Allah has all the time guided man the right way. Though it differed in details, it has always been, and still is, the same: to worship none but Allah, the creator of the heavens and the earth, and to serve only him. ‘Religion with Allah is Islam’, is stated in aya 19 of the third Sura, Al Imran. Islam means complete submission and devotion towards Allah, whereby man gains peace with his creator, and himself, and with the world around him – a peace which is based on the recognition of the creator and due praises to him. Therefore, the believers are brothers, friends and helpers towards each other, while the disbelievers, who destroy the harmony of life with their misbehaviour and call down the wrath of the creator, ought to be shun, reputed, and fought. This is the teaching which all the numerous prophets brought, some of whom we know by name, whereas a good number of them we don’t know at all. However, we are informed that none of them ever called to anything else. Therefore we acknowledge all of them without exception, and in this respect we don’t make any difference between them. Envy and jealousy, however, made people become misers concerning the merciful gift of their lord, the divine guidance. Each group amongst them wanted to be the single owner of divine guidance, and started to hide the knowledge revealed by Allah, not willing to share it with anyone else. The story of the Jews, the children of Israel, is an example well known to everyone, and it is mentioned many times in the Qur’an. Their pride drove them to believe that they were Allah’s chosen people whom he wouldn’t punish at all, they altered Allah’s laws and revelations to suit their own purposes, and their message, only because they cannot bear with the fact that Allah’s mercy is all-embracing, and not only meant for them.

As for the Muslims, it would suffice them to merely acknowledge all the previous prophets and scriptures of revelation; they prove the never-ending mercy the creator shows towards His creation; He showed them the right way again and again notwithstanding their persisting disobedience. Beyond that, these scriptures are only of historical interest to the Muslim, as he has the Qur’an as the last and complete guidance wherein Allah has not left anything out. We look at all that has gone before in the light of this blessed message, and are sure that we are told the true facts. Such we do not need to study the previous scriptures to obtain guidance.

Still it is worthwhile to have a look into the books of those who claim to follow the teachings of Moses and Jesus – peace be upon them – as we are actually every now and again confronted by their views. It is amongst our tasks to make them come across the truth. Therefore it might be helpful n opening their eyes for them, to find indications of this very truth in those scriptures they adhere to. Whatever looks strange, first causes fear and makes you keep away. If it comes too you in a familiar appearance it is easier for you to accept. Should we manage to open part of the Qur’anic truth to those who believe in the Bible within their own book, they might tend to be willing to listen to all of it, too.

Still I want to warn strongly from basing any discussion with followers of another creed on the bible itself. Our standard is the Qur’an. If we find a number of true references in the Bible, which are supported by the Qur’an, still we know that it contains just as much, rather more invented and wrong statements. The Bible is a mixture of fragments of revelation, interpretations of these, historical reports and human invention. Only Allah knows which verse thereof originally was one of his revelations, and which is the outcome of man’s fantasy. Such a book cannot serve as a proper basis for seeking the truth. Many an incident, Allah mentions to us in the Qur’an how the previously revealed scriptures have been forged. Even the Bible informs us about this fact: In Jeremiah 8:8we find,

 “How can you say, ‘We are wise and the law of he Lord is with us’? But, behold, the false pen pf the scribes has made it into a lie.”

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