What Does the Quran Say About the Bible? A Three-Faith Comparison

Judaism's foundational scriptures — the Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim (collectively the Tanakh) — are regarded as the complete and binding word of God given to Israel. The rabbinic tradition, codified through figures like Maimonides in the 12th century, holds that the Torah given to Moses at Sinai is eternal and cannot be superseded by any later revelation. From a Jewish perspective, the Quran's references to earlier scriptures are noted, but they carry no religious authority within Judaism itself.

The Quran does acknowledge the Psalms of David as a divinely given scripture, referring to the Zabur Quran 17:55, which Jewish tradition identifies with the biblical Psalter. However, Jewish scholars have historically rejected the Quranic framing that their scriptures were distorted or that a later revelation was needed to correct them. The integrity of the Masoretic text is a cornerstone of Jewish faith, and no external confirmation is considered necessary or authoritative.

Christianity holds that the Old and New Testaments together constitute the complete, inspired Word of God. The canon, largely settled by councils in the 4th century, is considered sufficient for salvation and doctrine. Christian theologians — from Augustine of Hippo in the 5th century to B.B. Warfield in the 19th — have argued for the plenary inspiration and preservation of scripture, meaning the biblical text hasn't been fundamentally corrupted.

The Quran's claim that it confirms what came before it Quran 35:31 is viewed by mainstream Christianity as theologically incompatible with the New Testament's own claims about the finality of Christ's revelation. Christians note that the Quran does affirm the divine origin of the Gospel (Injil), yet Islamic scholars argue the present New Testament differs from the original revelation. This remains one of the sharpest interfaith disagreements. The Quran's statement that those who reject what God has sent down — while claiming to believe in their own scriptures — are in contradiction Quran 2:91 is read by Muslim commentators as a challenge to both Jewish and Christian communities, though Christians reject this framing entirely.

The Quran's position on earlier scriptures is nuanced and has generated centuries of scholarly debate. It explicitly affirms that the Torah (Tawrat), the Psalms (Zabur), and the Gospel (Injil) were genuine divine revelations. The Quran describes itself as confirming what came before it Quran 35:31 and rebukes those who reject the truth of what God has sent down while claiming to believe in their own revelations Quran 2:91. This dual posture — honoring earlier scriptures while asserting the Quran's corrective authority — is central to Islamic theology.

Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir (14th century) and modern academics like Fazlur Rahman have debated the precise meaning of tahrif — the alleged alteration of earlier scriptures. Some held that the text itself was changed; others argued only its interpretation was distorted. The Quran states that those given knowledge recognize the revelation sent to Muhammad as truth Quran 34:6, implying that sincere readers of earlier scriptures should acknowledge the Quran's authority. The Quran also asserts that the truth has come from God and that guidance or misguidance is each person's own responsibility Quran 10:108, framing the relationship with earlier scriptures as one of invitation rather than coercion.

The Quran further presents itself as the final, preserved word of God — what was revealed to Muhammad is described as the truth from his Lord Quran 13:1, confirming and completing the chain of revelation that includes the Bible. The Psalms are specifically acknowledged as a gift to David Quran 17:55, underscoring Islam's respect for the biblical prophetic tradition even while asserting the Quran's supremacy.