The phrase “two holy books” does not have one fixed answer. It depends on which religion, tradition, or classification the question comes from. In Hinduism, “two” often refers to the two broad categories of scripture, Shruti and Smriti, rather than to two named books. In Islamic and Christian contexts, readers often mean a pair such as the Quran and the Torah, or the Bible and the Quran. This post explains the main possibilities, names the texts involved, and shows which claims come from scripture, which come from tradition, and which come from scholarly or reference sources.
The short answer
If you need a single pair of named books, the most common answers depend on the tradition:
- Hindu context: The two classes of scripture are Shruti (“that which is revealed”) and Smriti (“that which is remembered”). A widely used reference describes Shruti as the four Vedas and Smriti as a large body of texts including the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavadgita (Hinduism Facts).
- Islamic context: A frequently taught pair is the Tawrat (Torah), revealed to Musa (Moses), and the Quran, revealed to Muhammad. Islamic texts also include the Zabur (Psalms) and the Injil (Gospel) (Wikipedia: List of Islamic texts).
- Christian context: The Holy Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament (Beliefnet). Some readers may therefore think of the Old and New Testaments as the “two” parts of one holy book.
The rest of this article explains each context so you can identify which meaning fits your question.
Why the question has more than one answer
Religions do not all use the word “holy book” in the same way. Some traditions have a single central scripture. Others have layers of revealed, remembered, ritual, and commentarial literature. A reference list of religious texts notes that the number of texts varies widely across traditions and that the list is dynamic (Wikipedia: List of religious texts).
This means a direct comparison must start with the question: holy books of which religion, and holy books named in which source? A Hindu reader asking about two holy books may need a different answer from a reader studying Abrahamic scriptures.
Two holy books in Hinduism: Shruti and Smriti
What Shruti means
Hindu scripture is commonly divided into Shruti and Smriti. According to Hinduism Facts, Shruti means “that which is revealed,” and it is associated with what ancient sages are said to have heard during deep meditation. It belongs to the Vedic period. Shruti literature includes the four Vedas: the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda (Hinduism Facts).
This is a traditional understanding. Hindu tradition regards Shruti as authoritative revelation. Historians and scholars study the Vedas as ancient texts with their own composition history, which is a separate question from their status within the tradition.
What Smriti means
Smriti means “that which is remembered.” The same source says Smriti belongs to the post-Vedic period and is more concerned with moral and civil law, while Shruti is more philosophical and ritualistic (Hinduism Facts). The Smriti category includes the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras, the Puranas, and the Bhagavadgita, among other works.
Because Smriti is a broad category, it is not a single book. A reader who asks for “two Hindu holy books” may be looking for a pair from within these categories. Common pairings in devotional practice include the Bhagavadgita and one of the great epics, but the choice varies by community and personal devotion. No single pair is universal across Hinduism.
Why the Bhagavadgita is sometimes described as a holy book
The Bhagavadgita is one of the most widely read Hindu texts. In the classification used by Hinduism Facts, it appears under Smriti. Many readers encounter it as a core scripture, while some scholars place it in the wider epic and philosophical literature. Both approaches can be respectful. The difference is between devotional status and textual classification.
Regional and sectarian differences
Hindu practice varies by region, lineage, and sect. Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, and other communities emphasize different texts and teachers. The Puranas, for example, contain material devoted to different deities, and communities may give particular Puranas or Agamic texts more weight. Readers should therefore treat any single list as a reference point rather than a universal ranking.
Two holy books in Islam: the Tawrat and the Quran
The Islamic revelation framework
Islamic texts are commonly grouped around the Quran and earlier revelations. Wikipedia describes the religious texts of Islam as including the Quran, previous revelations considered by Muslims to be from Allah, and the hadith, which record the deeds and sayings attributed to Muhammad (Wikipedia: List of Islamic texts).
Among the earlier revelations, the list names the Tawrat (Torah), revealed to prophets and messengers among the Children of Israel; the Zabur (Psalms), revealed to Dawud (David); and the Injil (Gospel), revealed to Isa (Jesus) (Wikipedia: List of Islamic texts).
Why the Tawrat and Quran are often paired
A frequently taught pair in Islamic education is the Tawrat and the Quran. The Tawrat is presented as the book given to Musa, and the Quran as the final revelation given to Muhammad. An educational guide on the four holy books of Islam describes the Tawrat as associated with law and guidance and the Quran as the final book (ihadis.com).
Islamic belief treats the earlier books as revelations that Muslims respect, while holding that the Quran is the final and preserved revelation. This belief is a theological position, and it is not a historical finding that scholars of other traditions necessarily share.
