|
15 - The Facts on Islam
SECTION IV
A General Critique
15. Is the Muslim claim that the Bible has
been corrupted based on facts or bias?
The Koran and Islam claim that
the Bible has been corrupted by Christians: "People of the Book [Jews and
Christians], now there has come to you Our Messenger [Muhammad], making clear to
you many things you have been concealing of the Book, and defacing many things."
In his Christian faith and Other Faiths, Oxford
theologian Stephen Neill observes:
It is well known that at many points the Qur'an
does not agree with the Jews and Christians Scriptures. Therefore, from the
Muslim point of view, it follows of necessity that these Scriptures must have
been corrupted. Historical evidence makes no impression on the crushing force of
the syllogism. So it is, and it can be no other way. The Muslim controversialist
feels no need to study evidence in detail. The only valid picture of Jesus
Christ is that which is to be found in the pages of the Qur'an.
In other words, because the
Koran is predefined as God's perfect revelation and the Bible contradicts it,
the Bible must be corrupted. Historical evidence has no relevance to the issue
because it is impossible that the Koran could be wrong.
But this is placing the cart before the horse. One must first
determine if the Bible was corrupted. If not, then the error must lie with the
Koran. And historical facts prove that the Bible has not been corrupted. If
Muslims refuse to honestly examine and accept this evidence, it is hardly the
fault of Christians.
For example, after a thorough evaluation of the textual
evidence and citing numerous scholars in confirmation, Dr. Geisler and Nix
conclude that a modern critical edition of the Bible says "exactly what the
autographs contained - line for line, word for word, and even letter for
letter." Therefore, for the Muslim to maintain that the Bible has been corrupted
is an indefensible position. (We discuss this in greater detail in Q. 18.)
John Ankerberg & John Weldon
|