2.79 – woe to those who write the Book with their (own) hands

A number of verses in the Quran show an attitude of suspicion toward the

treatment of the pre-Islamic scriptures by the “People of the Book.” The expression “those who write the Book with their (own) hands” in 2.79 is one of the best-known of these verses.

The preceding context refers vaguely to acts of conspiracy (v. 76), deception (v. 77), and ignorance (v. 78). This mood of suspicion then seems to continue into verse 79 about the writing of a book (kitāb).

Many Muslim commentators and polemicists interpreted this verse to mean that the Jews falsify the text of the Torah (tawrāt). In most cases, their accusation was that the Jews of Medina changed or erased the description of Muhammad from the Torah.