Likewise, in the Psalms we have come across multiple manuscripts that differ greatly from one another in both wording and meaning. Anyone who examines them will be certain that much of what they contain is falsely attributed to the Psalms of David—peace be upon him. As for the Gospels, the degree of confusion within them is even greater than that found in the Torah.

If it is asked, “Since the earlier Scriptures were abrogated, why were the People of the Scripture rebuked for failing to judge by what Allah had revealed in them?” the reply is that abrogation affected only a small number of legal rulings, whereas the reports about Allah, the Last Day, and similar matters were never abrogated. In the same way, the encompassing creed and the universal precepts were not subject to abrogation.

Thus He—glorified is He—censured them for abandoning the first Book, because the People of the Scripture fell into disbelief from two directions: first, by altering the original Book and by refusing to believe in and act upon parts of it; and second, by denying the second Book, namely the Qur’an. Allah the Exalted says:

“When it is said to them, ‘Believe in what Allah has sent down,’ they reply, ‘We believe in what was sent down to us,’ yet they reject all that came afterwards, although it is the truth confirming what they already have. Say, ‘Then why did you kill Allah’s prophets before, if you were truly believers?’” ⦗Qur’an, 2:91⦘

In this verse He makes clear that, even before the Prophet’s mission, they had already disbelieved in what had been sent down to them and had slain the prophets, just as