷺ

Missionaries also appeal to Allah’s statement:

So let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein.

Yet they overlook one of the greatest truths revealed in the Gospel itself: the glad tidings of the coming of Muhammad ﷺ and the command to believe in him when he appeared.

Ibn Kathīr wrote:

That is, let them believe in everything contained therein and uphold all that they were commanded therein including the glad tidings of the coming of Muhammad ﷺ and the command to follow and believe in him when he appears.

He then cited Allah’s statement:

Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written in the Torah and the Gospel

Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr (5/224).

Therefore, had they truly judged by what Allah revealed in the Gospel, they would have believed in Muhammad ﷺ rather than attempting to use the Gospel to reject his prophethood.

Fourth: The Verses Themselves Refute Their Argument

One of the most remarkable aspects of this objection is that its proponents quote only the beginning of the passage while ignoring what immediately follows.

After mentioning the Torah and the Gospel, Allah says:

And We have sent down to you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it of the Scripture and as a guardian over it.

The Qur’an does not merely describe itself as confirming the previous Scriptures. It also describes itself as muhaymin over them.

The term muhaymin means a witness, guardian, overseer, judge, and trustee. The Qur’an confirms whatever truth remains in the earlier Scriptures, exposes whatever has been altered, affirms what Allah continues to approve, and abrogates what He has superseded.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

He made clear that He revealed this Qur’an as a guardian over the previous Scriptures. A guardian is a trustworthy witness and judge: it testifies to the truth contained within them and rejects what has been altered in them… There is nothing in this that praises the one who adheres to an altered law, let alone one who clings to an abrogated law while refusing to believe in Muhammad ﷺ.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ li-man Baddala Dīn al-Masīḥ (1/262).

Immediately afterward, Allah commands:

So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires away from the truth that has come to you.

Al-Ṭabarī commented:

This is a command from Allah to His Prophet to judge between them according to the Qur’an with which Allah distinguished him… and not to follow the desires of the Jews who used to say: ‘If you are given the ruling of flogging instead of stoning, then accept it; but if you are not given it, then beware.

Source: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī (6/268–269).

How, then, can anyone claim after all of this that these verses testify to the complete integrity of the present-day Bible? In reality, they constitute some of the strongest evidence that the Qur’an is the final authority, the judge over all previous Scriptures not a book subject to their judgment.

The Third Response: The Qur’an’s Praise of Certain People of the Book Is Not Praise of Their Religion, but of Those Among Them Who Accepted the Truth

Another argument frequently advanced is that the Qur’an praises the People of the Book and describes the Christians as being the nearest of all people in affection toward the believers. Allah says:

You will surely find that the most intense of the people in hostility toward the believers are the Jews and those who associate others with Allah; and you will surely find that the nearest of them in affection to the believers are those who say, ‘We are Christians. (Qur’an 5:82)

They claim that this is praise of Christianity itself and proof that the religion they follow is true.

The answer is that this verse is, in fact, one of the clearest proofs against them when it is read in its entirety and understood in light of the explanations of the classical scholars.

First: The Praise Is for Certain Qualities They Possessed, Not for the Correctness of Their Religion

Allah did not say that Christianity is the true religion, nor that all Christians will be saved. Rather, He explained the reason why some of them were closer in affection to the believers:

That is because among them are priests and monks, and because they are not arrogant.

Al-Ṭabarī said:

Allah informed us that those Christians whom He praised for their closeness in affection to the believers possessed this quality because among them were people devoted to worship and scholars of their Scriptures. They did not arrogantly refuse the truth once it became clear to them, unlike the Jews, who had become accustomed to killing the prophets, opposing Allah, and distorting His revelation.

Source: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī (7/4).

Thus, the praise is directed toward the humility found in some of them and their willingness to accept the truth not toward the correctness of their creed.

Second: The Verses Immediately Following Completely Refute Their Argument

One of the strangest features of this objection is that they quote a single verse while ignoring the verses that immediately follow it.

Allah continues by saying:

And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they recognize. They say, ‘Our Lord, we have believed, so record us among the witnesses. And why should we not believe in Allah and in the truth that has come to us?

Then He says:

So Allah rewarded them for what they said with gardens beneath which rivers flow

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

Allah promised the reward of the Hereafter only to those who believed in Muhammad ﷺ… those who said, ‘Our Lord, we have believed, so record us among the witnesses.’ The witnesses are those who testified to his prophethood.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ li-man Baddala Dīn al-Masīḥ (2/46–48).

Therefore, these verses do not praise those who remained upon Christianity after the coming of the Prophet ﷺ. Rather, they praise those who recognized the truth and believed in the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Third: The Verse Means They Were Less Hostile Not That They Were Upon the Truth

Allah says:

You will surely find that the nearest of them in affection

This does not mean that their religion is true. Rather, it is a comparison between them and the Jews and the polytheists with respect to the intensity of their hostility toward the believers.

