Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Corruption of Previous Scriptures: Difference between revisions
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The Qur'an never says the | {{QualityScore|Lead=4|Structure=4|Content=3|Language=2|References=4}} | ||
The Qur'an has quite a bit to say about the Jews, the Christians, and their scriptures. Although it is taken as an article of faith by most Muslims today that the Jews and Christians either deliberately changed or accidentally allowed their scriptures to be corrupted over the years, the Qur'an never actually says this. Rather, the Qur'an is full of remarks to the effect that it is simply a continuation of the message given by Allah to all his prophets and apostles. As it lacks a firm basis in the Qur'an, the doctrine of the corruption of the scriptures of the people of the book is one that many scholars below do not believe. In the modern day it is often noted by Muslim scholars how impossible this doctrine seems from a historical view. The very large differences in doctrine and belief, though, between modern Muslims and the other "people of the book", however, makes the conclusion that the other scriptures are corrupted almost impossible to escape for the orthodox Muslim. | |||
===Qur'an=== | |||
Allah brought down the Torah and the Gospel: | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|3|3}}|He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|46}}|And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was (revealed) before him in the Torah, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was (revealed) before it in the Torah - a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil).}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|61|6}}|And when Jesus son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger who cometh after me, whose name is the Praised One. Yet when he hath come unto them with clear proofs, they say: This is mere magic.}} | |||
The previous people of the book have hid or disregarded this scripture though: | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|47}}|O ye unto whom the Scripture hath been given! Believe in what We have revealed confirming that which ye possess, before We destroy countenances so as to confound them, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers (of old time). The commandment of Allah is always executed.}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|15-16}}|O People of the Scripture! Now hath Our messenger come unto you, expounding unto you much of that which ye used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. now hath come unto you light from Allah and plain Scripture, Whereby Allah guideth him who seeketh His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He bringeth them out of darkness unto light by His decree, and guideth them unto a straight path.}} | |||
Nothing in the Qur'an, though, is other than what was given to the previous apostles of Allah: | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|41|43}}|Naught is said unto thee (Muhammad) save what was said unto the messengers before thee. Lo! thy Lord is owner of forgiveness, and owner (also) of dire punishment.}} | |||
==Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas== | ==Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas== | ||
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==Ibn Kathir== | ==Ibn Kathir== | ||
Ismail ibn Kathir | Ismail ibn Kathir (1301–1373) was a Muslim muhaddith (narrator), faqīh, mufassir, and historian. He is the author of the most respected and widely used tafsir (commentary on the Qur'an). | ||
{{Quote||[Quoting Muhammad talking of the Jews and Christians]"David died in the midst of his friends. They were not led astray, nor changed [their books]. The Friends of Christ stayed in His ordinances and guidance for two hundred years"<ref>Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya</ref>}} | {{Quote||[Quoting Muhammad talking of the Jews and Christians]"David died in the midst of his friends. They were not led astray, nor changed [their books]. The Friends of Christ stayed in His ordinances and guidance for two hundred years"<ref>Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya</ref>}} | ||
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{{Quote|Introduction to Abdullah Saeed's "The Charge of Distortion of Jewish and Christian Scriptures"|A significant point of tension between today’s Muslims and the ‘People of the Book’ (Jews and Christians) is the common Muslim belief that the Jewish and Christian scriptures that exist today are corrupted and cannot be relied upon in any matters of faith, religion or law. Although this is a popular view, most classical scholars of the Qur’an were far more cautious in their understanding of Qur’anic texts on this issue. This article explores the Qur’an’s references to distortion of scriptural meaning and text, and the views of scholars, particularly Tabari, Qurtubi, Razi, Ibn Taymiyya and Qutb. Qur’anic words such as tahrif are popularly accepted today as referring to deliberate distortion of scripture; however, classical scholars have interpreted the Qur’an’s references in a number of different ways.Almost all suggested that distortion occurred mainly through interpretation and not in the text itself. Although the Qur’an refers to tahrif (distortion), it also exhibits the utmost respect for previous scriptures. Early Muslims adopted a narrow view of scripture, partly because of the nature of the Qur’an, and also in response to the more established religions of Judaism and Christianity, to assert the ‘purity’ of the Qur’an and Islam. Saeed notes that the Jewish and Christian scriptures that exist today are, according to most scholars, largely unchanged since the time of Muhammad and should be respected now as they were then.