The Holy Books

Verbal communications from Allah which are committed to writing are known as holy books or scriptures and are an example of Ilm-al-Yaqin, or intellectual knowledge. The holy books mentioned by Allah in the Holy Qur'an are the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, and the Qur'an itself. Allah appointed messengers to receive and disseminate these scriptures, which demonstrates that He designed the universe and all of the beings within it according to a system of physical and spiritual laws. Directives for proper human behavior based on these laws are provided therein. For example, in the Ten Commandments Allah clearly delineates how He expects mankind to conduct themselves on the earth. He describes the type of behavior which is in healthy alignment with the human constitution and enjoins us to act within those parameters.

A scripture can thus be understood as an operational manual for human behavior, based on the universal schema of creation. When one behaves in compliance with the prescribed behavior, one's place in the universe is a harmonious part of the working whole. When one transgresses these laws, the consequences may not be favorable, to himself or to others. If a person should jump off a high cliff without a parachute, the chances are good that he will hurt himself badly, or even die. Painful repercussions may also be felt by his family, friends, and so on. We don't see his dying as a punishment, but rather as a consequence of reckless action with respect to the law of gravity. In spiritual as well as physical arenas, so-called "rewards" or "punishments" are actually the natural consequences of our actions. Because Allah is merciful and just, divinely sanctioned behavior turns out to be beneficial for us, as individuals and as a society. This is not to say that living on earth is all smooth and easy going, without hardships or obstacles for those who follow Allah's prescriptions. When a human being learns to see from Allah's perspective, what others may think of as negative or wrong, he may understand in a deeper way as being part of the larger order of things.

Excerpted from The Sun Will Rise In The West
Chapter 3, The Word
By Shaykh Taner Ansari

next topic: The Qur'an
previous topic: Knowing Allah