Chapter IV
ALLAH'S BOOKS
Belief in Allah's Books:
We believe that Allah revealed books to His messengers as proof against
mankind and a guidance for the righteous workers. They purified and taught them
wisdom by these books.
We believe that Allah sent down a book with every messenger, because He says:
"Indeed We sent down Our messengers with the clear signs, and We sent down with
them the book and the balance, so that people may uphold justice" (57:25).
Books Known:
Among the books that were revealed, we know:
I ) The Torah, which was revealed to MUSA, peace be upon him. It is the
greatest among the Israelites' books: "Surely, We sent down the Torah, wherein
is guidance and light; by its laws the Jews have been judged by the prophets who
surrendered themselves to Allah, the rabbis and the doctors of law, because they
were entrusted the protection of Allah's book and were witnesses thereto"
(5:44).
2) The Gospel, which Allah revealed to Jesus, peace be upon him. It is a
confirmation of the Torah and a complement to it: "And we gave him the Gospel,
wherein is guidance and light and confirming the Torah before it, as a guidance
and an admonition to the God-fearing" (5:46); "And to make lawful to you certain
things that, before, were forbidden to you" (3:50).
3) The Psalms, which Allah gave to David, peace be upon him.
4) The Tablets of Abraham and MUSA, peace be upon them.
5) The Glorious Qur'an, which was revealed to His Prophet Muhammad, the Seal
of the Prophets. It is "a guidance to the people and clear signs of guidance and
the criterion between right and wrong" (2:185). The Qur'an Is Protected from
Change:
The Qur'an is "confirming the scripture that was before it and stands as a
guardian over it." Thus, by means of the Qur'an, Allah abrogated all the
previous revealed books. Allah has also guaranteed its protection from any play
or mischievous distortion: "Indeed, We sent down the message and We will guard
it" (15:9), for the Qur'an is a proof against mankind till the Day of Judgment.
Previous Scriptures Changed:
The previous scriptures were meant for a limited period. Their use ended with
the revelation of the Qur'an, which abrogated them and exposed their distortions
and changes. That is why they were not protected from corruption. They underwent
distortion, addition, and omission: "Some of the Jews pervert words from their
meanings" (4:46); "So woe to those who write the Book with their hands, and then
say: 'This is from Allah,' that they may sell it for a little price. So woe to
them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for their earnings"
(2:79); "Say, who sent down the Book that MUSA brought as a light and a
guidance to people? You put it into sheets of paper showing some of them and
concealing much" (6:91); "And there is a group among them who twist their
tongues with the Book, that you may think it is a part of the Book but it is not
part of the Book. And they say 'It is from Allah,' yet it is not from Allah, and
they tell a lie against Allah and they know it. It is not for any human being to
whom Allah has given the Book, the Wisdom and the Prophet hood to say to men
'Worship me instead of Allah"' (3:79); "People of the Book! Our Messenger has
come to you, making clear to you many things you have been concealing of the
Book and forgiving you of much. A light has come to you from Allah and a
glorious Book, with which He will guide whoever follows His pleasure in the way
of peace, and brings them forth from darkness into the light by His will"
(5:15-16).
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