Calamity 2: Them merging between the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam bequeathing ‘Ali to compile the Qur’an and the view concerning the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an leads to the defamation of both the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and ‘Ali

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Calamity 2: Them merging between the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam bequeathing ‘Ali to compile the Qur’an and the view concerning the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an leads to the defamation of both the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and ‘Ali

 

This calamity includes the defamation of both the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as well as ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. This will be explained through various cases as follows:

 

1. A brief explanation of the Prophetic bequest to compile the Qur’an

The narrations of the Imamiyyah as well as the explicit speech of their scholars are unanimous regarding this bequest. What is understood from it is: The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam bequeathed that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu compile the Qur’an after his demise and the latter in turn carried out this bequest and fulfilled it.

 

2. Establishing that this bequest contradicts the claim of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an

This bequest contradicts the claim of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an. It is possible to explain this contradiction from many angles; from amongst them:

 

The first angle

It is impossible that our Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam commanded ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu to compile what has already been compiled, making it an acquisition of something already obtained. It is like the scenario where a man tells his son to stand and open the door of a room which is already open!

I have found within the speech of some Imami scholars an indication to this matter, i.e. the needlessness to compile what has already been compiled; from amongst them:

1. ‘Ali al Milani emphasises that what needed to be compiled was what had been scattered and not what had already been compiled. He says:

 

ولكن هذه الشبهة تندفع بعد التسليم بصحة هذه الأخبار بما ذكره جماعة من أن القرآن الكريم كان مجموعا على عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ولم يكن في عهده مبثوثا متفرقا هنا وهناك حتى يحتاج إلى جمع

However, this doubt is expelled—after accepting that authenticity of these reports—by what a group has mentioned that the Qur’an was compiled during the era of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the Qur’an during his era was not scattered here and there such that it needed to be compiled.^[1]

 

2. Jafar al Subhani says:

 

كل ذلك يدل على أن القرآن كان مجموعا في مصحف في حياة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وعندئذ لم تكن ثمة حاجة إلى قيام زيد بن ثابت بجمعه من العسب واللخاف وصدور الرجال

a. All of that indicates that the Qur’an was compiled into a Mushaf during the life of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Therefore, there was no need for Zaid ibn Thabit to take responsibility of compiling the Qur’an from palm leaves, shoulder blades, and the chests of men.^[2]

 

إن المصحف الموجود هو المصحف الذي جمع في عهد الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وتوارثه الصحابة والتابعون لهم بإحسان ثم انتقل منهم إلى سائر الأجيال وأنه ليس هناك أي فضيلة لأحد من غير فرق بين من أمر بالجمع أو ائتمر به فقد كانت الأمة في غنى عن هذا الآمر ومن امتثل

b. The present Mushaf is the codex that was compiled during the life of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum and those who followed them with goodness inherited it from one another. Thereafter, it was passed down from them to the rest of the generations. The matter is that there is no virtue for anyone, without differentiating between the one who was commanded to compile the Qur’an and the one who gave the command, for certainly, the Ummah was not in need of the one who gave the command nor the one who carried out the command.^[3]

 

3. Muhammad Karim Khan al Kirmani said:

 

فكذلك قوله إن القرآن كان على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مؤلفا فلو كان مؤلفا وفي أيدي الناس لما كانوا يحتاجون إلى جمع زيد بن ثابت وأما قوله إن القرآن كان على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مؤلفا… إلخ هذا محض ادعاء ولو كان الأمر كذلك لما كانوا يحتاجون إلى جمع وتأليف وشهود

Likewise, his statement, “Certainly, the Qur’an was compiled during the era of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.” If the Qur’an were compiled and present amongst people, they would not have needed the compilation of Zaid ibn Thabit …!

As for his statement, “Certainly, the Qur’an was compiled during the era of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam… to its end.” This is a mere claim, and if that were the case, there would have been no need for any compilation or witnesses.^[4]

 

4. ‘Ali Al Muhsin says:

 

ولو كان المراد بجمع القرآن جمع ألفاظه كاملة في مصحف لما صح لنا أن نقول إن غير علي من أئمة أهل البيت عليهم السلام قد جمعه لأنه إذا كان علي قد جمعه قبلهم فكيف يتأتى لهم أن يجمعوا ما كان مجموعا

If what was meant by the compilation of the Qur’an is compiling its words entirely into a Mushaf, then it would not be correct for us to say that other than ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu from amongst the Ahlul Bayt^[5] ‘alayhim al Salam had compiled the Qur’an. Since ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu had already compiled it before them, how then would it be possible that they compiled what had already been compiled?^[6]

 

5. For the sake of familiarity, I will transmit Ibn al Hadid al Mu’tazili’s acknowledgement of this by him saying:

 

تشاغل بجمع القرآن فهذا يدل على أنه أول من جمع القرآن لأنه لو كان مجموعا في حياة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لما احتاج إلى أن يتشاغل بجمعه بعد وفاته

He was occupied with the compilation of the Qur’an. This indicates that he was the first to compile the Qur’an, because if it was compiled during the life of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, there was no need for him to occupy himself with compiling it after he passed away.^[7]

 

Every one of these acknowledgements are consistent with the fact that what needed to be compiled is what was scattered and dispersed. As for what was already compiled, there was no need for it to be compiled due to it being futile and acquiring what has already been obtained.

