The Protection of the Quran from AlterationSYNOPSIS Alterations to the meaning of the Quran that Muslims are in agreement about; alterations that did not occur in the Quran, and on which Muslims are in agree‌ ment about; alterations that occurred, and on which there is disagreement; declara‌ tions of the major lmamite figures regarding the absence of alteration, this being part of their religious beliefs; abrogation of the recitation-a well-known doctrine among Sunni scholars; utterances of the prominent Companions of the Prophet about the occurrence of alteration; the belief in the abrogation of a recitation is tantamount to the belief in alteration; five proofs against the [presence of] alteration; specious argu‌ ments of those maintaining a belief in alteration.

Before embarking upon the main topic here, it is appropriate to begin the treatment of the subject with certain matters that have relevance to the purpose of this study, and without which this discussion cannot proceed.

The Meaning of Alteration

The word ta/:lrif is applied, and carries a number of meanings, by way of concur‌ rence. Some types of alteration were made to the Quran and were agreed upon by the Muslims; other types of alteration did not occur, as Muslims also agreed. Still others are the subject of dispute among them. Let us now tum to the details.
First, the word ta/:lrifhas the sense of "transferring a word from its original sense to another, and transforming its meaning into another." Such is the meaning de‌ rived from the following verse of the Quran: "Some of those who are Jews change (yu/:larrifUna) from their context [in the Scripture]" (Q. ٤:٤٦).
There is no dispute among Muslims about whether this kind of alteration occurred in the Book of God. Thus, anyone who explains the Quran incorrectly, ascribing to it meanings other than those it conveys, has committed an alteration. One can find many followers of the sinful deviations and corrupt doctrines, who have changed