Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam-o-Alaikum

My question is regarding Surah Yunus, Ayah 94, which states that:

"If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed come to thee from thy Lord: so be in no wise of those in doubt."


What does the Holy Quran mean when it is referring to the "who have been reading the Book from before thee" Does that mean that the Holy Quran is referring to the Bible and/or Torah. Why would the Holy Quran point to the Bible/Torah, when it is my understanding that the Holy Quran was sent after the corruption (Changes were already made) of these holy books and as a rebuttal to the Human made changes in those books??

Many Christians and Jews use the Ayah to say that since the Holy Quran itself is referring to the Bible/Torah, that their Books must also be right at the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him). Or this Ayah makes the Quran out of date and the contradictions that it has against these books invalid.

Please help me with this Question. Thanks and Jazzak Allah.

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Answer:

Aayah translation

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verses 83-85:

83 Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah? While all creatures in the heavens and on earth have willing or unwilling bowed to His Will (accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back.

84 Say: "We believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma`il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and in (Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction between one and another among them and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam)."

85 If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 2-5:

2 This (Quran) is the Book; in it is guidance sure without doubt to those who fear Allah.

3 Who believe in the Unseen are steadfast in prayer and spend out of what We have provided for them.

4 And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee (O Mohamed (saws)) and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.

5 They are on (true) guidance from their Lord and it is these who will prosper.

It is one of the conditions of ‘imaan’ or faith in Islam to believe in all the Revelations of Allah Subhanah; be it the ‘saheefas’ revealed to Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.), or the ‘zuboor’ revealed to Prophet Dawood (a.s.), or the ‘Tawrah’ revealed to Prophet Moosa (a.s.), or the ‘Injeel’ revealed to Prophet Isa (a.s.), or the Glorious Quran revealed to Prophet Mohamed (saws). A muslim is not a muslim unless and until he accepts belief in all the prior Revelations of Allah Subhanah.

Q-1: What does the Holy Quran mean when it is referring to the "who have been reading the Book from before thee" Does that mean that the Holy Quran is referring to the Bible and/or Torah. Why would the Holy Quran point to the Bible/Torah, when it is my understanding that the Holy Quran was sent after the corruption (Changes were already made) of these holy books and as a rebuttal to the Human made changes in those books??
If one studies the Aayah 94 of Surah Yunus, one will see that Allah Subhanah is not Saying that the believers are to refer to the Tawrah or the Gospel, but rather the exact words are: ‘then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee’.

The People of the Book (Jews and the Christians as referred to in the Quran) and the other disbelievers in the mission of the Prophet Mohamed (saws) used to bring all kinds of absurd challenges to the Prophet (saws) to deny and dishonor his noble mission. They used to call him all kinds of names and call him a liar, a poet, a one possessed, a magician, etc. to discredit the mission and the Message. The disbelievers would ask why has not Allah sent an Angel with Prophet Mohamed (saws), to prove his authenticity, or why has Allah not given him abundant wealth and position in the land if indeed his claim to Prophethood was true; or how come he had wives and children if indeed he was a Prophet of Allah; or how come he (saws) was just a normal human being, ate food and walked the streets and did normal things like other human beings!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verses 7-8:

7 And they say: "What sort of a Messenger is this who eats food and walks through the streets? Why has not an Angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him?

8 "Or (why) has not a treasure been bestowed on him, or why has he (not) a garden for enjoyment?" The wicked say: "Ye follow none other than a man bewitched."

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 38:

38 We did send Prophets before thee and appointed for them wives and children: and it was never the part of a Prophet to bring a Sign except as Allah permitted (or commanded). For each period is a Book (revealed).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verse 20:

20 And the Prophets whom We sent before thee were all (men) who ate food and walked through the streets

Thus Allah revealed the Aayah of Surah Yunus and other similar Aayahs and challenged the disbelievers in reverse and advised them to ask those People of the Book who had been reading the Books before the Quran how exactly did Allah Subhanah appointed His Prophets and how Allah revealed His Books in the times prior to Prophet Mohamed (saws). Did He send the prior Prophets along with the Angels accompanying them for all to see? Did He not send Prophets before who walked the streets, ate food, married and had children? Did He give them all a huge treasure of the wealth of the world as soon as they claimed their appointment to Prophethood?

Thus Allah reversed the challenge of the disbelievers and told them to ask those who believed in the prior Prophets if the conditions they put to accept Mohamed (saws) as the Prophet of Allah were consistent with their prior Prophets?

Indeed, the Quran was Revealed by the Merciful Lord after the prior revelations were corrupted by man. In no way does the Aayah of Surah Yunus imply that the believers are to refer to the books which had been corrupted, but rather it simply states: ‘If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee.’

Q-2: Many Christians and Jews use the Ayah to say that since the Holy Quran itself is referring to the Bible/Torah, that their Books must also be right at the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him). Or this Ayah makes the Quran out of date and the contradictions that it has against these books invalid.
The Glorious Quran are the verbatim Words of Allah Subhanah, and thus the Aayahs of the Quran are in absolute conformity with one another. It would be absurd if a believer claims there is a contradiction in any of the Aayahs of the Quran after the All-Knowing All-Wise Lord of the Worlds has Himself declared that there is absolutely no contradiction in the Glorious Quran!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 82: Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other than Allah they would surely have found therein much discrepancy (or contradiction).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 23: Allah has revealed the most beautiful message in the form of a Book (The Quran) consistent with itself (yet) repeating (its teaching in various aspects): the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah's Praises. Such is the guidance of Allah: He guides therewith whom He pleases but such as Allah leaves to stray, can have none to guide.

Allah Subhanah Himself states and confirms in several places in the Glorious Quran that the People of the Book distorted, altered, changed, and intentionally misrepresented the Revelations that were revealed to their Prophets!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 78: There is among them (the People of the Book) a section who distort the Book with their tongues; (as they read) you would think it is a part of the Book but it is no part of the Book; and they say "That is from Allah" but it is not from Allah: it is they who tell a lie against Allah and (well) they know it!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 13-18:

13 But because of their breach of their (the People of the Book) Covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard: they change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the Message that was sent them, nor wilt thou cease to find them barring a few ever bent on (new) deceits: but forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds): for Allah loveth those who are kind.

14 From those too who call themselves Christians We did take a Covenant but they forgot a good part of the Message that was sent them: so We estranged them with enmity and hatred between the one and the other to the Day of Judgment. And soon will Allah show them what it is they have done.

15 O People of the Book! There hath come to you Our Messenger (Mohamed (saws)) revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book and passing over much (that is now unnecessary): There hath come to you from Allah a (new) Light and a perspicuous Book.

16 Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety and leadeth them out of darkness by His Will unto the light guideth them to a Path that is Straight.

17 In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: "Who then hath the least power against Allah if His Will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary his mother and all everyone that is on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things."

18 (Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah and His beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay ye are but men of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)."

The Quran leaves absolutely no doubt that the Revelations and thus the beliefs of the People of the Book were severely distorted and altered by their scholars after the deaths of their Prophets; for they wished to follow their desires rather than the Word of God!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan