Conclusion

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Conclusion

 

In this conclusion, I shall present the most important findings of this study.

 

Finding 1

The basis of this study rests upon the confirmation of two facts:

 

1. The negation of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an.

One of the strongest acknowledgements of the Imami scholars regarding this is:

a. The statement of Agha Buzurk al Tahrani in his treatise, al Naqd al Latif (p. 935):

 

الذي تحقق من كتب التواريخ في كيفية جمع القرآن الشريف بحيث ما وجدت له نافيا صريحا ولا مكذبا عدم كونه في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مجموعا في موضع واحد كما هو اليوم

What is confirmed from the books of history regarding the way the noble Qur’an was compiled such that I have not found a single outright rejector nor belier, this is the sum of what I had expounded on earlier regarding the Qur’an not being compiled during the era of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in one compilation as we have it today.^[1]

 

b. The statement of Muhammad Hadi Ma’rifah in his book, al Tamhid fi ‘Ulum al Qur’an:

 

وقد سبق اتفاق كلمة المؤرخين ونصوص أرباب السير وأخبار الأمم ووافقهم أصحاب الحديث طرا على أن ترتيب السور حصل بعد وفاة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم

There has long been unanimity among the historians, the texts of the biographers, and the scholars of hadith, that the arrangement of the chapters occurred after the death of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.^[2]

 

2. The confirmation of the compilation by the Khalifas.

The most explicit statement confirming this is by the Imami scholar, Yusuf al Bahrani, agreeing with the reports and statements of the Sahabah regarding the compilation of the Qur’an by the Khalifas. He says in his book, al Hada’iq al Nadirah:

 

وثانيا أن الاستدلال بإثباتها في المصاحف إنما يتم لو كان هذا القرآن الموجود بأيدينا جمع الإمام عليه السلام وليس كذلك لاتفاق الأخبار وكلمة الأصحاب وغيرهم على أنه جمع الخلفاء الثلاثة

Secondly, the evidence that confirms it in the masahif is only sound if this Qur’an that we have in our hands was collected by the Imam ‘alayh al Salam. But this is not the case, because the reports and the words of the Sahabah and others concur that it was collected by the three Khalifas.^[3]

 

Finding 2

Whoever follows what is mentioned in the reports and accounts of the scholars will come to an inevitable conclusion, which is that the narrations of the Ahlus Sunnah and Shia are in agreement that Abu Bakr al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anhu rose to the occasion to compile the Qur’an.

However, there is a fundamental difference:

• The motivation for Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu to compile the Qur’an was to protect it against being lost.
• Meanwhile, according to the Shia, his motive was to obscure the right of Imamah and to cover up the alleged abuses and scandals (of the Sahabah) by removing certain verses or by obfuscating them by mixing up their placement.

After proving that our extant Qur’an was compiled by the Khalifas radiya Llahu ‘anhum, as this study has done with clear and explicit evidence, the Imamiyyah remain imprisoned by a veritable crisis regarding the legitimacy of the Qur’an. This is because when they accept the credibility and legitimacy of the current Qur’an and its faithful safeguarding and transmission, they also have to accept certain premises that destroy the very foundation of Shi’ism including:

1. Acknowledging the virtue of the Khalifas radiya Llahu ‘anhum, bearing testimony to their credibility, and having faith in the fruits of their immense efforts in compiling the Qur’an and preserving it for the Ummah until the end of time. No infidel or hypocrite, hellbent on destroying Islam, undermining its structure, extinguishing its light, and obliterating its eternal constitution, would undertake such an effort.
2. Acknowledging that the Sahabah are competent and well-suited to preserve Islam and faithfully transmit its teachings, based on the acknowledgement that they were competent and well-suited to preserve and defend the Qur’an. The consequence of this will be the invalidity of their requirement of an infallible Imam to preserve Islam and this inevitably renders Shi’ism itself invalid. Now, in spite of their own books being filled with talk of this indispensable infallible Imam who would preserve and transmit the religion, they are forced to acknowledge the preservation and protection of the Qur’an at the hands of fallible people!

 

Finding 3

Those who argue in favour of the Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an are academically bankrupt, due to the lack of explicit evidence to substantiate their argument. Accordingly, I say to every impartial, keen, and honest Imami:

• Why is the incident of ‘Ali’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu compilation of the Qur’an mentioned in your sources in such detail, including when he compiled it, how he compiled it, how long it took him to compile it, and what he did after he compiled it?
• Why is the incident of Abu Bakr’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu compilation of the Qur’an mentioned in the Sunni sources in such detail, including: when he compiled it, why he compiled it, how it was compiled, and who was responsible for it?
• Why is it that, on the other hand, we do not find any mention in the authentic reports of the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam compilation of the Qur’an containing the same amount of detail as above, such as: when he salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam collected it, how he collected it, how long he took to collect it, who was assigned to collect it, and where the collection took place?
• How could it be that the compilations of Abu Bakr and ‘Ali were so auspicious and important that they are worthy of mentioning in detail, while the sources ignore the compilation of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam?

If there was any reality to a Prophetic compilation of the Qur’an, certainly word of it would have spread far and wide and the books of prophetic reports would have been replete with it, since it would have been one of the most historic deeds of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The books have transmitted every minute detail of his salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam life and circumstances, so how did this strange, rather impossible, conspiracy come about between the transmitters of prophetic reports, to conceal one of the most momentous events in the history of Islam due to its connection to the holy book and its eternal constitution? The illustrious scholar and authority of the Imamiyyah, Muhammad Hadi Ma’rifah so eloquently states in his book, al Tamhid fi ‘Ulum al Qur’an:

 

وللحدث التاريخي ثلاثة أركان أساسية بطن الحادثة زمن الحادثة ومحلها

A historical event has three basic pillars: the context of the event, the time of the event, and its location.^[4]

 

And whoever claims that the compilation of the Qur’an between two covers occurred during the time of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and by his command must:

1. First identify with certainty the person or persons whom the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had assigned to carry out such a task: who were they?
2. Determine at what time this took place: was it before or after the Hijrah? And in what year did this incident take place?
3. Finally, did it take place in Makkah or Madinah? Did it take place in the Masjid or at some other place?

