Tag: quran

INJIL, IBN ABBAS & Al-BUKHARI

This post is intended to supplement the following material: MATERIAL FOR THE ANDANI DISCUSSION.

Tawrat as the Hebrew Bible and the Injil as a written text

Tawrat occurs eighteen times in the Qur’an, and seems to be derived, perhaps indirectly, from the Hebrew term Torah.⁷ It describe a scripture given to Moses, which was “sent down” from God (Q5:44). The Qur’anic term Tawrat is often taken to denote the Pentateuch, or the first five books, associated with Moses, though it is later used by Muslims to signify the whole of the Hebrew Bible. Jewish tradition refers to the Written Torah (the Pentateuch) and the Oral Torah (the midrash and Talmud) and Islamic tradition does not necessarily distinguish these. In subsequent chapters, particularly Chapter 3 on Muslim tradition literature, an invocation that “it says in the Tawrat” may refer to either.

… The Qur’an also assumes that a text which it calls the Injil was available to the Christians contemporary to Muhammad, and this text could serve as a reliable source for their judgments (Q5:47, 7:157). Whether, and to what extent, these verses refer to what Christians understand to be the four gospels is an important question, to which Muslim answers have varied.¹³ (Martin Whittingham, A History of Muslim Views of the Bible: The First Four Centuries [De Gruyter, 2021], Volume 7, pp. 22-23; bold emphasis mine)

Al-Bukhari on Corruption

Sunni Islam’s greated hadith compiler Al-Bukhari denied textual corruption of the Bible, and even cited Ibn Abbas as agreeing with this position:

LV. The words of Allah Almighty, “It is indeed a Glorious Qur’an preserved on a Tablet.” (85:21-22)

“By the Mount and an Inscribed Book” (52:1-2): Qatada said that “mastur” means “written”. “Yasturun” (68:1) means “they inscribe”, and the Umm al-Kitab (43:4) is the whole of the Qur’an and its source. [He said that] “ma talfizu” (50:18) means: “He does not say anything but that it is written against him.” Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Both good and evil are recorded,” and “yuharrufuna” (4:46) means “they remove”. No one removes the works [sic] of one of the Books of Allah Almighty, but they twist them, interpreting them improperly. “Dirasatihim: (6:156) means “their recitation” “Wa’iyya” (69:12) is preserving, “ta’iha” (69:12) means to “preserve it”. “This Qur’an has been revealed to me by inspiration that I may warn you,” meaning the people of Makka, “and all whom it reaches”(6:19) meaning this Qur’an, so he is its warner. (Aisha Bewley, Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, 100. Book of Tawhid (the belief that Allah is One in His Essence, Attributes and Actions); emphasis mine)

And:

Chapter 69. Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an

I. Chapter. How the Revelation descended and the first of it to be revealed.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that “muhaymin” (5:48) means “TRUSTWORTHY.” The Qur’an is the gurantor of every Book before it. (Bewley, The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari; emphasis mine)

Martin Whittingham provides his own rendering of al-Bukhari’s comments from Ibn Abbas:

Just as tradition literature contains few references to textual corruption of the Bible, it likewise provides few references to the issue of corrupt Biblical interpretation (tahrif al-ma’na or tahrif ma’nawi). Al-Bukhari adds a note between hadiths in the section of his hadith collection entitled “The Book of Divine Unity” (Kitab al-Tawhid). Here he quotes Ibn ‘Abbas, Muhammad’s cousin and one of the Companions, as commenting on the term “yuhairifuna” (here best translated as “they alter”). Referring to Q4:46, which uses this term, Ibn ‘Abbas is reported as explaining yuharrifuna by saying, “but no one removes an utterance from one of the books of God. But they altered it: they interpreted it according to the wrong interpretation”.⁶³ This concerns Q4:46, which specifically accuses some Jews of taking words out of their context. The statement appears to conflict with Ibn ‘Abbas’ other statement in the hadith quoted above and involving Q2:79, which states that at least some Jews corrupted the text. The two statements could be reconciled if the accusation related to Q2:79 was regarded as only describing a specific group of Jews, rather than as a general statement.

Another hadith making the accusation of corrupt interpretation is recorded by al-Darimi (d. 255/869) in his Sunan, one of the collections not included in the canonical six collections but included in the most prominent nine. “They have corrupted (harrafu) the scripture through their interpretation (tafsir).”⁶⁴

63 Al-Bukhari, Sahih, vol. 9, Kitab al-Tawhid (The Book of Divine Unity), comment before hadith no. 7553, my translation. The translators of the Darussalam edition leave this comment untranslated.

64 Al-Darimi, Sunan al-Darimi, vol. 1 (Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-‘Arabi, 1987), 169. These reports are not numbered, but the report cited here is the last in the section of assorted introductory topics before the commencement of the first “Book,” on “Purity” (Tahara). (A History of Muslim Views of the Bible, pp. 60-61; emphasis mine)

This explains why scholars of the past, including two of Ibn Taymiyya’s premiere students, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah and Ibn Kathir, included al-Bukhari among those who believed that the previous scriptures were not corrupted:

On the other side, another party of hadith and fiqh scholars said: these changes took place during its interpretation and not during the process of its revelation. This is the view of Abi Abdullah Muhammad bin Ishmael Al-Bukhari who said in his hadith collection:

“No one can corrupt the text by removing any of Allah’s words from his Books, but they corrupted it by misinterpreting it.” (Al-Jawziyyah, Ighathat Al Lahfan, Volume 2, p. 351)

And:

Mujahid, Ash-Sha’bi, Al-Hassan, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi’ bin Anas said that,

<who distort the Book with their tongues.>

means, “They alter (Allah’s Words).”

Al-Bukhari reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Ayah means they alter and add although none among Allah’s creation can remove the words of Allah from His books, they alter and distort their apparent meanings. Wahb bin Munabbih said, “The Tawrah and Injil remain as Allah revealed them, and no letter in them was removed. However, the people misguide others by addition and false interpretation, relying on books that they wrote themselves.” Then,

<they say: “This is from Allah,” but it is not from Allah;>

As for Allah’s books, they are still preserved and cannot be changed.” Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement… (Tafsir Ibn Kathir – Abridged, Volume 2, Parts 3, 4 & 5, Surat Al-Baqarah, Verse 253, to Surat An-Nisa, verse 147 [Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, Riyadh, Houston, New York, Lahore; First Edition: March 2000], p. 196; emphasis mine)

Al-Bukhari wasn’t alone in listing Ibn Abbas:

“… The Andalusian interpreter Ibn ‘Atiyya stated that Tahrif means “to change or transfer something from its original character to another” and that Ibn ‘Abbas held that the Jewish (and possibly the Christian, by implication) corruption and change was to be found in exegesis, the letter of the Torah surviving intact, although a second school of scholars maintained that the letters themselves had been changed on the basis that although the Jews had been asked to safeguard the Torah, unlike the Qur’an it was not safeguarded by God Himself.” (Dr. Muhammad Abu Laylah, The Qur’an and the Gospels – A Comparative Study [Al-Falah Foundation for Translation, Publication & Distribution, Third edition, 2005], pp. 145-146; emphasis ours)

