The Myth of Corruption and Abrogation
What the Qur’an Actually Says About Earlier Scriptures
One of the most widely accepted beliefs in mainstream Islam today is that the Torah, Psalms, and Gospel — the earlier scriptures — have been corrupted, and that the Qur’an came to abrogate them. But here’s the truth, laid bare: this idea is not found anywhere in the Qur’an itself. It is a post-Qur’anic theological construct — built by later scholars, not by the text of the Qur’an.
Let’s dismantle the myth, point by point, using the Qur’an alone.
1. ๐ The Qur’an Affirms the Earlier Scriptures — It Doesn’t Say They’re Corrupted
Repeatedly, the Qur’an refers to the Torah (Tawrah), Psalms (Zabur), and Gospel (Injil) as genuine, divine revelations sent by God:
Surah 3:3 – “He has sent down upon you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it. And He sent down the Torah and the Gospel.”
Surah 5:46 – “And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming what came before him in the Torah. And We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light…”
Nowhere does the Qur’an state that these scriptures were corrupted in text or altered by scribes in a way that nullifies their message.
❌ Misuse ≠ Corruption
Some Muslims quote verses like:
Surah 2:79 – “So woe to those who write the Book with their hands, and then say, ‘This is from Allah’...”
But this refers to individual fabrications, not the wholesale corruption of entire scriptures.
Or:
Surah 5:13, 5:41 – “They distort words from their places...”
Again, this is about misinterpretation or deliberate twisting, not textual destruction.
2. ๐ The Qur’an Tells Muhammad to Trust the Earlier Books
Surah 10:94 – “If you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you.”
Why would God tell Muhammad to consult a corrupted book? He wouldn’t. This instruction only makes sense if the earlier scriptures are still valid sources of divine truth.
3. ๐ Does the Qur’an Abrogate Previous Scriptures?
No. It does not. The verse often misused to justify this idea is:
Surah 2:106 – “Whatever verse We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or similar to it.”
But here's the key point:
This verse does not support the idea of intra-Qur’anic abrogation — where one verse cancels out another within the Qur’an itself. Nor does it refer to nullifying God’s previous scriptures.
๐ง Logical Context
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The Qur’an never names any verse within itself that has been abrogated.
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It consistently claims to be clear, complete, and consistent:
Surah 6:115 – “None can change His words…”
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The verse in 2:106 is more logically read as referring to the supersession of earlier dispensations, such as Mosaic or Gospel laws — not cancellation within the Qur’an itself.
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If God’s words are perfect and eternal, as the Qur’an claims, then abrogating one part of the Qur’an with another part would violate its own assertion of consistency.
In short, Surah 2:106 refers to God's historical pattern of revealing messages progressively — not a self-destructing internal contradiction within the Qur’an.
4. ๐ Consistency is the Litmus Test of Truth
If all scriptures came from the same God, they must be:
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Theologically consistent
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Morally aligned
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Doctrinally coherent
If a new scripture contradicts the earlier ones, the burden is on the new claim to prove it's from the same divine source.
And that brings us to the Qur’an’s own mission:
Surah 5:48 – “And We have revealed to you the Book in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and as a guardian over it…”
Confirming, not canceling. Clarifying, not corrupting.
5. ๐ง Logical Summary
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The Qur’an affirms the Torah, Psalms, and Gospel as valid, divine revelations.
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It never says those books were textually corrupted.
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It never abrogates the earlier scriptures.
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It never abrogates itself.
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Claims of corruption and abrogation are found only in post-Qur’anic literature, especially in classical tafsir and jurisprudence — not in the Qur’an itself.
๐งจ Conclusion: It’s a Human Doctrine, Not a Qur’anic One
The idea that earlier scriptures were corrupted or abrogated is a human construct designed to resolve theological tension — not a position supported by the Qur’an.
If you follow only the Qur’an as your standard, you are forced to admit:
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The earlier scriptures are to be respected, consulted, and believed in.
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The Qur’an’s job is to confirm, not replace them.
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Any contradiction introduced by later Islamic tradition must be judged against the Qur’an’s own clear statements.
So let’s be clear:
None of God’s words abrogate or contradict any of His other words.
If the Qur’an is truly from God, it cannot invalidate what God revealed before.
Any teaching that says otherwise is not from the Qur’an — and therefore, not from God.
Want more evidence-based posts like this?
Stay tuned for future articles that strip away myth and tradition, and go straight to the original source: the Qur’an itself.
Let the text speak — and let the truth stand.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------About the Author
Mauao Man is a blog created by a New Zealand writer who believes in following the evidence wherever it leads. From history and religion to culture and society, Mauao Man takes a clear, critical, and honest approach — challenging ideas without attacking people. Whether exploring the history of Islam in New Zealand, the complexities of faith, or the contradictions in belief systems, this blog is about asking the hard questions and uncovering the truth.
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