Is the Quran a Plagiarized Text?

Question

Why do many experts claim the Quran is plagiarized from earlier scriptures? - An evaluation of claims that the Quran borrowed from earlier religious texts such as the Torah, Bible, Sabiens and other traditions, and Muslim responses to these accusations.

Answer1:

The core concept of Islam is pure monotheism — belief in one Almighty God. Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not author the Qur’an; he received it directly from God through revelation. The Qur’an itself emphasizes that it is the Word of God, not the word of any human being.

Because God sent many prophets and messengers throughout history — to the Children of Israel, to earlier nations, and finally to all humanity — it’s natural that their messages share common truths: worship one God, live righteously, and uphold justice. These similarities don’t mean “copying”; they reflect the continuity of divine guidance.

The real question is not why religions share common teachings — they should, if they all originated from the same Creator — but why they differ today. Islam explains that this is due to the alteration and corruption of earlier scriptures over time, whereas the Qur’an was revealed as the final and preserved message to restore the truth that had been lost. Even Quran mentions this fact about alteration of previous scriptures.

📜 Qur’anic Verses on Alteration of Earlier Scriptures:

#	Reference	Arabic (Excerpt)	English Translation	Type of Distortion	Explanation
1	Al-Baqarah 2:75	يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ	“They distort the words after understanding them, while they know [what they are doing].”	Interpretive & Textual	Some among the Jews knowingly altered or misinterpreted the revealed words.
2	Al-Baqarah 2:79	فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ	“So woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah.’”	Textual (Fabrication)	They wrote false scripture and attributed it to God for worldly gain.
3	An-Nisā’ 4:46	مِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ	“Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] places.”	Textual & Verbal	Distorting or twisting divine words from their true meanings.
4	Al-Mā’idah 5:13	يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ وَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ	“They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of what they were reminded of.”	Textual & Omission	Changing and forgetting portions of revelation.
5	Al-Mā’idah 5:41	يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوَاضِعِهِ	“They distort words from their [proper] usages.”	Interpretive	Selectively manipulating divine rulings for convenience.
6	Al-Baqarah 2:159	يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَى	“Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance…”	Concealment	Withholding or hiding parts of revelation that contradicted their desires.

🕌 Summary Insight

References:

• The Qur’an recognizes that the original revelations — the Torah and the Gospel — were divine and true at the time of revelation.
• However, it asserts that some followers later altered or misinterpreted parts, concealed truths, and added human elements.
• This concept is known in Islamic theology as تَحْرِيف (tahrīf) — alteration or distortion.

1️⃣ Surah Al-Baqarah (2:75)

“Do you covet [the hope], O believers, that they would believe in you while a party of them used to hear the words of Allah and then distort it after they had understood it, while they know [what they were doing]?”

🔹 Meaning: Some people from among the earlier communities knowingly altered or misinterpreted God’s words after understanding them.

2️⃣ Surah Al-Baqarah (2:79)

“So woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.”

🔹 Meaning: They fabricated texts and falsely attributed them to God for worldly gain.

3️⃣ Surah An-Nisa (4:46)

“Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] places and say, ‘We hear and disobey,’ and ‘Hear but be not heard,’ and ‘Ra‘ina,’ twisting their tongues and defaming the religion…”

🔹 Meaning: This refers to verbal distortion and mockery, twisting divine words or expressions to change their meaning.

4️⃣ Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:13)

“…They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded…”

🔹 Meaning: Some of the People of the Book changed and forgot parts of the original revelation.

5️⃣ Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:41)

“…They distort words from their [proper] usages, saying, ‘If you are given this, take it; but if you are not given it, then beware.’”

🔹 Meaning: They manipulated and selectively accepted revelation to fit their desires.

6️⃣ Surah Al-Baqarah (2:159)

“Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture — those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse.”

🔹 Meaning: Some hid or suppressed parts of revelation that did not suit their interests.

References:

• Tahrif al-lafz (textual alteration) — changing or fabricating the wording.
• Tahrif al-ma‘na (interpretive distortion) — twisting meanings or interpretations.

Answer 2:

Quran is the word of Allah; Mankind was created by Allah and all the knowledge which mankind gained is from him.

Allah is the All-Knowing and His knowledge is above the knowledge of every knowledgeable person.

However some people claim that Quran has certain things which is already mentioned in other religious scriptures (and hence conclude that there might have been plagiarism) To them below is the response:

Many messengers were sent before prophet muhammad saws and the core message of all messengers was the same .

Abdullaah bin Amr Al−Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet said: “There was never a Prophet before me except that it was a duty upon him that he should guide his nation to every good that he knew and warn them against every evil that he knew…” [Muslim]

Allah Says (which means): “And We certainly sent into every nation a Messenger, (saying): ‘Worship Allah and avoid Taaghoot (false objects of worship).’ ” [Quran 16: 36]

The Quran says (what means): “(we sent) Messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah after Messengers.” [Quran 4: 165] (please note messengers NOT messenger)

The Quran also says (what means): “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him that there is no god but I (Allah), so worship Me (alone and none else).” [Quran 21: 25]

The Quran as well as the revelations sent to prophets before were all derived from the “Mother of the book” ie (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz)

Allâh blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz) (Ra’d 13:39)

And Verily, it (this Qur’ân) is in the Mother of the Book (i.e. Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz), before Us, indeed Exalted, full of Wisdom. (Az-Zukhruf 43:4) Hence, As per islamic belief the message/revelations sent to previous messengers (before prophet saws) were adulterated/tampered for various reasons thereby becoming a different religion altogether over a period of time.

Still some original teachings would be there mixed with the adulteration.This may be reason for some similarities between books of different faiths and Quran because they might be originally revelation of Allah swt and all the revelations were derived from (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz) ie Mother of the book.