Uloom Ul Quran

koute 114: Lloom al Quran Qabeelat losna
8haykh Yasir Qadhi November 2008

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koute 114 koute 114 koute 114 koute 114 - -- - Lloom al Quran (8ciences ol the Quran) Lloom al Quran (8ciences ol the Quran) Lloom al Quran (8ciences ol the Quran) Lloom al Quran (8ciences ol the Quran)
1aught by 8haykh Yasir Qadhi 1aught by 8haykh Yasir Qadhi 1aught by 8haykh Yasir Qadhi 1aught by 8haykh Yasir Qadhi
class Notes class Notes class Notes class Notes

chapter One chapter One chapter One chapter One: lntroduction : lntroduction : lntroduction : lntroduction

uelinition uelinition uelinition uelinition

1his was the lirst science 8haykh Yasir dedicated his lslamic studies to. 1oday is an introductory day. we will
talk about what exactly Lloom al Quran is, deline it, clarily it, and delineate the various topics that will be
covered.

when you lirst study any science, you deline it. 1hen you study why you learn the subject and delinitions and
motivations. what is the science and why should l study it7

uelinition:
1he knowledge ol Lloom al-Quran, or the science ol the Quran, deals with knowledge ol those
sciences which have a direct bearing on the recitation, history, understanding, and
implementation ol the Quran.

Lloom al Quran consists ol two words and translates into 'the sciences ol the Quran'. Lloom al Quran is a vast
topic because it deals with the holiest book and last revelation and all sciences related to understanding it.

Lloom al Quran deals directly with every branch ol science that has direct bearing on the Quran be it recitation
rules (tajwccJ), ways ol recitation (iraàt), or the signilicance ol revelation or inspiration (wany) (i.e. why did
Allah reveal J inspire). ln terms ol the history ol the Quran: how was the Quran revealed7 low does Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala) inspire7 low does wany (revelation) occur7 what is the signilicance ol wany7 what are
the categories ol inspiration7

leople in dillerent parts ol the world recite the Quran dillerently, and the actual letters and narakat change. ll
the average muslim is not aware ol this, then conlusion arises. lmams lrom Algeria and North Alrica will recite
the Quran dillerently. 1hey say Va|ik (the One who owns) rather than Vaa|ik (the king).

1here are many on earth claiming there is a ood but that ood does not give revelations, and these people are
called theists. many ol the lounding lathers were theists. 1hey believe ood does not communicate with us.
lvangelical christians say: everyone has the holy spirit within him. 1he lslamic perspective: Allah says in the
Quran isJajaa, meaning le chooses specilic people to be prophets and chooses specilic angels to be messengers
between lim and the prophets. 1his is a theological tangent relevant to the Quran because the Quran is a
revelation that Allah has given to mankind. Once we show that it is a communication, we have to show that it
is the linal revelation.

1he laha'i believe that ood revealed more books alter the Quran. 1he perennialists believe the Quran contains
truth and wisdom but that there is also truth and wisdom outside ol it.

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Ahl as sunnah believes that the Quran is the 8peech ol Allah. lmam Ahmad was tortured and persecuted
because he stood lirm to the creed that the Quran is the 8peech ol Allah. le was almost killed because the
khalilah ol the time was a mu'tazilite. lmam Ahmad was jailed, tortured, persecuted, and llogged in public, but
he stood lirm.

ll someone says: 'who cares il the Quran is created or not7' then this person does not understand the
repercussions ol the issues. lt is one ol the most relevant questions a muslim living in 21
st
century muslim
America has to lace. ll anyone removes this description, you make the Quran a human product and like a
document that may have historic signilicance but is not divine, and when it is not divine, it loses its legal status
and applicability and eternal status ol being sacred and holy. when we say the Quran is created, the
implication is that il we do not like something, then we can get rid ol it because by delinition, every created
object is imperlect and must come to an end and is not divine. 1o claim the Quran is created is in lact a
destruction ol the entire religion ol lslam. muslims lollowing this progressive mode ol thinking where they
want to change the basic lundamentals ol the Quran and 8unnah must claim that the Quran is created. 1here is
a lamous man today who claims this and when conlronted with a Quranic verse that opposes what he upholds,
he says that he lollows the mu'tazilite position that the Quran was created and collected by the bedouin Arabs.
le says he does not have to draw modern ethics, modern way ol living, business transactions and marriage and
divorce lrom it. when a person is lrom this paradigm and lrame ol mind, then his entire set ol values changes.
we need to understand what the concept is ol the Quran being the 8peech ol Allah.

lt is also ahl as sunnah's beliel that the Quran has been preserved down to the last detail. 1his is a very true
and valid claim, but we need to prove this and back it up because when you document this, it is no longer easy.
we need to talk about the history ol the Quran and how it was compiled. we say all the time that all ol the
Qurans around the world are exactly the same. we say that they are the same as the Lthmanic mus-naj, but this
is not very precise because when Lthman lirst compiled the Quran 1!80 years ago, the script ol the Quran was a
very dillerent script that no one can read in our times unless he is a specialist in that script because it is not the
Arabic he is lamiliar with. 1he script did not have doubts so a straight line could be (ua), (ta), (tna),
(nccn), or (ya). changes came about to make it standardized. we need to understand our tradition.

8imilarly, when did numbering the ayat start7 when did the categorizations ol makki and madani surahs come
about7 1he main topic ol Lloom al Quran is how to properly understand and implement the Quran. lt is really
the gist ol Lloom al Quran. 1he rest are all paraphernalia and interesting to learn. 1he importance is to help
you understand the Quran. 1o understand the Quran, you have to be cognizant ol many sciences. lor example:
when was a verse revealed7 when you know this, then you can place it in chronological order. lour verses
were revealed in regards to drinking wine. ll you take the lirst verse only, you may get the wrong
understanding.

You need to understand sauau u|-nuzcc| (reason lor revelation). when you understand the story, you
understand the precise application ol the verse. when you understand the reason why the verse was revealed
and the incident belore the revelation ol the verse, you know the meaning and intent ol the verse.

lxample:
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18. Verily! As-8ala and Al-marwah (two mountains in makkah) are ol the symbols ol Allah, so
it is not a sin on him who perlorm lajj or Lmrah (pilgrimage) ol the louse (the la'bah at
!
makkah) to perlorm the going (1awal) between them (As-8ala and Al-marwah). And whoever
does good voluntarily, then Verily, Allah is All-kecogniser, All-lnower. [8urah Al laqara: 18]

Lrwah, the nephew ol Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha), read this verse and said: 'l don't understand how this verse
tells us that we must do sa`cc. 1he verse is neutral.' 1his is the literalJapparent meaning. le went and asked
Aishah and said: 'O my aunt, how does this verse tells us we must do sa`cc7' Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha)
explained the context regarding the verse: lelore lslam there were two idols on 8alah and marwah. 1he
pagans would venerate the idols and when the idols were removed, they lelt that the sa`cc was a pagan practice.
Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) said that le made 8alah and marwah holy belore the }ahiliyyah practices,
therelore, il you do lajj and Lmrah, there is no sin when you perlorm sa`cc. 1he context reveals a new
meaning lor the verses, which is a purpose ol studying Lloom al Quran.

Another topic ol Lloom al Quran is when a verse was revealed, which is known as the makki and madani verses.
1his is also a very important topic ol Lloom al Quran because the chronology ol verses is essential belore any
legal verdict is derived. Already, we discussed the example ol alcohol. Another example: 8urah 1awbah and
8urah Al Anlahl are olten quoted by neo-conservatives because ol the ayat 'whenever you lind a pagan, slay
him.'
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. 1hen when the sacred months (the 1st, th, 11th, and 12th months ol the lslamic calendar)
have passed, then kill the mushrikun (8ee V.2:10) wherever you lind them, and capture them
and besiege them, and prepare lor them each and every ambush. lut il they repent and
perlorm As-8alat (lqamat-as-8alat), and give 2akat, then leave their way lree. Verily, Allah is
Olt-lorgiving, most mercilul. [8urah At-1awbah: ]

1hese verses were revealed at the very end ol the madani stage when the pagans ol Arabia had been given
more than ten years to make up their minds, and they still persisted in trying to massacre and kill the muslims.
1hese verses were revealed right at the end ol the lrophetic mission and are relevant to the Arabs ol the
Arabian peninsula who alter 22 years ol dawah relused to accept lslam. 1hey cannot be extrapolated and
applied to any other place because they were revealed at the very end ol the prophetic message.

lrom the makkan era when the muslims were a minority, we learn: Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 'lasbir
sabran jameelah'. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) did not reveal any ruling pertaining to military action during the
time in makkah. 1he madani verses are very dillerent and say lighting the enemies is permissible. One may
think there is a contradiction, but alter understanding the makki and madani surahs, then we obtain an
understanding ol the climate ol the time and verses that came down pertaining to each climate, so we can
extrapolate rulings lor our time more accordingly.

Another topic is the various categories ol verses that have multiple meanings, the same meaning, and those
that are abrogated (i.e. we recite them but do not act upon them).

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lxample:

ln one ayah, the widow is to stay one year in her husband's house, and in another ayah, it says lour
months.
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240. And those ol you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath lor their wives a year's
maintenance and residence without turning them out, but il they (wives) leave, there is no sin
on you lor that which they do ol themselves, provided it is honorable (e.g. lawlul marriage).
And Allah is All-mighty, All-wise. [8urah Al laqara: 240]

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2!4. And those ol you who die and leave wives behind them, they (the wives) shall wait (as
regards their marriage) lor lour months and ten days. 1hen when they have lullilled their term,
there is no sin on you il they (the wives) dispose ol themselves in a just and honorable manner
(i.e. they can marry). And Allah is well-Acquainted with what you do. [8urah Al laqara: 2!4]

Lloom al Quran teaches us that this is not a contradiction but an abrogation.

lxample:

ln one ayah, the two who are guilty ol lornication are to be placed under house arrest until they die or
Allah makes a way out lor them, and in another ayah, there is a dillerent ruling.

ln one verse: 'the two amongst you who are guilty ol lornication, place them under house arrest until they die
or Allah makes a way out lor them' and in another ayah, there is a dillerent ruling. One series ol verses has
been abrogated and the other is applicable.

Another chapter ol Lloom al Quran pertains to the miraculous nature ol the Quran (i`jaz a|-quran). we always
claim that the greatest miracle given to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is the Quran, which is true.
we claim that the Quran is the eternal miracle, and this is also true. ll a non-muslim asks 'how can this be
true7', a person may say: 'it cannot be imitated.' musaylimah was the lirst person to try to take the challenge ol
imitating the Quran. le spouted lorth some lines ol poetry which are ludicrous. Amr ibn Al 'Aas started
laughing and said: 'you know that l know that you are a liar.' At that time, Amr ibn al 'Aas was a pagan and not
yet muslim, and he heard this attempt and knew it to be lalse. low did he know this7 what is so special about
this topic7 Ol the ways it is miraculous is the ellect that it has on its listeners. 'when they hear what has been
revealed to the prophet, their eyes brim with tears.'


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8!. And when they (who call themselves christians) listen to what has been sent down to the
messenger (muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)), you see their eyes overllowing with
tears because ol the truth they have recognized. 1hey say: 'Our lord! we believe, so write us
down among the witnesses. [8urah Al maa'idah: 8!]

1he Quran has an emotional impact on a person that no other speech can have. 1hose who are non-Arabic
speakers know that when standing in salah behind an imam with a good voice and knusncc`, without
understanding a single word he is saying, the eyes brim with tears. ll you put on a cassette ol a topic in another
language, you may be able to tell il the person is being angry or being poetic, but will it allect your soul7 will
you leel the impact7 Obviously, the answer is no. 1he emotions will be neutral (a llat line on the heart
monitor). when you hear the Quran, you become emotionally involved and the heart starts palpitating. 1his is
a manilestation ol i`jaz ol the Quran. 1his is just one lacet ol the miraculous nature.

Another miracle is that the Quran can be memorized. orowing up as muslims, we know this but do not think
about it twice. lven in the smallest regions ol earth in the smallest villages and in the cities ol America, there
are madrassas opening and producing dozens ol children who have memorized the entire Quran. what is even
more amazing is that they do not even understand a word ol what they have memorized. A college prolessor
who is an expert in 8hakespeare and taught lamlet 0 times may have memorized phrases but not word lor
word and letter lor letter, and he knows the meaning! we have children memorizing the entire Quran, and we
do not even think twice about it. lt is a living miracle. lt is not humanly possible to memorize a thick book in
sometimes even less than one year and in the person's memory until he dies.

Another topic is the topic ol talseer. 1alseer is the jewel ol Lloom al Quran and the queen ol the Lloom al
Quran and deserves much attention. ln lnglish, talseer means exegesis, how to understand the Quran, and the
tools needed to properly open up the Quran. what are the tools that we need to properly derive our beliels, our
laws, our ethics lrom this book7 ls everyone qualilied to do talseer7 what makes one qualilied7 many verses
are interpreted many ways, and until we understand the sciences ol talseer, we will not know which one is
correct. 1alseer tells us we have to understand the Quran in light ol the Quran itsell and in light ol poetry and
asuau an-nuzcc|, etc.

low is the Quran perceived by non-muslims7 low was the Quran translated7 1he Quran is only in Arabic.
what was the lirst language it was translated into7 Around 112, it was translated into lnglish, and the
translator is unknown. why was it translated7 lt was done in order to relute lslam. low many translations
exist7 more than can be counted. ln lnglish, there are over 200 translations. low do we judge the
translations7 8haykh Yasir will recommend the ones that are more lluid towards the end ol the course. low
do non-muslims explain the phenomenon ol the Quran7 1his book changed the course ol history and billions
ol people derive their ethos and spiritual understanding lrom it. we will learn this and try to relute it in a
nutshell. An entire course could be spent on each topic and lull justice would still not be done!

1he knowledge ol Lloom al-Quran or the science ol the Quran, deals with knowledge ol those sciences which
have a direct bearing on the recitation, history, understanding and implementation ol the Quran.

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lenelits lenelits lenelits lenelits

lenelits ol 8tudying Lloom al-Quran:

1he knowledge ol Lloom al-Quran is what one is required to know in order to properly
interpret the Quran.

1here are many benelits, but amongst them are:
1. kealizing the greatness ol the Quran.
Lloom al Quran reintroduces to us why this look is so special and holy. when we study the sciences ol
the Quran, we lall in love with the Quran over and over again and truly appreciate why we are a blessed
nation and Allah has chosen us over other people.

2. Achieving greater understanding ol the Quran.
Lloom al Quran helps you to read the books ol translation and talseer better. when you read 1alseer
lbn lathir alter studying Lloom al Quran, you will benelit ten times more because you will understand
why he is saying what he is saying and the signilicance ol the relevance ol his tangents. lt helps you
appreciate the books ol talseer and how to benelit lrom the Quran.

!. lncreasing one's eman.
1here are many ways to increase iman, and ol the greatest ways is to recite the look ol Allah. ln the
Quran, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says, 'merely by listening to the Quran, your eman goes up.' when
you understand the Quran and Lloom al Quran, your eman goes up manilold. lven il you do not
understand Arabic, your eman is allected, which is amazing.

4. uelending the Quran.
1his is something that every one ol us must do to the level we are qualilied to. 1his is something we
need to realize and know: not every one ol us can delend each and every claim made against our
religion. You need to see who you are, your audience, and who you are addressing. when a specialist
comes, you are not the person who needs to debate because at your expense, lslam will have lost.
8imilarly, il there is a large audience and the debate becomes more ol a game, this also needs to be
seen. ll you are having a private conversation with someone else, the dynamic is dillerent.

1here are many attacks being waged against the Quran. Around 120 years ago (1860sJ0s) when non-muslims
began studying lslam lor the lirst time, their primary attack was on the persona ol the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam). 1o this day, this is the primary tactic ol lox News, etc. 1hen they turned to hadeeth, and
this remains a deep topic that they claim all ol the hadeeth are lorged and not preserved. 1his rubbed oll on
many muslims. 1hese ideas are in lact lrom non-muslims and this type ol thought never happened belore
amongst the muslims. 1here are now groups ol muslims (i.e. Quraniyoon, larvezis) who do not lollow hadeeth
and only lollow the Quran. 1hey rejected hadeeth, which was a direct inlluence ol orientalists. lor the most
part, they could not touch the Quran because Lloom al Quran was too complicated. ln the 1920s, Noeldeke, the
lirst oerman to break this barrier, wrote his groundbreaking 4-volume book, and this was the lirst domino that
lell. Alter his book, a large group ol people began concentrating more on the Quran. All academics lell during
the world war, and now it is a separate lield (Quranic studies) within lslamic studies. 1here are many
specialists and theories.

1he level ol sophistication has now reached where muslim scholars need to look up relerences and do their
homework belore reluting them. lt used to be simple, but now they have reached a level where truly things are
happening where muslims have to think outside ol the box. Ol the latest controversies is an article released by
1oby lester in 1he Atlantic about the orand mosque ol 8ana'a in Yemen (the oldest mosque in Yemen) which

was being rebuilt and reconstructed and in this rebuilding, they came across a room in the upper chambers
that had been neglected lor 1! centuries and not entered. ln this room, they discovered hundreds ol
manuscripts and many were old copies ol the Quran. 1his discovery was hailed to be the greatest discovery ol
manuscripts ol the Quran in modern history. lor reasons beyond the scope ol this course, oermany managed
to acquire all ol them and ship them to oermany. 1hey are being investigated as we speak, and the basic
premise ol these people is that they are trying to come up with alternate versions ol the Quran that Lthman
(radhi Allahu 'anhu) did not record. 1hey claim that they have lound some copies that were not destroyed and
have alternate versions. 1hey claim that Lthman (radhi Allahu 'anhu) only chose one version and that there
are other versions. 1his theory is academics being watered down to mainstream media.

Also, there are other attacks as well being done by enemies ol lslam and 'lriends' who do not know that when
they are being 'lriendly', they are being the worst enemies. 1hey say: 'muslims are too literal with the look
and take things at lace value and as a result are living in the middle Ages.' 1hey say we have a scripture that
tells us to do things that in the 21
st
century we do not do. 1hey say to be realistic and practical. Non-muslims
say that we still take things literally and that no christians or }ews are calling lor the implementation ol every
law in the Old 1estament because they went through the lnlightenment and kelormation to take the book to a
dillerent level. 1hey say: lollow the spirit ol the law and not the letter ol the law. 1homas lreedman, a
journalist ol the New York 1imes, has this take, and he has said it many times and is trying to be sympathetic to
the muslims and genuinely help. 1his is not our code: how and why7 Noah leldman is another example ol an
intellectual who also said the muslims need a relormation. le is seen as a person sympathetic to lslam. 1he
average person will become conlused. we need to understand in order to delend ourselves. ly taking a one
weekend or two weekend or ten weekend class, you will not become a specialist, but this basic inlormation will
at least help you understand where they are coming lrom. lven il you cannot relute them right at that
moment, at least you will have a broad understanding ol what is happening and how the game is being played
and you will have the resources to debate when you become qualilied.

Our goal is to make you understand the sub-topics and know that they exist. 1he knowledge ol what the topics
entail will advance you in many ways inshAllah.

listory listory listory listory

what is meant by the 'history ol Lloom al Quran'7 what is meant is: who lounded the science, who the lirst
person to write books was, where the ideas came lrom.

lnitiation by the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) himsell.
like all ol the sciences ol lslam, the basic genesis ol the sciences is through the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) himsell. lt is directly through the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) that we get all ol the sciences ol
lslam. le did not categorize these sciences and have dillerent halaqas lor liqh and talseer. lverything he said
can be used lor all ol the sciences simultaneously. le (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is a living spokesperson on
behall ol Allah (subhanahu wata'ala). lvery word that he says is sunnah and talseer and everything. le (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is the source ol all ol the sciences. Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) said the akn|a ol the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is the Quran.

companions lamous lor their knowledge ol the Quran.
1he sahabah would go to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) when they had problems. One ol the lamous
examples showing that you will never understand the Quran unless you go to the 8unnah is the ayah 'eat and
drink until the white thread is clear lrom the black thread.'

8
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18. lt is made lawlul lor you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night ol As-8aum
(the lasts). 1hey are iuas [i.e. body cover, or screen, or 5akan, (i.e. you enjoy the pleasure ol
living with her - as in verse :189) 1alsir At-1abari], lor you and you are the same lor them.
Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so le turned to you (accepted your
repentance) and lorgave you. 8o now have sexual relations with them and seek that which
Allah has ordained lor you (ollspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) ol dawn
appears to you distinct lrom the black thread (darkness ol night), then complete Your 8aum
(last) till the nightlall. And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are
in i'tikaj (i.e. conlining onesell in a mosque lor prayers and invocations leaving the worldly
activities) in the mosques. 1hese are the limits (set) by Allah, so approach them not. 1hus does
Allah make clear his Ayt (prools, evidences, lessons, signs, revelations, verses, laws, legal and
illegal things, Allah's set limits, orders, etc.) to mankind that they may become Al-muttaqun
(the pious - see V.2:2). [8urah Al laqarah: 18]

1he verse is a relerence to kamadan, and Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) said to eat and drink until you can
dillerentiate between the white and black threads.

'Adi b. latim (radhi Allahu 'anhu) reported that when (this verse) was revealed: Lntil the
white streak ol the dawn becomes distinct lrom the dark streak" (2:18), 'Adi b. latim said:
messenger ol Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), verily l keep underneath my pillow two
strings, one white and the other black, by which l distinguish night lrom dawn." Lpon this, the
messenger ol Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Your pillow seems to be very large, lor
the word knait implies the blackness ol the night and the whiteness ol the dawn." [8ahih
muslim :: look 6 :: ladeeth 2!96]

1he Arabic could have been literal, but the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) explained the relerence and
what it actually means.

