What contains the Torah, Zabur, and Injeel or the Holy Bible? ‘The Books of the people’ or the Holy Bible as a whole, contains 66 books that provide 75% of the entire message of the Holy Quran. Even they are not in chronicle order, the biblical citations are scattered throughout the Holy Quran, while the dominant incidences are observed in a somewhat perverted manner in the Muslim world.
In light of this, it is pretty much natural to be dazzled with the question– “why would God re-send the occurrences from previous books or ‘the Scriptures of the people’ with a different book in the proceeding centuries? And why the incidences in the previous books had not been included in the Holy Quran in chronological order but scattered throughout it? Does anyone have the answer to that? I, however, will try to uncover and explain the enigma behind the secrets on this page.
The Pentateuch or Torah bears exceptional testimonies and accounts of the fall of man through disobedience and the emergence of creations on earth. God caused Moses (Prophet Musa SA.) to write all those down in minute details in the five books of the Pentateuch. Subsequently, God had inspired Moses’ commander-in-chief, Joshua, many judges, kings, from prophets to many people with special spiritual ability to compile the proceeding history and numerous chronologies and the historical episodes.
Interestingly, that none of the writers had met or knew each other in their lifetime. They lived generations apart but their accounts of events and sequences leave people always astounded. How is that even possible?
Historians and anthropologists found numerous evidence of that following the accounts and got astonished to see the plans and incommensurable guidelines of God almighty for humankind.
Even though the Bible was written primarily in Hebrew, ancient Greek, and Semitic, it has been translated into almost every spoken language of the world in order to let people know the mercy and guidance of God.
As has been noted, because of linguistics limitations, translations may seem weak. But, nevertheless, the goal is to make people read God’s word in their respective languages. It is being translated in the tribal language, as well. If the initiative was not taken many of us would not know the truth, and the human race would still languish in the darkness or we would all have to learn Biblical Hebrew or ancient Greek in order to understand the word of God.
God sent his words and prophets not only for the Israelites alone. However, He sent the words and prophets with messages of His existence and guidance through Israelites.
The Creation-mystery, which the Holy Quran talks very little of that, has been in the Bible in great detail for thousands of years. So, we will still be in the darkness if we abandon the previous Books namely Ahlee Kitab (the Bible).
I tried very hard to seek God from my early age through daily practices (Salah) and fasting only to no avail him through religious precepts. God is not to be found in special circumstances or religious performances. In fact, the more I tried to find him by an incomprehensible language, the more I lost myself in a whirling vortex of delusion. To me, the presence of God seemed a light-year away. He was always a distant being to find, and here I, being an insignificant being, am in a constant increment of expanding distance while trying to get decrease the distance between me and Him. I never felt the peace of mind and all invocations and supplications turned out to be an interlocution with the concrete wall never to be able to get through. Ultimately, it draws me to a conclusion by asking ‘where is God’?
As a matter of fact, this was the birth of my journey for discovering God’s mercy and His true identity. I may not be a good reciter of the Holy Quran but reading it was a ‘part and parcel’ of my life. Discovering the truth is the whole purpose behind it. Instead of being grind by the religious piston, I had knelt before him over and over again intuitively. But radicalism ended up being crushed under his greatness and vastness.
Eventually, I realised that time and space not only change our hearts as we praise and worship Him, but it surely makes us conscious of Him to return to his feet. Filled with bewilderment, as examine ourselves we find nothing but perfection in his creation in which he pours out his love, and that compels us to kneel before Him in reverence.
The Pentateuch is a thorough description of God’s creation. From Adam’s disobedience and fall from God’s grace as well as his son’s (Abel) slaying by another son (Cain) to the consequence of falling into sin are recorded in the book. It is an elaborate record of acclivity and declivity or rise and fall of numerous nations, tribes, civilizations, and empires, and on. Pictures of sin and infirmities of prophets are too portrayed here. God showed the path to many nations by sending prophets, and the most significant fact is (which well described in the book)- the Covenant of God with the prophets which he always has been capable of keeping. This book contains voluminous of those.
Chapter 9 of Pentateuch is a detailed description of upholding God’s covenant with Noah. Abraham’s admonition pictured in verses 1-16 of chapter 17. God’s covenant of blood with Moses is recorded in Exodus chapter 24, verses 1-8. The covenant of God’s plan with Joshua is found in the book of Joshua chapter 1 and verses 1-8. Later on, covenant with David (Dawood AS.) is pictured in the section of the books of the prophets 2 Samuel verses 1-17 of the 7th chapter. Moreover, biographies and stories of major and minor Prophets, their walking with God, and many day-to-day affairs are also recorded in the Torah. Its every life-giving word is filled with lessons and light.
In a nutshell, Psalms or Al-Zabor is full of praises, lyrical poems praising God, and words of appreciation that David edited to worship God. When he committed sin, he wrote: ‘Have mercy, God, according to your gracious love, according to your unlimited compassion, erase my transgressions. Wash me from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgression; my sin remains continually before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what was evil in your sight. As a result, you are just in your pronouncement and clear in your judgment….on and on. Psalms 51:1-4. Narratives of Laws and order to obey God are also in the book.
