Islamic holy books

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Islamic holy books are certain religious scriptures that are viewed by Muslims as having valid divine significance, in that they were authored by God (Allah) through a variety of prophets and messengers, including those who predate the Quran. Among the group of religious texts considered to be valid revelations, the three that are mentioned by name in the Quran are the Tawrat (Arabic for Torah), received by prophets and messengers amongst the Israelites; the Zabur (Psalms), received by David; and the Injeel (Arabic for the Gospel), received by Jesus. Additionally, the Quran mentions God's revealing of the Scrolls of Abraham and the Scrolls of Moses.

Contents

Early Quranic manuscript written on vellum (mid-late 7th century CE) Qur'anic Manuscript - 3 - Hijazi script.jpg
Early Quranic manuscript written on vellum (mid-late 7th century CE)
Scroll of the Psalms Psalms scroll.PNG
Scroll of the Psalms
Open Torah case with scroll Open Torah Case with Scroll.jpg
Open Torah case with scroll

Muslims hold the Quran, as it was revealed to Muhammad, to be God's final revelation to mankind, and therefore a completion and confirmation of previous scriptures, such as the Bible. [1] Despite the primacy that Muslims place upon the Quran in this context, belief in the validity of earlier Abrahamic scriptures is one of the six Islamic articles of faith. However, for most self-identified Muslims, the level of this belief is restricted by the concept of tahrif .

The Islamic methodology of tafsir al-Qur'an bi-l-Kitab (Arabic : تفسير القرآن بالكتاب) refers to interpreting the Qur'an with/through the Bible. [2] This approach adopts canonical Arabic versions of the Bible, including the Tawrat and the Injil, both to illuminate and to add exegetical depth to the reading of the Qur'an. Notable Muslim mufassirun (commentators) of the Bible and Qur'an who weaved biblical texts together with Qur'anic ones include Abu al-Hakam Abd al-Salam bin al-Isbili of al-Andalus and Ibrahim bin Umar bin Hasan al-Biqa'i. [2]

Major books

Quran

The Quran is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be a revelation from God (Arabic : الله, Allah ). [3] The Quran is divided into chapters ( surah ), which are then divided into verses ( ayah ). Muslims believe the Quran was verbally revealed by Allah to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel ( Jibril ), [4] [5] gradually over a period of approximately 23 years, starting in late 609, when Muhammad was 39, and concluding in 632, the year of his death. [3] [6] [7] Muslims regard the Quran as the most important miracle of Muhammad, a proof of his prophethood, [8] and the culmination of a series of divine messages that started with the messages revealed to Adam and ended with Muhammad. It is widely regarded as the finest work in classical Arabic literature. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Tawrat (Torah)

The "Tawrat" (also Tawrah or Taurat; Arabic : توراة‎) is the Arabic name for the Torah within its context as an Islamic holy book believed by Muslims to have been given by God to the prophets and messengers amongst the Children of Israel. When referring to traditions from the Tawrat, Muslims have not only identified it with the Pentateuch , but also with the other books of the Hebrew Bible as well as with Talmudic and Midrashim writings. [13]

Zabur (Psalms)

The Quran mentions the Zabur, interpreted as being the Book of Psalms, [14] as being the holy scripture revealed to King David (Dawud). Scholars have often understood the Psalms to have been holy songs of praise, and not a book administering law. [15] The current Psalms are still praised by many Muslim scholars. [16] Quran 21:105 and Psalm 37:29 are direct counterparts. [17]

Injil (Gospel)

The Injil was the holy book revealed to Jesus ( Isa ), according to the Quran. Most scholars and Muslims believe that it refers not to the New Testament but to an original Gospel given to Jesus as the word of Allah. [18]

Additional scriptures

The Quran also mentions two ancient scrolls:

Scrolls of Abraham

The Scrolls of Abraham (Arabic: صحف إبراهيم, Ṣuḥuf ʾIbrāhīm) [19] are believed to have been one of the earliest bodies of scripture, which were given to Abraham (Ibrāhīm), [20] and later used by Ishmael (Ismā‘īl) and Isaac (Isḥāq).[ citation needed ] Although usually referred to as "scrolls", many translators have translated the Arabic suhuf as "books". [21] [22] The verse mentioning the "Scriptures" is in Quran 87:18-19 where they are referred to, alongside the Scrolls of Moses, to have been "Books of Earlier Revelation".

