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AND NARRATE FROM THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND THERE IS NO HARM:

MAKING SENSE OF THE USE OF ISRLIYYT IN MUSLIM SCHOLARSHIPi

Wan Mohd Fazrul Azdi Wan Razalii, Ahmad Yunus Mohd Noorii & Jaffary Awangiii
i (Corresponding author). Akidah and Religion Studies Program, Faculty of Leadership and Management,
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. wmfazrul@usim.edu.my
ii Department of Theology and Philosophy, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

a_yunus@ukm.edu.my
iii Department of Theology and Philosophy, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

jaffary@ukm.edu.my
___________________________________________________________________

Abstract
Islam has a relationship with the other Abrahamic faiths, namely Judaism and Christianity,
through the concept of Widah al-Dn. This concept affects Islam in many ways. Not only it
affects in the principal matters of faith, such as the belief in the other prophets, but it also
affects belief in the previous sacred revelations, such as the Tawrh, Zabr and Injl. From this
belief in the previous sacred revelations, some Muslims resort to the Isrliyyt to understand
Islam. Nevertheless, to use sources from other religions to understand Islam, specifically in
this case of Isrliyyt, seems confusing and perplexing. Chronologically, polemic on the use
of Isrliyyt had begun since the age of the Prophet Muhammad. This issue is not only
restricted to the Muslim circle, but it also prompts questions from the Jews and the Christians
as to why Muslims would source the Torah and the Bible to understand Islam. This paper
highlights issues related to the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship by exposing some
positions in the Islamic rulings and the sharcah justifications for these positions. These
positions in the Islamic rulings and its sharcah justifications are extracted through the use of
textual analysis methodology. It is suggested that from understanding these justifications that
one can make sense of the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim Scholarship. It is also suggested that
from this principal understanding of the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship, the Biblical
interpretation in the Islamic contexts should be developed and discussed by the present and
future scholars of Muslim-Christian studies.

Keywords: Isrliyyt, Widah al-Dn, Children of Israel, Muslim Scholarship and Comparative
Study of Religions.
___________________________________________________________________

INTRODUCTION
Islam has a relationship with the other Abrahamic faiths, namely Judaism and Christianity,
through the concept of widah al-dn or unity of religion. In Islam, the concept of widah al-dn
is described in the al-Quran, al-Sunnah and the words of prominent Muslim scholars (Srah
al-Aqf 46: verse 9, al-Nisa 4: verse 163-165, al-Shr 42: verse 15, al-Bukhriyy, 1998,
Hadith no. 6442 & Hadith no. 3534; Ibn Kathr, 2002, Vol. 2; al-Nadwiyy, 1974; cAbd Al-Razzq
Ram, 2001 and Al-Zuayliyy, 1422H, vol. 3).
This concept affects Islam in many ways, including in the principal matters of faith such
as the belief in the other prophets and the belief in the previous sacred revelations, such as
the Tawrh, Zabr and Injl. From this belief in the previous sacred revelations, some Muslims
resort to the Isrliyyt to understand Islam. Nevertheless, to use sources from other religions
to understand Islam, specifically in this case of Isrliyyt, seems confusing and perplexing. It
is questionable as how can Islam, as an established religion which is affiliated by the second
largest population of the world, sources out another religion to understand itself? In similar
way, can Judaism or Christianity be understood through the lenses of Islam?

iThis paper was originally presented at the International Conference on Biblical Interpretation in the Islamic
Contexts, organized by The Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies, Oxford, on 1 3 September 2015 at St. Stephens
House, Oxford, UK. The authors would like to acknowledge with many thanks to the Department of Public Service,
Malaysia and Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia for sponsoring this research.

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Chronologically, polemics on the use of Isrliyyt had begun since the age of the
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), where diverse stands were taken, shown and
taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him) to his companions (may Allah be satisfied with
them). Furthermore, this issue is not only restricted to the Muslim circle, but it also prompts
questions from the Jews and the Christians as to why Muslims would source the Torah and
the Bible to understand Islam, whether as borrowing (Geiger, 1898; Zwemer, 1900, & 1907,
Goldziher, 1971 & Noldeke et. al. 2013), intertextual exercise (Firestone, 2003 & Robins and
Newby 2003), side by side reading (Lodahl, 2010) or as a subtext (Reynolds, 2010).
If Isrliyyt could be used in Muslim Scholarship, especially in understanding Islam,
does this affect any issue of authority and authenticity in Islamic epistemology? What is the
taxonomy applied in the categorization of Isrliyyt, to avoid from any two extremes in Islamic
religious thought, namely exclusivist, which refutes the whole Isrliyyt in toto or pluralist,
which welcomes the whole Isrliyyt into Islamic sciences?
This paper highlights these issues from the aforementioned questions, which relate to
the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship. The discussions which have been raised and
analyzed here are presented with the purpose of knowing the religious others from an Islamic
comparative study of religions. As to quote from Friedrich Max Muller (1823-1900): He, who
knows one, knows none (Muller, 1882 & Sharpe, 1986). A sufficient and systematically
constructed understanding on these issues could pave the way for better interreligious
dialogue between the Abrahamic religions, especially in making sense of the use of Isrliyyt
in Muslim scholarship.

