Quran vs Bible: A Textual Comparison
Muslims claim the Quran is the perfect, unchanged word of Allah, superior to the Bible which they say has been corrupted. Meanwhile, Christians affirm the Bible's reliability as God's inspired word. These competing claims require examination. When we compare the Quran and Bible regarding textual history, internal consistency, manuscript evidence, and historical reliability, the evidence strongly favors the Bible over the Quran.
Claims About Divine Origin
The Quran's Claims
The Quran claims to be the literal, verbatim word of Allah, dictated to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over 23 years (610-632 CE):
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian." (Quran 15:9)
"[This is] a Book whose verses are perfected and then presented in detail from [one who is] Wise and Acquainted." (Quran 11:1)
Muslims claim the Quran is perfectly preserved without any changes, additions, or deletions since Muhammad's time. This claim of perfect preservation is central to Islamic apologetics.
The Bible's Claims
The Bible claims to be inspired by God but written by human authors over approximately 1,500 years:
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16)
"Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:20-21)
Christianity teaches that God inspired human authors who wrote in their own styles, personalities, and historical contexts, while being guided by the Holy Spirit to communicate God's message accurately.
Textual History and Compilation
The Quran: Problems with the "Perfect Preservation" Claim
Despite Muslim claims of perfect preservation, historical evidence reveals significant problems with the Quran's textual history.
Multiple Competing Versions: After Muhammad's death, multiple versions of the Quran existed among his companions. These versions had different readings, different verse orders, and even different numbers of verses.
Narrated Anas bin Malik: "Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman came to Uthman at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were waging war to conquer Arminya and Adharbijan. Hudhaifa was afraid of their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Qur'an, so he said to 'Uthman, 'O chief of the Believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Quran) as Jews and the Christians did before.' So 'Uthman sent a message to Hafsa saying, 'Send us the manuscripts of the Qur'an so that we may compile the Qur'anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you.' Hafsa sent it to 'Uthman. 'Uthman then ordered Zaid bin Thabit, 'Abdullah bin AzZubair, Said bin Al-As and 'AbdurRahman bin Harith bin Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies. 'Uthman said to the three Quraishi men, 'In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit on any point in the Qur'an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish, the Qur'an was revealed in their tongue.' They did so, and when they had written many copies, 'Uthman returned the original manuscripts to Hafsa. 'Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur'anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt." (Sahih Bukhari 6:61:510)
This hadith reveals that:
- Multiple different versions of the Quran existed
- Muslims were fighting over which version was correct
- Caliph Uthman (20 years after Muhammad's death) created a standardized version
- All other versions were burned to eliminate evidence of differences
Lost Verses: Islamic sources acknowledge that portions of the Quran were lost:
Narrated Aisha: "The Verse of stoning and of breastfeeding an adult ten times was revealed, and the paper was with me under my pillow. When the Messenger of Allah died, we were preoccupied with his death, and a tame sheep came in and ate it." (Sunan Ibn Majah 1944)
This hadith claims that Quranic verses were literally eaten by a sheep and thus lost. Yet Muslims claim perfect preservation.
Narrated Ubayy ibn Ka'b: "The Prophet said to me, 'I have been ordered to recite the Qur'an to you.' He then recited, 'Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Book' (Surah 98), in which occurred: 'If the son of Adam were to ask for a valley full of riches and were given it, he would ask for another, and if he were given that, he would ask for a third. Nothing will fill the belly of the son of Adam except dust, but Allah turns (mercifully) to those who repent.' He then recited to me the rest of the Surah." (Sahih Muslim 1050)
This passage is not in today's Quran, yet it was supposedly revealed. Where did it go?
Aisha's Missing Verses: Muhammad's wife Aisha stated that Surah 33 (al-Ahzab) originally had 200 verses when the Prophet was alive, but when Uthman compiled the Quran, only 73 verses could be found. This means 127 verses disappeared—nearly two-thirds of the surah.
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud's Different Quran: Ibn Mas'ud, one of Muhammad's closest companions and one of the best reciters of the Quran, had a different version. His Quran did not include Surahs 1, 113, and 114 (which are in today's Quran), but it did include two surahs not in today's Quran. When Uthman standardized the Quran, ibn Mas'ud refused to hand over his copy, and his version was suppressed.
The Bible: Transparent Textual History
The Bible's textual history is remarkably transparent and well-documented, despite being written over 1,500 years by 40+ authors in three languages across three continents.
Manuscript Evidence - New Testament: We have over 5,800 Greek New Testament manuscripts, plus thousands more in Latin, Coptic, Syriac, and other early translations. The earliest fragments date to within decades of the original writings (P52, dated to 125-150 CE, contains John 18). The gap between original composition and earliest manuscripts is shorter than for any other ancient text.
