Theorizing on the Quranic Basis for Belief in Divine Scriptures

In the name of Allah

Theorizing on the Quranic Basis for Belief in Divine Scriptures

Preface

Belief in the heavenly books is the open journey of God within the boundaries of human understanding; the manifestation of the will of God in the form of written expression, the purpose of which is to guide mankind to the direct path of monotheism and perfection. The Holy Quran is the seal of this enlightened series and has epistemological superiority and dominance over all previous pages. This faith is not merely a historical confirmation of past myths, but also an admission of the continuity of divine providence in the world of revelations and revelations. The heavenly books are the pillars of establishing the law, the regulator of morality, and the architect of civilization. Belief in the authenticity and authenticity of these books is the key to connecting the heart to the origin of the world and guaranteeing the continuity of guidance; therefore, they are considered one of the fundamental pillars of faith, and denying them is tantamount to breaking the causal chain of guidance.

Abstract:

This theorizing explains the ontological, theological, epistemological, and jurisprudential foundations of faith in the heavenly books in the light of Quranic teachings. From the perspective of the Quran, the divine books are the manifestation of the "word" and "wisdom" of truth that were gradually revealed to the great prophets to guide man from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. From a philosophical perspective, these books are the manifestation of the fixed, legislative essence for the world of possibility that they have been revealed. Emphasizing the distinction between the "Quran" as a book immune to distortion and the "copyrights" of the past that have often been subjected to human manipulation is the analytical focus of this research. Narrations explain the ethical and practical dimensions of this faith; according to which reciting and acting on these texts is the purification of the soul and the purification of action. From a jurisprudential perspective, acting on the rulings contained in the books is the measure of duty and an example of pure obedience. Ultimately, faith in the divine books means accepting the harmonious and connected system of divine guidance from Adam to the Seal of Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them.

Foreword

The sequence of revelation of the divine books is a manifestation of divine care for the path of guidance of mankind in different periods of history. From the Psalms of David to the Gospel of Jesus and the Quran of Muhammad, each page was a response to the requirements of the time and the perceptual capacity of the nation. Faith in this collection is faith in a coherent and purposeful system of guidance. The Holy Quran, as the "supervisor" of previous books, not only confirms their authenticity, but also criticizes distortions and completes incomplete knowledge. This theorizing, relying on elite vocabulary, tries to take this concept beyond the level of news and history and explain it as an ontological principle and rational criterion in theological and legislative discussions, in order to clarify the fundamental depth of this pillar of faith.

Chapter One: Quranic Foundations of Khatamism and the Position of Previous Books

The Holy Quran, as the completion and completion of religion, has acknowledged and explained the position of previous books with a comprehensive view. This Quranic approach is based on the principle of “continuity of guidance”, not its interruption. Several verses, including parts of Surah Al-Ma’idah, emphasize the revelation of the Torah to Moses and the Gospel to Jesus (peace be upon him) and introduce them as “containing guidance and light”. However, the Quran considers itself “Muhaymin” (witness, ruler and guardian) over them (Al-Ma’idah: 48). This term indicates that the Quran is the standard for measuring the authenticity of previous texts and the corrector of possible distortions.

From a theological perspective, the divine books are channels of divine grace that have been revealed according to the “power of perception of the nation.” Each book has presented specific rules and teachings, in proportion to the capacity of its audience and the historical stages of human maturity. For example, the Mosaic Law was revealed based on strict rules and documented punishments to protect a society with limited capacities at that time.

The concept of "finality" in the field of divine books means that the Quran is the last and most complete version of guidance that does not need to be abrogated and is eternal. This finality does not mean that previous books are ignored; rather, divine wisdom requires that we believe in their authenticity and learn from their distortion. Denying the existence of these books is a break from the historical chain of prophethood and a claim of an interruption of divine mercy; while the Quran explicitly considers the revelation of these pages as a manifestation of the vast mercy of God. This belief leads man to understand the unity of divine messages.

Chapter Two: Ontological and Philosophical Analysis of the Divine Book (The Word of Revelation)

In the depth of philosophical analysis, the divine book is an "existence" that is represented as a divine "action"; not simply a writing on parchment and paper. Divine books are the manifestation of the levels of the world of matter and the manifestation of divine names and attributes in the form of words and concepts. Ontologically, the book is the realization of the "fixed legislative object." That is, God has a will to lead humanity towards goodness and perfection; this will first exists in the world of reason in a single and simple form (word) and then is revealed in the form of language and expression (book) through the active intellect and Gabriel.

More precisely, the Holy Quran is an example of the “soulful word” of God, whose manifestation in the external world is the written word. The revelation of the books is a mediation between the “ultimate causes” (the ultimate goal) and the “effective causes” (the agent of realization). From the perspective of transcendental wisdom, the heavenly books are examples of “perfect intelligible forms” that have descended to the material world to actualize the potential power of human theoretical reason. If the world is the manifestation of the “Great Name,” the divine books are the language of understanding that Great Name for the inhabitants of the material world.

