Assalamualaikum. Sorry Ustadz, I want to vent.
My employer is a Christian, he asked me, "Do you believe in Jesus?"
"Believe, but as a prophet." I said so.
Then, I was told to read the Bible, then I read it. I said I understand, because in the Qur'an there is a story about Jesus or Prophet Isa as.
Eh, I even thought I converted to Christianity. By Allah, I read that his intention was only to broaden his horizons, not to deify Prophet Isa as. Na'udzubillah, I have no intention of becoming a Christian. I only believe in Allah SWT and Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.
Ustadz, please enlighten me, thank you.
Nb: I don't want to argue because my knowledge is minimal and I don't want to either.
ANSWER:
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings be upon you
WL…
One of the pillars of faith is to believe in the existence of the Messengers (messengers) of Allah. If you don't believe it, your faith will be broken. Allah Subhanãhu wa Ta'ala says:
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَاۤ أُنزِلَ إِلَیۡهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَن َ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَـٰۤىِٕكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَیۡنَ أَحَدࣲ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَاۖ غُفۡرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَیۡكَ ٱلۡمَصِیرُ {سُورَة ُ البَقَرَةِ: ٢٨٥}
"The Messenger of Allah has believed in the Qur'an which was revealed to him from his Lord, so do those who believe. All of them believe in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. (They say), "We do not discriminate between anyone (with another) of His messengers," and they say, "We hear and we obey." (They pray), "Forgive us, O our Lord, and to You is the return." {QS Al-Baqarah: 285}
Prophet Muhammad shallallãhu 'alaihi wasallam was also visited by the Angel Gabriel in human form and then asked:
مَا الْإِيمَانُ؟
"Is that faith?"
The Prophet replied:
Allah ؤْمِنَ بِالْبَعْثِ
"Faith is that you believe in the existence of Allah, His angels, His books, meetings with Him, His messengers, and you believe in the resurrection." (HR Bukhari)
A Muslim must believe that every Prophet and Messenger is an ordinary human being, it's just that they were chosen by Allah as bearers of the message that must be conveyed to mankind. They are the best humans.
Including the Prophet Isa 'alaihissalam, he is a human messenger of Allah, not as God. Unlike what is believed by Christians today who think that he is the son of God. Na'udzu billah (we seek refuge in Allah).
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says:
O Allah ۗ اِنَّمَا الْمَسِيْحُ عِيْسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ وَكَلِمَتُهٗ ۚ اَلْقٰهَآ اِلٰى مَر ْيَمَ وَرُوْحٌ مِّنْهُ ۖفَاٰمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهٖۗ وَلَا تَقُوْلُوْا ثَلٰثَةٌ ۗاِنْتَ هُوْا خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ ۗ ??? َدٌ ۘ لَهٗ مَا فِى Peace be upon you
“O People of the Book, do not transgress in your religion, and do not say about Allah except what is true. Indeed, al-Masih, Jesus the son of Maryam is the messenger of Allah and (who was created with) His words that He conveyed to Maryam, and with the blowing of the spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and do not say, "(God is) three". Stop saying that. It's better for you. Verily, Allah Allah is the One and Only, Glory be to Allah from having children. Everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to Him. Sufficient is Allah as Sustainer.” {QS An-Nisa': 171}
From 'Ubadah ibn Ash-Shamit radliyallãhu 'anhu, said,' Rasulullah shallallãhu 'alaihi wasallam said:
God bless you God bless you O Lord ما كان مِنَ العمَل (متفق عليه)
“Who testifies that there is no god who has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone, He has no partners, also testifies that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, that Jesus is Allah's servant and His Messenger, and His words were conveyed to Maryam and the spirit from Him, also testify that heaven and hell are true; then Allah will enter him into heaven, whatever his deeds. (Narrated by Bukhari Muslim)
What about the current Torah and Bible?
The Torah and the Bible are included in the holy books that Allah sent down to Prophet Musa and Prophet Isa 'alaihimassalam. It's just that, over time, the two books underwent changes by irresponsible human hands.
Allah Subhanãhu wa Ta'ala says:
Amen كِتَـٰبِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَیَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَیَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡكَذِبَ وَهُمۡ یَعۡلَمُونَ {سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ: ٧٨}
"Verily there is a group among them who twist their tongues to read the Bible, so that you think that what they are reading is part of the Bible, even though it is not from the Bible and they say, 'This (what is read comes) from Allah', even though he is not from Allah. They tell lies against Allah, while they know." {QS Ali Imran: 78}
Then, what is the law for a Muslim to read the book of another religion?
Narrated Jabir radliyallãhu 'anhu:
أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الخَطّابِ أَتى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِكِتابٍ أَصابَهُ مِنْ بَ Amen ْلِ الْكِتابِ، قَالَ: فَغَضِبَ، وقال: (أَمُتَهَوِّكُونَ فِيها يا ابْنَ الْخَطّابِ، فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي ب ِيَدِهِ، لَقَدْ جِئْتُكُمْ بِهَا بَيْضاءَ نَقِيّةً، لا تَسْأَلُوهُمْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ فَيُخْبِرُوكُمْ بِحٍَّ فَتُكَذِّبُوا بِهِ، أَوْ بِبَاطِلٍ فَتُصَدِّقُوا بِهِ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَوْ كَ ???
"That Umar bin Khattab radliyallãhu 'anhu came to the Prophet sallallãhu 'alaihi wasallam with a book that he got from some of the people of the book, then said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I actually got a good book from some of the people of the book.' The Messenger of Allah was angry and said: "Are you worried about him, O son of Al-Khattab?! By the One in whose hand is my soul, I have come to you with a pure white (book). So do not ask them (people of the book) about something and then they tell you the truth and then you deny it, or with falsehood and then you justify it. By the One whose soul is in His hands, if Musa were still alive, there would be no reason for him but to follow me." (HR. Ibn Abi Syaibah)
In fact, there are still many more useful hours that a Muslim can use to fill his time, including reading the Qur'an, the hadiths of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam, or other useful books. Even if he spends his whole life reading useful books, it will not be fully readable.
What is worrying about reading other religious books is the possibility of being influenced by their beliefs which actually deviate from Islamic beliefs. So the Ulama forbade it.
Ibn Hajar Al-Haitami Rahimahullah said:
“يحرم على غير عالم متبحر مطالعة توراة عَلِمَ تبديلها أو شكَّ فيه”
“It is forbidden for anyone other than a knowledgeable scholar to read the Torah if he knows that it has changed or has doubts about it.” (Tuhfatul muhtaj 1/178)
If there is a Muslim who has already read other books such as the Bible, the Torah, or other religious books, then if he does not need it and is accompanied by an expert (ulama), then he should not repeat reading it again.
May Allah Subhanãhu wa Ta'ala always protect our Islamic faith, until we face Him in husnul khatimah, amen.
Hope it works!
Peace, mercy and blessings of God
(Answered by Ustadz Very Setiyawan, Lc., S.Pd.I., MH)
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