Substitution and Inscription; Analyzing Two Quranic Expressions Understood as the Biblical Falsification

Among the Quranic verses which are cited to demonstrate the falsification (taḥrīf) of the Bible according to the Quran, there are two types of expressions; first, the verses speaking of “substitution” (tabdīl), plus the verse referring to “inscription of the Book” by Jews. Using the methods of Semantics and Pragmatics on the ground of intertextuality, this paper aims to analyze these verses. This survey shows that there is no meaningful relationship between “substitution” verses and Biblical falsification, because the former is solely related to an oral subject, and hence irrelevant to the written scriptures, such as the Bible. Nor “inscription” could be considered as referring to taḥrīf, because of grammatical obstacles. A close analysis shows that the “Book” mentioned in this verse is the Torah, rather than a spurious book forged by Jews, and the verse speaks of a Jewish belief regarding the inscription of Moses’ Tablets by the finger of God. Hence, it can be concluded that neither verse admits the idea of Biblical falsification.