3. Belief in Allah’s Books

To believe in Allah’s Books is to Allah (SWT)   believe   that   Allah(SWT)to revealed Heavenly Books to His Messengers to convey then’ d mankind. These Books, at the time of their revelation, contain nothing but the truth. In them was the Message of the Oneness of Allah (SWT): that there is no creator, administrator, or owner except Him, that all worship should be directed to Him and no one else, and that to Him belongs all excellent Names and Attributes. He is nothing like His creation, and none can be compared to Him. Allah (SWT) says

Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice. [57:25]

 A Muslim must believe in all the Heavenly Books and he must believe that they were originally from Allah (SWT). However, it is not lawful for him to abide by its laws, since these Books were revealed to specific nations during specific times.

[1] The Scriptures of Abraham (AS) and Moses: The Qur’an has given a brief insight about the religious fundamentals found in these scriptures. Allah (SWT) says:

 Or, has he not been informed of what is in the scriptures of Moses? And [of] Abraham who fulfilled (the commandments): That no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for; And that his striving shall soon be seen; Then shall be rewarded for it with the fullest reward; and that to your Lord is the goal. [53:36-42] [2] The Torah: The Torah is the Sacred Book which was revealed to Moses (AS). Allah (SWT) says:

Verily, We did send down the Torah [to Moses], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah’s Will, judged the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged the Jews by the Torah after those Prophets] for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah’s Book, and they were witnesses thereto. Therefore, fear not men but fear Me [O Jews] and sell not My Verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers. [5:44]

The Qur’an has explained some of the teachings which were found in the Torah, and from them is a mention of some of the characteristics of the Messenger Muhammad (ﷺ). Allah (SWT) says

Muhammad (ﷺ) is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate [in prayer], seeking Bounty from Allah and [His] Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces from the traces of [their] prostration. This is their description in the Torah (Torah).) [48:29]

Allah also mentioned in the Qur’an some of the religious rulings revealed in the Torah. Allah (SWT) says:

And We ordained therein for them: ‘Life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal.’ But if anyone remits the retaliation by way of charity, it shall be for him expiation. And whosoever does not judge by that which Allah has revealed, such are the wrongdoers.) [5:45] [3] The Zaboor (Psalms): The Zaboor is the Scripture revealed to David (AS).

Allah (SWT) says:

…and to David We gave the Zaboor. [4:163]

 [4] The Injeel (Gospel): The Injeel is the Sacred Book which was revealed to Jesus (AS). Allah (SWT) says:

And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah that had come before him. And We gave him the Injeel, in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Torah that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition for the Allah-fearing. [5:46]

The Qur’an has explained some of what was found in the Torah and the lnjeel; such as the prophecy of Muhammad (ﷺ):

…and My mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it [specially] for those who guard against evil] and give Zakah, and those who believe in Our verses. Those who follow the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Injeel, [which] enjoins them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful to them the good things and makes unlawful to them impure things, and removes their burden and the shackles which were upon them; so those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, these it is that are the successful. [7:156]

They also encourage that people fight jihad in Allah’s cause in order to make His religion supreme. Allah (SWT) says:

Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah’s Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Torah and the Injeel and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success. [9:111] [5] The Noble Qur’an: One must believe that the Qur’an is the Speech of Allah which Gabriel(AS) brought to Muhammad (ﷺ) in clear Arabic language. Allah (SWT) says:

Which the trustworthy Spirit (Gabriel) has brought down. Upon your heart [O Muhammad (ﷺ) that you may, be [one] of the warners, in a plain Arabic language. [26:193-5]

 The Qur’an is different than the Heavenly Books that preceded it, in the following ways:

a) The Qur’an is the last of the Heavenly Books, confirming the previous Books concerning the Message of His Oneness and the obligation to worship and obey Him. Allah (SWT) says:

And We have sent down to you [O Muhammad (SWT)1 the Book (this Qur’an)

in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and a witness over it). [5:48]

b) All previous Books were abrogated by the Qur’an. Its teachings are divine, final, everlasting and suitable for all times and places. Allah (SWT) says:

This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as a religion. [5:3]

c) The Qur’an was revealed to mankind at large; not to a specific nation, as were previously revealed Heavenly Books. Allah(SWT) says:

And We have not sent you [O Muhammad (ﷺ)] except to all of mankind, as a giver of glad tidings and a warner, but most people know not. [34:28]