 

The second angle

The Imami scholars have acknowledged the occurrence of contradiction between the Prophetic bequest to compile the Qur’an and the claim of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an; from amongst them are:

1. Al Mirza Hussain Nuri al Tabarsi

The Hadith scholar al Nuri al Tabarsi has highlighted the occurrence of a contradiction between the two views and the impossibility of combining between them in the presentation of his rebuttal against al Murtada who claims the Qur’an was compiled during the era of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He says:

 

وأما ما ذكره السيد المرتضى ففيه… وثانيا إن قعود أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام في بيته بعده صلى الله عليه وسلم لجمع القرآن وتأليفه خوفا من ضياعه مما لا يقبل الإنكار بعد استفاضة الأخبار بذلك كما تقدم وكيف يجمع هذا مع كونه مجموعا مؤلفا مرتبا متداولا بين الصحابة في حياته

As for what al Sayed al Murtada has mentioned, regarding it: … And secondly: ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu sitting in his house after his salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passing in order to compile the Qur’an out of fear that it be lost is something that cannot be denied with the abundance of narrations establishing that as passed. How then is this combined with the fact that the Qur’an was compiled, sequenced, and in circulation amongst the Companions radiya Llahu ‘anhum during his life.^[8]

 

Al Nuri establishes in this rebuttal of his that the confirmation of the occurrence of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu conducting the compilation of the Qur’an in accordance with the Prophetic bequest invalidates the claim of al Murtada that the Qur’an was compiled and sequenced by the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

 

2. Abu al Hassan al ‘Amili al Futuni

Al ‘Amili has highlighted the occurrence of a contradiction between the two views and the impossibility of combining between them in the presentation of his rebuttal against al Murtada who claims the Qur’an was compiled during the era of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He says:

 

وجوابه أن القرآن مجموعا في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على ما هو الآن غير ثابت بل غير صحيح… ولقد شاع وذاع وطرق الأسماع في جميع الأصقاع أن عليا قعد بعد وفاة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في بيته أياما مشتغلا بجمع القرآن

His response that the Qur’an was compiled in the era of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in the manner it currently exists is unfounded, not credible… It has become widespread and well-known, and the various chains of oral transmission are known in every locality, that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu sat, after the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in his house for days, occupied with the compilation of the Qur’an.^[9]

 

Al Futuni establishes in his rebuttal that the incident of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu conducting the compilation of the Qur’an according to the bequest of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam invalidates al Murtada’s claim that the Qur’an was compiled in sequence by the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

 

3. ‘Abdur Rahman al Muhammadi al Haydaji

Al Haydaji noticed the contradiction between the two views^[10] when he wanted to adopt the view of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an. He thus found himself forced to reject and deem weak the view that contradicts it, which is ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu sitting in the house of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam compiling the Qur’an immediately after his death.

Here are his views expressed in his book al Hujjah ‘ala Fasl al Khitab fi Ibtal al Qawl bi Tahrif al Kitab:

 

إن قعود علي في بيته لتأليف القرآن مما لم يثبت فقوله مما لا يقبل الإنكار ممنوع وإن شاع واشتهر في الألسن إذ لم يوافقه الدليل بل الدليل على خلافه… فقعود أمير المؤمنين لتأليفه قابل للإنكار إذ لم تساعده الأدلة والأستاذ البروجردي مد ظله أصر على ذلك أشد الانكار كما ستسمعه إن شاء الله

a. ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu sitting in the house of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to compile the Qur’an has not been established. His statement, “is something that cannot be denied,” is rejected, even though it be widespread and famously quoted, since the proof is not in agreement with it but rather the proof supports the contrary… Thus, the sitting of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is something that can be denied since the proof does not support it. Al Burujirdi insists that it can be denied to the highest degree as you will soon hear of, Allah willing.^[11]

 

و ما ادعي من استفاضة الأخبار على ذلك فغريب جدا فإن الرواية في ذلك لا تزيد على ثلاث أو أربع وهي مع ذلك قابلة للتأويل إذا عارضها دليل أقوى

b. The acclaimed multiplicity of reports for that incident is quite peculiar. The narrations regarding that are not more than three or four and they are open to interpretation if a stronger proof opposes them.^[12]

 

