Question:
The Qur’an was revealed after the Bible. Some Christians claim that certain verses of the Qur’an are copied from the Bible. What is our response to this?
Answer:
In the preface to the Tamil translation of the Holy Qur’an, under the section titled “Timeless Truth”, we have explained this as follows:
Some researchers, who admit that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) could not have authored the Qur’an himself, claim that he borrowed teachings from the scriptures of the Jewish and Christian communities. Even today, some Christians hold this view.
During the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), people who were amazed by the Qur’an’s quality criticized him, suggesting that someone must have taught him these things.
Because the Jewish and Christian scriptures mention earlier prophets such as Adam, Noah, Moses, John, Job, David, Solomon, and Jesus, and since the Qur’an also speaks about these prophets, some claim that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) derived his knowledge from these previous scriptures.
However, this claim is incorrect for several reasons:
- Different Narratives:
The Qur’an mentions the names of these prophets but does not describe them in the same way as the Jewish and Christian scriptures do. - Moral Character:
The Jewish and Christian scriptures portray some of these prophets as having committed acts such as drunkenness, adultery, and deceit. The Qur’an, however, does not attribute such immoral behaviors to them. Instead, it portrays them as righteous individuals. - Selective and Purposeful Narratives:
The Qur’an highlights only the significant events of these prophets’ lives that provide moral lessons. Moreover, these accounts often contradict the versions found in the previous scriptures. - No Genealogical Lists:
Unlike the Jewish and Christian scriptures, which contain genealogical records (e.g., “He begat him; he begat him”), the Qur’an contains no such lists.
Given these differences, it is unreasonable to conclude that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) plagiarized from earlier scriptures.
- The Jewish and Christian scriptures are predominantly historical, with minimal teachings. They offer no comprehensive guidance for all aspects of life.
- The Qur’an, however, mentions only select historical events that provide lessons and offers solutions to all of life’s problems. These solutions are not found in the Jewish and Christian scriptures.
Therefore, the claim that the Qur’an was copied from the Bible is a baseless accusation.
Additionally, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), many Jews and Christians accepted him as a messenger of God. It is noteworthy that these people would not have accepted someone who simply plagiarized from their own scriptures as a true guide.