The Quran, Tawrah, Zabur and Injil — who received them and what united them.
One source, one foundation
Allah ﷻ sent revelation throughout human history.
Belief in Allah ﷻ’s books is one of the foundations of iman. A Muslim honours every genuine revelation Allah ﷻ sent—not only the Quran—and does not reject one prophet in favour of another.
Their central call was consistent: worship Allah ﷻ alone, follow His messenger, live justly and prepare to return to Him. Detailed laws differed according to the people, time and wisdom of Allah ﷻ.
The scriptures
التوراة
The Torah
A revelation containing guidance, light and law. In Islamic language, the Tawrah means the revelation Allah ﷻ gave to Musa; it should not automatically be treated as identical in every detail to the entire modern Hebrew Bible or even every passage of the present Pentateuch.
Quran 3:3; 5:44الزبور
Psalms / written hymns
A revealed scripture associated with praise, prayer, remembrance and wisdom. The Quran names the Zabur but does not give a table of contents, so Muslims should not claim that it is simply identical to every text in the present Book of Psalms.
Quran 4:163; 17:55; 21:105الإنجيل
The Gospel
A revelation of guidance and light, confirming the truth of the Tawrah and calling people to worship Allah ﷻ. In Islam, the Injil is the singular revelation given to Isa; it is conceptually distinct from the four later canonical Gospel accounts written about his life and teachings.
Quran 3:3; 5:46; 57:27القرآن
The Recitation
Allah ﷻ’s final revelation, sent in Arabic through Jibril over approximately twenty-three years. It confirms the divine origin and essential truths of earlier revelation, acts as a criterion over what came before, and is preserved as a recited text used in worship.
Quran 5:48; 15:9; 26:192–195Open the Quran readerTimeline
c. 13th century BCE
Guidance and law for the Children of Israel. The historical dating is approximate.
c. 10th century BCE
Revealed praise and wisdom; Dawud is also remembered as a prophet and just ruler.
1st century CE
Guidance and light, confirming the true Tawrah and renewing the call to worship Allah ﷻ.
610 CE
The revelation begins in Makkah during Ramadan with the command “Read”.
622 CE
Revelation continues while the Muslim community is formed in Madinah.
632 CE
The Quran had been memorised, recited and written during the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime.
Early dates are traditional approximations, not exact dates established by the Quran.
Relationship
Quran 5:48 presents the final revelation as confirming earlier scripture and as a guardian or criterion over it. Muslims therefore use the Quran to affirm what agrees with it, reject claims that clearly contradict it, and avoid certainty about details on which revelation is silent.
Important distinction
Islamic terms point first to what Allah ﷻ revealed: the Tawrah to Musa, the Zabur to Dawud, and the Injil to Isa.
A careful Muslim position
Earlier traditions may preserve genuine revelation alongside transmission, commentary, history and later composition. We should neither declare every line authentic nor dismiss every line as false. The Quran is the decisive reference.
“Alteration” is discussed in Islamic scholarship in more than one way: changing or concealing wording, misreading it, or distorting its meaning. This page avoids making a single sweeping historical claim where scholars have offered more detailed accounts.
Quran study
Believers affirm Allah ﷻ, His angels, His books and His messengers.
The Quran confirms earlier revelation and names the Tawrah and Injil.
Belief includes the Book sent to Muhammad ﷺ and scriptures sent before.
Allah ﷻ states that He gave Dawud the Zabur.
The Tawrah is described as containing guidance and light.
Isa is given the Injil, containing guidance and light.
The Quran confirms earlier scripture and stands as a criterion over it.
Allah ﷻ promises to preserve the Reminder—the Quran.
A teaching written in the Zabur is recalled in the Quran.
The Quran is revealed by the Trustworthy Spirit in clear Arabic.
Clear answers
Yes—in the original Tawrah and Injil revealed by Allah ﷻ. Belief in all genuine divine books is part of iman.
Not exactly. The Injil in Islam is revelation given to Isa. The New Testament is a collection that includes four accounts about Jesus along with letters and other writings.
Islam confirms a Zabur given to Dawud. Some content in the Psalms may reflect it, but the Quran does not identify the complete modern collection as the original Zabur word for word.
Muslims believe it is the final, universal and preserved revelation, confirming truth from earlier messages and serving as the criterion for them.
No. The Quran also mentions the scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa, and teaches that Allah ﷻ sent many messengers. These four are the best-known named books in basic Islamic teaching.
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