Alter the death ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), certain sahabah began to specialize in specilic
sciences. 1here were sahabah who specialized in liqh (legal codes), and others became masters in hadeeth
narration like Abu lurayrah (radhi Allahu 'anhu). Other sahabah became experts in the Quran, some in the
recitation and others in the understanding. lrom the time ol the sahabah, we see the genesis ol the sciences ol
lslam. lven the sahabah did not give the sciences dillerent names. 1he naming ol sciences happened two
centuries later. we see the development ol movements that would become dillerent disciplines. 1he most
lamous ol the sahabah lor knowledge in the Quran:

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1. Abdullah lbn Abbas (d. ! Al), the cousin ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). le lived his
lile in makkah.
2. Lbay ibn la'ab. le lived in madinah.
!. Abdullah ibn masood. le lived in lulah.

makkah: the holiest city
madinah: where the sahabah were living when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) died
lulah: Ali (radhi Allahu 'anhu) sent lbn masood (radhi Allahu 'anhu) to lula to teach and translerred the
capital ol the caliphate to lulah.

1here were no schools, madrassas, or universities at the time. 1o become a scholar, you attached yoursell to a
living scholar and sat and drank and ate with him. 1hese three people in particular became walking
universities and produced a galaxy ol stars. 1hey produced entire graduating classes ol luminaries whom to
this day we look up to. lbn Abbas taught 8a'eed ibn }ubayr, lkrimah, 'Ata, and mujahid. ln madinah, Lbay ibn
la'ab taught 2ayd ibn Aslam, muhammad ibn la'ab, and Abu Aalia. ln lulah, Abdullah ibn masood taught
lasan Al lasri, Nasookh, and Qatadah.

Lloom al Quran at this stage was centered on direct interpretation ol the Quran even though it was not
restricted to this. Ali (radhi Allahu 'anhu) lamously said: Ask me about any verse ol the look ol Allah and l
will tell you il it was revealed during the day or night or on a mountain or a plain." lbn masood (radhi Allahu
'anhu) said: 1here is no surah in the Quran except that l know where it was revealed, and there is not a single
verse in the Quran except that l know the reason behind its revelation. ll there was any person that knew more
about the Quran than l did, and il it was possible lor me to reach him, l would ride on my camel to him (to get
his knowledge)."

mujahid said that he recited every verse ol the Quran to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) three times
and asked him il he did not understand any verse.

1he generation ol the sahabah did not write much material, even hadeeth. 8cholarship at that level was
memorized and not written. lt was the level ol the tabi'oon when writing began, and it llourished in the third
generation when maalik, whose teacher was Nali', wrote Al muwatta. 8imilarly ibn 8hihab az-2uhri (d. 129)
wrote. 1hey wrote small booklets on miscellaneous topics. 1he lirst books on talseer date back to the mid lirst
century and are not lound anymore because what happened they were initially written in small booklets and
then someone like lukhari came and incorporated everything into bigger books, so there was no need lor the
smaller books. 8imilarly with talseer, larger compilations were done. 1he most lamous compilation, which is
an encyclopedia ol talseer printed in !0 volumes, is the talseer ol lbn }areer At-1abari (d. !10 Al). 1his book is
in print but is a relerence book and cannot be read cover to cover as a lay person. lbn lathir summarized it in
10 volumes.

leading centers ol all the sciences ol lslam in the muslim world.

8ciences began to be written separately. lor example: sciences on the stories ol revelation (i.e. what happened
to cause the ayah to be revealed), blessings ol each surah, when was the ayah revealed, various abrogation in
the Quran, grammatical analysis ol the Quran ('irau a| quran), the miraculous nature ol the Quran (i'jaz ol the
Quran). ln the seventh century, someone decided that all ol these topics are related to the Quran, and he wrote
an encyclopedia ol all ol them together. Az-2arkashi wrote A| 8urnan ji 0|ccm a| quran in the 00s. As-8uyuti in
911 Al wrote the most lamous book a| 'taan jcc 0|ccm a| quran in the Arabic language, which is the summary ol
A| 8urnan. 1hese two works are considered the standard relerences J resources on Lloom al Quran. 1he
science ol Lloom al Quran developed over the centuries and was codilied and written down and to this day
people are thinking about it. Lnorthodoxy lorces orthodoxy to go back to orthodoxy.
10

lre wwl, the Ottomans aligned themselves with oermany. oerman-muslim relations at that time and era were
becoming stronger and stronger. lolitics plays a role in academics, and this allected the study ol lslam and
until the 190sJ1960s, oermany produced the greatest minds ol lslamic studies. lt is only recently that the tide
has turned and America and lngland are producing the lslamic thinkers. many manuscripts ol our tradition
are lound in oermany. lt is sale to say that there are more manuscripts ol classical tradition in non-muslim
than muslim countries. 1he oldest Quran in the world is in the lritish National museum.

low do muslim scholars in the east who are not educated in the west respond to the arguments ol western
scholars7 1o be brutally honest, they are not qualilied to and do not think outside ol the methodology. (Note:
lt works both ways). when studying lrom the western school, the lastern mind many times cannot understand
the argument in the same way, and many times they cannot relute it lrom their principles and loundations
because they are not schooled in them. lor example: il an Orientalist quotes something, a muslim will look up
evidences, and the Orientalist does not want quotations ol people who died centuries ago. lt becomes dillicult
to engage in productive conversation. western scholarship trivializes eastern scholarship because eastern
scholarship does not bring the level ol sophistication that they want.

lt is called lslamic 8tudies here and in the east, but they are dillerent lields. ln the east: what is the right
answer, right opinion, right theology7 ln the west: why did this person say this, where did he get it lrom, what
ellect did it have, what context was it in7 One ol 8haykh Yasir's prolessors said: whether the lrophet was a
prophet or not is not a question western academia tries to resolve but they look at what he said. 1hey are
concerned with the history and social product that happened at the time.

11
chapter 1wo chapter 1wo chapter 1wo chapter 1wo

1he Quran: uelinitions 1he Quran: uelinitions 1he Quran: uelinitions 1he Quran: uelinitions

what exactly is the Quran7
1he word 'Quran' has been recited in two dillerent ways in the Quran itsell.
1. '-
2. '
most ol us recite it in the lirst way. lased upon this dillerence, scholars have dillered on the origin ol the
world.

linguistic meaning ol the word Quran":
lrom'-three opinions came:

1) 1he word '- comes lrom - which means 'supporting evidences.' lt is as il the Quran
supports parts ol it with others and helps parts ol it with others. lut together, the complete
evidence is obtained.
2) minority interpretation: the Quran comes lrom the three letter - meaning to combine. Once
again, it is as il the Quran is compiled between the ayat and surahs to make one complete book.
!) 1he majority opinion, which 8haykh Yasir also lollows, is that it comes lrom the verb which
means 'to recite.' lbn 1aymiyyah, At 1abari, lbn lajr and other lamous ulema hold this opinion.
Quran therelore means 'the recitation J that which is recited'.
lrom'two opinions came:

1) No meaning at all (meaningless). lt is only a proper noun like At-1orah, Al-lnjeel, Az-2aboor, which
do not have meanings and are just names. 1his is the opinion ol lmam Ash-8hali'ee. lbn lathir, the
teacher ol Ash-8hali'ee and one ol the lamous seven reciters ol the Quran, recited this way.
2) lt is a strange transmutation ol the three letter word (a-ra-na). One ol the types ol lajj is
called lajj Qiraan lrom this same verb.means 'to put together J to place in close proximity J
to gather'. we say lajj Qiraan because the lajj and the Lmrah are put together in one ihram (i.e.
Lmrah and lajj will be perlormed without taking the ihram oll.) 1herelore, according to this
opinion the word ' means: combining rulings, commandments, stories, and that which is
essential into one book. 1his was a minority opinion ol some linguists.

1he overall theme ol these three (opinions 1 and 2 ol the lirst group and opinion 2 ol second group) is the same:
association and combining.

ll the recitation is dillerent, then the meaning must be dillerent.
1he response: lbn lathir, the teacher ol Ash-8haal'iee, has a rule overall in his recitation where when there is a
namzan, it will be dropped lor ease ol recitation. lt is not a rule only applied to Quran. ll it were only applied to
this word, then there would be a problem. lbn lathir recited many namzans throughout the Quran as an a|ij,
which is something the Arabs did to make ease ol recitation. 1he reason why ibn lathir recited the word the
way he did was because ol a general accent ol his area.

12
lvidences:
! 1.l ls _!l ls > l .
106. And (it is) a Quran which we have divided (into parts), in order that you might recite it to
men at intervals. And we have revealed it by stages. [8urah Al lsra: 106]

Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) uses the verb&)G9in the same context as the Quran, therelore, it makes sense
according to the vast majority opinion that the word 'Quran' comes lrom the verb meaning 'to recite'.
| !ls -- _,.!

(1. lt is lor Ls to collect it and to give you (O muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) the
ability to recite it (the Qur'an),)(18. and when we have recited it to you [O muhammad (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) through }ibrael (oabriel)], then lollow you its (the Qur'an's) recital.)
[8urah Al Qiyaamah: 1-18]
ln this context,#%is a verb and not a noun. 1herelore, it is clear that the word 'Quran' comes lrom the
word qa-ra-a.
Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) chose a noun to describe lis kevelation, and that noun is 'Quran'. what does this
mean7 why did Allah choose this one noun7 le chose 'Quran' to be the primary name lor this look. why7
One aspect is that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) wanted us to recite this book. No other book in human history
has been recited and studied as much as this book. No moment goes by except that at any moment there are
millions ol people all over the world reciting this book. lvery muslim recites this book everyday in salah.
Nothing else is recited even a lraction as much as the Quran is recited. lndeed, it is unique! 1here is nothing
recited with the lrequency, passion, motivation, quantity, and quality as the Quran. 1here is another
connotation as well that the Quran is the recitation ol Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) lrom eternity. Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala) recited it even belore men were reciting it. 1his shows us the status ol the Quran that it
is the uivine 8peech ol Allah. Allah wanted to emphasize that this is the recitation and uivine 8peech itsell in
the very noun that le chose. lt is a deep and prolound noun that Allah chose lor this look.

Note: A delinition must be compact and precise and must include all the parts that are essential and make sure
that it excludes anything non-essential. lt must be comprehensive and nothing should be lelt out that is
needed.

lts m lts m lts m lts meaning within the Quranic 8ciences: eaning within the Quranic 8ciences: eaning within the Quranic 8ciences: eaning within the Quranic 8ciences:

1he scholars ol the Quran thought about various delinitions, and there have been many attempts and there still
are. 1his is a matter ol words and how to deline it in a way that makes sense and deline that which is the Quran
and that which is not.

8cholars ol Lloom al Quran put lorth the criteria:

1he Quran is the Arabic speech (ka|am) ol Allah, which le revealed to muhammad in wording
and meaning, and which has been preserved in the mus-najs, and has reached us by Vutawaatir
transmissions, and is a challenge to mankind to produce something similar to it.
1!
1his delinition is composed ol aspects:

1) Arabic 8peech (ka|am) ol Allah
1his has two aspects: Arabic and speech. ly delinition, anything that is not in Arabic is not the Quran. Any
time the Quran is translated into another language, it is not the Quran anymore. A translation can never take
the status ol the Arabic original. lt is improper to call an lnglish translation 'the Quran.' 1he Quran can only
be in Arabic. 1he repercussions ol this are:
cannot recite the lnglish as an act ol worship. 1he lnglish is simply knowledge to understand the
Quran. ll a prayer is said and a person recites the lnglish, then the prayer is null and void unless it is a
convert until he learns.
1he Arabic and only the Arabic can be used to derive laws and liqh and aqeedah.

1he evidence that the Quran is in Arabic are 11 verses in the Quran describing it as being in Arabic, including:
!| l ! !,s >l-l l1-.
2. Verily, we have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an
in order that you may understand. [8urah Yusul: 2]

1l l- ` l1 !| l- ":, !.l %! >l l| >s
!.l s _,,
10!. And indeed we know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: 'lt is only a human being who
teaches him (muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)).' 1he tongue ol the man they reler to is
loreign, while this (the Qur'an) is a clear Arabic tongue.
[8urah An Nahl: 10!]
,l !> ,l| ! !,s .l 1l _ !> . _,'

,' ,-.l
. And thus we have inspired unto you (O muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) a Qur'an
(in Arabic) that you may warn the mother ol the towns (makkah) and all around it. And warn ol
the uay ol Assembling, ol which there is no doubt, when a party will be in laradise (those who
believed in Allah and lollowed what Allah's messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) brought
them) and a party in the blazing lire (lell) (those who disbelieved in Allah and lollowed not
what Allah's messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) brought them). [8urah Ash 8hura: ]

larly on, controversy started in this issue because there were words not ol Arabic origin. lor example, the
words -- - , ' - -- , ,='-' (stories) and '=- (justice) were used by Abyssinians and komans. 1he
sahabah had no problem at all with the non-Arabic origins ol words. lbn Abbas said - --'is the Abyssinian
word lor silk. later on, scholars in the tabi'oon and taba tabi'oon periods raised questions on how the Quran
can have non-Arabic words when it is in Arabic.
lmam Ash-8hali'ee (d. 204) in his lamous Ar-kisala said: 'a group ol loolish people have spoken (relerring to his
contemporaries), and they have presumed that the Quran has non-Arabic words in it and have brought lorth a
14
monstrosity the likes ol which they have not recognized and claim that the 8peech Allah describes as being
Arabic is non-Arabic.'

A generation later, At-1abari said: 'lmam Ash-8hali'ee is correct and the opposing camp is also correct.
coincidentally, both cultures and language used the same word lor the same ellect.' Another great a|im lmam
Abu Lbayd Al Qaasim ibn 8alaam gave an opinion that is a scholarly position, which no true researcher can
deny. le said: 'the Arab civilization like any other interacted with other civilizations and cultures. 1hey
interacted with the lersians and Abyssinians. like any civilization, they imported words into the Arabic
language and began to use these words and spread them and write poetry with them so much so that they
became Arabic words lor all intensive purposes. 1he Arabs incorporated them into their language, and it
became part ol vernacular. 1he origin ol these words is non-Arabic, but the words themselves are now Arabic.
1herelore, when Allah says it is an Arabic Quran, it is an Arabic word.' lven in the lnglish language, there are
many words that come lrom Arabic. lor example: 'algebra'. 1here are around 10 words in the Quran ol non-
Arabic origin. As-8uyuti (d. 911 Al) wrote the largest book on this issue and compiled around 10 words in the
Quran ol non-Arabic origin.
[lYl: these terms in particular have to do with oreek and latin and eventually taken into Old then middle and
late lnglish and still exist now.,='-'means stories and'=- means justice.]
1his issue ol loreign language in the Quran was debated lor 8 or 9 centuries until the standard position ol lbn
8alaam came along. Orientalists pay extreme attention to this concept. 1hey wrote many books about it. Ol
the earliest classics to be written is a book by Arthur }ellrey in 1942 named loreign Vocabulary in the Quran,
which is one ol the most academic books. why does he care about this topic7 ly examining them, we see the
inlluences on the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and who taught him. we see the currents that came to
him and determine where the inlluences came lrom.

1hese words are now Arabic luhsa even il they are ol non-Arabic origin.
> 8earch muslimmatters.org lor loreign words in the Quran!

[1he early muslims were grappling with concepts and ideas. 1here are great scholars on all sides, to quote a
scholar as evidence, we respect them, but at the same time, to claim that these are Arabic words, they do not
have Arabic roots and can be lound in other languages.]

2) kevealed to muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in wording and meaning

Allah's 8peech is inlinite. ln the Quran, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says:
l ! _ _ >: "l `>,l _ .-, -, > ! ,
l < | < s ">>
2. And il all the trees on the earth were pens and the sea (were ink wherewith to write), with
seven seas behind it to add to its (supply), yet the words ol Allah would not be exhausted.
Verily, Allah is All-mighty, All-wise. [8urah luqmann: 2]

we have to specily what speech we are relerring to. 1he Quran is the 8peech ol Allah revealed to the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in wording and meaning. Allah spoke all the looks (1orah, lnjeel, 2aboor). 1he
Quran is not the entire speech ol Allah.

1
1his was a controversy: did the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) only receive the meaning and made the
wording7 Non-orthodox muslims say the wording is lrom }ibreel. 8unni muslims say: Quran is in wording and
meaning.

!) lreserved in the mus-najs
A mus-naj is a written copy ol the Quran and comes lrom sunccj, which means 'scrolls'. lt is a compilation ol
scrolls. we deline the Quran to be that which is preserved in the mus-naj. ln this delinition, mus-naj means the
Lthmanic mus-naj because the khalilah Lthman (radhi Allahu 'anhu) compiled the ollicial copy ol the Quran.
le said: 'these are the ollicial copies and all the rest must be copied lrom these copies.' we deline the Quran to
be that which Lthman compiled in the mus-naj. Lthman is not an evidence per say. what is our evidence7
ljmaa' (unanimous consensus). 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: 'Allah will not allow my ummah
to gather together upon misguidance.' ljmaa' is nujjan and has legislative weight. Ol the things that the
ummah has agreed upon and most importantly the sahabah agreed upon: the companions all agreed that this
is the Quran, so we deline it to be. ll something is not in the compilation ol Lthman (radhi Allahu 'anhu), it is
not the Quran.

4) keached us by mutawaatir transmissions
mutawaatir means narrated by a large number ol narrators in each and every stage ol the chain so much so
that they could not all make a mistake and could not all agree to make a lie. mutawaatir is only used to
describe what is seen and heard (not opinions). ln every generation, it has been memorized and recited back to
the earlier generation. 1his shows us in the delinition that the Quran has been preserved both in writing and
in reciting. loth aspects come together. 1he Quran as a whole has been recited in mutawaatir transmissions.
1here can be no doubt that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) recited it.

) challenge to mankind to produce something similar to it
1his gives us an important aspect ol the Quran in that the Quran is miraculous and cannot be imitated (mu`jaz).
1he Quran is not like the speech ol men.

1he Quran: 1 1he Quran: 1 1he Quran: 1 1he Quran: 1he 8peech ol Allah he 8peech ol Allah he 8peech ol Allah he 8peech ol Allah

when dealing with the topic ol the Names and Attributes ol Allah, two basic principles must be understood:

1. Allah has described limsell with the best and most perlect Names and Attributes.

Allah has described limsell as having the characteristics ol ka|am in over two dozen verses in the Quran. we
have delined the Quran to be the ka|am ol Allah. Ol these verses is the verse where Allah (subhanahu wata'ala)
praises some prophets over others. ln 8urah Al laqarah, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says, '8ome prophets Allah
has spoken to.'

we know ol three prophets ol whom Allah has spoken to directly without an intermediary: Adam
(commanding him with what le commanded him), musa (on mount 1oor where Allah said: 'O musa, l am your
lord!'), muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) (when he went on the night journey).
' `.. ls _ , ' l `..1 ls l < _

!l.
164. And messengers we have mentioned to you belore, and messengers we have not
mentioned to you, - and to musa (moses) Allah spoke directly. [8urah An Nisaa': 164]
16
. l ,, !. s , ..l>l _.l `l-l
11. And the word ol your lord has been lullilled in truth and in justice. None can change lis
words. And le is the All-learer, the All-lnower. [8urah Al An'am: 11]
2. Allah's Names and Attributes are unique and do not resemble the attributes ol lis creation.
L! ,.l _ -> />l _ >. !> _ - !> _l

.l. ": _.l ,.,l
11. 1he creator ol the heavens and the earth. le has made lor you mates lrom yourselves, and
lor the cattle (also) mates. ly this means le creates you (in the wombs). 1here is nothing like
unto him, and le is the All-learer, the All-8eer.
[8urah Ash 8hura: 11]

Allah has called the Quran lis 8peech in the Quran. lor example: 8urah 1awbah v. 6, Allah says this is the
kalamullah.
| > _ _,:l !>.` >! _.> _`. l < . -l, ! ,l

!, l-
6. And il anyone ol the mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness ol
Allah) seeks your protection then grant lim protection, so that he may hear the word ol Allah
(the Qur'an), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who
know not. [8urah At 1awbah: 6]

what does it mean that it is the 8peech ol Allah7 1he scholars ol ahl as sunnah allirm whatever Allah says
about limsell, and they do not think 'how' or 'why' because this is what Allah says. we learn lrom other
traditions that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) speaks and }ibreel hears lim. Allah spoke to }ibreel and Adam
(alayhi salaam) and musa (alayhi salaam) and muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). we can derive that the
8peech ol Allah is in dillerent languages. Allah speaks in a voice that is heard and in words and letters that we
know. Allah speaks in other tongues and other ways that we do not know. 1his was the beliel ol the early
muslims.

1he lalam ol Allah is Lncreated 1he lalam ol Allah is Lncreated 1he lalam ol Allah is Lncreated 1he lalam ol Allah is Lncreated
| > _ _,:l !>.` >! _.> _`. l < . -l, ! ,l
!, l-
6. And il anyone ol the mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness ol
Allah) seeks your protection then grant lim protection, so that le may hear the word ol Allah
(the Qur'an), and then escort lim to where le can be secure, that is because they are men who
know not. [8urah At 1awbah: 6]
1

1he lirst person to claim that the Quran was created: }a'ad ibn uirham
lrominent groups who claimed this: Asharis.

Very early on in the ummah within around a century ol the death ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam),
the lirst deviant beliel about the Quran crept in because ol a christian controversy. 1here are people who said:
'the Quran is created and cannot be the 8peech ol Allah il you understand it.' 1hey would continue on with
their philosophical implications. }a'ad ibn uirham and his student }ahm ibn 8alwan said this.

1he mu'tazilah took up this doctrine ol saying that the Quran is created. 1he mu'tazilah managed to reach the
highest ollices ol the caliphate and converted the minister lbn Abi uu'aad ol the Abbasid khalilah who managed
to inlluence Al-ma'moon the khalilah. Al-ma'moon became an ardent, die-hard mu'tazili and a bigoted
mu'tazili, and he was convinced by lbn Abi uu'aad to adopt the mu'tazili creed lor the entire ummah. le sent
out a decree all over the ummah to say that anyone on a state pension or stipend, which supported most
scholars, must declare openly that the Quran is created or he will be lired and maybe jailed and maybe tortured
and maybe executed (occurred in stages).