WIDAH AL-DN AND ITS IMPLICATIONS IN THE ISLAMIC STUDIES

In Islam, the concept of widah al-dn is regarded as among the principal matters that are
taught by the Revelations. Nevertheless, this matter is sometimes overlooked by Muslims or
non-Muslims, due to a number of reasons. In the al-Quran, it says:










Which means, Surely We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh, and the prophets after
him, and We revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yacqub and the tribes, and Isa and
Ayub and Yunus and Harun and Sulaiman and We gave to Daud. And (We sent) messengers
We have mentioned to you before and messengers we have not mentioned to you; and to
Musa, Allah addressed His Word, speaking (to him): (We sent) messengers as the givers of
good news and as warners, so that people should not have a plea against Allah after the
(coming of) messengers; and Allah is Mighty, Wise (al-Quran. al-Nisa 4: 163-165).

According to Ibn Kathr (701-774H) in his Quranic exegesis, the sabab al-Nuzl (reason
for revelation) of these verses is to refute the previous tribes of Sukayn and cAdiyy ibn Yazd.
These tribes thought that there will be no more revelations from Allah after the death of Prophet
Musa (peace be upon him), whereas it was foretold in the previous sacred revelations that
there will be successors among the prophets until the final Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) (Ibn Kathr, 2002).
Evidently, these aforementioned verses were revealed to eradicate confusion and doubt
among people on the chain of the prophethood, beginning from the earliest prophethood to the
final message of the Quran, to all mankind. This chain of prophethood, in its essence as a
principle of Islamic faith and belief, propagates the Widah al-Dn or the unity of religion. This
is evident from the popularly muttafaq calayh narrated Jibrl (Peace be upon him) Hadith, which
says:

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Faith is that you believe in Allah, His Angels, His sacred books, His Messengers and the Last
Day, and that you believe in the Decree, both the good and the bad of it (Hadith. al-Bukhariyy.
1998. No. 50 & Muslim. 1998. No. 1).

The position of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) among all other prophets of
Islam is a depiction of the widah al-dn or the unity of religion as taught and preached in Islam.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) brilliantly exemplified this concept as follows:
:
: .



Which means, Narrated by Jabir: Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said, "My similitude in
comparison with the other prophets before me, is that of a man who has built a house nicely
and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder
at its beauty, but say: Would that this brick be put in its place!' So I am that brick, and I am the
last of the Prophets (Hadith. al-Bukhriyy. 1998. No. 3535).

Nevertheless, this concept is best defined in the words of one of the most prominent
scholars of Islam, the late Shaykh Professor Dr Muhammad Sacid Ramadan al-Biyy (1929-
2013) in his Kubr Al-Yaqniyyt Al-Kawniyyah:

.
... .
Which means, And hence, when we are learning the Islamic creed and its proofs, we are
actually learning those realities, which Allah had obligated upon His servants to believe and to
trust into since He sent Adam (peace be upon him) until the Day He inherited the earth and all
its dwellers. This is the relation between the Islamic creed and all that were brought by the
previous prophets and messengers (peace be upon them). The people of the book know this
relation, and know this unity of religion (or widah al-dn) (al-Butiyy, 1997).

This concept of widah al-dn in Islam is not to be understood as theological pluralism,

transcendental unity of religions or sanatana dharma (namely, the everlasting rule), which is
debated by scholars from many religions (Mohamed Rifai Mohamed Ameen, 2008; Anis Malik
Thoha, 2005; Seyyed Hossein Nasr, 1999 & Adnan Aslan, 1994). Ultimately, Islam is not a
composite religion, which borrowed from and influenced by the previous religions of man,
especially the Abrahamic or heavenly religions, namely: Judaism and Christianity.
In the words of Seyyed Hossein Nasr (born 1933): However there is no question of
historical borrowing here as some orientalists have sought to show; the Shariah is a Divine
Law similar in many ways to Talmudic law, but not borrowed from it or based upon it; Christ
plays a very important role in Islam, but this is not a distortion of the Christian conception of
Christ. The latter is, independently of Christianity, a part of the Islamic religious view. Christ
and Moses, as well as the other ancient Hebrew prophets, play a part in Islam independently
of any possible historical borrowing from Judaism and Christianity (Seyyed Hossein Nasr,
1999).
In the same vein, this concept of widah al-dn or the unity of religion propagates
mankind to return to the message of One God, God of all messengers and all sacred
revelations. The late Professor Dr. Wahbah al-Zuayliyy (1932-2015) describes in interpreting
Srah al-Shr 42: verse 15:

