Karachi: Centre for Human Rights, Ziauddin University Faculty of Law, Politics & Governance had organized a special speaker session with Dr. Mohsin Naqvi, a renowned scholar and former member of the Council of Islamic Ideology, on an important inter-religious topic “Israʼiliyyat and their Impact on Islamic Jurisprudence”.

The purpose of this event is to educate students about the influence of Isra’iliyyat, Jewish and Christian sources, on Islamic history, hadith, and tafseer and how it impacts Islamic Jurisprudence. The contribution and sacrifice of Islamic Jurisprudence are up to that extent, which cannot be finished in a few lines. “The Torah is also described as a work that supported the Qur'an, and a guide from Allah. Christian, isra’iliyat laws have been used as a reference in the Quran”, said The Council of Islamic Ideologists Dr. Mohsin Naqvi.

“The central religious text of Islam, the Quran, makes references to more than fifty individuals and events that are also mentioned in the Bible. The same is true of Isra’illiyt, which was received differently by early and later Muslim scholars, with early prophetic traditions criticizing their details but promoting their transmission. These narratives appear frequently in Qur'anic commentaries, Sufi narratives, and history compilations, “he further added. While explaining the history to the students Dr. Mohsin Naqvi said that “Isra'iliyyat was initially used merely as a descriptive term without any additional connotations of legitimacy or illegitimacy. According to Marc Bernstein, during the Umayyad and early Abbasid periods, Muslim academics supported or at least tolerated Isra'iliyyat. Al-Shafi'i referenced a well-known hadith in which Muhammad is quoted as saying, "Narrate [traditions] from the Children of Israel for there is nothing unpleasant in that". This hadith may have contributed to the acceptance of Isra'iliyyat traditions”.

Speaking of laws, Dr. Naqvi said that the jury as a whole concurred that they could be observed if the Quran and Sunnah were followed and agreed with the testimonies. He mentioned the importance of adhering to International laws if there is a commitment to adhere to them by signing of treaties as this Sunnah can be seen in the Treaty of Hudaybiyah.

The host, Syed Muaz Shah, Esq., Director Center for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, Politics & Governance emphasized the important of this interfaith dialogue and stated that "The Old Testament was followed by the New Testament and in reality the Final Testament is the Quran in the Abrahamic tradition."

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 28 2022

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