Why Didn’t God Preserve The Previous Books?

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬?

Mohamad Mostafa Nassar

Twitter@NassarMohamadMR

He sent the first book, but he couldn’t protect it because it was corrupted by his own creation. He sent a second book, and the same thing happened again.

Now he has sent a third book… If he could protect the third book from corruption, why did He fail to protect the first two books?

𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫:

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫:

Previous prophets were sent to a particular group of people and their message was supposed to be followed for a particular time period. Since previous revelations were time-bound, God did not preserve them Himself. Muslims believe that the Quran cannot be compared with the previous Scriptures. The Quran is unique in many aspects. It is the final revelation to mankind. Previous scriptures were sent to their respective people only. The Quran is universal.

Muslims believe the original Torah, Gospels, and Bible along with psalms are all revelations from Allah Exalted He, A Muslim can not be a Muslim without believing in that. The Problem is there have been endless changes to those Holy books resulting in making them PART-Corrupt.

Therefore, cannot be trusted that is why Allah Exalted He sent the last and final Testament= The Glorious Quran to RECTIFY those Corruptions. One might ask, why would the true creator allow for such previous books to be corrupted?

The answer is simple which is: Imagine I send you a message in the most secured postal service let’s say the registered express mail with confirmation from the post office that you will receive my message.

You have received my message; it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to preserve my message in YOUR HOME. It is NOT my responsibility to preserve My message INSIDE YOUR HOME.

For Allah all perfect examples, He sent his messages over the centuries and it’s the responsibility of the receiving people to protect, uphold, save, and implement the message of Allah. But sadly, and repetitively most people fall into the traps of Satan and twisted the messages of Allah to gain earthy economic, political, and even military dominance over the masses.

Muslims’ Belief About Divine Revelations

Muslims accept the original unaltered Torah (as revealed to Prophet Moses, peace be upon him). Muslims also accept the original unaltered Bible (as revealed to Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him). These original scriptures were revealed by God (Allah).

Muslims believe that none of these scriptures exist today in their original form or in their entirety.

Muslims believe that The Quran is the final preserved Word of God. Muslims do not believe that the Quran was written by Muhammad (peace be upon him); rather it was revealed to him through the Archangel Gabriel over a period of 23 years.

Muslims believe that the Quran we have today is the same Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad more than 1400 years. It was neither altered nor corrupted. The Quran contains no mistakes or contradictions.

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞-𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

Previous prophets were sent to a particular group of people and their message was supposed to be followed for a particular time period.

Jesus said to his people:

*{And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel…}* (Quran 3:49)

In the Bible, we read:

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” (Mathew 10:5-8, King James Version)

Elsewhere we read:

“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Mathew 15:24, King James Version)

Since previous revelations were time-bound, God did not preserve them Himself.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Muslims believe that since Prophet Muhammad is the final prophet, he was not sent to Muslims nor the Arabs only, but he was sent to the whole of mankind. Indeed, there is no Prophet that will come after him.

We read in the Quran what gives the meaning of:

*{And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.}* (Quran 21:107)

Therefore, God preserved the Quran Himself and did not leave the preservation process to the Arabs or Muslims as He entrusted the rabbis and the scholars of the previous nations to preserve their scriptures.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬

Muslims believe that the Quran cannot be compared with the previous Scriptures. The Quran is unique in many aspects. It is the final revelation to mankind. Previous scriptures were sent to their respective people only. The Quran is universal.

The previous scriptures did not contain everything as the Quran does. The Quran is miraculous, and God challenged the Arabs to produce the like it, but they could not.

The Bible the Christians have today is not the complete word of God. Christian scholars maintain that the Bible is a mixture. It contains the word of God and the word of the Prophets. It also contains history and it contains even pornography.

There are many contradictions in the Bible and there are many scientific errors in it. Therefore, Muslims accept only that part of the Bible which is consistent with the teachings of the Quran.

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

We read in the Quran what means:

*{Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah ] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah, and they were witnesses thereto. So, do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed – then it is those who are the disbelievers.}* (Quran 5:44)

𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠:

“The Law of Moses (the Torah) was intended only for the Children of Israel, and was never meant to have universal validity. The expression “some of God’s writ (kitab)” implies that the Torah did not exhaust the whole of God’s revelation and that more was yet to be revealed.

The “messages” referred to in this verse relate to the Qur’an as well as to the Biblical prophecies concerning the advent of Muhammad.” (Message of the Qur’an, 221)

The people of the previous nations were tested with preserving their scriptures, but they failed the test. We read in the Quran what means:

*{So woe to those who write the “scripture” with their own hands, then say, “This is from Allah,” in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.}* (Quran 2:79)

Previous books were corrected and fixed by later prophets and books. But as Islam is the final revelation, its book, the Quran, was not followed by other books. There is no religion after Islam and there is no revelation after the Quran.

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧

Therefore, it is normal that God himself shouldered the responsibility of the preservation process of the Quran.

We read in the Quran:

*{Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.}* (Quran 15:9}*

*{And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So, judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth.

To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.}* (Quran 5:48)

Based on the above, there was no need for the previous Books to be preserved, especially since the time of the Quran was close to the time of the Gospel, and there were only six hundred years between them.

The Muslims themselves were very keen on preserving their final book through oral and written transmission. Indeed, the Quran is so easy to be memorized that children learn it by heart and even non-Arabs find it easy to memorize.

𝐐𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 – 𝐐𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 – 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐥 (𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞).

