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==The Bible versus the Qur'an==

==The Bible versus the Qur'an==

At less that 80,00 words (figures vary: 77,701 by one source,<ref>http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Uk/uk.religion.islam/2005-09/msg01868.html</ref> 77,439 by 'Ata' ibn Yasar<ref>http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/bravo_r4bc.htm</ref>) the Qur'an is much smaller than the Bible (Old Testament: 602,585; New Testament: 180,552<ref> http://muthbible.org/resources/bible/biblestatistics.php</ref> with the [[KJV]] being counted at 788,258 words total <ref>http://www.biblebelievers.com/believers-org/kjv-stats.htm</ref>), and is far more restrictive in in its scope of communication. Lacking the manner of extensive historical accounts of the Bible, and the context it provides for its laws, as well as genealogical records which helps provide historical chronology, the Qur'an is difficult to interpret by itself, and in its allusions to Biblical characters and events it evidences that it depends upon the Bible. Muhammed himself is seen to uphold the Scriptures that existed then as Divinely inspired, both the Torah, (Sura 2:87) and the Psalms, (4:163) and the gospels, (Suras 3:3; 5:46)  such as in stating,  

At less that 80,00 words, (figures vary: 77,701 in Arabic by one source,<ref>http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Uk/uk.religion.islam/2005-09/msg01868.html</ref>   77,439 by ‘Ata bin Yasar<ref>http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/bravo_r4bc.htm</ref>) the Qur'an is much smaller than the Bible, (602,585 words in the Old Testament; 180,552 in the  New = 783,037,<ref> http://muthbible.org/resources/bible/biblestatistics.php</ref> with the [[KJV]] being counted at 788,258 words total.<ref>http://www.biblebelievers.com/believers-org/kjv-stats.htm</ref>) The Qur'an is also  far more restrictive in in its scope of communication, lacking the manner of extensive historical narratives of the Bible, and the context it provides for its commands, as well as genealogical records which helps provide historical chronology. In addition, absent from the Quran are extended doctrinal discourses on salvation, such as are especially seen in the New Testament. This results in difficultly formulating extensive systematic theology out of the Qur'an by itself, and in its allusions to Biblical characters and events evidences that it requires knowledge of the Bible, which as the prior revelation, it must agree with. Muhammed himself is seen to uphold the Scriptures<ref>http://isaalmasih.net/bible-isa/kitab-true.html</ref> that existed then as Divinely inspired, both the Torah, (Sura 2:87) and the Psalms, (4:163) and the gospels, (Suras 3:3; 5:46)  such as in stating,  

<blockquote>

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Say: "O People of the Book! ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord, (Sura 5:68;  Y. Ali) and

Say: "O People of the Book! ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord, (Sura 5:68;  Y. Ali) and

Sura 6:34 also states that "there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah."  

Sura 6:34 also states that "there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah."  

However, the Qur'an critically contradicts the Bible, especially as concerns the person and work of [[Jesus Christ]], as it flatly denies His death and resurrection, as well as His Divine nature, both of which which are held by Christians to be abudantly testified to.<ref>[http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/JESUS.Vs.Muhammad.html MUHAMMAD VERSUS JESUS CHRIST]</ref><ref> [http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/DEITYofCHRIST.html The DEITY of CHRIST]</ref>  

However, the Qur'an critically contradicts the Bible,<ref>[http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/ answering-islam.org; ''Contradictions in the Qur'an'']</ref>  especially as concerns the person and work of [[Jesus Christ]], as it flatly denies His death and resurrection, as well as His Divine nature, both of which which are held by Christians to be abundantly testified to.<ref>[http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/JESUS.Vs.Muhammad.html MUHAMMAD VERSUS JESUS CHRIST]</ref><ref> [http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/DEITYofCHRIST.html The DEITY of CHRIST]</ref>  

Islamic apologists recognize these contradictions, and charge that the Bible was tampered with, though the amount of alterations required to explain the Quranic deviations from Biblical text would require a radical amount of rewriting of the latter.   