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.
Which means, After Allah the Most High explained the true principle of widah al-dn, and
reasons people are stepping away from it, Allah commanded His prophet to propagate the
principle of al-Tawd, and the unity of Godly messages. For this religion is not a persons
belonging, whereas Allah the Most Exalted is the founder of this religion. He satisfies with His
servants (to follow) what are agreed upon to his Noble messengers, beginning from Adam
(peace be upon him) to the final prophet Muhammad ibn cAbdillah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him), from which obligates a faith to all sacred books revealed by Allah, for these
books present glad tidings of goodness and happiness, stand on (the principles) of truth, justice
and balance (Al-Zuayliyy, 1422H).

Due to the unique concept of widah al-dn, Muslim scholarship in religious studies is
vibrant and pervasive. It is vibrant and pervasive because of its predestined and forever
engagement with the sources of other religions such as references from the people of the book
or ahl al-kitb. These sources include Isrliyyt or Narniyyt, if one is to segregate between
both the Jews (Isrliyyt) and the Christians (Narniyyt) sources. In the same way,
Isrliyyt are not only restricted to the sayings of the Jews and Christians, but also include
citations from the Tawrh, Zabr and also the Injl.
From here, it is understood that the use of Isrliyyt in the Muslim scholarship is not
something which happens without any possible reasons. Evidently, Islam relates to Isrliyyt
through this Islamic principle of widah al-dn. It all begins from the firm belief in the previous
prophethood and their sacred messages to the whole mankind. In the next section, this paper
elucidates the concept and use of Isrliyyt in Islamic contexts. Next, the discussion will focus
on the debates on the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship, which highlights three main
categories of Isrliyyt as proposed by majority Muslim scholars. These three main categories
of Isrliyyt could be utilized as a basis for a deeper and greater understanding of the Biblical
interpretation in Islamic contexts.

THE CONCEPT AND USE OF ISRLIYYT IN ISLAMIC CONTEXTS

In Muslim scholarship, Isrliyyt literally derives from the Arabic word Isrliyyah. Isrliyyt
is the plural form for Isrliyyah, whereby Isrliyyah is an infinitive (madar), which functions
as a relative or relational adjective (al-Nisbah) and genitive construction (al-Ifah) to the word
Isrl. Isrliyyah, etymologically derives from the word Isrl. According to al-Zabdiyy (1965),
Isrl is also known in its lighter form of word, namely Isrl:
. : ... )(
Which means, And Isrlis the lighter form of the term Isrl, which means Allahs chosen
servant or it is said as Allahs servant. Al-Baywiyy says: He is Yacqb Alayh al-Salam.

In the Hebrew language, Isrl is also called as Yisrael, which also refers to Yacqb or
Jacob in the context of Judaism (Goldenberg, 2007). It is said: Jacob, in the process of spiritual
growth, has a physical struggle with God. Injured in this struggle, Jacobs name is changed to
Yisrael, or Israel, translated the one who struggles with God. The struggle itself becomes the
spiritual marker by which the Jews identify themselves. The Torah most often refers to the
Israelites as Bnei Yisrael, the Children of Israel. They are the spiritual ancestors of the modern
Jewish people. The Rabbis taught that the Israelites descended from the best that was within
Jacob. Thus, the spiritual charge of the Israelites, and then of the Jewish people, was to be

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like Jacob/Israelto struggle with God and, in the end, observe the moral and ethical
mandates by their own choice (Karesh & Hurvitz, 2006).

The reason for this change of name from Jacob to Israel is due to his victory in his
struggle with an angel, (King James Bible, Genesis, Chapter 32: verse 24-29) where it reads:
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou
power with God and with men, and hast prevailed (King James Bible, Genesis, chapter 32:
verse 28). This name is later used for the descendants of Jacob. Subsequently, Israel is also
used to represent the whole Jews and in 1948 to represent a modern Jewish state. (The
Blackwell Dictionary of Judaica, 1992 and Dictionary of Jewish lore and Legend, 1997).
In the context of this paper, Isrliyyt refers to the stories and narratives from the
Jewish sources (Al-Dhahabiyy, 1990). Nevertheless, Isrliyyt here are not only restricted to
the sources from the Jews, but they also include sources from the Christians. This is best
illustrated by referring to Professor Dr. Muhammad Muhammad Abu Shahbahs words
(1408H):
: - - :
-
.
Which means, And Isrl is Ya qb Alayh al-Salam, which means the Servant of Allah. And
c

Banu Isrl are those Children of Yacqb and those begotten from them afterwards, until the
day of Musa and also those Prophets after him. Until the day of Isa Alayh al-Salam and until
the day of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Due to that, the concept of Isrliyyt includes Jewish and Christian sources and also
news from the Tawrh, Zabr and Injl. Interestingly, some scholars have taken the term
Isrliyyt to be understood as inclusive of other non-Muslim elements, which cover
Zoroastrian, Near Eastern and other foreign elements in the Quranic exegesis (Albayrak,
2000). While some other scholars would restrict Isrliyyt to only sources from the people of
the book or Ahl al-Kitb. These sources include both news from the Jews (Isrliyyt) and the
Christians (Narniyyt) sources, whereby some of them are citations from the Tawrh, Zabr
and also the Injl.
Based on some authentic hadiths, which will be presented below, there is no
disagreement that the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship could be dated since the day of
Prophet Muhammad (circa 600 CE). Nevertheless, the term Isrliyyt was popularly taken as
a specific subject of study in the Islamic or oriental studies, only in the modern period.
According to Ramz Nacncah, the term Isrliyyt with particular meaning as in the context of
this paper was not discussed thoroughly as a subject of study by the early scholars of Islam
(1970, 72-73).
Therefore, only modern scholars of Islam, who discuss about this issue by using the
term isrliyyt, especially in the discipline of Quranic exegesis (cilm al-Tafsr) and Islamic
history (cilm al-Trkh) (Munim Sirry, 2014). Whereas the classical scholars of Islam used the
substitute terms for Isrliyyt such as al-adth al-Isrliyyah, akhbr ban Isrl, riwyt al-
Yahd, akhbr al-Narniyyah, riwyat ahl al-Kitb and many more, which could be found in
their writings. Some of the earliest writings on the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship could
be referred to cUbayd ibn Shariyahs (d. 67AH / 686CE) al-Mulk Wa Akhbr al-Man as
identified by Ibn Qutaybahs (213AH / 828CE 276AH / 885CE) Tawl Mukhtalif al-adth
(Vajda, G. 2012 & Ibn Qutaybah, 1999). Further information on the historical use on the
meaning of the term Isrliyyt has been analyzed by Ismail Albayrak (2000) in his PhD thesis.
There are many general reasons why Muslims use Isrliyyt. In the days of the
Prophet Muhammad, these reasons could be linked to the close geographical and political
relations between the Arabs and the People of the Book, namely the Jews and the Christians.
According to Ibn Khaldun (732-808 CE):

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.
.

.

.
.
.
Which means, The early scholars had already made complete compilations on the subject
(namely tafsr naqli). However, their works and the information they transmit contain side by
side important and unimportant matters, accepted and rejected statements. The reason is that
the Arabs had no books or scholarship. The desert attitude and illiteracy prevailed among
them. When they wanted to know certain things that human beings are usually curious to know,
such as the reasons for the existing things, the beginning of creation, and the secrets of
existence, they consulted the earlier People of the Book about it and got their information from
them. The People of the Book were the Jews who had the Torah, and the Christians who
followed the religion of the Jews. Now, the people of the Torah who lived among the Arabs at
that time were themselves Bedouins. They knew only as much about these matters as is known
to ordinary People of the Book. The majority of those Jews were Himyarites who had adopted
Judaism. When they became Muslims, they clung to the information they possessed, which
had no connection with the religious laws as they were very wary of it. These information
include the beginning of creation and information of the type of forecasts, predictions and their
equivalence. Such men were Kacb al-Abr, Wahb ibn Munabbih, cAbd Allh ibn Salm, and
similar people (Ibn Khaldun, 1960 & 1967).

These general reasons too can be linked to the principle of widah al-dn or the unity
of religion, which is rooted in the teachings of Islam, as explained previously. It is from this
principle that Muslims embark their way toward better understanding of Islam from the People
of the Book, which includes researching their theological, scriptural, ritual and spiritual
teachings.
However, what could be deduced from analyzing Waardenburgs Muslim Studies of
Other Religions, (1999) specific reasons for the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship could
be divided into three main categories, namely: first, to understand Islam, second to understand
the People of the Book; and third, is to criticize the People of the Book. This paper will only
limit to the first reason to further explore the reason for the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim
scholarship, where the second and third reasons will not be explored here in this paper.
Scholarly opinions for this first reason could be referred to the words of the late Dr.
Muammad usayn al-Dhahabiyy (1915-1977). In delineating the sources for the companions
in interpreting the al-Quran, he highlighted that the companions referred to the Quran, Sunnah
and ijtihd for their sources. And the fourth source is as follows:
.

.
Which means, The fourth source for tafsr in the days of the companions were the People of
the Book from the Jews and the Christians. This is due to the fact that the Holy Quran agrees

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with a few matters in the Tawrh, which specifically in the stories of the prophets, and stories
related to the previous nations. And in the same manner, the Quran comprises of topics, which
are also mentioned in the Injl, for example the story of the birth of cIs ibn Maryam peace be
upon him and his miracles (al-Dhahabiyy, 2000).

