Swearing on the Bible

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

My close friends on GS already know that I’m enrolled in the final year of pharmaceutical and forensic analysis.

As a forensic scientist we analyze evidence for the law enforcement agencies. Once we have written a report on the evidence, that evidence must be presented in the court by us. They call us “expert witness” since we give testimony based on the evidence that we analyzed in our area of expertise.

I have to go through years of training before I can be called an expert in any area. There is no way they’ll allow a recently graduated forensic scientist to work on real cases by themselves and then go to court to present the evidence.

However, as part of my undergrad studies, we had to take a full day course called “CourtRoom Skills Training”. A solicitor conducted the training with us.

Long story short, we had to play a role of an expert witness and pretend as though we were giving evidence in the court… So when ur called in the witness box, u must take the oath and the first thing that they ask u is :

Do you wish to SWEAR or AFFIRM?

If you choose to swear, you hold the bible in your right hand and repeat the words “I swear by the almighty God that I will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”

If you choose to affirm you simply repeat “I do solemnly, sincerely declare that the evidence I shall present shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”

I chose to affirm.

The solicitor was saying that if someone doesn’t believe in God (which many of my class mates didn’t) or if they believe in a different God then they may choose to affirm or they may bring their own religious scripture to swear on it.

I didn’t have a Quran with me. Hence I chose to affirm. But then I thought… **I am a strong believer in Allah swt and since the Bible is also a book by Allah swt, would it be ok for a muslim to swear on the bible??? **

2

You did the right thing under the circumstances. As this is a corrupted book as per our belief so we cannot swear on it.

3

Hmmm yeah that makes sense.

4

Re: Swearing on the Bible

Allah swt says clearly in sura Baqara,

Amanal Rasool bima unzila elaihe min rubbi he wal mominoon.

kullun Amana billahe wa malaiakatehe, wa kotobihe, wa rusulihe

Wama nufarriqu baina ahadehimin rusluhi

2:285 clearly instructs that as Muslims we believe in All the books, all the angels, and all the messengers.

And we do not say that one messenger is superior to another.

Thus as Muslims Bible is our holy book and so is Torah. All these books including Quran contain the message of Allah swt, and thus we can swear/affirm in the presence of Allah's holy books, that we'll uphold the truth.

@Mirch,

Please do not say that Bible is corrupted. It is the holy book.

Just like we say that the problem is not with Quran, but with people who misinterpret Quran.

Similarly,

Problem is not with Bible or Torah or other holy books. instead the problem is with their interpretations aka Shariah.

Hope you see the difference.

5

Oh plz!

Bible is NOT corrupted? :rolleyes: That’s news to me!

Even Allah swt has mentioned in the Quran that his holy books have been tempered with. Quran is the ONLY book that hasn’t been.

I got my answers, thanks very much.

6

If you knew it already, then why did you even bother to ask.

Now that you have mentioned, could you please quote Quranic ayah that clearly say that do not follow Bible because it is corrupted.

Thank you.

7

I ask because I like to and I ain't a saint. I got my answers. The end.

8

Re: Swearing on the Bible

you made the statement that Bible is nauzbillah corrupt as per Quran.

Now don't run away after making a statement (that could be false).

Oh well, may be you had no idea what you were saying. That's OK.

9

:omg: ur tactics are not gonna work on me, bachay :rotfl:

now shoo… :khumar:

10

Simple. Where in Quran, it is stated? If not, it is a crime against Allah swt to attribute something that He didn't say.

No answer!

Still waiting

11

Re: Swearing on the Bible

.....are you telling me that every single copy of the Bible is the same???? The evidence is there infront of you!!!! ....why do you still need a quote from the Quran to prove something that is right infront of you?????!!!!!!!!!!

12

Yes. Because Barbie said so. She said, Allah swt says in Quran.

And that's the whole point for asking the question.

13

......you seem pretty well informed about Islam yourself.... i'm assuming you are aware that this is the only religion where Allah has said (paraphrasing here...don't all jump on me at once) that He will protect the sanctity of the Quran himself... now by going on this principle, it is Only the Quran that is safe from corruption. ...again, here's your answer....
...now don't ask for quotes, evidence etc..... I doubt very much that you haven't heard the above before...

14

Re: Swearing on the Bible

If i was in your situation and Quran is not available but Bible is. I will happily take oath on it, just because it's an holy book and i certainly don't care about he content inside...

God is same, on the other hand when you affirm then it takes you in the atheist line which is definitely not acceptable by the almighty God as he said so.

15

May be!

But it is not me, but

Ms. Barbie who made a factually and religiously incorrect statement, and she needs to provide evidence to support her argument or deemed to be one spreading ignorance.

That's all.

Nothing personal.

16

Re: Swearing on the Bible

^ I aree with Burqaposhx. If you can carelessly call Bible Corrupt then you are calling all Holy Books corrupt. According to your belief, Bible was also sent down by Allah so why would you call it corrupt? Has it been tempered with? Yes...Just as there are a million Tafsirs of Quran. So would you find a specific Quranic tafsir that you are happy with to swear on it?

P.S. I would also like to see the Quranic Ayah Barbie is speaking of.

17

Re: Swearing on the Bible

^Quran in arabic is the SAME all over the world, and with that it's in the exact same condition(content wise) as it was more than 1400yrs back.....where as bible is NOT and it's something that has been accepted by christians themselves, that the 'bible' that was revealed to Prophet Isa(as) or the Torah revealed to Musa(as) is not exactly the same as it is today!
Insha'Allah i'll give u a reference on behalf of barbiecue very soon.

18

Re: Swearing on the Bible

[QUOTE]
Bible was also sent down by Allah
[/QUOTE]

not true, bible is the testament (statements) of ordinary joe

19

Thanks.

As far as I know (and my knowledge is limited) that there are no Quranic Ayah that Barbie wants to peddle.

Injeel is still a holy book, And so is Torah.

As per Quran, Anyone who follows these books in their true spirit of love, harmony, and justice and other divine principles is safe from the hell fire.

Allah swt only says that some people mis-appropriated and mis-interpreted these books to suit their worldly and POLITICAL purposes.

In other words, the ones who mixed worldly politics with the divine religion are the corrupt people and not the books themselves.

Similarly modern day Jihadis are corrupt because they are using Quran to suit their worldly and nefarious political purposes.

It is time Muslims respect Injeel and accept it as the word of Allah swt regardless of what others may say about the Holy book.

Thank you!

20

So just because the words haven't been altered doesn't mean you actually UNDERSTAND every word of the book. You haven't made another version of Quran doesn't mean you haven't used your own translation to understand it. People go by million different translators in order to understand Quran. What remains the same is the message! If you believe that both books convey one message and both believe in one GOD and that's the same GOD you believe in, then why can't you swear on it?

This is exactly the kind of mentality that divides people.