Guarding Prayers & The Middle Prayer

The following is an excerpt from a longer post titled: The Sustainer of the Worlds (رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ)

Establishing Prayer

Q98:5 lists establishing prayer as one of the key commands of the right religion. Surah alMomineen (The Believers) and alMa’arij (The Ways of Ascent) list the salient characteristics of the believers. One of the characteristics is that they are those who guard their prayers (root: ص ل و): 

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

And they who carefully maintain their prayers -

[Al-Quran 23:9, Translator: Saheeh International]

وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

And those who [carefully] maintain their prayer:

[Al-Quran 70:34, Translator: Saheeh International]

The Middle Prayer & The Declining Sun

حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ

فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالًا أَوْ رُكْبَانًا فَإِذَا أَمِنتُمْ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ

Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.

And if you fear [an enemy, then pray] on foot or riding. But when you are secure, then remember Allah [in prayer], as He has taught you that which you did not [previously] know.

[Al-Quran 2:238-239, Translator: Saheeh International]

According to the ayah from Surah alBaqarah quoted above, Muslims are required to especially guard the middle prayers. Late afternoon is a very busy time for most people across most businesses and professions. There is debate regarding whether Asr (the late afternoon prayer) is or not the middle prayer. 

Prayer Timings

As we read in Surah alIsra: 

سُنَّةَ مَن قَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَا وَلَا تَجِدُ لِسُنَّتِنَا تَحْوِيلًا   

أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَاجْعَل لِّي مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَانًا نَّصِيرًا

[That is Our] established way for those We had sent before you of Our messengers; and you will not find in Our way any alteration.

Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.

And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.

And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."

[Al-Quran 17:77-80, Translator: Saheeh International]

Prayer Timings of the People of the Book

Notice in Q17:77, it is stated that it is the ‘established way’ and that there is never any change or alteration in it. I understand that this ayat is linked with the ayaat preceding and following it. So, the people of the Book must have also been enjoined prayers similarly. In Daniel we read:

¹⁰ And Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing [it] before this.

[The Bible, Daniel 6:10, Translation: Young’s Literal Translation]

The Jews believe they are required to pray thrice daily as a practice received from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Christians also identify three to seven times of prayers from the scriptures, even though they believe they are not ‘duty-bound’ to pray them.   

Solomon & the Missed Prayer  

The Quran, Surah Saad, relates the loss Prophet-King Solomon suffered due to his negligence of the  prayer, his repentance and how his repentance was accepted, appreciated and magnificently rewarded:

وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ

إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ الْجِيَادُ

فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ

رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ

قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَّا يَنبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِّن بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ

فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاءً حَيْثُ أَصَابَ

وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ

وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ

هَٰذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ

And We blessed David with Solomon—what an excellent servant ˹he was˺! Indeed, he ˹constantly˺ turned ˹to Allah˺.

˹Remember˺ when the well-trained, swift horses were paraded before him in the evening*.

He then proclaimed, “I am truly in love with ˹these˺ fine things out of remembrance for my Lord,” until they** went out of sight.

˹He ordered,˺ “Bring them back to me!” Then he began to rub down*** their legs and necks.

And indeed, We tested Solomon, placing a ˹deformed˺ body on his throne, then he turned ˹to Allah in repentance˺.

He prayed, “My Lord! Forgive me, and grant me an authority that will never be matched by anyone after me. You are indeed the Giver ˹of all bounties˺.”

So We subjected to him the wind, blowing gently at his command to wherever he pleased.

And ˹We subjected to him˺ every builder and diver of the jinn,

and others bound together in chains.

˹Allah said,˺ “This is Our gift, so give or withhold ˹as you wish˺, never to be called to account.”

And he will indeed have ˹a status of˺ closeness to Us and an honourable destination!

[Al-Quran 38:30-40, Translator: Dr Mustafa Khattab]

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And to David We gave Solomon. An excellent servant, indeed he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allah ].

