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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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

Majority of the contemporary authorities of the Imamiyyah have adopted the claim of the Prophetic compilation. The most famous of them is Abu al Qasim al Khu’i and Jafar al Subhani and thereafter the rest of the authorities, except that they have fallen—during their study of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an—into such confusions and contradictions that are not behoving of a seeker of knowledge, leave alone a scholar, and above that someone considered to be an authority in their school. Here are illustrations of those confusions and contradictions:

 

1. Al Khu’i’s contradiction regarding establishing and rejecting the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an

1. His establishment of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an:

He has established this in various statements in his book al Bayan fi Tafsir al Qur’an; from amongst them are:

 

ثالثا إنها معارضة بأخبار كثيرة دلت على أن القرآن قد جمع في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وسنثبت إن شاء الله تعالى فيما يأتي أن القرآن كان مجموعا في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم

a. Thirdly, it is contradicted by many narrations which indicate that the Qur’an was compiled during the era of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam… We will soon establish—Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala willing—in what is to come that the Qur’an was compiled during the era of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.^[1]

 

و إن المتصفح لأحوال الصحابة وأحوال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يحصل له العلم اليقين بأن القرآن كان مجموعا على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأن عدد الجامعين له لا يستهان به

b. The one who will scrutinise the lives of the Companions and the life of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam will be certain that the Qur’an was compiled in the era of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the number of those who compiled the Qur’an is not a matter to be overlooked.^[2]

 

وإذا سلم عدم اهتمام المسلمين بجمع القرآن على عهده فلماذا لم يهتم بذلك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بنفسه مع اهتمامه الشديد بأمر القرآن فهل كان غافلا عن نتائج هذا الإغفال أو كان غير متمكن من الجمع لعدم تهيؤ الوسائل عنده ومن الواضح بطلان جميع ذلك

c. If the degree of concern from the Muslims regarding the compilation of the Qur’an during the life of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was accepted, why then was the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam himself not concerned with it despite his great concern regarding the Qur’an? Was he unmindful regarding the outcome of such heedlessness or was he unable to compile due to a lack of preparation of resources?! It is evidently clear that all this is invalid.^[3]

 

2. His rejection of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an:

He says:

 

فمن البين جدا أن السور لم تكن مترتبة في عصره على النهج المألوف بيننا لعدم جمع القرآن يومئذ وإنما حدث بعد ذلك

What is evidently clear is that the chapters of the Qur’an were not organised during the time of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in the compiled manner as we have it, due to the Qur’an not being compiled at that time. It only occurred at a later stage.^[4]

 

2. Al Subhani’s contradiction regarding establishing and rejecting the Prophetic sequencing of the chapters of the Qur’an

1. His acknowledgement of the Prophetic sequencing of the chapters of the Qur’an:

He has established this via various statements; from among them are:

 

طبقا لأقوال مجموعة من المحققين المسلمين فإن القرآن الكريم قد جمع في زمن الرسول الأكرم وقد رتبت السور والآيات بأمرمنه… ومن هنا يتضح أن القرآن جمع في زمن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وأن سورة الحمد كانت في المقدمة ولو كان القرآن مجموعة سور وآيات متفرقة لما كان هناك من معنى لاسم فاتحة الكتاب

a. In accordance with the statements of a group of Muslim scholars, the Qur’an was certainly compiled during the time of the most honourable Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the verses and chapters were organised by his command… And from this it becomes clear that the Qur’an was indeed compiled in the Messenger’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam time and that the opening chapter was placed in the beginning. If it was that the Qur’an was compiled while the verses and chapters were scattered, there would have been no need for the name the opening chapter.^[5]

 

وإذا لم يكن هذا الحديث دالا على الكتابة المنظمة للقرآن في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فإنه على الأقل يدل على أن سور القرآن ومكان الآيات كان منظما في زمن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

b. If this hadith is not an indication of the sequential compilation of the Qur’an during the Prophetic era, then at the least it indicates that the chapters of the Qur’an and the position of the verses were organised during the time of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.^[6]

 