<ref> Prof. Abdullah Saeed - [http://www.abdullahsaeed.org/article/charge-distortion-jewish-and-christian-scriptures The Charge of Distortion of Jewish and Christian Scriptures] - The Muslim World. Vol. 92, 2002</ref>}} | {{Quote|Introduction to Abdullah Saeed's "The Charge of Distortion of Jewish and Christian Scriptures"|A significant point of tension between today’s Muslims and the ‘People of the Book’ (Jews and Christians) is the common Muslim belief that the Jewish and Christian scriptures that exist today are corrupted and cannot be relied upon in any matters of faith, religion or law. Although this is a popular view, most classical scholars of the Qur’an were far more cautious in their understanding of Qur’anic texts on this issue. This article explores the Qur’an’s references to distortion of scriptural meaning and text, and the views of scholars, particularly Tabari, Qurtubi, Razi, Ibn Taymiyya and Qutb. Qur’anic words such as tahrif are popularly accepted today as referring to deliberate distortion of scripture; however, classical scholars have interpreted the Qur’an’s references in a number of different ways.Almost all suggested that distortion occurred mainly through interpretation and not in the text itself. Although the Qur’an refers to tahrif (distortion), it also exhibits the utmost respect for previous scriptures. Early Muslims adopted a narrow view of scripture, partly because of the nature of the Qur’an, and also in response to the more established religions of Judaism and Christianity, to assert the ‘purity’ of the Qur’an and Islam. Saeed notes that the Jewish and Christian scriptures that exist today are, according to most scholars, largely unchanged since the time of Muhammad and should be respected now as they were then.<ref> Prof. Abdullah Saeed - [http://www.abdullahsaeed.org/article/charge-distortion-jewish-and-christian-scriptures The Charge of Distortion of Jewish and Christian Scriptures] - The Muslim World. Vol. 92, 2002</ref>}} | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
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[[Category:QHS]] | [[Category:QHS]] | ||
[[Category:People of the Book]] | [[Category:People of the Book]] | ||
[[Category:Previous scriptures]] | |||
[[ar:القرآن_والحديث_والعلماء:_فساد_الكتب_السابقة]] |
Latest revision as of 05:20, 26 January 2023
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The Qur'an has quite a bit to say about the Jews, the Christians, and their scriptures. Although it is taken as an article of faith by most Muslims today that the Jews and Christians either deliberately changed or accidentally allowed their scriptures to be corrupted over the years, the Qur'an never actually says this. Rather, the Qur'an is full of remarks to the effect that it is simply a continuation of the message given by Allah to all his prophets and apostles. As it lacks a firm basis in the Qur'an, the doctrine of the corruption of the scriptures of the people of the book is one that many scholars below do not believe. In the modern day it is often noted by Muslim scholars how impossible this doctrine seems from a historical view. The very large differences in doctrine and belief, though, between modern Muslims and the other "people of the book", however, makes the conclusion that the other scriptures are corrupted almost impossible to escape for the orthodox Muslim.
Qur'an
Allah brought down the Torah and the Gospel:
The previous people of the book have hid or disregarded this scripture though:
Nothing in the Qur'an, though, is other than what was given to the previous apostles of Allah:
Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas
Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, Muhammad’s cousin and one of his companions
Al Razi
Al-Razi (865 – 925) One of the most famous Muslim scholars, called "the Imam of Muslim Imams".
Al Tabari
Al Tabari (838 – 923) openly acknowledged that the authentic Taurat and Injil remained in the hands of the Jews and the Christians. His only charge was that they did not always understand or accept the true meaning of their teachings
Fakhruddin Razi
Fakhruddin Razi (1149 - 1209), was a Persian Sunni theologian.
Sayyid Ahmad Khan
Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817 - 1898), was a prominent and influential Muslim modernist
Ibn Muniyah
Mahmoud Mustafa Ayoub
Dr. Mahmoud Mustafa Ayoub (born 1938), is a Muslim scholar and professor of Islamic Studies and Comparative Religion at Temple University (USA).
Muhammad 'Abduh
Muhammad 'Abduh (1849 - 1905), was an Egyptian jurist and religious scholar
Mawlawi Muhammad Sa'id
Ibn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir (1301–1373) was a Muslim muhaddith (narrator), faqīh, mufassir, and historian. He is the author of the most respected and widely used tafsir (commentary on the Qur'an).
Sayyid Ahmad Husayn Shawkat Mirthi
Mawlawi Chirag ud-Din
Abdullah Saeed
See Also
- Corruption of Previous Scriptures - A hub page that leads to other articles related to the Corruption of Previous Scriptures
Translations
- A version of this page is also available in the following languages: French. For additional languages, see the sidebar on the left.
References
- ↑ Kitaab (the book of) Al-Tawheed, Baab(chapter) Qawlu Allah Ta'ala, Bal Huwa Qur'aanun Majeed, fi lawhin Mahfooth
- ↑ Imam Muhammad Isma'il al-Bukhari in Dictionary of Islam, T. P. Hughes, Kazi Publications, Inc, 3023-27 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago Il. 60618, 1994, p.62
- ↑ p.327 of his Third Volume
- ↑ Tabari, The Book of Religion and Empire, p.51
- ↑ M. H. Ananikian, “The Reforms and Religious Ideas of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan”, The Moslem World 14 (1934) p.61
- ↑ T. P. Hughes, Dictionary of Islam, Kazi Publications, Inc, 3023-27 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago Il. 60618, 1994, p.62
- ↑ “Uzayr in the Qur'an and Muslim Tradition” in “Studies in Islamic and Judaic Traditions”, ed. W. M. Brenner and S. D. Ricks, The University of Denver, 1986, p.5
- ↑ May 15, 2008 e-mail to author.
- ↑ Jacques Jomier, “Jesus, The Life of the Messiah”, C. L. S., Madras, 1974, p.216
- ↑ Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya
- ↑ Prof. Abdullah Saeed - The Charge of Distortion of Jewish and Christian Scriptures - The Muslim World. Vol. 92, 2002