Zabur

Zabūr (Arabic: الزبور) is a divine scripture revealed to Prophet David (a). It does not contain legal rulings or a new religious law, but rather consists of admonitions, prayers, and supplications. According to certain verses of the Qur’an, Prophet David (a) is granted superiority over some other prophets due to receiving the Zabur. Some narrations also consider the Zabur among the spiritual trusts of the Imamate, and mention references to the Prophet Muhammad (s) within it.

Some researchers believe that the Psalms in the Old Testament are the same as the Zabur revealed to Prophet David (a), though they have undergone distortion. The Psalms are among the most revered religious and cultural sources in Judaism, comprising five books and 150 psalms, 73 of which are attributed to David. It is said that verse 105 of Quran 21 is the Qur’an’s only direct quotation from the Torah, and its content still appears in the Psalms.

Introduction and Significance

According to some narrations, the Zabur is one of the 104 divine scriptures, revealed to Prophet David (a) on the 18th of Ramadan. According to Nasir Makarim Shirazi, author of Tafsir-i nimuna, the content of the Zabur was advice, prayers, and supplications, and it did not include new laws or religious rulings. Some narrations also regard the Zabur as one of the spiritual trusts of the Imamate, preserved in the White Jafr (Jafr-i Abyaz).

According to a narration from Prophet Muhammad (s), his name is mentioned in the Zabur as "Māḥī", meaning the one who erases idolatry from the earth. Some hadiths also refer to the mention of Imam 'Ali (a) in the Zabur. Another narration states that God gave the Prophet (s) the chapters of al-Mathani in place of the Zabur. Certain works, such as the Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya and some mystical poems by 'Attar Nishapuri have been called Zabur due to their devotional and eloquent content. Linguistically, the word Zabur means “written”.

Qur'anic References to Zabur

The word Zabur appears three times in the Qur’an. In verse 163 of Qur'an 4 and verse 55 of Qur'an 17, it is mentioned as a divine gift granted to Prophet David (a). Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i, author of al-Mizan, interprets verse 163 of Qur'an 4 as indicating that David’s superiority over certain prophets stems from receiving the Zabur. In the verse “Indeed, We wrote in the Zabur after the Reminder that My righteous servants shall inherit the earth”, although the word Zabur is explicitly mentioned, various interpretations have been proposed. However, Allama Tabataba'i, based on other verses, identifies it as the scripture revealed to Prophet David (a).

Some scholars consider the content of verse 105 of Qur'an 21 to be the only direct quotation from the Hebrew Bible found in the Qur’an. Muhammad Sadiqi Tihrani and Nasirr Makarim Shirazi, two 15th/21st-century exegetes, have examined the Psalms of the Torah and concluded that the message of this verse also appears in the Psalms.

Additionally, in verse 196 of Qur'an 26, the word Zubur appears in its plural form, referring to the divine scriptures revealed to earlier prophets, rather than specifically to the book given to Prophet David (a).

Comparison Between Zabur and Sections of the Torah

Some exegetes, including Nasir Makarim Shirazi and Muhammad Sadiqi Tihrani, draw a comparison between the Zabur of Prophet David (a) and parts of the Torah—specifically the Psalms—while maintaining that these sections have also undergone distortion. Sadiqi Tihrani further argues that, after the Qur’an, no divine scripture has remained as largely intact as the Zabur, and that the distortions within it are minimal.

According to some researchers, there are notable parallels between the Qur'an and the Psalms, such as shared metaphors and obscure letters or expressions, suggesting a common origin. Psalm 45 is said to contain references to the Prophet Muhammad (s) and his companions.

The Psalms consist of five books and a total of 150 psalms, of which 73 are attributed to the Prophet David (a), some to the Prophet Solomon (a), and others to various known or unknown individuals. The Psalms of the Torah are composed in a poetic structure and are considered among the most authoritative sources of Jewish religious and cultural tradition. A significant portion of daily, weekly, and festival prayers and rituals in Jewish tradition is drawn from the Psalms, and no other book of the Hebrew Bible—except the Gospels—is recited as frequently.