Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "… and he wrote …"
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The Shaykh : As for the third pillar, it is faith in the Books. Faith in the Books; "al-Kitab" is the plural of "Kitab," and what is meant by it is the Book that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) sent down upon the Messengers. So every Messenger has a Book, as Allah the Exalted said: [Ash-Shuraa 42:17] And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Hadid 57:25] But some of the Books are ones we do not know, and some are ones we do know.
So the Torah, which is the Book that Allah sent down upon Musa, is known, and the Gospel, which is the Book that Allah sent down upon 'Isa, is known. The Scrolls of Ibrahim are mentioned in the Qur'an, and the Psalms of Dawud are mentioned in the Qur'an, and the Scrolls of Musa, if they are other than the Torah, are also mentioned in the Qur'an. So whatever is named in the Qur'an, it is obligatory to believe in it specifically by its name. And whatever is not named, we believe in it in general. We believe that Allah sent down upon Musa a Book, which is the Torah, and upon 'Isa a Book, which is the Gospel, and upon Dawud a Book, which is the Psalms, and upon Ibrahim Scrolls. This is what we say.
And this does not mean that what is found among the Christians today is what was sent down upon 'Isa, because the Gospels that are in the hands of the Christians today are distorted, altered, and changed. The priests of the Christians played with them, adding to them and subtracting from them and distorting them. For this reason, you find them divided into four or five sections. And yet, the Book that was sent down upon 'Isa was one Book. But Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) only guaranteed the preservation of the Noble Qur'an that was sent down upon Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) because there is no Prophet after him who clarifies to people what is correct and what is distorted. As for the previous Books, they were not free from distortion, because Prophets would be sent who would clarify the truth in them and clarify what was distorted in them. And this is the secret behind Allah guaranteeing the preservation of the Qur'an and not the other Books, so that people would know their need for the Prophets when they find the Books distorted. Then the Prophets come and clarify the truth. So the important thing is that we believe that the Book that was sent down upon the specific Prophet is truth from Allah, not that the Book that is in the hands of his followers today is the Book that was sent down. It may be distorted, or rather, it is certainly distorted, altered, and changed.
Likewise, part of faith in the Books is that you believe that every report that came in them is truth. Every report that came in them is truth, just as every report in the Qur'an is truth, because the reports that came in the Books that were sent down upon the Prophets are from Allah, and every report from Allah is truth. And likewise, you believe that every ruling in them that is correct from Allah is truth, meaning it was not distorted and not altered, so it is truth, because all of Allah's rulings that He obligated upon His servants are all truth. But did they remain until now undistorted? We have clarified the answer to this question: they are not to be trusted, but rather they are distorted, changed, and altered. However, are we obligated to act upon the rulings that came in the previous Books?
We say: As for what Allah has related to us from these Books, we act upon it unless our Shari'ah comes with a contrary ruling. An example of this is the saying of Allah the Exalted regarding the Torah:[Al-Ma'idah 5:45] This is written in the Torah, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic related it to us in the Qur'an. But Allah did not relate it to us except so that we would take a lesson and act upon it, as Allah the Exalted said: [Yusuf 12:111] And He said: So what Allah has related to us and transmitted to us from the previous Books is a Shari'ah for us, because Allah did not mention it in vain, unless our Shari'ah comes with a contrary ruling. If our Shari'ah comes with a contrary ruling, it becomes an abrogation of it. Just as some of the legal verses revealed in our Shari'ah may be abrogated by other verses, so too what Allah mentioned regarding the previous Books by transmission may be abrogated by this Shari'ah.
As for what came in their Books, we neither affirm it nor deny it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded regarding when the Children of Israel narrate to us: we do not affirm them and we do not deny them, because we might affirm them in falsehood, or we might deny them in truth. So we say: "We believe in Allah and what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you." We do not affirm them and we do not deny them if our Shari'ah has not testified to its truth or its falsehood. If our Shari'ah testifies to its truth or its falsehood, we act according to what this testimony requires. If it testifies to its truth, we affirm it; and if it testifies to its falsehood, we deny it.
And among this is what is attributed in the reports of the Children of Israel to some of the Prophets (peace be upon them). As was mentioned regarding Dawud that he was pleased with a man's wife, a wife of a man from his soldiers, so he loved her and asked the soldier to go to the enemy to fight so that he might be killed, so that he could take his wife after him. And that he sent the soldier, so Allah sent to him a group of angels who were disputing before him. So one of the disputants said:[Sad 38:23-24] They said: This is a parable that Allah struck for Dawud, when he had with him women numbering ninety-nine, so he tried to take the wife of this soldier to complete the hundred. This story is clear falsehood, because Dawud was a Prophet from the Prophets, and it is not possible for him to resort to this ruse. If he had not been a Prophet, he would not have done this, and he is a person of sound mind, so how could he do it when he is a Prophet? So regarding such a story that came from the Children of Israel, we say: this is falsehood, because it is not befitting for a Prophet, nor is it befitting for any person of sound mind, let alone the Prophets (peace be upon them).
And the summary is that what came in their Books is divided into two sections. First, two main sections.
First, what Allah has related to us in the Qur'an, or what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has related to us. This is accepted and correct.
And the second is what they transmitted. This is not free from three cases. The first case is that our Shari'ah testifies to its falsehood, so it is obligatory for us to deny it and reject it.
And the second is that our Shari'ah testifies to its truth, so we affirm it and accept it due to the testimony of our Shari'ah.