Ibn Hisham and John’s Gospel

Ibn Hisham was the Muslim editor who purged material from Ibn Ishaq’s biography which he didn’t like, and yet he kept the latter’s reference to John’s Gospel intact. This means that Ibn Hisham affirmed this tradition, otherwise he would have omitted it:

Ibn Ishaq’s Sira originally began with a section, known as the Book of the Beginning (Kitab al-Mubtada’) which drew partially on Biblical tradition, and even more on Jewish and Christian extra-Biblical tradition. This was cut by his subsequent editor, Ibn Hisham. Ibn Ishaq’s omitted text can be partially recovered only from other versions, such as the recension of Ibn Bukayr and the many reports from Ibn Ishaq preserved in the history of al-Tabari. Ibn Hisham comments that “I shall begin this book with Isma’il son of Ibrahim and mention those of his offspring who were the ancestors of God’s apostle … omitting some of the things which Ibn Ishaq has recorded in this book in which there is no mention of the apostle and about which the Quran says nothing.” Ibn Hisham also omits “things which it is disgraceful to discuss; matters which would distress certain people.⁶⁹ It is not surprising that in this broad-ranging cull, aimed at training the gaze on Muhammad himself, Biblical material has largely fallen by the wayside. Yet Ibn Hisham preserves the famous identification of the Paraclete, referred to in John’s Gospel (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) with Muhammad. This is explicable because although this is a Biblical reference, it is taken by Ibn Ishaq to be a reference to Muhammad, the person at the heart of Ibn Hisham’s concerns. Ibn Ishaq in his Sira preserves a Christian Palestinian Aramaic translation of “parakletos” (Paraclete) as “mnhmn”, a unique rendering compared to later Arabic translations drawn from Greek or Syriac. Of four different recensions of Ibn Ishaq’s work, mostly incomplete, it is only the version used by Ibn Hisham which preserves the reference to the Paraclete.⁷⁰

An example of the biblical material cut out by Ibn Hisham is a report found in Ibn Bukayr’s version of Ibn ishaq stating that Muhammad’s description is found in the Tawrat: “His name is al-Mutawakkil (“the one who trusts,” [in God]). He is not harsh or rough; nor does he walk proudly in the streets. He is given the keys that by him God may make blind yes see, and deaf ears hear, and set straight crooked tongues so that they bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone with associated. He will help and defend the oppressed.”⁷¹ this passage contains various resemblances to Isaiah 42:2-7. The application to Muhammad parallels the application of Isaiah 42 to Jesus (Matt 12:15-21). (Whittingham, A History of Muslim Views of the Bible, pp. 62-63)

The fact that Ibn Hisham removed the supposed prophecy of Muhammad in the Hebrew Bible, but kept the one on John’s Gospel is quite significant.

Ibn Taymiyyah on Q. 5:47

The following quotes are taken from Martin Whittingham, “What is the ‘Gospel’ Mentioned in the Qur’an?”, pp. 4-6, which can be accessed online: https://www.academia.edu/25583711/What_is_the_Gospel_mentioned_in_the_Quran_Research_Briefing_from_the_Centre_for_Muslim_Christian_Studies_Oxford_Spring_2016. All emphasis mine.

The parable in Q 48:29, likening believers to a strong plant, has some parallels to the parable of the sower (see, for example, The Gospel of Matthew 13:1-23). However, there are of course many differences between the Qur’an and the New Testament. Wherever Christians deny certain components of the Muslim view of the Injīl this has prompted charges of alteration of the text (taḥrīf lafẓī), or of alteration of its interpretation (taḥrīf ma‘nawī). An example of the second, that is corrupt interpretation of the text, would be failing to discern references to Muhammad in the Bible, or misunderstanding metaphorical statements about Jesus and the Father as literal. It is worth noting in passing that a number of significant writers give considerable scope to the view of biblical corruption as mainly relating to its wrong interpretation rather than focusing on a corrupt text. These include Ibn Khaldūn (d.809/1406) and Ibn Taymiyya, but in practice this does not lead them to accept the text overall. Where New Testament teachings diverge from the Qur’an or Muslim interpretation of the Qur’an, for example on whether the crucifixion of Jesus occurred, the New Testament is to be rejected.¹³ To summarise, the content of the Injīl as understood in Qur’anic terms is significantly different from how Christians understand it.

However, there are verses where the Qur’an seems to affirm the Injīl, for example in Q 5:46, where it is described as guidance (hudā’), and light (nūr). So an obvious historical question presents itself. If the Qur’anic Injīl diverges from the New Testament gospels, to what text of the Injīl is the Qur’an referring when it makes positive comments? This question is not only textual, but of course historical…

There is a question over the correct reading of the verse. As Ibn Taymiyya and other exegetes explain, ‘Let the followers of the Gospel judge’ (wa’l-yaḥkum) is a command, using the jussive mood. An alternative reading uses the subjunctive, ‘waliyaḥkuma’ or ‘so that the followers of the Gospel judge’. This expresses the reason why Jesus was given the Injīl, namely so that the People of the Gospel could judge by it. But this difference in readings does not affect the heart of the verse’s meaning, as al-Ṭabarī states.¹⁴ The verse has been interpreted in various ways, linked to the question of whether Q 5:47 is exhorting Christians in some sense to follow the Injīl available at the time of the rise of Islam, which would indicate that the Injīl in circulation in the C1st/C7th was a valid criterion for judgment. This raises the question of what form of the Injīl was invoked…

But despite this dismissal by Ibn Ḥazm, Q 5:47 would appear to be appealing to the gospel as it existed in the C1st/C7th as a standard of judgment. If so, were there two versions circulating at the time of Muhammad, one pure and one corrupted? Ibn Taymiyya identifies this as a plausible position. He states that a proper Muslim view of the Tawrāt and Injīl is:

That in the world there are true (ṣaḥīḥ) copies [versions], and these remained until the time of the Prophet, and many copies [versions] which are corrupted… The Qur’an commands them to judge with what Allah revealed in the Tawrat and Injil. [Allah] informs that in both there is wisdom [ḥikmah]. There is nothing in the Qur’an to indicate that they altered all copies [versions].²⁰

Ibn Taymiyya’s solution is thus to assume that the Qur’an gives grounds for believing that there must have been some reliable versions of the Injīl in circulation at the time of Muhammad, as well as some unreliable ones. He does not state whether these reliable versions had disappeared by the time he was writing, though this seems to be the implication. To accept his argument as conclusive, however, it would be necessary to find evidence of uncorrupted and different gospels which had previously been accepted as authentic by Christians. (This excludes apocryphal or non-canonical gospels, which are in general very different from the New Testament gospels, and were never regarded as authoritative by large numbers of Christians). Abdullah Saeed, writing in 2002, notes that by the time of Muhammad’s preaching, the Christian scriptures were documented, and were the same as those used today. He argues that, ‘Since the Qur’an refers to those same scriptures, its references to them should equally apply in the modern era. This is perhaps the main challenge to Ibn Taymiyya’s position’.²¹

