CHAPTER 2: 2. INFERRING FROM VERSES THAT RESEMBLE EACH OTHER
They say: As for Muhammad’s glorification of our Bible and the books revealed to us, the Qur’an says, which means, “And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’an) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it.” (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 48)
And He, the Almighty says,
which means “Alif-Lam-MTm. (These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings). Allah! La iiaha ilia Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. It is He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur’an) to you (Muhammad) with truth, confirming what came before it. And He sent down the Tawrah (Torah) and the Injil (Gospel), aforetime, as a guidance to mankind.” (Al-‘imran, 3: 1-4)
He, the ALmighty also says,
which means, “Alif-Lam-Mim. (These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings). This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)). Who believe in the Ghaib and perform As-Salah (Iqamat-asSalah (performing the prescribed prayers)), and spend out of what we have provided for them [i.e. give Zakah spend on themselves, their parents, their children, their wives, etc., and also give charity to the poor and also in Allah’s Cause – Jihad, etc.]. And who believe in (the Qur’an and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad, peace be upon him) and in [the Tawrah (Torah) and the InjTI (Gospel), etc.] which were sent down before you and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense for their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell, etc.). They are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 1-5)
The phrase ‘the Book’ in the above verses means the ‘Bible’, and those ‘Who believe in the Ghaib’ are we Christians who believe in Christ although we have not seen him. As for ‘And who believe in (the Qur’an and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad, peace be upon him) and in the Torah and the Bible, etc.) which were sent down before you,’ they are the Muslims who believe in what Muhammad (peace be upon him) has brought and what was brought before him.
The Answer:
initially, we have to know that the first verse of the Chapter of Al-Ma’idah says,
which means, “And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’an) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Muhayminan (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures).” (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 48)
As for Muhammad (peace be upon him) believing in what Allah had revealed before him and in the prophets sent by Allah before him, this is an acknowledged fact in this religion. This belief is obligatory just as it is well known that he was sent to all mankind. It is considered one of the fundamentals of Islamic Faith.
For Allah, the Exalted, says,
which means, “This means, “Say (O Muslims), “We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), ishaq (Isaac), Ya’qub (Jacob), and to A!-Asbat [the twelve sons of Ya’qub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and ‘!sa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in islam).” So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, then they are rightly guided, but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 136- 137)
It is important to clarify that Allah has revealed this Qur’an and has made it trustworthy in highness and a witness over the revealed Books before it. Therefore, the Qur’an states what is true, defines what has been misinterpreted and distorted, outlines what Allah has decreed, and abrogates what Allah has abrogated in these books. The Qur’an is, therefore, trustworthy over the other Divine Books, and it is known as the ‘best speech’ and ‘the best historical record.’ This means that whoever believed in the Torah or the Bible before their distortion and abrogation is considered to be one of the righteous believers (Muslims).
There is no indication of praise for those who hold fast to a religion that has been changed and abrogated by the hands of man, or for those who do not believe in the Messengers, which Aliah has sent or the Books He has revealed. In fact, Allah, the Exalted, clarifies in several different verses, how the Jews and Christians are disbelievers, as they have distorted the first divine Book and have disbelieved in Muhammad (peace be upon him).
As for their interpretation of the phrase, ‘the Book’ (AlMa’sdah, 5: 48) as referring to the Bible, and the interpretation of ‘Who believe in the Ghaib’ as referring to Christians, this is considered as displacing the words from their right places and distorting the Words of Allah. This same thing happens when they wrongly interpret the words, “It became a bird by Allah’s leave,” (Al-‘lmran, 3: 49) for they said it meant with the permission of the Divine Entity, which is the Word of Allah united with the human entity. There are many other examples of deliberate misinterpretation of the Qur’an in which the People of the Book distorted the meaning that Allah intended. This proves that they have done the same with the Torah, and the Bible previously. If they change the meanings and distort the facts in the Qur’an while its interpretation is well known, whether it is general or specific, as it has been reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself, then what would they do with the Torah or with the Bible whose words and meanings were not strictly reported as those of the Qur’an? Muslims strongly defend their Book but there is no one among the People of the Scriptures to defend theirs.
