In part (1) of this
article, it has been mentioned that two
different words apparently having same meanings but actually having different
meanings have been used in Quran in the verses describing protection (or
non-protection) of Allah’s words: one word is ‘tabdeel’ and the other word is
‘tehreef’. Whenever word ‘tabdeel’ is used in such verses, such verses do not mean that Allah’s words cannot
be structurally changed; rather such verses mean Allah fulfills / will
fulfill His words. Whenever word ‘tehreef’ is used in such verses, such verses
mean Allah’s words can be changed structurally. we have seen in details that all such verses which
describe the idea of protection of Allah's words through the word ' tabdeel'/
or other words derived from same roots actually do not suggest that Allah's
words cannot be changed structurally; actually all such verses suggest that “no
change/ 'tabdeeli' in Allah's words” means Allah's fulfils/ will fulfill His words.
Therefore, about protection of Bible, scholars' view which is based on Quranic
verses containing words “no change/ ‘tabdeeli' in Allah's words” is baseless.
In the succeeding
lines, we would elaborate the use of word ‘tehreef’ in the verses relating to
non-protection of Allah’s words (i.e. previously revealed Books). Such verses are following:
“Do
you covet [the hope, O believers], that they (non-believers) would believe for
you while a section of them (i.e. people of the previously revealed Books) used
to hear the words of Allah and then change Allah’s words (‘yuharrifunahu’) after
they had understood it while they were knowing? (al-baqra-75).
In this verse, Quran
declares that people of previously revealed Books had actually modified those
Books. Quran has also described various methods through which people of Bible
have modified Bible. One such method was to use Allah’s words out of their
context. Quran says:
“O
Messenger (s.a.w.w), let them not grieve you who hasten into disbelief of those
who say, "We believe" with their mouths, but their hearts believe
not, and from among the Jews. [They are] avid listeners to falsehood,
listening to another people who have not come to you. They change/
‘yuharrifuna’ the words (of Allah) from their (right) times and places……..”
(al-maidah-41).
This verse clearly
states about Jews who used to change the words (of Allah) from their proper
context.
“Among
the Jews are those who modify/ ‘yuharrifuna’ words (of Allah) from their proper
context…….” (al-maidah-46).
This above stated
verse also states about Jews who used to change Allah’s words from their proper
context.
Another method/way of
changing Allah’s words was to omit Allah’s words from the Book.
“So
for their breaking of the covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard.
They change words (of Allah) from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a
portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe
deceit among them, except a few of them…..” (al-maidah-13).
This verse is stating
about bane Israel. It states that they not only change words (of Allah) but
also forgot a portion (of wahi) with which they were reminded. In other words,
bane Israel have not only changed the wahi but also have omitted a portion of
wahi from the Books.
From the verses given
above, it becomes clear that Allah’s words which were revealed to people of
Bible are not protected. The Bible as we have it today or had it in the age of
our Nabi (s.a.w.w) is and was not found in original form; the Bible’s words
have not only been changed from their proper context but also a portion of
original ‘wahi’ is omitted from the Bible. But it does not mean that whole
Bible is corrupted. Of course the process of making changes in the Bible had
started before the age of our Nabi (s.a.w.w) and it was still continued in the
age of our Nabi (s.a.w.w), as is clear from the verses quoted above (these
verses are in the present as well as in the past tenses; it means process of making
changes in Bible had started before the age of our Nabi [s.a.w.w] and was still
continued in the age of our Nabi [s.a.w.w]). But Bible still had some original
portion (and it has some original portion even today) and it was that original
portion which has been referred to in Quran in some verses.
The
second argument of propagators of protection of the Bible is that some Quranic
verses testify the truthfulness of the Bible. In the succeeding lines we would
see that such Quranic verses do not testify the previous Books possessed by the
people at that time; however Quranic verses do testify whatever original has
been found in those previous Books. These Quranic verses are discussed in the
following.
“And We have revealed to you the Book (Quran) with
the truth, verifying what is before it from the Book (previous Book) and
a guardian over it (the previous Book), therefore judge between them by
what Allah has revealed….”(al-maidah-48).
Because the previous Book has been corrupted,
this verse is not verifying the previous Book possessed by the people; this
verse is verifying from the previous Book only that which was originally
revealed. Because the previous Book has been corrupted, Quran has been declared
as guardian over the previous Book; it means only such portions of the previous
Book will be testified which are in line with the Quran.
Another such verse quoted
by the supporters of protection of the Bible states:
“Those who follow the Messenger (Muhammad
[s.a.w.w]), the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find
described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with them” (al-ar’af-157).
This
verse also does not testify the previous Books possessed by the people; this
verse is stating that whatever Bible (i.e. collection of previous Books) the
people had at that time, that Bible contained the mention of our Nabi
(s.a.w.w).
Another
such verse states:
وَلَمَّا جَاءهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا
مَعَهُمْ ِ
“And
when there came to them (people of the previous Books) a Book (the Quran) from
Allah confirming that which was with them…..” (al-baqra-89).
This above quoted
verse is not testifying truthfulness of the previous Books i.e. Bible possessed
by the people. This verse is testifying only such part of previous ‘wahi’ which
is with the people in original.
Another such verse
states:
“And it was not
[possible] for this Qur'an to be produced by other than Allah, but [it is] a
confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the [former]
Scripture…..” (yunus-37).
This verse states that
Quran is an explanation of former Book. It means only such portion of former
Book will be acknowledged which will be in line with explanation given by the
Quran; it means this verse also is not testifying the previous Book; it is
testifying only what has been found in original in the previous Book. Similarly
all such Quranic verses which refer to the previous Books actually do not
testify the previous Books possessed by the people; such verses testify only such
portions of the previous Books, which are found in original in the previous
Books.
We may conclude that
Bible has been changed not only by changing the words from their proper place and time but also by deleting a portion from the Bible. No Quranic verse testifies the previous Books possessed by the people; Quranic
verses testify from the previous Books only such portions which are found in
original in the previous Books. The criterion to ascertain what is original in
the previous Books is what is in line with Quran is original and what is not in
line with Quran is not original (continued).
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