Verses and the Islamic list of books
Islamic scholarship lists several books. The IslamWeb fatwa on the names of holy books cites Quranic verses for the Scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa, the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, the Pages of Musa, and the Quran (IslamWeb fatwa 88146). The fatwa cites An-Nisa 4:136, Al-Ma’idah 5:44 and 5:46, An-Nisa 4:163, An-Najm 53:36, and Al-A’la 87:19 for these references. Readers who want the Arabic and exact translations should consult a published Quran translation and tafsir, because the wording varies between editions.
The same fatwa notes that some interpreters identify the Pages of Musa with the Torah. This shows that Islamic scholars themselves discuss how the named books relate to one another.
Two holy books in Christianity: the Old and New Testaments
Christianity is often described in terms of a single holy book, the Bible. Beliefnet explains that the Holy Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament, and that each is further divided into books, chapters, and verses. It also says the Old Testament describes creation, God’s covenant with the Israelites, and the struggles of the Israelite people, while the New Testament focuses on the teachings of Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe to be the Son of God (Beliefnet).
If your question is about the Old and New Testaments, the answer is that they are two parts of one Christian Bible. Jewish and Christian communities differ in how they name and arrange the Hebrew Scriptures, so the Old Testament is not used identically in every tradition.
Comparing the main answers
- Hindu “two”: Shruti and Smriti are categories, not two specific books. Shruti is traditionally regarded as revealed, and Smriti as remembered tradition.
- Islamic “two”: The Tawrat and the Quran are a common pair in teaching. The Quran is regarded as the final revelation.
- Christian “two”: The Old Testament and New Testament are two sections of one Bible.
These answers do not compete. They use the word “two” in different ways.
How to choose the right answer
- Identify the religion or tradition named in your question.
- Check whether the question means two named books, two categories, or two parts of one book.
- Look for the source behind the answer. Scripture, tradition, scholarship, and devotional explanation are not the same kind of evidence.
- If the answer depends on a community, note that community rather than presenting it as universal.
Common mistakes
Several confusions appear often in online answers:
- Treating Shruti and Smriti as two specific books rather than two categories.
- Assuming all Hindus accept the same list of Puranas or the same central text.
- Presenting Islamic belief about earlier revelations as a historical finding about their current textual form.
- Using a single list from one religion to describe another religion’s scriptures.
The safest approach is to state the tradition, cite the source, and explain whether a claim is textual, traditional, or interpretive.
Frequently asked questions
Are Shruti and Smriti two holy books?
They are two categories of Hindu scripture. Shruti refers to revealed texts, including the four Vedas, and Smriti refers to remembered texts such as the epics, Puranas, and Dharmashastras (Hinduism Facts).
Which two holy books do Muslims commonly name?
Islamic teaching commonly names the Tawrat and the Quran among the revealed books, alongside the Zabur and Injil (Wikipedia: List of Islamic texts). The Quran is regarded as the final revelation in Islamic belief (ihadis.com).
Is the Bible one book or two?
The Bible is one Christian scripture divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament, each containing multiple books (Beliefnet).
Summary
The phrase “two holy books” can refer to two Hindu scripture categories, a common Islamic pair such as the Tawrat and Quran, or the two testaments of the Christian Bible. Each answer is correct within its own framework. For Hindu readers, the most useful starting point is Shruti and Smriti. For Islamic readers, the Tawrat and Quran are a common pairing. For Christian readers, the Old and New Testaments form one Bible.
If you are researching a specific tradition, start with a reliable translation or scholarly introduction, and compare the tradition’s own explanation with historical and academic sources.
Related HindusGod.com reading
The following pages may help readers explore related questions. Some are currently WordPress drafts and may not be public yet, so confirm their status before relying on them:
- Two Holy Books (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- Holy Books Name (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- Holy Books List (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- Different Holy Books (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- Famous Holy Books (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- Four Holy Books (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- Holy Books and Prophets (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- 4 Holy Books Name (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- 10 Holy Books Name (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
- 10 Holy Books (URL status: draft target, may not be public)
Sources and Further Reading
- Hindu Scriptures and Holy Books, Hinduism Facts: used for the Shruti and Smriti classification and examples of texts in each category.
- List of Islamic texts, Wikipedia: used for the Islamic textual framework and the names of earlier revelations. Wikipedia is a secondary reference; check cited primary works for detailed study.
- List of religious texts, Wikipedia: used for the observation that religious text lists vary by tradition.
- 4 Holy Books of Islam, ihadis.com: used for a popular educational summary of the Tawrat, Zabur, Injil, and Quran. This is a devotional educational source, not a scholarly edition.
- The names and number of holy Books mentioned in Quran, IslamWeb: used for Quranic references to named books and an Islamic scholarly ruling on their names.
- The Holy Books of World Religions, Beliefnet: used for the description of the Christian Bible’s Old and New Testaments.