1here was an internal lslamic inquisition (a|-minna). 1hey had a very devious strategy where they started with
those who were lower (i.e. not lamous and with no backing) and then moved up until the last person they
approached was lmam Ahmad ibn lanbal alter the entire support had collapsed including major scholars.
lmam Ahmad understood that he would be the last domino to lall il he agreed.
> 8uggested listening: ur. 8ali lhan - lroliles ol courage audio lecture in 4 cus.

lmam Ahmad remained brave. A lew scholars told him secretly to be brave because otherwise that would be it.
One ol the oldest scholars who died as a result ol being mishandled as a prisoner on his way to being tortured to
laghdad had told lmam Ahmad: O Ahmad, realize you have only one lile to live and will die anyway, so why
not meet death with dignity." 1hese words encouraged him. 1his event boosted lmam Ahmad to be the imam
ol the entire ummah. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) blesses you when you go through these situations. lecause
ol this minna, he became so popular because he persevered, and Allah blessed him through this perseverance.
lmam Ahmad prayed: O Allah, do not ever let me see the lace ol Al-ma'moon." lelore he reached laghdad,
Al-ma'moon died a strange and mysterious death. Al-ma'moon died and lelt behind a legacy.

Alter Al-ma'moon, the next khalilah allowed ibn Abi uu'aad to do whatever he wanted and did not care about
the theological issues. lbn Abi uu'aad issued a lalse charge against lmam Ahmad and lmam Ahmad said: 'how
can my opponent also be my judge7' le was not allowed any other option and it was decreed that he would be
imprisoned and tortured. le was tortured many times. lmam Ahmad in prison continued to teach and
produced many scholars lrom the people who were prisoners. Alter this time, he was under house arrest and
never really taught until he passed away. lis legacy remains to this day. lmam Ahmad said the beliel that the
Quran is created is blasphemy (disbeliel) yet he did not declare the people who believed it to be disbelievers.

1he point is that lmam Ahmad understood the repercussions and what would happen il he said the Quran is
created. 1o claim the Quran is created is to claim it is not divine, therelore, it is a document that can be
tampered with. lmam Ahmad understood that il the khalilah got this through, then there would be no 8hari'ah
alter this. 1he beauty ol the lslamic state is that the 8hari'ah keeps the khalilah in check. 1he one excuse to
have lor the muslim ummah to rebel is when the khalilah does open acts ol kulr J does not lollow the 8hari'ah.
lt is quite clear what the intended tactic was.

1here were two camps alter the death ol lmam Ahmad:
1) 1he Quran is created
2) 1he Quran is not created.
18
One generation later, a new group known as the Asharis and maturidiyyah came about. Abu lasan Al Ashari (d.
!24) devised a new doctrine which was unprecedented and novel. 1he details ol this were mentioned in light
Lpon light.
lriel summary: Al Ashari came lrom the lramework ol the mu'tazila but wanted to be a 8unni. le tried to be
both and ended up being neither. le agreed with the basic premises ol the mu'tazila but he wants to be a 8unni
and knows sunnism is true. lis basic premise is that the 8peech ol Allah is an abstract concept that we can
never lully understand at all and has nothing to do with the world that we live in and it cannot be heard and is
not in any language and does not have any words and letters and cannot be spoken to angels and cannot be
broken into parts (i.e. it is all or nothing). lor ahl as sunnah, the Quran is just one part ol the 8peech ol Allah.

kepercussions: claiming Allah does not speak in Arabic and with a voice then it raises serious issues like 'what
is the Quran7' J 'what did }ibreel hear7' (they say }ibreel did not hear anything). lerein lies one ol the most
dangerous theological concepts: they claimed that the Quran as we know it is created and there is an abstract
theoretical concept known as the speech ol ood that is uncreated. what is the relationship between these two7
1he Quran is the created expression in Arabic composed ol words and letters ol an uncreated meaning. (i.e. the
Quran is created and uncreated at the same time). 1his was a new doctrine that neither 8unnis nor mu'tazilis
held. 1his doctrine is a dangerous doctrine and could have been misused and abused, but historically they let it
stop right there. 1o this day, there is controversy between these two groups, and the reality is that it is a
dangerous illogical beliel that could have been misused but did not misuse it to the extent it could have been.

1his theological implication is clearly understood by many non-muslims ol our times. One ol the greatest
academics ol lslam still alive to this day is Van lss, a oerman. le gave a lecture in America twenty years ago
addressing a group ol muslim academics. le said the exact same things as mentioned previously: 'we all know
you have a problem, and we are trying to help. 1he problem is that you cling too literally to your texts, and we
have all gone past this. 1o live in the modern world, you must do this as well. l understand your theological
dilemma, but as you know, mainstream 8unni beliel (i.e. he is relerring to Ashari beliel) is that the Quran is not
the actual speech ol ood and is a created expression ol that speech, so realize that these words that you have
are created and not the actual speech ol ood. leyond this, you muslims will have to get to the end result.' 1his
person lully understood the implications ol the controversy.

1he Quran: lts uescriptions 1he Quran: lts uescriptions 1he Quran: lts uescriptions 1he Quran: lts uescriptions

1here is dillerence ol opinion over what constitutes a name and what constitutes a description. 1he position
8haykh Yasir lollows is that a name is something that has the connotation ol a proper noun. many scholars ol
the Quran said the Quran has up to 100 names and some ol them are more descriptions than names such as
'light (nccr)', but is the Quran nccr or described as nccr7 8haykh Yasir's opinion is that nccr is a description.
8ome say that tanzcc| is a description and not name. 1here is no hard and last rule but a matter ol opinion.

Names ol the Quran Names ol the Quran Names ol the Quran Names ol the Quran

live ol the more common names are:
1he quran
Allah uses this name around ! times. lt is used to mean 'that which is recited.'

1he kitaau
1he very lirst term in the Quran used is this to describe the Quran. 1his word is used more lrequently than the
word 'Quran.' 1he meaning is 'that which is written' J 'the book'. 1he kitaau and the Quran are complementary
names because the Quran is preserved in recitation and writing. 1hey denote the lact that the Quran will
always be the most recited book and most read book. lt may be lactually true that the lible is printed more
than the Quran, but it is not a matter ol printing but ol reading!
19

1he luraan
Al lurqaan occurs 4 or times in the Quran. Ol them is the beginning ol 8urah Al lurqaan (2:1). 1he meaning
is 'the criterion'. lt comes lrom the verb (ja-ra-a), meaning 'to separate'. 1he Quran is that which
separates. 1he luraan separates tawheed lrom shirk, truth lrom lalsehood, and good lrom evil. 1he luraan is
what you need to be your guide because it guides you to the good and away lrom the evil.

1he 1nikr
comes lrom-(tna-ka-ra) meaning 'to remember'. Al-1hikr is that which reminds you. 1his word occurs over
0 times in the Quran.
ln the Quran, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says, '1his look is a reminder lor you and your people.'

ln 8urah 1:9 - 'it has your dhikr.'
!| _> !l %! !| l L>' _
9. Verily we: it is we who have sent down the uhikr
(i.e. the Qur'an) and surely, we will guard it (lrom corruption).

1his is a deep verse. lt seems that the meaning ol this verse is: this Quran shall make you, your people, and
your nation lamous. ll the Quran had not been revealed, the Arabs would be like other nations whose names
are not known. 1he meaning according to one interpretation: this look will make you and your people icons
lor all ol humanity. 1his is true because we know the names ol the sahabah and Arabic culture like no other
civilization and culture. 1he Quran is a reminder and reminds us ol our purpose ol lile and reminds us ol our
spirituality. Our eman is boosted when we read Quran, which is a tnikr.

1he 1anzcc|
1his word occurs more than 10 times, which is why some say that this is a description and not a name, which
is a valid point. comes lrom the word , (na-za-|a), meaning that which has come down. 1he Quran has come
down lrom Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) to us. 8urah 8hua'raa (second last page on right hand side at bottom):
'.}ibreel has brought down to your heart.'
| .l _,-l _ , _l _, _ ls ,,l >.l _ _l _
And truly, this (the Qur'an) is a kevelation lrom the lord ol the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all
that exists), which the trustworthy kuh [}ibrael (oabriel)] has brought down, upon your heart
(O muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) that you may be (one) ol the warners, [8urah Ash-
8hua'raa: 192-194]

Allah sent down the Quran lrom limsell through }ibreel to the heart ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam). 1he emphasis is given that it is not any book but a divine book whose origin goes back to the heavens.

1 11 1he Quran as it describes itsell he Quran as it describes itsell he Quran as it describes itsell he Quran as it describes itsell

1here are many verses in the Quran where the Quran praises itsell.

10:8 1ell them to rejoice at the blessings and mercy ol Allah. 8cholars have said 'blessings' is the lslam and
the 'mercy' is the Quran, and other scholars have said the reverse.
20
., < ..-, ,l, >l ,> ! -,
8. 8ay: ln the lounty ol Allah, and in lis mercy (i.e. lslam and the Qur'an), therein let them
rejoice." 1hat is better than what (the wealth) they amass. [8urah Yunus: 8]

8urnan: 8urah An Nisa v. 14. lurhan means 'a prool that cannot be doubted.' Allah says that it is a clear and
evident prool. ln the same verse, Allah also calls the Quran a 'clear light' (nccr muuccna).
!! '_!l '> "_, _ >, !l >l| !,
14. O mankind! Verily, there has come to you a convincing prool (lrophet muhammad) lrom
your lord, and we sent down to you a manilest light (this Qur'an). [8urah An Nisa: 14]

ln other verses: 'a clear light that guides mankind lrom darknesses to light.' lrom the darknesses ol shirk,
spiritual poverty, etc. to the light ol tawheed.

!! '_!l >.!> Ls _ , "!: !l .l - _,ll
. O mankind! 1here has come to you a good advice lrom your lord (i.e. the Qur'an, ordering
all that is good and lorbidding all that is evil), and a healing lor that (disease ol ignorance,
doubt, hypocrisy and dillerences, etc.) in your breasts, -a guidance and a mercy (explaining
lawlul and unlawlul things, etc.) lor the believers. [8urah Yunus: ]
Ls means: 'that which admonishes you.' lt is given to a heart that needs admonition J is straying away
to cause it to pause and rellect. lt is an emotional speech that makes you re-evaluate yoursell. 1he Quran can
be used to guide you, to make you think about what you are doing, to stop you lrom committing that which you
should not do.

Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) uses verbs giving the connotation that the Quran gives glad tidings and warns you.
1he concepts ol 'warning' and 'giving glad tidings' always come together in the Quran. 1he Quran is a
lorewarner.

_ 1l ! "!: - _,ll _,lLl | !.>
82. And we send down lrom the Qur'n that which is a healing and a mercy to those who
believe (in lslmic monotheism and act on it), and it increases the 2limn (polytheists and
wrong-doers) nothing but loss. [8urah Al lsraa': 82]

ln this ayah, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) calls the Quran a mercy lor the believers and a cure lor all ol the
diseases, especially the diseases ol the heart. ll you have spiritual diseases ol the heart, turn to the Quran
because the Quran is a cure to all spiritual diseases.

1he Quran is described with adjectives describing truth such as: al-haqq, la rayba leehee (no doubt in it).
21
,l !> ,l| '>' _ ! ! . ! .>l _ _>l
l-> ., _ '!: _ !!,s ,| .l || 1. 1.`.
2. And thus we have sent to you (O muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) kuhan (an
inspiration, and a mercy) ol Our command. You knew not what is the look, nor what is laith
but we have made it (this Qur'an) a light wherewith we guide whosoever ol Our slaves we will.
And verily, you (O muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) are indeed guiding (mankind) to
the 8traight lath (i.e. Allah's religion ol lslamic monotheism). [8urah Ash 8hura: 2]

ln this ayah, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) describes the Quran as being a run (a spirit emanating lrom lim). 1his
gives us the connotation that when our spirituality is almost dying and when we seem to lose track ol our
purpose ol lile, the Quran will re-inject that spirituality and allow us to get the needed boost. when our soul is
withering away, the Quran is lile lor that soul. 1herelore, one ol the easiest ways to increase your eman is to
recite the Quran. 1his is something we all know lor experience. One ol the reasons why there is such a
correlation between the Quran and kamadan is because both increase your eman.

1he 8tatus ol the Quran: 1he 8tatus ol the Quran: 1he 8tatus ol the Quran: 1he 8tatus ol the Quran: 1he 8 1he 8 1he 8 1he 8unnah as it describes the Quran unnah as it describes the Quran unnah as it describes the Quran unnah as it describes the Quran

1he best ol you are those who learn the Quran and recite it and teach it to others. [lukhari] 1his hadeeth is
narrated by Lthman ibn Allan, and Abdurkahman As-8ulami, one ol Lthman's students and a lamous Quran
reciter ol the tabi'oon, said: 'this hadeeth has caused me to sit at this pillar in the masjid lor the last 2 years.'

}ubayr reported that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, kejoice! lor verily, this Quran - one part
ol it is in the hands ol Allah, and the other part is in your hands. 1herelore, hold onto it, lor you will never be
destroyed, nor will you ever go astray alter it!" [musnad lmam Ahmad[
lesson lrom this hadeeth: 1he Quran is a direct link between you and Allah (subhanahu wata'ala). when you
have a direct link, how can you possible go astray7

Once, one ol the governors ol Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) returned to madinah, and Lmar asked him who he
appointed in his place while he traveled, and he said a name Lmar did not do. 1he governor said that he
appointed a maw|a (lreed slave), who would not be considered qualilied. Lmar asked: 'You appointed a maw|a7'
1he sahabah replied: 'O Lmar! le is a memorizer ol the Quran.' 1his means that he is educated. Lmar (radhi
Allahu 'anhu) said: l heard the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) say: 'Allah will raise people through this
look and lower others through it.'" Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) no longer objected. 1he qualilication was
proven by saying that the slave had memorized the Quran. 1his is an upliltment only the Quran can bring.

Abu musa Al-Ashari said that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 1he Quran is either an evidence
lor you, or against you." [muslim]
lesson lrom this hadeeth: 1his hadeeth shows there is no neutrality when it comes to the Quran. lither you
lollow it or do not. lither you believe in it or you do not.

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: lart ol showing glory to Allah (worshipping Allah) is to show
respect to an elderly muslim and a carrier ol the Quran (i.e. the one who has memorized it) who does not
exaggerate in it (i.e. acts according to it), and a just ruler."
lesson lrom this hadeeth: lt is part ol the sunnah to honor and respect the halidh ol the Quran who is acting in
accordance to it.

22
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) has set lorth a parable (example)
that you are walking on a road that leads to your destination and on either side ol the road, there is a wall in
which there are doors that have paths going there, and these doors are covered with curtains. lrom the end ol
the road, there is a voice that calls out: 'lroceed straight, and do not turn right or lelt.' whenever someone
tries to lilt a curtain to go inside, a voice calls lrom above: 'leware! uo not lilt the curtain, or you will be turned
astray!'" 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: 1he straight path is lslam. 1he roads on the side are
the nuJccJ ol Allah (the perimeters ol Allah), and whoever goes there has perished and gone into what has been
prohibited. 1he voice in the lront is the Quran telling you the direction. 1he voice that calls lrom above is your
own conscience (i.e. the monitor that Allah has placed in you)." [At-1irmidhi] lut together, these guide you to
the straight path.

1he rewards lor those who recite and practice the Quran: 1he rewards lor those who recite and practice the Quran: 1he rewards lor those who recite and practice the Quran: 1he rewards lor those who recite and practice the Quran:

Abu musa Al-Ashari said that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, lart ol showing glory to Allah is to
show respect to a white-haired muslim, and a carrier ol the Quran who does not exaggerate in it (i.e. overstep
his bounds) nor ignore it (i.e. leave it), and a just ruler." [Abu uawood]

Another lamous hadeeth regarding the one who recites the Quran lluently:
Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) reported that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 1he person who reads
the Quran lluently is with the honorable and obedient scribes (i.e. the angels), and he who reads it with
dilliculty, he shall get (at least) a double reward." [Abu uawood]
ln another hadeeth: whoever recites one word lrom the look ol Allah will receive reward 10 times the amount.
A|ij counts as a word and |aam counts as a word and mccm counts as a word.

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: whoever wishes to love Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) and lis
messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), let him recite lrom the Quran.

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: lt is not allowed to be jealous except in two cases: the one who
has been given the Quran and recites it day in and day out and the one who has been given wealth and he
spends it day in and day out lor the sake ol Allah (subhanahu wata'ala).
lonestly ask yoursell: who do you want to be like7 lause lor a second and think in your own lile who you are
jealous ol and this will tell you a lot.

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: it will be said to the companion ol the Quran on the uay ol
}udgment: 'recite the Quran and rise as you recite because your status in }annah will be where you stop
reciting.' ln another version: 'recite as you used to recite in this world.' 1his is why some scholars ol the past
and sahabah claimed that the number ol levels ol }annah is equal to the number ol verses in the Quran and no
one has a higher status than the one who has memorized the Quran.

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: 'll the Quran is gathered in a skin, the lire shall not burn it.'
1his has been interpreted in two ways:
1) An accidental lire will never burn a mus-naj.
2) ll someone memorizes the Quran and is inside ol his own skin, then the lire ol hell will not burn
him.

lamous hadeeth ol Abu musa Al Ashari where he draws out lour categories ol people:
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: '1he believer who recites the Quran is like a citrus lruit (larger
than an orange and bright and juicy and has a strong lragrance) whose lragrance is pleasing and taste is sweet.
1he example ol the believer who does not recite the Quran is like that ol the dry date. [shriveled up and has no
smell and does not look appetizing but when you eat it, it is sweet.] 1he hypocrite who recites the Quran is like
2!
basil - its lragrance is sweet but the taste is bitter. 1he hypocrite who does not recite the Quran is like
handhala that has no smell and taste is bitter."
1he hypocrite is able to give an illusion ol lragrance because ol the Quran.

1he term 'halidh' never occurs in the hadeeth to the best ol 8haykh Yasir's knowledge. Ol the terms used are:
haamil al-quran (carrier ol the Quran), and saahib al-quran (companion ol the Quran). 1he lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said the true halidh is the one who takes the Quran as a companion. A companion is someone
you are with all the time, someone whom you turn to lor help and advice. 1he one who has memorized the
Quran does not just know the Quran verbatim (outward words) but has interaction with it and believes in it.

Advice: have a relationship with the Quran and take the Quran as your lrame ol relerence and guide and recite
portions ol it everyday. 1he Quran is the heart ol your spiritual lile, and there is no spirituality without
reciting the Quran. 1he Quran is nothing but good.

24
chapter 1hree chapter 1hree chapter 1hree chapter 1hree

1he wahy: lts concept & meaning 1he wahy: lts concept & meaning 1he wahy: lts concept & meaning 1he wahy: lts concept & meaning

8ince the creation ol mankind, Allah has communicated with man by choosing some ol them as lrophets and
messengers, and inspiring them with is message, to guide mankind lrom the darkness ol shirk to the light ol
lslam.

!l L, !. !-- ! >.! _. _ _,. > ,l.
>
!8. we said: 'oet down all ol you lrom this place (the laradise), then whenever there comes to
you guidance lrom me, and whoever lollows my guidance, there shall be no lear on them, nor
shall they grieve. [8urah Al laqarah: !8]

we need to discuss the concept ol wany and ood communicating with man. wany means 'inspiration.' As
muslims, we believe that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) created us and then lelt us upon complete guidance. we
believe that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) took care ol physical and spiritual needs, therelore, Allah (subhanahu
wata'ala) communicated with mankind since the beginning ol mankind. 1he very lirst man was the very lirst
prophet, which is symbolic that Allah will not leave man without guidance. Alter the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam), direct communication has stopped. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) listens to our prayers and du'as.
1here are many prools ol this. Allah told Adam (alayhi salaam) when he was being sent to earth that prophets
will come to him and his progeny.

8urah Al lmran v. 16! - 16. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) mentions a series ol prophets in these ayaat.
Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says that every nation has been sent a prophet. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) even
asks the mushrikeen rhetorically: 'why is it so strange that a man has come claiming to be a prophet7' 8urah
10:2. 'is it something amazing to mankind that we have sent a prophet to them7'
ln one hadeeth, we learn 124,000 prophets have been sent. Allah communicated to them through wahy.

wahy means to communicate surreptitiously in a way that you cannot hear or in a way that not everyone
understands that this communication is taking place. wahy means to inspire, or to communicate in a manner
that is not obvious or not apparent to anybody else, in a swilt manner. when communicating with symbols,
this can also be called wahy because not everyone understands it. when 2akariyyah (alayhi salaam) was told he
was going to have a child, he could not speak to people and went out and used motions to communicate with
people. 1his can be called in Arabic linguistically wahy.

1he term wahy has been used to describe human intuition, animal instincts, and the evil whispers ol 8haytan.

wahy means to inspire, or to communicate in a manner that is not obvious or apparent to anybody else, in a
swilt manner. 1he word wahy, in its linguistic meaning, has been used in a number ol places in the Quran.

