Ṣuḥuf Mūsā
The Ṣuḥuf Mūsā (Scrolls of Moses) refer to the divine scriptures associated with Prophet Mūsā (AS) in Islamic tradition. The Qurʾān mentions these scriptures in several passages, most notably in Q. 87:18–19, which refers to “the scriptures of Abraham and Moses,” and in Q. 53:36, where reference is made to “the scriptures of Moses.” Muslim scholars generally understand these references as indicating earlier revelations granted to Mūsā (AS) before or alongside the Tawrāh. The term ṣuḥuf literally means “pages” or “scrolls,” suggesting written revelations containing divine guidance and commandments.
Islamic exegetes discussed whether the Ṣuḥuf Mūsā were identical with the Tawrāh or represented separate collections of revelation. Some scholars considered the term a general reference to the Mosaic scriptures, including the tablets (al-alwāḥ) mentioned in the Qurʾān (Q. 7:145). Others argued that the ṣuḥuf denoted specific revealed writings consisting of wisdom, exhortations, and moral teachings distinct from the comprehensive legal code of the Tawrāh. Classical commentators such as al-Ṭabarī, al-Rāzī, and Ibn Kathīr interpreted these scriptures as containing guidance regarding monotheism, justice, obedience to Allah, and ethical conduct.
The figure of Mūsā (AS) occupies a central place in Islamic theology as one of the greatest prophets and recipients of divine revelation. The Qurʾān repeatedly emphasizes that Allah spoke directly to him and entrusted him with scripture for the guidance of Banū Isrāʾīl. The Ṣuḥuf Mūsā therefore symbolize the continuity of divine communication and the preservation of sacred teachings through written revelation. Islamic belief in revealed books includes faith in the scriptures granted to Mūsā (AS), whether identified as the ṣuḥuf, the tablets, or the Tawrāh itself.
Modern scholarship examines the Ṣuḥuf Mūsā in relation to biblical literature, Qurʾānic discourse, and the history of scriptural traditions in Late Antiquity. Scholars compare the Qurʾānic descriptions with Jewish and Christian understandings of Mosaic revelation and explore the significance of written scripture in the development of monotheistic religion. Within Islamic thought, the Ṣuḥuf Mūsā remain an important expression of the prophetic mission of Mūsā (AS) and of the broader doctrine of belief in heavenly scriptures (kutub samāwiyyah).
## References
1 Qurʾān 7:145–154; 53:36; 87:18–19. 2 Jane Dammen McAuliffe, ed., Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān, s.v. “Moses,” by Brannon Wheeler (Leiden: Brill, 2003), 3:422–436. 3 Peri Bearman et al., eds., Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd ed., s.v. “Mūsā,” by B. Heller and A. Rippin (Leiden: Brill, 1960–2009). 4 Ehsan Yarshater, ed., “Moses,” Encyclopaedia Iranica (New York: Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation, 2009). 5 Fred Skolnik and Michael Berenbaum, eds., “Moses,” Encyclopaedia Judaica, 2nd ed. (Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007). 6 William M. Brinner, Lives of the Prophets (Leiden: Brill, 2002), 245–310.
## References
7 Gabriel Said Reynolds, The Qurʾān and the Bible: Text and Commentary (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2018), 877–880. 8 John Kaltner and Younus Mirza, The Bible and the Qurʾān: Biblical Figures in the Islamic Tradition (London: Bloomsbury, 2018), 79–102.