[Mention] when there were exhibited before him in the afternoon* the poised [standing] racehorses.

And he said, "Indeed, I gave preference to the love of good [things] over the remembrance of my Lord until the sun** disappeared into the curtain [of darkness]."

[He said], "Return them to me," and set about striking*** [their] legs and necks.

And We certainly tried Solomon and placed on his throne a body; then he returned.

He said, "My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower."

So We subjected to him the wind blowing by his command, gently, wherever he directed,

And [also] the devils [of jinn] - every builder and diver

And others bound together in shackles.

[We said], "This is Our gift, so grant or withhold without account."

And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return. 
[Al-Quran 38:30-40, Translator: Saheeh International]

* بِالْعَشِيِّ words with the same root are mostly translated as night / evening, and only in this ayat as afternoon by some translators. Compare different ayaat's translation here.  Compare 50+ English translations of ayat 31 here.  

** حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ does not contain the word sun, but translators assume it from the context. Compare 50+ English translations here.  
*** مَسْحًا means to wipe or gently pass hand, not strike. So I understand that this ayat is stating that he resumed enjoying the horses in spite of realising that the prayer had been missed. Note that the very next ayat states that it was after he was tried that he returned and repented. Compare 50+ English translations here. 

In a State of Loss

Asr is the name of the late afternoon Muslim prayer. Surah alAsr warns us:

وَالْعَصْرِ

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ 

By the declining day,

Lo! man is a state of loss,

Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.

[Al-Quran 103:1-3, Translator: Pickthal]

How to Guard Prayers when in Danger

Surah anNisa elaborates on Q2:239 regarding guarding prayers even when in danger. It allows shortening prayer if there is fear of being attacked:

وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُوا لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا

4:102   وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِّنْهُم مَّعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا فَلْيَكُونُوا مِن وَرَائِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَىٰ لَمْ يُصَلُّوا فَلْيُصَلُّوا مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُم مَّيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰ أَن تَضَعُوا أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ وَخُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا

فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا

وَلَا تَهِنُوا فِي ابْتِغَاءِ الْقَوْمِ إِن تَكُونُوا تَأْلَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَأْلَمُونَ كَمَا تَأْلَمُونَ وَتَرْجُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَرْجُونَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

When ye travel through the earth, there is no blame on you if ye shorten your prayers, for fear the Unbelievers May attack you: For the Unbelievers are unto you open enemies.

When thou (O Messenger) art with them, and standest to lead them in prayer, Let one party of them stand up (in prayer) with thee, Taking their arms with them: When they finish their prostrations, let them Take their position in the rear. And let the other party come up which hath not yet prayed - and let them pray with thee, Taking all precaution, and bearing arms: the Unbelievers wish, if ye were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to assault you in a single rush. But there is no blame on you if ye put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because ye are ill; but take (every) precaution for yourselves. For the Unbelievers Allah hath prepared a humiliating punishment.

When ye pass (Congregational) prayers, celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides; but when ye are free from danger, set up Regular Prayers: For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times.

And slacken not in following up the enemy: If ye are suffering hardships, they are suffering similar hardships; but ye have Hope from Allah, while they have none. And Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.

 [Al-Quran4:101-104, Translator: Saheeh International]

And Allah knows best!

May Allah guide us all. 

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Please also read https://islamqa.info/en/129636  

Reposted with corrections 

Last updated on: May 22, 2024

Jesus Christ

In an email group, GM wrote: If you think that JESUS CHRIST is just a human being and the prophet of God, then surely you are talking about the ISA of the Quran. I am repeatedly telling the people in this forum that JESUS of the Bible and ISA of the Quran is totally different. Our Lord JESUS is none other than the GOD Almighty or SON of GOD or SON of MAN, but your ISA is NOTHING but a simple human being and a prophet of Allah. PAUL did NOT make JESUS God, but the Bible clearly vouches for HIS divinity. Kindly do your home-works on your Quran first and then the Bible. It is my earnest desire that you and the rest of Muslim world believe in JESUS and have ETERNAL LIFE. May the Spirit of God open your Eyes to the LIGHT, your Ears to the TRUTH, and your Heart to His SON, the Lord JESUS CHRIST. JESUS CHRIST, the Almighty God, bless you all….!