Scrolls of Moses

The Scrolls of Moses (Arabic: صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ, Ṣuḥuf Mūsā) are an ancient body of scripture mentioned twice in the Quran. They are part of the religious scriptures of Islam. Jordanian scholar and professor of philosophy Ghazi bin Muhammad mentions that the "Scrolls of Moses" are identical to the Torah of Moses. [23] Others have stated that they could possibly refer to the Book of the Wars of the Lord, [21] a lost text spoken of in the Old Testament or Tanakh in the Book of Numbers. [24] The verse mentioning the "Scriptures" is in Quran 87:18-19 where they are referred to, alongside the Scrolls of Abraham, to have been "Books of Earlier Revelation".

Words of Adam

Additionally, in the Quran are mentioned words of guidance revealed to Adam (Surah 2:37).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quran</span> Central religious text of Islam

The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God (Allāh). It is organized in 114 chapters which consist of individual verses. Besides its religious significance, it is widely regarded as the finest work in Arabic literature, and has significantly influenced the Arabic language. It is the object of a modern field of academic research known as Quranic studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham in Islam</span> Islamic view of Abraham

Abraham was a prophet and messenger of God according to Islam, and an ancestor to the Ishmaelite Arabs and Israelites. Abraham plays a prominent role as an example of faith in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to the Islamic perspective, Abraham fulfilled all the commandments and trials wherein God nurtured him throughout his lifetime. As a result of his unwavering faith in God, Abraham was promised by God to be a leader to all the nations of the world. The Qur'an extols Abraham as a model and exemplar: obedient and not an idolater. In this sense, Abraham has been described as representing "primordial man in universal surrender to the Divine Reality before its fragmentation into religions separated from each other by differences in form". Muslims believe that the Ka'aba in Mecca was built by Abraham and his son Isma'il as the first house of worship on Earth. The Islamic holy day, Eid al-Adha, is celebrated partly in commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son on God's command.

Injil is the Arabic name for the Gospel of Jesus (Isa). This Injil is described by the Qur'an as one of the four Islamic holy books which was revealed by Allah, the others being the Zabur, the Tawrat, and the Qur'an itself. The word Injil is also used in the Qur’an, the hadith and early Muslim documents to refer to both a book and revelations made by God to Jesus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zabur</span> Holy book of prophet Dawud (David in Islam)

The Zabur is, according to Islam, the holy book of Dawud, one of the holy books revealed by Allah before the Quran, alongside others such as the Tawrāh (Torah) and the Injīl (Gospel). Muslim tradition maintains that the Zabur mentioned in the Quran is the Psalms of Dawud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Kahf</span> 18th chapter of the Quran

Al-Kahf is the 18th chapter (sūrah) of the Qur'an with 110 verses (āyāt). Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation, it is an earlier Meccan surah, which means it was revealed before Muhammad's hijrah to Medina, instead of after.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Anbiya</span> 21st chapter of the Quran

Al-Anbiyaʼ is the 21st chapter (sūrah) of the Quran with 112 verses (āyāt). Its principal subject matter is prophets of the past, who also preached the same faith as Muhammad.

Ash-Shu‘ara’ is the 26th chapter (sūrah) of the Qurʾan with 227 verses (āyāt). Many of these verses are very short. The chapter is named from the word Ash-Shu'ara in ayat 224. It is also the longest Meccan surah according to the number of verses.

