Are the Previous Divine Scriptures Preserved in Their Original Form?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

Are the previous scriptures preserved as they were revealed to their prophets until today?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

The Preservation of Previous Divine Scriptures

The divine scriptures revealed before the Quran, such as the Torah and the Gospel, have been altered. Today, no divine scripture is preserved from distortion as it was revealed by Allah (Most High), except for the Quran, which Allah (Most High) revealed to Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), the final Prophet and Messenger.

The Quran is the final divine scripture, confirmed by Allah (Most High) in His statement:

“It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it.” [Quran, 15:9]

The Muslim Belief in the Original Scriptures

Although it is confirmed that the previous scriptures before the Quran have been altered, as stated in several verses of the Quran, a Muslim is still required to believe in their original, unaltered forms, because they are divine scriptures revealed by Allah (Most High) to His messengers. Allah (Most High) says:

“O believers! Have faith in Allah, His Messenger, the Book He has revealed to His Messenger, and the Scriptures He revealed before. Indeed, whoever denies Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, and the Last Day has clearly gone far astray.” [Quran, 4:136]

As Muslims, we believe that these scriptures, before they were altered, contained the words of Allah (Most High). We believe in them without making any distinction between one scripture and another. Just as it is not permissible to make a distinction between prophets regarding belief in their prophethood, we also believe that whoever denies any of what Allah (Most High) revealed in these scriptures is a disbeliever.

Evidence of the Distortion of Previous Scriptures

We also believe that the Torah and the Gospel currently in the hands of Jews and Christians have been distorted and altered, as Allah (Most High) says:

“Some Jews take words out of context.” [Quran, 4:46]

And He (Most High) says:

“And from those who say, ‘We are Christians,’ We took their covenant, but they neglected a portion of what they had been commanded to uphold. So We let hostility and enmity arise between them until the Day of Judgment, and soon Allah will inform them of all they have done. O People of the Book! Now Our Messenger has come to you, revealing much of what you have hidden of the Scriptures.” [Quran, 5:14-15]

One of the greatest evidences of the distortion of the Torah and the Gospel is the contradictions within them and the descriptions that are not befitting of Allah (Most High) or His prophets (peace be upon them).

Distortion of the Gospel: The Crucifixion of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him)

The proof of the distortion of the Gospel available today is evident in the story of the crucifixion of Jesus (peace be upon him). Allah (Most High) says in the Quran:

“…and for boasting, ‘We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.’ But they neither killed nor crucified him—it was only made to appear so. Even those who argue for this (crucifixion) are in doubt. They have no knowledge whatsoever—only making assumptions. They certainly did not kill him.” [Quran, 4:157]

Distortion of the Torah: The Claim of Exclusive Salvation

Similarly, the proof of the distortion of the Torah is clear in the statement of the Jews, which the Quran reports:

“The Jews and Christians each claim that none will enter Paradise except those of their own faith.’” [Quran, 2:111]

This claim was not originally found in the Torah. [Maturidi, Tafsir al-Maturidi]

Ibn Hazm al-Zahiri said:

“How can a Muslim permit himself to deny the distortion of the Torah and the Gospel while he hears the words of Allah, the Almighty, and Majestic:

‘Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. And those with him are firm with the disbelievers and compassionate with one another. You see them bowing and prostrating (in prayer), seeking Allah’s bounty and pleasure. The sign (of brightness can be seen) on their faces from the trace of prostrating (in prayer). This is their description in the Torah. And their parable in the Gospel is that of a seed that sprouts its (tiny) branches, making it strong. Then it becomes thick, standing firmly on its stem, to the delight of the planters—in this way Allah makes the believers a source of dismay for the disbelievers. To those of them who believe and do good, Allah has promised forgiveness and a great reward.’ [Quran, 48:29]

None of this is found in what the Jews and Christians today claim to be the Torah and the Gospel. Therefore, these ignorant people must believe their Lord, the Almighty, and Majestic, that the Jews and Christians have altered the Torah and the Gospel…” [Ibn Hazm, al-Fasl fi al-Milal; Razi, Tafsir al-Razi; ‘Iz Ibn ‘Abd al-Salam, Tafsir al-‘Iz Ibn ‘Abd al-Salam]

Divine Scriptures Mentioned in the Quran

The divine scriptures mentioned by Allah (Most High) in the Quran include:

• The Torah: Revealed to Moses; Allah (Most High) says: “We wrote for him on the Tablets (the fundamentals) of everything; commandments and explanations of all things.” [Quran, 7:145]
• The Gospel: Revealed to Jesus (peace be upon him); Allah (Most High) says: “And We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light and confirming what was revealed in the Torah—a guide and a lesson to the God-fearing.” [Quran, 5:46]
• The Zabur: Revealed to David (peace be upon him); Allah (Most High) says: “And to David We gave the Psalms.” [Quran, 4:163]
• The Scriptures of Abraham and Moses: Allah (Most High) says: “This is certainly (mentioned) in the earlier Scriptures—the Scriptures of Abraham and Moses.” [Quran, 87:18-19]
• The Quran: The last revealed scripture, which Allah (Most High) revealed to our Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace); Allah (Most High) says: “…which the trustworthy spirit (Gabriel) brought down into your heart (O Prophet)—so that you may be one of the warners—in a clear Arabic tongue.” [Quran, 26:193-195]

Conclusion: The Sufficiency of the Quran

The Quran, which Allah (Most High) has preserved from distortion and alteration, is sufficient, rendering it unnecessary to refer to the other divine scriptures. Implementing the rulings of the Quran brings happiness to the Muslims in both this world and the Hereafter.

We ask Allah (Most High) to help us apply its rulings as He loves and is pleased with. Amin.

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.

[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa

Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.

He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.

He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.

Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.