Ibn Taymiyyah explained:

The hostility of the Jews and the polytheists toward the believers is more severe than that of the Christians, and the Christians are nearer in affection to them… There is nothing in this that praises the Christians for true faith in Allah, nor does it promise them salvation from punishment or entitlement to reward. It merely states that they are nearer in affection.

He then added:

These are the ones whom Allah praised for faith and promised the reward of the Hereafter.

That is, those who believed in Muhammad ﷺ after hearing the Qur’an.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (2/46–48).

There is a vast difference between saying, “They are less hostile,” and saying, “They are upon the truth.”

The distinction is obvious, and the two must never be confused.

Fourth: Praising Certain Moral Qualities Does Not Validate a False Creed

A person may be praised for possessing noble character while still remaining a disbeliever.

Al-Qarāfī wrote:

As for praising the Christians because they are nearer in affection and because they possess humility, this is certainly true. However, this does not prevent them from being disbelievers who will abide eternally in the Fire. Noble natural qualities and acquired virtues can exist alongside both disbelief and faith, such as honesty, courage, and sound intellect. None of this is evidence for the correctness of their religion.

Source: Al-Ajwibah al-Fākhirah, p. 111.

This is an important principle that many people overlook. Islam does not forbid acknowledging the good qualities found among non-Muslims. However, the existence of such qualities is never proof that their beliefs are true, just as the presence of certain moral failings in a Muslim is not evidence against the truth of Islam.

Truth is established by evidence not by the character of some who claim to follow it, nor by the admirable qualities found among those who do not.

Thus, these verses cannot, under any circumstance, be used as evidence for the validity of Christianity after the coming of Muhammad ﷺ. On the contrary, they stand as evidence against anyone who heard the Qur’an, recognized the truth, and then turned away from it. For Allah praised only those whose humility and sincerity led them to believe in His Messenger ﷺ.

The Fourth Response: Allah’s Statement, And I Will Make Those Who Follow You Superior to Those Who Disbelieve” Is Not Evidence for Christianity

Another argument frequently raised by Christian missionaries is Allah’s statement to Jesus (peace be upon him):

And I will make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection.(Qur’an 3:55)

They claim that those who follow Jesus are the Christians of today and that this verse therefore proves they are upon the truth.

The answer is that this interpretation is false and contradicts the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the explanations of the classical scholars of tafsīr.

First: The True Followers of Jesus Are Those Who Followed the Religion He Actually Brought

Not everyone who claims to belong to Jesus (peace be upon him) is truly one of his followers. His followers are those who accepted what he preached: the worship of Allah alone, belief in all of His messengers, and, after the coming of Muhammad ﷺ, belief in him as well.

Al-Qarāfī said:

Those who followed him are not the Christians who believe that he is the Son of Allah. Following a person means agreeing with what he brought. Whether these people truly followed him is precisely the point under dispute. Rather, his followers were the disciples and those who followed them before the appearance of the doctrine of the Trinity… It is to the religion of those people that we call these Christians to return.

He then added:

No one harmed Jesus more than these Christians.

Source: Al-Ajwibah al-Fākhirah, pp. 82–85.

This is the correct standard. Jesus (peace be upon him) never called people to the Trinity, to worship him, or to believe that he was the Son of Allah. Rather, he called them to worship Allah alone. Whoever agrees with him in that is one of his followers; whoever contradicts him is not, regardless of what he claims.

Second: The Verse Refers to Those Who Followed Jesus Upon Islam

Al-Ṭabarī explained:

Meaning: ‘I will make those who follow you upon your way, your religion of Islam, and the natural disposition (fiṭrah), superior to those who denied your prophethood and opposed your path, making them prevail over them.

Source: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī (3/292).

Thus, al-Ṭabarī understood following Jesus to mean following his religion which was Islam not merely claiming affiliation with him.

For this reason, the Muslims are the people most deserving of association with Jesus (peace be upon him), for they believe in him as a prophet and messenger, affirm everything he truly taught, and believe in the Prophet whose coming he foretold. Those who reject his message or attribute to him what he never said cannot rightly be called his followers.

This is the same principle expressed elsewhere in the Qur’an:

Indeed, the people with the strongest claim to Abraham are those who followed him, and this Prophet, and those who believe. (Qur’an 3:68)

What matters, therefore, is genuine adherence not mere claim or affiliation.

Third: The Verse Does Not Validate Everyone Who Claims to Follow Christ

Even if, for the sake of argument, one were to assume that the verse includes all who claim to follow Christ, it still would not prove the correctness of all their beliefs.

The verse merely states that Allah would grant them superiority over others until the Day of Resurrection.

Superiority is one thing; the truth of a creed is another.

Disbelievers themselves may dominate at certain times in history or possess worldly power, yet this is never proof that Allah is pleased with them. As Allah says:

Do not let the movement of those who disbelieve throughout the land deceive you.

