THE ISLAMIC DILEMMA: A THEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Abstract
The interplay between the Qur’an and the Gospels presents a significant theological conundrum within Islam, often referred to as the “Islamic Dilemma.” This dilemma centers on the Qur’an’s affirmation of the previous Scriptures—specifically the Gospel (Injil)—and its subsequent contradictions with the actual teachings found within those Scriptures. This article critically examines the dilemma, referencing Islamic texts, Christian scriptures, and scholarly interpretations to demonstrate the theological and logical inconsistencies inherent in Islamic claims regarding the integrity and authority of the Gospels. The analysis further exposes the resultant predicament for Muhammad and Islamic doctrine.
1. Introduction
Islamic theology claims continuity with the Abrahamic tradition, asserting that Allah revealed the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, the Gospel to Jesus, and the Qur’an to Muhammad. This claim, however, is fraught with contradictions when the actual content of the Gospels is compared with Islamic doctrine. The "Islamic Dilemma" emerges from the Qur’an's simultaneous affirmation and rejection of the foundational Christian claims about Jesus Christ.
2. The Qur’an’s Affirmation of the Gospel
The Qur’an repeatedly affirms that the Gospel was revealed by Allah as a source of guidance and light:
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Surah 3:3: “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.”
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Surah 5:46: “And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous.”
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Surah 5:47: “So let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein.”
Here, the Qur’an not only recognizes the Gospel as divinely inspired but commands Christians to judge by it, suggesting the Gospel’s continued validity during Muhammad’s era.
3. The Contradictions: Christology in the Gospels vs. the Qur’an
3.1. Jesus in the Gospels
The Gospels emphatically declare the divinity and sonship of Jesus Christ:
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John 8:58: “Before Abraham was, I am.”
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Mark 3:11: “Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, ‘You are the Son of God.’”
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John 1:1, 14: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
3.2. Jesus in the Qur’an
Islam categorically denies the divinity and sonship of Christ:
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Surah 4:171: “The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah... So believe in Allah and His messengers, and do not say ‘Three’; desist—it is better for you. Allah is only one God. Far be it from His glory that He should have a son.”
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Surah 5:72: “They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary’… Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire.”
Thus, while the Gospel proclaims Jesus as God and the Son of God, the Qur’an rejects these central Christian tenets. This irreconcilable contradiction is at the heart of the Islamic dilemma.
4. The Islamic Response: Corruption Theory
Facing this contradiction, Muslim apologists typically assert that the Gospels have been corrupted (tahrif). Yet, the Qur’an explicitly states:
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Surah 6:115: “And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His words...”
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Surah 18:27: “And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. None can change His words…”
If, according to the Qur’an, none can alter the words of Allah, it becomes theologically incoherent to argue that the Gospel—which the Qur’an recognizes as Allah’s Word—has been corrupted.
Furthermore, the Qur’an challenges the Jews and Christians to judge by their own scriptures (Surah 5:47, 5:68), implying the continued authenticity of these texts during Muhammad’s time.
Manuscript Evidence
Modern textual criticism reveals that the manuscripts of the Gospels predate Muhammad by centuries, and there is no evidence of a widespread post-Christian corruption. The content Christians had in the 7th century is virtually identical to what exists today. (See Bruce Metzger, The Text of the New Testament, and F.F. Bruce, The Canon of Scripture.)
5. The Lost Gospel Argument
Some Muslims contend that the original Gospel was lost. However, the Qur’an itself contradicts this notion by referencing the Gospel in the possession of Christians at the time of Muhammad, commanding them to judge by it:
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Surah 5:47: “So let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein.”
This passage presupposes the accessibility and authenticity of the Gospel among the Christian communities of the 7th century.
6. The Muhammad Dilemma: The Prophet’s Reliance on the Gospel
Muhammad’s references to the Gospel and his affirmation of its authority raise serious theological dilemmas. If the Gospel was corrupted or lost, then Muhammad’s command to Christians to follow it becomes either ignorant or deceptive—attributes inconsistent with prophethood. If the Gospel was intact and true, then Islam’s denial of its central message (Christ’s divinity, crucifixion, and resurrection) renders Islam a self-contradictory faith.
7. Logical Flow of the Dilemma
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If the Gospels are true: Islam is false, because its core claims contradict the Gospel (e.g., Christ’s divinity and atonement).
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If the Gospels are false: The Qur’an is false, because it affirms the Gospels as revelation.
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If the Gospels are corrupted: The Qur’an is false, because it teaches no one can change Allah’s words.
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If the Gospels are lost: The Qur’an is false, because Muhammad affirmed the existence and validity of the Gospel among Christians of his time.
Either way, Islam cannot stand without undermining its own foundational claims.
8. Conclusion: The Inescapable Dilemma
The so-called “Islamic Dilemma” is an unavoidable theological predicament for Islam and for Muhammad as its prophet. If the Qur’an is to be believed, the Gospels were once the Word of God, but their content irreconcilably contradicts Islamic doctrine. The standard Muslim response—the corruption theory—lacks Qur’anic support and is refuted by manuscript evidence. The only resolution for Muslims is to reject either the integrity of their own scripture or the legitimacy of Christian claims, but not both.
The academic and theological challenge is clear: Islam cannot both affirm and deny the Gospel. Any attempt to reconcile the two results in internal contradiction, exposing the dilemma of Muhammad’s teaching and, by extension, the doctrinal integrity of Islam itself.
References
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The Qur’an: Surahs 3:3, 4:171, 5:46-47, 5:68, 6:115, 18:27
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The Bible: John 1:1, 1:14, 8:58, Mark 3:11
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Metzger, B. (2005). The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration.
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Bruce, F.F. (1988). The Canon of Scripture.
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Wood, D. (2012). “The Islamic Dilemma: Quran, Gospel, and the Dilemma of Revelation.”
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Reynolds, G. (2018). The Qur’an and the Bible: Text and Commentary. Yale University Press.
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Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 367 (affirming Gospel as revelation).
For further study, students are encouraged to examine primary source manuscripts, the history of textual transmission, and patristic references to the Gospel predating Islam. The tension between the Qur’an’s recognition of the Gospel and its rejection of Christian doctrine remains a profound theological and historical challenge for Islamic apologetics.
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
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