Ghafir, also known as Al-Muʼmin, is the 40th chapter (sūrah) of the Qur'an, with 85 verses (āyāt). It takes its name from verse 28, which mentions a distinguished believer from among the clan of the Pharaoh who supported Moses, referring to him as a "believing man", hence al-Mu'min; The Believer. However, this surah is most often called al-Ghafir because of the Divine Name mentioned in verse 3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torah in Islam</span> Islamic view of the Torah

The Tawrat, also romanized as Tawrah or Taurat, is the Arabic-language name for the Torah within its context as an Islamic holy book believed by Muslims to have been given by God to the prophets and messengers amongst the Children of Israel. In the Qur'an, the word 'Tawrat' occurs eighteen times. When referring to traditions from the Tawrat, Muslims have not only identified it with the Pentateuch, but also with the other books of the Hebrew Bible as well as with Talmudic and Midrashic writings.

Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to God] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of God, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price [i.e., worldly gain]. And whoever does not judge by what God has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.

The Scrolls of Abraham are a part of the religious scriptures of Islam. These scriptures are believed to have contained the revelations of Abraham received from the God of Abrahamic religions, which were written down by him as well as his scribes and followers.

Taḥrīf or corruption of the Bible, is a term used by most Muslims to refer to believed alterations made to the previous revelations of God—specifically those that make up the Tawrat, the Zabur or Psalms, and the Injil. The term is also used to refer to what Muslims consider to be the corrupted Jewish and Christian interpretations of the previous revelations of God, known as “Tahrif al-Mana”. This concept holds that earlier revelations have been misinterpreted rather than textually altered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic view of miracles</span> Islamic miracles

A number of terms are used in Islam to refer to the claims of events happening that are not explicable by natural or scientific laws, subjects where people sometimes invoke the supernatural. In the Quran the term āyah refers to signs in the context of miracles of God's creation and of the prophets and messengers. In later Islamic sources miracles of the prophets were referred to by Muʿjiza (مُعْجِزَة), literally meaning "that by means of which [the Prophet] confounds, overwhelms, his opponents"), while miracles of saints are referred to as karamat (charismata).

Religious exclusivism, or religious exclusivity, is the doctrine or belief that only one particular religion or belief system is true. This is in contrast to religious pluralism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David in Islam</span> Islamic view of David

Dawud, or David, is considered a prophet and messenger of God (Allah) in Islam, as well as a righteous, divinely-anointed monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. Additionally, Muslims also honor David for having received the divine revelation of the Zabur (Psalms).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prophethood (Ahmadiyya)</span>

In Ahmadiyya theology, the view on the Prophets of God differs significantly from Mainstream Islam. The main difference centres on the Quranic term Khatam an-Nabiyyin with reference to Muhammad which is understood by Ahmadis in terms of perfection and testification of prophethood instead of chronological finality. Accordingly, Muhammad is held to be the last prophet to deliver a religious law to humanity in the form of the Quran whose teachings embody a perfected and universal message. Although, in principle, prophets can appear within Islam but they must be non-lawbearing prophets dependent upon the sharia of Muhammad. Their prophethood is reflective of that of Muhammad, that is, within his Seal; and their role is merely that of reviving and purifying the faith. They cannot be prophets in their own right and cannot change, add to or subtract from the religious law of Islam. As such, Ahmadis, regard their founder Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908) as a subordinate prophet who appeared as the promised Messiah and Mahdi in accordance with Islam's eschatological prophecies. In contrast to mainstream Muslims who believe Jesus was raised to heaven and one who would return himself towards the end of time, Ahmadis believe Jesus to have died a natural death and view the coming of such an independent, Israelite prophet to amount to breaking the Seal of Prophethood.

The Scrolls of Moses are an ancient body of scripture mentioned in the Quran, once each in Surah Al-Aʻlā and Surah An-Najm. They are part of the religious scriptures of Islam.

