Peace be with you too Dear sister Seraphina
Of course thank you very much for your input and your always welcome to give your opinion. May God bless you
Now don't you think that the religion of Moses and Jesus was Islam. Obviously it was
. What would be the difference in religion if all three Books were used. The Books of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad preached. It was just the laws and ways that were different. After reading one of Josephs articles and I agree with what he said that this was Gods will to have more than one way and law. see verse below
5:48 To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee.
To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute;
Even if the Jews or the Christians always followed there law and path according to Gods Books that was revealed to them. Some how I think that the Quran would still be destined to be revealed to Muhammad no later no earlier.
Now I just want to list as many verses as I can that makes me think that:
1. The Torah and Bible seem to be deemed fit for guidance and law to there respective communities at the time of the prophet Muhammad.
2. That they are never told to follow the law of the Quran but to go back to their Law and start using it( The only verse that I can think of that brings tension to this concept is 7:157-158)
3. And believers are told to believe in the Torah and Bible( I somehow feel that God wants the Believers of the Quran to also believe that the Torah and Bible are still fit for guidance. And the truth and judgement from God are still available in them)
The list starts below and this is only what I can think of in little time
2:4-5 And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee,
and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper.
2:40-41 O Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favour which I bestowed upon you, and
fulfil your covenant with Me as I fulfil My Covenant with you, and fear none but Me. And believe in what I reveal,
confirming the revelation which is with you, and be not the first to reject Faith therein, nor sell My Signs for a small price; and fear Me, and Me alone.
2:44 Do ye enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (To practise it) yourselves,
and yet ye study the Scripture? Will ye not understand? (I'm assuming the scripture in that sentence above is referring to the Torah and was told to the children of Israel at the time of the prophet Muhammad.)
2:62
Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
2:63 And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (The towering height) of Mount (Sinai) : (Saying): "
Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: Perchance ye may fear Allah."
2:89 And when there comes to them a Book from Allah,
confirming what is with them,- although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith,- when there comes to them that which they (should) have recognised, they refuse to believe in it but the curse of Allah is on those without Faith. (side note: can we be doing the same thing?)
2:91 When it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah Hath sent down, "they say, "We believe in what was sent down to us:" yet they reject all besides,
even if it be Truth confirming what is with them. Say: "Why then have ye slain the prophets of Allah in times gone by, if ye did indeed believe?" (other translations seem to state; "while it is the truth confirming that which is with them")
2:106 None of Our
revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that Allah Hath power over all things? (seems to me that God is saying NONE of his verses or revelations are abrogated or cause to be forgotten, but He brings better or similar)
2:285 The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels,
His books, and His messengers. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His messengers." And they say: "We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."
above is just from Surah Al Bakarah
now going back to Surah Maida 5
5:43 But why do they come to thee for decision,
when they have (their own) law before them?- therein is the (plain) command of Allah; yet even after that, they would turn away. For they are not (really) People of Faith.
( Seraphina it seems like to me that its awkward a persons(from the Jews) is coming to seek the truth and get judgement from prophet Muhammad when they have there own Book and law and they rejected theirs before. Why would you think they would accept the law of the Quran. For that instance God tells us they are not really people of Faith.)
5:46-47 And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel:
therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein.
If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel. (It seems like they are asked to Judge using only what God has revealed from the Injeel(Gospel) and not all the sayings of the Gospel)
5:68 Say: "O People of the Book! ye have no ground to stand upon unless
ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord."Does the Quran mention about people of the Book who written false information and took it as a Law? it seems yes
2:59 But the transgressors changed the word from that which had been given them; so We sent on the transgressors a plague from heaven, for that they infringed (Our command) repeatedly.
2:78-79 And among them are unlettered(ummiyuuna) ones who do not know the Scripture except in wishful thinking, but they are only assuming. So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allah ," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.(ummiyuuna are possibly the ones who don't know the book of Moses and its they who possibly changed the words and written scriptures with their own hands and said this is from God. To make a profit.)
Also doesn't it make sense that the the believers( muslims ) are also able to eat from each others food, and marry from each other. If God did not recognize their ways any more then why allow all this. And a Qibla to each group
To also make something clear is that "yes" I do believe they should recognize the Quran as the word of God and the prophet Muhammad as a prophet. And not to disbelieve in this. Same way we are to them.
Now after saying this, either I'm way off and I am understanding everything wrong. Or a whole bunch of people are wrong. May GOD bless us all Insha'Allah
To sum everything up I still ask the same question pretty much as my first post. Do we tell Jews and Christians judge by what God has given to them, or is there something wrong with my thinking? And i'm missing important information?
Im sorry for the lengthy post
Peace be with you