The Question of Scripture Distortion and Islam’s Position on the Torah and the Gospel

One of the most debated theological issues between Jews, Christians, and Muslims is the question of the integrity of the sacred texts. Did the Torah and the Gospel remain intact, or were they subject to alteration by human hands?

In the Qur’an, God acknowledges the existence of the Torah and the Gospel as divine revelations, guiding humankind before the descent of the Qur’an:

> “Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted judged by it for the Jews…” (Al-Ma’idah 5:44)

“And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming what came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light, confirming what preceded it of the Torah and as guidance and instruction for the God-conscious.” (Al-Ma’idah 5:46)

Yet the Qur’an also warns against those who distorted the word of God, either by altering its language, concealing parts of it, or misinterpreting its meaning:

> “So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, then say, ‘This is from God,’ in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn.” (Al-Baqarah 2:79)

The issue, therefore, is not the complete corruption of divine revelation, but rather the human tendency to manipulate, to omit, or to cloak the truth for worldly gain. The divine message, however, remains unextinguished; its light shines through the authentic words and the spirit of the Scriptures.

Great thinkers in both Islam and Christianity sought to clarify this tension. The Muslim theologian Al-Ghazali, for example, emphasized that much of the original message of the Torah and the Gospel was preserved, though some expressions and interpretations were obscured by human intervention. Similarly, St. Augustine in the Christian tradition recognized the profound mystery of divine truth conveyed through human language, urging believers to seek the eternal meaning beyond the imperfections of the letter.

Thus, the challenge is not merely historical but existential: Will humanity cling to superficial forms and inherited disputes, or will it seek the living truth, the unifying Word of God, hidden beneath the veils of time and translation?

The answer lies not in accusation but in spiritual discernment. For those who truly search, the authentic call of God—justice, mercy, and love—resounds across all Scriptures, unchanged and eternal.