Responding to the Muslim Claim that the Bible has Been Corrupted

  • It is not uncommon when engaging Muslims in evangelistic conversations to hear the charge that the Bible has been corrupted and therefore is not trustworthy.
  • The Christian’s response to this charge should be to press the question, “When did this supposed corruption of the Bible take place?”
  • Point out to the Muslim that the Koran actually says that the Bible is God’s word, has not been changed, and is under God’s protection (Surah 5:43, 44, 46, 68; Surah 4:136; Surah 10:91; Surah 15:9; Surah 6:34; Surah 10:64).
  • Next ask the question, “If the Bible was corrupted, was this before or after the time of Mohammed?”
  • If the answer is “Before Mohammed”, ask why God would then tell Mohammed to look to the Scriptures for guidance and light?
  • If the answer is “After Mohammed”, ask why they don’t then accept the Bible as authoritative since our current translations are all based on manuscripts that pre-date Mohammed by hundreds of years.
  • Finally, it’s important to explain that the earliest textual evidence we have for the Bible (the Dead Sea Scrolls of the Old Testament and the thousands of partial and complete Greek New Testament manuscripts dating to within the first 3 centuries A.D.) simply does not allow for the claim of its widespread corruption.

For more information on reaching out to Muslims with the Gospel, please check out the Apologetics Study Bible for Students, available in our online store.