Corruption of the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel)
What sura in the Quran is related or mentions about the curruption
of the Torah and Gospel?
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah says about the Jews (interpretation of the meaning): "Do you
(faithful believers) covet that they will belive in your religion
in spite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to
hear the Word of Allaah (the Tawraat), then they used to change it
knowingly after they understood it?" [al-Baqarah 2:75].
{أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ
لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلاَمَ اللّهِ
ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ
يَعْلَمُونَ}
Transliteration: 'Afataţma`ūna 'An Yu'uminū Lakum Wa Qad Kāna
Farīqun Minhum Yasma`ūna Kalāma Allāhi Thumma Yuĥarrifūnahu Min
Ba`di Mā `Aqalūhu Wa Hum Ya`lamūna
Qutaadah said: "The phrase
'then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it'
refers to the Jews, who used to hear the words of Allaah, then they
altered it after they had understood what it meant."
Abu 'Aaliyah said: "They took
what Allaah had revealed in their Book describing Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and changed its
meaning".Ibn Zayd said: "The
phrase '[they] used to hear the Word of Allaah (the Tawraat), then
they used to change it' refers to the Tawraat which Allaah revealed
to them; they changed it, making what it permitted forbidden, and
what was forbidden allowed, changing the truth to falsehood and
falsehood to truth…" (afseer Ibn
Katheer).
Allaah also said (interpretation of the meaning): "Among those who
are Jews, there are some who displace words from (their) right
places and say: 'We hear your word (O Muhammad) and disobey,' and
'Hear and let you (Muhammad) hear nothing.' And Raa'ina [in Arabic
this means, 'Be careful, listen to us and we listen to you,'
whereas in Hebrew it means 'an insult.'] with a twist of their
tongues and as a mockery of the religion (Islam). And if only they
had said, 'We hear and obey,' and 'Do make us understand,' it would
have been better for them, and more proper, but Allaah has cursed
them for their disbelief, so they believe not except for a few."
[al-Nisaa' 4:46].
{مِّنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ يُحَرِّفُونَ
الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا
وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَاعِنَا لَيّاً بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ
وَطَعْناً فِي الدِّينِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا
وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ
وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ اللّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلاَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً}
Transliteration: Yā 'Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna 'Ūtū Al-Kitāba 'Āminū Bimā
Nazzalnā Muşaddiqāan Limā Ma`akum Min Qabli 'An Naţmisa Wujūhāan
Fanaruddahā `Alá 'Adbārihā 'Aw Nal`anahum Kamā La`annā 'Aşĥāba
As-Sabti Wa Kāna 'Amru Allāhi Maf`ūlāan
The phrase "[they] displace words from (their) right places" means
that they misinterpret them and understand them in a way that
Allaah did not intend, doing this deliberately and inventing lies
against Allaah.(Tafseer Ibn
Katheer).
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "So because of their
breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts
grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places and have
abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. And you
will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them.
But forgive them, and overlook (their misdeeds). Verily, Allaah
loves al-Muhsineen (good-doers)." [al-Maa'idah 5:13].
{فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَاقَهُمْ
لَعنَّاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ
الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ وَنَسُواْ حَظّاً مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ
وَلاَ تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىَ خَآئِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
مِّنْهُمُ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ
الْمُحْسِنِينَ}
Transliteration: Fabimā Naqđihim Mīthāqahum La`annāhum Wa Ja`alnā
Qulūbahum Qāsiyatan Yuĥarrifūna Al-Kalima `An Mawāđi`ihi Wa Nasū
Ĥažžāan Mimmā Dhukkirū Bihi Wa Lā Tazālu Taţţali`u `Alá Khā'inatin
Minhum 'Illā Qalīlāan Minhum Fā`fu `Anhum Wa Aşfaĥ 'Inna Allāha
Yuĥibbu Al-Muĥsinīna
The phrase "because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed
them" refers to the fact that they broke the Covenant which had
been made with them, so Allaah cursed them, i.e., He kept them away
from following the True Guidance. "[We] made their hearts grow
hard" means that they will not benefit from any preaching because
their hearts are so hard. "They change the words from their (right)
places" means that they play havoc with the words of Allaah and
misinterpret His Book, taking it to mean things that were never
meant and attributing to Allaah things that He never said; may
Allaah protect us from that.
"[They] have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to
them" means that they stopped following its teachings because they
did not want to follow them. Al-Hasan said: "They did not adhere to
their religion or keep their duties towards Allaah, without which
no deeds are acceptable to Him; their fitrah (innate nature) was
not sound and their deeds were not righteous." [Tafseer Ibn
Katheer]
So it becomes quite clear that the
ways in which the Children of Israel tampered with the Tawraat and
Injeel include the following:
Changing Omitting Adding things and attributing to Allaah words
that He did not say Misinterpreting the words of Allaah.
When Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent,
the original Tawraat and Injeel had already been altered and
distorted. Allaah revealed the Qur'aan to His Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and guaranteed that He
Himself would preserve it, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning): "Verily We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e.,
the Qur'aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)."
[al-Hijr 15:9].
{إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ
وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ}
Transliteration: 'Innā Naĥnu Nazzalnā Adh-Dhikra Wa 'Innā Lahu
Laĥāfižūna
This distinguishing feature was not found in any Book before the
Qur'aan. From the time of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) until the present (more than fourteen hundred years)
the Qur'aan has stayed the same, and not a single letter of it has
been changed, as ancient manuscripts and the hearts of generation
after generation of people who have memorized the entire text and
earned the title of "haafiz" bear witness. We ask Allaah to guide
us to the true and straight path. And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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