THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

(The Books of Al-lah)

Q.   How did the people come to know that the Taurat (Torah), the Zabur (the Psalms of David) and the Injil (The New Testament) are Divine Books?

  The Holy Qur-an affirms the fact of their being heavenly Books.

Of Taurat Al-lah says:

IN-NA ANZALNAT-TAURATA FIHA HUDA(N)W-WA NUR

(Verily, we revealed the Taurat, and it is true guidance and light)

And of the Zabur He says:

WA ATAINA DAVUDA ZABURA

(We bestowed the Psalms on David)

About the Injil has been said:

WA QAF-FAINA BI-‘ISA-BNI MARYAMA WA ATAINAH-UL-INJIL

(We sent ‘Isa [Jesus] the son of Maryam [Mary] and gave him the Injil [the Bible])

Thus, Muslims came to know through the Holy Qur-an that these three Scriptures are divine in descent.

Q.   What about a man who refuses to acknowledge the Taurat, the Zabur, and the Injil as the Books of Al-lah?

  Such a person is a Kafir (unbeliever), for the Holy Qur-an testifies to their being Divine Scriptures. Anyone who denies their heavenly descent disbelieves the Holy Qur-an and one who disbelieves the Qur-an is a Kafir.

Q.   Are the texts now extant with us to be considered as genuine Taurat, Zabur and Injil?

  No, the Holy Qur-an also testifies that men have tampered with these texts. The Old Testaments and the New Testament now extant are not in their original forms. They have undergone alterations. So, we should not have the belief that these three Scriptures are the originally revealed texts.

Q.   How did people come to know that some SAHIFAS (the Scrolls) were revealed to some of the prophets?

  The Holy Qur-an affirms that the Scrolls were revealed to some of the prophets. We find mention of the Scrolls of Hadrat Ibrahim in the Surah

SAB-BIH-ISMA RAB-BIKA-L A’LA

Q.   Is the Holy Qur-an the Book of Al-lah or His spoken word?

  The Holy Qur-an is both the Book of Al-lah and His Word. The Qur-an itself refers to it as the Book and the Word.

Q.   Of the Old Testament, the Holy Psalms, the New Testament and the Holy Qur-an, which one is superior?

  The Holy Qur-an is superior to all others.

Q.   In what ways is the Holy Qur-an superior to other Scriptures?

  It gains over others in innumerable ways. First, each and every word of the Holy Qur-an is preserved in its original form. Not even a dot has been subtracted from or added to it. Nor will there be any change in it till the Final Day, while the previous Scriptures have been tampered with by the people. The language of the Holy Qur-an is a miracle. The style is so incomparably sublime that it is beyond human faculty to compose anything like the smallest part of it in beauty. Thirdly, the Holy Qur-an has brought the final Divine Code. Hence, a number of its injunctions supersede those in the earliest Scriptures. Fourthly, the previous Scriptures were revealed, all at once. But the Holy Qur-an continued to be revealed for twenty-three years, bit by bit as and when necessity arose. On account of its being revealed in bits and according to the needs of the time, it found access to the hearts of the people and hundreds of thousands of people accepted its code and commands, and embraced Islam. Fifthly, the Holy Qur-an is preserved in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of Muslims. This preservation has continued right from the times of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) and, if Al-lah wills, it will continue as such till the Final Day.

              By vitue of its being passed on from heart to heart, the enemies of Islam have failed to get any opportunity to effect alterations in it or destroy it, nor will they ever be able to do it till the Final Day, if Al-lah so wills. Sixthly, and finally, the tenets and laws of the Holy Qur-an are so moderate that they suit all times, places and conditions. No people on earth will find themselves hard to put to it to act upon the dictates of the Holy Qur-an, since they suit all times and people. There is no need for any other code or Divine Scriptures after the Holy Qur-an, and the Prophethood of Hadrat Muham-mad (peace be on him) has been proclaimed for all.