Level 3

Lesson 4️⃣

 The Third Pillar of Faith: Belief in the Divine Books

Peace be upon you, dear brothers. I hope you are doing well.

Today, Allah willing, we will talk about the third pillar of faith, which is belief in the Divine Books.

 What Does Belief in the Divine Books Mean?

Belief in the Divine Books means believing in all the books that Allah Almighty revealed to His prophets and messengers, and believing that the message of all the prophets and messengers was one: to worship Allah alone.

We also believe that the previous scriptures underwent alteration, while Allah has preserved the Noble Quran from alteration.

Allah Almighty says:

﴿كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِيَحۡكُمَ بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِيمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِيهِۚ وَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتُ بَغۡيَۢا بَيۡنَهُمۡۖ فَهَدَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لِمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ بِإِذۡنِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ﴾

“Mankind was [of] one religion [before their deviation]; then Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed over it [i.e., the Scripture] except those who were given it—after the clear proofs came to them—out of jealous animosity among themselves. And Allah guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed, by His permission. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.”

[Al-Baqarah: 213]

The meaning of the verse is that mankind was once one community. Then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good news and warners and sent down the Scriptures with them in truth to judge between people concerning their differences. Allah guided the believers to the truth by His permission, and Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.

 The Divine Books Mentioned in the Quran

Allah Almighty mentioned in the Quran some of the books that He revealed to His prophets and messengers. Among them are:

 The Torah, Revealed by Allah to Moses (Musa), Peace Be Upon Him

Allah Almighty says:

﴿إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَا ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةَ فِيهَا هُدٗى وَنُورٞۚ يَحۡكُمُ بِهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلرَّبَّنِيُّونَ وَٱلۡأَحۡبَارُ بِمَا ٱسۡتُحۡفِظُواْ مِن كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُواْ عَلَيۡهِ شُهَدَآءَۚ فَلَا تَخۡشَوُاْ ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِ وَلَا تَشۡتَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِي ثَمَنٗا قَلِيلٗاۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَحۡكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُوْلَٰئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ﴾

“Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price [i.e., worldly gain]. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed—then it is those who are the disbelievers.”

[Al-Ma’idah: 44]

This means that Allah revealed the Torah, in which there was guidance and light, and the prophets of Allah judged according to it.

 The Gospel (Injil), Revealed by Allah to Jesus (Isa), Peace Be Upon Him

Allah Almighty says:

﴿وَقَفَّيۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِم بِعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَ مُصَدِّقٗا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلۡإِنجِيلَ فِيهِ هُدٗى وَنُورٞ وَمُصَدِّقٗا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِ وَهُدٗى وَمَوۡعِظَةٗ لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ﴾

“And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous.”

[Al-Ma’idah: 46]

This means that Allah sent Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon him, and revealed the Gospel to him, in which there was guidance, light, and instruction for the righteous.

 The Scriptures of Abraham (Ibrahim) and Moses (Musa), Peace Be Upon Them

Allah Almighty says:

﴿إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِي ٱلصُّحُفِ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ ۝ صُحُفِ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ﴾

“Indeed, this is in the former scriptures, the scriptures of Abraham and Moses.”

[Al-A‘la: 18–19]

Allah Almighty has informed us about the Scriptures of Abraham and Moses, peace be upon them.

 The Psalms (Zabur), Revealed by Allah to David (Dawud), Peace Be Upon Him

Allah Almighty says:

﴿وَرَبُّكَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَلَقَدۡ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٖۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورٗا﴾

“And your Lord is most knowing of whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And We have made some of the prophets exceed others [in various ways], and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].”

[Al-Isra’: 55]

This means that Allah Almighty gave David (Dawud), peace be upon him, the Zabur (Psalms).

Belief in the Divine Books

The Noble Quran is the only book that Allah has preserved from distortion and alteration. Allah Almighty says:

﴿إِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ﴾

“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder [i.e., the Quran], and indeed, We will surely preserve it.”

[Al-Hijr: 9]

This means that Allah Almighty is the One who revealed the Quran, and He has guaranteed its preservation.

Allah Almighty has preserved the Quran from alteration and distortion because it is the final Divine Book, revealed to the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

One of the evidences of the Quran’s preservation is that it has been transmitted continuously and widely among Muslims from the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until today, unlike the previous scriptures, which underwent alteration and distortion.

The Noble Quran was revealed by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) through the Angel Gabriel (Jibril), peace be upon him.

The Noble Quran is the primary source of Islamic legislation, followed by the Prophetic Sunnah as a source of Islamic legislation.

All praise is due to Allah. The lesson is complete.

Answer the following question:

Which book has Allah preserved from distortion?

1- The Torah
2- The Gospel
3- The Quran