Using the Bible in Dawah Work

Using the Bible in Daw'ah Work
Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan Al-'Ajlaan

Question: What is the ruling on using the material of those authors who quote from the Bible to establish hujjah (evidence)?

Answer: It is not permissible for a Muslim to read the books of the People of Book; like their books (the Old and New Testament) which report about the Torah or the Injeel because it is feared that he may be harmed or mislead by doing so, if his intention is merely to read and find out what is within them. However, if a student studies the book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم and he is firm upon that, and he wants to read the books of the People of the Book then it is permitted for him to do. The Salaf did this ; they read the books of the People of the Book in order to refute them.


Answered by: Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan Al-'Ajlaan حفظه الله

Title of Lecture: Questions and Answers Session

Date of the Lecture: December 14th, 2006

When you should read the Bible?

Question:

What is the ruling upon reading the Bible?

Answer:

The revealed books [from the previous revelations] have within them a great amount of distortions and additions and (a great amount has been) removed from them, as Allaah the Most High has mentioned. Therefore it is not permissible for a Muslim that he put himself forward in reading and studying them, except if he is one who is from the firmly grounded in knowledge, and he intends to clarify that which is within them from the distortion and contradictions between them.


Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts


Sahab

Translated by Abu Maryam Taariq bin 'Ali