2
Natural order and laws ol nature
_9.1 _, , _, > ! ! ! !.l !l
_,., !L> ,l 1. -l l-l
12. 1hen le completed and linished lrom their creation (as) seven heavens ln two days and le
made ln each heaven its allair. and we adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars)
to be an adornment as well as to ouard (lrom the devils by using them as missiles against the
devils). such is the decree ol lim the All-mighty, the All-lnower. [8urah lussilat: 12]

Natural animal instinct
> ,, || > _ !,,' !., _ >:l ! :- .
l _ ,.l >l`! , ,, l _ _ !L, ". l. l
"!: _!ll | ,l 1l >. _
68. And your lord inspired the bee, saying: '1ake you habitations in the mountains and in the
trees and in what they erect.
69. '1hen, eat ol all lruits, and lollow the ways ol your lord made easy (lor you).' 1here comes
lorth lrom their bellies, a drink ol varying colour wherein is healing lor men. Verily, in this is
indeed a sign lor people who think. [8urah An-Nahl: 68-69]

luman intuition and emotion
!> || _ -. > ls 1l! l ! >
!| ,l| l.'> _,ll
. And we inspired the mother ol musa (moses), (saying): '8uckle him [musa (moses)], but
when you lear lor him, then cast him into the river and lear not, nor grieve. Verily! we shall
bring him back to you, and shall make him one ol (Our) messengers.' [8urah Al Qassas: ]

8ignals or gestures to communicate
_' ls . _ `>l _-! ,l| >, >, !:s
11. 1hen he came out to his people lrom Al-mihrab (a praying place or a private room, etc.), he
told them by signs to glorily Allah's praises in the morning and in the alternoon. [8urah
maryam: 11]

lvil whispers ol 8haytan
_ `lL _ . ls < !, ..!, | _l lLl
26
21. And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects his ayat
(prools, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.)7 Verily, the 7a|imun (polytheists and
wrong-doers, etc.) shall never be successlul. [8urah Al An'am: 21]

ouidance to the angels lrom Allah
| _- ,, || >ll >- .,. _%! l! l _%!
sl ,.! !s ,. . !,
12. (kemember) when your lord inspired the angels, 'Verily, l am with you, so keep lirm those
who have believed. l will cast terror into the hearts ol those who have disbelieved, so strike
them over the necks, and smite over all their lingers and toes.' [8urah Al Anlaal: 12]

1he inspiration to the lrophets
!| !> ,l| ! !> || _ _,l _ .-, !> || ,|
-`| >`| 1- 1!,` _.s _ _l
!. ,
16!. Verily, we have inspired You (O muhammad ) as we inspired Nh (Noah) and the lrophets
alter him, we (also) inspired lbrhim (Abraham), lsm'il (lshmael), lshque (lsaac), Ya'qb
(}acob), and Al-Asbt [the twelve sons ol Ya'qb (}acob)], 'lesa (}esus), Ayub (}ob), Ynus
(}onah), lrn (Aaron), and 8ulaimn (8olomon), and to uawd (uavid) we gave the 2abr
(lsalms). [8urah An Nisa: 16!]

ln the 8hari' sense, wahy is the communication ol Allah to the prophets and is done in two primary ways:
1. 1hrough an intermediary
2. without an intermediary

1he Quran was revealed to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in one ol two ways:
1. 1he revelation came to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in a very severe manner, like the
ringing ol a bell.
2. }ibreel took on the lorm ol a man and came to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1his type ol
inspiration was easier.

lbn Al Qayyim says inspiration can occur in one ol seven ways.
1. 1rue dreams
A man sees a vision about what will happen in the luture, and it comes true. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) was inspired in this manner lor 6 months belore prophethood lrom kabi Al-Awwal 1! years belore hijra
until kamadan. lvery night he would see a true dream, which is a type ol wahy. 1his is the only type ol wahy
that remains until our time. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: 'nothing remains ol wahy except
true dreams.' le was asked: 'what are true dreams7' le (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: 'a good dream that
you see yoursell or someone else sees on your behall.'

1here are three types ol dreams: there are dreams lrom Allah, nightmares lrom 8haytan, and dreams that are
the whispering ol your own soul. low do you know which one it is7 Any time a dream terrilies you, causes you
2
to wake up in panic, or is a vulgar dream, it is lrom 8haytan. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: do
not tell anyone and seek reluge in Allah and il it was very bad, then wake up and pray two raka'at. ureams
lrom your own soul are very common. 8cientists say everyone dreams every night. 1hey are vivid when you
have them, and when you wake up everything is crystal clear but within a lew minutes you completely lorget
it. 1his is your own nals interacting with your body. 1hese dreams have no relevance. 1he real types ol
dreams are true dreams.

1rue dreams are ol two types:
1) clear, positive image. lor example: a couple cannot have children and are making du'aa to Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala), and one ol the couple sees a dream ol them holding a child. ll it occurs many times,
it is positive to indicate it will occur.
2) 8trange and enigmatic dreams (not scary). ureams lrom Allah can be strange but not terrilying. You
wake up and clearly remember things. 1his is a symbolic dream. You need to lind a dream interpreter to
solve the code, which is dillicult to lind. 8ometimes the symbolism is quite apparent and sometimes it is
not.

1he general rule is that the more righteous you are, the more you will see true dreams.

1o see the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in a dream clearly and vividly, you must have yaccn in the
dream that this is the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), and you clearly see the lace. 1he lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: il any ol you sees me in a dream, he has seen me lor real because the 8haytan
cannot imitate me or take my shape.

lor the prophets, the 8haytan cannot cause them to have nightmares. lvery dream ol the prophets is a
revelation lrom Allah. when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) saw in a dream himsell making tawaal
around the la'bah while he was in madinah, he said it was a sign that he had to go to makkah. 1hey went to
makkah and were stopped and Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) became exasperated and said: 'Ya kasulullah, didn't
you say that we will make tawaal7' 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: 'Yes, but did l tell you that it
will have to be this year7'

1he remaining categories are only lor the prophets:
2. lnspiration being 'whispered' into the heart ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
1his is only lor the prophets. 1here are a number ol traditions when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
said an angel whispered to him. 1his 'whispering' is into the soul and beyond bodily perception.

!. }ibreel coming to him (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in the lorm ol a man and speaking to him. }ibreel did
not always come with the Quran.

4. lnspiration like the ringing ol a bell.
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) closes his eyes and sometimes sweat would come on a cold day. Once
Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) said that he was leaning on her and the pressure was great. Another time, he (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was on a camel and the camel sat down. 1his type ol wany was more dillicult than the
third. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was asked how wany comes to him [hadeeth in 8ahih muslim].
le said: 'sometimes }ibreel comes in the lorm ol a man and l understand what he is saying and most ol the time
the sahabah would not see }ibreel. 8ometimes }ibreel would come and some people would see him and others
would not.

'Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) reported that larith ibn lisham asked Allah's Apostle (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam): low does the the wahy (inspiration) come to you7 le said: At times it comes
to me like the ringing ol a bell and that is most severe lor me and when it is over l retain that
28
(what l had received in the lorm ol wahy), and at times an Angel in the lorm ol a human being
comes to me (and speaks) and l retain whatever he speaks.
[8ahih muslim :: look !0 :: ladith 6]

Once the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) came home and one ol his wives said she saw him speaking with
someone outside, and he said that it was not a companion but }ibreel. 8ometimes the Quran would be given.
1he angels would come more than the Quran was being revealed, and the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
liked being around the angels. Allah said in the Quran: (surah maryam) 'we only come down when Allah wants
us to come down.' }ibreel did not always come with the Quran. 8ometimes he just came with a commandment.
1he prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: sometimes it comes in the lorm ol the ringing ol a bell, and that
is more dillicult lor me.

8ometimes }ibreel would remain in his angelic lorm, and the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would be in a
trance to communicate with him. 1his is all ilm al ghayb. ln category !, it is easier because }ibreel takes the
shape ol a man. 8ometimes the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would go into some type ol trance (i.e.
close eyes, lower head).

ladeeth ol 1abuk mentioned in light ol ouidance: 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was on a camel
but was already in wahy, and Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) revealed what the hypocrite was coming with.

Alter the treaty ol ludhayabiyah, Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) was trying to have a conversation with the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), but he did not respond. Lmar thought the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) was angry and did not know that wahy was coming down.

. 8eeing the angel in his original lorm.
1his is a subcategory ol #!: 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) saw the angel in the original lorm in
which it was created. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) told us that when he saw the angel }ibreel, he
could be seen all the way to the heavens. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) saw him two or three times,
but we do not know because scholars diller how many times the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) saw him
in the original lorm.
1) ln the miraj
2) ln the second wany. lt seems as though it was two times that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
saw the angel }ibreel. 1he original lorm ol }ibreel is too big to be imagined (i.e. blocked the entire horizon).
Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) mentions in the Quran: the angels have two or three or lour wings. ln the
hadeeth, we learn the angels can have up to 600 wings.

>' < L! ,.l _ s'> >ll ' |` >> : l.
_,' l' ! '!: | < ls `_: "
1. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the (only) Originator [or the (only) creator] ol the
heavens and the earth, who made the angels messengers with wings, - two or three or lour. le
increases in creation what le wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things. [8urah laatir: 1]

8urah An-Najm: he saw the grand signs ol Allah (on the night ol isra wa al miraj). 8ome scholars say the 'grand
signs' relers to }ibreel.
1l _ , >l
29
18. lndeed he (muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) did see,
ol the greatest signs, ol his lord (Allah). [8urah An-Najm: 18]

6. leing inspired by Allah directly.
1his is a category similar to #2. lbn Al Qayyim does not have much evidence, but he has a hadeeth he interprets
to mean that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) is inspiring the prophets without the medium ol the angels.

. Allah speaking to him (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) directly.
1his is the highest level. we only know ol three prophets to whom Allah spoke directly. ln 8urah Al laqara:
'some ol them Allah spoke to.' 1he ones whom Allah spoke to are at a higher rank than those whom le did not
speak to. ly speaking to the prophets, Allah is prelerring some prophets over others.

,l. l !l. .-, ls _-, _ l < _ `.-, >
!. _.s _ ,l _, _1l l !: < ! .. _%! _
-, _ -, ! `.'> ,l _>l l.> . _ _ . _ l
!: < ! l.. _>l < - !
2!. 1hose messengers! we prelerred some to others, to some ol them Allah spoke (directly),
others le raised to degrees (ol honour), and to 'lesa (}esus), the son ol maryam (mary), we gave
clear prools and evidences, and supported lim with kh-ul-Qudus [}ibrael (oabriel)]. ll Allah
had willed, succeeding generations would not have lought against each other, alter clear Verses
ol Allah had come to them, but they dillered - some ol them believed and others disbelieved. ll
Allah had willed, they would not have lought against one another, but Allah does what le likes.
[8urah Al laqarah: 2!]

lor the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam): we learn lrom hadeeth literature. 1here is no explicit hadeeth,
but it seems quite clear that this occurred. lt occurred at the journey ol al miraaj when the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) ascended to a place above }ibreel, and at that place, there is no intermediary, so we inler that
the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is speaking directly to Allah (subhanahu wata'ala). most scholars
have concluded that this is a clear indication that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was spoken to
directly.

1he Quran was revealed in some ol these ways but not all ol them. 1his is overall how Allah communicates
with men. low does the Quran come down7 we know lor sure #! and #4. As lor #, he saw }ibreel in al israa
and no Quran was revealed. 8urah Al muddathir was revealed with #.

category # is the big question: did any Quran come directly without any angel7 1he issue is over the last two
verses ol surah al laqarah. [lvery muslim should memorize these two verses!!] 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said: 'l was given these verses lrom under the 1hrone ol Ar-kahman on the night that l was raised
up to lim.' 1his is not an explicit hadeeth that says Allah recited it to him. ll someone is to say that because it
occurred on the night ol miraaj it is lrom Allah directly, it is an acceptable claim to make. 1here is no clear cut
explicit prool, but at the same time, there is strong evidence to suggest that these two ayat were given directly
to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) by Allah, which is one ol the reasons why these two verses are so
holy.
!0
uillerences between the Quran and ladeeth Qudsi: uillerences between the Quran and ladeeth Qudsi: uillerences between the Quran and ladeeth Qudsi: uillerences between the Quran and ladeeth Qudsi:

ladeeth Qudsi is a hadeeth in which the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) says: 'Allah says.' 8cholars have
dillered about the dillerences between the Quran and the hadeeth Qudsi.

1. 1he primary dillerence that is given by most scholars is that the Quran is the speech ol Allah revealed to
the lrophet in meaning and in wording. 1herelore, the Quran is attributed directly to Allah.
Quran is revealed in meaning and wording whereas the hadeeth Qudsi is revealed only in meaning and not in
wording. 8haykh Yasir does not necessarily agree with this.

2. 1he Quran has been put lorth as a miracle that can never be imitated in its style, prose, or content.

!. Allah has promised to preserve the Quran, whereas no such promise exists lor the uaJcctn quJsi.
lt is theoretically possible that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) told other hadeeth Qudsi to the
sahabah but we do not have it because it was not a necessity. what was transmitted is as much as was needed
to know.

4. 1he Quran has reached us in mutawaatir chains ol narration.
most hadeeth Qudsi are ahad. 1he Quran is narrated by hundreds ol thousands ol people at every level.

. lt is an act ol worship to recite the Quran whereas this is not the case lor a uaJcctn quJsi.

None ol these dillerences really tell you the dillerence between the two. 1he characteristics that dillerentiate
the two are explained by these but not the substantive dillerence. what is really dillerent7 we cannot give a
substantive response to the dillerence. we say that Allah chose this to be the Quran and this to be hadeeth
Qudsi. ladeeth Qudsi is also the 8peech ol Allah but has not been preserved in the Quran. ladeeth in general
have not been preserved with the same wording. lor example: hadeeth }ibreel. ladeeth Qudsi has been
preserved in meaning, but it does not mean that it was not revealed in wording. 8haykh Yasir says: when the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said a hadeeth Qudsi, the wording was lrom Allah but the transmission
and recording changed the wording (not the meaning).

All ol the dillerence between Quran and hadeeth can also be applied to the dillerences between the Quran and
hadeeth Qudsi.

Q&A Q&A Q&A Q&A
ln terms ol understanding it doesn't matter which category (most are lrom #! and #4).

low did the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) dillerentiate between the Quran and
hadeeth7 1here is no ikhtilaal with this. 1he sahabah had no problems understanding.
1) many times, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would explicitly call the sahabah
and say Quran has been revealed
2) Also, the basmalah. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) went in a trance and
then came out and smiled and said: 'Quran has been revealed and it is more beloved to
me than this world and everything in it. lismillah ar-kahman Ar-kaheem.(surah Al-
lauthar)'
!) 1he prayers.

can 8haytan take the lorm ol a man and claim to be the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in
a dream7 ln 8haykh Yasir's opinion: yes. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) did not say:
'whoever sees someone who claims to be me has seen me.' le said: 'whoever has seen my
!1
image has seen me. 8haytan does not take my image.' what is impossible is that 8haytan takes
the exact image ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). le can take the image ol another
man and lie. when a man came to }aabir ibn Abdullah and said that he saw the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in a dream, }aabir asked: 'what did he look like7' le described him to
look like Al lusayn, and }aabir said: 'You have seen him.' lt is impossible that the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) will come and tell you something not lound in the traditions. You are
not more blessed than the sahabah. ll he is advising to a course ol righteousness and good,
then generally speaking it is not the 8haytan.

1he reality ol kashl (unveiling) and how it lits into types #1-. 1his is one ol the primary
dillerences between us and other groups. lor 8unni or orthodox sunni muslims: Quran and
8unnah. 8hi'a: imams. 8ulis: they have a source called kashl, which is a type ol direct link that
Allah unveils the treasures ol lis knowledge to them directly, and they are told that which no
other person is told. lor us, the reality ol kashl: there is no guarantee that a thought coming
to you is lrom Allah or yoursell or lrom 8haytan. 1here is no denial that Allah can bless you
with an understanding that others do not have, which is why some ulema are greater than
others. Allah blesses certain ulema with understanding, but it is not a direct communication
but rather a gilt lrom Allah (subhanahu wata'ala). we deny that there will be a direct link
between you and Allah called kashl. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says that le has completed the
religion. 1here is no reason to tamper with it.

!2
chapter lour chapter lour chapter lour chapter lour: 8tages ol kevelation : 8tages ol kevelation : 8tages ol kevelation : 8tages ol kevelation

1here are a number ol stages ol revelation. 1he lact that the Quran was revealed over a period ol time is a
unique phenomenon in the history ol the world. 1he previous people were given their book completely at
once. 1he 1orah, lnjeel, and 2aboor came down instantaneously. musa (alayhi salaam) went up mount 8inai
and came down with the 1orah. ln the case ol the Quran, it was given over a period ol 2! years. lt was not
given instantaneously. Allah clearly says in the Quran that people were conlused why the Quran was split up
over years. 1he people who disbelieve were conlused. why was the Quran coming down bit by bit. 1his is
how we want to allirm and strengthen your heart. And we have revealed it to you gradually in stages."

! _%! l ls 1l '#- > ,l ,:l .,
l. ..
!2. And those who disbelieve say: 'why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once7' 1hus (it
is sent down in parts), that we may strengthen your heart thereby. And we have revealed it to
you gradually, in stages. (lt was revealed to the lrophet in 2! years.). [8urah Al lurqaan: !2]

1his verse clearly shows us that the Quran was given bit by bit (in lnglish: piecemeal) whereas the other books
were given instantaneously.

8cholars have examined the Quran and 8unnah and the stages ol revelation were not explicitly mentioned. 1he
scholars have inlerred three primary stages ol revelation.

lirst stage: 1he Quran was written on awn a|-VanjccJn, which is with Allah.
1his stage took place long belore man existed when Allah wrote down the Quran on awn A|-VanjccJn (1he
lreserved 1ablet). 1he Quran existed belore this in the lnowledge ol Allah. 1he lirst thing Allah created was
the pen, and the lirst thing Allah did was tell the pen to write. 1he pen asked what to write, and Allah said:
write everything that will happen. 1he pen wrote down the history ol the world lrom beginning to end. awn
a|-VanjccJn has within it a section that contains the Quran. we know this because Allah explicitly says so in
8urah lurooj v. 21-22.
, , _l _1>
21. Nay! 1his is a olorious Qur'an,
22. (lnscribed) in Al-lauh Al-mahlz (the lreserved 1ablet)!
[8urah Al lurooj: 21-22]

what is the lreserved 1ablet7 we do not know too much about it. lt is lrom i|m a| nayu. Allah created it
belore le made the creation. Allah wrote on it all that was going to happen. Nothing happens except that it
was written in it.

8urah 6:. '1his is a Noble Quran in a look that is manccn (well guarded)." 1his means that no being or
entity can tamper with it. Allah says this look is preserved in the lreserved 1ablet.

| 1l q
. 1hat (this) is indeed an honourable recital (the Noble Qur'an). [8urah Al waqi'ah: ]
!!

ll someone says: 'what dillerence does it make il it is preserved in awn A|-VanjccJn7' kesponse: 1his shows
the eternality ol the Quran and how ancient the Quran is. lt is the lirst writing ol the Quran ever done. ln
reality, this concept only assures the believers. lt is i|m a| nayu and cannot be used in an academic arena. lt
brings about a sense ol peace and serenity that Allah had preserved it belore the creation ol the angels and
jinns and the heavens and earth. 1he Quran is eternal and in the lnowledge ol Allah. 1he lirst thing written in
A| awn A| VanjccJn is the Quran, showing the importance ol it.

8econd stage: lrom the awn a| VanjccJn, Allah revealed the entire Quran to the lower heavens, in a place
called 8ayt a| 'zzan (louse ol honor). 1his revelation occurred in kamadan, on the night ol ay|at a| qaJr. 1his
second stage is not mentioned explicitly in the Quran or 8unnah but is lound in the narration ol lbn Abbas, the
cousin ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

ll it is the statement ol lbn Abbas, then why should we care about it7 1here is a principle by 8unni theologians
that says: when a companion talks about knowledge ol the unseen, it takes the status ol ahadeeth ol the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). lt must have been heard lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
because the sahabah do not make things up. 1his is a contested point. many people allirm this stage because
lbn Abbas said so and then they derive evidences lrom the Quran. Allah says, we revealed it (meaning the
entire Quran in this opinion) on laylat al-Qadr." we all know that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was
not inspired the entire Quran on the lirst laylat al-Qadr.

low do we understand this7 we understand it using lbn Abbas' position. 1he lower heaven is the world as we
know it (i.e. this modern galaxy and stars, the known universe). we know that Allah has created seven
heavens. uo not conluse between the seven heavens and }annah. 1he seven heavens are not }annah. }annat is
dillerent lrom samawaat. many muslims conllate the two. 1hese are heavens. }annat are separate. where are
the }annat7 lt is said that the }annat are in the seventh heaven and maybe even starting in the sixth because
there are relerences when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) went on al israa wa al miraaj. we mortal
men are only in the sama' al-duniyah. we can never go beyond this in our physical realm.

'in anzalna lee laylat al-qadr' is the prool used. we do not know when this stage was. lt was not belore the
birth ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1here are two major positions:
1) when he (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was born
2) 1he lirst year ol revelation, which is the 1!
th
year belore lijrah.
Allahu 'Alam. loth opinions have some merit to them.

1hird stage: }ibreel brought those portions ol the Quran which Allah commanded him to bring. le does so in
the ways discussed in the previous chapter.

1he true dreams lasted 6 months. 6 months J 2! years (26 months) = 1 J 46, which is the lraction the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) used when he mentioned true dreams: 1rue dreams are 1J46
th
part ol
prophethood (authentic hadeeth). 1he symbolism ol the 1J46 was derived later. when he (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) said the 1J46, it was within the 2! years, and he did not know exactly when he would die, but towards
the end ol his lile, he lelt the leeling ol the end being near.

low much Quran did }ibreel come with7 low lrequently did }ibreel come7
1owards the beginning, the lrequency and quantity were minimal. Over time, both the lrequency and quantity
increased such that towards the end, more revelation was coming down than the beginning. 1hese are general
trends and there are many exceptions. 8ometimes entire surahs came down all at once (i.e. 8urah Yusul) and
sometimes only two or three words were revealed. An example is 8urah An-Nisa: 'those who remained behind
and do not go out in the battlelield are not the same as those who go out.' lbn makhtoum came and said that he
!4
is blind and has an excuse to not go out, and the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) went into a trance and
recited three words only in Arabic: 'except lor those who have an excuse' 1he response: quantity varied and
lrequency varied. 1owards the end, there are reports ol much more wany with more lrequency because the
needs ol the ummah increased.

wisdom ol the oradual kevelation ol th wisdom ol the oradual kevelation ol th wisdom ol the oradual kevelation ol th wisdom ol the oradual kevelation ol the Quran e Quran e Quran e Quran

ll someone says: 'why was the Quran revealed gradually when the previous books that were revealed
instantaneously7 why was the Quran revealed in stages7' A classical scholar said: '1he Quran was revealed in
multiple stages to show that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) shared with the other prophets that the
Quran was coming down at once (stage 2) and shown to be unique lrom the other prophets because it was
revealed piecemeal.' (i.e. shows commonality and uniqueness).

what is the wisdom ol the piecemeal revelation7
1. 1o strengthen the resolve ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) against the disbelievers.
2:!2. 1his is how we strengthen 8# (your chest).
$% %!# #. 9 h = #)9# \'#d Zn 4 792 Mm7[9 / 8# ( =? W??
!2. And those who disbelieve say: why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once7" 1hus (it
is sent down in parts), that we may strengthen your heart thereby. And we have revealed it to
you gradually, in stages. (lt was revealed to the lrophet in 2! years.). [8urah Al lurqan: !2]

low was the lrophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) heart strengthened by revealing it bit by bit7 1he
psychological impact ol receiving the revelation at a certain point in time made the burden less lor him.
1he process itsell ol meeting the angel is itsell uplilting and eases the burden. lt emphasizes certain verses
and amplilies the meaning.

lmagine having a communication with Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) day and night. 8urah Yusul is a
beautilul surah and the point ol revelation and the context shows this point. At an all time low alter the
deaths ol lhadijah and Abu 1alib, the rejection lrom makkah, and the stoning in 1a'il, 8urah Yusul is
revealed. ln our daily lives, how much more so do we need to take the Quran bit by bit. lvery portion ol
the Quran has something to oller us. 1he gradual teaching ol the Quran was the methodology ol the
sahabah because the Quran was revealed gradually. 1he tabi'oon said that lbn masood and Lthman and
others would only teach 10 verses at a time and would not allow them to memorize more until they had
memorized them and understood them and taken the benelit lrom them.