Therefore, using worldly dominance as proof of religious truth is invalid. Otherwise, every religion that became politically or militarily dominant at some point in history would have to be considered true.

Rather, as the commentators explain, the verse means that Allah would grant the true believers in Jesus superiority through proof, through victory, or through both until the Day of Resurrection. This promise reached its fullest realization in the nation of Muhammad ﷺ, for it alone believed in Jesus with the belief he deserved, defended his honor, cleared him of the slanders of the Jews, and rejected the excesses introduced about him by later Christians.

The Muslims are therefore the only community that combines belief in Jesus, belief in Muhammad ﷺ, and belief in every prophet of Allah. In that sense, they are the people most deserving of being counted among the true followers of them all.

It thus becomes clear that this verse is not evidence for Christianity. Rather, it is evidence against it. For genuine adherence to Jesus (peace be upon him) requires believing in the final Prophet whose coming he foretold and worshipping Allah alone without partner. This is the very creed preached by every messenger of Allah, peace be upon them all.

The Fifth Response: The Ḥadīth, “I Believe in You and in the One Who Revealed You,” Is Not Evidence for Their Claim

One of the most frequently cited narrations by Christian missionaries is the report from Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) in which, when the Torah was brought before the Prophet ﷺ, he is reported to have said:

I believe in you and in the One Who revealed you.

They argue that this statement is an endorsement by the Prophet ﷺ of the Torah in the possession of the Jews and therefore proves that it had remained free from corruption.

This argument is invalid for two independent reasons.

First: This Additional Phrase Is Not Authentically Attributed to the Prophet ﷺ

The well-known narration concerning the stoning of the two Jewish adulterers is authentically recorded in both Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. However, neither of the two Ṣaḥīḥs contains this additional phrase.

The wording:

I believe in you and in the One Who revealed you.

is narrated only through Hishām ibn Saʿd, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from Ibn ʿUmar.

He was contradicted by more reliable narrators, including Nāfiʿ and ʿAbdullāh ibn Dīnār, who narrated the same incident from Ibn ʿUmar in al-Bukhārī and Muslim without this addition.

Moreover, the story is also narrated from al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib, Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh, and Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them all), and none of their narrations contain this phrase.

The leading scholars of ḥadīth criticism also spoke critically of Hishām ibn Saʿd:

• Imām Aḥmad said: “He was not a reliable memorizer,” and also, “His narrations are not precise.”
• Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn said: “Weak,” and in another narration, “He is not particularly strong.”
• Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd al-Qaṭṭān would not narrate from him.
• Al-Nasāʾī said: “Weak,” and elsewhere, “He is not strong.”
• Abū Zurʿah said: “His ḥadīth is feeble.”
• Ibn Ḥibbān said: “He would reverse chains of transmission and attribute disconnected reports as connected. When his contradiction of trustworthy narrators became frequent, it was no longer permissible to rely upon him.”
• Abū Ḥātim said: “His narrations may be written down, but they are not to be used as proof.”

Those scholars who regarded him as acceptable did so only with a limited endorsement that does not outweigh the criticism of the leading authorities. They also agreed that whenever he contradicted stronger and more reliable narrators, his unique additions were not to be accepted.

Accordingly, this additional wording is shādh (anomalous) and cannot be authentically attributed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Sources: Sunan Abī Dāwūd (4449); Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (1329, 6819, 7543); Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (1699); and the biographical works of ḥadīth criticism including Tahdhīb al-Kamāl, Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb, Al-Jarḥ wa al-Taʿdīl, Al-Kāmil fī al-Ḍuʿafāʾ, and Al-Majrūḥīn.

If the wording itself is not authentic, then the entire argument based upon it immediately collapses.

Second: Even If It Were Authentic, It Would Be Evidence Against Them, Not for Them

Even if, for the sake of argument, we were to assume that this additional wording were authentic, it would still provide no support for their claim.

When the Prophet ﷺ said:

I believe in you and in the One Who revealed you,

he was not referring to every copy of the Torah then circulating among the Jews with everything that had become part of it. Rather, he was referring to the original Torah that Allah revealed to Moses (peace be upon him).

Al-Ḥāfith Ibn Ḥajar wrote:

Some have used this narration to argue that the Jews had omitted nothing from the wording of the Torah… However, this deduction is not clear, for it is possible that this ruling was specific to that particular incident… Nor is this contradicted by the Prophet’s statement, ‘I believe in you and in the One Who revealed you,’ because what is meant is the original Torah.

Source: Fatḥ al-Bārī (12/187).

This understanding is entirely consistent with the rest of the Qur’an. Muslims believe in every Scripture that Allah revealed, while rejecting whatever alteration or corruption was later introduced into them.

If a Muslim today says, “I believe in the Torah,” no Muslim understands him to mean that he accepts everything found in the various modern biblical manuscripts. Rather, everyone understands that he believes in the Torah that Allah revealed to Moses (peace be upon him).

