Is the Quran a copy of the Bible?

No. Muslims believe the Quran is direct revelation from God, not a copy of the Bible. The two share many stories and prophets because, in Islam's view, they come from the same divine source. But the Quran tells those stories in its own way, often with different details, and it corrects key beliefs rather than repeating them.

Why the two books overlap

Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Mary and Jesus all appear in both books. For Muslims this isn't surprising: the Quran says it came "confirming what was before it" (Quran 10:37) and as a "criterion over it" (Quran 5:48). In other words, it confirms what remained true in earlier scripture and corrects what was changed.

So similarity is expected. It's what you'd see if the same Author spoke again to a new generation. See Can I keep my Bible after becoming Muslim?

The Prophet ﷺ couldn't read or write

The Quran points to this itself:

وَمَا كُنتَ تَتْلُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مِن كِتَـٰبٍ وَلَا تَخُطُّهُۥ بِيَمِينِكَ ۖ إِذًا لَّٱرْتَابَ ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ "And you did not recite before it any scripture, nor did you inscribe one with your right hand. Then [i.e., otherwise] the falsifiers would have had [cause for] doubt." Quran 29:48

Historians also generally agree that there was no full Arabic translation of the Bible in 7th-century Mecca. The Prophet ﷺ is called "the unlettered prophet" (Quran 7:157), and he lived among a mostly pagan, oral culture.

What about Waraqah?

People sometimes mention Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a Christian relative of Khadijah. According to Sahih al-Bukhari 3, Khadijah took the Prophet ﷺ to him after the first revelation. Waraqah, who was old and blind, recognized it as the same kind of revelation that came to Moses. He died a few days later, while the Quran kept coming for about 23 more years, often in response to events as they happened.

Real differences, not copying

Jesus: the Quran honors him as a great prophet and the Messiah, but not as God or the son of God, and says he was not crucified (Quran 4:157).
Prophets' character: the Quran presents prophets like David, Solomon and Lot as righteous, without some of the moral failings described in parts of the Bible.
Unique material: stories like Hud and Salih, Mary's own chapter (Surah Maryam), and many details of Joseph and Moses appear only in the Quran or are told differently.
Style: the Quran isn't a chronological history. It's a book of reminders, laws and guidance, recited in Arabic.

If you want to compare for yourself, start with a clear English translation. See Which English translation of the Quran should I read?

Respectful scholarship

Some academics argue the Quran drew on Jewish and Christian traditions circulating in Arabia. Muslims respond that a shared source explains the overlap better, and that the Quran's corrections and its unique content are hard to explain as borrowing. Either way, the honest approach is to read both books yourself. See Where should I start reading the Quran as a new Muslim?

Key points

Muslims believe the Quran and earlier scriptures share one divine source.
The Prophet ﷺ couldn't read or write, and no Arabic Bible was available to him.
The Quran confirms some biblical teachings and corrects others.
It contains stories and details not found in the Bible.

Tip: Try reading a story the Bible doesn't tell, like the prophets Hud and Salih in Surah Hud (chapter 11), then the birth of Jesus in Surah Maryam (chapter 19). Noticing what's new and what's told differently is a gentle way to hear the Quran's own voice.