11:120 1his was a primary reason to make the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) leel comlortable and
peacelul.

_1 ,ls _ !, l ! ,: ., '> >l Ls
_,ll
120. And all that we relate to you (O muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) ol the news ol
the messengers is in order that we may make strong and lirm your heart thereby. And in this
(chapter ol the Qur'an) has come to you the truth, as well as an admonition and a reminder lor
the believers. [8urah lud: 120]
!

2. 1o simplily its memorization and understanding by the companions.
1he Quran is not a small book. lt is much larger than the previous books (there is evidence lor this statement).

!. 1o prove the truthlulness ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
Verses were coming down to cater to dillerent situations. 1he mushrikoon and pagans challenged the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and olten verses were revealed to challenge them.
lvery verse that says: 'they ask you about.'

4. 1o prove the miraculous nature ol the Quran
1his is done in many ways. Ol the ways is the lact that there is no contradiction in a book that was authored
over 2! years even though it catered to a diverse audience (}ews, christians, mushrikoon asking). 1here is
similar style, cohesive commandments, and no contradictions. 1his shows that the Quran did not originate
lrom a human mind. 1he lact that the Quran came down over such a long period and does not contradict itsell
and solves many problems is amazing and miraculous. lt is human nature to contradict onesell.

. 1o reveal the laws ol 8hari'ah in a gradual manner.
1his was necessary to lorm the nucleus ol the sahabah because the laws ol lslam had they been revealed
overnight would have been a turn-oll to many ol the mushrikoon just like the laws ol lslam in the present are a
turn-oll to many muslims. ll the entire religion had been revealed instantaneously, some may have had doubts
and unable to accept lslam. Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) said that il the lirst verses to be revealed were to leave
lornication and alcohol, the people would have said they could not do it.

why isn't it the same in our times7 1here is a dillerence in lorming an ummah that doesn't exist and entering
into a dillerent ummah. ll a person converts into lslam today, then the laws ol lslam because applicable
instantaneously as much as he can do. why doesn't the same ruling apply7 1he sahabah had no support
system and mechanism and are being lormed into the ummah. Now, there is a living ummah and a person can
join the ummah and leel the bonds. lt is vital to have a support system. 1he sahabah were being lormed to
become the lirst ummah. Also, don't get involved with the controversial issues. 8tart with eman and tawheed.

6. 1o ease the revelation process on the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).
1he revelation ol the Quran was a dillicult process. 'we are going to give you a heavy speech.' lt was
metaphorically and literally heavy. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would sweat on a cold day,
indicating the pressure and tension that were present. le (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) could not communicate
when receiving revelation. lmagine il the entire Quran came down at once - it would have been unbearable.

All ol this is unique to our religion. 1he previous religions and ummahs received their revelations
instantaneously.

clearing misconceptions clearing misconceptions clearing misconceptions clearing misconceptions
1ampering ol the kevelation7 1ampering ol the kevelation7 1ampering ol the kevelation7 1ampering ol the kevelation7

1he concept ol gradual revelation helps remove doubts about tampering ol revelation. Once again, this applies
to muslims more than non-muslims. 1he muslims themselves will benelit lrom this. As lor muslims, lirst
convince them about the truth ol lslam.

1his has been ruled out by Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) due to the lollowing:
1. 1he trustworthiness ol jibreel has been guaranteed by Allah.
Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) calls }ibreel in many verses the loly 8pirit and trustworthy spirit (ar-run yamccn).
Allah praises }ibreel many times in the Quran. Allah calls him the one ol honor and beauty.
!6

2. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was chosen by Allah to be the recipient ol the Quran. Allah has
assured him that he would not lorget or miss any verse.
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is told many times in the Quran that il he were to tamper with it, he
would be punished. 1his is an assurance to us that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) has been chosen,
and he cannot tamper with it.
8urah Al-laqq:
. _ _,-l l 1. !ls _-, ! !> _,l!,
. !-L1l _,.l ! > _ > s _>>
4!. 1his is the kevelation sent down lrom the lord ol the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that
exists).
44. And il he (muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) had lorged a lalse saying concerning Ls
(Allah),
4. we surely should have seized him by his right hand (or with power and might),
46. And 1hen certainly should have cut oll his lile artery (aorta),
4. And none ol you could withhold Ls lrom (punishing) him. [8urah Al laqq: 4!-4]

1hese ayat are not meant to scare the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) but assure us.
8urah An-Najm:
! . />,>!. ! s ! L _s | | "_`- _-
s : 1l
2. Your companion (muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) has neither gone astray nor has
erred.
!. Nor does he speak ol (his own) desire.
4. lt is only an inspiration that is inspired.
. le has been taught (this Qur'an) by one mighty in power [}ibrael (oabriel)].
[8urah An Najm: 2-]

Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) guarantees that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) will not lorget. 1he lirst
lew revelations alter ira and ya ayuna| muJJatnir, when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) realized he
was a prophet and revelation would come, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was so scared ol lorgetting
when }ibreel came and would recite along with the recitation ol }ibreel, which is dillicult because you cannot
do two things at once. ln 8urah Al Qiyamah, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) revealed: uo not move your tongue
and be hasty about getting the Quran. lt is upon Ls to collect it and recite it to you. when we recite it [the
Quran], you have to listen to its recitation." 1hese verses break lrom what is belore and alter and do not seem
to lit in the surah. lt is said that when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was receiving this surah, he
was doing this action.

low is it possible that he did indeed lorget certain portions ol the Quran7 lt is narrated that in the salah he
stopped and could not go on. Alter salah, he asked il Lbayd ibn la'ab was present and asked him why he did
not correct him. 1his shows the status ol Lbayd and how great ol a qari he is. ln another hadeeth, it is
narrated that he was walking by someone who was praying and said: may Allah reward so and so, he
reminded me ol an ayat l lorgot." low do we explain this7 1he promise that Allah is giving is that it will not be
!
lost lorever. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is a human being and like any human being, makes
mistakes. ln these ahadeeth, we see the humanity ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1here is no
contradiction.

!. Allah then ordered him to convey the revelation that he had been given, and told him that a lailure on his
part to do so would mean a lailure in his mission as a prophet.
ln other words: do not hide anything ol the message. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says:
!! l _l, ! l| _ ,, | `l -. ! -l, .l! <
.- _ _!l | < 1l _>l
6. O messenger (muhammad)! lroclaim (the message) which has been sent down to you lrom
your lord. And il you do not, then you have not conveyed lis message. Allah will protect you
lrom mankind. Verily, Allah guides not the people who disbelieve. [8urah Al ma'idah: 6]

ll someone were to claim that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) had a secret knowledge that he did not
tell the sahabah, the response is: no, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) gave everything to the sahabah
and nothing was kept hidden. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) commands him.

ladeeth ol Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) and Ali (radhi Allahu 'anhu): [this was the beginning ol deviation]
'whoever claims that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) has given him a type ol knowledge that he did
not give others has said that Allah is lying because Allah says [recited this verse].' Ali (radhi Allahu 'anhu) said
the same thing during the lirst genesis ol the 8hi'a group. le said: ly Allah, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) has not given me special knowledge that he has not given to other people except lor some laws that he
taught me that are known [regarding zakat on sheep] that l have taught to all ol you and something that Allah
may bless me with [i.e. some interpretation that Allah may bless him with.]' [lukhari]

4. Allah even ruled out the possibility that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) might tamper with the
message deliberately.

!8
chapter live chapter live chapter live chapter live: 1he lirst & last kevelation : 1he lirst & last kevelation : 1he lirst & last kevelation : 1he lirst & last kevelation

1he lirst kevelation: 4 Opinions
1. 1he lirst verses ol 8urat al-'Alaq
2. 8urat al-mudaththir
!. 8urah al-latihah
4. 1he lasmalah

}aabir ibn Abdullah was asked directly what the lirst revelation is, and he said 8urah Al-mudatththir, and the
man replied that he heard that it was 'iqra', and }aabir replied: l am only telling you what l heard lrom the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

lt is quite clear that the lirst revelation is iqra. ln the long hadeeth ol Aisha (and she was closer to the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) than }aabir), the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said that iqra was lirst and
then Al mudaththir. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was terrilied and ran back to lhadijah and that
is when the second revelation came. le was shivering, which is a genuine human reaction and shows his
trustworthiness and honesty.

As lor the incidents that mention Al-latihah and the basmalah, they are weak opinions and backed up by weak
traditions. 8ome scholars have tried to say that this means the lirst entire surah revealed was latihah, which is
a plausible explanation. 1he lirst surah in its entirety to be revealed was 8urah Al latihah. 1here is a
statement attributed to a sahabi that the lirst was the basmalah, then il the lirst entire surah was revealed was
Al latihah then the lirst ayah is the basmalah.

1he lirst revelation was iqra. As lar as we know, the basmalah was not recited at this time. 'kecite, in the Name
ol your lord' 1he lirst revelation occurred on the 2
rd
, 2
th
, 29
th
ol kamadan (last lew odd days ol kamadan)

1he cave ol lira: it is so small, and there is only one direction where a person can lace and it is directly lacing
the la'aba. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would sit there lor a number ol days and nights.
8ometimes lhadijah would climb the mountain just to give him lood. le would contemplate there until the
wahy started.

1he last kevelation: 11 Opinions
1here are many opinions ol the last revelation. many ol them are not strong candidates. 1he strongest
candidates lor the last revelation are 8urah an-Nasr and the last verses ol 8urah Al laqarah (not the very last
which were revealed during isra wa al miraaj). lt is clear that some are talking about the linal verses revealed
regarding specilic topics (i.e. debts). 1he majority position is the last lew verses ol laqarah. 1he last surah to
be revealed in its entirety was 8urah An Nasr. loth this surah and the last verses ol laqarah have the
connotation ol returning back to Allah, giving the hint to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) that his end
is near and that he will be returning to Allah (subhanahu wata'ala).

1he rest ol these are not very strong positions and are probably relerring to last positions relerring to
particular subjects. 1he commonly held opinion is 8urah Al ma'idah v. !. 1his is delinitely not the last verse to
be revealed and a common misconception. lt is impossible lor this to have been the last verse because it was
revealed in the larewell lilgrimage, and the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) lived months alter this was
revealed. lt is one ol the linal verses and revealed within the year the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
passed away. No doubt this is one ol the last verses, but it cannot be considered to be the last verse to be
revealed. No serious scholar ol lslam holds this position.

!9
Opinions ol the last revelation:

1. 2:281
2. 2:28
!. 2:282
4. 4:16
. 9:128-9
6. 110:1-4
. 4:9!
8. !:19
9. 8urat al ma'idah
10. 18:110
11. :!

40
chapter 8ix chapter 8ix chapter 8ix chapter 8ix: 1he makee and madanee Verses : 1he makee and madanee Verses : 1he makee and madanee Verses : 1he makee and madanee Verses

8cholars lrom the earliest time noticed the marked dillerence between verses revealed in makkah and those
revealed in madina. }uz Amma is very dillerent lrom 8urah Al laqarah. 1he average muslim child can tell the
dillerences. lrom the earliest ol times, the sahabah commented on the dillerences. what exactly is a makki
and a madani verse7

As the science ol Lloom al Quran was being developed, scholars had dillerent opinions. lventually, a working
consensus was reached such that everyone began using the lirst delinition.

1. 1ime ol kevelation
ll the verse was revealed belore hijrah, it was considered makki, and il it was revealed alter the hijrah, it
was considered madani. lveryone began using this delinition, and even in the classical period, this is the
most common delinition.

2. llace ol kevelation
ln the early era ol lslam, this idea was postulated. what is the dillerence between 1 and 27 1he lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) visited makkah alter migrating to madani. 1here are a signilicant number ol
verses revealed in makkah alter the hijrah and according to the lirst group they are madani and the second
delinition classilies them as makki.

!. Addressees ol kevelation
1his opinion looks at content and style. ll the verse addresses a makkan audience (pagans), the verse is
makki even il revealed in madinah. ll the verse is addressing political situations or the people ol the look,
it is considered madani.

Over a period ol time, the second and third opinions were discarded. 1he lirst delinition is the most precise.
1he second is problematic because there are verses revealed in other than makkah and madina (i.e. 1abuk).
1he third is problematic because some verses address all ol mankind.

1he question arises: how do we know a verse is makki or madani7 1here are two ways ol knowing this:

1. keports ol the companions
lt may not say makki or madani or addresses a specilic group ol people (i.e }ews - so madani, or a place
lamous in medinah, or walking outside ol the la'aba - makki). lbn Abbas, the greatest scholar ol the Quran
amongst the sahabah, (in any book ol talsir, the most common commentator is lbn Abbas) would olten say
that particular verses were revealed in makkah and madinah. 1his shows that even the sahabah knew the
importance ol preserving when J where the verse came down.

2. ljtihaad
Also: looking at the style, content, wording, type ol eloquence used can also help one make an educated
guess as to whether the verse is makki or madani. 1he scholar cannot ascribe this educated guess to the
sahabah but he says: l think this verse is makki based on x, y, z." ll you are qualilied to make ijtihaad, you
can do this.

41
Attributes ol the makkee and madani Verses Attributes ol the makkee and madani Verses Attributes ol the makkee and madani Verses Attributes ol the makkee and madani Verses

common themes ol makki verses
1he makki verses concentrate on common themes that are generally not elaborated upon in the
madani verses. lxamples: long descriptions ol heaven and hell, an emphasis on leaving idolatry and
worshipping Allah alone, or morality (kindness, lorgiveness, patience). 1his is general and not a rule
that can be applied indiscriminately. whenever there are detailed discussions ol the stories ol the
previous prophets, broad establishment ol morality, Names and Attributes ol Allah (subhanahu
wata'ala), then generally these are makki verses. ln the makkan stage, no specilic commandments
were revealed. lven the commandment ol prayer was revealed right at the end. 1he rulings ol wudu
and anything specilic to the 8hari'ah did not occur in makkah.
Almost all ol the stories ol the prophets are ol the makkan era.

common themes ol madani verses
uetailed laws ol lslam (O you who believe, when you stand up to pray, wash your hands and your lace,
wipe your head, etc., verses ol inheritance, verses ol jihad, verses on zakat).
1here is not a single verse in the makkan era calling lor jihad. ln the makkan era, there is the call to
lorgive.
kegarding ahl al litab: Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) engages in dialogue with }ews and christians in
madinah. lt is not known ol any christian in makkah at all, and there were not many }ews. waraqah
ibn Nawlal was said to have been converted into christianity, but the narration in lukhari says that he
would read the lible in lebrew and translate it into Arabic which would mean that he is a }ew. lt is
conlusing what he was and most likely he was a synchretic blend. when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) came, he said that it is the same that came to musa (alayhi salaam). most likely he was
neither a pure christian nor a pure }ew but had accepted the religion ol the prophets. 1here is no
known christian or }ew in makkah period. 1his is a deep point lor the muslims because where did the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) get his inlormation lrom when there is no scholar trained in the
tradition ol christianity and }udaism7 waraqah was sell-taught and not a scholar ol the tradition. ln
madinah, there were running seminaries and synagogues and a dillerent culture. 1he people ol Yathrib
were more civilized and cultivated than the people ol makkah because they were interacting with a
civilization and had etiquettes.
Any time a verse occurs talking about the }ews and christians, it is a madani verse.
Another phenomonen ol the madinan era is that ol the hypocrites. 1here are no hypocrites in makkah.
lveryone who converted in makkah was a sincere muslim. 1rue eman is shown at times ol dilliculty
(not at times ol ease), and this is why Allah prelerred the muhajiroon over the ansar. Allah (subhanahu
wata'ala) clearly said that those who accepted lslam early were not the same as those who accepted
lslam later on. 1he phenomenon crept in while in madinah because it was advantageous to be muslim
in madinah. 1here are many verses talking about the munaliqoon, and one example is 8urah Al laqara
(1! verses).

8pecilic characteristics ol makki and madani 8urahs
1here are many specilic characteristics ol makki and madani verses. 1his relers not to a theme but to
something symbolic ol a makki verse.
Ol the characteristics ol makki verses:
lvery verse with the oath 'kalla' (occurs in over 1 places and all are in the last hall ol the Quran).
most ol the surahs that begin with the disjointed letters (alil-laam-meem, ta ha, kaal laam saad). 1he
exceptions: laqarah and Al lmran, which are both madani.
1he verses pertaining to the sajdah (sujood at-tilawa). [
1angent: 1he scholars ol liqh have dillered on the number ol verses ol tilawa.
42
1) low many verses7 kesponse: 11-1 depending on which madhab you lollow. 1he strongest
opinion seems to be around 14 and a 1
th
which is possible, and we can consider all 1 to be
legitimate.
2) low do we know it is a verse ol tilawa7 lecause the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
prostrated when he reached the verses. ln lukhari: the last verse ol 8urah An Najm - as soon as he
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) recited the verse, he prostrated and everyone behind him prostrated
as well.
!) ls sajdah obligatory or mustahab7 kesponse: mustahab and not obligatory. 8ome ulema said the
sajdah in 8urah 8aad only is obligatory, and this opinion has some basis to it. 1hey are all
recommended. ll you are listening to someone recite the Quran, then the sajdah becomes
recommended only il the reciter does sajdah as well. 1herelore, il the imam in salah does not do
sajdah, then it is not a mistake to not make sajdah, and it is a mistake il you do sajdah because you
are not lollowing the imam.
8haykh Yasir lollows the opinion ol the scholars in charge ol the madinah mus-naj, which is the most
academic attempt to do the starting and stopping and the tilawa because there is a committee ol
scholars who gathered to make this. 1hey debated every single issue: ayat numbers, sajdahs, startings,
stoppings. lelore the madani mus-naj, there were two other popular Qurans. 1he most popular Quran
is the ling larooq's sponsoring ol the Quran. lor the longest time, this was the only Quran available in
print. 1he need was lelt to produce a more scholarly work and in 1982, ling lahd lormed the ling
lahd printing press and a committee was lormed (8haykh ludhayli was on it) and each scholar was a
living legend and lor many years, they went over each and every issue.
4) low do you do sajdah tilawa7 1his is a huge controversy. 1here is a minority position that says
that you do not have to be in a state ol wudu, and 8haykh Yasir lollows this opinion. 1he lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was in lront ol the la'bah and made sujood and hundreds ol muslims
did the same, and it is impossible all had wudu.
) uo you have to say 'Allahu Akbar' while standing and go down7 lt is probably better to stand up
and say it and make sujood.
6) uo you have to say the taslim7 lt is recommended but not obligatory. 8ajdah tilawa is not salah.
}ust like sajdah ol shukr, you do not have to have wudu to do the prostration.
lt is reported that when lbn Lmar was riding a camel and a sajdah tilawa came, he continued riding the
camel and just lowered his head.
All ol the surahs mentioning the stories ol the prophets are makki except lor 8urah Al laqarah. Any
time there is a detailed story about a prophet, they are ol the makkan era. 1he names are lound in
madani surahs. lxception: story ol Adam (alayhi salaam) is lound in 8urah Al laqara.
8hort and succinct. Very powerlul. 1he makki revelations use strong language and use many oaths.
1he power is in the rhyme. 1he verses are very rhythmic.

[Note: these are just characteristics and only Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) knows why].
Ol the characteristics ol makki verses:
Any verse mentioning a specilic punishment or a detailed law
lvery verse addressing the }ews and christians and speaks directly about their theology
lvery verse mentioning jihad or the hypocrites (generally). 1here are one or two exceptions that the
scholars have postulated.
8tyle: the madani verses are longer and more in prose. 1he style is very dillerent lrom the makkan
style.

low do the non-muslims understand these dillerent styles7 lt is clear even to them that the makkan and
madani revelations are quite dillerent. 1hey say: 1he makkan revelations are more similar to the poetry ol the
}ahiliyy Arabs, and alter the migration, the civilization and culture inlluenced them. 8ubhanAllah the change
occurred overnight. compare 8urah An Najm with Al lmran. ls it possible that someone within a year is so
4!
inlluenced by culture7 lt is not humanly possible. 8haykh Yasir wrote in a paper: the powers that these people
postulate the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) had make him into a genius J walking encyclopedia and yet
they do not say that he is a prophet! 1his is a contradiction. ll he was such a great genius that they claim, then
why can't he be a prophet7 Angelica Neurwith wrote many works about the style ol the Quran (she is more
sympathetic in this regard and appreciates the style. ln our time, she is considered to be the leading orientalist
on the style ol the Quran).

1he Number ol makki and madani 8urahs
8haykh Yasir has changed his mind since writing the book. klmlNu 8lAYll YA8lk 1O lklNo 1ll8
lNlOkmA1lON.

