Al-Kashani and the Distortion of the Qur’an

Al Kashani and the Distortion of the Qur’an

Al Kashani^{^[1]} in the introduction of his Tafsir al Safi (vol. 1 pg. 32) he lists — at length — the narrations which indicate to the distorted and incomplete nature of the Qur’an, as well the inference that the Sahabah are responsible for the omission of the merits and virtues of Ahlul Bayt from the Qur’an. These narrations go further in implying that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu came to the Sahabah presenting his (complete version of the) Qur’an which was met by their refusal to acknowledge anything of the Qur’an documented by ‘Ali, rather they commanded Zaid ibn Thabit radiya Llahu ‘anhu to document (an alternate) Qur’an for the Sahabah wherein all their ignominies are omitted. These also allege that the Sahabah plotted to kill ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. After listing all these narrations he says:

I say, what is understood from all these reports, and the narrations of its like from the Ahlul Bayt, is that the Qur’an [that we have] is not complete as was revealed to the Rasul salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. On the contrary some of it is not in accordance to what Allah revealed. Some of it is completely distorted and changed; and no doubt many things have been omitted from the Qur’an.

Among the omissions are:

The omission of the name of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu in many places.

The omission of the expression Al Muhammad (Family of Muhammad) more than once.

The omission of the names of the munafiqin in many places (where it was originally mentioned).

These, among many other omissions.

In addition to this, the Qur’an (in its current form) is not in the sequence which is pleasing to Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and His Rasul salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. This is also the opinion of ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim (al Qummi). The conclusion that he eventually arrives at — after confirming that attesting to the belief that the Qur’an is interpolated — is that it is simply not possible to affirm authenticity of the (current) Qur’an nor to rely upon it.

He says (vol. 1 pg. 33):

There remains nothing of the Qur’an which is credible, or upon which we can rely. Therefore, the possibility exists of every verse of the Qur’an being distorted, changed, and contrary to what Allah has revealed. So the Qur’an ceases to be an authority or proof for us. There to be any benefit in it and in instructing with adherences to it, and in advising with holding firm onto it, etc.”

Al Kashshi justifies his belief of interpolation of the Qur’an by saying that he is not the first of the scholars of the Shia to believe in the interpolation of the Qur’an. The reality is that seniors among the Shia scholars have already endorsed the doctrine of Interpolation well before him, by the likes of al Kulayni, al Qummi and al Tabarsi.

He says (vol. 1 pg. 34):

This is what I have concluded after detailed investigation of this problem, Allah knows best what the real condition is. As for the belief of our senior scholars regarding this, it is apparent from Thiqat al Islam Muhammad ibn Yaqub al Kulayni — may his grave be a place of blessing — that he believed in the interpolation and in the incomplete nature of the Qur’an,^{^[2]} simply because he has narrated many narrations about this topic in his book al Kafi, and he makes no mention of the disparagement of these narrations, despite him mentioning in the beginning of his book that he trusts on every narration of his book. Similarly, the Tafsir of his teacher, ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim al Qummi, is replete with such narrations and he was somewhat extreme^{^[3]} in this regard. The same goes for Sheikh al Tabarsi as well, he too follows the same pattern in his book al Ihtijaj.”^{^[4]}

NEXT⇒ Al Majlisi and the Distortion of the Qur’an

^{^[1]} He is Muhammad ibn Murtada well known as Mulla Muhsin al Kashani, he studied hadith under al Sayed Majid al Bahrani in Shiraz, and Hikmah and Usul under al Sayed Sadr al Din Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al Shirazi. He authored numerous books, which include: Al Safi fi Tafsir al Qur’an, Kitab al Wafi, Kitab al Shafi, Mu’tasam al Shia fi Ahkam al Shari’ah, Mafatih al Shara’i’, Kitab al Tathir, ‘Ilm al Yaqin fi Usul al Din, Kitab al Ma’arif, ‘Ayn al Yaqin fi Usul al Din, Usul al Ma’arif, al Haqa’iq fi Asrar al Din, among many other books.

Al Bahrani says about him in Lu’lu’at al Bahrayn (pg. 121): “This Sheikh is very learned, a great Muhaddith, an Akhbari and staunch.”

The author of Amal al ‘Amal says about him: “He was a great scholar, outstanding, a master, wise, a theologian, muhaddith, faqih, a poet, and skilled at writing.”

The author of Rowdat al Jannat (pg. 542): “His standards in merit, understanding, erudition in the furu’ and usul (primary and secondary tenets of din) and encompassing all the possible levels in terms of the rational and revealed sciences, and abundance in writing with excellence in expression. He is more famous than to be unknown to anyone from this faction [Shia] for eternity. He lived for over eighty years and his demise was after the year 1000 of the hijrah.”

^{^[2]} Refer to the section al Kulayni and the Distortion of the Qur’an of this chapter.

^{^[3]} Refer to the section al Qummi and the Distortion of the Qur’an of this chapter

^{^[4]} Refer to the section al Tabarsi and the Distortion of the Qur’an of this chapter

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