his Muwatta’ the words of Allah Most High:

“We ordained for them therein a life for a life.” [al-Mā’idah: 45]

That is, in the Torah. This is the correct view, as indicated by the Prophet’s words, peace be upon him:

“If any of you sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, then rises to perform it, let him pray it as he would at its appointed time, for Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, says: ‘Establish prayer for My remembrance.’ [Tā Hā: 14]”

This command was addressed specifically to Moses, peace be upon him. This is clear. There are four positions on this question:

The first is that the laws of earlier prophets are binding upon us in their entirety, without distinction, on the evidence of the words of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:

“Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, so follow their guidance.” [al-An‘ām: 90]

(The second) is that none of those laws are binding upon us, likewise without distinction, on the evidence of the words of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:

“To each of you We have prescribed a law and a way.” [al-Mā’idah: 48]

(The third) is that they are not binding upon us except for the law of Abraham, peace be upon him, because Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

“Then We revealed to you: Follow the religion of Abraham, inclining to the truth.” [al-Nahl: 123]

And He says:

“The religion of your father Abraham.” [al-Hajj: 78]

That is, adhere to it.

(The fourth) is that they are not binding upon us except for the law of Jesus, peace be upon him, because it was the last of the earlier revealed laws, and each revealed law abrogates the one before it. This is the weakest of these positions, because if the law of Jesus abrogated the revealed laws preceding it, then our law abrogates the law of Jesus. This is clear, and Allah