Can I ask about the Books of Allāh? 

These were Books revealed by Allāh سبحانه وتعالىٰ, for the benefit of mankind. in Arabic, they are known as the KutubAllāh. They were His direct Word, sent down to earth to guide and instruct us all towards the right path. 

Sent down? Sent down to whom?

They were sent down to certain of His Messengers.

Messengers?

Yes, special individuals sent to every community to tell men and women about the Oneness of Allāh and about Submission to His Will. The Books of Allāh descended to help those Messengers properly convey the message of Islām, informing and instructing them about, amongst other things:

·       Allāh and tawhīd;

·       Al ghaib (the unseen);

·       The purpose of our creation;

·       The shari’ah (Islāmic code);

·       The consequences of doing bad;

·       The reward for doing good;

 The Arabic for ‘Messenger’ is rasūl, (plural – rusul). Another name for them is nabi, (Prophet – plural, anbiya).

So, the books helped these Messengers fulfil their missions?

Yes. The Messengers were very capable people. They performed their tasks of dā’wah (calling to Islām) by speaking to all around, by setting excellent examples and by the performance, with the Permission of Allāh, of miracles. However, to strengthen them further, Allāh gave at least five of the anbiya, Books. There may have been others, but these are five that we are told about. He tells us,

لَقَد أَرسَلنا رُسُلَنا بِالبَيِّناتِ وَأَنزَلنا مَعَهُمُ الكِتابَ وَالميزانَ لِيَقومَ النّاسُ بِالقِسطِ

We have already sent Our Messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain (their affairs) in justice.

Sūrah al Hadīd, 57:25

Who were those five Messengers that we know about?

They were:

1.     Ibrāhīm عليه السلام (Abraham). He received Suhuf (Scriptures) [1]  

2.     Mūsa عليه السلام (Moses). He received the Tawrāh (the Torah or Old Testament)

3.     Dāwūd عليه السلام (David). He received the Zabūr (the Psalms)

4.     Ēsa عليه السلام (Jesus). He received the Injīl (the Gospel)

5.     Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. He received the Qur’ān

Are those Books mentioned in the Qur’ān?

Yes. They are referred to many times both in the Qur’ān and in the ahadīth. For example, 



إِنَّ هٰذا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الأولىٰ صُحُفِ إِبراهيمَ وَموسىٰ

Indeed, this is in the former scriptures, The scriptures of Abraham and Moses

Surah al Ā’la, 87:18,19

ثُمَّ آتَينا موسَى الكِتابَ تَمامًا عَلَى الَّذي أَحسَنَ وَتَفصيلًا لِكُلِّ شَيءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحمَةً لَعَلَّهُم بِلِقاءِ رَبِّهِم يُؤمِنونَ

Then We gave Moses the Scripture, making complete (Our favour) upon the one who did good (i.e., Moses) and as a detailed explanation of all things and as guidance and mercy that perhaps in the meeting with their Lord they would believe.

Sūrah al An’ām, 6:154

وَآتَينا داوودَ زَبورًا

and to David We gave the book (of Psalms).

Sūrah al Isrā’, 17:55

ثُمَّ قَفَّينا عَلىٰ آثارِهِم بِرُسُلِنا وَقَفَّينا بِعيسَى ابنِ مَريَمَ وَآتَيناهُ الإِنجيلَ وَجَعَلنا في قُلوبِ الَّذينَ اتَّبَعوهُ رَأفَةً وَرَحمَةً

Then We sent following their footsteps (i.e., traditions) Our Messengers and followed (them) with Jesus, the son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy.

Sūrah al Hadīd, 57:27

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحسَنَ الحَديثِ كِتابًا مُتَشابِهًا مَثانِيَ تَقشَعِرُّ مِنهُ جُلودُ الَّذينَ يَخشَونَ رَبَّهُم ثُمَّ تَلينُ جُلودُهُم وَقُلوبُهُم إِلىٰ ذِكرِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذٰلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهدي بِهِ مَن يَشاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُضلِلِ اللَّهُ فَما لَهُ مِن هادٍ

Allāh has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allāh.  That is the guidance of Allāh by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allāh sends astray – for him there is no guide.

Sūrah az Zumar, 39:23

Were these Books sent for particular time periods?

Yes, and, with the exception of the Qur’ān, for particular communities also. The earlier Books[2] came to the specific followers of Ibrāhīm, Mūsa, Dāwūd and Ēsa. The Tawrāh, for example, was sent to guide the Bani Isra’īl (The Children of Israel).