3. It is He Who has sent down the Book to you with truth, confirming what came before it. And He sent down the Tawrah and the Injil, 4. Aforetime, as a guidance to mankind. And He sent down the criterion. Truly, those who disbelieve in the Ayat of Allah, for them there is a severe torment; and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution.

Surah Ale-Imran (3:3-4)

Interpretation of the meaning (Tafsir Ibn Kathir):

“It is He Who has sent down the Book to you with truth,” – means, revealed the Qur’an to you, O Muhammad, in truth, meaning there is no doubt or suspicion that it is revealed from Allah. Verily, Allah revealed the Qur’an with His knowledge, and the angels testify to this fact, Allah is sufficient as a Witness.

Allah’s statement, “Confirming what came before it” – means, from the previous divinely revealed Books, sent to the servants and Prophets of Allah. These Books testify to the truth of the Qur’an, and the Qur’an also testifies to the truth these Books contained, including the news and glad tidings of Muhammad’s prophethood and the revelation of the Glorious Qur’an.

Allah said, “And He sent down the Tawrah” – to Musa (Moses) son of `Imran, “And the Injil“, to `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), “Aforetime” – meaning, before the Qur’an was revealed, “As a guidance to mankind” – in their time. “And He sent down the criterion” –

which is the distinction between misguidance, falsehood and deviation on one hand, and guidance, truth and piety on the other hand. This is because of the indications, signs, plain evidences and clear proofs that it contains, and because of its explanations, clarifications, etc.

Allah’s statement, “Truly, those who disbelieve in the Ayat of Allah” means they denied, refused and unjustly rejected them, “For them there is a severe torment” – on the Day of Resurrection, “And Allah is All-Mighty” – meaning, His grandeur is invincible and His sovereignty is infinite, “All-Able of Retribution.” – from those who reject His Ayat and defy His honorable Messengers and great Prophets.

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝟐:𝟒𝟏 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝟖:𝟖 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠?

Divine Commandments to All Jews: “You Shall Believe in This Quran.”

[Qur’an 2:40–41] O Children of Israel, remember My favour, which I bestowed upon you, and fulfil your part of the covenant, that I fulfil My part of the covenant, and reverence Me. You shall believe in what I have revealed herein, confirming what you have; do not be the first to reject it. Do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price, and observe Me.
Jeremiah 8:8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?

Like all the other religions in the world, Judaism has been corrupted by the human trend of distorting God’s words in the scripture. Judaism, as practiced by the majority of the Jews today, is not the religion authorized by God in the Torah,

but a newly formalized belief system based on man-made innovations and corruptions recorded in the “man-made” Talmud. Similar corruptions by man-made books and laws can be seen in today’s Christianity (e.g. Trinity) and traditional Islam (e.g. Hadith and Sunna).

𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧, 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬:

[Quran 5:44] We have sent down the Torah, containing guidance and light. Ruling in accordance with it were the Jewish prophets, as well as the rabbis and priests, as dictated to them in God’s scripture, and as witnessed by them. Therefore, do not reverence human beings; you shall reverence Me instead.
And DO NOT TRADE AWAY MY REVELATIONS for a cheap price. Those who do not rule in accordance with God’s REVELATIONS (Torah, Gospel, & Quran) are the DISBELIEVERS.

As it turned out, the Torah has been disregarded in favour of the man-made books of the Talmud and other similar rabbinic books, the Torah has been traded for the Talmud.

The Talmud (Hebrew for teaching or study) is described as a vast compendium of Jewish law and lore, a sequel to the Hebrew Bible, and the basis of Jewish religious life. Talmud for all practical reasons has become the number one source of Jewish religious laws. It consists of the MISHNA and Gemara.

The MISHNA recorded the teachings, sayings, interpretations, and explanations of many rabbis. The GEMARA (Aramaic for tradition or learning) recorded the description of actions as done, recommended, shown, or represented by the Rabbis.

There are two Gemaras, the Palestinian Gemara, a product of the 3d and 4th centuries AD, and the Babylonian Gemara, completed about 499, with some later additions. From the 5th century, the Babylonian Talmud was generally accepted as the authoritative source of law (instead of the book of God, the Torah, which should have been the authoritative source of everything).

It is a clear example of the human trend of corruption of a great religion of God, Judaism. This, by no means, supports hatred towards the Jews or any religious group and is not anti-anything except falsehood.

We are to live in peace in this world with all the people who have different beliefs and understanding of their religions as long as they respect this peace and other people’s beliefs as well.

[Quran, 3:113–115] They are not all the same; among the followers of the scripture, there are those who are righteous. They recite God’s revelations through the night, and they fall prostrate. They believe in God and the Last Day, they advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and they hasten to do righteous works. These are the righteous. Any good they do will not go unrewarded. God is fully aware of the righteous.
[Quran, 3:199] Surely, some followers of the previous scriptures do believe in God, and in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed to them. They reverence God, and they never trade away God’s revelations for a cheap price. These will receive their recompense from their Lord. God is the most efficient in reckoning.

While every religion has been corrupted by innovations, traditions, and false, idolatrous doctrines, there may be “Submitters” within every religion. There may be Submitters who are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or anything else. These Submitters, collectively, constitute the only religion acceptable to God.

All Submitters who are devoted to God ALONE, and do not set up any idols beside God, are redeemed into God’s eternal kingdom (see Qur’an 2:62). A criterion of the true submitters is that they will find nothing objectionable in the Quran.