4.2.2

The Holy Books

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Holy Books

Muslims believe that God revealed his Will to mankind at different times in history, but that the most perfect and final revelation was to Muhammad. However, they include the religious texts of Judaism and Christianity amongst their holy texts. Alongside the Qur'an itself, four other books are mentioned in the Qur'an:

Torah (Tawrat)

Torah (Tawrat)

  • Muslims believe the Torah was given by God to Moses known as Musa.
  • However, they believe that the text has been changed or corrupted so it doesn't represent the perfect revelation.
Psalms (Zabur)

Psalms (Zabur)

  • The book of Psalms is attributed to King David. Muslims believe they are similar to the ones in the Bible.
The Gospel (Injil)

The Gospel (Injil)

  • This book was given to Isa by Allah.
  • The exact text is thought to have been lost over time. However, the book refers to the teachings of Jesus, and some think it contains the same ideas as in the Christian New Testament.
  • Muslims believe this text prophecies the coming of Muhammad.
The scrolls of Abraham (Ṣuḥuf)

The scrolls of Abraham (Ṣuḥuf)

  • This text is believed to have the teachings God gave to Abraham (Ibrahim).
Qu'ran

Qu'ran

  • Each holy book has authority, but the Qur’an has the ultimate authority. All others have been corrupted in some way.
  • The Qur’an is the final revelation from God.

The Qur’an: Revelation and Authority

The Qur’an (or Koran) is the record of Allah’s revelation to Muhammad.

Meaning of 'Qur'an'

Meaning of 'Qur'an'

  • The word ‘Qur'an’ means recital as the teachings were originally said by heart by Muhammad to his followers.
  • The teachings were committed to memory and only later written down.
Original text

Original text

  • Muslims believe the original text of the Qur'an is now in heaven. After Muhammad’s death Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, organised the official copy.
  • This authentic text copy is what all others texts are now based on, which ensures their authenticity.
Structure

Structure

  • Like the Bible, the Qur'an is a mixture of history and legal texts.
  • The Qur'an is comprised of 114 surahs (chapters). The chapters are organised in order of length with the longest first (except the first surah).
  • Believers are encouraged to learn the text by heart. Some children attend lessons after school to practice reading the Qur'an and to learn the text by heart.
Interpreting the Qur'an

Interpreting the Qur'an

  • It is the literal word of God - but that does not mean it has to be interpreted literally.
  • This must be taken into account when interpreting the Qur'an and applying its meaning from the 7th century to a modern context.
Jump to other topics
1

Buddhism

1.1

Key Beliefs

1.1.1The Dhamma1.1.2The Five Skandhas1.1.3Aspects of Human Life1.1.4The Buddha1.1.5The Ascetic & Enlightened Life1.1.6Dhukka1.1.7Samudaya1.1.8Nirodha1.1.9Magga1.1.10The Wheel of Life1.1.11End of Topic Test - Buddhism Key Beliefs
1.2

Practices

1.2.1Places of Worship1.2.2Objects of Worship1.2.3Puja1.2.4Meditation1.2.5Death1.2.6Festivals1.2.7End of Topic Test - Buddhism Practices
1.3

Ethics

1.3.1Kamma1.3.2Five Moral Precepts1.3.3End of Topic Test - Buddhism Ethics
2

Christianity

2.1

Key Beliefs

2.1.1The Nature of God2.1.2The Problem of Evil2.1.3Monotheism2.1.4Creation2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation2.1.6The Trinity and Creation2.1.7Afterlife2.1.8Heaven and Hell2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs
2.2

Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.2.1The Incarnation2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human2.2.3The Crucifixion2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension2.2.6Sin2.2.7Original Sin2.2.8Punishment2.2.9The Means of Salvation2.2.10Achieving Salvation2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation2.2.13Theories of Salvation2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation
2.3

Worship & Festivals

2.3.1Different Forms of Worship2.3.2Prayer2.3.3Sacrament2.3.4Baptism2.3.5Other Sacraments2.3.6Eucharist2.3.7Pilgrimage & Celebrations2.3.8Christmas & Easter2.3.9End of Topic Test - Worship and Festivals
2.4

Community

2.4.1Local Community2.4.2Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth2.4.3Worldwide Church2.4.4Reconciliation2.4.5Persecution2.4.6Caring for Those in Need2.4.7End of Topic Test - Community2.4.8Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices
3

Catholicism (Christianity)

3.1

Key Beliefs

3.1.1The Trinity3.1.2Creation3.1.3Incarnation3.1.4Redemption3.1.5Life After Death3.1.6Heaven and Hell3.1.7End of Topic Test - Catholic Key Beliefs
3.2

The Seven Sacraments

3.2.1Meaning & Significance3.2.2Baptism3.2.3Confirmation3.2.4Reconciliation3.2.5Anointing of the Sick3.2.6Marriage3.2.7Holy Orders3.2.8The Eucharist3.2.9End of Topic Test - The Seven Sacraments
3.3

Practices

3.3.1Prayer3.3.2Popular Piety3.3.3Pilgrimage3.3.4Pilgrimages HyperLearning3.3.5Funeral Rites3.3.6The Duty to Love Our Neighbour3.3.7Catholic Agencies3.3.8Catholic Social Teaching3.3.9Justice3.3.10War3.3.11Mission & Evangelism3.3.12End of Topic Test - Catholic Practices
4

Islam

4.1

Key Beliefs

4.1.1Oneness of God4.1.2Six Articles of Faith4.1.3Five Roots of Usul4.1.4The Nature of God4.1.5Angels4.1.6Freedom4.1.7Life After Death4.1.8Human Responsibility4.1.9End of Topic Test - Muslim Key Beliefs
4.2

Authority

4.2.1Prophethood4.2.2The Holy Books4.2.3The Imamate4.2.4End of Topic Test - Muslim Authority
4.3

Practices

4.3.1Worship4.3.2Ten Obligatory Acts4.3.3Shahadah4.3.4Salah & Its Significance4.3.5Mosques4.3.6Rak'ahs4.3.7Sawm4.3.8Zakah4.3.9Hajj4.3.10Jihad4.3.11Festivals & Commemorations4.3.12End of Topic Test - Muslim Practices4.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Muslim Practices
5

Judaism

5.1

Key Beliefs

5.1.1The Nature of God5.1.2God as One5.1.3God's Name5.1.4God as Creator5.1.5Free Will5.1.6God as Law Giver and Judge5.1.7The Divine Presence & Beliefs5.1.8Role of the Messiah5.1.9End of Topic Test - Jewish Key Beliefs5.1.10Exam-Style Questions - Jewish Beliefs
5.2

Covenant & The Mitzvot

5.2.1The Promised Land5.2.2Abraham5.2.3The Covenant5.2.4The Covenant at Sinai5.2.5The Covenant at Sinai 25.2.6Key Moral Principles5.2.7End of Topic Test - Covenant & The Mitzvot
5.3

The Synagogue & Worship

5.3.1The Synagogue & Its Importance5.3.2Public Acts of Worship5.3.3Shabbat5.3.4Worship & Law5.3.5End of Topic Test - Synagogue & Worship

Practice questions on The Holy Books

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What are the 5 holy texts in Islam?Fill in the list
  2. 2
    Who do Muslims believe God gave the Torah to?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Which holy book do Muslims believe has the ultimate authority?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Where do Muslims believe the original text of the Qur'an is now?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    Features of the Qur'an:True / false
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Prophethood

The Imamate