Even if we endorse your translation and suppose that Chapter
5:13-14 blames the People of the Book for forgetting the message that was sent them, I wonder how you reach the conclusion that this proves Jews and Christians
replaced the true message with the fake/false one! The verb “forget” denotes “deliberate ignorance” or “turning one’s back on sth” in the quoted sentences, not to “destroy” the message so as to replace it with the new one.
2:91 When it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah Hath sent down, "they say, “We believe in what was sent down to us:” yet they reject all besides, even if it be Truth confirming what is with them. Say: “Why then have ye slain the prophets of Allah in times gone by, if ye did indeed believe?”
I failed to understand why you quoted this verse at all! This verse only criticizes Jews for their deisbelief and recurrent murder of the messengers.
4:46 Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say: “We hear and we disobey”; and “Hear what is not Heard”; and “Ra’ina”; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to Faith. If only they had said: “What hear and we obey”; and “Do hear”; and “Do look at us”; it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah hath cursed them for their Unbelief; and but few of them will believe.
The words displaced from their right places are given in the verse above. It is clear that it is again
some Jews who make those alterations, and the most important thing is that the Koran says those modifications are only
verbal - as the phrase “twist of their tongues” makes it clear.
5:41 O Messenger! let not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief: (whether it be) among those who say “We believe” with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen to any lie,- will listen even to others who have never so much as come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and places: they say, “If ye are given this, take it, but if not, beware!” If any one’s trial is intended by Allah, thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah. For such - it is not Allah’s will to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a heavy punishment.
It is not difficult to understand that the verse in question is related to an incident in Mohammad’s time since the phrase “change words from their places” has *present tense *marker. Besides, the words changed are not likely to be the words in the Torah since such an act saddens Mohammad as he believes to have been
slandered by some Jews. (Telling lies about Mohammad and making others believe them through the perversion of some words is not associated with the supposed Biblical corruption)
2:174 Those who conceal Allah’s revelations in the Book, and purchase for them a miserable profit,- they swallow into themselves naught but Fire; Allah will not address them on the Day of Resurrection. Nor purify them: Grievous will be their penalty.
Concealing is completely different from distorting! If Mohammad’s scribes had believed in Biblical distortion, they would never have used the word “conceal” since Jews and Christians would have nothing to conceal if they had distorted their Scripture. Therefore, your reference to this verse makes no sense. There is a similar verse in the Koran which again brings up the same accusation only to repeat the idea that Jews had the
true Torah with them at Mohammad’s time:
6 91. And they measure not the power of Allah its true measure when they say: Allah hath naught revealed unto a human being. Say (unto the Jews who speak thus): Who revealed the Book which Moses brought, a light and guidance for mankind, which ye have put on parchments which ye show, but ye
hide much (thereof), and (by which) ye were taught that which ye knew not yourselves nor (did) your fathers (know it) ? Say: Allah. Then leave them to their play of cavilling.
to be continued…
