by Shaykh Ibn Baz rahimahullah
Q - Is it permissible for me as a Muslim to leaf through the Injil (Gospel) and read in it, just to have a look, and not for any other purpose? Does believing in the Divine Books mean believing in their being revealed by Allah or believing in their content? Please enlighten me, may Allah enlighten you!
A: Every Muslim should believe that these books: the Tawrah (Torah), the Injil (Gospel), and the Zabur (Psalms), were revealed by Allah, and that Allah revealed them to His Prophets. Included in these Books were: commands, prohibitions, admonitions, warnings, stories of ancient events, information on Paradise and Hell, and other matters. However, Muslims should not use these books as they have been distorted and altered, and they should not own copies of them, or read in them. They pose a danger in that they may lead Muslims to deny a truth or believe in a falsehood, because they have been distorted, altered, and falsified by the Jews, the Christians and others; whereas Allah has made us stand in no need of them, by the great Book He revealed: the Noble Qurýan.
It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw a portion of the Tawrah in the hands of ýUmar, so he became angry and said: ýAre you confused about it, O Ibn Al-Khattab? By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I brought it to you white and pure.ý And he added, ýBy the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if Musa (Moses) were alive, he could not but follow me.ý
We just want to advise you, and others, not to take anything from the Tawrah, the Injil, and the Zabur, not to acquire copies of them, and not to read in them.
Rather, if you have any of them, bury or burn it, because the truth that was in them has been given, instead, in the Qurýan; they are now so mixed with changes and distortions, which are all condemned and false. Therefore, the believer must be on his guard against this, and beware of reading these books for they may lead to belief in a falsehood or denial of a truth. To be safe, it is better to just dispose of these books, either by burying or burning them.
Knowledgeable Muslim scholars are permitted to look at these books to refute the allegations of the opponents of Islam from among the Jews and the Christians. This was what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did when the Jews denied that stoning of adulterers was the punishment prescribed in the Tawrah, so he asked for a copy of the Tawrah until they finally acknowledged it.
The reason for this is that the scholars, who are knowledgeable about the Shariýah (Islamic law), may need to read the Tawrah, the Injil, and the Zabur for the sake of Islam, to refute allegations from the opponents of Allah and show the merits of the Qurýan and the truth and guidance it contains. As for ordinary people, they do not need to do this. So, if they have any of these books, they should bury them in a pure place or burn them to avoid misleading anyone through them.
Nur 'Ala Al-Darb Fatwa
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