Zabur

Zabur, Arabic for “psalms,” is the name used in Islamic tradition for the divine scripture revealed to the Prophet Dawud (David). It is regarded as one of the major revealed books in Islam, along with the Taurat (Torah), the Injil (Gospel), and the Qur’an. The Qur’an describes the Zabur as a book of psalms and praise, providing guidance, wisdom, and remembrance of God for Dawud and his followers.

The exact content and original form of the Zabur are not preserved in a standalone text known to modern readers. Islamic theology holds that the Zabur was a genuine divine revelation to David, but over time its original composition did not survive in full as a single canonical book. Some portions are associated with or reflected in the Psalms found in the Hebrew Bible, though many Muslims and scholars distinguish between the Zabur as a revealed scripture to Dawud and the later biblical psalms as they appear in Jewish and Christian scriptures. Consequently, the Zabur is not used as a separate liturgical text in Islam in the same way the Qur’an is, but it remains a recognized term for the psalms revealed to Dawud.

In scholarly and interfaith discussions, Zabur is often discussed in relation to the biblical Book of Psalms, with varying views on whether they are identical, partially overlapping, or distinct compilations. The broader concept, however, places Zabur within the paradigm of divine revelations acknowledged in Islam.