It is interesting that despite his statements in his Tafsīr, Ibn Taymiyya himself puts forward a different, more traditional view in al-Jawāb alṣaḥīḥ. ²³ Here he interprets the reference in Q 5:47 to ‘what God sent down’ in the Injīl as a command about following Muhammad: ‘God handed down in the Gospel the command to follow Muhammad, just as He commanded it in the Torah’.²⁴

Can Ibn Taymiyya’s two different statements be reconciled? Perhaps it can be stated that they are not in direct conflict, since a command to follow Muhammad – or at least a prediction of him – can be found, according to some Muslim exegesis, in the extant New Testament gospels. This would be consistent with the view Ibn Taymiyya expresses in his Tafsīr that some sound version of the Injīl was in existence in the C1st/C7th. However, this would still leave Ibn Taymiyya with the problem that those gospels contain plenty of information about Jesus, such as his crucifixion, which no Muslim usually accepts.

13 On Ibn Khaldūn see Martin Whittingham ‘The Value of Taḥrīf Ma‘nawī (Corrupt Interpretation) as a Category for Analysing Muslim Views of the Bible: Evidence from al-Radd aljamīl and Ibn Khaldūn’, Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations 22:2 (2011), pp. 209-222. On Ibn Taymiyya and the cruciixion, see Ibn Taymiyya, al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr (Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya, 1988), I: 210.

14 Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmi‘ al-bayān i’l-ta’wīl al-Qur’ān (Beirut: Dār al-kutub al-‘ilmiyya, 1999), IV: 605.

20 Ibn Taymiyya, al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr, I: 209; English translation from Abdullah Saeed, ‘The Charge of Distortion of Jewish and Christian Scriptures’ Muslim World 92 (2002), p. 430.

21 Saeed, ’Distortion’, p. 434.

23 Ibn Taymiyya, al-Jawāb al-ṣaḥīḥ.

24 Ibn Taymiyya, al-Jawāb al-ṣaḥīḥ, I: 382; English translation in Michel, Response, p. 227.

FURTHER READING

MUHAMMAD’S CONFUSION ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES

DOES NISA NEVER REFER TO MINOR GIRLS?

The Quran in a disgusting fashion permits marital relations and divorce with premature, prepubescent minors:

And those of your women (nisa-ikum) as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the ‘Iddah (prescribed period), if you have doubts (about their periods), is three months, and for those who have no courses [(i.e. they are still immature) their ‘Iddah (prescribed period) is three months likewise, except in case of death]. And for those who are pregnant (whether they are divorced or their husbands are dead), their ‘Iddah (prescribed period) is until they deliver (their burdens), and whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him. S. 65:4 Hilali-Khan

Pay attent to how some of sunni Islam’s greatest expositors interpret this verse:

And [as for] those of your women who (read allā’ī or allā’i in both instances) no longer expect to menstruate, if you have any doubts, about their waiting period, their prescribed [waiting] period shall be three months, and [also for] those who have not yet menstruated, because of their young age, their period shall [also] be three months — both cases apply to other than those whose spouses have died; for these [latter] their period is prescribed in the verse: they shall wait by themselves for four months and ten [days] [Q. 2:234]… (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Source; bold emphasis mine)

(And for such of your women as despair of menstruation) because of old age, (if ye doubt) about their waiting period, (their period (of waiting) shall be three months) upon which another man asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What about the waiting period of those who do not have menstruation because they are too young?” (along with those who have it not) because of young age, their waiting period is three months. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs, Source; bold emphasis mine)

Here, one should bear in mind the fact that according to the explanations given in the Qur’an the question of the waiting period arises in respect of the women with whom marriage may have been consummated, for there is no waiting-period in case divorce is pronounced before the consummation of marriage. (Al-Ahzab: 49). Therefore, making mention of the waiting-period for the girls who have not yet menstruated, clearly proves that it is not only permissible to give away the girl in marriage at this age but it is also permissible for the husband to consummate marriage with her. Now, obviously no Muslim has the right to forbid a thing which the Qur’an has held as permissible. (Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafhim al-Qur’an, fn. 13, Source; bold emphasis mine)

In order to get around this shameful and harmful permissibility and practice of what is essentially pedophilia, specific Muslim polemicists argue that Q. 65:4 is not referring to minors. They base this on the term for women used in the verse, which in Arabic is nisa. These polemicists argue that this word does not refer to premature girls but to mature women.

Contrary to this assertion, the Quran itself shows that the Arabic term does and can refer to prepubescent minors. For instance, the Islamic scripture recounts the story of Moses where Pharaoh ordered the slaughter of male babies:

And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir’aun’s (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment, killing your sons and sparing your women (nisaakum), and therein was a mighty trial from your Lord. And (remember) when We separated the sea for you and saved you and drowned Fir’aun‘s (Pharaoh) people while you were looking (at them, when the sea-water covered them). S. 2:49-50 Hilali-Khan

And (remember) when We rescued you from Fir’aun‘s (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with the worst torment, killing your sons and letting your women live (nisaakum). And in that was a great trial from your Lord. And We appointed for Musa (Moses) thirty nights and added (to the period) ten (more), and he completed the term, appointed by his Lord, of forty nights. And Musa (Moses) said to his brother Harun (Aaron): “Replace me among my people, act in the Right Way (by ordering the people to obey Allah and to worship Him Alone) and follow not the way of the Mufsidun (mischief-makers).” S. 7:141-142 Hilali-Khan

And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people: “Call to mind Allah’s Favour to you, when He delivered you from Fir’aun‘s (Pharaoh) people who were afflicting you with horrible torment, and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women (nisaakum) alive, and in it was a tremendous trial from your Lord.” S. 14:6 Hilali-Khan

We recite to you some of the news of Musa (Moses) and Fir’aun (Pharaoh) in truth, for a people who believe (those who believe in this Qur’an, and in the Oneness of Allah). Verily, Fir’aun (Pharaoh) exalted himself in the land and made its people sects, weakening (oppressing) a group (i.e. Children of Israel) among them, killing their sons, and letting their females (nisaahum) live. Verily, he was of the Mufsidun (i.e. those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors, tyrants, etc.). And We wished to do a favour to those who were weak (and oppressed) in the land, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors, And to establish them in the land, and We let Fir’aun (Pharaoh) and Haman and their hosts receive from them that which they feared. And We inspired the mother of Musa (Moses), (saying): “Suckle him [Musa (Moses)], but when you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily! We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of (Our) Messengers.” Then the household of Fir’aun (Pharaoh) picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a (cause of) grief. Verily! Fir’aun (Pharaoh), Haman and their hosts were sinners. And the wife of Fir’aun (Pharaoh) said: “A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And they perceive not (the result of that). And the heart of the mother of Musa (Moses) became empty [from every thought, except the thought of Musa (Moses)]. She was very near to disclose his (case, i.e. the child is her son), had We not strengthened her heart (with Faith), so that she might remain as one of the believers. And she said to his [Musa’s (Moses)] sister: “Follow him.” So she (his sister) watched him from a far place secretly, while they perceived not. And We had already forbidden (other) foster suckling mothers for him, until she (his sister came up and) said: “Shall I direct you to a household who will rear him for you, and sincerely they will look after him in a good manner?” So did We restore him to his mother, that she might be delighted, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the Promise of Allah is true. But most of them know not. S. 28:3-13 Hilali-Khan

