The Gentle Answer to the Muslim Accusation of Biblical Falsification

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The Gentle Answer is a scholarly response to a claim that many Muslims have been making in relation to non-Muslims for more than 1200 years: that the text of the Bible is corrupt and/or falsified. The Muslim claim affects both Jews and Christians and has been a source of discouragement and bad feeling for non-Muslims living in Muslim-majority societies. At the same time, Muslims claim that their scripture, the Qur'an, is exactly the same in every detail since the time it was first recited. Both claims continue to be made boldly in the age of Internet websites and YouTube. Academic scholarship on the Bible and the Qur'an supports neither of the Muslim claims, but since critical writing on the Bible is more abundant and has a longer history, Muslim polemicists have selectively used Western biblical criticism in an attempt to support the traditional Muslim accusation of biblical falsification. Only comparatively recently have the techniques used in biblical criticism been applied to the Qur'an. The Gentle Answer responds to the Muslim claims by placing the Bible and the Qur'an on a level scholarly playing field to show that the scholarly questions about the Qur'an are at least as challenging as questions about the Bible. Since many of the scholarly questions are similar, Muslims and non-Muslims have good reason to work together at the answers. In the meantime, Muslims and non-Muslims have the opportunity to enter a friendly faith conversation in which the contents of the scriptures themselves are carefully considered and discussed. The Gentle Answer responds in such a way as to invite conversation rather than to perpetuate the acrimony that has often accompanied discussion of religious differences. Respect for the accuser means taking issues of truth seriously. It means doing one's best to thoroughly understand the accusation. It also means commending one's own faith with an understanding of the accuser's worldview. Differences in faith between Muslims and non-Muslims show no sign of going away in the years to come. But in a world of considerable political tension and violence, Muslims and non-Muslims must seize the freedom to openly discuss their differences together while nurturing mutual respect and committing to peaceful coexistence.