Exposing Islam

A Critical Examination of Qur’an 10:94:

Why Is Muhammad Told to Ask the People of the Book If in Doubt?

Introduction: A Qur’anic Puzzle — Ask the People of the Book?

In the Qur’an, a remarkable verse seems to present a paradox:

“So if you are in doubt, [O Muhammad], about what We have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so never be among the doubters.”
— (Surah Yunus 10:94)

But how could this make sense? According to the standard Islamic narrative, the Qur’an is the final, perfect, and preserved word of Allah, while the scriptures of the People of the Book — the Torah and the Gospel — are believed to have been altered and corrupted over time. If these scriptures are corrupted, why would the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ be directed to ask their followers for confirmation?

This paradox strikes at the heart of a critical theological issue: the relationship between Islam and the earlier Abrahamic faiths. This article offers a detailed, polemic analysis of Qur’an 10:94, revealing the contradictions, rationalizations, and implications of this verse in light of Islamic theology.

1. The Context of Revelation: Reassurance, or an Admission of Doubt?

A. The Human Side of Prophethood: Reassurance or Uncertainty?

Muslim scholars argue that this verse is meant as a rhetorical reassurance rather than a genuine instruction. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as a man entrusted with the weighty task of delivering Allah’s final message, faced opposition, ridicule, and hostility from the disbelievers of Mecca. But does this explanation hold up?

The Qur’an frequently provides words of comfort to the Prophet:
“We know that you are saddened by what they say. And they certainly do not call you untruthful, but it is the signs of Allah that the wrongdoers reject.”
— (Surah Al-An’am 6:33)
Yet, in this specific case, the instruction is clear: “If you are in doubt… ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you.”
If this is merely a rhetorical reassurance, why phrase it as an instruction to consult others? Why direct the Prophet to seek confirmation from followers of texts that Islam claims are corrupted?

B. The Problem of a Rhetorical Explanation

The rhetorical explanation is a convenient escape, but it creates a logical problem:

If the Prophet did not actually need to ask the People of the Book, then the verse is misleading.
If he was truly being told to ask them, this implies that they possessed knowledge that could verify the truth of the Qur’an.
But if their scriptures are corrupted, how can they be trusted to verify anything?

This tension exposes a fundamental contradiction in the Islamic narrative.

2. Who Are the People of the Book, and What Are Their Scriptures?

A. The People of the Book Defined

The Qur’an defines the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab) as Jews and Christians who received earlier scriptures:

The Torah (Tawrah) given to Musa (Moses).
The Psalms (Zabur) given to Dawud (David).
The Gospel (Injil) given to Isa (Jesus).

But there is an immediate problem:

The Torah of the Jews and the Gospels of the Christians do not resemble what the Qur’an describes as their divine books.
The Jewish Torah is a historical, legal, and prophetic compilation, while the Christian Gospels are biographical accounts of Jesus, written decades after his life.

B. The Divine Status of These Scriptures According to Islam

The Qur’an acknowledges these scriptures in their original, uncorrupted form:
“Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light…”
— (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:44)

“And We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light, and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah…”
— (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:46)
But it also accuses the Jews and Christians of altering their scriptures:
“So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ in order to exchange it for a small price…”
— (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:79)

C. A Contradiction in the Concept of Corruption

The Qur’an claims that the scriptures of the People of the Book were divinely revealed but later corrupted.
Yet, it also tells Muhammad to ask their followers if he is in doubt, implying that they still possess divine knowledge.
How can a corrupted text serve as a reliable source of verification?

3. Why Would Muhammad Be Directed to Ask Them? A Critical Analysis

A. Confirming the Consistency of Divine Revelation?

Islamic scholars argue that this verse is meant to affirm the Qur’an’s consistency with the teachings of previous prophets. But this explanation is self-defeating:

If the Torah and Gospel are corrupted, how can they confirm anything?
If they are not corrupted, then Islam’s claim of their corruption is false.

B. A Challenge to the Disbelievers?

Another interpretation is that this verse challenges the disbelievers of Mecca:

If they doubt Muhammad’s prophethood, they could consult the learned Jews and Christians who recognize his description in their scriptures:
“Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him (Muhammad) as they know their own sons…”
— (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:146)

But this interpretation also fails:

The Jews and Christians of Muhammad’s time did not recognize him as a prophet. In fact, they rejected his claims.
Early Christian and Jewish sources from that period are silent about any prophecy of Muhammad.

C. A Problem of Theological Inconsistency

The Qur’an cannot have it both ways: it cannot claim the scriptures of the People of the Book are corrupted while also using them as a source of verification.
This is not a rhetorical reassurance — it is a logical contradiction.

4. How Islamic Scholars Attempt to Resolve the Contradiction

A. Tafsir Ibn Kathir: A Rhetorical Assurance

Ibn Kathir explains that this verse is not an actual directive but a rhetorical reassurance of the truth of the Qur’an.
But a rhetorical assurance phrased as an instruction is misleading.

B. Tafsir Al-Qurtubi: Addressing the Doubters

Al-Qurtubi interprets the verse as a message to the doubters of Muhammad’s prophethood.
Yet this explanation fails because the doubters of Muhammad were not the Jews and Christians, but the pagan Arabs.

C. Tafsir At-Tabari: Affirming the Truth

At-Tabari suggests that the verse is a challenge to the disbelievers of Mecca.
But as noted, the Jews and Christians of Muhammad’s time did not recognize him as a prophet.

5. Conclusion: Qur’an 10:94 — A Fundamental Contradiction in Islamic Theology

Qur’an 10:94 presents a critical theological problem for Islam:

If the scriptures of the People of the Book are corrupted, why would Muhammad be told to ask their followers for confirmation?
If they are not corrupted, then Islam’s claim of corruption is false.
The verse is not a rhetorical reassurance; it is an admission of uncertainty and reliance on external validation.

The Paradox of Qur’an 10:94 in Summary:

The Qur’an affirms the divine origin of the Torah and Gospel but claims they are corrupted.
It instructs Muhammad to ask the People of the Book if in doubt, despite their corrupted texts.
This instruction is either meaningless (if rhetorical) or self-contradictory (if taken literally).

In trying to maintain a connection with the Abrahamic tradition while asserting its finality, Islam is caught in an unresolved contradiction. Qur’an 10:94 is not a reassurance — it is a crack in the foundation of the Islamic narrative.