Al-Qummi and the Distortion of the Qur’an

Al Qummi and the Distortion of the Qur’an

Al Qummi^{^[1]} writes in his Tafsir (vol. 1 pg. 10):

As for the verses which are different from how they were revealed, they are as follows:

كُنْتُمْ خَیْرَ اُمَّةٍ اُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَاْمُرُوْنَ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْکَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاللّٰهِ

You are the best nation produced (as an example) for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.^{^[2]}

Abu ‘Abdullah (al Sadiq) said to the reciter of this verse, “the best nation? They killed Amir al Mu’minin, Hassan, and Hussain?” Somebody said to him, “then how was it revealed, O the son of the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam?” He answered, “this verse was revealed like this:

كنتم خير أئمة أخرجت للناس

You are the best Imams produced (as an example) for mankind.

Do you not see the praise of Allah for them at the end of the verse:

تَاْمُرُوْنَ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْکَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاللّٰهِ ؕ

You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.

Similarly the following verse was recited to Abu ‘Abdullah (al Sadiq):

وَالَّذِیْنَ یَقُوْلُوْنَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ اَزْوَاجِنَا وَ ذُرِّیّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ اَعْیُنٍ وَّ اجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِیْنَ اِمَامًا

And those who say, Our Rabb, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes^{^[3]} and make us a leader (i.e. example) for the righteous.^{^[4]}

Abu ‘Abdullah (al Sadiq) said, “indeed they have asked Allah for a great thing; to make them Imams for the righteous?” It was asked, “how was the verse revealed, O the son of the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam?” He then said, “it was revealed like this:

والذين يقولون ربنا هب لنا من أزواجنا وذرياتنا قرة أعين واجعل لنا من المتقين إماماً

And those who say, Our Rabb, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes^{^[5]} and make for us a leader from the righteous.

Another verse is:

لَهمُعَقِّبٰتٌ مِّنْۢ بَیْنِ یَدَیْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهٖ یَحْفَظُوْنَهمِنْ اَمْرِ اللّٰهِؕ

For him (i.e., each one) are successive (angels)^{^[6]} before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah.^{^[7]}

Abu ‘Abdullah (as-Sadiq) enquired, “how is it possible that a person will have someone protecting him by the decree of Allah and how can an angel be before him?” Somebody asked, “how should this verse be then O son of the Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam?” He replied, “this is how the verse was revealed:

له معقبات من خلفه ورقيب من بين يديه يحفظونه بأمر الله

For him are successive (angels) behind him and an Observer before him, who protect him with Allah’s command.

There are many examples like this.

As for the verses which were distorted are as follows:

لكن الله يشهد بما أنزل إليك في علي أنزله بعلمه والملائكة يشهدون

But Allah bears witness to that which He has revealed to you regarding ‘Ali He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness (as well).

Another verse:

يأيها الرسول بلغ ما أنزل إليك من ربك في علي فإن لم تفعل فما بلغت رسالته

O Rasul, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Rabb regarding ‘Ali, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message.

Another verse:

إن الذين كفروا وظلموا آل محمد حقهم لم يكن الله ليغفر لهم

Indeed, those who disbelieve and commit wrong (or injustice) to the right of the family members of Muhammad, never will Allah forgive them.

Another verse:

وسيعلم الذين ظلموا آل محمد حقهم أي منقلب ينقلبون

And those who have wronged the right of the family of Muhammad are going to know to what (kind of) return they will be returned to.

Another verse:

ولو ترى الذين ظلموا آل محمد حقهم في غمرات الموت

And if you could but see when the wrong doers to the right of the family of Muhammad are in the overwhelming pangs of death.

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

^{^[1]} He is, Abu al Hassan ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim al Qummi. Al Najashi says about him in his Rijal (pg. 183):

He is reliable and proficient in hadith, reliable with correct opinion, he heard many ahadith.

Agha Buzurg al Tehrani says in his book al Dhari’ah (vol. 4 pg. 302) with regard to Tafsir al Qummi:

In reality, this is the tafsir of the two Sadiqs (al Baqir and al Sadiq) and he says in the introduction of his Tafsir, “this is a precious work and everlasting book which contains the traditions of the two Imams.”

Al Sayed Tayyib al Musawi writes in his introduction:

This is indeed a divine tafsir, full of light, deep meaning, well arranged, it has an amazing status, very extensive, none can produce similar to it besides him (the final Imam) and none understands it except the scholars.

He says with regard to the distortion of the Qur’an from the Shia:

We can easily say that the main Tahrif according to their understanding (Shi’i scholars) is very slight, it deals with the verses of Wilayah only {can this be considered as slight?} This distortion does not change any law nor the general understanding which is the core of the Qur’an, in fact this is not considered as distortion per say. The non-Shia can never slander the Shia from this angle.

We say to you; this excuse is despicable and more ridiculous than the one who says it and believes in it.

Al Qummi has many other books, just to mention a few: al Nasikh wa al Mansukh, Kitab Qurb al Isnad, Kitab al Shara’i’, Kitab al Hayd, Kitab al Towhid wa al Shirk, Kitab Fada’il Amir al Mu’minin, Kitab al Maghazi, Kitab al Ambiya’, Kitab al Mushadhdhar, Kitab al Manaqib, Kitab Ikhtiyar al Qur’an and many other books that the scholars have mentioned from him.

^{^[2]} Surah Al ‘Imran: 110

^{^[3]} i.e., a source of happiness due to their righteousness.

^{^[4]} Surah al Furqan: 74.

^{^[5]} i.e., a source of happiness due to their righteousness.

^{^[6]} Replacing each other by turn.

^{^[7]} The phrase may also be rendered “who guard him from {everything except} the decree of Allah.”

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