My Response: 

Please read: 

Virgin Birth

Abstract

Virgin birth of Jesus is a matter of much debate. What we believe or not is a matter of faith, and depends on how we read and interpret the scripture(s). However, scientists have been studying parthenogenesis, the term used to describe virgin birth. Though virgin birth has been widely observed in nature, there are very few cases of experimental virgin birth in mammals, and no known cases yet in the wild. Combining observed phenomenon with emerging studies in Biophysics, and using analogies of known computing and communication technology, we can try to comprehend and appreciate the miracle of virgin birth. 
Full Text

http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/10/virgin-birth.html

Jesus – Ascension & Return

Abstract

Several people across many religions expect a Messiah to come save the Believers. Some Muslims believe that Messiah Jesus (Masih Isa ibn-e-Maryam) was raised alive and is with God, while others assert that he died a natural death. Yet others are in doubt. This also leads them to assert that there will be no second coming of Jesus. Based on some verses of the Quran, I believe that Jesus was raised alive and will return as the Messiah. 
Full Text

http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2016/06/jesus-ascension-return.html

Back to the Future: why the Old Testament is angrier of the three scriptures!

Please find my explanation and relevant verses of the Quran after both the text analyses' results

Computerised Text Analysis
SAE shared the link: 

http://m.toledoblade.com/Religion/2016/02/06/The-Bible-the-Qur-an-and-violence-computerized.html 

Bible, Qur’an, and violence computerized

Software uses Scripture to show what text analytics can do

...

Among the analysis findings that Mr. Anderson reported Jan. 20, 21, and 22 in the blog are that the Old Testament is the most violent, not the Qur’an. The Islamic text is actually the least violent. Terms for killing and destruction were in 2.1 percent of the Qur’an, 2.8 percent of the New Testament, and 5.3 percent of the Old Testament. 

He found “that the Old Testament is the ‘Angriest’ (including most mentions of ‘Disgust’); it also contains the least amount of ‘Joy,’” Mr. Anderson states in the blog. 

“Love,” in contrast, takes up 3 percent of the New Testament, 1.9 percent of the Old Testament, and 1.26 percent of the Qur’an. 

“Forgiveness” and “grace” are much more strongly in the Islamic holy book, 6.33 percent in the Qur’an, compared to 2.9 percent in the New Testament and 0.7 percent in the Old Testament. 

“Personally,” Mr. Anderson said in the blog, “I’ll admit that I was a bit surprised that the concept of ‘Mercy’ was most prevalent in the Qur’an; I expected that the New Testament would rank highest there, as it did in the concept of ‘Love.’”

... 

Scholar Text Analysis

SGG responded: Greetings.......

While the software-numbers researcher has done an interesting analysis based on differential expressions of emotions in the Bible and the Qur'an, an eminent biblical scholar, Philip Jenkins (Baylor University) has done a more comprehensive comparative content-analysis of the three Scriptures and reached the same conclusion: that the Qu'ran is far "less bloody and less violent."  Obviously, his conclusion has given rise to much controversy.  Jenkins published his research in a book, Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, And Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe For The Next 1,500 Years (HarperOne, 2010); another of his book is: Laying Down the Sword: Why We Can't Ignore the Bible's Violent Verses; HarperOne, 2012.  

In an NPR interview sometime ago (available on internet), he says, "Violence in the Qu'ran is largely a defense against attack. Given the times, the Qu'ranic laws of war are actually reasonably humane." But in the Bible, he says, "we actually find something that for many is a real surprise; a specific kind of warfare which we can only call genocide."  He cites illustrations from the Old/New Testaments, to wit:  

   (1) Deuteronomy - As Israelites enter the Promised Land, God tells Moses, "I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, my sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and the captives, from revenges upon         the enemy."