 Even if the other Books agree with the Qur’an in the fundamentals of the religion, they address a specific people. Due to this, its rulings and regulations are particular to them. It is attributed to Jesus (AS) in the Bible that he himself said:

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house (children) of Israel.” [Matthew 15:24]

d) Its recitation, memorization and teaching are regarded as acts of worship. The Messenger of Allah (SWT) said:

“Whoever recites one letter of the Qur’an, he will receive ten rewards. I do not mean that Alif Laam Meem’ is one  letter. Rather , ‘alif’ is a letter, ‘laam’ is a letter , and ‘meem’ is a letter .”[at-Tirmidhi]

e) The Qur’an includes all the legislations which are needed to reform society. In his book ‘Towards understanding Islam’, H.G. Dorman says about the Qur’an:

It (the Qur’an) is literal revelation of God, dictated to Muhammad (ﷺ) by Gabriel, perfect in every letter. It is an ever-present miracle witnessing to itself and to Muhammad (ﷺ), the Prophet of God. Its miraculous quality resides partly in its style, so perfect and lofty that neither man nor jinn could produce a single chapter to compare with its briefest chapter, and partly in its content of teachings prophecies about the future, and amazingly accurate information such as the illiterate Muhammad could never have gathered of his own accord.

f) It is a historical account explaining the series of religions which were revealed to the various prophets and messengers. It accounts for what transpired between them and their nation, from Adam to Muhammad, may Allah praise them all.g) Allah has preserved the Qur’an from all distortions, adulterations, additions, or impairments. Allah (SWT) says:

Indeed it is We ourselves Who have sent down the Remembrance (the Qur’an) and surely, it is We Who shall guard it [from distortion]. [15:9]

h) As for the other Books, Allah did not promise to protect them, for they were revealed to a particular people in a particular time. For that reason, they were distorted. Allah (SWT) says:

Do you (faithful believers) covet that they will believe in your religion despite the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allah (the Torah), then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it? [2:75]

In regards to the distortion of the Christians in the Gospels, Allah (SWT) says:

And from those who call themselves Christians, We took their covenant, but they have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. So We planted amongst them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will inform them of what they used to do. O people of the Scripture! Now has come to you Our Messenger Muhammad to explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture and passing over (i.e. leaving out without explaining) much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light and a plain Book (this Quean).

[5:14-15]

Among the things that the Jews and Christians innovated in their religions, was the falsehood of attributing a son to Allah. Some Jews claimed that Ezra was the son of Allah, while the Christians claimed that the Messiah (Jesus) was the son of Allah. Allah (SWT) says in this regard:

And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: the Messiah is the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouths. They imitate the saying of the disbelievers of old. Allah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth! [9:30]

 Allah refuted their claims and clarified the correct belief one should hold, saying:

 Say [O Muhammad (ﷺ)]: ‘He is Allah, One. Allah is the Self-Sufficient Master Whom all creatures need. He begets not, nor was Ile begotten; And there is none equal or comparable unto Him.’ [112;1-4]

 From this, it should be clear that the different versions of the Bible in circulation today are not the Words of Allah, nor the Words of Jesus (AS). Rather, they are the Words of his followers and students. It includes his biography, admonitions and commands, but much distortion has been made to it in order to serve specific purposes. Steve Allen, said in his book: ‘On the Bible, Religion, & Morality’:

“The number of errors [in the Bible]… amounts to about 6,000! It is absurd to try to make this factual reality conform to the popular impression that the Bible is totally error-free.”

The Benefits of Belief in Allah’s Books

Through belief in the various Scriptures that Allah has informed us, we benefit in the following ways:

[1] One realizes the mercy and love Allah has for His slaves, since He revealed to them Books which guide them to the Path which leads to His Pleasure. He safeguarded man from confusion and from the evil of Satan.

[2] One realizes the great wisdom of Allah, since He gave each nation a set of laws that suited them during their times.

[3] To distinguish true believers from those who are not. It is incumbent upon one who believes in his own Book to believe in the other Heavenly Books as well.

[4] To increase the good deeds of the Believers; for the one who believes in his Book and the Books that came after his Book receive his reward twice. Allah (SWT) says:

Those to whom We gave the Scripture [i.e. the Torah and the Injeel, etc.] before it, – they believe in it (the Qur’an). And when it is recited to them, they say: ‘We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before it we have been from those who submit themselves to Allah in Islam as Muslims. These will be given their reward twice over, because they are patient, and repel evil with good, and spend out of that which We have provided them. [28:52-4]

To be continued…