The Prophet Advice on Previous Scriptures
📖Sahih al-Bukhari 4485
Narrated Abu Huraira: The People of the Scripture (Jews) used to recite the Torah in Hebrew and explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: Do not believe the People of the Scripture or disbelieve them, but say: ‘We believe in Allah and what is revealed to us.’” Quran 2:136
Explanation:
The Prophet ﷺ gave balanced guidance:
- He did not deny that truth once existed in their scriptures.
- But he also did not allow blind belief in them — because alterations and fabrications have entered their books over time.
- Saying “we believe” in everything they say could mislead Muslims into accepting corrupted parts.
- And saying “we disbelieve” would be wrong too, because some original truth may still exist from the original revelations.
So the Prophet ﷺ protected Muslims by teaching them to stick to what is fully preserved – the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah – and say:
“We believe in Allah and what is revealed to us.”
(Not in what they explain from their altered books.)
Why is this important today?
Many people try to blend modern Christianity or Judaism with Islam by saying “we believe in their books too.”
But this opens the door to corruption, because:
- Today’s Bible is not the original Injeel revealed to ‘Isa عليه السلام.
- Today’s Torah is not the exact revelation to Musa عليه السلام.
And blind belief in them makes a person accept what Allah never revealed.
Quranic Context:
📖Quran 2:79
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. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.”
This verse clearly shows that scripture was tampered with by some of the People of the Book.
📖Quran 3:78
And indeed, there is among them a group who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture…”
The fabrication was not always written – sometimes it was in how they explained or twisted the meaning.
📖Quran 5:13
…They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded…”
Parts of the truth were lost or changed – so full belief in their books as they exist today is not allowed