   (2) Book of Samuel - God instructs King Saul to attack Amelekites: "Kill both men, women, infant, nursing child, ox, sheep, camel and donkey." That passage echoes throughout Christian history, says Jenkins.

   (3) Gospel of Matthew - Jesus amends the Old Testament's vengeance with "turning the other cheek." But elsewhere, "Think not that I have come to send peace on Earth. ... I came not to send peace, but a sword" -     a centuries-old puzzle for Christians, says Jenkins.

Jenkins' conclusion: "Much to my surprise, the Islamic scriptures in the Qu'ran are actually far less bloody and less violent than those in the Bible." But, as religions mature, we forget the original violence - what he calls "Holy amnesia." 

My Response: 

For Muslims it is an article of faith to believe in all revelations of Allah: And those who believe in what (is) sent down to you and what was sent down from before you and in the Hereafter they firmly believe.[http://islamawakened.com/quran/2/4/] 

The Quran repeatedly warns against corruption, and specifically corruption of Earth. It informs us that: Has appeared the corruption in the land and the sea for what have earned (the) hands (of) people, so that He may let them taste a part (of) that which they have done so that they may return. [http://islamawakened.com/quran/30/41/]. 

If my understanding of the scriptures is correct, the Old Testament is naturally angrier as genetic modifications of creation were more prevalent then. I am guessing (based on what we currently know of genetics) that the germlines of entire populations had been infected with retroviruses. Entire nations (corrupters and their corruption) were wiped off the face of the Earth when they were on the verge of causing the extinction of species, the Exodus being the most recent prior to the revelation of Torah, and then the responsibility was placed on the chosen people to eradicate corruption from the Earth: From time that, We ordained on (the) Children (of) Israel that he who kills a soul other than (for) a soul or (for) spreading corruption in the earth then (it) is as if he has killed all [the] mankind, and whoever saves it then (it) is as if he has saved all [the] mankind. And surely came to them Our Messengers with clear Signs yet, indeed, many of them after that in the earth (are) surely those who commit excesses. [http://islamawakened.com/quran/5/32/]

Leviticus 18-20 refers to the crossbreeding and other corrupt practices prevalent during those times. Quran 30:30 clearly states that creation must not be changed: So set your face to the religion upright. Nature (made by) Allah (upon) which He has created mankind [on it]. No change (should there be) in the creation (of) Allah. That (is) the religion the correct, but most men (do) not know. [http://islamawakened.com/quran/30/30/] 

In Adam's eating off the forbidden tree, we find the first known attempt at genetic modification to achieve immortality. The result: genetic corruption leading to loss of clothing: 

O Children (of) Adam! (Let) not tempt you [the] Shaitaan as he drove out your parents from Paradise, stripping from both of them their clothing to show both of them their shame. Indeed, he sees you - he and his tribe from where not you see them. Indeed, We have made the devils friends of those who (do) not believe. [http://islamawakened.com/quran/7/27/] 

Throughout history, nations have repeatedly attempted to tinker with the genetic code, and now again we are on the verge of causing human extinction by pursuing the mirage promised by Eugenics, Transhumanism, Posthuman and Posthumanism. Quran warns us: And (do) not cause corruption in the earth after its reformation. And call Him (in) fear and hope. Indeed, (the) Mercy of Allah (is) near for the good-doers. [http://islamawakened.com/quran/7/56/] 

And when (is) fulfilled the word against them, We will bring forth for them a creature from the earth speaking to them, that the people were, of Our Signs, not certain. [http://islamawakened.com/quran/27/82/]  

It seems that we are heading back to the future. It is imperative that religious scholars, scientists and policy makers urgently revisit the scriptures to understand the warnings and learn from the lessons in the narratives of the past civilisations, lest we blindly leapfrog into our own extinction! 

