4. Scriptures revealed earlier.

These verses(2:4, 4:60, 4:136, 4:162, 5:59, 10:94.) of the Quran speak about scriptures revealed earlier.

One needs to believe that scriptures were revealed to other messengers earlier.

Belief in the earlier scriptures should not be misconstrued as following those scriptures. It is reiterating the belief that scriptures were indeed bestowed upon prophets prior to Prophet Muhammad. 

Nevertheless ‘The Quran’ while speaking about belief in the earlier scriptures 2:75, 2:79, 3:78, 4:46, 5:13, 5:41, also talks of the interpolation of these scriptures by humans.

Also, one needs to believe that ‘The Quran’ is the only scripture in the world that had not undergone any change or interpolation otherwise.

There are certain misgivings about scriptures among the Muslims. They seem to nurture a belief that only four scriptures namely Torah, Zabor, Injeel, and Quran were revealed by God to humans.

This may be due to the fact we find only the names of these four mentioned in the Quran.

We find in verses 2:213, 14:4, 19:12, 57:25, 87:18,19 that all messengers were bestowed scriptures, hence the belief there are only four is wrong.

The Quran, Torah, Injeel, Zabor, were revealed respectively to Prophet Muhammad, Prophet Musa, Prophet Isa, and Prophet Dawood. These four scriptures are books that are considered big in nature by Muslims, and the rest revealed, were sheaves insignificant in size and known as Suhuf. 

This is also another misconception among Muslims about the scriptures. 

We do not find any substantiating evidence in the Quran or the sayings of Prophet Muhammad to prove this notion. 

Verse (98:2) of the Quran says Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) will read from the Suhuf. The scripture revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) though being referred in the Quran as kitab in many verses, is also mentioned as Suhuf in verse 98:2. Hence it is clear to us that Suhuf and the book (kitab) refer to one and the same. 

Although both the words (Kitab and Suhuf) carry the same meaning, they differ in the way they were compiled. 

Individual sheaf is known as Suhuf, and compiled together they get the name (kitab) ‘the book.’ 

During the days of Prophet Muhammad, the Quran was in loose sheaves known as Suhuf. Since it was revealed by Archangel Jibril from the safeguarded original register it is known as the book as well.