Allah, the Almighty says,
which means, “… a guidance to those who are AlMuttaqun (the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden; and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)). Who believe in the Ghaib…” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 1-2)
The Almighty described the Christians as disbelievers in Allah and the Last day, so how can He say here that they are the pious righteous persons who believe in the Ghaib (i.e. believing in whatever is attributed to Him like faith in Him, in His Angels, in Resurrection, in Paradise and Hellfire, and in such things which were hidden from human sight)?
Allah, the Exalted, says,
which means, “Fight against those who (i) believe not in Allah, (ii) nor in the Last Day, (iii) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (iv) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.” (At-Tawbah, 9: 29)
The first thing that indicates piety is avoiding all forms of polytheism. Allah describes the Christians as disbelievers in many verses. He says,
which means, “Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary).” (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 17)
He, the Almighty also says,
which means, “Surely, the disbelievers are those who said: ‘Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).'” (AlMa’idah, 5: 73)
Such verses are numerous. In addition to this, Allah, the Exalted, says,
which means, “Who believe in the Ghaiband perform AsSalah (Iqamat-as-Salah).” (Al-Baqarah, 2:3)
This Salah (i.e. Prayer) is that, which Allah has enjoined in His saying,
which means, “Perform As-Saiah (Iqamat-as-Salah) from mid-day until the darkness of the night (i.e. the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Isha’ prayers), and recite the Qur’an in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’an in the early dawn is ever witnessed (attended by the angels in charge of mankind of the day and the night).” (Al-lsra’, 17: 78)
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Allah does not accept a prayer without purification (performing ablution).” (Recorded by Musli-n, At-Taharali, hadith no. 224, from a hadith narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar. It was also recorded by Abu Dawud, At-Taharah, hadith no. 139; by An-Nasa’y, AtA’aharah, hadith no. 139 and by Ibn Majah, At-‘aharah, hadith no. 271 from a hadith reported by Abul-Mulaih on the authority of his father. Allah, the Exalted says, “O who believe! When you intend to offer As-Sa I ah (prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to the ankles.” (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 6)) And the Christians do not perform ablution for their prayers.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also said, “A prayer performed without (reciting) the Opening Chapter of the Book is invalid.” (Recorded by Al-Bukhary, Al-Adhan, hadith no. 756 and by Muslim, AsSalah, hadith no. 394,34, in a hadith narrated by ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit.) And the Christians do not read it.
The prayer enjoined and praised by Allah requires facing the Qiblah (i.e. the direction of the Ka’bah), bowing, performing two prostrations in every rak’ah (unit of prayer), and other rituals, which Christians do not perform. Thus, how can Allah praise them by saying that they are those who perform As-Salah while they do not do what He has commanded?
When Allah, the Almighty says,
which means, “And who believe in (the Qur’an and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad) and in [the Tawrat (Torah) and the Injil (Gospel), etc.] which were sent down before you.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 4)
It represents a second description of those who believe in the Ghaib. Allah firstly described them generally s believers in the Ghaib (unseen), then He clarifies what is this unseen they believe in, by saying it is belief in what has been revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and in what was revealed before him. The use of the conjunction ‘and’ serves to clarify the difference between attributes and descriptions. For example, Allah says,
which means, “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, Who has created (everything), and then proportioned it; And Who has measured (pre-ordainments for each and everything even whether it be blessed or wretched); then guided (i.e. showed mankind the right as well as the wrong paths, and guided the animals to pasture); and Who brings out the pasturage, And then makes it dark stubble.” (Al-A’la, 87: 1-5)
The One Who has created everything and proportioned it is the One Who has measured pre-ordainments for all creation; and provided guidance, and is the One Who brings out the pasturage.
The Christian says: We believe in Christ without seeing him.
The Jews also believed in Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) without seeing him. Muslims believe in Muhammad (peace be upon him) without having seen him. In fact, Muslims believe in Musa, ‘Isa (Jesus) and ail the other prophets without seeing any of them, in contrast to the Jews and Christians who believe in some prophets and disbelieve in others.
However, the ‘Ghaib’ (i.e. unseen) does not refer to the physical shape of the prophet, because his shape does not come under the category of the unseen. Some people have seen him. There is no belief or disbelief contained in the act of seeing him. The true meaning of the word ‘Ghaib’ is what is beyond human ability. It is mainly what the prophets call the people to believe in, by which we mean: believing in Allah, His Angels, His Prophets, and believing that they are really Messengers from Allah, whether their real shape has been seen or not. It may happen that some people who saw them may not believe in them, while others who have not seen them may believe in them.
By: Sheikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah
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