وَآتَينا موسَى الكِتابَ وَجَعَلناهُ هُدًى لِبَني إِسرائيلَ أَلّا تَتَّخِذوا مِن دوني وَكيلًا

And We gave Moses the Scripture and made it a guidance for the Children of Israel that you not take other than Me as Disposer of affairs.

Sūrah al Isrā’, 17:2

The recipients of those previous Books, and the generations after them, are described in the Qur’ān as ‘Ahlu’l-Kitāb’ (People of the Book). This is because they were communities of people given revelation from Allāh. 

And then finally, the Qur’ān was revealed for Muslims?

Actually, the final Book, The Qur’ān, was not revealed for a particular community or to cover a particular, limited time period. Rather, it was revealed for all of mankind until the Last Day. It is also a Book for the jinn, the other creation who inhabit the earth with us.

You mentioned the Old Testament, the Psalms and the Gospel.  Aren’t they part of the Bible?

Yes. Today they are part of what the Christians and the Jews call the Bible.

If we believe in Tawrāh, Zabūr and Injīl, and if all these Books make up the Bible, does that not mean we can follow the Bible?

No. We cannot follow or be guided by those books as they stand today.

Why not? You said that those earlier Books were the revealed Word of Allāh. 

Notice my words, ‘as they stand today.’ There is no question that when the Tawrāh, Zabūr and Injīl first came to earth, they were the original Word of Allāh سبحانه وتعالىٰ, pure and unaltered. However, over time, the words and meaning of all these previous Books were changed. 

These altered books were then assembled together to make up ‘The Bible.’ Consequently, today, the Bible contains many statements and beliefs completely contrary to those originally given by Allāh to His Messengers.

So, as it stands today, we cannot rely on the Bible as the accurate word of Allāh?

No. We cannot.

And, even though we don’t ‘follow’ those earlier books, we do not deny them?

That’s right. If you deny the KutubAllāh, you fall outside the fold of Islām and into the realms of kufr (disbelief), may Allāh preserve us from that. Allāh says,

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا آمِنوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ وَالكِتابِ الَّذي نَزَّلَ عَلىٰ رَسولِهِ وَالكِتابِ الَّذي أَنزَلَ مِن قَبلُ وَمَن يَكفُر بِاللَّهِ وَمَلائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَاليَومِ الآخِرِ فَقَد ضَلَّ ضَلالًا بَعيدًا

O you who have believed, believe[3] in Allāh and His Messenger and the Book that He sent down upon His Messenger and the Scripture which He sent down before. And whoever disbelieves in Allāh, His angels, His books, His Messengers and the Last Day has certainly gone far astray.

Sūrah an Nisā’, 4:136

So, who made those changes to the previous Books?

The very recipients of the books themselves, the Jews and the Christians, made those changes.

Why did they do this?

Allāhu ‘Ālim (Allāh Knows Best). They could have made changes for a whole host of reasons:

·       Maybe to settle divisions and disputes amongst themselves;

·       Maybe they were motivated by personal or political desires, to raise themselves in the community;

·       Maybe they stood to benefit financially;

·       Maybe there were things in the Words of Allāh preventing them from achieving their goals;

·       Maybe they undertook reckless and inaccurate translations and interpretations of the texts.

Did they not realise they were tampering with the very words of Allāh?

Many of them knew very well what they were doing. However, without any fear of Allāh and thinking only of themselves, they continued, nonetheless. Allāh warns them,

يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ لِمَ تَلبِسونَ الحَقَّ بِالباطِلِ وَتَكتُمونَ الحَقَّ وَأَنتُم تَعلَمونَ

O People of the Book, why do you mix (confuse) the truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while you know (it)?

Sūrah Āli ‘Imrān, 3:71

How were those changes made to the previous Books?

