Read Al-Kitab

How to use this site

You can use the Search function above to find a specific word or name. Or you can navigate the Menus above to find a particular book and chapter. Or you can simply press Taurat, Zabur, Injil or Quran here and begin reading. Enjoy!

Introduction to Al-Kitab

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says Allah. (Taurat,  Shaya 55:8)

Mankind needs divine guidance. The Creator revealed his Word through the prophets so that we could learn his ways. Some things are hard to understand at first, such as this prophecy from the holy Zabur of Prophet Dawud (pbuh):

In the scroll of Al-Kitab it is written about me. I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your Taurat is within my heart. I have proclaimed the Injil of righteousness in the great assembly. (Zabur 40:7-9)

Of whom is the prophet speaking in these verses–himself or someone else? This passage teaches several things about this unnamed individual. First, he delights to do God’s will. Second, he has the Taurat within his heart, and third, he proclaimed the Injil. Who is this person? Perhaps Al-Kitab itself can answer the question. In all of Al-Kitab, there is only one person of whom all these things are explicitly taught. As it is written in the holy Quran:

Then Allah will say: “O ‘Isa Ibn Maryam! Recount my favour to you and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, so that you spoke to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught you Al-Kitab and wisdom, the Taurat and the Injil. (Quran 5:110; also 3:45)

The unnamed individual mentioned in the Zabur passage above is undoubtedly Prophet ‘Isa Ibn Maryam. Of him, the verse says, “In the scroll of Al-Kitab it is written about me” (confirmed by the Injil, Hebrews 10:7).

The Taurat, Zabur, Injil, and Quran all teach that ‘Isa is a great prophet, but there is more. They also declare that he alone is al-Masih, or the Messiah, the One chosen by Allah to lead and rescue his people. There have been many prophets and apostles, but only one who is called al-Masih.

All four of these holy books are collected here so that you might discover more about ‘Isa Ibn Maryam, and how important he is in the plan of Allah as al-Masih, the Chosen One. As ‘Isa himself says in the holy Injil,

You search Al-Kitab, because you think that in its writings you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. (Injil, John 5:39)

May our Lord grant spiritual insight and wisdom as you read, compare, and search for the truth.

 

About this translation

In this translation of Al-Kitab, names of God are used which are commonly known by Muslim readers as well as Arabic-speaking Christians. In the Taurat and Zabur, which were originally written mostly in Hebrew, the personal covenant name for God often designated by the four letters YHWH (often pronounced Yahweh or Jehovah), is usually rendered “Allah” in this translation. This is not intended to indicate that “Allah” is God’s personal name (any more than “the Lord” is, which is the usual English rendering of YHWH). Rather, it was decided that “Allah” was more fitting for Muslim readers than any other available option. The English word “God” is used often to render the Hebrew words el, eloah, and elohim. The couplet YHWH elohim is usually rendered “Allah Ta’ala”.

In this translation, italics are used to indicate certain words that have an Arabic flavour. These include the names of holy books as well as some other specialized terms.

Proceed now to the Holy Taurat, Zabur, Injil or Quran.