How, then, could the words of the Prophet ﷺ be interpreted differently, especially when the Qur’an itself explicitly informs us that distortion and concealment occurred?

Indeed, the context of the narration itself confirms this understanding. The Prophet ﷺ did not go to the Jews in order to receive his religion from them. Rather, he exposed the verse of stoning that they had concealed, uncovered their distortion of the Torah, and established the proof against them from the very Book from which they had hidden part of Allah’s revelation.

Thus, even if this additional wording were authentic, it would still serve as evidence against their actions not as proof that everything in their possession was preserved without alteration.

The Sixth Response: Neither the Mention of Monasteries and Churches Nor the Mention of Monasticism Is Evidence for the Truth of Christianity

Some Christian missionaries appeal to Allah’s statement:

Had Allah not repelled some people by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is mentioned abundantly would surely have been demolished.(Qur’an 22:40)

They also cite His statement:

And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy.(Qur’an 57:27)

They claim that these verses honor their churches and monasticism and therefore prove the validity of Christianity.

The answer is as follows.

First: The Verse Does Not Praise Churches After Corruption, but Speaks of Places of Worship Where Allah Was Worshipped Before Alteration Occurred

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

Either the phrase, ‘in which the name of Allah is mentioned abundantly,’ refers specifically to the mosques, in which case the verse does not state that Allah’s name is mentioned abundantly in the churches and monasteries; or it refers to all of them. If the latter, then there is no doubt that before Allah sent Muhammad ﷺ, the monasteries and churches contained followers of the true religion of Christ before it was altered, and the name of Allah was indeed mentioned there abundantly… But if the Muslims demolish them and replace them with mosques in which Allah’s name is abundantly mentioned, then this is goodness and righteousness.

He then explained that the verse was revealed in the context of permission to wage jihād, and that Allah repels one corrupt nation by means of another. Just as He repelled the Magians through the Romans, He later repelled the Romans through the nation of Muhammad ﷺ.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/239–240).

Thus, the verse is not an endorsement of churches after the introduction of the Trinity and other forms of shirk. Rather, it teaches that Allah protects the people of truth from those who are even more corrupt. The destruction of the places of worship of the People of the Book at the hands of pagan idolaters is a form of corruption, whereas replacing them with mosques devoted to the worship of Allah alone is a form of righteousness.

Second: Mentioning Monasteries and Churches Before Mosques Does Not Indicate Superiority

Some also argue that monasteries and churches must be superior because they are mentioned before mosques in the verse.

This argument has no basis. In Arabic, precedence in wording does not necessarily imply superiority.

Al-Qarāfī wrote:

“An established principle of Arabic rhetoric is that speech often progresses from lower to higher. Thus, when Allah says, ‘monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques,’ this is an example of ascending order, indicating that the mosques are the greatest and most honorable of them.”

Source: Al-Ajwibah al-Fākhirah, pp. 87–88.

Likewise, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

He began with the least significant places of worship and concluded with the most noble of them: the mosques, in which the name of Allah is mentioned abundantly.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/240–241).

The scholars have also mentioned other reasons for this order, including:

• It reflects the historical sequence in which these places of worship appeared.
• The mosques are mentioned last because the conclusion of a list often carries the greatest emphasis.
• Mosques are the most comprehensive and most honorable places of worship.
• The arrangement follows the well-known Arabic style of progressing from the lesser to the greater.

Accordingly, there is no basis whatsoever for claiming that this order places churches above mosques. In fact, the opposite is true.

Third: The Phrase “In Which the Name of Allah Is Mentioned Abundantly” Most Naturally Refers to the Mosques

Another response is that the pronoun in the phrase:

“in which”

according to the normal rules of Arabic grammar, refers to the nearest preceding noun namely, the mosques.

Al-Qarāfī wrote:

The established rule in Arabic is that a pronoun returns to the nearest preceding noun. Therefore, the statement, ‘in which the name of Allah is mentioned abundantly,’ refers specifically to the mosques. This is the view of the commentators.

Source: Al-Ajwibah al-Fākhirah, p. 88.

Accordingly, the verse provides no evidence whatsoever that Allah’s name continued to be abundantly mentioned in churches after they had been corrupted.

Fourth: The Qur’an Does Not Praise Monasticism It Explicitly Declares It to Be an Innovation

As for Allah’s statement:

But monasticism they invented it; We did not prescribe it for them.

This is among the clearest verses refuting their claim, for Allah explicitly states that monasticism was an innovation that He never legislated.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

There is no praise of monasticism anywhere in the Qur’an. Rather, Allah says, ‘They invented it; We did not prescribe it for them,’ meaning that Allah never legislated it for them. Instead, they invented it themselves.

