Does the Quran tell prophet Muhammed peace be upon him to ask people of the Book (Christians and Jews)?
Some Christians have said that the Qur’an commands Muslims to read and obey the 4 Gospels. First, one of the reasons Allah has sent Islam and the Noble Qur’an was because all the scriptures that came before it was either corrupted or lost. The Noble Qur’an says the following of the books that came before it:
“Know they not Allah Knoweth what they conceal and what they reveal? And there are among them illiterates, who know not the Book but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ to traffic with it for a miserable price! Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.” (The Noble Qur’an, 2:77-79)
The Book refers to the book of the People of the Book (aka Men of Faith), which section 9 in Chapter 2 talks about. The Noble Qur’an clearly says that the Book was corrupted by men, “those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,”. It cannot get any clearer than that!
Now, as you can see from the above verses the Qur’an claims the Book of the People of the Book have corrupted their own books. With that in mind let us move on.
When I asked the Christian how did he get to this conclusion, he gave the following verses:
(The Noble Qur’an, 2:97) “To thee (Muhammad) We sent the scripture (Qur’an) in truth confirming the scripture that came before it and guarding it in safety. Say: Whoever is the enemy of Jibril — for surely he revealed it to your heart by Allah’s command, verifying that which IS before it and guidance and good news for the believers.”
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:82) “Nearest among them in love to the believers will thou find those who say, “We are Christians” because amongst these are men devoted to learning.”
(The Noble Qur’an, 42:15) “I believe in the Book (of the People of the Book) which God has sent down…”
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:46) “And in their footsteps we sent Jesus the son of Mary confirming the Law that had come before him. We sent him the Gospel therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law.”
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:47) “Let the People of the Gospel judge by what God has revealed therein.”
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:48) “To thee (Muhammad) We sent the scripture (Qur’an) in truth confirming the scripture that came before it and guarding it in safety.”
(The Noble Qur’an, 10:94) “If thou (Muhammad) are in doubt as to what We have revealed, then ask the People of the Book.”
Let us examine each one.
(The Noble Qur’an, 2:97) “To thee (Muhammad) We sent the scripture (Qur’an) in truth confirming the scripture that came before it and guarding it in safety. Say: Whoever is the enemy of Jibril — for surely he revealed it to your heart by Allah’s command, verifying that which IS before it and guidance and good news for the believers.”
I have bolded the points Christians use to show their point. Without knowing that the Noble Qur’an claims that the scriptures before it were corrupted by men (2:77-79), you can easily come to the conclusion that the Noble Qur’an confirms the Bible.
However, the Qur’an talks about the True scriptures He has sent to the prophets before Muhammad(pbuh), not the corrupted Bible.
Let us move on.
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:82) “Nearest among them in love to the believers will thou find those who say, “We are Christians” because amongst these are men devoted to learning.”
Let us look at the whole context.
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:82) 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.
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:83) And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: they pray: “Our Lord! We believe; write us down among the witnesses.
The first verse says that you will find Jews and Pagans hate the believers (Muslims) the most. Next it says Christians are devoted to learning and they are not arrogant. The next verse says the Christians listen to the revelation (Qur’an) received by the Messenger (Prophet Mohammed(pbuh)) and “thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth: they pray: “Our Lord! We believe; write us down among the witnesses. “
To sum those verses up, some of the Jews and Pagans are arrogant and harder to show the Truth and only some care to learn about the Truth, but among Christians there are definitely those who want to learn the Truth.
Anyways, I cannot make any contacts between the Bible and us having to read it in these verses. So, let us move on.
(The Noble Qur’an, 42:15) “I believe in the Book (of the People of the Book) which God has sent down…”
Again, Qur’an makes it clear that it is talking about what Allah has sent down, and not the corrupted Bible. Let me bold the part.
(The Noble Qur’an, 42:15) “I believe in the Book (of the People of the Book) which God has sent down…”
Let us move on.
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:46) “And in their footsteps we sent Jesus the son of Mary confirming the Law that had come before him. We sent him the Gospel therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law.”
I think we are repeating a cycle. It is obvious the Gospel is not the 4 Gospels. Let me bold the important points.
(The Noble Qur’an, 5:46) “And in their footsteps we sent Jesus the son of Mary confirming the Law that had come before him. We sent him the Gospel therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law.”
Answer these questions to yourself. Are any of the Gospels told or narrated or written by Jesus(pbuh) himself? How many Gospels are there in the NT.?
The current Gospels are supposed to be “inspired” by Jesus(pbuh) and God. In a sense, they claim to have written about the Gospel of Jesus(pbuh). Considering what the Noble Qur’an says (The Noble Qur’an, 2:77-79), I don’t think it needs further explanation.
We can also check what Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) said:
Narrated Ubaidullah: “Ibn ‘Abbas said, ‘Why do you ask the people of the scripture about anything while your Book (Quran) which has been revealed to Allah’s Apostle (Prophet Muhammad) is newer and the latest?
You read it pure, undistorted, and unchanged, and Allah has told you that the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians) changed their scripture and distorted it and wrote the scripture with their own hands and said, ‘It is from Allah,’ to sell it for a little gain.
Does not the knowledge which has come to you prevent you from asking them about anything? No, by Allah, we have never seen any man from them asking you regarding what has been revealed to you!” (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Holding Fast to the Qur’an and Sunnah, Volume 9, Book 92, Number 461)
Conclusion
The Noble Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) clearly refute this claim.
Narrated Abu Huraira: “The people of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and then explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. Allah’s Apostle said (to the Muslims). ‘Do not believe the people of the Book, nor disbelieve them, but say, ‘We believe in Allah and whatever is revealed to us, and whatever is revealed to you.” (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Holding Fast to the Qur’an and Sunnah, Volume 9, Book 92, Number 460)
Allah knows Best.