I cite another surah in respect to the baby Moses being delivered just in case the readers doubt that the aforementioned texts are referring to the Pharoah’s decree to have male infants killed:

Allah said: “You are granted your request, O Musa (Moses)! “And indeed We conferred a favour on you another time (before). “When We inspired your mother with that which We inspired. Saying: ‘Put him (the child) into the Tabut (a box or a case or a chest) and put it into the river (Nile), then the river shall cast it up on the bank, and there, an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his shall take him.’ And I endued you with love from Me, in order that you may be brought up under My Eye, When your sister went and said: ‘Shall I show you one who will nurse him?’ So We restored you to your mother, that she might cool her eyes and she should not grieve. Then you did kill a man, but We saved you from great distress and tried you with a heavy trial. Then you stayed a number of years with the people of Madyan (Midian). Then you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O Musa (Moses)! ‘And I have Istana’tuka, for Myself.’” S. 20:36-41 Hilali-Khan

With the foregoing in view, it is clear that by the term nisa the Quran means female infants, not grown, mature women, since Pharaoh did not order the murder of mature males. Pharoah’s decree was to have male babies slaughtered, which means that the nisa in the aforementioned texts can only refer to female babies. I.e., Pharaoh did not command the murder of young baby girls, only baby boys.

This, therefore, proves that this Arabic word can and does refer to young premature girls since it simply means female, irrespective of age or maturity.

There’s a further reason why the Muslim scripture applies the phrase nisa to prepubescent minors who are married and have had sex with their husbands. It is because the Quran allows marrying such young children, and permits men to engage in sexual intimacy with them.

As such, from the Muslim point of view these young, and at times immature, children are to be seen and labeled as nisa since they fall within the category of those women whom Islamic law permits having sex with.

In other words, the Arabic term is not being applied to these young girls because they are psychologically and/or physiologically fully developed and mature enough to engage in sexual intercourse. Rather, such underdeveloped children are called nisa because Allah and his messenger allow men to have sex with them, irrespective of their not being psychologically and/or physiologically fit for it.

FURTHER READING

Marriage to Minors

Islam – The Religion of Pedophilia

MORE ON ISLAMIC PEDOPHILIA

MATERIAL FOR THE ANDANI DISCUSSION

In this post I will show how the Quran attests that the Christianity delineated within the New Testament is the true religion of Jesus Christ, revealed and preserved by God.

1. JESUS’ FOLLOWERS WERE TO BE VICTORIOUS TILL THE RESURRECTION DAY.

Behold! Allah said: “O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee SUPERIOR to those who reject faith, TO THE DAY OF RESURRECTION: Then shall ye all return unto Me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute.” S. 3:55 Y. Ali

O ye who believe! Be ye helpers of Allah: as said Jesus the son of Mary to the Disciples, “Who will be my helpers to (the work of) Allah?” Said the Disciples, “We are Allah’s helpers!” then a portion of the Children of Israel believed, and a portion disbelieved: But We gave power to those who believed against their enemies, AND THEY BECAME THE ONES THAT PREVAILED. S. 61:14 Y. Ali

The Muslim exegetes list Paul as among those whom Allah empowered to spread the true message of Jesus, which is why he prevailed:

“God has sent me (Muhammad) to all men, so take a message from me, God have mercy on you. Do not hang back from me as the disciples hung back from Jesus son of Mary. They asked how they hung back and he said, ‘He called them to a task similar to that which I have called you. Those who had to go a short journey were pleased and accepted. Those who had a long journey before them were displeased and refused to go, and Jesus complained of them to God. (T. From that very night) every one of them was able to speak the language of the people to whom he was sent.’ (T. Jesus said, ‘This is a thing that God has determined that you should do, so go.’)

“Those whom Jesus son of Mary sent, both disciples and those who came after them, in the land were: Peter the disciple AND PAUL WITH HIM, (PAUL BELONGED TO THE FOLLOWERS AND WAS NOT A DISCIPLE) to Rome. Andrew and Matthew to the land of the cannibals; Thomas to the land of Babel, which is in the land of the east; Philip to Carthage which is Africa; John to Ephesus the city of the young men of the cave; James to Jerusalem which is Aelia the city of the sanctuary; Bartholomew to Arabia which is the land of Hijaz; Simon to the land of the Berbers; Judah who was not one of the disciples was put in place of Judas.” (The Life of Muhammad, A Translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah, with introduction and notes by Alfred Guillaume [Karachi Oxford University Press, Karachi, Tenth Impression 1995], p. 653; bold and capital emphasis mine)

Now it makes sense to include Paul among those sent out to proclaim the true religion of Jesus. This is because Paul could not have hijacked and/or perverted the teachings of Christ without this implying that the Apostle prevailed against Allah by managing to defeat the true followers of Jesus, something which the aforementioned Quranic ayat emphatically affirm did not, and could never, happen.

Interestingly, this is the same sirah which identifies John’s Gospel as the inscripturation of the Gospel that God had given to Jesus for his followers:

“Among the things which have reached me about what Jesus the Son of Mary stated in the Gospel which he received from God for the followers of the Gospel, in applying a term to describe the apostle of God, is the following. It is extracted FROM WHAT JOHN THE APOSTLE SET DOWN FOR THEM WHEN HE WROTE THE GOSPEL FOR THEM FROM THE TESTAMENT OF JESUS SON OF MARY: ‘He that hateth me hateth the Lord. And if I had not done in their presence works which none other before me did, they had not sin: but from now they are puffed up with pride and think that they will overcome me and also the Lord. But the word that is in the law must be fulfilled, “They hated me without a cause” (i.e. without reason). But when the Comforter has come whom God will send to you from the Lord’s presence, and the spirit of truth which will have gone forth from the Lord’s presence he (shall bear) witness of me and ye also, because ye have been with me from the beginning. I have spoken unto you about this that ye should not be in doubt.’

“The Munahhemana (God bless and preserve him!) in Syriac is Muhammad; in Greek he is the paraclete. (Ibid., pp. 103-104; bold and capital emphasis mine)

Ibn Ishaq references John 15:23-16:1 as the Gospel which Christ Jesus passed on to his disciples.