  

Mission of the Messengers

Part I: World History & Future Implications

Part II: Satan's Enmity: Origin & Objective

Part III: Adam's Attempt to Improve upon Allah's Creation

Part IV: Balance & Guidance

Part V: Crime & Punishment

Part VI: Immortality & A Kingdom that Never Decays 

Islam and Christianity: parallel religions or continuation of the same message?

Comment1: The big difference is that Christ voluntarily DIED for us all, believers and nonbelievers alike. That's love to the ultimate degree. Allah never did that, nor Mohammed.
Comment2: Since Islam honors the old and new testaments as sacred works of divine revelation, and since they believe God is God, then Allah did do that and Christ died for us all in their view also. Redundancy is not desirable.
Comment3: So Islam seems to be a parallel or alternate track to the Bible, not an "improvement" on Christianity.
My Response: Allah means The Deity, and therefore God.
We believe that all religions originate from the same source and thus are common in their essence. Each successive prophet came to proclaim, preach and purify the message, restoring it to its pristine glory. Prophet Muhammad also came with the same message of unity of God, of love and compassion, of patience and perseverance, explaining the temporal and eternal, the reality of this life and the undeniability of the hereafter, the responsibility of each for his/her own beliefs and deeds.
We believe that Jesus was never crucified, neither do we believe in doctrine of original sin. The understanding we get from the Quran is quite different.
Links below are some of my earlier responses on these topics:
Allah is God, The Deity http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2008/12/allah-is-god.html
Jesus http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2009/11/jesus.html
Original Sin http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2008/12/original-sin.html
Man central to creation or not http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2008/11/man-central-to-creation-or-not.html

Common root of most religions

In response to Religion and Control, someone posted: Well said, Samiya. But are not the writers of scriptures also 'leaders' and those who chose to follow the scriptures being followers?
Answer: Indeed, yet like in all things in our world, each has the potential for the good, for the bad, and for somewhere in between the spectrum.
I believe that the prophets were divinely inspired, bringing the same message, the scriptures were originally pure guidance from God, but later on, individuals in these groups decided that they were 'holier than thou', and sought control, establishing themselves as holy leaders [priest], morphing the message to suit their needs, and gullible people just went along and became their followers.
Nearly all major religions' original texts contain glimpses of the divine message of a single deity, piety, charity and love for all. Even hinduism's most sacred text, the Vedas, speaks of one God, of the grave sin of joining others in the worship of the One God, of sacrifice, of eating meat, etc. That the hindu religion as practiced today is of a pantheon of gods, worshipped and prayed to, appears totally contradictory to the message of the Vedas. I haven't read the holy book of the Zoroastrians, but when I visited the ruins of Persepolis, had I not known that this palace belonged to a Zoroastrian king, I would have thought that the proclamations engraved on the walls and pillars had an Islamic background, so similar it was to our beliefs and practices. Abraham and Moses preached of One God, the Torah of the Jews, contains the same message. The ten commandments resonate that common message. The Bible contains verses about the one and only God.
Have collected some web links below.
Regards,
Samiya


References:
Bible: http://www.submission.org/god-bible.html
Ten Commandments: http://submission.org/God/ten.html
Do Jews pray like Muslims: http://www.submission.org/jews.html
Zoroastrian faith: http://www.avesta.org/
Hindu faith and monotheism: http://www.hinduwebsite.com/onegod.asp
http://www.satyavidya.org/component/content/article/53-vedic-vitamins/126-there-is-only-one-god
Persepolis: http://www.persepolis3d.com/frameset.html
http://www.cais-soas.com/index.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCwxJsk14e4&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIPHEb9lWXA
Persepolis Inscriptions: http://www.livius.org/pen-pg/persepolis/persepolis.html
Ka'abah of Zoroaster: http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2008/12/kaabah-of-zoroaster.html

Why couldn't God protect the earlier scriptures?