And the third is that it is neither this nor that, so it is obligatory for us to suspend judgment, because they do not believe, and falsehood, alteration, addition, and subtraction occur in their reports. And success is from Allah.
It is Allah who has sent down the Book in truth and [also] the balance
الله الذي نزل الكتاب بالحق والميزانWe have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain [their affairs] in justice
ولقد أرسلنا رسلنا بالبينات وأنزلنا معهم الكتاب والميزان ليقوم الناس بالقسطSo the Torah, which is the Book that Allah sent down upon Musa, is known, and the Gospel, which is the Book that Allah sent down upon 'Isa, is known. The Scrolls of Ibrahim are mentioned in the Qur'an, and the Psalms of Dawud are mentioned in the Qur'an, and the Scrolls of Musa, if they are other than the Torah, are also mentioned in the Qur'an. So whatever is named in the Qur'an, it is obligatory to believe in it specifically by its name. And whatever is not named, we believe in it in general. We believe that Allah sent down upon Musa a Book, which is the Torah, and upon 'Isa a Book, which is the Gospel, and upon Dawud a Book, which is the Psalms, and upon Ibrahim Scrolls. This is what we say.
And this does not mean that what is found among the Christians today is what was sent down upon 'Isa, because the Gospels that are in the hands of the Christians today are distorted, altered, and changed. The priests of the Christians played with them, adding to them and subtracting from them and distorting them. For this reason, you find them divided into four or five sections. And yet, the Book that was sent down upon 'Isa was one Book. But Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) only guaranteed the preservation of the Noble Qur'an that was sent down upon Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) because there is no Prophet after him who clarifies to people what is correct and what is distorted. As for the previous Books, they were not free from distortion, because Prophets would be sent who would clarify the truth in them and clarify what was distorted in them. And this is the secret behind Allah guaranteeing the preservation of the Qur'an and not the other Books, so that people would know their need for the Prophets when they find the Books distorted. Then the Prophets come and clarify the truth. So the important thing is that we believe that the Book that was sent down upon the specific Prophet is truth from Allah, not that the Book that is in the hands of his followers today is the Book that was sent down. It may be distorted, or rather, it is certainly distorted, altered, and changed.
Likewise, part of faith in the Books is that you believe that every report that came in them is truth. Every report that came in them is truth, just as every report in the Qur'an is truth, because the reports that came in the Books that were sent down upon the Prophets are from Allah, and every report from Allah is truth. And likewise, you believe that every ruling in them that is correct from Allah is truth, meaning it was not distorted and not altered, so it is truth, because all of Allah's rulings that He obligated upon His servants are all truth. But did they remain until now undistorted? We have clarified the answer to this question: they are not to be trusted, but rather they are distorted, changed, and altered. However, are we obligated to act upon the rulings that came in the previous Books?
We say: As for what Allah has related to us from these Books, we act upon it unless our Shari'ah comes with a contrary ruling. An example of this is the saying of Allah the Exalted regarding the Torah:
And We ordained for them therein a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds is legal retribution. But whoever gives [up his right as] charity, it is an expiation for him. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
وكتبنا عليهم فيها أن النفس بالنفس والعين بالعين والأنف بالأنف والأذن بالأذن والسن بالسن والجروح قصاص فمن تصدق به فهو كفارة له ومن لم يحكم بما أنزل الله فأولئك هم الكافرونThere was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding
لقد كان في قصصهم عبرة لأولي الألبابThose are the ones whom Allah has guided, so follow their guidance.
أولئك الذين هدا الله فبهداهم اقتدهAs for what came in their Books, we neither affirm it nor deny it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded regarding when the Children of Israel narrate to us: we do not affirm them and we do not deny them, because we might affirm them in falsehood, or we might deny them in truth. So we say: "We believe in Allah and what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you." We do not affirm them and we do not deny them if our Shari'ah has not testified to its truth or its falsehood. If our Shari'ah testifies to its truth or its falsehood, we act according to what this testimony requires. If it testifies to its truth, we affirm it; and if it testifies to its falsehood, we deny it.
And among this is what is attributed in the reports of the Children of Israel to some of the Prophets (peace be upon them). As was mentioned regarding Dawud that he was pleased with a man's wife, a wife of a man from his soldiers, so he loved her and asked the soldier to go to the enemy to fight so that he might be killed, so that he could take his wife after him. And that he sent the soldier, so Allah sent to him a group of angels who were disputing before him. So one of the disputants said:
(23) Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he overpowered me in speech." (24) [David] said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds - and few are they." And David became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to Allah].
إن هذا أخي له تسع وتسعون نعجة ولي نعجة واحدة فقال أكفلنيها وعزني في الخطاب قال لقد ظلمك بسؤال نعجتك إلى نعاجه وإن كثيرا من الخلطاء ليبغي بعضهم على بعض إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات وقليل ما هم وظن داود أنما فتناه فاستغفر ربه وخر راكعا وأنابAnd the summary is that what came in their Books is divided into two sections. First, two main sections.
First, what Allah has related to us in the Qur'an, or what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has related to us. This is accepted and correct.
And the second is what they transmitted. This is not free from three cases. The first case is that our Shari'ah testifies to its falsehood, so it is obligatory for us to deny it and reject it.
And the second is that our Shari'ah testifies to its truth, so we affirm it and accept it due to the testimony of our Shari'ah.
And the third is that it is neither this nor that, so it is obligatory for us to suspend judgment, because they do not believe, and falsehood, alteration, addition, and subtraction occur in their reports. And success is from Allah.