It is clear from the previous paragraph that Isrliyyt was regarded as the fourth source
for Quranic interpretation by the companions of the prophet. This is due to the similarities that
could be found in both sources, namely the Quran and the Isrliyyt. The same position was
also taken by Ibn Taimiyyah (661-728AH / 1263-1328 CE) and Ibn Kathr (701-774 AH / 1301-
1373 CE), renowned Muslim scholars of Quranic interpretation, where according to both, the
Isrliyyt is also taken as the source for tafsr for its examples, but not to be used to strengthen
any Quranic verses or claims (Li al-Istishhd Wa La Li al-Ictiqd aw al-Ictid) (1982 & 2000).
Nevertheless, there is a difference between the Quran and the Isrliyyt in expanding
and describing these stories of the prophet and the previous nation. Shaykh al-Dhahabiyy
explains this difference as follows:

.
- -

.
Which means, In different way, the Quran applied an approach, which differs from the
approach of the Tawrh and the Injl. It (the Quran) does not explain things into details, and it
does not complete a story from its many aspects, but summarizes things only for lesson
purpose. As the mind always desires for things to be explained completely and at length, this
had caused some of the companions may Allah satisfy with them to refer things which are
not completely described in the Quran to the Muslim converts from the People of the Book
such as: cAbdullh ibn Salm, Kacb al-Abr and others from the scholars of Judaism and
Christianity (al-Dhahabiyy, 2000).

Here, it is clear that the reason for the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship is to seek
for explanation and description on the stories of the prophets and the previous nations. In other
words, biblical interpretation in Islamic contexts is specifically used to satisfy the hungry and
inquisitive minds of Muslim scholars, especially in the disciplines of tafsr and trkh. These
hungry and inquisitive minds of Muslim scholars desire for thorough explanations and
descriptions of some stories of the Prophets and the previous nations, which were briefly
mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah. Many examples of these Isrliyyt could be found
in their works of exegesis and history, especially in the works of the early scholars such as Ibn
Abbas (3-68 AH / 619-687 CE) exegesis (2007), Muammad ibn Jarr al-abariyys (224-310
AH / 839-923 CE) tafsr (2001) and Trkh (2007), Ibn Kathrs tafsr (2000) and Trkh (1997)
and many more.
However, in the Muslim scholarship, this does not mean that all Isrliyyt are to be
accepted. There are underlying criteria that must be met for the acceptance or rejection of any
Isrliyyt. These criteria will be described in the next subtopic. It is worth mentioning here that
these criteria itself are developed from the polemics and debates on the use of Isrliyyt in
Muslim scholarship. As such, biblical interpretation in the Islamic contexts could be addressed
and explained through these specific criteria and perspectives.

DEBATES ON THE USE OF ISRLIYYT IN MUSLIM SCHOLARSHIP

The debates and polemics that emerged from this issue are actually epistemological in nature,
which refers to the scope of knowledge and its sources as promulgated by Islamic teachings.

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As it had been addressed previously, these debates relate to some of these questions as
follows: does the use of Isrliyyt affect any issue of authority and authenticity in Islamic
epistemology? What is the taxonomy applied in the categorization of Isrliyyt, to avoid from
any two extremes in Islamic religious thought, namely exclusivist, which refutes the whole
Isrliyyt in toto or pluralist, which to welcome the whole Isrliyyt into Islamic sciences?
From one point of view, the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship can affect the issue
of authority and authenticity in Islamic epistemology. Generally, this act of sourcing out to other
religions to understand Islam is considered as a potential threat and a possible cause for
confusion among Muslims. For this reason, majority Muslim scholars uphold the view that the
use of Isrliyyt is no longer necessary. Such view was also understood by the non-Muslims,
who happened to discern this debates and polemics in the Quranic verses, traditions of the
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) until todays textbooks of Islamic studies. These
information were understood as an attitude of rejecting the Isrliyyt and other non-Muslim
information from being accessible by the Muslims (Watt, 1991a). For instance, according to
Watt (1909-2006):
Another aspect of this attitude towards what is not Islamic is to be seen in the gradual
rejection of Isrliyyt. These were primarily materials derived from Jewish converts to Islam,
such as Kab al-Abr and Muhammad b. Kab al-Qura, though ancient material was
sometimes included. At first this material had been acceptable, and there is a hadis, quoted by
al-Shfi (d.820), in which Muhammad said that there was no objection to transmitting stories
from the Ban Isrl. In course of time, however, objection was taken to the Isrliyyt, and it
was generally held that they were to be avoided (Watt, 1991b).
In the Muslims circle, according to Ramz Nacncah, the use of Isrliyyt can affect
negatively on Islam and can harm Muslim faith. This could be seen from many dimensions of
Islam, namely: methodology of tafsr, methodology of narrating a tradition and acknowledging
the main sources for Islamic beliefs (1970, 428-429). Whilst in the view of Dr. al cAbd al-
Fatt al-Khlidiyy (born 1947), the use of Isrliyyt can only confuse the Muslims because
one can never be so sure of the accuracy of the narratives from the People of the Book. With
this questionable position of the Isrliyyt, it cannot be used to describe and interpret the
Quran (al-Khlidiyy, 2008).
Notwithstanding the previously mentioned negative views, there are many scholars
who utilized the Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship. This is proven from the narrations of these
stories in the works of the previous scholars of Islam, especially in the books of exegesis and
history. These narrations could be traced to the early works of Ibn Shariyah al-Jurhmiyy, Ibn
c
Abbs, al-abariyy, Ibn Kathr, Ibn Khaldn and many more.
Evidently, the sole reason for these debates could be traced to the different positions
shown and taught by the Prophet and the Companions on the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim
scholarship. There are some Quranic verses including reports from the Prophet and the
Companions that forbid from referring to the Isrliyyt. Likewise, there are also some reports
that permit Muslims to refer the Isrliyyt. These reports have been discussed by many
Muslim scholars, both classical and modern. Some of these reports are as follows:







Which means, All food was lawful To the Children of Israel, except what Israel Made unlawful
for itself, Before the Law (of Moses). Say: Was revealed Bring ye the Law And study it, if ye
be men of truth (al-Quran. Ali cImran. 93).

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Which means, If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those
who have been reading the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed come to thee from
thy Lord: so be in no wise of those in doubt (al-Quran. Yunus. 94).

Which means, The Unbelievers say: No apostle art thou. Say: Enough for a witness
between me and you is Allah, and such as have knowledge of the Book (al-Quran. Al-Racd.
43).

Which means, Say: See ye? If (this teaching) be from Allah, and ye reject it, and a witness
from among the Children of Israel testifies to its similarity (with earlier scripture), and has
believed while ye are arrogant, (how unjust ye are!) truly, Allah guides not a people unjust (al-
Quran. Al-Ahqaf. 10).

Which means, But because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their
hearts grow hard; they change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the
message that was sent them, nor wilt thou cease to find them- barring a few - ever bent on
(new) deceits: but forgive them, and overlook (their misdeeds): for Allah loveth those who are
kind. From those, too, who call themselves Christians, We did take a covenant, but they forgot
a good part of the message that was sent them: so we estranged them, with enmity and hatred
between the one and the other, to the Day of Judgment. And soon will Allah show them what
it is they have done. O people of the Book! There hath come to you our Messenger, revealing
to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now
unnecessary). There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book (al-
Quran. Al-Maidah. 13-15).

Which means, O Messenger. let not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief:
(whether it be) among those who say We believe with their lips but whose hearts have no
faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen to any lie,- will listen even to others who
have never so much as come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and
places: they say, If ye are given this, take it, but if not, beware! If any one's trial is intended
by Allah, thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah. For such - it is not Allahs will

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to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a heavy
punishment (al-Quran. Al-Maidah. 41).

Which means, No just estimate of Allah do they make when they say: Nothing doth Allah
send down to man (by way of revelation) Say: Who then sent down the Book which Moses
brought? - a light and guidance to man: But ye make it into (separate) sheets for show, while
ye conceal much (of its contents): therein were ye taught that which ye knew not- neither ye
nor your fathers. Say: (Allah) (sent it down): Then leave them to plunge in vain discourse
and trifling (al-Quran. Al-Ancam. 91).

:







Which means, He said: By Allah. I have not made you assemble for exhortation or for a
warning, but I have detained you here, for Tamim al-Dari, a Christian, who came and accepted
Islam, told me something, which agrees with what I was-telling, you about the Dajjl (Hadith.
Muslim. 1998. No. 2942).

:


Which means, From Abdullah ibn cAmr: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Transmit
from me, be it even one verse, and narrate from the Children of Israel and there is no harm (in
that), he who tells a lie intentionally on my authority, will surely take his place in the hell
(Hadith. al-Bukhriyy. 1998. No. 3461).

:

( ) - -

Which means, Narrated by Abu Hurairah: The people of the Scripture (Jews) used to recite
the Torah in Hebrew and they used to explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. On that Allah's
Apostle said, Do not believe the people of the Scripture or disbelieve them, but say: We
believe in Allah and what is revealed to us (2.136) (Hadith. al-Bukhriyy. 1998. No. 4485).

