INVESTIGATING ISLAM

Surah 2 79 Analysis

Does Surah Al-Baqara 2:79 Deny the Torah and Injil?

For centuries, some Islamic scholars have claimed that Surah Al-Baqara 2:79 proves that the Torah and Injil were corrupted. However, a closer examination of the text, historical context, and linguistic nuances reveals a major misunderstanding of this verse. This document lays out a logical analysis to demonstrate that Surah 2:79 does not support the claim that the Torah and Injil were changed.

1. What Does Surah 2:79 Actually Say?

"Woe to those who write something with their hands and then say, 'This is from Allah,' in order to purchase a small gain with it. Woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn."

Key Observations:

The verse does not mention rewriting or altering scripture.
It condemns those who write something new and falsely claim it is from Allah.
It does not accuse Jews and Christians of changing their scriptures.
It warns about fabricating religious texts for profit.

This does not align with the traditional claim that the Torah and Injil were changed. Instead, it suggests that some people wrote their own texts and falsely labeled them divine revelation.

2. This is NOT the Islamic Doctrine of "Tahrif" (Corruption)

Islamic scholars have long argued that the Jews and Christians corrupted their scriptures through "tahrif" (textual alteration). However, Surah 2:79 does not support this claim.

Why?

Tahrif is not mentioned in this verse.
This verse speaks about writing something new, not modifying existing scripture.
There is no claim that the Torah and Injil were corrupted—only that some people fabricated texts.

The real doctrine of tahrif in the Quran refers to misinterpretation, not textual corruption. Surah 2:79 does not fit the claim that the Torah and Injil were altered.

3. The Accused Group is a Specific Subset of People

The Quran says a "party within the Jewish community" was involved.
It refers to them as "ummiyyun" (illiterate men).
Illiterate people cannot write books, so this must refer to something else.
"Ummiyyun" can also mean Gentiles or non-Jews—suggesting that this verse refers to fraudulent religious leaders outside of the Jewish faith.

4. Historical Evidence Supports This Interpretation

Throughout history, many false prophets and religious figures in the Middle East created fake scriptures for personal gain.

Examples include:

Nadr ibn Harith (A pre-Islamic poet who challenged Muhammad).
Musaylima (A false prophet in Arabia).
Al-Ansi of Yemen (Another false prophet).
Mani and Mazdak (Leaders of religious movements in Persia).
Al-Muqanna and Baha'ullah (Who claimed to receive divine revelations).

These fit the Quran’s description of people who wrote false scriptures for profit.

Conclusion:

The Quran is not accusing Jews and Christians of corrupting the Torah and Injil—it is condemning fraudulent religious leaders who invented fake revelations.

5. Quranic Consistency Proves God’s Word is Preserved

Surah Yunus 10:64 – "No change is there in the words of Allah. That is the supreme triumph."
Surah Al-An’am 6:115 – "And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can alter His words."

If the Quran is consistent, then the Torah and Injil must have remained unchanged.

Thus, Surah 2:79 cannot contradict these verses, which confirm the preservation of God’s word.

6. What Does This Mean for Islam?

Muslims cannot claim Surah 2:79 proves the Torah and Injil were corrupted.
The Quran itself affirms that God’s word cannot be changed.
The claim that the previous scriptures were corrupted is based on a misinterpretation.
Islamic scholars have distorted the meaning of this verse for 1400 years.

7. Final Thought

This verse actually supports the reliability of the Torah and Injil, and it exposes a major Islamic misunderstanding that has been falsely used to attack the Bible. If Muslims accept the proper meaning of Surah 2:79, then they must abandon the claim that the previous scriptures were changed—which destroys the foundation of Islamic theology.

The only way out is to reject the Quran’s affirmation of the Torah and Injil, but that would contradict multiple Quranic verses.

Thus, Islam faces an inescapable dilemma: Either accept that the Torah and Injil were never changed, or admit that the Quran contradicts itself.

No matter what, Islam cannot escape this contradiction without collapsing.