فإن ختم القرآن يدل على أنه كان مبوبا من حيث السور والآيات معلوما أولها من آخرها

c. The complete recitals of the Qur’an indicate that its verses and chapters were organised, such that its first was known from its last.^[7]

 

2. His rejection of the Prophetic sequencing of the chapters of the Qur’an:

a. Al Subhani transmits to us the consensus of the scholars that the sequence of the chapters of the Qur’an was not tawqifi (prophetically instituted), meaning it was not from the undertaking of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He says:

 

وقد اتفقت كلمات المحققين على أن ترتيب السور لم يكن توقيفيا

The words of the scholars are unanimous that the sequence of the chapters of the Qur’an was not prophetically instituted.^[8]

 

b. He emphasises the lack of any sequence for the Qur’an during the Prophetic era. He says:

 

وما ذكره ابن النديم يثبت أن القرآن كان مكتوبا في عصر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كل سورة على حدة وكان فاقدا للترتيب الذي رتبه الإمام على سبعة أجزاء

What Ibn al Nadim mentions establishes that the Qur’an was compiled in the time of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, every chapter in its place. It was missing the sequence which the Imam arranged into seven parts.^[9]

 

3. Al Khu’i and al Subhani’s claim that there is no Prophetic sequencing of the chapters of the Qur’an is incompatible with their claim regarding the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an

From amongst the confusions which both al Khu’i as well as al Subhani fall into is that they combine between two contradictory claims, which are:

1. Their acknowledgement of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an.^[10]
2. Their acknowledgement of no Prophetic sequencing of the Qur’an taking place.^[11]

 

It will never be possible to combine these two claims, because the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an categorically necessitates the sequencing of the chapters during the process of compilation. It is possible to explain this association from two angles, as follows:

a. If we accept the claim of the Imamiyyah that the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had indeed compiled the Qur’an and produced pages on which the chapters of the Qur’an were written—with the verses arranged in order—then he salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam took those pages and compiled it into a codex. Thereafter, all the chapters of the Qur’an with him were compiled into a book. There is no doubt that he salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam arranged those chapters in a specific sequence whether that sequence agrees with the current sequence of the Qur’an or not. By way of example: He salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam obtained the entire chapter al Ma’idah and placed it in that codex in a specific arrangement, like placing it as the first, or the tenth, or the hundredth. Likewise taking the chapter al Baqarah and making it the fifth, or the tenth, or the twentieth; and similarly with the remainder of the chapters…

The mere acknowledgement of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an necessitates acknowledging a specific sequencing of the chapters of the Qur’an during the Prophetic compilation. This is the very association I have mentioned between the Prophetic compilation and the confirmation of the Prophetic sequencing of the chapters of the Qur’an.

b. Every single one of the Imami scholars who acknowledge the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an follow it with the belief of the Prophetic sequencing of the verses and chapters. That is due to the association I have mentioned between the two claims. The Imami scholars who clearly mention both claims together are:

1. Al Sharif al Murtada says:

 

إن القرآن كان على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مجموعا مؤلفا على ما هو عليه الآن… وكل ذلك يدل بأدنى تأمل على أنه كان مجموعا مرتبا غير مبتور ولا مبثوث

The Qur’an during the era of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was compiled and organised as it currently exists today… All of that indicates with the slightest contemplation that the Qur’an was compiled and sequenced and not scattered and dispersed.^[12]

 

2. ‘Abdul Hussain Sharaf al Din al Musawi says:

 

 وكان القرآن مجموعا أيام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على ما هو عليه الآن من الترتيب والتنسيق في آياته وسوره

a. The Qur’an was compiled during the days of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as it currently is regarding the sequence of the chapters and the verses.^[13]

 

وكل حرف من حروفه متواتر في كل جيل متواترا قطعيا إلى عهد الوحي والنبوة وكان مجموعا على ذلك العهد الأقدس مؤلفا على ما هو عليه الآن

b. Every letter of the Qur’an is transmitted en masse definitively from every generation until the period of revelation and Nubuwwah. It was compiled during that sanctified period and organised as it currently is now.^[14]