Islamic apologists recognize these contradictions, and therefore charge that the Bible was tampered with, though the amount of alterations required to explain the Quranic deviations from Biblical text would require a radical amount of rewriting, especially of the latter.   

Christian apologists respond to these charges by evidencing that an abundance of manuscripts which predate the Quran yet exist, and which remarkably conflate with later manuscripts, and manifest that no such rewriting took place.<ref>http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/bibleorigin.html</ref><ref>http://www.carm.org/questions/about-bible/manuscript-evidence-superior-new-testament-reliability</ref>  In addition, it is postulated that if Muhammed could not read, as Islam states, then he would have relied upon the word of others (travelers, etc.) who were overall likely to be significantly Biblically illiterate.<ref>http://www.letusreason.org/Islam5.htm</ref> This would explain how Muhammed could be so confused as to believe such things as that the Christian Trinity consisted of God, Jesus and Mary,<ref>[http://answering-islam.org/Why-not/13trinity.html Jochen Katz, ''My Questions to Muslims''; Answering Islam]</ref> (Sura 5:116-117) in addition to speaking numerous other contradictions, while upholding the integrity of the Bible.<ref>[http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/ answering-islam.org; ''Contradictions in the Qur'an'']</ref>

Christian apologists respond to these charges by evidencing that an abundance of manuscripts which predate the Quran yet exist,<ref>http://www.spotlights.org/Bible22.htm</ref> such as the Codex Sinaiticus (c. 350 CE),  with Aland numbering a total of 230 extant New Testament manuscript portions which pre-date 600 AD (192 Greek New Testament manuscripts, 5 Greek lectionaries containing scripture, and 33 translations of the Greek New Testament).<ref>Kurt and Barbara Aland, 1987:82-83</ref><ref>http://debate.org.uk/topics/history/bib-qur/bibmanu.htm</ref> The doctrinal conflation of these with later manuscripts manifest that no such rewriting took place.<ref>http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/bibleorigin.html</ref><ref>http://www.carm.org/questions/about-bible/manuscript-evidence-superior-new-testament-reliability</ref>   

 

In addition, it is postulated that if Muhammed could not read, as Islam states, then he would have relied upon the word of others (travelers, etc.) who were overall likely to be significantly Biblically illiterate.<ref>http://www.letusreason.org/Islam5.htm</ref> This would explain how Muhammed could reprove such things as the Christian Trinity consisting of God, Jesus and Mary,<ref>[http://answering-islam.org/Why-not/13trinity.html Jochen Katz, ''My Questions to Muslims''; Answering Islam]</ref> (Sura 5:116-117) in addition to speaking numerous contradictions of the Bible.

 

In response, Muslim apologists seek to make a case against a reliable Bible based upon the lack of a universal canon among all Christian churches, or early incomplete manuscripts, or additions to them (''the Epistle of Barnabas'', and portions of ''The Shepherd of Hermas'' to Codex Sinaiticus), as well as evidence of a relatively small degree of actual (beyond spelling, etc.) textual disagreement among some of the thousands of existing  manuscripts. However, none of these aspects provides a solution to the Islamic problem, as none of the manuscripts substantiates the Qur'anic deviations, nor  does the small percentage (contrary to typical Muslim exaggeration) of actual variants among manuscripts support the manner of massive changes which the Islamic solution requires. In addition, the Qur'an has its own problematic texts,<ref>http://www.carm.org/religious-movements/islam/contradictions-quran</ref> even though it is a far smaller (in size and scope) book, and one that was written after durable writing materials came into use, and then underwent a purification process in which variant manuscripts were burned. Thus it is seen that the manner of corruption of biblical text which Islam charges is that of the Qur'an, not the Bible which it is largely based upon.

While Muslims also typically claim that the text of the Qur'an is identical to that received by Muhammad. Christian researchers contend that there is overwhelming evidence that it is not. <ref>[http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Text/ Textual answering-islam.org; ''Variants of the Qur'an'']</ref>

While Muslims also typically claim that the text of the Qur'an is identical to that received by Muhammad. Christian researchers contend that there is overwhelming evidence that it is not. <ref>[http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Text/ Textual answering-islam.org; ''Variants of the Qur'an'']</ref>