Question: If you had been born into a Jewish or Christian family and culture, the odds are that you would now be a follower of one of those religions. Why do you think that an all knowing God went to the trouble of creating those religions, if he knew they would become corrupted and need to be replaced ? How come 'He' was able to perfectly protect the contents of the Holy Quran, but not able to protect the contents of the Hebrew Scriptures, or the New Testament ?I'm still trying to get my head around the links you gave me, I will try to respond soonish.... honest !!!!

Answer: Probably so, but who knows. All I can say is that I have read the Quran, Bible and Torah, and the Quran seems to stand the test of truth and accuracy.
It is not that God could not protect the earlier scriptures, rather he chose not to. Just like he left choice of religion to our free-will, he allowed us to do what we wanted with the scriptures as well. Do keep in mind that God had been sending prophets and revealing scriptures ever since man has been accountable. But since the Quran was meant to be the last and final scripture, and no prophet is to come now, we humans needed something from God to guide us. For this purpose, God guaranteed that this book will not suffer change!
Also, God did not create so many religions. His basic message has always been the same. Humans have made changes. A reading of the text of most world religions readily shows that. Where people have not been able to make enough changes in the original text, they have cleverly written/attributed books to other ‘holy’ men and say that now it is okay to follow this instead of what’s written in the original text.

Allah is God, The Deity

Question: Please stop referring G-D to allah! allah is NOT G-D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a false G-D maybe; at best and yes the only way to eternal life is through JESUS CHRIST for he sent his only begotten sonhe was the final sacrificeto pay for all of our sins and the only way to reach the father is to reach Jesus,KNOW THAT HE PAID FOR YOUR SINS BY GRACE!

Answer: Allah is not a name specific to Islam…. The Arabic translations of the Bible refer to God as Allah. The word Allah was already in use in pre-islamic Arabia where the pagans used this term to refer to the highest deity.
Allah is Arabic concatenation of two words: Al meaning THE and ilah meaning DEITY, so it essentially means THE DEITY, commonly used by pre-islam Arabs to refer to the highest god. Quran uses the same term to refer to The Creator, the eternal being to whom worship is due..... the only difference between Islam and other religions' use of the word Allah is that, in Islam, Allah is the only deity, while others ascribe partners to Him.

Source of the Quran

Question: The very first thing you should always do is look at the source of anything. The source was the new testament in the Bible. The Bible is thousands of years older than the Quran. The New Testament is 600 years older than the Quran. If you want to follow the one God you must learn all about him. The very oldest writings are not Quranic. Read the words of Y'Shua and you will hear of the love he had for you. And that we all are the children of our Father. Our Father does not say anywhere in the old or new testament that anyone is an infidel. To him anyone can be forgiven and loved. And our beloved Y'Shua so loved the world that he gave his precious life for us. In heaven they rejoice when a sinner turns to God. Not rejoice at ones death. God does not have us as slaves, he gave us free will like our own Father would. If God is Father to us all than we are all brothers and sisters to each other.

Answer: The source of Torah (Old Testament), Bible (New Testament) and Quran are all the same: Allah. He has sent Messengers, Prophets and Books for our guidance from time to time, because He loves us, and knows that we need help in this trial …. This life in this world…. and He repeatedly reminds us (specifically in the Holy Quran) that this is a temporary period of trial and then we shall be returned to an eternal life, and where we spend our eternity will depend on our beliefs, intents and deeds in the life of this world. Allah again and again calls people to repent….. To him anyone can be forgiven and loved! We all have time and opportunity to mend our ways, and purify our beliefs, thoughts and deeds. For help, He has blessed us with Holy Books. If you read the Holy Quran without any preconceived notions about Allah, Islam and Muslims, you will be surprised. The problem is, like all religions, the followers of Islam also do not adhere strictly to the Holy Book(Quran) sent for their guidance. Thus, they stray from the path, misinterpret verses out of context, and do things NOT ordained…. They may be causing pain and suffering to others, but the real loss is their own, as every soul will have to account for all its done, and that is because we have been given Free Will!

