The Core Argument

How the Quran Affirms the Torah and Gospel

Series 2 – The Quran’s Fatal Dilemma | Part 1

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Introduction – Why This Matters

The Islamic Dilemma, popularized by Christian apologist David Wood, is a razor-sharp argument that cuts through centuries of theological smoke. It exposes a core contradiction inside the Quran itself: Islam affirms the divine inspiration, authority, and preservation of the Torah (Tawrat) and the Gospel (Injil), yet those very texts contradict the Quran on essential doctrines.

This is not a secondary issue. It’s not about obscure textual variants or minor historical details. It’s about the Quran making two bold claims simultaneously:

1. The Torah and Gospel were divine revelations from Allah that people in Muhammad’s time still possessed.

2. Those scriptures should be judged by and followed because they are authoritative and preserved.

If both statements are true, Islam collapses under its own weight. If either is false, the Quran is wrong — and Islam still collapses.

This first post in the series digs into the foundation of the argument — what exactly the Quran says about the Torah and Gospel — with no sugar-coating, no evasions, and no hedging.

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1. What the Quran Explicitly Says About the Torah and Gospel

To avoid any charge of “misrepresentation,” let’s go straight to the source — the Quran itself — and read what it says, in context.

a) The Torah and Gospel Are Divine Revelation

Surah 3:3 (Sahih International):

“He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.”

This is crystal clear — the Torah and Gospel were revealed by Allah, just as the Quran was. Islam cannot deny their divine origin without contradicting the Quran.

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b) They Were Still Present and Authoritative in Muhammad’s Time

Surah 5:47 (Sahih International):

“Let the People of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed — then it is those who are the defiantly disobedient.”

Here, the Quran commands Christians in Muhammad’s time to follow the Gospel they already had. This command is pointless — and misleading — unless that Gospel was intact and authoritative.

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c) The Quran “Confirms” Their Message

Surah 6:115 (Sahih International):

“And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can alter His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.”

This verse — and others like it (10:64, 18:27) — state that Allah’s word cannot be changed. Since the Torah and Gospel are repeatedly called Allah’s word, this logically applies to them too.

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2. Why This Creates the “Islamic Dilemma”

Once you accept that the Quran affirms the divine origin, authority, and preservation of the Torah and Gospel, the problem becomes unavoidable.

The Torah and Gospel — as they existed in the 7th century and as they exist today — flatly contradict the Quran on central doctrines:

• The crucifixion of Jesus — The Gospels affirm it as a historical fact; the Quran denies it (4:157).

• The deity of Christ — The Gospels present Jesus as divine; the Quran calls this blasphemy (5:72).

• The method of salvation — The Gospels teach salvation through Jesus’ atoning death; the Quran teaches salvation through submission to Allah and good deeds (23:102–103).

This forces a binary choice:

1. If the Torah and Gospel are preserved → Islam is false because they contradict the Quran.

2. If the Torah and Gospel are corrupted → Islam is false because the Quran affirms and commands obedience to them.

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3. Muslims’ Most Common Attempts to Escape the Dilemma

Over centuries, Islamic scholarship has produced several “escape hatches” to deal with this contradiction — all of which collapse under scrutiny.

a) Claim: “The Quran Only Confirms the Original, Lost Torah and Gospel”

This argument says the Quran was referring to the true Torah and Gospel — not the corrupted versions Christians and Jews had in Muhammad’s time.

Problem:

• Surah 5:47 commands Christians of Muhammad’s day to judge by the Gospel they had, not some hypothetical lost book.

• The Quran nowhere mentions a historical “corruption event” that replaced the originals with fakes.

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b) Claim: “Alteration Means Misinterpretation, Not Textual Change”

Some Muslims redefine “corruption” (tahrif) as only misinterpretation, not physical changes to the text.

Problem:

• This admits the text itself was intact in Muhammad’s time — which means the contradictions with the Quran still stand.

• Historical evidence (Dead Sea Scrolls, Codex Sinaiticus) shows remarkable preservation of biblical text centuries before Islam.

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c) Claim: “The Quran Abrogates the Torah and Gospel”

This argument says the Quran replaces earlier scriptures, so the contradictions don’t matter.

Problem:

• Surah 5:48 says the Quran is a “guardian” over previous scripture, not a destroyer.

• Abrogation (naskh) within the Quran doesn’t logically work to erase the historical reliability of earlier books revealed by the same God.

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4. Historical Evidence Backs the Bible, Not the Quran’s Claims

The earliest complete manuscripts of the New Testament — Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus (4th century) — predate Islam by 300 years and match the Bible Christians had in the 7th century.

The Old Testament is even more secure, with the Dead Sea Scrolls (c. 250 BC – 50 AD) showing textual stability over a millennium.

If Muhammad truly affirmed these books as they existed in his time, he affirmed the same Bible we have today — the same one that contradicts the Quran.

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5. The Quran Traps Itself

The Quran doesn’t just make a passing compliment to the Bible; it structurally depends on the Bible for validation. It repeatedly tells skeptics to consult the People of the Book for confirmation (10:94).

This is theological suicide if those scriptures are wrong — and total confirmation of Christianity if they are right.

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6. Why This Argument Is Unstoppable in Debate

When used properly, the Islamic Dilemma forces the discussion into a no-win scenario for Islam:

• Option 1: The Torah and Gospel are preserved → Islam contradicts them → Islam false.

• Option 2: The Torah and Gospel are corrupted → Quran wrong for affirming them → Islam false.

No amount of rhetorical gymnastics changes the binary outcome.

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7. Anticipating Muslim Counter-Moves

Muslim debaters often try to change the subject — attacking the Trinity, the deity of Christ, or supposed Bible “errors.” These are red herrings.

The Islamic Dilemma is not about proving Christianity true; it’s about proving Islam false on its own terms. Even if Christianity were false, the Quran would still contradict itself.

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8. Conclusion – The Quran’s Fatal Self-Contradiction

The Quran builds its credibility by affirming the very scriptures that expose its errors. This is not an obscure textual quirk — it’s a fatal flaw in the foundation of Islam.

The dilemma is airtight, the evidence overwhelming, and the escape routes illusory. No matter which way a Muslim turns, the Quran’s own words prove Islam false.