:




Which means, From Jabir ibn Abdillah, Umar ibn al-Khattab came to the Prophet (peace be
upon him) carrying a book from the People of the Book and read it to the Prophet (peace be
upon him). The Prophet said to him: Are you all amazed about them (of the book) O Ibn al-
Khattab? By God, they were brought to you white and pure, do not ask them (people of the
Book) about anything, they will tell you something true and you will disbelieve it, or something

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false and you will believe it. By God, even if Moses (peace be upon him) was alive, nothing
would be open for him but to follow me (Hadith. Amad. 1998. No. 15223).

:






) (

Which means, Ibn Abbas said, O all Muslims, why do you ask the people of the scripture
about anything while your Book (Quran) which has been revealed to Allah's Apostle is newer
and the latest? You read it pure, undistorted and unchanged, and Allah has told you that the
people of the scripture (Jews and Christians) changed their scripture and distorted it, and wrote
the scripture with their own hands and said, 'It is from Allah,' to sell it for a little gain. Does not
the knowledge which has come to you prevent you from asking them about anything? No, by
Allah, we have never seen any man from them asking you regarding what has been revealed
to you! (Hadith. al-Bukhriyy. 1998. No. 2685).

From the above Quranic verses and reports, Muslim scholars had moderated between
the negative and the positive views, or ratiocinated between both, the permissive and
prohibitive commands. As a result, Muslim scholars had ruled that there are three main
categories of Isrliyyt, in term of its use in the Muslim scholarship. This categorization of the
use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship has been discussed extensively by many early
scholars, both classical and modern. Examples of these scholars are: Imm Muammad ibn
Idrs al-Shficiyy (150-204 AH / 767-820 AD), Ibn Taimiyyah (661-728AH / 1263-1328 CE), Ibn
Kathr (701 774 AH / 1301-1373 CE), Ibn ajar al-cAsqalniyy (773-852 AH / 1372-1449 AD),
Ramz Nacncah, Muhammad usayn Al-Dhahabiyy (1915-1977) and al cAbd al-Fatt al-
Khlidiyy (born 1947). Interestingly, this categorization of the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim
scholarship could also be used to understand Biblical interpretation in Islamic contexts.
Imm Muammad ibn Idrs al-Shficiyy has discussed briefly on the hadith wa addith
c
an ban Isrl wa l araj, (Which means, and narrate from the Children of Israel and there is
no harm), in his al-Rislah, which was the earliest text in the Ul al-Fiqh or the study of Islamic
principles of jurisprudence, in the history of Islam (n.d., 397-400). This brief discussion by Imm
al-Shficiyy has possibly been taken as a platform by many other Muslim scholars to develop
the three main categories of Isrliyyt, in term of its use in the Muslim scholarship.
For instance, Ibn Taimiyyah described the hadith wa addith can ban Isrl wa l
araj, in his Muqaddimah F Ul al-Tafsr (Introduction to the Principles of Quranic Exegesis)
as follows:
:




" " :




.

: :


: . :
.

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Which means, It is for this reason that the majority of what Ismcl ibn cAbd al-Ramn al-
Suddiyy the Senior relates in his tafsir come from these two scholars: Ibn Mascd and Ibn
c
Abbs. Sometimes, al-Suddiyy narrated from them sayings of the People of the Book, which
the Prophet (peace be upon him) allowed in his statement: Convey from me even if it is a
verse, and narrate from the Children of Israel and there is no harm in that, but whosoever
intentionally ascribes lies to me, he will take his place in Hell. Narrated by al-Bukhriyy from
c
Abdullh ibn cAmr. This is why when cAbdullh ibn cAmr came into possession of two loads
of books from the People of the Book on the Day of Yarmk, he would narrate from them due
to the permissibility stated in the previous hadith. However these Israeli traditions are quoted
as supporting evidences and not as primary sources. These Israeli traditions are of three types:
first, is authentic as attested by our own sources. Second, is false as attested by our own
sources. And third, does not fall within two previous categories, where we can neither judge it
to be authentic nor inauthentic. One is allowed to quote from this third type as justified
previously above, and majority of these Israeli traditions are contained in matters with no
immediate Islamic religious benefit (Ibn Taimiyyah 1994 & Ibn Kathr, 2000).

In short, these three categories of Isrliyyt are: first, Maqbl (accepted), secondly,
Mardd (refuted) and lastly, Maskt cAnhu (unknown status of neither accepted nor refuted)
(al-Dhahabiyy, 1990; Albayrak, 2000; al-cAsqalniyy, 2001 & al-Khlidiyy, 2007). Descriptions
on the definitions and examples of these three main categories of Isrliyyt in Muslim
scholarship are as follows:
i. The accepted narrations of the People of the Book or the maqbl are defined as those
narrations that are proven to be in line and confirmed by the revelations of Islam,
namely al-Quran and al-Sunnah. For instance, these include the names of the
prophets, brief stories of prophets such as Adam, Nuh, Musa and Isa, which
synchronize to the reports of the Quran and Hadith.
ii. The mardd or the refuted narrations of the People of the Book are defined as those
narrations that are proven to be not in line and in conflict with the revelations of Islam,
namely al-Quran and al-Sunnah. For example, the concept of Original Sin, the Concept
of Jesus as Son of God, the death of Jesus by crucifixion and other reports that conflict
with the principal teachings of Islam.
iii. The unknown status of narrations of the People of the Book or the maskt canhu are
defined as those narrations that are neither authenticated nor refuted by the revelations
of Islam, namely al-Quran and al-Sunnah. For instance, these include the majority
descriptions in the Isrliyyt such as the name of the forbidden tree, the names of the
people of the cave (Ab al-Kahf), the colour of their dog, types of birds in the story
of Prophet Ibrahim, and many others which are not able to be authenticated nor refuted
by the revelations of Islam.

