Every Messenger was sent with a Book

20-4-2008 | IslamWeb

Question:

Alsalamu Alaykom, Ther are around 315 messengers according to a hadith. 1- Was every messenger (rasul) sent with a holy book? What is the time when the first holy book was sent down? 2-Can a certain period of time have two different shari'as to two separate group of people? Thank you
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

 

It is known that every Messenger was sent by Allaah with a Message and Allaah supported him with a miracle proving that he was a Messenger. Allaah Says (what means): {And We sent not before you, [O Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )], except men to whom We revealed [the message].}[Quran 21:7]

As regards your question whether or not every Messenger was sent with a Book, then the Quran proves that every Messenger was sent with a Book and clear evidence; Allaah Says (what means): {We have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and Sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain [their affairs] in Justice.}[Quran 57:25]

However, the scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them differed in opinion whether every single Messenger was sent with a Book. The reason for this difference of opinion amongst them is due to the linguistic difference between a Messenger and a Prophet. Hence, some of them defined the word Messenger as “The Prophet upon whom a Book was sent’’; based on this definition, a Book was sent to every Messenger. Some other scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them stated in their books that some Messengers were not sent with a Book.

However, according to the Quran, the first opinion is the correct one; meaning that every Messenger was sent with a Book.

What is important for a Muslim in all this is to know that he is required to believe in all the revealed Books and all the Prophets, whether or not he knows them.

As regards when was the first Book revealed, then we are not aware of this, and this is not something that a Muslim must know, and it is not an obligation for him to know whether or not two separate legislations were sent at the same time, even if this is possible to know.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 104803, 18480 and 85955.

Allaah Knows best.

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