He then explained at length that the exception in the phrase,

except seeking the pleasure of Allah,

is a disconnected exception (istithnāʾ munqaṭiʿ). In other words, Allah did not prescribe monasticism for them. What He prescribed was seeking His pleasure through obedience to Him not through inventing acts of worship that He never legislated.

He further supported this with the authentic sayings of the Prophet ﷺ, including:

Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.

and:

Every innovation is misguidance.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/228–232).

Thus, the Qur’an does not praise monasticism. Rather, it informs us that they invented it and then rebukes them by saying:

Yet they did not observe it as it ought to have been observed.

It then clarifies that the reward belongs only to:

So We gave those among them who believed their reward.

That is, those who remained faithful to the true religion of Christ, or those who later believed in Muhammad ﷺ, as explained by the scholars.

Where, then, is there any praise in these verses for corrupted Christianity or for the innovation of monasticism? On the contrary, they are among the clearest proofs against such claims.

The Seventh Response: The Qur’an’s Exaltation of Jesus and His Mother Does Not Validate Christian Beliefs About Them

Among the arguments raised by Christian missionaries is their claim that the Qur’an exalts Christ and his mother, mentions their virtues, and praises them. They cite verses such as Allah’s statement:

And the one who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her through Our Spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.

And His statement:

Indeed, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above the women of the worlds.

And His statement:

We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Holy Spirit.

They claim that this proves the truth of what they believe concerning Christ.

This is one of the most invalid forms of argument. Muslims honor Jesus and his mother more truly than many Christians do, because they honor them according to the status Allah gave them not by attributing to them what neither Allah nor any of His messengers ever said.

The Qur’an affirms that Jesus (peace be upon him) was a prophet and messenger who was given clear signs, and it affirms the purity and chosen status of Mary (peace be upon her). At the same time, however, it denies that either of them possesses divinity, divine sonship, or any share in Allah’s exclusive rights, and it explicitly declares those who make such claims to be disbelievers.

Not every virtue implies divinity. Were that the case, many other prophets would have an even greater claim to divinity, which is false by the agreement of Muslims and the People of the Book.

Allah’s Statement, We Supported Him with the Holy Spirit, Is Not Unique to Christ

One of the verses to which they most frequently appeal is Allah’s statement:

We supported him with the Holy Spirit.

They claim that this indicates that the divine nature was united with Jesus (peace be upon him).

This interpretation was never held by any of the early Muslim generations, nor does the Qur’an indicate it in any way.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

As for Allah’s statement, ‘We supported him with the Holy Spirit,’ it is true, just as Allah has stated… The Holy Spirit who brought the Qur’an down from Allah is the Trustworthy Spirit, namely Gabriel.

He then cited Allah’s statements:

Say: The Holy Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth.

And:

The Trustworthy Spirit brought it down.

And:

Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel it is he who brought it down upon your heart.

He then said:

It is authentically established that the Prophet ﷺ said concerning Ḥassān ibn Thābit: ‘O Allah, support him with the Holy Spirit.’ He also said: ‘Satirize them, for Gabriel is with you.’ Thus, Allah supported Ḥassān ibn Thābit with the Holy Spirit, and everyone on earth knows that Muhammad ﷺ did not believe that the divine nature was united with the human nature of Ḥassān. It is therefore known that being supported by the Holy Spirit does not necessitate the union of divinity with humanity.

He then said:

It is established by the agreement of Muslims, Jews, and Christians that the Holy Spirit may be with someone other than Christ and even with someone other than the prophets.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (2/125–126).

Therefore, if Ḥassān ibn Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) was supported by the Holy Spirit, and Gabriel also supported other prophets and righteous people, then using this verse to prove the divinity of Christ or his union with Allah is plainly invalid.

The most that the verse establishes is that Allah supported His prophet and messenger Jesus (peace be upon him) through Gabriel, just as He supported others among His messengers and righteous servants through him.

This is part of Allah’s complete favor upon His prophets, not a characteristic of divinity.

It is remarkable that Christian missionaries appeal to the virtues that the Qur’an affirms for Jesus while ignoring the many verses that explicitly deny his divinity, such as Allah’s statements:

They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.

And:

They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the third of three.

And:

The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a messenger.

How can these clear and decisive verses be abandoned while they cling to a verse that does not indicate what they claim in any way whatsoever?

The Eighth Response: The Qur’an’s Description of Itself as “Confirming What Came Before It” Does Not Mean It Confirms Everything Found in the Existing Biblical Manuscripts, but Rather the Original Revelation Sent by Allah

Among the most common arguments repeated by Christian missionaries often presented today under the label of the Islamic Dilemma is their claim that the Qur’an describes the Torah and the Gospel as being confirmed. They cite Allah’s statements:

And We have sent down to you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it of the Scripture.

And:

“He has sent down to you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it.”

They then argue that this proves the Scriptures existing today have remained exactly as Allah revealed them, and therefore the Muslim claim of textual corruption must be false.

