The Islamic Dilemma

Understanding Common Muslim Responses

To engage intelligently, Christians should understand how Muslim scholars and apologists respond to this argument.

1. The Concept of Tahrif (Corruption)

Muslim scholars generally divide text alteration into two categories:

• Tahrif al-Ma'na: Corruption of the meaning or interpretation of the text (misinterpreting true scriptures).
• Tahrif al-Lafz: Corruption of the textual wording itself.

Many modern Muslim debaters argue that the physical text of the Bible underwent Tahrif al-Lafz. However, Christian apologists point out that the earliest Islamic commentators (such as Ibn Abbas and Al-Bukhari) held that the original text of God's scriptures could not be corrupted, only misinterpreted.

2. The "Original Lost Injeel" Claim

Some Islamic scholars assert that the "Injeel" mentioned in the Quran refers exclusively to an unwritten or lost book delivered directly to Jesus, rather than the four canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

Christian Response: The historical record shows no trace of any single lost book called "Injeel" separate from the four Gospels. Furthermore, Surah 5:47 refers to the Gospel currently possessed and read by Christians in the 7th century.