Four words sum up why we cannot trust the previous Books as they stand today:

·       Adding

·       Subtracting

·       Twisting

·       Translating

Adding

Parts have been added to earlier Scriptures that were never sanctioned by Allāh. He says,

فَوَيلٌ لِلَّذينَ يَكتُبونَ الكِتابَ بِأَيديهِم ثُمَّ يَقولونَ هٰذا مِن عِندِ اللَّهِ لِيَشتَروا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَليلًا ۖ فَوَيلٌ لَهُم مِمّا كَتَبَت أَيديهِم وَوَيلٌ لَهُم مِمّا يَكسِبونَ

So, woe[4] to those who write the ‘scripture’ with their own hands, then say, “This is from Allāh,” in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn

Sūrah al Baqarah, 2:79

Subtracting  

Parts that were difficult to bear or that didn’t fit into the ideas of the recipients of these Books, were simply removed altogether. Allāh says,

أَم تَقولونَ إِنَّ إِبراهيمَ وَإِسماعيلَ وَإِسحاقَ وَيَعقوبَ وَالأَسباطَ كانوا هودًا أَو نَصارىٰ ۗ قُل أَأَنتُم أَعلَمُ أَمِ اللَّهُ ۗ وَمَن أَظلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهادَةً عِندَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغافِلٍ عَمّا تَعمَلونَ

Or do you say that Abraham and Ishmael and Isāc and Jacob and the Descendants were Jews or Christians? Say, “Are you more knowing or is Allāh?” And who is more unjust than one who conceals a testimony[5] he has from Allāh? And Allāh is not unaware of what you do.

Sūrah al Baqarah, 2:140

 Sometimes material gain could be acquired by removing Allāh’s Words.

إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَكتُمونَ ما أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الكِتابِ وَيَشتَرونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَليلًا ۙ أُولٰئِكَ ما يَأكُلونَ في بُطونِهِم إِلَّا النّارَ وَلا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَومَ القِيامَةِ وَلا يُزَكّيهِم وَلَهُم عَذابٌ أَليمٌ

Indeed, they who conceal what Allāh has sent down of the Book and exchange it for a small price – those consume not into their bellies except the Fire. And Allāh will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. And they will have a painful punishment.

Sūrah al Baqarah, 2:174

Twisting                  

The people of the earlier Books inferred their own meanings into Allāh’s words. Allāh mentions this behaviour in the Qur’ān,

وَإِنَّ مِنهُم لَفَريقًا يَلوونَ أَلسِنَتَهُم بِالكِتابِ لِتَحسَبوهُ مِنَ الكِتابِ وَما هُوَ مِنَ الكِتابِ وَيَقولونَ هُوَ مِن عِندِ اللَّهِ وَما هُوَ مِن عِندِ اللَّهِ وَيَقولونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الكَذِبَ وَهُم يَعلَمونَ

And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say, “This is from Allāh,” but it is not from Allāh.  And they speak untruth about Allāh while they know.

Sūrah Āli ‘Imrān, 3:78

Also,

يُحَرِّفونَ الكَلِمَ عَن مَواضِعِهِ ۙ وَنَسوا حَظًّا مِمّا ذُكِّروا بِهِ

They distort words from their (proper) places (usages) and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded.[6]

Sūrah al Mā’idah, 5:13

The classical commentator of the Qur’ān, Ibn Kathīr comments on the line “They distort words from their (proper) places” saying, “it means that they play havoc with the words of Allāh and misinterpret His Book, taking it to mean things that were never meant and attributing to Allāh things that He never said; May Allāh protect us from that.” [7]

Many of the commandments of Allāh remain intact even today in the Bible, but in a Godless, secular environment, they are simply and conveniently ignored and forgotten by today’s Ahlu’l-Kitāb[8]. Allāh warns them about this, 

قُل يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ لَستُم عَلىٰ شَيءٍ حَتّىٰ تُقيمُوا التَّوراةَ وَالإِنجيلَ وَما أُنزِلَ إِلَيكُم مِن رَبِّكُم

Say, “O People of the Scripture, you are (standing) on nothing until you uphold (the law of) the Torah, the Gospel and what has been revealed to you from your Lord (the Qur’ān).”

Sūrahal Mā’idah, 5:68

 Translating            

The earlier Books have been translated, edited and revised beyond all recognition. We do not know what the original Tawrāh, Zabūr and Injīl have to say because they are not available today in their original languages, namely the languages of Mūsa, Dāwūd and Ēsa. Did Jesus, the son of Mary, speak the language of King James? Was Moses fluent in Latin or Greek? Clearly not!

Translating Holy Scripture into other languages is extremely dangerous. Even innocent reinterpretation can alter or even destroy the original message. Over the centuries there have been so many translated versions of the Bible, with many of those versions having multiple revisions and editions. At the end of this chapter is a simple cut and paste list from Wikipedia of translations of the Bible over the centuries.

Has the Qur’ān been changed?

This Noble Book is protected by Allāh, Himself. More about that, Insha’Allāh, in the next chapter.