The distinction of the books lies in their "atomic manifestations." The Torah is the manifestation of order and firm law, and the Gospel is the manifestation of compassion and spiritual spirit, but the Holy Quran is the most comprehensive and powerful manifestation, focused on both order and spirit, and capable of life in all ages. Therefore, faith in the book means faith in the fact that the system of existence is based on a wise and revealed word whose purpose is to organize existence.

Chapter Three: Epistemological and Hermeneutical Dimensions of Faith in the Holy Books (Narrative Methodology)

Belief in the divine books requires a precise methodology in understanding the sacred texts, especially the Holy Quran. This cognitive dimension has been strongly emphasized in hadiths and narrations. The pure Imams (peace be upon them) always emphasized the "contemplative reading" and "interpretation" of the books so that mere superficial understanding does not lead to intellectual stagnation and deviation. Numerous narrations indicate that each verse or page has multiple meanings that cannot be revealed except through the knowledge and interpretation of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).

From a cognitive perspective, the heavenly books are the "external evidence" of God upon His servants. Along with the "internal evidence" (which is reason and nature), these books are the basis for reasoning and deducing rulings.

Hadiths link faith in the Book to obedience to its true interpreters, as Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: "Recite the Quran as it was revealed and act upon what We have interpreted." This means that faith is not simply the memorization and chanting of words, but rather the "interpretive movement" of the human soul in the orbit of the deep meanings of the scriptures.

This means that the epistemological dimension frees man from the historical limitations of previous books. We believe in the Torah because of its originality at the time of revelation, but its legislative teachings have been abrogated and its rulings have been abrogated in the Quran. Consequently, epistemological faith is the acceptance of the final perfection (the Quran) accompanied by the preservation of respect for the previous stages (the Suhf). This approach is a historicized approach to religion in which continuity and evolution are the fundamental principles. Faith is not simply the memorization and recitation of words, but the "interpretive movement" of the human soul in the orbit of the deep meanings of the books.

Chapter Four: The Jurisprudential and Practical Position of Belief in the Divine Books (Compliance and Perfection of the Sharia)

In the field of jurisprudence and practice, faith in the divine books means "complete compliance" with the law contained in the last divine book, the Quran. Jurisprudence is the science of deriving rulings from the four sources of evidence (the Book, the Sunnah, the consensus, and the intellect), with the Book at the forefront. Although contemporary jurisprudence is based on the centrality of the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah, accepting the authenticity of previous books is the basis of some jurisprudential discussions such as "the evidence of the testimony of the People of the Book" and "the rules of dealing with them."

Jurisprudence teaches us that divine laws were revealed to regulate the material and spiritual life of man. The Sharia is the practical manifestation of God's will in the universe. Belief in the divine books strengthens the motivation for obedience in man, because he believes that these laws are not a human condition, but a "legislative creation" based on the common good.

The central role of the Quran in this regard is to correct the legal shortcomings of previous books. For example, the Quran states that in some religions, some lawful things were forbidden to their followers, and these prohibitions were the result of their oppression or deviation (Al-Imran: 93). Legal faith in the Quran means accepting the idea that Islamic law is a complete and complete law that covers all human needs until the Day of Judgment.

In the practical realm, faith in the Book is the transformation of duty into worship. Whenever a person carries out a ruling based on a verse of the Quran, his action is elevated from a "mundane act" to a "sacred act" and is subject to reward in the hereafter. Therefore, the divine books are the main sources of jurisprudential inference and the axis of the practical life of religious communities.

Chapter Five: The Historical and Civilizational Function of the Holy Books and Criticism of Distortion (Truth and Distortion)

The holy books, especially the Quran, have a civilization-building function. They provide models for the structure of society, the moral system, rights, and justice. The history of religions shows that societies that follow these books have had a stronger foundation in moral and legal matters, because the basis of their law goes beyond human situational contracts and relies on the absolute will of God.

But one of the most sensitive theological and historical issues is the issue of “distortion” in previous books. The Quran explicitly refers to the distortions that some individuals have made in previous texts, including: “They distort it after they have understood it, while they know” (Aal-e-Imran: 71). These distortions can be in both words and meanings.

Our faith in the books is faith in their original and uncorrupted versions, but our firm belief is that it is only the Holy Quran that has been pledged by God Almighty to be preserved from corruption: “Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardians” (Al-Hijr: 9). This preservation ensures that the ultimate content of guidance remains intact.

From a historical perspective, the previous books had the task of preparing the ground for the acceptance of the complete religion. They were buildings, each one built by heavenly architects, until the Great Architect, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, completed the construction with the final building (the Quran). Therefore, the criticism of distortion does not mean denying the principle of revelation, but rather emphasizing the necessity and eternal perfection of the last divine page. This comprehensive view creates a balance between respecting the legacy of the past and accepting the final authority of the Quran.