The Quran states that several prior writings constitute holy books given by God to the prophets and messengers amongst the Children of Israel, in the same way the Quran was revealed to Muhammad. These include the Tawrat, believed by Muslims to have been given by God to the prophets and messengers amongst the Children of Israel, the Zabur revealed to David (Dawud); and the Injil revealed to Jesus (Isa).

Prophets in Islam are individuals in Islam who are believed to spread God's message on Earth and serve as models of ideal human behaviour. Some prophets are categorized as messengers, those who transmit divine revelation, most of them through the interaction of an angel. Muslims believe that many prophets existed, including many not mentioned in the Quran. The Quran states: "And for every community there is a messenger." Belief in the Islamic prophets is one of the six articles of the Islamic faith.

References

  1. ↑ Glasse, Cyril. "Holy Books". Concise Encyclopedia of Islam.
  2. 1 2 McCoy, R. Michael (2021-09-08). Interpreting the Qurʾān with the Bible (Tafsīr al-Qurʾān bi-l-Kitāb). Brill. ISBN   978-90-04-46682-1.
  3. 1 2 Nasr, Seyyed Hossein (2007). "Qurʼān". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
  4. ↑ Lambert, Gray (2013). The Leaders Are Coming!. WestBow Press. p. 287. ISBN   9781449760137.
  5. ↑ Roy H. Williams; Michael R. Drew (2012). Pendulum: How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future. Vanguard Press. p. 143. ISBN   9781593157067.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. ↑ Living Religions: An Encyclopaedia of the World's Faiths, Mary Pat Fisher, 1997, page 338, I.B. Tauris Publishers.
  7. ↑ Quran 17:106
  8. ↑ Peters, F.E. (2003). The Words and Will of Allah. Princeton University Press. pp.  12–13. ISBN   0-691-11461-7.
  9. ↑ Margot Patterson, Islam Considered: A Christian View, Liturgical Press, 2008 p.10.
  10. ↑ Mir Sajjad Ali, Zainab Rahman, Islam and Indian Muslims, Guan Publishing House 2010 p.24, citing N. J. Dawood's judgement.
  11. ↑ Alan Jones, The Koran, London 1994, ISBN   1842126091, opening page.
    "Its outstanding literary merit should also be noted: it is by far, the finest work of Arabic prose in existence."
  12. ↑ Arthur Arberry, The Koran Interpreted, London 1956, ISBN   0684825074, p. 191.
    "It may be affirmed that within the literature of the Arabs, wide and fecund as it is both in poetry and in elevated prose, there is nothing to compare with it."
  13. ↑ Isabel Lang Intertextualität als hermeneutischer Zugang zur Auslegung des Korans: Eine Betrachtung am Beispiel der Verwendung von Israiliyyat in der Rezeption der Davidserzählung in Sure 38: 21-25 Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH, 31.12.2015 ISBN   9783832541514 p. 98 (German)
  14. ↑ "Zabur - Oxford Islamic Studies Online". www.oxfordislamicstudies.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  15. ↑ Encyclopaedia of Islam, Psalms
  16. ↑ Martin Lings, Mecca; Abdul Malik, In Thy Seed.
  17. ↑ "Psalms - Oxford Islamic Studies Online". www.oxfordislamicstudies.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  18. ↑ Ali, Abdullah Yusuf (1938). The Holy Qur-an.
  19. ↑ Alternatives: Arabic : صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمṢuḥufi ʾIbrāhīm and/or الصُّحُفِ ٱلْأُولَىٰAṣ-Ṣuḥufi 'l-Ūlā - "Books of the Earliest Revelation"
  20. ↑ Quran 87:19
  21. 1 2 Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary [ page needed ]
  22. ↑ Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran
  23. ↑ A Thinking Person's Guide to Islam: The Essence of Islam in 12 Verses from the Qur'an. 2018. ISBN   9781906949648.
  24. ↑ Numbers 21:14
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