من العجب أنه ضعف رواية عرض القرآن وختمه على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ورضي بروايات تأليف علي القرآن مع أنها بين ضعيف ومجهول ومقطوع

c. What is strange is that he deems the narration of the presentation and completion of the Qur’an upon the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam weak, yet is content with the narration regarding ‘Ali’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu compilation of the Qur’an whilst it is either weak, unknown, or has missing chains of narration.^[13]

 

ومنهم أستاذنا الأعظم وعمادنا المحكم آية الله العظمى الحاج آقا حسين البروجردي دامت إفاضاته حيث ادعى في أثناء بحثه تأليف القرآن في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم واستبعد بل أنكر تأخيره وأمره بالجمع وصيه ووزيره وخليفته علي بن أبي طالب وأنكر جمعه غاية الإنكار وطعن أشد طعن على من زعم أن علي بن أبي طالب جمعه بعد قبض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وزعم أن الروايات في ذلك مجعولة من العامة والخاصة

d. And from amongst them is our grand teacher and decisive support, Ayat Allah al ‘Uzma al Hajj Aqa Hussain al Burujirdi, who claimed in his research the compilation of the Qur’an during the era of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and deemed farfetched—rather denied—the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam delaying the compilation of the Qur’an and commanding his vicegerent and successor, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib radiya Llahu ‘anhu, to compile it. He vehemently denies ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu compiling the Qur’an and severely criticises all those who claim that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib radiya Llahu ‘anhu had compiled it after the death of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He also claims that those narrations are fabrications from both the Ahlus Sunnah and Shia.^[14]

 

وأما الروايات الواردة في جمع علي القرآن مع قطع النظر عن الإرسال والقطع والضعف والجهالة فيها أنها لا تقاوم الأدلة التي دلت على وجوب جمع القرآن وتعيينه على شخص الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم

e. As for the narrations mentioning ‘Ali’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu compilation of the Qur’an—notwithstanding the missing chains, weakness, and indefiniteness in the chain of narrators—it cannot contend with the proof indicating that the compilation of the Qur’an as well as its supervision was carried out by the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam himself.^[15]

 

From these two angles it becomes clear that the Imamiyyah must adopt one of these views and wash their hands from the other. Moreover, the Prophetic bequest is established via the narrations and acknowledgements of their scholars which are unanimous regarding it—as I will present in the following case—so one of the two factors are necessary for them:

1. Rejecting the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an and that is what is desired, since there is no possibility of combining that and the bequest.

2. If the Imamiyyah insist on combining the compilation and the bequest, then based on that, they would be defaming our Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as well as ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu in the following manner:

a. Defamation of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam by accusing him of requesting the acquisition of something which has already been obtained, by ordering the compilation of what has already been compiled.

b. Defamation of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu by him exerting himself in carrying out a command—the compilation of the Qur’an—which the Ummah had no need for. The Ummah was not in need of it since it already had the Qur’an which was compiled during the era of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

 

3. Transmitting the narrations and acknowledgements of the Imami scholars establishing the Prophetic bequest for the compilation of the Qur’an

Whoever desires to study what the narrations of the Imamiyyah and the views of the scholars attest to regarding the Prophetic bequest to compile the Qur’an should revise Appendix 1 attached at the end of the book.

 

NEXT⇒ Calamity 3: The most famous Imami authorities holding the view of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an falling into the pit of contradiction and confusion

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^[1]  ‘Ali al Milani: Al Tahqiq fi Nafy al Tahrif ‘an al Qur’an al Sharif, pg. 90.

^[2]  Jafar al Subhani: Rasa’il wa Maqalat, 8/318.

^[3]  Ibid., 8/323-324.

^[4]  Muhammad Karim Khan al Kirmani: Taqwim al Lisan fi Qira’at al Qur’an, pg. 6.

^[5]  The blessed household of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

^[6]  ‘Ali Al Muhsin: Kashf al Haqa’iq, pg. 55.

^[7]  Ibn al Hadid al Mu’tazili: Sharh Nahj al Balaghah, 1/27.

^[8]  Al Mirza Hussain Nuri al Tabarsi: Fasl al Khitab fi Tahrif Kitab Rabb al Arbab, pg. 145.

^[9]  Abu al Hassan al ‘Amili al Futuni: Mir’at al Anwar wa Mishkat al Asrar, pg. 87.

^[10]  The two views are:

1. The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam compiled the Qur’an during his life.
2. The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam bequeathed that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu compile the Qur’an immediately after the Messenger’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam demise.

^[11]  ‘Abdur Rahman al Muhammadi al Haydaji: Al Hujjah ‘ala Fasl al Khitab fi Ibtal al Qawl bi Tahrif al Kitab, 12.

^[12]  Ibid., pg. 12.

^[13]  Ibid., pg. 13.

^[14]  Ibid., pg. 15.

^[15]  Ibid., pg. 20.