People talk confidently about scripture, but it is not clear that even the most ardent religious practitioners really know what it is.
– Karen Armstrong, The Hindu, August 12, 2005 p.11
When confronted with the question of what a ballad is, a critic gave the titles of a few ballads like “Chevy Chase” and concluded that in those examples the definition of a ballad is implicit. Following the example, one may say that the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, and the Qur’ān are examples of a Scripture. The answer is not satisfactory and Karen Armstrong is right in her observation cited above. This article is a tentative step towards defining a scripture.
SYNONYMS
What are the intercultural synonyms for a scripture? The Bible means a book. In the Qur’ān, a scripture is Al-Kitab which also means a specific book or Kitab e Muneer, a luminous Book. (22:8) In India two important words stand out from the rest – Shastra and Sruti. “The word Shastra comes from the root Sasan which means rules or tenets. These have to be protected.” (The Hindu, May 11, 2013, p.10) Perhaps, a most appropriate word for Scripture is Sruti, which means ‘That which is heard’. The voice may be a Guru or some celestial being. The ultimate source is God.
The crucial word is ‘heard’. Jesus says, “As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.” (St. John, 8:40) So, a scripture is what Jesus heard from God. The New Testament contains some statements which Jesus heard from God; what he heard from God has not been kept distinct and separate. What Prophet Muhammad (Allah’s blessings and peace be unto him) heard from God is kept distinct in the form of the Qur’ān. Sometimes there would be tintinnabulation and then the encoded message would follow.
Receiving such a message was an experience full of pressure and pain for the Prophet. In the initial stages, he would try to repeat the words of the message in order to memorise them. Allah advised him, “(O Prophet), do not stir your tongue hastily (to commit the Revelation to memory). Surely it is for Us to have you commit it to memory and to recite it. And so when We recite it, follow its recitation attentively; then it will be for Us to explain it.” (75:16-18) Such details about the process of hearing the divine communication are hard to come by in other scriptures. In fact, the two words which make the Prophet and his followers distinct are ‘We hear (God’s Word) and we obey (it).’ (2:285)
God hears Jesus’ words (St. John, 11:42) and Jesus hears God’s words. Similarly, one of the qualities of the Counsellor whose advent Jesus predicted is the quality of hearing. “He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (St. John, 16:13) A human Prophet hears from God and makes known the prophecies to the people at large, as explained in the preceding paragraph. What is heard from God and encoded within two covers is primarily a scripture.
FORMAT
If a scripture is a literary genre like a sonnet, it must have a universal format with recognisable properties. For example, a sonnet has 14 lines. What about a scripture? The Bhagavad Gita has a long dialogue and it is reported to a blind king. The intellectual level of that dialogue is sublime. The Qur’ān contains dialogues and the speakers are many but it does not predominantly consist of a dialogue alone. However, to read the Qur’ān is like conversing with God.
The Old Testament has genealogies, history of mankind with special reference to the progeny of Prophet Abraham (unto him be peace) and biographies and prophecies and miracles. The Qur’ān contains historical accounts, biographies, prophecies and miracles and it has many other items besides. Except the biography of Joseph in one Surah, the biographical elements of other Prophets are found passim.
The New Testament comprises letters, four biographies of Jesus Christ, a report of the activities of his companions, and a brilliant account of a magnificent vision. St. Paul’s letters preceded the biographies but are placed later. Among the biographies, the account of St. Mark is the oldest but placed after the Gospel according to St. Matthew. Similarly, the chapters of the Qur’ān are not arranged in accordance with the sequence of the Revelation. The first revelation is now a part of chapter 96.
The Qur’ān contains only one letter written by Prophet Solomon to the Queen of Sheba. It is a brief letter but begins with a seminal statement influencing Islamic life and compilation of the Qur’ān. The statement is “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate”. (27:30) A parallel passage in the Bible is, “Praise the Lord (Alhamdoolillah); for his mercy (Ar-Rahman) endureth for ever (Ar-Raheem).” (II Chronicles, 20:21)
The Qur’ān does not have a full-fledged biography of Prophet Muhammad (Allah’s blessings and peace be to him), unlike The New Testament which has four biographies of Jesus Christ.
