What the Quran Says About the Torah and Evangelium:
(sūrat l-māidah)Verse (5:43):
وَكَيۡفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةُ فِيہَا حُكۡمُ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوۡنَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ذَٲلِكَۚ وَمَآ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٤٣)إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَا ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ فِيہَا هُدً۬ى وَنُورٌ۬ۚ
Sahih International: But how is it that they come to you for judgement while they have the Torah, in which is the judgement of Allah? Then they turn away, [even] after that; but those are not [in fact] believers. Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light.
There are people who have no interest in religion but start philosophical discussions purely for entertainment. Such people also existed during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and some of them were among the Jews. In this verse, Allah warns about such pseudo-intellectuals and states (approximately): “O Muhammad (peace be upon him), how can they take you seriously as a judge when they have the Torah in their homes, Allah’s Book, which they never took seriously? If they were truly religious Jews, they would have lived their lives in accordance with this Book. They rejected Allah’s Book (Tora), so how can they have genuine interest in the Quran? They are not true believers at heart, even though the Torah contained Allah’s commands and light for guidance.”
Key Points About the Torah from the Above Verse:
Allah affirms that the Torah in possession of the Jews during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was:
- Described as “وَعِندَهُمُ” (they have it with them), which means it was physically present among them.
- Recognized as Allah’s Book, containing His commands and guidance.
But this book was not the original Torah revealed to Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) but possibly a version like the Codex Vaticanus, which dates back to the 4th century CE, about 1,600 years old—existing roughly 160 years before Islam came.
Thus, the Quran acknowledges that even versions of the Torah or Bible existing today still contain Allah’s commands and guidance, though not in entirety.
Fabrication in the Bible:
(sūrat l-baqarah) Verse (2:79):
فَوَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكۡتُبُونَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِأَيۡدِيہِمۡ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَا مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَشۡتَرُواْ بِهِۦ ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاً۬ۖ فَوَيۡلٌ۬ لَّهُم مِّمَّا ڪَتَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَوَيۡلٌ۬ لَّهُمۡ مِّمَّا يَكۡسِبُونَ
Sahih International: So woe to those who write the “scripture” with their own hands, then say, “This is from Allah,” 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.
(sūrat l-māidah) Verse (5:13):
فَبِمَا نَقۡضِہِم مِّيثَـٰقَهُمۡ لَعَنَّـٰهُمۡ وَجَعَلۡنَا قُلُوبَهُمۡ قَـٰسِيَةً۬ۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلۡڪَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦۙ وَنَسُواْ حَظًّ۬ا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِۦۚ وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَآٮِٕنَةٍ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ مِّنۡہُمۡۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَٱصۡفَحۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
Sahih International: So for their breaking of the covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words 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. But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.
The Quran recognizes these books as originally divine but altered over time. Some parts contain fabrications introduced by humans, while other sections remain true to Allah’s revelation. Therefore, these books are still considered originally Allah’s books and Holy, but their authenticity is not absolute.
How to Identify True and Fabricated Texts:
The Quran serves as the criterion over previous scriptures, helping distinguish truth from fabrication.
(sūrat l-māidah) Verse (5:48):
وَأَنزَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ وَمُهَيۡمِنًا عَلَيۡهِۖ فَٱحۡڪُم بَيۡنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ
Sahih International: And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth.
This means the Quran confirms the truths within earlier scriptures existing today and acts as a guide to discern alterations and fabricated verses.
Conclusion:
The Almighty Quran acknowledges that the Torah and the Gospel, both at the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and today, are originally books from Allah—holy and containing still His commands and guidance, though not in their entirety. Some parts of these books remain unaltered and still contain Allah’s words, but many verses have been falsified or fabricated. The only way to identify the false insertions in these holy books is through the Holy Quran. If their content aligns with the teachings of the Holy Quran, it may be considered true and credible; otherwise, there is no assurance from the Quran, and such content could be fabricated.
There are many other verses in the Quran that affirm the holiness and respect of these books. However, at the same time, Allah warns us not to follow them blindly but to compare their substance with the knowledge of the Quran to verify their authenticity.
Example:
How could Allah Almighty tell the Jews and Christians of Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) time that they are on nothing—on no true path—if they do not establish their lives according to the teachings of the Torah and the Gospel, knowing that the scriptures they possessed were altered, containing both Allah’s commands and fabricated verses? This implies that, in the eyes of Allah, even these altered books are still capable of conveying the truth—Allah’s true commands within them. Righteous Christians and Jews can still find Allah’s guidance in these scriptures and follow it.
Surat Al-Ma’idah (5:68): قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ لَسۡتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَىۡءٍ حَتَّىٰ تُقِيمُواْ ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡۗ
Sahih International Translation: “Say, ‘O People of the Scripture, you are [standing] on nothing until you uphold [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to you from your Lord.'”
Again Acknowledgment of Torah and Gospel at time of Muhammad peace be upon him:
(sūrat l-māidah)Verse (5:66):
وَلَوۡ أَنَّہُمۡ أَقَامُواْ ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡہِم مِّن رَّبِّہِمۡ لَأَڪَلُواْ مِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ وَمِن تَحۡتِ أَرۡجُلِهِمۚ مِّنۡہُمۡ أُمَّةٌ۬ مُّقۡتَصِدَةٌ۬ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ سَآءَ مَا يَعۡمَلُونَ
Sahih International: And if only they upheld [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet. Among them are a moderate community, but many of them – evil is that which they do.
Clear Words of Allah: those (Jews and Christians at time of Mohammad peace be upon him) who believe in Torah are believers and denier are losers
(sūrat l-baqarah)Verse (2:121): ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ يَتۡلُونَهُ ۥ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِۦۤ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِهِۦۗ وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرُونَ
Sahih International: Those to whom We have given the Book recite it with its true recital. They [are the ones who] believe in it. And whoever disbelieves in it – it is they who are the losers.
They have Torah (Allah`s Book) and they did not take it, are like donkey carrying genius books.
If these books were of no value in the sight of Allah, the comparison would be meaningless.
A donkey carrying worthless books is of no concern — the point of the example lies in the value of what is being neglected.
(sūrat l-jumuʿah)Verse (62:5):
مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ حُمِّلُواْ ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَحۡمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ ٱلۡحِمَارِ يَحۡمِلُ أَسۡفَارَۢاۚ بِئۡسَ مَثَلُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَہۡدِى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Sahih International: The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allah. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Not all Jews and Christians are the same: As stated in the verse above (5:66) and repeated multiple times in different ways throughout the Holy Quran, there is a distinction among them. Some of them are righteous, while many others are on wrong way. The righteous follow the Torah and the Gospel and they can never stand against the Quran, recognizing the sameness of truth of this book.
On the other hand, there are those who deny the Quran and actively resist it. According to the Quran, such people are not even true believers of the Torah and the Gospel—no matter how strongly they claim to believe in their scriptures. In the eyes of Allah, they are not true believer.