This objection rests upon two errors: quoting only part of the verse while ignoring the remainder, and confusing the original revelation sent down by Allah with later manuscripts that underwent alteration and corruption.

The answer may be summarized in several points.

First: The Qur’an Confirms What Allah Revealed to His Prophets, Not What Human Beings Later Introduced

Belief in the Torah and Gospel originally revealed to Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) is one of the foundations of Islam. A Muslim’s faith is incomplete without affirming them.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah wrote:

“As for the final Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, affirming the truth of the Scriptures that Allah revealed before him and the prophets who came before him, this is known by necessity to be part of his religion. It has been transmitted through manifest tawātur… and this is one of the foundations of faith.”

He then cited Allah’s statements:

Say: We believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham

and:

Say: We believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to us… and what was given to Moses and Jesus

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/261).

Thus, Muslims believe in every Scripture that Allah revealed, just as they believe in every prophet without distinction.

However, this does not mean that everything found in the manuscripts existing today is identical to what Allah originally revealed, just as believing in Jesus (peace be upon him) does not require accepting every doctrine later attributed to him.

Second: The Rest of the Verse Itself Refutes Their Argument

They quote only the beginning of the verse while ignoring what immediately follows.

Allah says:

And We have sent down to you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it of the Scripture and as a guardian over it.

The Qur’an does not merely describe itself as confirming the previous Scriptures. It also describes itself as muhaymin over them.

A muhaymin is a witness, guardian, overseer, trustee, and judge over what came before.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

Allah made clear that He revealed this Qur’an as a guardian over the previous Scriptures. A guardian is a trustworthy witness and judge: it testifies to the truth contained within them, rejects what has been altered, affirms whatever Allah continues to approve from their rulings, and abrogates whatever Allah has abrogated.

He then added:

There is nothing in this that praises one who adheres to an altered law, let alone one who clings to an abrogated law while refusing to believe in the Messenger whom Allah sent.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/262).

Thus, the Qur’an is the criterion by which the genuine revelation is distinguished from later corruption not a declaration that everything possessed by the People of the Book is authentic.

Third: The Verse Commands Judgment by the Qur’an, Not by the Previous Scriptures

Immediately afterward, Allah says:

So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires away from the truth that has come to you.

Had the Torah and Gospel in their possession been fully sufficient and perfectly preserved, there would have been no reason to command judgment according to the Qur’an or to forbid following their desires.

Al-Ṭabarī explained:

This is a command from Allah to His Prophet ﷺ to judge between the People of the Book and all other communities according to the Book He revealed to him the Qur’an… Do not follow the desires of those Jews… Rather, act according to the Book that I have revealed to you.

Source: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī (6/268–269).

The verse itself therefore establishes that the Qur’an is the final authority, the abrogating revelation, and the guardian over everything that preceded it.

Fourth: The Qur’an Explicitly Affirms That Corruption Occurred in Their Scriptures

If the phrase confirming what came before it meant that every existing biblical manuscript was entirely intact, it would contradict the many Qur’anic verses that explicitly state that the People of the Book altered their Scriptures.

Allah says:

They distort words from their proper places.

And:

So woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah.

And:

They forgot a portion of what they had been reminded of.

How can these verses be reconciled with the claim that the Qur’an testified to the complete integrity of everything in their possession?

The only consistent understanding is that the Qur’an confirms the original revelation sent down by Allah while exposing the alterations that were later introduced into it, making itself the final criterion whenever disagreement arises.

Fifth: The Bible Itself Testifies That Corruption Occurred

It is remarkable that the Bible itself speaks about the corruption and distortion of God’s words.

For example, Jeremiah 23:36 states:

You have perverted the words of the living God.

Likewise, Psalm 56:5 says:

All day long they twist my words.

And Jeremiah 23:13–16 condemns the false prophets who misled the people and spoke lies in the name of God.

These passages themselves demonstrate that corruption and distortion were recognized realities within the history of the Children of Israel.

Moreover, the Bible repeatedly warns against adding to or taking away from God’s revelation, including in:

• Deuteronomy 4:2
• Proverbs 30:5–6
• Revelation 22:18–19

Had Allah guaranteed the preservation of those Scriptures in such a way that alteration was impossible, such repeated warnings would have been unnecessary. Rather, they indicate that preserving those Books was entrusted to their religious authorities not divinely guaranteed against all corruption.

The Qur’an makes this distinction explicit when it says:

Because they were entrusted with the protection of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses over it.

That is, they were entrusted with preserving it. Allah did not say that He Himself would preserve it, as He said concerning the Qur’an:

Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and surely We will preserve it.

There is a profound difference between a Book whose preservation Allah guaranteed Himself and a Book whose preservation was entrusted to human beings, many of whom proved unfaithful to that trust.