1he benelits ol knowing the makki and madani verses 1he benelits ol knowing the makki and madani verses 1he benelits ol knowing the makki and madani verses 1he benelits ol knowing the makki and madani verses

why should we study this particular science7 1his particular science has many benelits, and ol them:
lt makes us understand the chronology ol revelation, which helps us in understanding the evolution ol
certain aspects ol the 8hari'ah. lor example: the concept ol interacting with non-muslims. we can
learn a lot lrom the makkan stage. 1he verses contextualize why a certain commandment was given to
the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).
lelps us in contextualizing and understanding the meaning ol the verse itsell. lor example: 28:8:
Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 1he One who has given you the Quran will eventually cause you to
return to your place ol origin." when we study makki and madani, we learn that this verse was
revealed during the lijrah (in between makkah and madani). 1his verse says: the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) will return to makkah.
lelps us gain an insight into the lile ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). low the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is consoled in the makkan stage versus the madani stage. lt helps us in the
seerah and helping to piece together the seerah.
we can gain a lot lrom the makki and madani verses when it comes to the liqh ol giving daw'ah. ly
seeing what the makkan verses emphasizes and what the concentration was on in the early phases ol
lslam, we learn that these are the topics we should locus on and the laws should be expounded on only
to those who believe in the theology. A big mistake ol da'ees today is that they bring up the laws, and
they will never convince a non-muslim that our religion has a dillerent concept ol lreedom (subjugated
to Allah (subhanahu wata'ala)). Once a person acknowledges Allah created him, then they understand
that Allah tells him what to do and what not to do.
1he amount ol detail with which the knowledge ol the Quran has been preserved. lt is amazing to see
how much inlormation has been preserved in regards to this particular science. oenerally speaking, we
know which surahs were revealed in makkah and which were revealed in madinah.
1here is the phenomenon ol a surah (i.e. laqarah) being madani but with a lew makkan verses in it and
the opposite phenomenon also (makki surah with madani ayat in it). 8cholars dillered over 8urah Al
lathihah even though clearly it is a makki surah. 8haykh Yasir says the strongest opinion is that 8urah
An-Nas and 8urah Al-lalaq are madani surahs because ol the incident. 1here are many other
categories. A scholar categorized under makki and madani 2 categories, which help us appreciate the
revelation ol the Quran and the evolution ol the early era ol lslam and the lile and times ol the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). lt is not permissible to interpret the Quran without an astute knowledge
ol makki and madani verses.
lxample: lt is said that the lirst verse revealed regarding }ewish - christian dialogue was the verse
where Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) praised the }ews and the christians and said mercy will be shown to
them (in laqarah). lbn Abbas said that this verse was abrogated by a verse in 8urah Al ma'idah where
Allah clearly says the only religion acceptable to Allah is lslam. ln our times, many muslims leel
uncomlortable saying that lslam is the only way and take the early verse in laqarah and lollow a
44
doctrine antithetical to lslam itsell. 1his doctrine is a destruction ol the entire religion ol lslam
because they do not have the principles ol interpretation.

Q&A:
8urah compilation is not chronological. 8urah Al laqarah came down over a period ol 11 years. 1he lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would tell the sahabah: put this verse in that surah, put this verse alter that verse.
1here is no dillerence ol opinion over the ayat in the surah - this is amazing! lt is unanimously agreed upon.

1angent:
8atanic verses reler to an alleged incident in the makkan stage and has been reported in dillerent versions.
8ahih lukhari version:
when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was reciting 8urah An-Najm, when he reached the end ol the
surah [there was a gathering ol all in makkah both muslims and non-muslims] the last verse is: 'do sajdah to
Allah and worship lim.' lbn Abbas said: '1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) prostrated and all ol the
muslims prostrated, so all ol the pagans as well prostrated except lor one old man (leader ol the Quraysh). le
took sand and put it to his head and said that lor him it was sullicient (he is being arrogant).' 1his is the only
version lound in the six books ol hadeeth, and the most lamous book ol seerah.

1here are other versions lound in more obscure books which have details and additions not lound in the
lukhari version. lven within these details are dillerent versions.

most radical version:
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) allegedly wanted to somehow bring the Quraysh closer to lslam with
a compromise and many days went by with him grieving the Quraysh rejected him. 8haytan came to him in the
guise ol }ibreel and 'inspired' him with certain verses (hence the name '8atanic verses'). 1his happened while
}ibreel was reciting to him newly revealed verses, so 8haytan inserted some verses into the recitation ol }ibreel,
and }ibreel allegedly does not see 8haytan, which we know is not the case because they are lrom the same
world. 1hese verses are 8urah An Najm and in the beginning, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) mentions the idols
and says: 'lave you not seen Al-laat and Al-Lzza and Al-mannat7' lere is where they say that 8haytan added
two verses: '1hese are the noble pelicans J emissaries (Arabic expression meaning: beautilul, exotic, noble
species) and their intercession is highly prized and wanted.' Alter the mushrikoon heard this addition, they
said: indeed the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) has allowed us to worship our idols, and when the
muslims made sajdah they made sajdah as well. 1his version ol the story is the most right-wing version and
most extreme. when the Quraysh did sajdah, the muslims assumed they accepted lslam and the news spread to
Abyssinia, and the muslims lrom them came back to makkah and then when they realized this was not true,
then there was a larger migration back to Abyssinia.

1here are other versions in the middle:
(One ol the strongest points to discrediting all these versions is the lact that there are so many dillerent
versions).
}ibreel came and the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asked: 'where are the crane verses7' }ibreel
responded: 'what verses7' 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: '1he ones you came with yesterday.'
}ibreel said he did not bring them, and it was then realized that the 8haytan brought them.

1hey say it is so ludicrous to imagine a muslim making this up, so it must be true. According to this logic, we
really should believe that llvis is still alive in a hospital somewhere in 1ennessee and martians have come to
earth because the National lnquirer tells us! 1here is no credibility.

4
Version in At-1abari:
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) received 8urah An Najm as it stands (no additions), and when he was
reciting to the Quraysh, when he got to this portion, 8haytan cried out in the voice ol the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) mimicking his voice in a voice that only the Quraysh could hear: '1hese are the noble pelicans
and their intercession is highly prized.' 8haytan is speaking directly to the Quraysh, and the muslims and
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) have no idea. when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) linishes the
surah, the Quraysh think there is a compromise and make sajdah as well. 1he plot is exposed later on.

8urah Al lajj v. 2 (22:2 - main evidence ol scholars to say that something strange happened) is the main
verse used by muslims and non-muslims to claim that something happened.
! !l _ ,l, _ _. | | _.. l _L:l .. .
< ! l _L:l . > < .. < 'l. ">>
2. Never did we send a messenger or a lrophet belore you, but, when he did recite the
kevelation or narrated or spoke, 8haitan (8atan) threw (some lalsehood) in it. lut Allah
abolishes that which 8haitn (8atan) throws in. 1hen Allah establishes lis kevelations. And
Allah is All-lnower, All-wise.

many muslim ulema including lbn lajr, lbn 1aymiyyah, an-Nawawi and Qadhi lyyad believed in the middle
version ol the 8atanic verses, and there is no problem believing this. lt is possible lor the 8haytan to speak to
the Quraysh without the muslims hearing. 1he majority ol medieval scholars believed in the middle version.
1he extreme version has major theological problems because we believe that wahy cannot be tampered with.

Ol the evidences used to discredit the story:
1. No authentic book ol hadeeth or seerah mentions this story with a good chain ol narrators. 1his should
be enough reason.
2. 1he story itsell as it is lound has multiple versions (more than two) that are contradictory.
!. 1he issue ol timing where the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) or }ibreel starts and stops and
8haytan starts. lt does not make sense. where did this pause come lrom7
4. we have an authentic version in lukhari that explains everything. 1here is no need lor lar-letched
versions.
. 1he context ol the verses. 1he Arabs know that the relerence to the idols in the Quran is derogatory,
and what also comes alter is also very criticizing.
6. 1he verse in 8urah Al lajj does not have to be linked to any particular story. lt is true that 8haytan
wants lslam to be spread.

8urah An Najm is one ol the most powerlul makkan surahs.

46
chapter 8even chapter 8even chapter 8even chapter 8even: Asbaab An : Asbaab An : Asbaab An : Asbaab An- -- -Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool

Asbaab An Asbaab An Asbaab An Asbaab An- -- -Nuzool: causes ol kevelation Nuzool: causes ol kevelation Nuzool: causes ol kevelation Nuzool: causes ol kevelation

1his is one ol the most lascinating topics ol Lloom al Quran and is an intersection between Lloom al Quran and
seerah because the Quran did not come in a vacuum. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) revealed the Quran bit by bit
and as a response to situations and occurrences happening in real lile. Asbaab an-Nuzool deals with those
specilic occurrences. (the singular lorm: sabab an-nuzool)

lt is one ol the most common and greatest topics ol the sciences ol Quran. lbn lajar, Al-lakim etc. wrote books
on this topic. An-Naysapooree has a version translated in lnglish available.

uelinition ol Asbaab an uelinition ol Asbaab an uelinition ol Asbaab an uelinition ol Asbaab an- -- -Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool

8abab an-nuzool (the cause ol revelation) is delined to be:
1he event or occurrence that was the direct cause ol the revelation ol a particular verse or surah ol the Quran.
lt is a story lrom the seerah linked to a verse ol the Quran. uoes every single verse have a cause7 No, and in
lact the majority ol verses do not a have a specilic cause (they have the general cause ol guiding mankind). 1he
sahabah understood the importance ol the reasons.

lbn masood told his students [lukhari]: 'ask me about the look ol Allah because by Allah there is no ayah in the
Quran except that l know why it was revealed and concerning what it was revealed and concerning lor whom it
was revealed.' [le is emphasizing sabab an-nuzool and shows that he understands the concept ol sabab an-
nuzool]

low do we lind out the sabab an-nuzool7 1he sabab an-nuzool is not something that can be invented oll the
top ol your head, cannot be derived, and is not something you can use your ijtihaad (can do this lor makki and
madani). 8abab an-nuzool must be narrated in books ol seerah, hadeeth, or classical tradition.

1hey can be divided into 2 categories:
1. kevealed without a cause
2. kevealed with a cause.

Asbaab an-nuzool is one ol the most common topics ol Lloom al Quran and ol the greatest books written on
this topic, it is on asbaab an-nuzool (ibn lajar, Al lakim, Al madani, and others wrote books on asbab an-
nuzool).

8ources ol Asbaab an 8ources ol Asbaab an 8ources ol Asbaab an 8ources ol Asbaab an- -- -Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool

1. ladeeth ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
2. 8tatements ol the companions

multiple Asbaab an multiple Asbaab an multiple Asbaab an multiple Asbaab an- -- -Nuzool lor one verse Nuzool lor one verse Nuzool lor one verse Nuzool lor one verse

ouidelines:
1. Accepting authentic narration over the weak narration.
methodology: ll there is an authentic narration, it is taken over a weak narration.
lxample: 8urah Adh-uhuha. 1here are two dillerent reports ol why this was revealed. 1he more authentic
report is the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) did not receive revelation lor a number ol days or weeks, and
the Quraysh ridiculed him that he was not receiving revelation, and he lelt grieved, and Allah (subhanahu
4
wata'ala) revealed this surah. Not authentic: has to do with a dead animal in the louse ol Allah (subhanahu
wata'ala) and so }ibreel did not come lor some time. 1here is no debate: throw out the inauthentic narration
and take the authentic narration.

2. lnvestigating the grounds lor which one narration is accepted over another il both narrations are
authentic.
lxample: 8urah Al lahl. 1hey ask you about the soul. 8ay the soul is lrom the command ol Allah." 1here are
two sabab an-nuzool given:
1) ln lukhari: lbn masood was walking with the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in madinah and they
passed by a group ol }ews who decided to challenge him. 1hey asked him (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
about the kuh, and Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) revealed this verse. [According to this report, the surah
would be madani, but the surah is makki].
2) lbn Abbas said that the Quraysh sent a delegation to Yathrib to try to lind questions to outwit the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1he Quraysh went to the }ews ol Yathrib, and they said: 'ask your alleged
prophet these questions about uhul Qarnayn, the people ol the cave, and the human soul.' 1he Quraysh
came back and challenged the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) about these questions, and as a result
8urah Al lahl was revealed and the question answered.

1his shows the ikhtilaal ol what to do. 1he lirst version is in lukhari. 1he second version is in 1irmidhi (ibn
Abbas was in makkah). One group ol scholars said lbn masood will be accepted over lbn Abbas - why7 lecause
lbn masood was an eye witness. Also, they say lukhari over At-1irmidhi. [1his is a dillerence lrom the book!!]
ln 8haykh Yasir's humble opinion, this is not a strong point to make because both are authentic and 8urah Al
lahl is clearly a makkan surah and there is no problem postulating that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) was asked twice (by the Quraysh and the }ews stopping him outside ol madina). 1he stronger opinion is
that it is possible that the same verse was revealed twice. loth can be allirmed as being legitimate and valid.

!. ll both are authentic narrations and there are no grounds lor which one narration would be accepted
over another, then the verse was revealed lor both incidents (i.e. it was revealed twice).
1here is no problem in saying that a verse was revealed twice or lor multiple asbab an-nuzool. Lloom al Quran
scholars say that il you can say that the incidents occurred close in time, then you can say that the verse came
down once lor both ol them, and il the incidents occur larther apart, then you can say that the verse came
down twice. 1hey give examples ol each type.

lxample: the verses pertaining to accusing one's own wile ol adultery. ln general, when accusing someone ol
adultery, 4 male witnesses are needed. 1here are two asbaab an-nuzool mentioned. 1he lirst is in lukhari and
regards lilal ibn Lmayyah. le saw his wile committing adultery, and he said: 'can a man see this and remain
quiet7' le began to ask problematic questions such as: 'O messenger ol Allah, il a man sees his wile with
another man, he cannot remain in it, and il he says something he will be whipped lor not producing witnesses.'
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: 'lroduce the witnesses.' lilal said: 'O messenger ol Allah, l saw
this, and Allah will produce verses to lree me.' Verses came down that the person must testily lour times using
Allah's Name (! times with Allah's Name that he is not lying and the 4
th
that Allah's anger be upon the one who
is lying). 1hese verses give an exception lor the husband and wile.

lukhari reports another story also: Another sahabah had a similar case, and the same issues happened.
According to the majority ol scholars, two incidents occurred in the same time period, and two dillerent
sahabah accused their wives ol adultery. 1hey say that both ol these are the sabab an-nuzool ol the same verse.

4. ll both narrations are authentic, but occurred in dillerent time lrames, the verse was most likely
revealed more than once.

48
lxample: lamous prohibition ol asking lorgiveness on behall ol a deceased pagan relative. You cannot do this!
1his lamous prohibition occurs in 8urah At-1awbah v. 11!.
! ' _.ll _%! -.`. _,:ll l ' |` _
-, ! _,,. >. >,'
11!. lt is not (proper) lor the lrophet and those who believe to ask Allah's lorgiveness lor the
mushrikn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness ol Allah) even though
they be ol kin, alter it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers ol the lire (because
they died in a state ol disbeliel).

lt is said that this verse came down when Abu 1alib died. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was so
moved and so emotionally attached, and Abu 1alib was the lather ligure to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) in every respect. le (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was 0- years old when Abu 1alib died. 1he lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: 'l will ask Allah to lorgive you as long as Allah does not stop me.' [lukhari]
Allah revealed 8urah 1awbah v. 11!. 8urah 1awbah is one ol the last surahs to be revealed in madinah, so there
is no way that one can postulate this to be a makkan incident unless one says that this verse was revealed twice
(once in makkah and once in madinah).

1here are multiple asbab an-nuzool lor this ayah. lt is also said that this has to do with the mother ol the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), and this incident occurred in madinah. when the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) passed by the grave ol his mother in madinah, he asked Allah il he could visit the grave, and
Allah allowed him to do so, and he asked Allah il he could seek lorgiveness lor her, and Allah did not allow him
to.

multiple Verses multiple Verses multiple Verses multiple Verses lor One 8abab an lor One 8abab an lor One 8abab an lor One 8abab an- -- -Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool

One ol the most controversial aspects ol asbaab an-nuzool is that there are contradicting stories lor a verse,
and this leads the scholars to determine how to silt through the stories and determine which to use and which
not to use.

1he most lamous example ol this: Lmm 8alamah complaining to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam): 'Ya
kasulullah, why does Allah only mention men in the Quran7 why doesn't Allah mention women7' Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala) revealed many verses over a period ol time. 8urah An Nisa v. !2, 8urah Al Ahzab v. ! (in
8haykh Yasir's opinion, it is the most prolound verse when it comes to gender equity in lslam, meaning
everyone gets what they deserve. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) treats men and women the exact way they
deserve to be treated.), 8urah Al lmran v. 19 ('l will not cause to waste the action or deed ol any ol you
regardless ol whether they are male or lemale. 1he two ol you are one lrom the other.' meaning they help each
other and complement each other and every male and lemale come lrom a male and lemale). 1hese three
verses came down because ol this sabab an-nuzool.

A lerson as 8abab An A lerson as 8abab An A lerson as 8abab An A lerson as 8abab An- -- -Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool

As a badge ol honor, the sahabah counted the verses revealed regarding them. Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) listed
three verses revealed concerning him. 1here are many verses that came down because ol Aisha (radhi Allahu
'anha). 1his is recorded in the incident ol ghazwat Al muraysiyah when the necklace ol Aisha (radhi Allahu
'anha) could not be lound and the caravan was delayed, and they did not have any water, so the sahabah were
irritated at Aisha but could not say anything, and they took their lrustration out on Abu lakr (radhi Allahu
'anhu), and Abu lakr (radhi Allahu 'anhu) went to Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha). Allah (subhanahu wata'ala)
49
revealed verses ol tayammum because ol this incident. when the verses came down the sahabah were
overjoyed that this was a way out. ln the end, they did not lind the necklace and decided to go, and when the
camel ol Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) got up, the necklace was underneath it.

kulings lrom these Verses kulings lrom these Verses kulings lrom these Verses kulings lrom these Verses

Asbaab an-Nuzool is one ol the most important aspects ol Lloom al-Quran because asbaab an-nuzool help us
understand what the verse is relerring to. lowever, the scholars have unanimously agreed that the ruling ol a
verse is not restricted to the reason it was revealed (i.e. tayammum was not restricted to only those people who
were present at the incident). 1he ruling includes everything in the generality ol the wording. 1he ruling ol
the verse is based upon the generality ol the ruling and not the specilicity ol its revelation.

lxample: 8urah Al lashr v. : Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 'whatever the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) gives you, take it, and whatever he withholds lrom you, leave it.' 1he sabab an-nuzool is that alter one
ol the battles, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) distributed the spoils ol war. we lirmly believe that
that was the most just and equitable way ol distributing the spoils. 8ome ol the sahabah with less eman became
irritated and spread rumors. 1his did not reach the ears ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) through
the sahabah. lecause ol this, Allah revealed this ayah. 1he sabab an-nuzool tells us that it is applicable to the
spoils ol war, but the wording is very general. can we use this verse in matters other than spoils ol war7 1here
is pretty much unanimous consensus: yes. 1he ruling is taken lrom the generality ol the wording and not the
specilicity ol the situation. lven the sahabah understood this because in the lamous hadeeth in lukhari where
lbn masood said: 'Allah has cursed [a number ol sins..the woman who puts a tattoo] and a woman came and
complained and said that she has not lound this curse in the Quran. And he asked il she had read the Quran
cover to cover, and she replied yes, and he said: il you had read it you would have lound [this ayah].' lbn
masood extrapolated the verse.

lenelits ol lnowing the Asbaab an lenelits ol lnowing the Asbaab an lenelits ol lnowing the Asbaab an lenelits ol lnowing the Asbaab an- -- -Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool Nuzool

Ol the benelits is that it helps us contextualize and understand the verse. lt removes any misinterpretations.
Ol the examples is the sa'ee between 8ala and marwa, and the muslims learing that it was a pagan ritual.
Another example: ln one occasion, the sahabah went out on an expedition, and on the way back they could not
ligure out the direction ol the qiblah because there was a sandstorm. lach group prayed in a dillerent
direction, and when they returned to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), they explained what happened
and 2:11 was revealed: 1o Allah belongs the east and west, whichever direction you turn you will lind the
lace ol Allah." Lnderstanding sabab an-nuzool clarilies what the verse is intending.

1he evolution ol lslam and the early era and knowing how much the 8hari'ah has been preserved and honoring
specilic sahabah. lt helps us appreciate why the verse came down. lt helps us in avoiding misinterpretation ol
a verse. lt is essential to know asbab an-nuzool belore interpreting the Quran. lbn lajar al Asqalani has
written a thorough book. oenerally, lbn lathir mentions asbaab an-nuzool.

1he general rule is that all verses and commandments to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) also apply to
us unless there is a Qur'anic or 8unnah evidence to indicate otherwise such as the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) lasting ! days continuously without eating or drinking.

