The Torah, Gospel and Qur'an

By far, the greatest phenomena of human existence are books. Books are the mark of civilization and advancement. Books are friends, counsellors and comforters. Books are like human stars, lighthouses, gas stations and service shops - they adorn, instruct, guide, fuel and repair us.  Reading a book is like being intensively alive, it's like wearing a new coat, falling in love and holding a ball of light in your hands. The broadening of minds, the transformation of habits and the beginning of new eras  - all start with great books. Books are the magic carpet ride into distant lands, a time machine to the the past and future fanned.
I wish I could say everyone loves books, that this passion for books is shared amongst all human beings but very few North Americans read or give their children the gift of books. Progressive metropolitan cities are increasingly absent of libraries and reading thus causing a decline in a wise and thinking population. Ignorance has reached its peak with some shriveled minds burning books and destroying the fountain of knowledge that empowers humanity.

Of the most beautiful books subject to controversy and burning are the Torah, Bible and Qur'an. Interestingly enough, Muslims (who believe in and occasionally read the Qur'an), respect the Torah and the Bible. We maintain that all three Books, the Torah, Bible and Qur'an are divine and revealed by Allah.

About the Torah Allah, says,

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ  يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِن كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ

"Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted to Allah judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of  Allah, and a they were witnesses thereto." [Qur'an, 5:44]

With respect to the Bible, Allah says,

  وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْإِنجِيلَ فِيهِ هُدًى وَنُورٌ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

"And We gave him [Jesus son of Mary] the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous." [Qur'an, 5:46]

Finally in regards to the Qur'an, Allah says,

وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ  وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ

"And We have revealed to you the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scriptures and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow  their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth." [Qur'an, 5:48]

The Torah was sent down to Musa (a.s) or Moses (peace be upon him) as a blueprint for a righteous life and an illumination for the Jews. The word used in Arabic for the Jews is هَادُوآ which contains two meanings:
 (1) هَادُوآ is from تَابُوآ which means "Those who repent". These people are called هَادُوآ because they repented to Allah after worshiping the calf. Since Allah created them, guided them spiritually and liberated them from slavery, it was most deserving that they worship Allah but they betrayed Him and worshiped the calf. Once Musa (a.s) reminded them of their wrongdoing and injustice, they repented and became هَادُوآ or "Those who repent."
(2) هَادُوآ is from يَهُودَآ which was Yaqub's (a.s) or Jacob's (peace be upon him) oldest son. This particular group that followed Musa (a.s) were (or claimed to be) the direct descendants of يهودا and called themselves after him and so they were known as هَادُوآ
Later the word هَادُوآ was translated (and widely accepted) as Jews. But historically the Jews are not different than Muslims. The (Hebrew) Torah today still recognizes Eloh as one True God of Israel. 

"Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one" - [Deuteronomy 6:4]
Hebrew: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד
Romanization: Shema Yisra'el Eloheinu Eloh Eḥad.

The word אֱלֹהֵינ or Elohein is plural for Eloh, which means "God" in the Torah.
God of Israel or el Elohe Yisrael [Gen. 33:20] and God the Most High or el Elyon [Gen. 14:18] Se also the Book of Psalms 8:31, 33, 48; 68:21; Job 8:3, Exodus. 34:14; Isiah. 44:10,Habakkuk 3:3, 2 Chronicles 32:15; Daniel 11:37-83,  Eloh is the oft-repeating and reoccurring Name of God in the Torah. See Milon Ben y'hudaah, Ivri-Angli (Ben Yehuda's Hebrew-English Dictionary), Eloh is the same as Allah.
Although the Jews claim YHWH to be their God but this name is a conjectural. There is no proof of it's existence in the Torah; some Hebrew alphabets are misconstrued deliberately to read YHWH but it does not appear in the Hebrew text on it's own in this exact shape and form.  Similarly, the Jews allege, Adonai as another name of God but this name is derived from Adonis, who was a mythical Greek god killed by a boar. Other names of gods which appear in the Torah are specific to Levantine, Mespotamian and Egyptian pagan deities like Ba'al, Adad and Amun and these names should not be confused with the One True, Eternal Creator and Sustainer of this Universe, Eloh.
Eloh, in it's singular form, appears over 70 times in the Torah.  So this makes Allah, the God of هَادُوآ or Jews and مسلمون  or Muslims (ones who submit to Allah with love and respect to obey and follow all His commands). 

The Gospel was sent to Esa (a.s) or Jesus (peace be upon him) in Aramaic, the language which he spoke during his ministry. Even in Aramaic, the Name of God is Alah. And Allah says in the Qur'an that He sent down the Gospel to Esa (a.s) as a guidance, light, admonition and confirmation of the Torah.
Finally Allah revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad (s.a.w) in Arabic. The Name of God in Arabic is Allah. Therefore, intrinsically the God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is Allah. Allah says, the Holy Qur'an is the Truth and a Criterion over the Torah and the Gospel.

According to the Torah itself, Musa (a.s) bore witness that the Jews are a corrupt people and they will turn against Allah and change the commands of Allah after his death. "Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord. How much more after my death! Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands" [Deuteronomy 31:25-29]

Almost a century after the death of Musa (a.s), the Book of Jeremiah confirmed the alterations the Jews made in the Torah. They entirely changed and misinterpreted the commands of Allah sent to them through Musa (a.s) in the Torah. 

