Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The basic principle is that a Muslim should not occupy himself with reading the altered books of the People of the Book, nor acquire them merely for curiosity or general knowledge, because they have undergone distortion and alteration, and because the Noble Qur’an has made the previous scriptures unnecessary with regard to the truth and guidance that a Muslim needs. However, a firmly grounded scholar who is capable of distinguishing truth from falsehood and needs to examine them in order to respond to Jews and Christians and establish the proof against them may do so. This is not an innovation; rather, it has a basis in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
A Muslim must believe that the Torah, the Gospel, and the other scriptures that Allah revealed to His prophets were originally revelation from Allah. Allah, Exalted is He, says:
“Say: We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit.” [Al-Baqarah 2:136]
And He, Glorified is He, says:
“O you who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and the Book that He has sent down to His Messenger, and the Scripture which He sent down before. And whoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, and the Last Day has certainly strayed far away.” [An-Nisa’ 4:136]
However, the previous scriptures did not remain exactly as Allah revealed them. Rather, distortion and alteration entered them. Allah says:
“So woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ to exchange it for a small price. So woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn.” [Al-Baqarah 2:79]
For this reason, there are prophetic warnings against becoming attached to the books of the People of the Book or referring to them for matters of religion that a Muslim needs.
Allah revealed the Noble Qur’an confirming the scriptures that came before it and acting as an authority over them, and He made it guidance and mercy for the believers. Allah says:
“Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you the Book which is recited to them? Surely in this is a mercy and a reminder for a people who believe.” [Al-‘Ankabut 29:51]
For this reason, the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, warned against becoming preoccupied with the books of the People of the Book. Among this is the statement of Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, in which he objected to asking the People of the Book despite having the Qur’an, which has not been affected by distortion. It was narrated by al-Bukhari (7363).
The Prophet ﷺ also became angry when he saw Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, holding a page from one of the books of the People of the Book. He said:
“Are you confused by it, O son of al-Khattab? By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I have brought you something clear and pure. Do not ask them about anything, lest they tell you something true and you reject it, or something false and you believe it...”
He ﷺ also said:
“If Moses were alive, he would have no choice but to follow me.”
Al-Albani graded the hadith as hasan, and Ibn Hajar mentioned that although none of its individual chains is sufficient on its own as evidence, their combined routes indicate that the hadith has a basis.
A distinction should be made between different people in this matter.
As for ordinary people, those who do not possess firmly grounded knowledge, or those who fear that their faith may be affected by doubts, they should not read these books. This is because they contain truth mixed with falsehood, and because a person may believe falsehood, reject truth, or become occupied with something that brings him no benefit instead of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, transmitted that it is more appropriate to distinguish between people, and that one who lacks sufficient knowledge and is not firmly grounded in faith should not examine such material.
A number of scholars also stated that ordinary people should not acquire or read the Torah, Gospel, and previous scriptures because they have undergone distortion and because the Qur’an has made them unnecessary with regard to the beneficial truth that a Muslim needs.
As for a scholar firmly grounded in knowledge, who has knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah, strength in creed, and the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood, and who needs these books in order to respond to Jews and Christians and establish the proof against them, he may examine them for this purpose.
The reason is that, in the case of such a scholar, the fear of being led astray is reduced by his ability to recognize the distortion and falsehood contained in them, while there is a legitimate Islamic benefit in using some of their contents in debate and in demonstrating the corruption of certain beliefs held by the People of the Book.
A number of major scholars employed this method, including Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Hazm, al-Qurtubi, and others, in responding to Jews and Christians and explaining the distortion and contradictions found in their books.
Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, stated that a scholar firmly grounded in knowledge may examine the Torah and Gospel, particularly when there is a need to respond to an opponent. He cited the practice of scholars, both in earlier and later generations, of using material they found in the books of the People of the Book when debating them and establishing the proof against them.
The Permanent Committee also stated that a Muslim should not undertake to read or examine the previous scriptures unless he is firmly grounded in knowledge and intends to explain the distortion and contradictions found in them.
Accordingly, the use by scholars and preachers of passages from the Torah and Gospel in responding to Jews and Christians, exposing the distortion found in their books, establishing the proof against them, and demonstrating that whatever truth remains in them agrees with what was brought by the Qur’an and Sunnah is not an innovation. Rather, it has a basis in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Among the evidence for this is that Allah says:
“Say: Then bring the Torah and recite it, if you are truthful.” [Al ‘Imran 3:93]
Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that scholars may sometimes need, during debate, to request the Torah and read it through someone whose knowledge and translation can be trusted, in order to determine what it contains and establish the proof against its adherents, while remaining cautious of distortion and manipulation in transmission and translation.
Therefore, the point is not to permit everyone to read the books of the People of the Book. Rather, the ruling differs according to the reader and his purpose:
Ordinary people and those without firmly grounded knowledge: It is not recommended for them to read or acquire these books, out of fear that they may be influenced by the falsehood and distortion they contain.
A qualified student of knowledge and a firmly grounded scholar: He may examine them when there is a legitimate Islamic need, such as da‘wah, debate, refuting doubts, and establishing the proof.
The purpose of examining them should be supporting the truth and refuting falsehood, not entertainment or searching for something that the Qur’an and Sunnah already make unnecessary.
When translated passages are used in debate, a reliable translation should be relied upon so that the argument is not based on an error in transmission or translation.
Reading the books of the People of the Book does not have one ruling for everyone. Ordinary people and those who may be affected by them are discouraged from reading or acquiring them because they contain distortion and a mixture of truth and falsehood, and because the Noble Qur’an has made the previous scriptures unnecessary with regard to the guidance and truth that a Muslim needs.
As for a firmly grounded scholar or a qualified student of knowledge who can distinguish truth from falsehood and reads them for a legitimate Islamic purpose—such as calling people to Allah, responding to Jews and Christians, exposing distortion, and establishing the proof against them—then this is permissible for him. It is not an innovation; rather, it has a basis in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
And Allah knows best.