Again, this makes perfect sense in light of the claims of Q. 3:55 and 61:14 since John’s Gospel could not have been spread and been widely embraced if it didn’t come from one of Jesus’ true followers whom Allah swore would and did overcome the disbelievers, a dominance that would be theirs and those who follow their message till the day of resurrection. If John’s Gospel isn’t authentic then this means that the message of Christ’s followers was lost and/or perverted, and therefore Allah either failed or lied to Jesus since he failed to preserve what he had sent the disciples to preach throughout the world.

2. MUHAMMAD CONFIRMS WHAT WAS WITH THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS.

Children of Israel, remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and fulfil My covenant and I shall fulfil your covenant; and have awe of Me. And believe in that I have sent down, confirming that which is with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And sell not My signs for a little price; and fear you Me. And do not confound the truth with vanity, and do not conceal the truth wittingly. And perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and bow with those that bow. Will you bid others to piety, and forget yourselves while you recite the Book? Do you not understand? S. 2:40-44 Arberry

When there came to them a Book from God, confirming what was with them — and they aforetimes prayed for victory over the unbelievers — when there came to them that they recognized, they disbelieved in it; and the curse of God is on the unbelievers. S. 2:89 Arberry

The medieval Muslim exegete al-Qurtubi states that the above verse refers to the Torah and the Gospel being with them at Muhammad’s time:

‘Them’ means the Jews, and the ‘Book’ here is the Qur’an, while ‘what is with them’ refers to the Torah and Gospel. The word for ‘praying for victory’ here (yastaftiḥūn) comes from the root fataḥa and implies the opening of something which is locked, and is used, for instance, for the opening of a door. An-Nasā’ī reports that Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī said that the Prophet said, ‘Allah gave victory to the community because of its weak members by means of their supplication, prayer and sincerity.’ An-Nasā’ī also reports from Abud-Dardā’ that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Help me in seeking out the weak. They are supported. You are provided for on account of the weak among you.’ Ibn ‘Abbās reported that the Jews of Khaybar fought the tribe of Ghaṭafān and were defeated and so the Jews used this supplication, saying, ‘We ask You by the right of the unlettered Prophet whom You promised to send us at the end of time to make us victorious against them.’ They then defeated the tribe of Ghaṭafān. But when the Prophet was indeed sent, they rejected him and so Allah revealed this. (Tafsir al-Qurtubi: Juz’ 1: Al-Fātiḥah & Sūrat al-Baqarah 1-141, translated by Aisha Abdurrahman Bewley [Diwan Press, 2019], Volume 1, pp. 338-339; bold emphasis mine)

Elsewhere al-Qurtubi cites a sound narration where Muhammad admitted that the Jews and Christians had the Torah and the Gospel in their possessions:

and pay heed to what is in it,

This means ‘reflect and observe Allah’s commands and warnings in it and do not neglect that and waste it’. It is the same with all the Divine Books: you must act according to them and not just recite them on the tongue. To do otherwise is to waste them. This is what is stated by ash-Sha‘bī and Ibn ‘Uyaynah as will be discussed later. (2:101) An-Nasā’ī related from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī that the Messenger of Allah g said, ‘The worst of people is an impious man who recites the Qur’an and pays no heed to any of it.’ So he explained that the goal is to put it into action. Mālik said, ‘The Qur’an can be recited by someone who has no good in him. This was an obligation for those before us just as it is obliged for us.’ Allah says: ‘Follow the best that has been sent down to you from your Lord.’ (39:55) So He commanded us to follow His Book and act by it, but we have abandoned it just as the Jews and Christians did. There remain people with many books and copies of the Qur’an who do not benefit from that at all because they are dominated by ignorance, desire for power, and the following of appetites. We find in at-Tirmidhī that Abu-d-Dardā’ said, ‘We were with the Prophet and he looked towards heaven and said, “This is a time in which knowledge will be snatched away from its people until they have none left.” Ziyād ibn Labīd al-Anṣārī asked, “How can it be snatched away from us when we recite the Qur’an! By Allah, we recite it and our women and children recite it.” He replied, “May your mother be bereft, Ziyād! I consider you to be like those in who know the Torah and Gospel WHICH the Jews and Christians HAVE. What help was it to them?”’ An-Nasā’ī transmitted it from Jubayr ibn Nufayr from ‘Awf ibn Mālik al-Ashja‘ī by a sound path. (Ibid., pp. 295-296; bold emphasis mine)

Here’s another version of the aforementioned hadith:

41 Chapters on Knowledge

(5) Chapter: What Has Been Related About Knowledge Leaving

Narrated Jubair bin Nufair:

from Abu Ad-Darda who said: “We were with the Prophet when he raised his sight to the sky, then he said: ‘This is the time when knowledge is to be taken from the people, until what remains of it shall not amount to anything.” So Ziyad bin Labid Al-Ansari said: ‘How will it be taken from us while we recite the Qur’an. By Allah we recite it, and our women and children recite it?’ He said: ‘May you be bereaved of your mother O Ziyad! I used to consider you among the Fuqaha of the people of Al-Madinah. The Tawrah and Injil ARE WITH THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS, but what do they avail of them?‘” Jubair said: “So I met ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit and said to him: ‘Have you not heard what your brother Abu Ad-Darda said?’ Then I informed him of what Abu Ad-Darda said. He said: ‘Abu Ad-Darda spoke the truth. If you wish, we shall narrated to you about the first knowledge to be removed from the people: It is Khushu’, soon you will enter the congregational Masjid, but not see any man in it with Khushu’.’”

Grade: SAHIH (Darussalam)

Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2653

In Book Reference: Book 41, Hadith 9

English translation: Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 2653 (sunnah.com https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/41/9; capital emphasis mine)

More on the Gospel’s availability a little later.

We’re not done with the Quran’s witness just yet:

And when they were told, ‘Believe in that God has sent down,’ they said, ‘We believe in what was sent down on us’; and they disbelieve in what is beyond that, yet it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say: ‘Why then were you slaying the Prophets of God in former time, if you were believers?’ S. 2:91 Arberry

Say: “Who was an enemy to Gabriel, so that he descended it on your heart/mind with God’s permission, confirming to what (is) between his hands (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi), and (a) guidance and a good news to the believers.” S. 2:97 (Muhammad Ahmed–Samira https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/2/st19.htm)

When there has come to them a Messenger from God confirming what was with them, a party of them that were given the Book reject the Book of God behind their backs, as though they knew not, S. 2:101 Arberry

You who have been given the Book, believe in what We have sent down, confirming what is with you, before We obliterate faces, and turn them upon their backs, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-men, and God’s command is done. S. 4:47 Arberry

And this the Koran was/is not that it be fabricated from (by) other than God, and but confirmation (of) what (is) between his (Prophet Mohammad’s) hands (tasdeeqa allathee bayna yadayhi), and detailing/explaining The Book, no doubt/suspicion in it, (it is) from the creations all together’s/(universes’) Lord. S. 10:37 (Muhammad Ahmed–Samira https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/10/st19.htm)