If these three basic facts are unknown pertaining to such an important incident, then it is better not to address it. There is thus no historical basis for this claim.

 

Finding 4

Whoever investigates the narrations of the Imamiyyah regarding the incident of ‘Ali’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu compilation of the Qur’an and the events that followed it will find in it the following:

• ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu took it upon himself to compile the Qur’an after the passing of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and then presented it to the Sahabah in the Masjid.
• (The Imamiyyah claim) that the Sahabah rejected the mushaf of ‘Ali when they found that it contains mention of the scandalous behaviour of the Sahabah.
• (The Imamiyyah claim) that the Sahabah then decided to produce a counter-copy of this Mushaf which omits all mention of their scandals and treachery.
• ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu finally hid his Mushaf and it is being kept in occultation with the awaited Mahdi who will have it with him at his emergence.

As for the most comprehensive narration among the Imamiyyah that includes these successive, interconnected events, this is its text:

 

وفي رواية أبي ذر الغفاري أنه قال لما توفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جمع علي عليه السلام القرآن وجاء به إلى المهاجرين والأنصار وعرضه عليهم لما قد أوصاه بذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلما فتحه أبو بكر خرج في أول صفحة فتحها فضائح القوم فوثب عمر وقال يا علي أردده فلا حاجة لنا فيه فأخذه عليه السلام وانصرف ثم أحضروا زيد بن ثابت وكان قارئا للقرآن فقال له عمر إن عليا جاء بالقرآن وفيه فضائح المهاجرين والأنصار وقد رأينا أن نؤلف القرآن ونسقط منه ما كان فيه فضيحة وهتك للمهاجرين والأنصار فأجابه زيد إلى ذلك فلما استخلف عمر سأل عليا عليه السلام أن يدفع إليهم القرآن فيحرفوه فيما بينهم فقال يا أبا الحسن إن جئت بالقرآن الذي كنت قد جئت به إلى أبي بكر حتى نجتمع عليه فقال عليه السلام هيهات ليس إلى ذلك سبيل إنما جئت به إلى أبي بكر لتقوم الحجة عليكم ولا تقولوا يوم القيامة إنا كنا عن هذا غافلين أو تقولوا ما جئتنا به إن القرآن الذي عندي لا يمسه إلا المطهرون والأوصياء من ولدي قال عمر فهل لإظهاره وقت معلوم فقال عليه السلام نعم إذا قام القائم من ولدي يظهره ويجمل الناس عليه فتجري السنة به صلوات الله عليه

In the report of Abu Dharr al Ghifari radiya Llahu ‘anhu, he said, When the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away, ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam collected the Qur’an and brought it to the Muhajirin and Ansar and presented it to them, as the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had commanded him to do. When Abu Bakr opened it, the first page he opened revealed the scandals of the people. ‘Umar jumped up and said, “O ‘Ali! Take it back, for we have no need of it!” So he ‘alayh al Salam took it and left.

Then they brought Zaid ibn Thabit, who was a reciter of the Qur’an. ‘Umar said to him, “‘Ali brought a Qur’an that contains the scandals of the Muhajirin and Ansar. We have decided to compile the Qur’an and remove from it whatever was scandalous and dishonourable to the Muhajirin and Ansar.” Zaid agreed to that.

When ‘Umar became the Khalifah, he asked ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam to give them the Qur’an so that they could distort it. He said, “O, Abu al Hassan, if you bring the Qur’an that you brought to Abu Bakr, we will agree on it.”

He ‘alayh al Salam said, “There is no way I would ever do that. I only brought it to Abu Bakr so that the proof will be established against you and you will not say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘We were unaware of this’, or say, ‘You did not bring it to us.’ This Qur’an that is with me, none shall touch it except the purified and its guardians from my progeny.”

‘Umar asked, “Is there a specific time for his manifestation?”

He said, “Yes, when the Qa’im from my progeny rises, he will present it (i.e. the mushaf of ‘Ali) and the people will agree on it and the Sunnah will be implemented through it.”

 

If one reflects on this narration, which is the most comprehensive narration among the Imamiyyah and the main reference in this regard, one finds in it an explicit statement about the Khalifas’ radiya Llahu ‘anhum collection of the Qur’an. In the statement:

 

وقد رأينا أن نؤلف القرآن ونسقط منه ما كان فيه فضيحة وهتك للمهاجرين والأنصار فأجابه زيد إلى ذلك

We have decided to compile the Qur’an and remove from it whatever was scandalous and dishonourable to the Muhajirin and Ansar. Zaid agreed to that.

 

These are the most salient and important results produced by this study.

I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala to accept it and make it purely for His sake and to make it a means of lifting the veil from my people, so that they may see the serious consequences (of denying) the Khalifas’ radiya Llahu ‘anhum compilation of the Qur’an, which could cast doubt on its preservation and lead to belief in its distortion.

 

NEXT⇒ Appendices – Appendix 1

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^[1]  Al Naqd al Latif, 935.

^[2]  Al Tamhid fi ‘Ulum al Qur’an, 1/289.

^[3]  Al Hada’iq al Nadirah, 8/206.

^[4]  Al Tamhid fi ‘Ulum al Qur’an, 1/289.