0
chapter light chapter light chapter light chapter light: 1he compilation ol the Quran : 1he compilation ol the Quran : 1he compilation ol the Quran : 1he compilation ol the Quran

lreser lreser lreser lreservation ol the Quran during the l vation ol the Quran during the l vation ol the Quran during the l vation ol the Quran during the lrophet's lile rophet's lile rophet's lile rophet's lile

lrool that the Quran was not lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
1he earliest record ol the Quran being written down
1he lrophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)'s concern lor its preservation
1he companions' concern lor the preservation ol the Quran

1he compilation ol the Quran is one ol the most cherished topics that muslims always love to talk about it.
1hey like to mention that the Quran has been preserved like no other book and is exactly in its original lorm.
1hese are simplistic claims and to a certain extent true, but it is not as easy as that. 1o understand the
compilation, we have to go back to the beginning and discuss how we got lrom the original writing ol the
Quran until the present day. we begin by reminding ourselves that as muslims, we look at things lrom a
theological bias. 1here is no such thing as a person who is unbiased.

we come to this subject with a bias and should not be ashamed ol this bias because the claim ol neutrality itsell
is lalse. when an orientalist or lslamicist looks at the lile ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), the
assumed lrame ol mind is that this is not a man communicating with ood. Anything that happens must be
explained in material terms and not supernatural terms. when we approach the topic ol the history ol the
compilation ol the Quran, there will be leaps ol laith where we have to assume that this happened and Allah
willed this to happen. lt takes a wise and sensible person to dillerentiate because sometimes you cannot prove
something and say: 'l believe this because my lord told me so.'

lreconception: Allah has promised to protect the Quran. 1here are many verses in the Quran that guarantee
this. lxamples:
1:9
!| _> !l %! !| l L>' _
9. Verily we: it is we who have sent down the uhikr (i.e. the Qur'n) and surely, we will ouard it
(lrom corruption). [8urah Al lijr: 9]

1he number ol emphases in this verse is more than . lt is as il Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) is emphasizing to
the sixth or seventh degree!
8urah :1, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 'it is Our responsibility to compile the Quran..'
| !ls --
1. lt is lor Ls to collect it and to give you (O muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) the
ability to recite it (the Qur'an), [8urah Al Qiyamah: 1]

8urah 41:41-42. '1his is a Noble look. No lalsehood can come to it lrom belore it or behind it.'
| _%! %!!, !l '> | .>l "s .! L,l _ _,,
_ .l> . _ >> -
1
41. Verily, those who disbelieved in the keminder (i.e. the Qur'an) when it came to them (shall
receive the punishment). And verily, it is an honourable respected look (because it is Allah's
speech, and le has protected it lrom corruption, etc.). (8ee V.1:9]
42. lalsehood cannot come to it lrom belore it or behind it (it is) sent down by the All-wise,
worthy ol All praise. [8ural Al lussilat: 41-42

with these basic premises in mind, we then have to look at the compilation ol the Quran lrom this bias that
because we believe Allah to be our lord and the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) as our prophet, we accept
that the Quran is preserved. 1here are some grey areas, and because ol this leap ol laith, we will interpret them
in a positive manner.

1his is in contradistinction to the other books. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) did not promise to protect the other
books. Allah clearly relerences this in 8urah ma'idah :44. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: '1he priests and
the rabbis (i.e. the religious men ol the }ews and christians) were the ones entrusted to protect the book. lor a
time, they were successlul.'

!| !l 1.l !, " >> !, ,l _%! l` _%#l !
,l '!,> !, L`>.` _ . < ' ls ':.
_!l :> .: _.!, !. l _ `l >> !, < ,l`!
>l
44. Verily, we did send down the 1aurat (1orah) [to musa (moses)], therein was guidance and
light, by which the lrophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's will, judged the }ews. And
the rabbis and the priests [too judged the }ews by the 1aurat (1orah) alter those lrophets] lor
to them was entrusted the protection ol Allah's look, and they were witnesses thereto.
1herelore lear not men but lear me (O }ews) and sell not my Verses lor a miserable price. And
whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the lalirun (i.e. disbelievers - ol
a lesser degree as they do not act on Allah's laws ). [8urah Al ma'idah: 44]

oenerally speaking, most muslim academics and historians say that this is not a very long time and may be
within the time ol the sahaba ol 'lesa (alayhi salaam). 1he Quran initially was revealed in makkah in a society
that was considered to be by the superpowers ol the time the most backward society ol the region. lt was so
backward and uncivilized and uneducated that the superpowers did not even bother to conquer it. Arabia is
untouched because the Arabs were considered to be barbaric, uncivilized savages. Arabia did not have a
repository ol knowledge and did not have libraries or a script. 1hey had a crude, unsophisticated alphabet.
1he Quran translormed the uneducated society to become the leaders ol human civilization lor over 1,000
years. 1his is a miracle. Very lew people in makkah could read and write. lowever, because they did not have
reading and writing developed, the Arabs were used to carrying lots ol inlormation in their memory. 1hey had
sharp memories, and their main means ol civilization was poetry. 1he Arabs were blessed with poetry and
loved their poetry. 1his was their means ol competing with one another and showing their superiority. lt was
a developed art amongst the Arabs. Otherwise, they had not mastered any other art or science. 1hey would
have annual competitions. lajj was the annual meeting ol tribes, and alter the pilgrimage, they would remain
in the lields outside ol makkah buying and selling and competing in poetry. 1he best poems would be hung on
2
the la'bah, indicating that they had rudimentary writing. lelore the revelation ol the Quran, the seven lamous
poems were hung on the la'bah, and they represented the pinnacle ol Arabic poetry (As-8aba' mu'allaqat).

8urah 62:2 'le is the One who has sent amongst the ummiyyeen a prophet who is lrom them.'
%! -, _ . l. ,ls .. , l- .>l
>>' | ' _ , l l. _,,
2. le it is who sent among the unlettered ones a messenger (muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam)) lrom among themselves, reciting to them lis verses, purilying them (lrom the lilth ol
disbeliel and polytheism), and teaching them the look (this Qur'an, lslamic laws and lslamic
jurisprudence) and Al-likmah (As-8unnah: legal ways, orders, acts ol worship, etc. ol lrophet
muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)). And verily, they had been belore in manilest error,
[8urah Al }umu'ah: 2]

Al-ummee is one who does not know how to read or write. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) uses the word
ummiyyeeen as praise. 1he reasons why it is praise:
lmphasize the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is lrom the same civilization he has been sent to.
lmphasize that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) has no need to read and write because the
purpose ol reading and writing is to acquire knowledge. when you are communicating with the lord ol
men, you do not need the knowledge ol men.

Allah limsell talks about the status ol illiteracy. 1he entire society is illiterate, and reading and writing was
the exception rather than the rule.

:1 Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: '1hose who lollow the unlettered lrophet.' lor the second time, Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala) calls the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) unlettered.

29:48 ln the most explicit verse about the illiteracy, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) is challenging the non-muslims
ol the time to think about the phenomenon ol the Quran. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 'lelore this Quran
came down, neither could you read lrom a book nor write with your hand. ll you could have done it, there
would have been legitimate reason to doubt.' lrom society's standards, he was uneducated.

1he Quran comes down with the realizations that:
1) society is unlettered and illiterate
2) people as a whole do not care to read and write
!) they are used to memorizing and memorizing large amounts ol poetry
lt is extremely doubtlul that the Quran is being written in the lirst lew years. 1he earliest recorded written
Quran seems to be around the 6
th
year ol the daw'ah when Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) converts to lslam, and the
story ol his conversion mentions that lhabab ibn Al Arat would teach Lmar's (radhi Allahu 'anhu) sister and
brother-in-law, and they had a written copy. 1his incident shows us that people would go with the copy ol the
Quran and teach the new muslims. lrom very early on, there is a sense ol education and teaching others
reading the Quran. lrom the beginning, lslam emphasized education.

uuring the makkan period, we hardly hear ol the Quran being written down. 1here are no reports. ln the
madani stage, things changed. when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) migrated to madina, things were
very dillerent. 1here are explicit narrations ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) having secretaries and
scribes and commanding sahabah to write it down. 1here are over 20 companions whose names have been
!
mentioned acting in the capacity ol scribes lor the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1his shows us that
with the advent ol lslam, literacy increased.

ln one lamous narration in lukhari, 2ayd ibn 1haabit had a phrase: when the verse came down in 8urah An-
Nisa, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'call 2ayd ibn 1haabit lor me, and ask him to bring the ink
and the bone.' when 2ayd came, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) told him to write.
1his phrase speaks volumes. when the Quran would come down, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
would call lor sahabah to come and write it down. we do not have reports that this was done lor every single
verse. we have to take a leap ol laith that when the Quran was revealed, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) has the Quran written down. ln one instance, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asked the scribe
to recite it back. we extrapolate and say that this is a general rule (another leap ol laith). 1he Quran was
written under the direct supervision ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). muslims say that this
happened to the entire Quran.

ln another report in 8ahih lukhari, 2ayd ibn 1haabit said, 'we would compile the Quran during the liletime ol
the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in bits and pieces.' 1hey did not have the material to write an entire
Quran. 1he material that they would write the Quran on was the material available to them. 1he most
common material was leaves ol the date palms. 1his material would not last very long and would not survive
until our time. 8ometimes they would use leather, which was rare and expensive. lbn Abbas and others say
that the shoulder blades ol camels were used.

1he writing material was not quite ink and was a chalky material. ln reality, even il theoretically those early
Qurans were preserved, they would have disintegrated.

uuring the liletime ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), we can assume the Quran was written down in
bits and pieces. we can say with certainty that the Qur'an is recited in the salah. Also, we know that the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would recite the Qur'an even on the mimbar.

Also, some sahabah were eager to memorize everything that came down. 1he concept ol memorizing the
entire Quran was the exception rather than the rule. 1hey were more concerned with learning and acting on it
than memorizing. uuring the liletime ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), very lew people and
memorized the Quran.

Amongst those who memorized the Quran were: 2ayd ibn 1haabit, Ali ibn Abi 1alib, Lbayy ibn la'ab, lbn Lmmi
makhtoum (blind mu'addhin) and some ol the wives ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) (Aisha, lalsa).
1he point is that they were not common. ly the time the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) passed away,
the state ol allairs had not changed much lrom what we have described. 1he Quran was written in bits and
pieces on dillerent materials. 1here was no complete entire version ol the Quran.

Also there is another phenomenon we should be aware ol: we believe that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) recited the Quran every year to the angel }ibreel, and }ibreel recited it back to him. 1his used to be
done during kamadan. ln the 10
th
year ol the lijrah, which was the linal kamadan ol the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam), }ibreel did this twice. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) conlided in his wile about
this, and he told his wile: 'l leel as though my end is near."

}ibreel recited the Quran to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) recited back to him. lor muslims, this is a crucial piece ol the puzzle. when you recite, you must have
a sequence and order and cannot recite bits and pieces without it. As muslims, we can say that the order has
been given to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) by }ibreel, and we can be certain that the order ol the
verses is directly lrom Allah.
4
keasons why the Quran was not compiled into one book during the lrophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) lile: keasons why the Quran was not compiled into one book during the lrophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) lile: keasons why the Quran was not compiled into one book during the lrophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) lile: keasons why the Quran was not compiled into one book during the lrophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) lile:

1he question arises: why didn't the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) compile the entire Quran lrom 'a to
z'7 1here are many reasons lor this.
1. 1here was no pressing need.
le (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was reciting it every year and the sahabah would hear it lrom him.

2. continuous revelation ol the Quran during his (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) lile.
1he last verse to be revealed was actually revealed within the week ol the death ol the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam). 1he concept ol updating cannot be done.

!. Arrangement ol the verses and 8urahs could not be linalized until the Quran was complete.
1he arrangement ol the surahs and verses was not chronological.

4. Abrogation ol certain verses.
1he concept ol abrogation is that certain verses were taken out ol the Quran that used to be part ol it. ll
the sahabah had written an entire book, they would have to be cutting and pasting.

when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) passed away, the Quran was scattered in the hearts ol men and
on leather, date leaves, and bones.

1he lirst compilation 1he lirst compilation 1he lirst compilation 1he lirst compilation

Abu lakr (radhi Allahu 'anhu) came to power and was chosen to be the khalilah. 1he quantity ol hulladh began
to increase because there were no more new additions to the Quran. A large group ol people begin to
memorize the Quran. Also, it is possible to claim that in those days they relerred to someone who had
memorized most ol the Quran as 'qari', which today means only someone who recites the Quran but at that
time meant someone who memorized it. 1he earliest wars were civil wars lrom the outside perspective (lrom
our perspective those people were murtaJ because they relused the caliphate and to pay zakat and some
claimed to be lalse prophets. Abu lakr (radhi Allahu 'anhu) began a series ol campaigns against these people.
Alter the death ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), the ummah lragmented, and Allah chose Abu lakr
(radhi Allahu 'anhu) to cement it together again. Abu lakr (radhi Allahu 'anhu) was chosen by Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala) to solidily and regroup the ummah. le did not expand the ummah more, but he
solidilied the base. le waged a series ol wars against these murtaJs (those who claimed to be muslim but lrom
our perspective were not).

ln the lattle ol Yamamah, 0 companions had memorized the group (known as the 'qura') were martyred. 1his
battle occurred in the 12
th
year ol the hijrah (i.e. one year alter the death ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam). 1he lirst person to take notice that so many qura were killed was Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu). Lmar
(radhi Allahu 'anhu) thought that this was a very dangerous precedent. Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) thought
that il it continued it was possible some portions ol the Quran may be lost. Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) was the
lirst to go to Abu lakr (radhi Allahu 'anhu) and said to him: 'O Abu lakr, a number ol qura have died, and l am
worried that il this continues, other qura will die and we will lose portions ol the Quran, so why don't you
collect together all ol these portions7' 1his hadeeth has been narrated in lukhari, muslim, Abu uawood,
Ahmad, An-Nisa'i and others. Abu lakr asked, 'low can l do something that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) did not do7' le was worried about innovation.

Abu lakr (radhi Allahu 'anhu) expressed his consternation at this new project and said he was not worthy ol
this task. Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) continued to convince him to do so. 1his is a deep theological issue ol the
concept ol bid'ah. Lmar and Abu lakr decide to entrust 2ayd ibn 1haabit with this job. 1hey delegated this

task to 2ayd ibn 1haabit. 2ayd says the same thing: 'how can we do something the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) did not do7' Again, he is also worried about bid'ah. loth ol them convinced 2ayd until he agreed,
and he said: 'ly Allah, il they told me to move a mountain, it would have been easier to do than compile the
Quran' [lukhari]. le lelt the weight ol compiling the Quran.

A number ol questions arise. why was 2ayd ibn 1haabit chosen7 lirst and loremost, he was a neighbor ol the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), and therelore his primary scribe. 1he closest house to the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) alter those ol his wives was that ol 2ayd ibn 1haabit, and 2ayd was a reader and
writer. le became the primary scribe ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). Also, 2ayd was amongst the
lew people who had memorized the entire Quran in the liletime ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).
Also, a key lactor is that 2ayd was relatively younger than the rest ol the sahabah, and they wanted a young,
sharp memory and an enthusiastic person to do the job. Another reason was that 2ayd had shown his aptitude
early on. when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) emigrated to madinah, even belore he had emigrated,
2ayd was ol the people who had memorized everything that was already in madinah at the time, and when he
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) came, the ansar showed him oll as a young person who had memorized
everything. lrom the very beginning, he showed his aptitude and eagerness to memorize the Quran. Also, it is
said by some ol the tabi'oon (another leap ol laith) that 2ayd ibn 1haabit was present with the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) when the last recitation occurred with }ibreel. ll this is true, and there is no reason to
deny it, then this is the 'clincher' (no reason to choose anyone else). le heard the entire Quran lrom the lips ol
the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in the last year ol his lile.

2ayd ibn 1haabit was chosen, and he says: 'l began to compile the Quran lrom the scraps and bits and lrom the
hearts ol men.' le is not writing it lrom his own memory, but he is also writing it lrom written scraps and lrom
the memories ol others. According to one report, an announcement was made in the masjid that il anyone had
written anything lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was to bring it. 1he sahabah began to bring
their scraps, and 2ayd began compiling it until he said: 'l couldn't lind the last verses ol 8urah 1awbah and was
searching lor them and no one had them until linally l lound it with lhuzaymah ibn 1haabit al Ansari and put
it in its proper place.' 1his is a very interesting quote! 2ayd knows the Quran and says he could not lind a
portion as a written document, showing that he knows the verse but wants a written copy lrom someone who
had written it lrom the mouth ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 8urah 1awbah is one ol the last
surahs revealed, so it makes sense that the other portions lrom the earlier times were easier to lind. le wanted
a physical copy. Abu lakr's mus-naj was only meant to preserve the Quran.

Once it was completed, it was kept with Abu lakr (radhi Allahu 'anhu), and once he passed away, Lmar (radhi
Allahu 'anhu) took it. when Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) lay dying, he did not choose the next khalilah but said
to choose lrom amongst the remaining ten promised }annah. lecause there was no khalilah chosen, the mus-
naj, and it was the lirst time it was called mus-naj, which means collection ol scrolls, was then passed down to
lalsa ibn Lmar. lt took them around a week to decide the khalilah, and the khalilah was Lthman ibn Allan. As
ol yet, the Quran is existent and is a copy but not a standard copy. No standardization occurs.

1he Lthmanic compilation 1he Lthmanic compilation 1he Lthmanic compilation 1he Lthmanic compilation

Another problem, lar more severe than the lirst, happened. ln the 2
th
year ol the lijrah, during the caliphate
ol Lthman ibn Allan, the muslims were conquering Azerbaijan. 1hey were lighting in the nether regions ol the
ummah and conquering lands. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) was blessing them in a series ol miraculous victories
to lorever change the course ol history and allow muslims to expand east and west. muslims lrom all over the
empire meet up there. muslims lrom 8yria (Ash-8haam) and Arabia and lraq are all in Azerbaijan, and they are
reciting the Quran dillerently. [1he lirst genuine real question mark: what is this7] 1hese dillerent ways
began to cause splitting in their ranks. lt so happened that a group ol muslims lrom 8yria began arguing with a
group ol muslims lrom lula (lraq), each one saying their recitation is better than the others. 1hese muslims
6
are not sahabah but are students ol the sahabah or students ol the students. 1he sahabah had more knowledge
than to argue about this. 1hese overzealous (which is always the case without knowledge) youngsters began to
be agitated and irritated. lt became so bad that on one occasion, they almost broke out into a physical light.

1he companion ludhaylah ibn Al Yaman was sitting there (he is lamous lor keeping the secrets ol the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)). ludhaylah calms them down and causes them to stop bickering, and he then lelt
the jihad and jumped on his camel and rode all the way back to madinah. le barges into the masjid and tells
Lthman ibn Allan that he better do something because it does not bode well lor the ummah il this bickering
continues. ludhaylah is aware that other religions do not have a standard book. 1o this day, the catholics and
lrotestants have dillerent versions ol their scriptures. le said, 'Ya Ameer al-mu'mineen, you had better cause
this bickering to come to a halt belore things get bad.' Lthman convenes a gathering ol the sahabah and asks
them what should be done.

what is the solution to this bickering and lighting7 1he idea came out ol standardizing the Quran. 1his is very
deep: what does it mean standardize7 what does it mean 'same Quran'7 lt is a very deep question, and non-
muslims can easily distort these reports. Lthman (radhi Allahu 'anhu) says: 'why don't we standardize J unily
the Quran7' 1his means that there were dillering ways ol reading and reciting the Quran that were causing
problems. Lthman wanted to get rid ol these problems. ly the recommendation ol the sahabah, they
unanimously agreed to set a standard Quran and send a copy to each province and then cause everyone else to
copy lrom that copy.

Lthman ibn Allan convened another committee, and this committee was chaired by 2ayd ibn 1haabit, but this
time he had three helpers: Abdullah ibn 2ubayr, 8a'eed ibn Al-'As, Abdurkahman ibn Al laarith. All ol them
were well known sahabah and masters ol the Arabic language. 2ayd was an ansari lrom Yathrib, and the others
were muhajiroon lrom makkah. Lthman told the committee: 'll you all diller over something, then the three
committee members lrom the Quraysh will be given precedence over the ansari.' 1his is because the Quran was
revealed in the dialect ol the Quraysh. ln the lirst compilation, there was no committee. 1he committee's
intent is to re-write the Quran (not compile it). 1hey took the original Abu lakr mus-naj lrom lalsa ibn Lmar
and copied out a number ol copies ol the manuscript. 1hey did not copy it letter lor letter because Lthman
clearly told them: il you diller in what to write or how to write it, write it in the style ol the Quraysh. 1he lirst
copying was done in the style ol Yathrib. we do not have even a single report ol the dillerences. 1he Lthmanic
mus-naj was written in the dialect ol the Quraysh, and this is the only thing that we know.

low many Lthmanic mus-najs were written7 1here are a number ol opinions. Az-2arkashi: 4, 8uyuti: , and
others said or 8. what happened to these7 1hese lour are sent to the major cities. One is kept in madinah.
Others are sent to lasrah, lula, 8yria, some say makkah, some say Yemen. 1he list ol cities varies lrom report
to report. Along with this, Lthman also sent a qari. 1his is very interesting! le sends a book and a person to
teach the mus-naj. le then commands all ol the rest ol the Qurans to be burned.

1his is the big issue lor lslamicists: you had to burn all ol the Qurans to standardize the Quran. 1here is a
cultural and psychological divide: in the western mind, they think it was burning because it was sacrilegious.
when we talk about burning the Quran, it is because it is religious and not sacrilegious. 1his is a big cultural
divide. 1he orientalists misunderstood completely the burning ol the Quran, which was done out ol respect lor
it.

ln every city, people voluntarily bring their Qurans and are told to make a copy ol the one that was received.
1he Quran is standardized at the time ol Lthman, and lrom that time, the Quran ol Lthman has taken on a
sacred status because ol ijmaa' ol the sahabah (not because ol who Lthman was). All ol the sahabah agreed to
conlorm to the Lthmanic mus-naj.


what are the dillerences between the compilations7
1he reason lor the compilation. Abu lakr compiled it to preserve a copy. Lthman compiled it to
standardize it.
Abu lakr's compilation was done by one man. Lthman's compilation was done by a committee headed
by 2ayd, but the three Qurayshis had veto power over him.
Abu lakr's mus-naj was not taken as a standard copy. Lthman's mus-naj was public, and anyone could
go and take lrom it.
All other dillerences between the two are speculative:
Lthman's rearranged the surahs and Abu lakr's did not. 1here is no evidence lor this.
8ome say Abu lakr's had all ol the seven ahrul and Lthman only had one. No shred ol evidence
lor this either.

1o summarize:
within 1-20 years ol the death ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) (scholars dillered over the date ol
the battle in Azerbaijan), when all ol the major sahabah are still alive, a standard, unilied copy ol the Quran was
lormed. 1his is unprecedented in any other religious tradition. Orientalists or academics themselves have
dillered. mainstream lslamicists believe that the Lthmanic compilation occurred and that the Quran that we
have is pretty much identical with minor variations. 1here main emphasis: what happened belore the
Lthmanic compilation7 1here is an extremely radical school composed ol extremely intelligent and cunning
minds who are very qualilied who are coming lorth with a new theory, which started in the 0s.