In their narration/information (stories there) had been an example/warning to those of the pure minds/hearts (it) was not an information/speech to be fabricated and but confirmation (to) which (is) between his hands (tasdeeqa allathee bayna yadayhi) and detailing/explaining/clarifying every thing, and guidance, and mercy to (a) nation believing. S. 12:111 (Muhammad Ahmed–Samira https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/12/st19.htm)

And those who disbelieved said: “We will never/not believe with this the Koran, and nor with what (is) between its hands (bayna yadayhi).” And if you see/understand if the unjust/oppressive (were) made to stand/suspended at their Lord, some of them return to some the saying/words/opinion and belief, those who were weakened say to those who became arrogant: “Where it not for you, we would be believers/believing.” S. 34:31 (Muhammad Ahmed–Samira https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/34/st19.htm)

And what We inspired/transmitted to you from The Book, it is the truth confirming to what (is) between his hands (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi), that truly God (is) with His worshippers/slaves expert/experienced (E), seeing/knowing. S. 35:31 (Muhammad Ahmed–Samira https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/35/st19.htm)

3. THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES WERE IN EXISTENCE AT MUHAMMAD’S TIME.

The Quran instructs folks inquire of the messengers who came before Muhammad:

Ask those of Our Messengers We sent before thee: Have We appointed, apart from the All-merciful, gods to be served? S. 43:45 Arberry

Now the only way anyone could possibly ask these messengers who were no longer on earth is by consulting their scriptures which they left behind. This is precisely how the Muslim exegetes interpreted this text:

And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you Did We ever appoint besides the Compassionate One that is to say any other than Him gods to be worshipped? It is said that this is to be understood literally in other words that God gathered for him all the messengers on the Night of the Journey; but it is also said that this meant that he should ask any communities belonging to either of the two Peoples of the Scripture. According to one of the two opinions he never asked anyone since the point of this command to ask is to affirm to the idolaters of Quraysh that no messenger or scripture ever came from God with the command to worship any other than God. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=43&tAyahNo=45&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold emphasis mine)

(And ask those of Our messengers) such as Jesus, Moses and Abraham; this was on the night when he was taken up to heaven and he led in prayer 70 prophets, among whom were Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Allah commanded His Prophet, saying: ask them (whom We sent before thee) O Muhammad: (Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped beside the Beneficent) did We command that any other deity beside the Beneficent be worshipped? It is also said that this means: ask those unto whom We sent the messengers before you, i.e. the people of Book, did We appoint any other deities beside the Beneficent to be worshipped? And it is also said that this means: ask them, did the messengers bring anything other than the profession of Allah’s divine Oneness; the Prophet did not have to ask because he was certain that Allah did not appoint any other deities to be worshipped beside Him. (Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=43&tAyahNo=45&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold emphasis mine)

45 This verse is understood to mean that when the Prophet met all of the other prophets on the Night Journey (see 17:1c; introduction to Sūrah 53), he was to ask them this question (JJ), or that he was to ask it of the People of the Book (JJ, Ṭ), in which case some say there is an implied “unto whom” (ilayhim) in the verse so that it could be rendered, “Ask those before you [unto whom] We sent from among Our messengers” (Ṭ). The verse can also be understood as a purely rhetorical question, reaffirming that all of the messengers called their people to the same truths to which the Prophet Muhammad calls his people, as in 16:36: We indeed sent a messenger unto every community, “Worship God, and shun false deities!” (IK). (The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary , editor-in-chief Seyyed Hossein Nasr, HarperOne, 2015; bold emphasis mine)

I.e.. “look into the earlier revelations and ask thyself”. (Muhammad Asad Footnote: 38 https://www.alim.org/translation/asad/43/)

That is, by examining their Message, and asking the learned among their real followers. It will be found that no Religion really teaches the worship of other than Allah. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Footnote: 4648 https://www.alim.org/translation/yusuf-ali/43/; bold emphasis mine)

3B. CHRISTIANS OF MUHAMMAD’S TIME HAD THE GOSPEL.

And We sent after (following) on their tracks with Jesus, Mary’s son confirming for what (is) between his hands from the Torah/Old Testament (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi mina al-tawrati), and We gave him the New Testament/Bible in it (is) guidance and light, and confirming to what (is) between his hands from the Torah/Old Testament (wa’musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi mina al-tawrati), and guidance and a sermon/advice/warning to the fearing and obeying. And the New Testament’s/Bible’s people should judge/rule with what God descended in it, and who does not judge/rule with what God descended, so those, they are the debauchers. S. 5:46-47 (Muhammad Ahmed–Samira https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/5/st19.htm)

Al-Qurtubi noted a variant reading, which a minority accepted as genuine:

Al-A’mash and Hamzah read ‘judge’ as ‘yahkumu’ with a lam attached to the beginning, meaning ‘in order to’, and the others read it in the apocopate form: yahkum, as a command. In the first reading, the words are connected to ‘We gave him’ and it is not permitted to stop, implying ‘We gave him the Gospel so that his people would judge by what Allah revealed in it.’ If it is read as a command, then it is like the words: ‘Judge between them.’ (5:49), starting a new sentence meaning: ‘Let the people of the Gospel judge at that time.’ Now it is abrogated. It is said that it is a command to the Christians to now believe in Muhammad. The obligation to believe in him is found in the Gospel. Abrogation is conceivable in secondary rulings, not in basic principles. Makki said, ‘The command IS PREFERRED because THE MAJORITY have it and because of what comes after it is a threat which indicates that it is an obligation from Allah Almighty for the people of the Gospel.’ An-Nahhas said, ‘What I believe to be correct is that they are both good readings because Allah only revealed a Scripture in order for it to be acted on and He commanded that people should act by what is in it. So both are sound.’ (Tafsir al-Qurtubi: Sūrat al-Mā’idah, translated by Aisha Bewley [Diwan Press, 2021], Volume 6, pp. 173-174; bold and capital emphasis mine)

3C. THE QURAN IS SUPPOSED CONFIRMATION THESE SCRIPTURES IN ARABIC.

