OT, NT AND MUSLIMS

OT, NT AND MUSLIMS

“Comment: I think you are mistaken in rejecting the Old and New Testament completely.”

This is commonly misunderstood notion. Christians led by their apologists think that OT and NT are the revelations which Qur’an and Islam talks about. But this is not the case. If I get to Judeo Christian Bible specifically then Quran talks about “Tawraat”- revelation to Moses, peace be upon him, “Zaboor”- revelation given to David, peace be upon him and of course, “Injeel” the revelation given to PROHET Jesus, peace be upon him. Now does Tawraat, Zaboor and Injeel sound like Old and New Testament, let alone the ‘apocryphals’in the “Word of God”. I leave the Christians to decide it’s status in the so called Bible. As I already wrote that the status of OT and NT is gravely misunderstood notion amongst Christians. So let us try to understand the status of “earlier scriptures” in the hands of the “People of the Book”.

In Islam, Muslims are given a very clear cut stand with regard to Earlier Revelations. Muslims are required to take a neutral stand. They should not approve nor disprove any of the materials touted to be “Earlier Revelations” by the Jews and the Christians, as the prophet, peace be upon said:

Narrated Abu Huraira

The people of the Scripture (Jews) used to recite the Torah in Hebrew and they used to explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. On that Allah’s Apostle said, “Do not believe the people of the Scripture or disbelieve them, but say: “We believe in Allah and what is revealed to us.” (2.136) (Hadith number 6.12, Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith, The Alim CD version)

One might be interested into thinking why did the prophet, peace be upon him, mandated Muslims to take a neutral position. According to my reasoning, prophet, peace be upon him, did not wanted Muslims to down play any of the earlier verses(in ignorance)which might have remained extant, if not verbatim, then, at least in spirit; as Muslims, however, we ought to respect such injunctions of the ‘Torah’.

For instance, let us ponder into the injunction of “Adultery”. The punishment for adulterers prescribed in the Torah was “stoning to death” which remained extant in the Torah of the contemporary Jews of the time of Mohammad, peace be upon him. Again if not verbatim then at least in spirit. Here is what I am talking about:

Narrated Ikrimah
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Ibn Suriya’: I remind you by Allah Who saved you from the people of Pharaoh, made you cover the sea, gave you the shade of clouds, sent down to you manna and quails, sent down you Torah to Moses, do you find stoning (for adultery) in your Book? He said: You have reminded me by the Great. It is Not possible for me to belie you. He then transmitted the rest of the tradition. (Sunan of Abu-Dawood, Hadith number 1617)

No wonder we find verses in Qur’an appealing to “Torah” (of the contemporary Jews of Mohammad, peace be upon him) for injunction of “adultery”, specifically.

It should be made clear here that whatever Qur’an informs Muslims about the issues and decrees present in earlier revelations if they seem compatible in the “Earlier Revelations” in hands of their owners, at least in spirit, then we ought to respect them. Like as I already tried to explain that the injunction of “stoning to death” of adulterers. But here also let me put my words or warning that even though these verses seem to be compatible with earlier scriptures yet we cannot take them to be literal “Word of God” for the simple reason that we have no authority or command to do so.

Remember what prophet, peace be upon him, taught his community; he taught us to be neutral, in so many other words he did not allow his community to accept them to be the literal word of God even if they happen to be compatible with Qur’an.

It is not my intention to make this a very stodgy lengthy article there I would like to quote you just a couple more citations from Islamic resources to explain my point of view.

The truth is that Jesus, peace be upon him, is a mighty prophet of Allah. A man chosen and approved by Allah to discharge his ministry:

“O people of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him…” (Yusuf Ali’s translation of Qur’an 4:171, Al-Alim CD-Version)

Quite obviously we find a very similar verse in Bible. Acts 2:22, it reads:

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs which God did through Him in our midst, as you yourselves also know-…” (The Open Bible, NKJV)

Here we realize that the status of Jesus, peace be upon him, put forth by Qur’an and Bible and almost identical. So, I can safely assume that this verse of Bible (Acts 2:22) is genuine in its message and in spirit. Nevertheless I cannot take it to be a revealed verse from God. Because Allah does not inform me so neither do Mohammad, peace be upon him.

