Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Belief in the Books means having firm conviction that Allah, Most High, revealed His Books to His Messengers and that they are revelation from Him; believing in detail in those Books that Allah named, and believing in general in those that He did not name; affirming what is authentically established from their reports; and believing that the Noble Qur’an is authoritative over the previous Books and serves as a criterion and guardian over them.
Belief in the Books includes firm conviction that all the Books Allah revealed to His Messengers are revelation from Him, Glorified and Exalted is He, and that Allah truly spoke them.
Allah, Most High, says:
“It is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger who reveals, by His permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High, Most Wise.” [Ash-Shura 42:51]
And He, Glorified is He, says:
“And Allah spoke to Moses directly.” [An-Nisa’ 4:164]
Allah also says concerning the Torah:
“And We wrote for him on the tablets an instruction concerning all things and an explanation of all things.” [Al-A‘raf 7:145]
Thus, belief in the Books is not limited to believing that they are books of guidance; rather, it includes believing that they were revealed by Allah, Most High.
The Books that Allah, Most High, named must be believed in specifically. These include:
The Noble Qur’an.
The Torah.
The Gospel.
The Psalms.
The Scriptures of Abraham.
The Scriptures of Moses.
As for those whose names have not been mentioned, the Muslim believes in them in general. Allah, Most High, says:
“And say: ‘I believe in whatever Book Allah has revealed.’” [Ash-Shura 42:15]
In this way, the Muslim combines specific belief in the Books that have been named with general belief in all the Books that Allah revealed but did not name to us.
Part of belief in the Books is affirming what has been authentically established from their reports, foremost among which is what has been conveyed by the Noble Qur’an.
Likewise, whatever remains of the reports of the previous Books in which no alteration or distortion has been established is to be affirmed if it is authentic. Nothing should be attributed to Allah, Most High, except what has been established.
Allah, Most High, revealed the Noble Qur’an confirming the Books that came before it and acting as a guardian and criterion over them.
Allah, Most High, says:
“And We have revealed to you the Book in truth, confirming what came before it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:48]
Its being a criterion and guardian means that it is a witness and a trustworthy authority over the Books that preceded it. It confirms whatever truth they contain, exposes the alterations and distortions that occurred in them, and judges the previous laws according to the rulings brought by the Qur’an.
For this reason, Allah, Most High, says:
“Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it believe in it. And when it is recited to them, they say, ‘We believe in it; indeed, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed, we were Muslims even before it.’” [Al-Qasas 28:52-53]
Since the Qur’an is the final Book revealed by Allah and the one that confirms and stands as a criterion over the previous Books, the Muslim community is obligated to follow it and hold firmly to it both outwardly and inwardly.
Allah, Most High, says:
“And this is a blessed Book which We have revealed, so follow it and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy.” [Al-An‘am 6:155]
Holding firmly to the Qur’an includes acting upon its commands and prohibitions, declaring lawful what it declares lawful and unlawful what it declares unlawful, learning lessons from its stories and parables, contemplating its verses, knowing what is clear and decisive in it, submitting to what may be ambiguous, observing its limits, memorizing and reciting it, acting upon it day and night, and calling others to it with insight.
Belief in the Books of Allah, Most High, has many great benefits, including:
1. Recognizing Allah’s care for His servants:
Allah revealed Books to different nations to guide them to the truth and show them the path of goodness and righteousness.
2. Recognizing Allah’s wisdom in legislation:
Allah prescribed for every nation laws and ways appropriate to them. He, Most High, says:
“For each of you We have appointed a law and a way.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:48]
3. Fulfilling gratitude to Allah, Most High:
The revelation of the Books is among the greatest blessings Allah has bestowed upon His servants, because they guide them to the truth and show them the path of salvation.
4. Increasing care for the Noble Qur’an:
Belief in the Books leads the Muslim to recognize the virtue and greatness of the Qur’an and to become more eager to read it, contemplate its meanings, understand it, and act according to what it contains.
Belief in the Books is based on four fundamental matters: having firm conviction that Allah’s Books were revealed by Him; believing specifically in those He named and generally in those He did not name; affirming what is authentically established from their reports; and believing that the Noble Qur’an confirms the previous Books and is authoritative over them.
This entails the obligation to hold firmly to the Noble Qur’an, recite it, contemplate it, act according to its rulings, and call others to it, because it is the final Book that Allah, Most High, revealed as guidance for humanity.
And Allah knows best.