The Holy Scriptures: The Four Revealed Books in Islam (UK British Muslim Guide)

The four scriptures Allah revealed before the Quran

Belief in Allah\'s revealed books is the third of the six articles of Islamic faith — alongside belief in Allah, His angels, His messengers, the Day of Judgement and divine decree. The Quran names four scriptures revealed before the Quran itself, plus references to the broader category of "scrolls" (ṣuḥuf) given to earlier prophets. For British Muslim families teaching their children comparative religion, knowing the Islamic position on previous scriptures is essential.

The four named scriptures

Scripture	Prophet	Quran reference
The Tawrāh (Torah)	Mūsā ﷺ	Quran 5:44, 3:3
The Zabūr (Psalms)	Dāwūd ﷺ	Quran 4:163, 17:55, 21:105
The Injīl (Gospel)	ʿĪsā ﷺ	Quran 5:46, 3:3
The Quran	Muhammad ﷺ	The final and preserved scripture

Plus the "scrolls of Ibrāhīm and Mūsā" (Quran 87:18-19) — earlier revelations to Ibrāhīm ﷺ and Mūsā ﷺ that have not been preserved in any contemporary form.

The Islamic position on previous scriptures

The mainstream Sunni position on the previous scriptures involves three key claims:

1. The original revelations were from Allah

The Tawrāh, Zabūr and Injīl were genuine divine revelations. The Quran does not deny their original divine origin; it affirms it.

2. The texts have been altered (taḥrīf)

Across centuries of transmission, the original texts of the Tawrāh and Injīl were altered through translation, omission, addition and commentary. The current Hebrew Bible and Christian Gospels are not, in the Islamic understanding, identical to what was originally revealed to Mūsā ﷺ and ʿĪsā ﷺ.

3. The Quran is preserved unchanged

Allah specifically guaranteed the preservation of the Quran (Quran 15:9). The current Quranic text is identical to what was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ — preserved by tawātur (mass oral transmission) for fourteen centuries without alteration.

The relationship between the Quran and previous scriptures

Surah Al-Māʾidah 5:48 establishes the framework: "And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a guardian over it..."

The Quran is described as both confirming what came before (the parts that remained authentic) and as guardian over it (the standard against which the previous scriptures should be evaluated). Where the Quran differs from the current Bible, the Quran represents the original divine teaching that has been preserved, while the Bible represents the altered version.

How to handle this with British Muslim children in interfaith environments

1. Teach respect for the People of the Book

Jews and Christians are not "outsiders" in the Islamic worldview. They are believers in the same prophets, recipients of earlier scriptures from the same God. The Quran preserves this respect explicitly.

2. Be honest about the disagreements

Where Islam disagrees with mainstream Christianity (the divinity of ʿĪsā, the Trinity, the crucifixion) or mainstream Judaism (the rejection of ʿĪsā as the Messiah), the disagreements are real and substantive. Pretending they don\'t exist is not respectful — it\'s evasive.

3. Affirm the original prophetic messages

Mūsā ﷺ\'s message of monotheism, ʿĪsā ﷺ\'s message of God\'s mercy, the prophetic call to ethical living — these are shared. The disagreements are about specific later doctrinal developments and the preservation question.

4. Read the Quran first, then comparative texts

British Muslim teenagers studying religious studies at school should know the Quranic position before reading critical academic comparative work. The order matters.

Why the Quran was sent as the final scripture

The Islamic theological position: each previous scripture was sent to a particular community for a particular period. The Tawrāh was for Banū Isrāʾīl. The Injīl was for the followers of ʿĪsā. The Quran was sent for all of humanity until the Day of Judgement — making it the final divine revelation, with the protection of Allah\'s preservation guarantee specifically attached to it.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is therefore "the Seal of the Prophets" (khātam al-nabiyyīn, Quran 33:40) — the last in the prophetic line. There is no further prophet after him; no further scripture after the Quran.

Frequently asked questions

Where to go next

For more on related topics, see our guides on Prophet Mūsā, Prophet ʿĪsā, The Noble Quran, Monotheism in Islam, and Points of Suspicion About Islam. To study the Quran with a qualified teacher, book a free trial lesson.