 

3. Muhammad Sadiq al Ruhani says:

 

لكون النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم هو الذي تكفل بجمع القرآن وترتيبه في حياته الشريفة

a. Due to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam being the one who had taken the responsibility to compile and organise the Qur’an during his honourable lifetime.^[15]

 

بناء على ما هو الحق من كون ترتيب القرآن بالنحو الذي هو عليه الآن يعود إلى عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وتحت نظره

c. Based upon what is the truth regarding the sequencing of the Qur’an according to how it currently is, it is traced back to the time of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and was carried out under his supervision.^[16]

 

It becomes clear to us through these two angles that the claim of the Prophetic compilation made by al Khu’i and al Subhani necessitates the occurrence of the sequencing of the chapters of the Qur’an and consequently nullifies the absence of the Prophetic sequencing which they claim.

By completing the explanation regarding the three disastrous consequences following the claim of the Prophetic compilation, we end chapter two.

 

NEXT⇒ Chapter 3 – Establishing that our Current Qur’an is from the Compilation of the Rightly Guided Khalifas – 1. Clear statements from the Imami scholars regarding the Khalifas’ compilation of the Qur’an

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^[1]  Abu al Qasim al Khu’i: Al Bayan fi Tafsir al Qur’an, pg. 92.

^[2]  Ibid., pg. 251.

^[3]  Ibid., pg. 216-217.

^[4]  Abu al Qasim al Khu’i: Al Ijarah (al Awwal), pg. 502.

^[5]  Jafar al Subhani: ‘Aqa’iduna al Falsafiyyah wa al Qur’aniyyah, 116.

^[6]  Ibid., 118.

^[7]  Jafar al Subhani: Rasa’il wa Maqalat, 8/315.

^[8]  Ibid., 8/327.

^[9]  Jafar al Subhani: Dalil al Murshidin ila Haqq al Yaqin, pg. 170.

^[10]  From amongst their views, by way of example but not confined to, are the following:

Al Khu’i says in his book al Bayan fi Tafsir al Qur’an, 92:

ثالثا إنها معارضة بأخبار كثيرة دلت على أن القرآن قد جمع في عهد النبي وسنثبت إن شاء الله تعالى فيما يأتي أن القرآن كان مجموعا في عهد النبي

a. Thirdly, it is contradicted by many narrations which indicate that the Qur’an was compiled during the era of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam… We will soon establish—Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala willing—in what is to come that the Qur’an was compiled during the era of The Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Al Subhani says in his book Rasa’il wa Maqalat, 8/318:

إن المصحف الموجود هو المصحف الذي جمع في عهد الرسول 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 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.

^[11]  From amongst their views, by way of example but not confined to, are the following:

Abu al Qasim al Khu’i says in his book al Ijarah, pg. 502:

فمن البين جدا أن السور لم تكن مترتبة في عصره على النهج المألوف بيننا لعدم جمع القرآن يومئذ وإنما حدث بعد ذلك

a. What is evidently clear is that the chapters of the Qur’an were not organised during the time of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in the compiled manner as we have it, due to the Qur’an not be compiled at that time. It had only occurred thereafter.

Al Subhani says in his book Rasa’il wa Maqalat, 8/327:

وقد اتفقت كلمات المحققين على أن ترتيب السور لم يكن توقيفيا

b. The words of the scholars are unanimous that the sequence of the chapters of the Qur’an was not prophetically instituted.

^[12]  Abu ‘Ali al Tabarsi: Tafsir Majma’ al Bayan, 1/43.

^[13]  ‘Abdul Hussain Sharaf al Din al Musawi: Ajwibat Masa’il Jar Allah, pg. 34.

^[14]  ‘Abdul Hussain Sharaf al Din al Musawi: Al Fusul al Muhimmah fi Ta’lif al Ummah, pg. 175.

^[15]  Muhammad Sadiq al Ruhani: Ajwibat al Masa’il fi al Fikr wa al ‘Aqidah wa al Tarikh wa al Akhlaq, 1/198.

^[16]  Ibid., 1/201.