VisualDhikr|

Written Ordinances

View in graph
concept

Written Ordinances

زُبُر

The concept of *Zubur* (زُبُر), often translated as "Written Ordinances" or "Scriptures," refers to the divine revelations and holy books sent by Allah to various prophets before the advent of Prophet Muhammad. These were not mere human writings but sacred guidance, forming a continuous chain of divine communication with humanity. The Quran itself affirms this long legacy, stating that Allah [revealed to Noah and the prophets after him], including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. These earlier scriptures, like the [Psalms given to David] (Zabur), served to illuminate hearts and minds, guiding people towards the Oneness of God and righteous living. They were brought by messengers [with clear proofs and written ordinances], establishing truth and justice in their respective eras. For Muslims, believing in these previous revelations is a fundamental tenet of faith, underscoring the universal message of Islam that culminates in the Quran, which clarifies and completes the divine guidance for all time, inviting people to [give thought] to Allah's wisdom across the ages.

Quran 3 verses

إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَٰرُونَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا

innaaa awhainaaa ilaika kamaaa awhainaaa ilaa Noohinw wan nabiyyeena mim ba'dih; wa awhainaaa ilaaa ibraaheema wa Ismaaa'eela wa Ishaaqa wa Ya'qooba wal Asbaati wa 'Eesaa wa Ayyooba wa Yoonusa wa haaroona wa Sulaimaan; wa aatainaa Daawooda Zabooraa

Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].

(اے محمدﷺ) ہم نے تمہاری طرف اسی طرح وحی بھیجی ہے جس طرح نوح اور ان سے پچھلے پیغمبروں کی طرف بھیجی تھی۔ اور ابراہیم اور اسمعیل اور اسحاق اور یعقوب اور اولاد یعقوب اور عیسیٰ اور ایوب اور یونس اور ہارون اور سلیمان کی طرف بھی ہم نے وحی بھیجی تھی اور داؤد کو ہم نے زبور بھی عنایت کی تھی

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: 1. These are the names of the prophets Biblically spelt respectively as follows: Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Israel, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, Solomon and David. Zabur is the name of the Book revealed to David, Biblically known as the Psalms. If we refer back to Verse يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ (The ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: We have revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him and as We revealed to Abraham and his two sons Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob the son of Isaac and the Tribes his Jacob’s children and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon and We gave to his father David the Inscribed Bo...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Revelation Came to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Just as it Came to the Prophets Before Him Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Muhammad bin Abi Muhammad said that `Ikrimah, or Sa`id bin Jubayr, related to Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Sukayn and `Adi bin Zayd said, `O Muhammad! We do not know that Allah sent down a...

بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Bilbaiyinaati waz Zubur; wa anzalnaaa ilaikaz Zikra litubaiyina linnaasi maa nuzzila ilaihim wa la'allahum yatafakkaroon

[We sent them] with clear proofs and written ordinances. And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.

(اور ان پیغمبروں کو) دلیلیں اور کتابیں دے کر (بھیجا تھا) اور ہم نے تم پر بھی یہ کتاب نازل کی ہے تاکہ جو (ارشادات) لوگوں پر نازل ہوئے ہیں وہ ان پر ظاہر کردو اور تاکہ وہ غور کریں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Hadith is Necessary to Understand Qur'an : The Rejection of Hadith is Really the Rejection of the Qur'an The word: اَلذِّکر (adh-dhikr) in verse 44: وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ‌ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ : "And We sent down the Message (adh-dhikr: The Qur’ an) so that you explain to the people," mea...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: We sent them with clear signs bi’l-bayyināt is semantically connected to an omitted verb namely We sent them with clear arguments and the Books and We have revealed to you the Remembrance the Qur’ān that you may make clear to mankind what has been revealed to them therein in the way of what is lawfu...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Only Human Messengers have been Sent Ad-Dahhak said, reporting from Ibn `Abbas: "When Allah sent Muhammad as a Messenger, the Arabs, or some of them, denied him and said, `Allah is too great to send a human being as a Messenger.' Then Allah revealed: أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى ...

وَرَبُّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَقَدْ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا

Wa Rabbuka a'lamu biman fis samaawaati wal lard; wa laqad faddalnaa ba'dan Nabiyyeena 'alaa ba'dinw wa aatainaaa Daawooda Zabooraa

And your Lord is most knowing of whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And We have made some of the prophets exceed others [in various ways], and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].

اور جو لوگ آسمانوں اور زمین میں ہیں تمہارا پروردگار ان سے خوب واقف ہے۔ اور ہم نے بعض پیغمبروں کو بعض پر فضیلت بخشی اور داؤد کو زبور عنایت کی

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: That Zabur (the Psalms) has been mentioned particularly in the last sentence of verse 55: وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورً‌ا ، (And We gave Dawud the Zabur) has been done, perhaps, because Zabur reports that the Holy Prophet ﷺ will be a ruler along with being a messenger and prophet. This is as it appear...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And your Lord knows best all who are in the heavens and the earth thus endowing them each one with what He will according to the measure of their states. And verily We have preferred some of the prophets above others endowing each of them with a particular merit Moses with being spoken to; Abraham w...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ (Your Lord knows you best;) O mankind, meaning, He knows best who among you deserves to be guided and who does not deserve to be guided. إِن يَشَأْ يَرْحَمْكُمْ (if He wills, He will have mercy on you,) by helping you to obey Him and turn to Him. أَوْ إِن يَشَأْ يُعَذِّبْك...

A detailed scholarly analysis for this topic is not yet available. Get in touch to request one.

Related Topics