Then, We gave Musa (Moses) the Book [the Taurat (Torah)], to complete (Our Favour) upon those who would do right, and explaining all things in detail and a guidance and a mercy that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord. And this is a blessed Book (the Qur’an) which We have sent down, so follow it and fear Allah (i.e. do not disobey His Orders), that you may receive mercy (i.e. saved from the torment of Hell). Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: “The Book was only sent down to two sects before us (the Jews and the Christians), and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied.” Or lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: “If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely have been better guided than they (Jews and Christians).” So now has come unto you a clear proof (the Qur’an) from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah and turns away therefrom? We shall requite those who turn away from Our Ayat with an evil torment, because of their turning away (from them). [Tafsir At-Tabari, Vol. 8, Page 95]S. 6:154-157 Hilali-Khan

And from before it (is) Moses’ Book, a leader/example, and mercy, and that (is a) confirming Book (in an) Arabic tongue/speech, to warn/give notice (to) those who caused injustice/ oppression, and good news to the good doers… They said: “You our nation that we heard/listened to a Book (that) was descended from after Moses, confirming to what (is) between his hands (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi), it guides to the truth and to (a) straight/direct road/path.” S. 46:12, 30 (Muhammad Ahmed–Samira https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/46/st19.htm)

4. JEWS AND CHRISTIAN WERE TO ACT UPON ALL THE REVELATIONS GIVEN TO THEM.

Had they followed the Laws of the Old and New Testaments and what was revealed to them from their Lord, they would have received Our bounties from above and below in abundance. Some of them are modest people, but many of them commit the worst sins… (Muhammad), tell the People of the Book, “You have nothing unless you follow the Old and New Testaments and that which (the Quran) God has revealed to you.” Whatever has been revealed to you (Muhammad) from your Lord will only increase their disbelief and rebellion (against you). Do not grieve for the unbelieving people. 5:66, 68 (Muhammad Sarwar https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/5/st23.htm)

Here’s another translation:

And if that they took care of the Torah/Old Testament, and the Bible/New Testament and what was descended to them from their Lord, they would have eaten from above them and from below their feet; from them (is) a nation economizing/moderate , and many from them what they were making/doing became bad/evil/harmful… Say: “You The Book’s people, you are not on a thing, until you keep up the Torah/Old Testament and the Bible/New Testament , and what was descended to you from your (P) Lord.” And what was descended to you (S/M) from your Lord increases (E) many of them tyranny/arrogance, and disbelief, so do not grieve/sadden on the nation, the disbelieving. (Muhammad Ahmed–Samira https://www.islamawakened.com/quran/5/st19.htm)

To the Christians, this would mean that they were to act upon the writings of the New Testament, and not just the Gospel. As the following Muslim expositors acknowledge:

(If they had observed the Torah and the Gospel) if they had accepted what is in the Torah and the Gospel and demonstrated the traits and description of Muhammad contained therein (and that which was revealed unto them from their Lord) and had they elucidated that which their Lord had explained to them in the Torah and the Gospel; it is also said that this means: if they had believed that ALL the scriptures and messengers are from their Lord, (they would surely have been nourished from above them) through rain (and from beneath their feet) through vegetation and fruit. (Among them) among the people of the Book (there are people who are moderate) a group of just and upright people, i.e. ‘Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers, the monk Bahirah, the Negus and his followers, and Salman al-Farisi and his fellows, (but many of them are of evil conduct) evil is what they do in terms of concealing the traits and description of Muhammad. Among such people are Ka’b Ibn al-Ashraf, Ka’b Ibn Asad, Malik Ibn al-Sayf, Sa’id Ibn ‘Amr, Abu Yasir, and Judayy Ibn Akhtab. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs, Q. 5:66 https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=5&tAyahNo=66&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; emphasis mine)

(Say) O Muhammad: (O People of the Scripture!) i.e. the Jews and Christians. (You have naught) of the religion of Allah (till ye observe the Torah and the Gospel) until you truly believe in what is in the Torah and the Gospel (and that which was revealed unto thee (Muhammad) from your Lord) in ALL Scriptures given to all messengers. (That which is revealed unto you (Muhammad) from your Lord) the Qur’an (is certain to increase the contumacy) constancy in disbelief (and disbelief) and firmness in disbelief (of many of them) of their disbelievers. (But grieve not for the disbelieving folk) do not be saddened for their destruction in their state of disbelief, if they do not believe. (Ibid., Q. 5:68 https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=5&tAyahNo=68&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; emphasis mine)

For a Christian to uphold all the scriptures s/he would have to implement and act upon the canonical books of the New Testament, since these are all a part of what was revealed to them. There’s simply no way around it.

4B. MUSLIMS ARE TO BELIEVE IN THE REVELATION GIVEN TO THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS.

Muhammad and his followers are commanded to believe in all the revelation given to the Jews and Christians:

The Messenger believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and the believers; each one believes in God and His angels, and in His Books (wa’kutubihi) and His Messengers; we make no division between any one of His Messengers. They say, ‘We hear, and obey. Our Lord, grant us Thy forgiveness; unto Thee is the homecoming.’ S. 2:285

O believers, believe in God and His Messenger and the Book He has sent down on His Messenger and the Book which He sent down before. Whoso disbelieves in God and His angels and His Books (wa’kutubihi), and His Messengers, and the Last Day, has surely gone astray into far error. S. 4:136

Dispute not with the People of the Book save in the fairer manner, except for those of them that do wrong; and say, ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is One, and to Him we have surrendered.’ S. 29:46

Note that Muhammad and his followers were to have the same attitude and belief in the previous scriptures that they have towards the Quran. What this entails is that Muslims must believe that the books in the possession of the Jews and Christians have been preserved, just as they believe about the Quran.

After all, it is an act of kufr (disbelief) to deny that the Quran has been corrupted. Therefore, since Muhammad’s followers are adopt this same view of the previous scriptures this means that it is an act of rebellion and disbelief to argue that the previous revelations have been corrupted.

Moreover, this attitude towards the scriptures includes believing in all the revelations not mentioned in the Quran by name. That is because the latter expressly teaches that there are messengers whose names are not to be found in the Muslim scripture:

Say you: ‘We believe in God, and in that which has been sent down on us and sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophets, of their Lord; we make no division between any of them, and to Him we surrender.’ S. 2:136 Arberry

We have revealed to thee as We revealed to Noah, and the Prophets after him, and We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, Jesus and Job, Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and We gave to David Psalms, and Messengers We have already told thee of before, and Messengers We have not told thee of; and unto Moses God spoke directly – S. 4:163-164 Arberry

Therefore, the Muslims are to consult the Jews and Christians in order to know who these other messengers were, and what revelations were given to them.

In other words, the Quran is indeed confirming the books of the Old and New Testament canons since these would have been the revelations which they had in their possession at Muhammad’s time.

Again, there’s simply no way around this for the Muslim who desires to honest and faithful to what his/her scripture actually teaches.

FURTHER READING

INJIL, IBN ABBAS & Al-BUKHARI

THE QURAN’S GOSPEL

THE QURAN ON INSCRIPTURATION

THE GOSPEL THAT IS WITH THEM

THE UNCLEAR QURAN: WHAT IS THE INJIL?

MUHAMMAD’S CONFUSION ABOUT THE SCRIPTURES

THE APOSTLE PAUL IN EARLY ISLAMIC EXEGESIS

PAUL IN THE EARLY ISLAMIC SOURCES REVISITED

THE GOSPEL THAT IS WITH THEM

In this post I will be quoting from a monumental work titled The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary (SQ), produced by a team of credentialed and bonafide Muslim scholars from various academic backgrounds. It was published by HarperOne published in 2015, and its editor-in-chief is renowned Muslim philosopher and Sufi scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr.

I cite this work in order to show what this team of Muslim scholars/theologians say in regards to the Gospel, which the Quran states was in the possession of the Christians of Muhammad’s day. Bold emphasis will be mine.