Are God of the Old Testament and New Testament same?

Question: If the god of the old and new testament are one god, he has changed drastically. Perhaps he learned from the trials of Job or from the near sacrifice of Isaac, perhaps he awakened to a new truth. I don't know. I only know that the new God knows Love. The new God IS Love.

Answer: To Moses was revealed the Torah, which contained the Laws. With the passage of time, though prophets kept coming from time to time, yet the followers of Torah forgot the wisdom behind the Laws, and the Law became blind…… the compassion, the love, the mercy, and the wisdom was lost on most….. people who followed became rigid and closed their minds, their religion was difficult and harsh, and it seemed okay to them. Then God sent Jesus to re-teach the Torah, to let the people know the immense love and compassion that God has for His creatures. But the followers of Jesus concentrated so much on the love and compassion part, that they forgot that he had come to confirm the Law, not to do away with it…….. that he had come to explain why it was important and beneficial for humans, but, unfortunately, we have two religions while both study the Old Testament.

The original injeel

Q: When the word "Injeel (Gospel)" was used in the Quran, is it referring to the four gospels of the Christians? If yes, why is it stated in the 3rd Sunnah: "48. And He (Allâh) will teach him ['Iesa (Jesus)]the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom, etc.), (and) the Taurât(Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)." when the gospels came to be written after the lifetime of Jesus? If no. Do have a copy of that Injeel?

A: First of all, it is not the 3rd Sunnah. You are referring to Chapter 3 Verse 48 of the Holy Quran.What Allah is saying here is that He will teach Jesus the message of theTaurat (the Book that was revealed to Prophet Moses), and reveal the Injeel to Prophet Jesus. That what we have today as the New Testament is a collection of the Gospels written by people based on their memory of the teachings of Prophet Jesus. The teachings of Prophet Jesus are what we understand to be the "injeel".
Injeel refers to the revelations made to Prophet Jesus (Isa) by Allah. The New Testament that we have today is not the original, exact and complete Injeel, but rather contains portions of it as it 'according to' the memory of Mark, Mathew, Luke, John, Barnabas, and so on. They do contain the teachings of Jesus, but as it is based on the memory of the scribes who compiled it, it obviously contains may errors, omissions, lapses, contradictions, etc which are but human errors. Same is with the Torah, and other sacred texts. The reason why The Holy Quran did not suffer such a fate is because it was memorized by multiple people, word by word, right from the days of Prophet Muhammad upto this day. That is why the message has stayed intact. I do not know if any copy of the original injeel, torah, or any other book has survived to this day.
Hadith is a different story. Hadith books were compiled approximately 300 years after the death of Prophet Muhammad. They are based on the memory of the people that these scribes went to in search of the sayings of the Prophet, which in turn, is based on the memory of those from whom they heard it, and so on. Hence, there are many mistakes and contradictions in this body of work, and as such, this 'writing of men' cannot be taken as anyauthority. We can study it as historical documents, but we need to be careful to always check if a hadith is compatible with what Allah says in the Quran, otherwise it is not acceptable, as Prophet Muhammad lived his life totally in accordance with the injunctions of the Holy Quran, and we cannot imagine him doing or saying anything contradictory to the Quran. I would sincerely advice you to first study the Quran on its own, and then, after you've completed reading it, to branch out into studying the Hadith, Sunnah, historical books, and other sources. The Holy Quran(in Arabic) is the only document that we can vouch for as being authentically from Allah Almighty himself. Best is to study it in Arabic so as to be able to grasp the depth of meaning of each word, but if that is not possible, the next best thing is to comparatively study translations by different people to understand the closest meanings to the original message.
May Allah bless you and guide you, and may you find the true path. Amen.