The Jews Changed   the Torah  (Jeremiah 8:8)	The Attributes of Jews   in the Torah	The Actions of Jews  against the Prophets of Allah
"How can you say, "We are wise, for we have the law of the LORD," when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?"  (The New International Version, 1984)	Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools  (Romans, 1:22)	They said, "Come, let's make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not be lost, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let's attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says."  (Jeremiah, 18:18)
"How can you say, "We are wise because we have the word of the LORD," when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies?"  (New Living Translation, 2007)	He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.   (Job, 5:12)	"'In this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, at the hands of those who seek their lives, and I will give their carcasses as food to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.   (Jeremiah, 19:7)
“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie."  (English Standard Version, 2001)	He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away.  (Job, 5:13)

After the Torah was distorted, Allah sent Esa (a.s) with the Gospel to correct the fallacies. Following ascension of Esa (a.s) the Gospel was also tampered. Conclusively, the Qur'an was revealed by Allah through the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) as the final Truth and criterion over the Torah and the Gospel.

This has nothing to do with God changing His mind as many Jews and Christians aruge. Allah is not to blame for the changes that were made in the Torah and the Gospel. Human hands destroyed the original message of Allah, hence out of of His eternal mercy, Allah sent another revelation to guide the people away from unsound and mistaken religious beliefs and practices. Allah says,  "So for their breaking of the covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them... And from those who say, "We are Christians" We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded.... O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger [Muhammad s.a.w] making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allāh a light and a clear Book [Qur'an]." [Qur'an, 5:13-15]

Throughout history, every nation received a Prophet from Allah and a Scripture or Book to guide them to the straight path. However, some people always rebelled against the Prophets and frequently distorted the Holy Texts to promote their selfish desires and justify sin. Whenever a nation transgressed against Allah and became sinful, out of His love and compassion, Allah sent them another Prophet and Scripture to re-invite them to the straight path until finally after the succession of a hundreds and thousands of Prophets, Muhammad (s.a.w) was sent as the ultimate Messenger and the Qur'an as the Last Divine Testament. The Qur'an is irrevocable, unalterable, incontrovertible, unchallengeable, binding and absolute. The Qur'an is the criteria of the Truth. The Torah and the Gospel should be screened to see if they correlate the Qur'an, the passages which are agree with the Qur'an are authentic and the passages which do not, are false and must be discarded.

Allah says,

لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ  إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

"To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allāh willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allāh is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ." [Qur'an, 5:48]

The Torah, Gospel and Qur'an are from Allah. Each was revealed as a test to see who follows it. After the Torah when the Gospel was revealed, it became obligatory upon the people to leave the Torah and follow the Gospel. Subsequent to the Gospel when the Qur'an was revealed, it is mandatory to follow the Qur'an and leave adherence to other Books. It's like when a piece of technology goes obsolete, one must buy the latest version because it has improved applications more compatible to our needs. It doesn't mean that the older technology is no value, it still is technology but it is inadequate for use so it is replaced by a superior system that is first-class and perfect for our needs. Comparably, Muslims still revere Torah and the Gospel for their former divine source but we follow the Qur'an because it is Allah's latest, complete and unadulterated message. All followers of Musa and Esa (a.s) are called in the Qur'an to receive the Qur'an as their new guide, light and instructions from Allah. New guide does not mean that the message is new, the message is the same as it was originally given to Musa and Esa (a.s), the only difference is that when the true message of Allah became obscure in Torah and Gospel Allah revealed the Qur'an to clarify the truth from fiction.

The Qur'an is sufficient, after it's revelation, there is no need for seeking guidance, answers and law from the Books sent before it. Jabir bin Abdullah and Umar bin al Khattab (r.a) came to the Prophet (s.a.w) with a book that he took from the followers of Musa and Esa (a.s). Umar (r.a) began to read the book to the Prophet (s.a.w) and he became very upset. The Prophet (s.a.w) said, "Are you uncertain about it ibn al Khattab? By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! I have come to you with it white and pure. Do not ask them about anything, for they might tell you something true and you rject it, or they might tell you something false and you believe it. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! If Musa were living, he would have no choice but follow me." - [Ahmed]
Abdullah bin Thabit narrated that Umar (r.a) came to the Prophet (s.a.w) and said, "O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w)! I passed by a brohter of mine from the tribe of Qurayzah, so he wrote some comprehensive statements from the Tawrah for me, should I read them to you?" The face of Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) changed with anger. Umar (r.a) said, "We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, Islam as our religion, and Muhammad (s.a.w) as our Messenger." So the anger subsided and he (s.a.w) said, "By the One in Whose Hand is Muhammad's soul, if Musa appeared among you and you were to follow him, abandoning me, then you would have astrayed. Indeed you are my share of the nations, and i am your share of the Prophets." - [Ahmed]
These ahadith are very clear in conveying that it is incumbent upon every person after the Prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w) to follow him and the Qur'an. Even if they were followers of Musa and/or Esa (a.s) in the past, they must now profess faith in Muhammad (s.a.w) and follow the Qur'an because Qur'an is Allah's ultimate and concluding revelation, correcting, enhancing and completing the Torah and the Bible. When Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) passed away, Umm Aiman (r.a), one of the foster mothers of Prophet (s.a.w) cried painfully upon the realization that after this day Allah will never send any of His revelation and messages to humankind again. Allah's Speech with people end with the Qur'an.