It therefore becomes clear that Allah’s statement,

confirming what came before it,

provides not the slightest evidence that the biblical manuscripts existing today remain entirely intact. Rather, it is evidence against that claim. The Qur’an confirms the original revelation sent by Allah, exposes the alterations introduced into it, and establishes itself as the final judge and criterion distinguishing truth from falsehood.

The Ninth Response: The Disciples Were the Helpers of Allah, but This Does Not Validate Corrupted Christianity

Some missionaries cite Allah’s statement:

O you who believe, be helpers of Allah, just as Jesus, son of Mary, said to the disciples, ‘Who are my helpers for the sake of Allah?’ The disciples said, ‘We are the helpers of Allah.’ Then a group of the Children of Israel believed, while another group disbelieved. So We strengthened those who believed against their enemies, and they became victorious. (Qur’an 61:14)

They argue that since the Qur’an describes the disciples as the helpers of Allah, this proves that the Christianity they profess today is true.

This argument is invalid for several reasons.

First: The Disciples Were True Believers, but the Verse Does Not Endorse the Christianity That Developed After Them

The Qur’an praises the disciples because they believed in Jesus (peace be upon him) and supported him. This is unquestionably true. However, the verse nowhere states that every doctrine introduced after their time became part of their religion.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

The disciples were believing Muslims and were indeed the helpers of Allah. But there is nothing in this to indicate that they were messengers of Allah, nor that everything you now practice in religion was taken from them, nor that any individual disciple was infallible and incapable of error.

He then added:

Rather, Allah commanded the believers from the nation of Muhammad ﷺ to become the helpers of Allah, just as Christ requested this from the disciples.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/260).

Thus, the verse praises the disciples not the churches that arose after them, nor the doctrines they never taught.

Second: The Title “Helpers of Allah Is Not Exclusive to the Disciples

If merely being described as the “helpers of Allah” proved the truth of the religion professed by those so described, then Muslims would have a stronger claim to that title, for Allah also describes them as His helpers.

Ibn Taymiyyah wrote:

Allah also described the believing Companions of the Prophet ﷺ from Madinah as the Anṣār (Helpers)… The Muhājirūn are even superior to the Anṣār, and they too are among the helpers of Allah… The Muhājirūn and the Anṣār are superior, according to the Muslims, to those who believed in Moses and those who believed in Jesus.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/260).

The title is therefore not exclusive to Christians. It applies to everyone who sincerely supports the religion of Allah.

Third: The Beginning of the Verse Is Actually Evidence Against Them

Had they read the verse in its entirety, they would have noticed that it begins with Allah’s command:

O you who believe, be helpers of Allah

Here, Allah is addressing the followers of Muhammad ﷺ, commanding them to become the helpers of Allah just as the disciples were.

Ibn Kathīr commented:

“Allah commands His believing servants to be the helpers of Allah in every circumstance, just as the disciples responded to Jesus… Likewise, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say during the pilgrimage seasons: ‘Who will give me refuge so that I may convey the message of my Lord?’ Eventually Allah granted him the Aws and Khazraj, who pledged allegiance to him, supported him, and defended him. For this reason Allah and His Messenger called them the Anṣār.”

Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr (13/550).

The verse is therefore not affirming Christianity. Rather, it encourages the Muslim community to emulate the disciples in supporting the truth.

---

The Tenth Response: Their Interpretation of Allah’s Statement, “That Is the Book,” Is One of the Strangest Examples of Scriptural Distortion

Among their more extraordinary interpretations is their claim regarding Allah’s statement:

“That is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guidance for the God-fearing.”

They argue that “the Book” refers to the Gospel, that “the God-fearing” are the Christians, and that the next verse

And those who believe in what has been revealed to you

refers instead to the Muslims, thereby dividing the passage between two different communities.

This interpretation is among the most baseless of all.

First: This Is an Example of Distorting the Words of Allah from Their Proper Meanings

Ibn Taymiyyah wrote:

As for their interpretation that ‘That is the Book’ refers to the Gospel, this is an example of distorting words from their proper places and altering the speech of Allah… Indeed, this itself supports the conclusion that they likewise altered the Torah and the Gospel. For if they distort the meanings of the Qur’an while its wording remains perfectly preserved, then what would prevent them from having done the same or worse to the earlier Scriptures?

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/263).

This is itself one of the strongest arguments against them. Whoever is willing to distort the meaning of the Qur’an despite its clarity can hardly be trusted regarding the interpretation or preservation of earlier Scriptures.

Second: The Demonstrative Pronoun “That” Does Not Refer to the Gospel

They assume that because the verse says “That Book”, it must refer to something absent namely, the Gospel.

This is simply incorrect Arabic.

The Qur’an repeatedly uses the demonstratives “that” (dhālika) and “that” (tilka) to refer to the Qur’an itself.