Abraham’s son Ismael was born through Hager, who was his concubine. But God had already promised to give him a son through whom the whole world would be full of blessings. The Genesis of Torah duly noted: ‘God told Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are not to call her Sarai any longer, because her name is to be Sarah. I will bless her. Furthermore, I will give you a son from her. I will bless her, so that nations, kings, and people will come from her.” Abraham fell to the ground, laughed, and told himself, “Can a child be born to a 100-year-old man? Can a 90-year-old Sarah give birth?” So Abraham responded to God, “If only Ishmael would live in constant awareness that you’re always with him!”
But God replied, “No, but YOUR wife Sarah will give birth to YOUR SON, and you are to NAME HIM ISAAC. I’LL CONFIRM MY COVENANT WITH HIM as an eternal covenant for his descendants. And as for Ishmael, I’ve heard you. I’ll bless him, and he’ll have many descendants. I will multiply him greatly, he’ll father twelve tribal leaders, and I’ll cause his descendants to become a great nation. Now as to Isaac, I’ll confirm my covenant with him, to whom Sarah will give birth as your son at this time next year.” (Gen 17:15-21)
God’s covenant of Abraham must be understood to comprehend the truth. A couple of verses from the Quran noteworthy about the fact. Chapter 11, Hud, verse 71-
وَٱمۡرَأَتُهُ ۥ قَآٮِٕمَةٌ۬ فَضَحِكَتۡ فَبَشَّرۡنَـٰهَا بِإِسۡحَـٰقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسۡحَـٰقَ يَعۡقُوبَ (71)
Translation by Tafheem-ul-Quran – Abul Ala Maududi: And Abraham’s wife was standing by and on hearing this she laughed. And We gave her the good news of (the birth of) Isaac, and after Isaac, of Jacob.
The verse from Chapter 29, The Spider, (Al-Ankabut) is also one of the significant ones-
وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥۤ إِسۡحَـٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ وَجَعَلۡنَا فِى ذُرِّيَّتِهِ ٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُ أَجۡرَهُ ۥ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَإِنَّهُ ۥ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (29)
Translation by Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali & Muhammad Muhsin Khan “And We bestowed on him [Ibrâhîm (Abraham)], Ishâq (Isaac) and Ya‘qûb (Jacob), and We ordained among his offspring Prophethood and the Book [i.e. the Taurât (Torah) (to Mûsâ – Moses), the Injeel (Gospel) (to ‘Îsâ – Jesus), and the Qur’ân (to Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), all from the offspring of Ibrâhîm (Abraham)], and We granted him his reward in this world; and verily, in the Hereafter, he is indeed among the righteous.
It is to be noticed that God bestowed prophetic office and holy books on the descendants of Isaac and Jacob. Nothing about Ismael and his descendants is to avail here. But God promised him to bless his clan and would cause twelve tribes from him. And the fulfillment of the promise is obvious among the oil-rich Middle Eastern countries.
While the Pentateuch, the Psalms, and the Gospel maintained a sound chronological order, the contrary is observed in the Holy Quran. Can Islamic scholars explain why the biblical incidences are incorporated in the Holy Quran in a scattered fashion? But, we ought to be aware of the teaching of the revealed books, for they were authored to us.
The Holy Quran testifies regarding the contents of the Pentateuch, the Psalms, and the Gospel in the following verse. And here it is what the Holy Quran says in chapter, The Cow, (Al-Baqarah verse 53-
وَإِذۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَہۡتَدُونَ (53)
Translation by Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali & Muhammad Muhsin Khan: And (remember) when We gave Mûsâ (Moses) the Scripture [the Taurât (Torah)] and the criterion (of right and wrong) so that you may be guided aright.”. And chapter 5, The Table Spread, (Al-Maida), verse 44 notes-
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَا ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ فِيہَا هُدً۬ى وَنُورٌ۬ۚ يَحۡكُمُ بِہَا ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلرَّبَّـٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلۡأَحۡبَارُ بِمَا ٱسۡتُحۡفِظُواْ مِن كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ وَڪَانُواْ عَلَيۡهِ شُہَدَآءَۚ فَلَا تَخۡشَوُاْ ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِ وَلَا تَشۡتَرُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاً۬ۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَحۡكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ (44)
Translation by Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali & Muhammad Muhsin Khan: Verily, We did send down the Taurât (Torah) [to Mûsâ (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allâh’s Will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged for the Jews by the Taurât (Torah) after those Prophets], for to them was entrusted the protection of Allâh’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 Allâh has revealed, such are the Kâfirûn (i.e. disbelievers – of a lesser degree as they do not act on Allâh’s Laws).
If indeed there is Guidance and Light in the Pentatuche then do we not need that? God also declared that He would teach Jesus (Isa) the books, wisdom, the Pentateuch, and the Gospel: Chapter 3, The Family of Imran, (Al-Imran) verse 48.
وَيُعَلِّمُهُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ وَٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ (48)
Translation by Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran: And Allah will teach him (Jesus or Isa) writing and wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel,
Chapter 3, verse 3 also mentions-
نَزَّلَ عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ (3)
Translation by Yusuf Ali: “It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book (Quran), confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus)”
Chapter 2, The Cow (Surah Al-Baqara), verse 4 and 5 reveal further:
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ وَبِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُونَ (4) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَىٰ هُدً۬ى مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ (5)
Translation by Pickthall: “And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter. (4) These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are successful. (5)”
Do these verses not stipulate the exegesis of the Pentateuch in our life? Mohammad (sm) had been taught by a gospel writer -Waraka-bin-Nowphel – who was a maternal uncle of his first Nestorian Christian wife, Khadija.
To cite historians’ accounts, Waraka-bin-Nowphel was a biblical scholarly personality. He was the scholar who translated the Holy Bible from Hebrew to Arabic which he would discuss and teach to Muhammad (SM). It is said that he would pay great attention to that and would frequently be occupied by deep contemplation. By contrast, it is also known that his wife Khadija was from a Nestorian tribe.
It can not be denied even if it sounds incredulous to many. We pretend to be ignorant about many unwarranted truths and swallow many fallacies coted with rhetoric which a sad representation of truth being crushed under the windmill of falsehood.
To record Ibn Ishaque, Muhammad (sm) would frequently visit a Christian young man named Jaber and sit in front of his residence in Marwa (a place close to Meccah). Jaber was a slave of the Banu Al-Harami tribe. It was believed that he taught Muhammad about the Bible which later claimed to be revealed. He had been listening to Jaber about the Gospel in his shop hour after hour. The people of Mecca who were skeptical of Muhammad would condemn Jaber saying him to be Muhammad’s (Sm) Holy Spirit because he became aware of most of the revelation because of Jaber. (see Siratunnabi, Ibn Hisham, chapter 1).
We, who walk in the cobweb of confusion and delusion, must bear in mind that everything that the previous Books contain was revealed to the Israelites and the same tiding came to Arabians (through) of which the Quran is the medium. Arabic, being the language of the Quran is the contributing factor for the matter of fact, even though Arabic is a mixed language with many loaned words from many foreign languages. Having said that, if Arabic is the language of God, then must we also say that our God is an Arabian God or God for the Arabians?
So, what the Torah, the Zabur, and the Injeel hold are crystal clear. These books contain the very words of Allah for mankind. These words are to follow, obey, and to take heed of.
Surprisingly, not many people have the courage to follow the words of Allah. They rather depend on their religious performances (Akida or Amal). But we should not forget that Allah / God has not given us life to follow a religion, He wants us to follow Him and worship Him alone. He certainly did not tell us to kiss the black stone which symbolizes His hand. He is found neither in Macca nor in Medina. He is near to our hearts, knocking the door of our hearts to open. And here we are His creations running around for the sake of finding Him.
The Islamic teachers and Imams have been misleading people for many years. They themselves ignored this Ahlee Kitab and did not let other people understand it. They rather trusted Arabian fantasies or false tales. Maybe because they do not know about the God of Abraham (AS) or can not comprehend that God can be kind and merciful to His creation. With their uncomprehensive mindset, they (Islamic scholars) certainly denied accepting the ‘Ahle Kitab’ which offers life and salvation, true guidance of Allah.
Not only that, they declare their ‘Fatwa’ that those books (Ahle Kitab) have been abrogated. That is how the Truth has been covered by lies for many centuries. Interestingly, scholars can not produce any document based on Quran on their claim. For there are no such words in the Quran that the previous books have been abrogated.
Have you ever thought about that? If not, would you consider checking this out? Have you ever come across a question: whom should we follow, Allah’s word or Imams’? Don’t you think you can discover the truth if you simply take the time to read it through?
Consequently, we have rejected the truth and Allah Himself when we denied reading His words. No wonder the Islamic teachers have given blind eyes towards Allah’s words and His Kitab. At the same time, they have produced their own mythology in Islamic teachings. Their man-made wisdom can only mislead people but cannot draw people unto Allah Rabbul Alamin.
If you are brave enough, a challenge taker, if you are ready to discover the truth, I am sure you will find Him at the end. The God who created you and me is merciful and loving. He is indeed willing to be revealed to the serious seekers. I am sure you too can find Him and be filled with joy and godliness.
A true Muslim follows true Allah. And the true Muslim only worship Allah, not any prophets or idols or black stone? He is not found near Macca or Medina. He is near to your heart, knocking on the door of your heart, asking your heart to be opened, so that He can come in. Would you not allow Him to come in?
My prayer is that Allah would touch your heart and cover you with His grace. May the God / Allah of Abraham (AS), Jacob, and Isaac bring you out of darkness into His marvelous light. May He give you the grace to discover the hidden truth. Amin!
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