Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 28
28 islam’s response to contemporary issues universal and perfect than all the previous religions if all had the same unchangeable universal teaching applicable to human beings at all times. 1) In answer to the first question, the Holy Quran draws the attention of mankind to the indisputable historical fact that the Books and Scriptures revealed earlier than the Quran have been tampered with. Their teachings were corrupted by a process of gradual amendment or new elements were introduced through interpolation until the validity and authenticity of these Books and Scriptures became doubtful and questionable. So, the onus of proof that no change whatsoever has been effected, of course, lies on the shoulders of the people belonging to such religions. As far as the Quran goes, it occupies a unique and distinct position amongst all religious Books and Scriptures. Even some of the staunchest enemies of Islam, who do not believe the Quran to be the Word of God, have to confess that the Holy Quran, without a shadow of doubt, remains the same unchanged and unaltered Book which was claimed by Muhammad sa , to be the Word of God. For instance: There is otherwise every security, internal and external, that we possess the text which Mohamet himself gave forth and used. 24 We may, upon the strongest assumption, affirm that every verse in the Quran is the genuine and unaltered composition of Mohamet himself. 25 Slight clerical errors there may have been, but the Quran of Uthman contains none but genuine elements, though sometimes in very