Another interesting point needs to be addressed right here. As I have already stated that we believe in the revelations reveled to prophets – prophets which Qur’an and Hadith (authentic) acknowledges as prophets. Now, majority of the Books of New Testament (Injeel: of course a MISNOMER)are written by persons other than Jesus, as a matter of fact, we find only a few “red letters” littered here and there in the New Testament. Thus a Muslim will confidently reject the words of non – Jesus’s (let alone the fact that we even doubt the so called “Red Letters” of the New Testament)as not part of revelations of the original Injeel WHICH WAS REVELED TO JESUS NOT TO ANYBODY ELSE, Matthew, John, Paul, for instance.

WHAT ABOUT THE MUSLIM SCHOLARS THEN?

“Even though Muslim scholars argue that the Bible has been corrupted, they seem pretty consistent in saying that at least some verses from the previous Scriptures remain. For example, Deuteronomy 18 is widely believed to be a prophecy of Muhammad. So are other verses here and there.”

I cannot charge you of distortion of Ali’s words for I have not heard much from you. But, may be out of sincere ignorance, you have misunderstood the stance of Muslim Scholars when they appeal to any of Biblical verse. What Muslim scholars mean by saying that “fragments of it survive (QM: etc)” is that even after the long distortions of original revelations traces of truth can be found in these Books. This does not necessarily prove that these verses (to which Muslim Scholars appeal) to be preserved in the exact manner as it was revealed to prophets even in “fragments” or that they are revealed verses altogether. When appealing to verses such as Deuteronomy 18:18 Muslims only exploit these traces of truth to prove their case. This does not necessarily prove that these bits and fragments of verses here and there in the Bible are preserved in the exact manner as was revealed to prophets. Even after this if any scholar states that these are EXACT verses which were revealed to prophets (which no sane scholar says, by the way) then he is, for me, transgressing bounds. As Mohammad, peace be upon him instructed Muslims otherwise that is to be “neutral”. These scholars have no authority to back themselves up (of course IF they mention then).

“Here is something Yusuf Ali said regarding Deuteronomy 18:

“In the Old Testament AS IT NOW EXISTS, Muhammad is foretold in Deut. xviii; and the rise of the Arab nation in Isaiah 42:11, for Kedar was a son of Ismail and the name is used for the Arab nation….”

Of course Ali did not believe the original Scriptures were preserved in their completeness, but his view that certain passages remained from earlier revelations is a standard view among Muslim scholars and teachers.”

I am sorry but here is Ali’s complete statement regarding Taurat:

“The Taurat is frequently referred to in the Qur’an. It is well to have clear ideas as to what it EXACTLY MEANS…To translate it by the words “The Old Testament” is obviously WRONG”. (The Holy Qur’an. Pp 329)

Here Yusuf Ali categorically REJECTS Old Testament to be The “Tauraat” originally revealed to Moses. (Side remark: Muslims believe Taurat to be revealed to Moses ONLY. Jews and Christians (mis)translate “Taurat” to Old Testament which also contains alleged revelations to Jonah, David etc!). So, when Ali wrote “AS IT NOW EXISTS”, he did not mean that the present day Deuteronomy 18:18 is a replica of the verse pertaining to Mohammad revealed to Moses, peace be upon both. What he meant when writing “AS IT NOW EXISTS” was that even in today’s (corrupted and distorted) Book touted to be “Word of God” we have verses pertaining to prophecy of Mohammad, peace be upon him, which even the original revelation had.

“To give just one more example from Ali, here is what he said about the Gospel:

“It is the single Gospel which, Islam teavhes, was revealed to Jesus, and which he taught. FRAGMENTS OF IT SURVIVE in the receied canonical Gospels and in some others, of which traces survive….””

I may be mistaken, but I feel that I have answered this point in the above passage. Anyway I would only cite you an example to explain what I have to say. The famous “Campus CRUSADER” Josh Mc Dowell quoted the abusive book commonly honored by Jews and called as THE TALMUD! He wanted to prove the historical existence of Jesus, peace be upon him. Now,I cannot even suspect Josh Mc Dowell to believe in Talmud for having appealed to it.

I would like to end with an honored reference to Christians found in Qur’an:

“Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say: “We are Christians:” because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world and they are not arrogant.” (Qur’an, 5:82, Yusuf Ali Translation, Al-Alim CD-Version)

All emphasis wherever found are mine.
I am only a human being liable to err. Criticisms welcomed.
By:- Question Mark