As the format differs from Scripture to Scripture, this difference poses a problem in defining a scripture.
DEFINITIONS
Akkarakani Srinidhi poses a question and answers it himself. “What are the sastras? How do we know what comes under the title of sastras? The Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, the Puranas, and the Ramayana – all these would come under the category of sastras. A sastra is ‘that which prescribes and proscribes’. The Ramayana gives us many guidelines on conducting ourselves…
(Rama) shows the importance of reaching God through surrender, and for this reason the Ramayana is known as Saranagathi Sastra…
The Ahirbudhnya Samhita also talks of the significance of surrender.” (The Hindu, Sept. 24, 2012, p.9)
About prescription and proscription, the Gita says, “Let the scriptures be your authority in deciding what ought to be done and what ought not to be done.” (Gita, 16:24)
Srila Bhaktipada says, “The essential principle is that the scripture be inspired by God or spoken by God.” (The Message of Bhagavad Gita, June 1993, p.5)
Swami Buddhidananda says, “Scriptures enjoin a code of conduct for society and individuals. This is known as dharma and is an obligatory duty for all.” (The Hindu, November 24, 2012 p.8)
Saint Paul defines a scripture in this way, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (II Timothy, 3:16, 17) Though the authenticity of the entire letter has been questioned, the definition is comprehensive. The points highlighted by the Hindu savants quoted above are included in St. Paul’s definition.
Saint Paul quotes Genesis 15:6 and calls it a Scripture. (Romans, 4:3) Those who teach the Scripture are called Rabbis. Jesus Christ refers to the Scriptures. “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, you refuse to come to me to have life.” (St. John 5:39, 40) He refers to the Psalms often and even on the Cross, according to the New Testament. He refers to Isaiah. (St. Mark, 7:6) He questions the conventional interpretation of the Psalm 110:1 in St. Matthew, 22:45.
That the Qur’ān is from God is expressed in several ways. Two ways are prominent and repeated. One way is to say, that the Qur’ān is Tanzeel ummir Rabbil Aalameen, “a revelation from the Lord of the universe.” (10:37, 32:2, 56:80, 69:43, 76:23) “Say to them, (O Muhammad): He, who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth, has sent down this Book. Indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Most Compassionate”. (25:6) Another way is to say that the Qur’ān is the Truth from your Lord, their Lord and our Lord, from Us, and that the truth of this assertion is beyond a shadow of doubt. “The believers know that it is the Truth from their Lord.” (2:26) “Be not, then, among those who doubt.”(3:60) “This is the Truth from your Lord. Now let him who will, believe; and let him who will, disbelieve.” (18:29) Some other references are 10:94, 95, 108; 11:17; 13:1; 28:48, 53; 32:3; 47:2.
Allah has given the name Al-Qur’ān to His Scripture. Allah Himself teaches it too. “The Merciful has taught the Qur’ān.” (55:1, 2)
The duty of prescribing and proscribing is stressed in the Qur’ān too. The Qur’ān claims that the right to prescribe and proscribe (halal and haram) is exclusively God’s. “Ask them: Did Allah bestow upon you any authority for this or do you forge lies against Allah?” (10:59) See also 16:114,115. “And do not utter falsehoods by letting your tongues declare: This is lawful and that is unlawful, thus fabricating lies against Allah. Surely those who fabricate lies against Allah will never prosper.” (16:116)
The Bible has the famous Ten Commandments. The Qur’ān has Fourteen Commandments. (17:23-37)
As the last Scripture containing the basic teachings of the preceding world Scriptures and as the Scripture with textual purity and clarity, and having only one Arabic version for all Muslim sects, the Qur’ān has enormous advantages. For one thing, it will never be superseded and annulled.