The Holy Books of Islam

The Revealed Books in Islam

Muslims believe that Allah has revealed holy books to various prophets throughout history. These books all contain the same core message: worship Allah alone (Tawhid), live righteously, and prepare for the Day of Judgement.

The main revealed books are:

• Sahifah (Scrolls): Revealed to Ibrahim (Abraham) — early teachings about monotheism and righteousness. These scrolls have been lost over time.
• Tawrat (Torah): Revealed to Musa (Moses) — contains God's laws and guidance for the Israelites. Muslims believe the original Torah was from Allah, but the version that exists today has been altered over time.
• Zabur (Psalms): Revealed to Dawud (David) — hymns, prayers, and wisdom. The Zabur praised Allah and called people to worship.
• Injil (Gospel): Revealed to Isa (Jesus) — the original Gospel message from Allah. Muslims believe this was a single revelation to Isa, not the four Gospels written by later authors in the New Testament.
• Qur'an: Revealed to Muhammad — the final, complete, and uncorrupted word of Allah, preserved in its original Arabic to this day.

"The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and so have the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers." (Qur'an, Surah 2:285)

The Qur'an: The Final and Perfect Revelation

The Qur'an holds a unique and supreme position among the holy books. Muslims believe it is the direct, unaltered word of Allah, revealed to Muhammad through the angel Jibril over a period of 23 years (610–632 CE).

What makes the Qur'an unique:

• Preserved perfectly: Unlike earlier books, the Qur'an was memorised by companions during Muhammad's lifetime, written down on palm leaves, bones, and parchment, and compiled into a single book under Caliph Uthman (around 650 CE). Every copy in the world today is identical.
• In original Arabic: The Qur'an is always in Arabic. Translations are considered interpretations, not the actual Qur'an. This preserves the exact meaning and beauty of Allah's words.
• Complete and final: The Qur'an contains everything humanity needs for guidance. No further revelation is needed because Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets.
• Inimitable (i'jaz): Muslims believe the Qur'an's literary quality is so extraordinary that no human could produce anything like it — this is itself a miracle and proof of its divine origin.

Tahrif — corruption of earlier books: Muslims believe the Torah, Psalms, and Gospel were originally from Allah, but over centuries they were altered, mistranslated, and mixed with human words. This is called tahrif (corruption). The Qur'an was sent as the final, uncorrupted replacement.

Qur'an and Hadith: Two Sources of Authority

Islam has two primary sources of authority for guiding Muslim life:

1. The Qur'an — the direct words of Allah. It is the supreme authority in Islam. Nothing can override or contradict the Qur'an. It covers beliefs, worship, ethics, law, and stories of the prophets.

2. The Hadith — the recorded sayings, actions, and approvals of Prophet Muhammad. While the Qur'an is Allah's words, the Hadith is Muhammad's words and example.

Why the Hadith matters:

• The Qur'an commands Muslims to pray, but the Hadith explains how to pray (movements, words, times)
• The Qur'an commands charity (Zakat), but the Hadith specifies the amounts and rules
• The Hadith provides Muhammad's personal example (Sunnah) for daily life, relationships, and character

Hadith collections: The most authoritative Sunni collections are Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. 'Sahih' means 'authentic' — these scholars rigorously checked every chain of narration (isnad) to ensure reliability.

Sunni and Shi'a Views on Scripture and Authority

While both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims revere the Qur'an equally, there are differences in how they approach secondary sources of authority:

Sunni approach: Sunnis rely on the Qur'an as the supreme authority, followed by the Hadith collections (especially Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). They also use ijma (scholarly consensus) and qiyas (reasoning by analogy) to apply Islamic principles to new situations.

Shi'a approach: Shi'a Muslims also revere the Qur'an as supreme, but they have their own Hadith collections (such as Al-Kafi by al-Kulayni). They give special authority to the teachings and interpretations of the Twelve Imams, who they believe were divinely guided descendants of Prophet Muhammad through Ali and Fatimah.

Key difference: For Sunnis, the community's scholarly consensus helps interpret scripture. For Shi'a, the Imams provide authoritative interpretation that goes beyond what ordinary scholars can offer.

The Qur'an in Muslim Daily Life

The Qur'an isn't just a book to be studied — it shapes every aspect of Muslim life:

Worship: Every unit of salah (prayer) includes recitation of Surah al-Fatiha (the opening chapter) and other verses. Muslims aim to memorise as much of the Qur'an as possible. A hafiz is someone who has memorised the entire Qur'an — this is a highly respected achievement.

Law and ethics: Islamic law (Shari'ah) is based primarily on the Qur'an. It provides rules for marriage, inheritance, business, crime, and social justice. Combined with the Hadith, it forms a comprehensive legal and ethical framework.

Comfort and guidance: Muslims turn to the Qur'an during illness, bereavement, decision-making, and times of difficulty. Reciting the Qur'an is an act of worship in itself (ibadah).

Ramadan: During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims aim to read the entire Qur'an. Many mosques hold Tarawih prayers where the whole Qur'an is recited over the month. This connects to the belief that the Qur'an was first revealed during Ramadan.

Respect for the physical book: Muslims treat the Qur'an with great respect — performing wudu (washing) before handling it, placing it on a high shelf, never placing anything on top of it, and using a special stand (rehal) when reading.

'The Qur'an is the only source of authority Muslims need.' Evaluate this statement.

Consider different Muslim perspectives and refer to Islamic teachings in your answer. Write approximately 200–300 words.

Guidance

AQA 12-mark structure:

• For the statement: The Qur'an is the direct word of Allah, complete and uncorrupted. It covers all aspects of life. Surah 2:285 shows belief in all books leads to the Qur'an as final authority.
• Against the statement: The Hadith is essential for practical guidance (e.g., how to pray). The Sunnah shows how Muhammad lived the Qur'an. Scholars use ijma and qiyas to apply principles to modern life.
• Conclusion: The Qur'an is supreme, but in practice Muslims need the Hadith and scholarly tradition to fully understand and apply it.