A Note (1): The People of the Scripture and how they distorted their books and altered their religions

As for the Jews, God sent down the Torah to them through Moses son of ʿImrān—peace be upon him—as the Exalted says:
“Then We gave Moses the Scripture, completing [Our favor] for those who do good and as a detailed explanation of all things.” (al-Anʿām 6:154)

He also says: “Say, ‘Who sent down the Book that Moses brought as light and guidance for humankind? You turn it into parchments, showing part of it while concealing much.’” (al-Anʿām 6:91)

And He says: “We certainly granted Moses and Aaron the Criterion, and a light, and a reminder for the God-fearing.” (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:48)

And He says: “We gave them the clear Book and guided them to the straight path.” (al-Ṣāffāt 37:117–118)

And He says: “Indeed We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light. By it the prophets who had submitted judged for the Jews, as did the rabbis and the scholars, with what they were entrusted of the Book of God and of which they were witnesses. So do not fear the people; fear Me. Do not barter My revelations for a paltry price. Whoever does not judge by what God has revealed—those are the disbelievers.” (al-Māʾidah 5:44)

They ruled by the Torah and clung to it for a time, but then they began to twist, alter, and reinterpret it, introducing into it what did not belong. The Exalted says:
“Among them is a group who twist their tongues while reciting the Book so that you might think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book. They say, ‘It is from God,’ yet it is not from God, and they knowingly tell lies about God.” (Āl ʿImrān 3:78)

God thus informed us that they explain and interpret it incorrectly, placing it where it does not belong. There is no dispute among the scholars about this: they tamper with its meanings and carry it to what was never intended. They substituted, for instance, the ruling of stoning with flogging and blackening the face—though the word “stoning” remained in the text—and if a noble person among them stole they would spare him, whereas if a weak person stole they would carry out the penalty, even though they were commanded to apply the fixed punishment and amputation to both high and low alike.

As for changing its actual wording, some have said that all of it was altered, while others maintained it was not. The latter cite as proof His words: “Yet how is it that they come to you for judgment when they have the Torah, containing the judgment of God?” (al-Māʾidah 5:43); His saying, “whom they find written with them in the Torah…” (al-Aʿrāf 7:157); and His saying, “Say, ‘Bring the Torah and recite it, if you are truthful.’” (Āl ʿImrān 3:93).