Manuscript Evidence - Old Testament: The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1947, contain Old Testament manuscripts dating to 250 BCE - 100 CE. When compared to the Masoretic Text (900 CE), the agreement is astonishing—demonstrating careful preservation over 1,000 years.
Textual Variants: Biblical scholars openly acknowledge textual variants (differences between manuscripts). However, the vast majority (99%+) are minor spelling differences, word order changes, or obvious scribal errors that don't affect meaning. No major Christian doctrine depends on a disputed text.
Where variants exist, they are noted in modern Bibles. There is no cover-up or burning of manuscripts—all evidence is preserved and available for examination. This transparency stands in stark contrast to Uthman's burning of variant Quranic manuscripts.
Internal Consistency and Contradictions
The Quran's Internal Contradictions
Despite being much shorter than the Bible and supposedly dictated by one being (Allah) to one person (Muhammad) over just 23 years, the Quran contains numerous contradictions.
How Long Did Creation Take?
"Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and earth in six days." (Quran 7:54, also 10:3, 11:7, 25:59)
"Say, 'Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days?'... And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days... Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, 'Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion.' They said, 'We have come willingly.' And He completed them as seven heavens within two days." (Quran 41:9-12)
6 days (7:54) or 8 days (2+4+2 in 41:9-12)?
Is Allah Forgiving or Punishing?
"Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills." (Quran 4:48)
"Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that to whom He wills." (Quran 4:116)
But then:
"Indeed, those who disbelieve and commit wrong [or injustice] - never will Allah forgive them, nor will He guide them to a path." (Quran 4:168)
Can Allah forgive whom he wills, or will he never forgive certain people?
Can the Quran Be Changed?
"We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring forth [one] better than it or similar to it." (Quran 2:106)
This verse admits that verses are abrogated (cancelled), yet Muslims claim the Quran is perfectly preserved and unchanging. If verses are abrogated, the Quran has changed.
Who Takes Souls at Death?
"Allah takes the souls at the time of their death." (Quran 39:42)
"Say, 'The angel of death will take you who has been entrusted with you.'" (Quran 32:11)
"Those whose souls the angels take [in death] while they are wronging themselves." (Quran 16:28)
Does Allah take souls, or the angel of death, or angels (plural)?
The Bible: Complementary Accounts, Not Contradictions
Critics point to alleged contradictions in the Bible, but most dissolve upon closer examination. Differences between parallel accounts usually reflect different perspectives, purposes, or audiences rather than actual contradictions.
For example, the four Gospels provide four perspectives on Jesus' life. They differ in details but agree on all major facts: Jesus' virgin birth, miracles, teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection. These differences actually strengthen credibility—if four witnesses told identical stories, we'd suspect collusion.
The Bible's "contradictions" are typically:
- Different perspectives on the same event (e.g., how many angels at Jesus' tomb - one visible spokesman, or multiple present)
- Rounding of numbers (e.g., "about 5,000" vs "5,000" vs "more than 5,000")
- Different literary purposes (genealogies emphasizing different ancestral lines)
- Progressive revelation (Old Testament law fulfilled in New Testament)
Importantly, the Bible was written by multiple human authors over 1,500 years, so minor differences in detail are expected. The Quran, supposedly dictated by one being to one person over 23 years, should not have internal contradictions—yet it does.
Historical and Scientific Accuracy
The Quran's Historical and Scientific Errors
Mary, Sister of Aaron and Moses:
"O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste." (Quran 19:28)
This verse addresses Mary, mother of Jesus, as "sister of Aaron." Muslims claim this is metaphorical (meaning descendant of Aaron), but the Quran also calls her "daughter of Imran" (3:35) and "sister of Moses" (Quran 19:28 in context). Mary lived approximately 1,400 years after Moses and Aaron. The Quran appears to confuse Mary the mother of Jesus with Miriam the sister of Moses and Aaron.
Alexander the Great as Muslim:
"Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud." (Quran 18:86)
Surah 18:83-98 tells the story of "Dhul-Qarnayn" (the two-horned one), whom Islamic scholars identify as Alexander the Great. The Quran describes him as a righteous Muslim who traveled to where the sun sets and found it setting in a muddy spring. This is both historically false (Alexander was a pagan Greek) and scientifically absurd (the sun doesn't set in a muddy spring on earth).
Embryology Errors:
"Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh." (Quran 23:14)
This describes bones forming before flesh, which is embryologically incorrect. Bone and muscle tissue develop simultaneously from mesoderm, not sequentially.
Flat Earth Implications:
"And the earth - We have spread it." (Quran 15:19)
"And Allah has made the earth for you as a carpet (spread out)." (Quran 71:19)
While some Muslims argue these verses are metaphorical, the Quran never explicitly states the earth is spherical, and numerous verses describe it as spread out, flat, or carpet-like.
