Dear YB Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh,

I AM writing in reference to your claims as captured in the Hansard of August 26 that the Bible which you recognise as the Injil was “dipesongkan” or distorted.  I take it that the use of the term “dipesongkan” forms the basis of your version of truth claim that the Bible has been corrupted.

I find your position on this matter totally incredulous on the basis of Al-Imran 3 which reads;

He has sent down upon thee the Book with the truth, confirming what was before it, and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel aforetime, as guidance to the people. And He sent down Salvation. 

Al-Imran 3 states very clearly that Allah revealed both the Taurat (Torah) and Injil (Gospel) and that none can change the words of God as outlined in the following four verses from the Qur’an:

Messengers indeed were cried lies to before thee, yet they endured patiently that they were cried lies to, and were hurt, until Our help came to them.  No man can change the words of God; and there has already come to thee some tidings of the Envoys.  Al-Anam 34.

Perfect are the words of thy Lord in truthfulness and justice; no man can change His words.  He is the All-hearing, the All-Knowing.  Al-Anam 115.

Recite what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord; no man can change His words.  Apart from Him, thou wilt find no refuge.  Al-Kahf 27.

It is We who have sent down the Remembrance, and We watch over it.  Al-Hijr 9.

An objective reading of these verses shows that both the Old Testament (Torah/Taurat) and Gospel (Injil) are the revealed word of God that is not at all corrupted, and has never been because it is protected by God himself.  This means that both the Old Testament and Gospel testify to God’s revealed truth.  Surely, you cannot possibly think that a human would be more powerful than God Almighty and alter His words in the Taurat and Injil and face His dreadful judgment?

I suggest that you seriously consider Yunus 94 and refer to the people who read the Taurat and Injil simply because they revere God’s revealed truth that has never ever been corrupted.  I hope you are not having doubts on the capability of God Almighty to protect His revealed words.

So, if thou art in doubt regarding what We have sent to thee, ask those who recite the Book before thee.  The truth has come to thee from thy Lord; so be not of the doubters, nor be of those who cry lies to God’s signs as to be of the losers.  Yunus 94

You had also claimed to be an expert in comparative religion on the basis that you secured a PhD presumably from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia with degrees from Al-Azhar University, Egypt and Al-Bayt University, Jordan.  On this basis, I would be obliged if you can provide verses from the Qur’an that can answer my five questions as follows:

1.       How was the Bible corrupted?

2.       Where is the corruption in the Bible?

3.       When was the Bible corrupted?

4.       Why was the Bible corrupted?

5.       Who corrupted the Bible?

You also respectfully claimed to be well read in Christian writings.  I would therefore encourage you to read and thoroughly familiarize yourself with, The Gentle Answer to the Muslim accusation of Biblical falsification by Dr Gordon Nickel, former adjunct professor of islamic studies at the University of Calgary, Canada.  You may find it very difficult to continue with your version of truth claim that the Bible was “dipesongkan”.  Will you be honest enough to admit so? – August 30, 2020.

* Ordinary Rakyat reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.