The Qur’an and the Bible are the central religious texts of Islam and Christianity respectively. Both books are regarded by adherents as the Word of God, yet there are also differences in how each faith views its scriptures. One key area of difference is in the preservation and transmission of the texts over time.
Muslims believe the Qur’an to be the literal speech of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad between 610 and 632 AD. It is viewed as the final, perfect, and uncorrupted revelation superseding earlier partial revelations such as the Torah, Psalms, and Gospels. Muslims also believe the Qur’an has been perfectly preserved and transmitted over the centuries in its original Arabic language (Fazlur Rahman, Major Themes of the Qur’an, p. 51).
In contrast, the Bible as used by Christians today is a collection of writings from multiple authors written in different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) over the span of more than a thousand years. Christians view the Bible as divinely inspired but containing human elements. Unlike the Qur’an, few Christians claim the Bible has been perfectly preserved over time. There are variations in ancient manuscripts and Bible translations reflect different translation approaches over the centuries.
When examining how the Qur’an and Bible compare in their preservation, a few key areas arise:
Origins and Authorship
The Qur’an is believed to have come to Muhammad verbatim from the angel Jibril (Gabriel) and written down in its current form by scribes under Muhammad’s supervision (John L. Esposito, What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam, p. 14-15). Thus, Muslims consider it to have a single point of origin directly from Allah around 610-632AD. In contrast, the Bible has human authors writing in different genres over many centuries under inspiration of the Holy Spirit but not direct dictation. The Bible is a compilation of 66 books written by about 40 authors over 1500 years in multiple languages and literary styles.
Transmission
Muslims believe the Qur’an has been transmitted perfectly word-for-word in Classical Arabic from the time of Muhammad to today. The Qur’an did not exist in written form at first but was preserved through memorization by Muhammad’s companions. After his death it was compiled into a written book during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. Strict copying techniques have ensured perfect preservation (John Burton, The Collection of the Qur’an, pp. 214-218).
In contrast, the Bible has undergone transmission over centuries with evidence of variations between ancient manuscripts. These manuscripts were copied by hand until the printing press in the 15th century. The number of manuscripts is vast, with around 5800 complete or fragmented Greek manuscripts alone. The differences between manuscripts are mainly minor – around 2% for the New Testament – and do not affect major doctrines. But it does indicate a process of transmission subject to human error and judgments by scribes (Peter J. Williams, Can We Trust the Gospels, pp. 12-13).
Canonical Authority
For Muslims, the Qur’an in Arabic is the perfectly preserved, literal words of Allah. Its authority comes directly from divine revelation to Muhammad. It is the foundation of Islamic belief and practice. Nothing else holds the same level of authority or canonical status (Colin Chapman, Cross and Crescent, p. 58).
In Christianity, the Bible is divinely inspired and authoritative but mediated through human authors. Other sources like Church councils were involved in determining the Biblical canon. Christians consider the Old Testament canonical as the Jewish scriptures Jesus affirmed. There are also variations between Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Bibles. Overall, the Bible has canonical authority but through a more complex historical process than for the Qur’an.
Textual Reliability
Muslims champion the perfect reliability of the Qur’an’s text. The primary argument is that it has been preserved without change as confirmed by the 1924 Cairo edition which verified the standard Qur’an across the Muslim world (Seyyed Hossein Nasr, The Study Quran, p.17). While some variations exist in Qur’anic manuscripts, these are considered insignificant and the Qur’an has divine protection from substantive textual corruption.
Christians maintain high confidence in the general textual reliability of the Bible while acknowledging manuscript variations. Factors cited include the vast number of manuscripts, the insignificant nature of most variations, and textual criticism methods for determining the original text. The position of most scholars is there are no major doctrines affected by manuscript variations. Still, the process of transmission and existence of variations differ markedly from claims about the Qur’an’s perfect preservation.
Translation
Muslims are united in the belief only the original Arabic Qur’an is the true, uncorrupted Word of God. Translations are considered commentaries reflecting human fallibility so cannot substitute for the original (Mustansir Mir, The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Qur’an, p. 20). Muslims use Arabic Qur’ans worldwide even by non-Arabic speakers. Recitation is in Arabic and translation does not suffice for ritual purposes.
In contrast, Bible translation is integral to Christian scriptural practice with no single authoritative version. While some argue the original languages are most reliable, translation is considered both valid and essential for conveying meaning (S.L. Greenslade, English Versions of the Bible, in The Cambridge History of the Bible). Major debates exist within Christianity around translation approaches and wording but not over the legitimacy of translation itself.
Interpretation
Within Islam, interpretation of the Qur’an is more limited than in Christianity. Muslims argue meaning resides within the text rather than the reader. Certain verses are seen as clear and forming the foundation while others are less plain. Qur’anic exegesis identifies different possible meanings using oral traditions but stays close to the Arabic text (Claude Gilliot, The Cambridge Companion to the Qur’an, p. 39).
In Christianity, biblical interpretation allows for a wider range of meanings and applications. Christians recognize ambiguity in passages and that perspectives of readers influence interpretation. Hence biblical hermeneutics has rules but allows meaning to emerge through commentary traditions and contemporary contexts. There is no single authorized interpretation comparable to the high Muslim view of the Arabic Qur’an (Moises Silva, Biblical Words and Their Meaning, p. 26).
Scriptural Completeness
Muslims see the Qur’an bringing God’s revelation to completion and superseding prior Jewish and Christian scriptures. The Qur’an is the final, complete guide for human life under Allah with no need for additions. Later commentary can explain but not change the Qur’an’s teachings (Mustafa Akyol, Reopening Muslim Minds, p. 48).
In contrast, Christians view scripture as complete but not the sole source of divine will and new understanding. Teachings can develop under guidance of the Holy Spirit working through the Church. Doctrine can become clear over time with biblical meaning applied to new contexts (Matthew Levering, Biblical Theology, p. 5). Unlike Islam, Christianity does not have a closed canon but allows for both scriptural completeness and new revelation.
Scripture in Worship
Qur’anic recitation in Arabic is central to Muslim worship in daily prayers, public services, and major events. Muslims attending mosques across the world hear the same Arabic recitation. Correct pronunciation and recitation techniques are paramount. The sound of the Qur’an has deep significance beyond mere information delivery (Kristina Nelson, The Art of Reciting the Qur’an, p. 95).
In Christianity, the Bible is translated into vernacular languages for worship and teaching. Scripture is read, preached, and sung typically using the common tongue of the people. Translation differences and modes of use in worship differ widely across Christian traditions in contrast to the unified use of the Arabic Qur’an by Muslims globally.
Conclusion
The Qur’an and Bible shape the foundations of Islam and Christianity respectively. Both scriptures are regarded by believers as the Word of God. However, their origins, history of transmission, approaches to translation and interpretation exhibit key differences. The Muslim view of the Qur’an is based on a belief in its singular, textual perfection, complete preservation and lack of human mediation. In contrast, Christians acknowledge the Bible’s divinely inspired message comes through human authors and an imperfect – though generally reliable – historical transmission process. These different perspectives continue to guide scriptural practices within each faith tradition today.