The Bible's Historical Reliability
Archaeological discoveries have repeatedly confirmed Biblical historical accuracy:
- The Tel Dan Inscription (9th century BCE) mentions the "House of David," confirming David's existence
- The Cyrus Cylinder confirms the biblical account of Cyrus allowing Jews to return to Jerusalem
- The Pool of Siloam was discovered, confirming the Gospel of John's description
- Pontius Pilate's existence was confirmed by archaeological inscription
- The Moabite Stone confirms events recorded in 2 Kings
- Numerous cities, peoples, and rulers mentioned in the Bible have been confirmed
The Bible accurately describes ancient Near Eastern customs, geography, politics, and culture. Luke, author of Luke-Acts, has been called one of the most accurate ancient historians. His references to 32 countries, 54 cities, and nine islands contain zero errors.
Prophecy and Fulfillment
The Quran: No Fulfilled Prophecies
The Quran contains almost no specific, verifiable prophecies. The few prophecies it does contain are either:
- Extremely vague
- Written after the events (despite Muslim claims otherwise)
- Failed prophecies
For example, Quran 30:2-4 supposedly predicts the Romans would defeat the Persians, but the prophecy is so vague that it could apply to various conflicts.
The Bible: Hundreds of Fulfilled Prophecies
The Old Testament contains hundreds of specific prophecies about the Messiah, many fulfilled in Jesus:
- Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, fulfilled Matthew 2:1)
- Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14, fulfilled Matthew 1:23)
- Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13, fulfilled Matthew 26:15)
- Silent before accusers (Isaiah 53:7, fulfilled Matthew 27:12-14)
- Crucified with criminals (Isaiah 53:12, fulfilled Matthew 27:38)
- Lots cast for clothing (Psalm 22:18, fulfilled John 19:23-24)
- Bones not broken (Psalm 34:20, fulfilled John 19:33-36)
- Pierced (Zechariah 12:10, fulfilled John 19:34)
- Buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9, fulfilled Matthew 27:57-60)
- Resurrection (Psalm 16:10, fulfilled Acts 2:31)
These prophecies were written hundreds of years before Jesus' birth, recorded in documents we possess (Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint). The mathematical probability of one person fulfilling even eight of these prophecies by chance is 1 in 10^17.
Textual Transmission: Comparing Methods
Quranic Transmission: Oral and Problematic
Muslims emphasize oral transmission—the Quran was memorized by hafiz (memorizers). However:
- Many early memorizers died in the Battle of Yamama, creating panic about preservation
- Different memorizers had different readings, necessitating Uthman's standardization
- Oral transmission allows for gradual changes without detection
- The burning of variant manuscripts eliminated evidence of differences
Furthermore, the Quran wasn't compiled into official written form until after Muhammad's death, and even then, only after many memorizers had died in battle.
Biblical Transmission: Written and Verifiable
The Bible's transmission was primarily written, with thousands of manuscripts allowing textual comparison:
- Multiple manuscript traditions provide cross-checking
- Textual variants are documented and studied openly
- We can trace the text's history through manuscripts
- Early translations (Latin Vulgate, Syriac Peshitta) provide additional verification
- No manuscripts were burned to create uniformity
The transparency and abundance of Biblical manuscripts give us confidence in the text's reliability.
Conclusion: The Evidence Favors the Bible
When we compare the Quran and Bible objectively:
- Textual history: The Bible's is transparent with abundant manuscript evidence; the Quran's involves burned manuscripts and suppressed variants
- Internal consistency: The Bible written by 40+ authors over 1,500 years has fewer contradictions than the Quran supposedly dictated by one being to one person over 23 years
- Historical accuracy: The Bible is consistently confirmed by archaeology; the Quran contains historical errors
- Scientific accuracy: The Bible doesn't claim to be a science textbook but contains no major errors; the Quran makes scientific claims that are demonstrably false
- Prophecy: The Bible contains hundreds of specific fulfilled prophecies; the Quran has virtually none
- Manuscript evidence: The Bible has thousands of early manuscripts; the Quran's early manuscripts were destroyed
The claim that the Bible has been corrupted while the Quran remains perfectly preserved is demonstrably false. The evidence points in exactly the opposite direction.
Questions to Consider
- Why would Uthman burn all variant Quranic manuscripts if the Quran was perfectly preserved?
- How can the Quran be perfectly preserved when Islamic sources acknowledge lost verses?
- Why does the supposedly perfect Quran contain internal contradictions and historical errors?
- Why does the Bible, written by multiple authors over 1,500 years, have better manuscript evidence than the Quran, supposedly dictated to one person over 23 years?
- How can the Quran claim superiority when it contains no fulfilled prophecies while the Bible contains hundreds?
- If the Bible were truly corrupted as Muslims claim, when did this happen and where is the evidence?
- Why do archaeological discoveries consistently confirm the Bible's historical accuracy?
- Which is more reliable: a text transmitted with transparency and abundant evidence (Bible), or a text whose variants were burned to enforce uniformity (Quran)?