Q. 5:66

66 This is one of several verses in this sūrah indicating the importance of Jews and Christians following their own scriptures (see also vv. 44, 47, 68) and suggesting that these scriptures remain a source of spiritual nourishment. “Observing” the Torah and Gospel is understood by some commentators in a limited sense to mean merely upholding the covenant with God established in those scriptures in a general way, which would not preclude Jews and Christians from following the Prophet— indeed, according to some, it would require them to follow the Prophet Muhammad, whom the Quran indicates was inscribed in the Torah and Gospel (R; see 7:157; 61:6). It can also be understood as enjoining them to continue to uphold the rituals and laws prescribed in these scriptures (R) in keeping with the statement in v. 48 that God had prescribed a law and a way for every religious community. Yet, the verse also requires them to observe that which was sent down to them from their Lord. This is understood by many early commentators as referring to the Quran (Q, Ṭ), although some have thought it might be a reference to certain prophetic books, such as the book of Daniel, found in the Hebrew scriptures, but outside of the Torah narrowly defined (Q, R).

For the People of the Book to observe both their own Scriptures and the Quran means, according to some commentators, that Jews and Christians should follow those teachings in the Torah and the Gospel that were either endorsed by the Quran or at least not declared false in it (Ṭ). Had they done this, they would surely have received nourishment from above them and from beneath their feet…

68 As in v. 66, this verse reiterates the importance of Jews and Christians observing both their own scriptures, the Torah and the Gospel, and that which has been sent down unto you from your Lord, which most commentators understand to mean the Quranic message brought by the Prophet (see 5:66; 5:66c). The idea that many of the People of the Book will be increased in rebellion and disbelief echoes v. 64, which indicates that that which has been sent down unto the Prophet will increase some of the People of the Book in “rebellion and disbelief” (see 5:64; 5:64c). Here, as elsewhere, the Prophet is told to grieve not for those who are unresponsive to the Divine message (cf. 5:26; 27:70). Some connect this verse to the injunction to the Prophet in the previous verse to convey that which has been sent down to him, indicating that this message to the People of the Book to follow their own scriptures as well as the Quran was what the Prophet had hesitated or feared to convey (R, Ṭ).

Another reputable Quranic translator, the late Abdullah Yusuf Ali, also pointed to the current New Testament, specifically John’s Gospel, as foretelling Muhammad’s coming:

In this verse is a prefiguring, to Moses, of the Arabian Messenger, the last and greatest of the messengers of Allah. Prophecies about him will be found in the Taurat and the Injil. In the reflex of the Taurat as now accepted by the Jews, Moses says: “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me” (Deut. xviii. 15): the only Prophet who brought a Shari’at like that of Moses was Muhammad Al- Mustafa, and he came of the house of Ismail the brother of Isaac the father of Israel. In the reflex of the Gospel as now accepted by the Christians, Christ promised another Comforter (John xiv. 16): the Greek word Paraclete which the Christians interpret as referring to the Holy Spirit is by our Doctors taken to be Periclyte, which would be the Greek form of Ahmad. See Q. lxi. 6. (Footnote: 1127 https://www.alim.org/translation/yusuf-ali/7/)

Q. 7:157

The Prophet is also said here to be inscribed in the Torah and the Gospel, meaning for most commentators that the qualities that identify and describe him as a prophet are mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel (Ṭ). See 61:6, where Jesus says that he brings glad tidings of a Messenger to come after him whose name is Aḥmad — Aḥmad is one of the most often used names of the Prophet in the Islamic tradition (see 61:6c). According to a ḥadīth, the Prophet was described in the Torah with some of the same qualities attributed to him in the Quran, including that he is a giver of glad tidings and a warner, that he does not do evil to those who do evil to him, that he is kind and forgiving, that he is not rude or loud in the marketplace, and that he is a guardian for the unlettered (ummiyūn), here probably referring to the Arabs. The ḥadīth goes on to say that he will cause even those who are astray to utter, “There is no god but God,” and hence open eyes, ears, and hearts (Q, Ṭ). Some commentators mention particular statements in the Torah and Gospel that were interpreted by Muslims as references to the coming of the Prophet Muhammad, including prophecies about the descendants of Ishmael in Genesis 16– 17 and Jesus’ reference to a spiritual “comforter,” the “Paraclete” (Fāraqlīṭ, which was understood to mean Aḥmad), who would come after him and “will speak whatever he hears” (John 16:7–14; Ṭ s).

Q. 61:6

6 A function of every Divine messenger is to confirm the revelations that have come before; thus 6:92 says of the Quran, This is a blessed Book that We have sent down, confirming that which came before it (cf. 35:31; 46:30). That the prophets would confirm one another is said to be part of the primordial covenant that they made with God in 3:81 and 33:7. The prophets’ confirmation of other messengers is also understood to refer to those who would follow them in time, and several verses are interpreted as references to the mention of the Prophet Muhammad in the Old and New Testaments (see 7:157c). The name Aḥmad means “most praised”; it derives from the same root as Muhammad— ḥ-md — and has long been recognized by Muslims as one of the many honorific names given to the Prophet by God Himself. This is based upon a saying of the Prophet: “I have several names: I am Muhammad; I am Aḥmad; I am al-Māḥī (the Effacer) by means of whom God eliminates unbelief.” Many other aḥadīth simply refer to the Prophet as Aḥmad.

Some Muslims have likened Jesus’ reference to Aḥmad here in the Quran to the reference to the Paraclete (Gk. Paraklētos) or Advocate of whom Jesus speaks in the Gospel of John 14:15– 16: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever” (see also John 16:7– 14; Āl, R). Such an interpretation is, however, complicated by the next verse, 14:17, where the Advocate or Paraclete is said to be “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you,” and by 14:26, where the Advocate is again equated with the Holy Spirit.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The scholars of the SQ realize that the only way to take seriously the Quran’s statements in respect to the existence of the Torah and the Gospel at Muhammad’s time is to presume that these terms refer to the Old and New Testaments respectively. At the very least, the Gospel mentioned cannot refer to anything other than the canonical Gospels, such the Gospel of John.

This, therefore, confirms that the author(s) and/or editor(s) of the Muslim scripture had the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments in view, since these were the only sacred texts that the Jews and Christians had in their possessions during the reported lifetime of Muhammad.

FURTHER READING

Let the Study Quran Speak! Pt. 1, Pt. 1b, Pt. 2

THE QURAN’S GOSPEL

What the Qur’an says about the Bible (overview page)

Does the Holy Bible Call Itself the Holy Bible?

Does the Holy Bible claim to be the inspired Word of God?

Does the Quran confirm the Bible and the Canonical Gospels?

The Quran’s Confirmation of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures

Does Taurat Refer Only to the Revelation Given to Moses?

The Greek Quran Confirms That Allah Revealed the Holy Bible

The Muhammadan Fraud That Was Ahmed Deedat: Which Bible?

THE QURAN’S CONFIRMATION OF THE HOLY BIBLE REVISITED