الصراط المستقيم

• When/Where?  Before Muhammad?

• Qur’an disagrees:
• “God’s word does not change” (Suras 3:2,78; 4:135; 6:34; 10:64; 18:26; 35:42; 50:28-29).
• “No difference between Bible & Qur’an” (Suras 2:136; 3:2-3).
• “Muslims must ask Christians” (Suras 10:94; 21:7)
• “Dispute not with the Christians” (Sura 29:46)
• “Muslims are to believe in the Bible” (Sura 4:136)
• “Christians are to believe in the Bible” (Suras 5:46-47, 68)
• No warning against its corruption.  In fact the argument did not exist until Ibn Hazam (1064), showing that it is a 11th century Muslim polemic.

After Muhammad?

• If the Bible was changed after Muhammad’s life, what do we do with:
• (1) 24,000 Manuscripts: in Greek, Latin and other languages, 230 MSS before 6th century.
• (2) 15,000 translations: Latin, Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Gothic, Georgian, Ethiopic,  Nubian,
• (3) 2,135 lectionaries from the 6th century,
• (4) 86,489 quotations of N.T. in early church father’s letters 36,000 before 325AD (recreating all the N. Test. but 11 verses)
• Who did it, Jews or Christians?  How do they have identical scriptures?
• Why no record of corruption, and why authentic ones not hidden?
• If changed then why not expunge embarrassing stories

(i.e. Peter’s denial of Christ Matt.26:69-75; Paul’s disputes with Barnabas = Acts 15:39)?