Monday, March 23, 2015

Purpose of Scriptures

Comment of an Agnostic: I am not a Bible-scholar, consider the Jewish Bible a compendium of earlier tales from (mostly mid-eastern) people - then the Christian Bible a second tier leaving out things and adding Jesus-related stories, (attached some modifications from reform-thinking), while some hundred years after Jesus the Prophet Mohammad presented the Quran as the work of Allah. 

My Response: We believe, as we have been informed in the Quran, that Prophet Mohammad was not given a new religion. Rather, it is a continuation and repetition of the same message which was sent throughout the ages through many messengers to all nations. Prophet Mohammed is unique in that he is the last in the series of messengers and the Quran revealed through him is a message of warning and good tidings for all humans and djinns. Therefore, it's divinely preserved in its original language and therefore it is important that we study it diligently. 

Scriptures are revealed for our information and guidance. If I may quote an example from the Quran, the purpose of scriptures is that they be studied: 
Holy Quran 62:5
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مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا ۚ بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

'The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allah. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.'

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