Are Muslims encouraged to read the Bible and/or the Torah? Why or why not?
Muslims are encouraged to read and acknowledge the earlier scriptures, including the Bible and the Torah, but they do so with a specific understanding that aligns with Islamic teachings. The Qur'an emphasizes the importance of believing in what was revealed to previous prophets. For example, it states, Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which was revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord
2:136. This verse highlights the necessity for Muslims to have faith in all prophets and their messages without making distinctions between them.
In the context of reading the Torah and the Gospel, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instructed Muslims to approach the People of the Book with a balanced perspective. He said, Do not believe the people of the scripture nor disbelieve them, but say, 'We believe in Allah and what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you'
Sahih al-Bukhari 96:89. This guidance suggests that while Muslims should respect the previous scriptures, they should not accept them uncritically or reject them outright.
Additionally, the hadith narrates that the Prophet ﷺ stated, I was given the long chapters instead of the Torah, and the one hundred chapters instead of the Gospel, and the twain (al-Mathani) instead of the Psalms. I was given the Detailed (al-Mufassal), sixty-eight chapters. It is superior and dominant over all the books
Al-Kafi 3:10. This indicates that while Muslims are encouraged to read and recognize the earlier scriptures, the Qur'an is viewed as the final and complete guidance that supersedes them.
This approach underscores the Islamic principle of faith in the continuity of divine revelation while firmly establishing the Qur'an's primacy as the ultimate source of guidance for Muslims.
Sources
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2:136 · Al-Baqara
2:136 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 96:89
Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 96, Hadith 89 · Narrated by Abu Huraira
People of the scripture used to recite the Torah in Hebrew and explain it to the Muslims in Arabic. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Do not believe the people of the scripture nor disbelieve them, but say, 'We believe in Allah and what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you.'"
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Al-Kafi 3:10
Al-Kafi · Book 3, Hadith 10
God is free and independent of His creation, and His creation is free and independent of Him. Everything that is called a 'thing,' except God, is created. God is the Creator of everything. Blessed is He who has no likeness. He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing. — OR — Sa’d al-Iskafi narrated that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said: I was given the long chapters instead of the Torah, and the one hundred chapters instead of the Gospel, and the twain (al-Mathani) instead of the Psalms. I was given the Detailed (al-Mufassal), sixty-eight chapters. It is superior and dominant over all the books. The Torah is for Moses, the Gospel for Jesus, and the Psalms for David. — OR — God Almighty tests the believer with every calamity and takes his life by every death, but He does not test him by taking away his mind. Do you not see how Job (peace be upon him) was afflicted by Satan with his wealth, children, family, and all he had, and yet Satan was not allowed over his mind, so he preserved what affirms the oneness of God Almighty. — OR — I asked Abu Ja'far about the Sacred Mosque: Why did Allah name it 'Al-Atiq' (the ancient)? He said: There is no house placed by Allah on the face of the earth but it has a lord and inhabitants who dwell in it, except this House, for it has no lord except Allah the Almighty, and He is the free. Then he said: Allah created it before the earth, then created the earth afterward and spread it out beneath it. — OR — Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) said, "People do not enjoy any pleasure in this world and the afterlife more than the pleasure of women." He cited the verse of God Almighty: 'The love of desires for women and children has been made attractive to mankind' and so forth. Then he said, "Indeed, the people of Paradise enjoy nothing in Paradise sweeter to them than marriage; no food or drink." — OR — From Ibn Abi Umayr from Mansur ibn Hazim from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said, 'There is no divorce before marriage and no manumission before ownership.' — OR — Stoning is the greater punishment of Allah, and whipping is the lesser punishment of Allah.
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