From this categorization of the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship, it is clear that
neither all narrations from the People of the Book are to be rejected nor they are to be taken
as authentic from the viewpoint of Islamic ruling. If all traditions from the People of the Book,
as well as traditions from other religions, to be accepted as maqbl, then there will be no
different at all between Islam and the other religions, whereby religious syncretism emerged.
On the other hand, if they are all to be refuted or taken as mardd, then Islam has neglected
the principle of widah al-dn or the unity of religion as taught and preached in Islam. As it has
been aforementioned, this moderate and middle-way position of Islam vis--vis the Isrliyyt
is justified from establishing a ruling on every Isrliyyt, which is by referring to the revelations
of Islam, namely al-Quran and al-Sunnah.
Objectively, Islam provides the third category of Isrliyyt, namely the Maskt cAnhu
or the traditions with unknown status, due to the unavailability of some narrations from the
People of the Book in the sources of Islam. Furthermore, these traditions are neither
authenticated nor refuted, in principle or in details, by the revelations of Islam, namely al-Quran
and al-Sunnah. This objective and impartial attitude, which is highly stressed in the Muslim
scholarship is learned from the wisdom of the verse 36 in the Srah al-Isr, which says: And

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pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of
(feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning). In short, the issue on the
use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship could be summarized as in Figure 1 below.

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From Torah From Injil The Use of Isrliyyt

in Muslim
Intertwined
Scholarship

Biblical

Sources of Islamic Rulings

Non-Biblical Origin
Specific
Reasons for 1) Maqbl or Accepted
From Christians
From Jews Use
2) Maskt cAnhu or
To understand Islam 3) Mardd or Rejected Unknown status

To criticize other religions To understand other religions

Figure 1: The Use of Isrliyyt in Muslim Scholarship

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CONCLUSION
Islam relates to Isrliyyt through the Islamic principle of widah al-dn or the unity of religion.
It all begins from the firm belief in the previous prophethood and their sacred messages to the
whole mankind. In Muslim scholarship, Isrliyyt includes Jewish and Christian sources and
also news from the Tawrh, Zabr and Injl. Isrliyyt was also regarded as the fourth source
for Quranic interpretation by the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This is due
to the similarities that could be found in both sources, namely the Quran and the Isrliyyt.
Evidently, the sole reason for the debates and polemics on the use of Isrliyyt in
Muslim scholarship is originally epistemological and could be traced to the different positions
shown and taught by the Prophet and the Companions on the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim
scholarship. There are some verses and reports from the Prophet and the Companions that
forbid from referring to the Isrliyyt. Likewise, there are also some verses and reports that
permit Muslims to refer to the Isrliyyt.
However, from these different reports, the scholars had ruled that there are three main
categories of Isrliyyt, in term of its use in the Muslim scholarship, which are: first, Maqbl
(accepted), second is Mardd (refuted) and lastly, maskt canhu (unknown status of neither
accepted nor refuted). From this categorization of the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim scholarship,
it is clear that neither all narrations from the People of the Book are to be rejected nor they are
to be taken as authentic from the viewpoint of Islamic ruling. It is important to note that Muslims
understanding of the narrations from People of the Book is determined by the Qur'an and the
Prophetic traditions (Albayrak, 2008). In Meir J. Kisters (1914-2010) words:
The orthodox solution was that a Muslim had to believe in the Torah and the Gospel, but not
to observe the practices enjoined in these Books. The Prophet said: Believe in the Torah, the
Zabur and the Evangel, but the Qur'an should suffice you. This formula, which breathes an
air of compromise, enabled indeed the transmission of Jewish and Christian tradition. This
tradition, licensed by the utterance haddithu 'an bani israil became part and parcel of Muslim
literature as is abundantly reflected in the literature of the tafsir, zuhd and adab (Meir J. Kister,
1972).
To conclude, it is from this principal understanding of the use of Isrliyyt in Muslim
scholarship that biblical interpretation in the Islamic contexts should be developed and
discussed by the present and future scholars of Muslim-Christian studies.

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