5:44
It was We who revealed the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light. By its standard have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who bowed (as in Islam) to Allah’s will, by the rabbis and the doctors of law: for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah’s book, and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear not men, but fear me, and sell not my signs for a miserable price. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.
Islamic teachings recognize the Torah as a form of divine revelation that contained guidance and illumination for the Children of Israel. According to Qurʾānic descriptions, the Torah provided moral and spiritual direction for that community and served as a source of religious law and instruction. In Islamic understanding, however, its primary audience was the Children of Israel rather than humanity as a whole.
Some Islamic commentators also discuss the historical preservation of earlier scriptures. They argue that religious scholars within the Jewish tradition were entrusted with safeguarding their sacred texts and conveying their teachings faithfully. At the same time, certain interpretations within Islamic scholarship suggest that elements of these scriptures were altered or interpreted in ways that differed from their original form. The Qurʾān refers to concerns about the alteration or concealment of revelation in several passages, including Qurʾān 2:75–79.
Within this interpretive framework, the “light and guidance” attributed to the Torah are understood not only as moral teachings but also as references to prophetic messages that, in Islamic belief, pointed toward later prophetic figures, including Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them). Accordingly, scholars and religious leaders are viewed as bearing a responsibility to convey divine teachings accurately and to avoid concealing or modifying their meaning. These Qurʾānic passages therefore function as a reminder of the ethical obligation to preserve and communicate religious guidance faithfully.
References:
NOORUDDÎN ,ALLÂMAH. (2015). Exegesis of The Holy Qur’ân Commentary and Reflections.