After citing numerous Qur’anic examples, Ibn Taymiyyah wrote:

When Allah revealed the statement, ‘That is the Book,’ the entire Qur’an had not yet been revealed at that moment. Only part of it had been revealed. Thus, it was spoken of as though absent in one respect, while at the same time being present before the Prophet ﷺ in another.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/263–264).

Accordingly, the wording “That is the Book provides them with no support whatsoever.

Third: The Passage Itself Refutes Their Interpretation

The verses describe these believers as people who:

• Believe in the unseen.
• Establish the prayer.
• Spend from what Allah has provided them.
• Believe in what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ as well as what was revealed before him.

Ibn Taymiyyah wrote:

“The Christians have been described as not believing in Allah or the Last Day… The first requirement of true piety is avoiding shirk, yet Allah has described them as committing shirk. How then can they be the God-fearing who believe in the unseen?”

He further explained that the prayer praised by Allah is the prayer legislated in Islam with its purification, bowing, prostration, and facing the qiblah not the forms of worship practiced by the Christians.

He then added:

As for the Christians’ claim, ‘We believed in Christ without seeing him,’ the Jews believed in Moses without seeing him, and the Muslims believed in Muhammad ﷺ without seeing him. Indeed, the Muslims believe in Moses, Jesus, and all the prophets without having seen any of them.

Source: Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ (1/264–268).

The entire passage therefore describes those believers who combine faith in all of Allah’s messengers and all of His revealed Books. It is not a passage praising Christians as a distinct religious community after the coming of Muhammad ﷺ.

Conclusion

After this discussion, it becomes clear that the claim that the Qur’an and the Sunnah praise the Torah, the Gospel, or the People of the Book in the sense alleged by Christian missionaries is without foundation. Rather, it arises from quoting texts in isolation, ignoring their context, and neglecting the other Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions that explain and qualify them.

The evidence has shown:

• That Islam requires belief in the Torah and Gospel originally revealed by Allah to Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them), not in the alterations and corruptions later introduced into them.
• That the verses commanding the People of the Book to judge by what Allah revealed in their Scriptures are, in reality, commands to act upon whatever truth still remained therein foremost among it the command to believe in and follow Muhammad ﷺ, whose coming was foretold in their own Scriptures.
• That when the Qur’an describes itself as confirming the previous Scriptures, it also describes itself as a guardian over them (muhaymin). It therefore serves as the witness to whatever truth remains, the exposer of whatever has been corrupted, and the final judge over all previous revelations.
• That every passage cited by Christian missionaries in support of their religion, when read in its full context and understood according to the explanations of the early generations of Muslims, turns out to be evidence against their claims rather than in their favor.
• That the Qur’an does not praise Christians indiscriminately. Rather, it praises those among them who truly followed Jesus according to his original religion and who later believed in Muhammad ﷺ when he was sent, just as it praises the disciples and the righteous believers before later corruption took place.
• That the Qur’an’s exaltation of Jesus and his mother (peace be upon them) is the honor due to a noble messenger and a truthful, righteous woman not the honor of divinity or divine sonship. Indeed, the Qur’an itself is the strongest of all books in rejecting such beliefs.
• That the Bible itself contains evidence that corruption occurred, while at the same time preserving numerous prophecies concerning the final Prophet, Muhammad ﷺ. These only strengthen the proof against the People of the Book rather than weaken it.

Thus, anyone who approaches the Qur’an fairly, gathers all of its relevant verses together, and interprets its ambiguous passages in light of its clear ones will realize that the Qur’an never testifies to the truth of Judaism or Christianity after the coming of Muhammad ﷺ. Rather, it testifies to the truth of the original revelation that Allah sent to His prophets before it was subjected to alteration and corruption. The Qur’an then came as the final revelation, abrogating what preceded it where Allah willed, judging over the previous Scriptures, and remaining their guardian until the Day of Resurrection.

A Final Advice to Muslims

A Muslim should not be deceived by the frequent citation of isolated Qur’anic verses in arguments such as these. Throughout history, the people of falsehood have relied upon quoting certain texts while ignoring others, creating the illusion that the Qur’an supports their beliefs, when in reality the Qur’an itself is among the greatest proofs against them.

For this reason, one of the fundamental principles of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah is to interpret the ambiguous texts in light of the clear ones, to gather together all the relevant evidence on any given subject, and never to build one’s creed upon a single verse or ḥadīth detached from its context or separated from the other texts that explain it.

Likewise, Muslims should remember that the mere fact that an opponent frequently quotes the Qur’an does not establish the correctness of his beliefs. What matters is understanding the Qur’an as it was understood by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his Companions, and the righteous early generations, for they possessed the deepest knowledge of Allah’s Book and were the furthest removed from distorting its meanings.

We ask Allah, the Exalted, to keep us firm upon Islam and the Sunnah, to bless us with beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds, to make the Noble Qur’an the spring of our hearts, the light of our chests, and a proof in our favor rather than against us.

May Allah send His peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all of his Companions.

الحمد لله رب العالمين