A lritish orientalist at 8OA8 in london came to America and began writing and wrote a very strange book
where they denied the existence ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1hey kept relining their theory.
Over the last !0 years, both have evolved to become more sophisticated and relined, but they are trying to push
back the genesis ol lslam to 100 years alter and closer to up north nearer civilization. 1hey have written a
series ol books with this premise. 1heir basic premise is that the Quran is an Lmayyad compilation. 1he
majority ol even non-muslims acknowledge that the Lthmanic compilation occurred. 1o them, the Lthmanic
mus-naj is what the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) claimed to be the Quran. No serious academic
believes that the New 1estament represents }esus's teachings. 1his is light years ahead ol what they give to
their own religions ol }udaism and christianity.

Appearance ol the Appearance ol the Appearance ol the Appearance ol the Vus Vus Vus Vus- -- -naj naj naj najs ss s

1he Lthmanic mus-naj was written in a script that was extremely rudimentary. 1here are no dots and there are
no tasnkcc|. 1he letters that are used and the style ol writing and the spelling ol the Quran was a very
antiquated spelling. As the Arabic alphabet evolved and the style ol writing evolved, scholars were laced with a
plethora ol questions: do we have to conlorm to the writing style ol Lthman and to the ancient spelling and
can we write the surah names and can we write the ayah numbers7 1he issue came: how much authority do
we have to add to the text inlormation that may be uselul but not in the Lthmanic mus-naj.

1he spelling ol words ol the Qur'an
1he script ol the mus-naj

lirst issue: spelling ol words in the mus-naj. 8pelling means, lor example: in lnglish, il you go to lngland they
write 'lavour' with a 'u' and in America, they write 'lavor.' ll Lthman's mus-naj used a letter not used anymore
or il we write with a dillerent letter now, must the spelling ol Lthman's mus-naj be lollowed7 lor example: the
word salah.
ln Lthman's mus-naj: ,.
ln the Qur'an now: .
8
1he vast majority ol ulema said keep it how it is no matter how the script evolves. A small group ol ulema said
that it was no big deal, stay with the times. 1hese were a minority, and their voices were drowned out. 1o this
day, the letters in the Quran are the same as the Lthmanic compilation. lmam maalik, Ahmed ibn lanbal, Ad-
uaani (d. 444) all said that you cannot change the alphabet J spelling ol the mus-naj.

8econd issue: script ol the mus-naj. ly script, we mean the writing style. lor example, in lnglish, we have
many dillerent lonts in microsolt word, and everyone's handwriting is dillerent, and there are dillerent styles
(i.e. cursive, block, etc.). 1he question arises: can you change the writing style ol the Quran7 lnitially, there
was hesitation to do so, but it became hopeless, so the script and style was changed. 1he original mus-naj was
written in Old lulic style. lt is a style that no one can read easily unless they train themselves in it, even the
most educated Arab ol our times cannot read this script easily. lt did not have nuqat and tashkeel.

Over time, the nuqat and tashkeel were added. when were they added7 1here are many dillerent reports. 1he
reality is we may never know lor sure when it was added lor the lirst time, but we do know that roughly by 80
Al, in the early period ol the Lmayyad dynasty under the caliphate ol Abdulmalik ibn marwan. Ol the things
that he also did was that he allowed the Quran to be written in a new style with tashkeel and calligraphy, and it
made it easy lor the muslims to read the Quran. 1here are three primary names ol the architects: Abul Aswad
Ad-uu'alli, who was a student ol Ali ibn Abi 1alib, and a number ol reports credit him with inventing the lirst
tashkeel. 1ashkeel is having a latha, dhamma, or kasra. le did not have latha, kasra, dhamma, but his system
was as lollows: lor a dhamma he would have a dot alter the letter, lor a latha, he would have a dot above the
letter, and lor a kasra, he would have a dot below the letter. le would write them in a dillerent colored ink
(typically red). lmam maalik and others said that the colors had to be written in dillerent colors, but reality
struck, and it could not be done.

lhalil ibn Ahmad is the one who invented the tashkeel. le said the dhamma represents a 'wow' and the latha
represents an 'alil' above a letter and kasra represents a 'ya' underneath the letter. le invented the system ol
latha, dhamma, kasra.

Yahya ibn Ya'mur and Nasr ibn Asim are credited lor the invention ol writing dots on the letters. 1raditional
classical Arabic simply had a straight line to represent a series ol letters (primitive script). lt could be noon -
ba - ta - ya - tha lrom a simple line. 1hey decided that they would be precise about the letters by adding dots
and made the condition to not have more than three dots. Also, the 'ayn and ghayn and la and qaal were done
by these two.

ln the early Qurans, you do not see the entire tashkeel, and dots were added but only occasionally. why7 Only
in words where it was not obvious what the letter or the harakah is would they add it. 1here are dozens ol
ancient Qurans where most ol the Quran has nothing. lt was only later when the standard ol education went
down and this script proved problematic were each and every dot added. later, numbers to the ends ol verses
were added. ln the beginning, there was a symbol or dot added at the end ol a verse, and alter getting to , a
kha would be written and then 1 would be started again and then 'ayn would be written and then a kha would
be written and so on. lventually, someone came up with a better way and added the numbers.

Around the second or third century, surah names were added. 8ometimes the surah would be written as
makkiyyah or madaniyyah. Also very early on, other qira'at were written in the margins. Along with this, the
writing style ol the Quran changes lorm early lulic to many dillerent styles and lonts, but one style was simply
so beautilul and simple that it lasted lor more than 1,200 years and that is the Naskhi style. 1he one who
introduced this style is a calligrapher ol the name lbn muqla (d. !2 Al). many other calligraphers began to
add to it and beautily it. 1o this day, you lind Qurans written in dillerent styles. You notice one thing: the
early scholars did not like the changing ol the script and adding ol tashkeel. 1hey were able to preserve the
spelling but lost the other battles.
9

www.islamic-awareness.org 1here is nothing similar to this website in the world! lt is made by
a lriend ol 8haykh Yasir who is a nanotechnologist lrom cambridge who ueedat style came to
study in cambridge and was bombarded by christian missionaries. As a nanotechnologist, he
began to study on his own in the mid 1990s. le researched and compiling and writing and
slowly but surely, he now has the most academic response to orientalist critiques ol Quran,
seerah, and hadeeth online. le does this part-time as a hobby. le has the greatest collection ol
photographs ol lslamic manuscripts and coins online.

laper was imported to the ummah around 8-90 Al. Alter a battle, two chinese prisoners ol war were
captured and told them that they would teach them how to make paper lor their lreedom. lrom the muslims,
it spread out to the entire world. lor the lirst 100 years, Quran was not written on paper. with paper, thin
books could be written. Also, paper lasts a long time, which parchment does not.

kecap:
ln compilation ol the Quran, what are some ol the problems that we lace as muslims in explaining the
authenticity ol the Quran7

1he problem ol what is evidence. when you engage in debate with any person (muslim or non-
muslim), the lirst thing that you need to realize: what are his premises and loundational values7 what
does he consider evidence7 kesponse: we have Qurans pre-dating 2 centuries. when you show him
this, he cannot deny physical evidence. 1he next question: how old are these Qurans7
uo we have the original Lthmanic Qurans preserved7 1he reality is: delinitively we do not. leople
would like to believe that the one in 8amarqand is an Lthmanic mus-naj. lt is clear they are not because
ol the diacritical marks. lt is delinitely an early mus-naj within the lirst 100 years.
8ome people may accept that there are mutawaatir numbers ol people memorizing the Quran.
lneumismatic evidence: coins have Quran written on them. [8haykh Yasir collects Lmayyad coins]
Another evidence: old architectural monuments. One ol the earliest masjids in the world is the orand
masjid in uamascus. 1his masjid was built within the lirst century ol the hijrah. 1his masjid has lots ol
Quran written inside ol it.
1here are scraps ol Quran older than these lull mus-najs. 8ana' collection ol Yemen, in lrance they have
one ol the oldest Qurans on display, another is displayed in the National museum ol london.
At the end ol the day, lrom their perspective and loundations, you cannot prove that the Quran was
written at the time ol Abu lakr and Lthman, which we prove through our system ol hadeeth and isnad.
1hey do not accept this as evidence.
One ol the unique aspects ol our religion: lbn 8ireen and others said: 'Allah blessed this ummah which
things le has not blessed others with and ol them is isnad. ' Abdullah ibn mubarak (teacher ol lukhari):
'1he isnad is ol our religion. ll there was no isnad, anyone could say whatever he wanted. '

1o summarize: lrom the muslim perspective, the Quran was compiled during the liletime ol the lropeht (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) on pieces ol paper and parchment. lvery single piece ol revelation was written down
somewhere. uuring the lattle ol Yamama in 11 Al, a large number ol huladh died, so Lmar (radhi Allahu
'anhu) suggested compiling the Quran, Abu lakr reluctantly agreed, and 2ayd ibn 1haabit was put in charge.
8ome reports say that Abu lakr commanded lilal to go in the streets ol madinah calling out that il anyone had
anything ol the Quran they should bring it to the masjid, and they examined it and called witnesses and
accepted the evidences and put it into the Quran. 1his was within two years ol the death ol the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

1hirteen years later, another incident occurred which is more dillicult to understand. 1he summary ol it is:
people lrom dillerent parts ol the world were reciting the Quran dillerently. 1his led them to start bickering
60
and debating whose Quran was better. why were they dillerent7 lnshAllah you will understand why this was
the case later in the day. Lthman (radhi Allahu 'anhu) is alerted. 1he danger now is not that the Quran is being
lost, but it is that people are dillering over what is the Quran. 1hey are dillering over what they will do with
their recitation when someone else has a dillerent one. Lthman wanted to standardize the Quran and not
preserve it, which was Abu lakr's goal. Lthman convened another compilation.

As a lootnote: some ulema think that Lthman did it lrom scratch all over again and did exactly what Abu lakr
had done. when this was linished, he compared the compilation to the compilation ol Abu lakr. Other ulema
said that he used the compilation ol Abu lakr as a basis and merely re-did it. 1his point may never be resolved
because the number ol reports is very lew. Allahu 'Alam.

Abu lakr's mus-naj played a very important role because it was used either in the beginning or the end. 1he
timing has a deep symbolic dillerence: il we say that Lthman's mus-naj started lrom scratch, this is a stronger
point lor the Lthmanic and Abu lakr compilations in that the end result was exactly the same (i.e. starting over
with a larger committee and ending with the exact same conclusion as Abu lakr's committee.) Another theory:
they merely transcribed it to standardize it.

low many mus-najs ol the Quran did Lthman write7 1here is a large dillerence ol opinion and it varies lrom 4
to 8. we know lor a lact that more than one was accidentally destroyed by a lire or a disaster. None were
intentionally destroyed.

1he evolution ol the script: it is overly simplistic to say that the mus-naj that we have is letter lor letter and
harakat lor harakat the same as the Lthman mus-naj. 1his is lalse! 1he mus-naj ol Lthman is a skeleton mus-naj
that has the basic structure without the dots. 1here are no diacritical marks or surah names in the Lthmanic
mus-naj. 1he earliest mus-najs sometimes show verse endings and sometimes do not.

1o summarize non-muslim positions:
1he most radical right wing position: lirst propounded by wanzborough (lritish orientalist) whose students
cook and crone (and Andrew kippen) have this position. 1hey say: 1he Quran as it exists is the product ol the
Lmayyad dynasty and perhaps there was no ligure ol muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), and lslam is a
radical }ewish cult that wanted to break away lrom }udaism. 1hey say: makkah was never a center ol
importance and the muslims started lrom lurther north. lven mainstream lslamicists think that this
viewpoint is too extreme and agree with many premises but not the conclusions.

On the other side: 8ome academics agree with the muslim traditional point ol view. oenerally speaking
mainstream beliel: 1here was some kind ol Lthmanic compilation and the Lmayyads made it the ollicial
compilation. ly and large, what we have is what the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said is the Quran.
1hey also believe that the Quran has not been preserved word lor word or letter lor letter and there are
mistakes.

why do we care about what they believe7 ll you live in their environment, you need to be prepared to engage
with them.

low many mus-najs were there7 were they the same7
Amazingly and clearly, an orthodox muslim opinion is that they know they were not the same. 1here are
dillerences in these various mus-najs. what do dillerences mean7 No ayah is added, but what is lound is that
there are quite a number ol dillerences within these mus-najs that involve single letters or small words. 1hese
are living traditions. 1here are more prolound dillerences: min tantiyana|-annar - sometimes 'min' is missing.
1his is another leap ol laith. Another example: 8urah Al lajj - in A||ana nuwa 6nani A| uamccJ. ln another: ln
A||ana a|-6nani a|-uamccJ (no nuwa). 1here are another two dozen or so dillerences. what does this do in the
61
eyes ol non-muslims7 clearly lor them it is not a divinely preserved book. 1he orientalists say that when you
show these dillerences exist, then you cannot say that this is the unaltered word ol ood.
1he various mus-najs ol Lthman were not the same letter lor letter or word lor word. All dillerences are in this
same vein.

1here is a genre ol other dillerences within the realm ol the Lthmanic mus-naj. lor example: ya`|amccn and
ta`|amccn. 1here were no diacritical marks in the Lthmanic mus-najs. As muslims, we believe that the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) recited it both ways. 1he orientalists say: the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) must have recited it in one way or people would have reported it. 1here are thousands ol such
dillerences. 1his is a leap ol laith. 1he dillerent qira'at recite these dillerently.

1he question arises: what is the orthodox position ol these dillerences7 1his goes back to the concept ol the
various modes ol recitation (anruj). As muslims, we believe that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
intentionally recited the Quran in various ways, and this dillerence ol opinion comes lrom Allah (subhanahu
wata'ala). lrom the non-muslim perspective, all ol these concepts are inventions muslims had to do to explain
the dillerences. muslims believe that the concepts lead to the dillerences and the non-muslims believe that the
dillerences to the concepts.

1he 1he 1he 1he Verses ol the Quran Verses ol the Quran Verses ol the Quran Verses ol the Quran

ly verse, we mean the word 'ayah'. 1he Arabic word 'ayah' is used in the Quran lor many reasons.
1he uillerent meanings ol the word 'ayah'
8ign or indication [2:248]
Admonition or lesson [16:11]
miracle [2:211]. 1his is the main meaning ol 'ayah' in the Quran.
Verse or sentence [16:101]
ll someone asks: where do we get the concept ol dividing the Quran into verses7 kesponse: Allah clearly
mentions this in the Quran.

1his knowledge ol where a verse begins and ends is essential lor a number ol reasons, including:
1. Acceptance ol the lrayer
2. lroper recitation ol the Quran
!. Acceptance ol the lriday sermon
4. 1he ease in linding particular passages in the Quran

1he origins ol this knowledge: ! opinions
1. lt is lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) himsell. lach verse has been specilically
demarcated by the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). low did he tell us7 1he scholars who lollow
this position say that he would stop at a verse ending, and the sahabah understood that it was a verse
ending.
2. All ol the verse endings come lrom the scholars ol the sahabah who compiled the mus-naj. 1he verse
endings are not divine.
!. most ol this knowledge is with the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and some is based upon the
ijtihaad ol the early muslim generations. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) stopped at specilic
points, and the sahabah remembered those points and recorded them, but it was not known lor the
entire Quran, so they used their own ijtihaad also to determine the verse endings. 1he lact that the
Quran was divided into verses by the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) has some evidence but is not
comprehensive.

62
lor example: 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said there is a surah composed ol !0 verses, and
whoever recites it regularly will be saved lrom the litnah ol the grave. [this is 8urah 1abbaruk].

Another hadeeth: whoever memorizes the lirst 10 verses ol 8urah Al lahl, he will be saved lrom the
trial ol ad-uajjal.

ladeeth: 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asked Abu uharr: what is the greatest verse in the
Quran7 le says: Allah knows best. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asked again: what is the
greatest verse in the Quran7 le replied: [Ayat al kursi]. le (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) tapped him
and said: .. [indicating that he had said the correct answer]

1hese ahadeeth show us that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is aware ol the concept ol
verses.

why don't we extrapolate this and lollow the lirst opinion7 1he lact that the number ol verses in the
Quran is dillerent lrom place to place, but the Quran itsell is the same.

1he Number ol words and letters 1he Number ol words and letters 1he Number ol words and letters 1he Number ol words and letters

1he number ol verses is dillerent lrom recitation to recitation and region to region. 1his shows that the
numbering is not lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and is not divine. lowever, now that the
ummah has agreed upon the number, none ol us is allowed to re-number the Quran based upon our
understanding. 1he scholars have or 8 opinions, but we cannot add any more opinions. lor example: 8urah
Al lathihah. ly unanimous consensus it consists ol verses. ['we have given you seven verses that are olten
repeated' - in the Quran]. 8cholars diller il the basmalah is an ayah. ln our qira'a (lals and Asim), the
basmalah is the lirst verse ol 8urah Al lathihah. Other qira'a say that it is not a verse and is just what is said at
the beginning ol every surah, and they split the last verse into two verses. 1he number ol verses according to
our recitation is: 6,2!6 verses (lals). ln makkah, 6210 verses. ln madinah: 6214 or 621 verses. ln lims,
uamascus, 622 verses. ln other regions ol 8yria: 62!2 verses. 1his is only a matter ol where verses begin or
end (i.e. where to split a long paragraph). 1his dillerence ol opinion goes back to because the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) did not tell us when a verse ends, and there was ijtihaad that was done. we do not
have a right to re-do the ijtihaad. 1he ikhtilaal remains.

why do we need to know verse numbers7
According to some liqh madhabs: must recite ! verses alter 8urah Al lathihah.
According to other madhahib: recite certain verses in the lriday khutbah.
1he ease ol linding particular passages in the Quran.
1he proper recitation ol the Quran. 1his is not absolutely true because you should stop at places that are not
verse endings as well. lor example: linding mccm on top ol a word means that you must stop at that place
(tajweed rule). lt helps codily the Quran.

many ol the early mus-najs have verse endings at certain places and not others, indicating that it was only
shown when it may have been problematic to determine the verse ending.

Arrangement ol the Verses Arrangement ol the Verses Arrangement ol the Verses Arrangement ol the Verses

1here is no dillerence ol opinion. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) told us that the they were arranged
in that lashion. ly unanimous consensus ol scholars ol lslam, the arrangement ol the verses is lrom the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) himsell. 1he sahabah were not involved in this. 1he strongest evidence
lor this is that there is no dillerence ol opinion over this issue. No sahabah said that he thought an ayah should
6!
be in a dillerent place. Also, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) recited the Quran in the prayer and the
sahabah heard him recite the Quran many times. within a surah, there is no dillerence ol opinion on the
arrangement.

1he lasmalah as a verse: Opinions 1he lasmalah as a verse: Opinions 1he lasmalah as a verse: Opinions 1he lasmalah as a verse: Opinions

1. 1he basmalah is a separate verse at the beginning ol every surah.
2. 1he basmalah is only a part ol a verse at the beginning ol every surah.
!. 1he basmalah is a verse only at the beginning ol 8urat al-latihah, and not lor other surahs.
4. 1he basmalah is not to be counted as a verse in any 8urah but is a verse ol the Quran.
. 1he basmalah is not a verse ol the Quran but rather a phrase which is used to distinguish one surah
lrom another.

many ol these opinions are correct because the various qira'at have dillerences over the basmalah, and we
consider them to be valid because they are opinions ol the qira'at. 1here is one place that everyone agrees that
it is a part ol the verse: 8urah An Naml when 8ulayman sends a letter to Queen 8heba. 1his is the only time in
the entire Quran where the basmalah is lound within a surah. 1hese opinions reler to the beginnings ol the
surah. ly unanimous consensus, 8urah 1awbah does not have the basmalah at the beginning.

[lbn muqla - perhaps the greatest calligrapher ol the ummah]
Lthman 1a la is the calligrapher ol the Quran we have printed.

1he Arrangement ol the 8urahs 1he Arrangement ol the 8urahs 1he Arrangement ol the 8urahs 1he Arrangement ol the 8urahs

1here are three opinions:
1. 1he arrangement ol the surahs is a divine inspiration to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam),
therelore, it is lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) directly. lvidences:

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) recited a number ol surahs in the prayer, and he began with
lathihah then went to laqarah and then Al lmran and An-Nisa, showing the arrangement (ladeeth ol
Abu lurayrah).

2. 1he arrangement ol the surahs was lrom the sahabah. lecause they arranged it in this way, there is
unanimous consensus and the order should not be changed. 1he net result is the same as #1 which is
that the order should not be changed.

!. 8ome were arranged by the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and some by the sahabah.

when writing the book, 8haykh Yasir lollowed opinion #1, but now says it is clear that the arrangement ol the
surahs is not divine and has a lot to do with the sahabah. Ol the most explicit evidences is an authentic hadeeth
in 8unan At-1irmidhi:

lbn Abbas says explicitly to Lthman (radhi Allahu 'anhu): O Lthman, why did you put Anlaal
along with 1awbah even though there is so much dillerence between them7 (i.e. time ol
revelation, etc,). Lthman (radhi Allahu 'anhu) said: 1he surahs used to be revealed to the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and whenever something would be revealed, he would tell
the scribe to place this revelation in such and such a surah (showing arrangement ol verses is
lrom lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)). Anlaal was one ol the lirst surahs, and At-1awbah
was one ol the last, and the content was similar (i.e. jihad and spoils ol war), and so l thought
that 1awbah was a part ol Anlaal. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) passed away belore
64
l could ask him about it, and because ol this, l put the two together and did not write the
basmalah between them.

1his hadeeth tells us that most ol the arrangement was lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) but
sections were lelt. 1his shows us that the arrangement ol the surahs was by and large lrom the sahabah
ijtihaad, and they arranged it by and large according to size. we should not tamper with what the sahabah
agreed upon. 1his also shows that the arrangement is not ol signilicant value. luqahaa say that you in one
prayer may recite one surah and in the next rak'ah you may recite a surah that came belore it. lmam maalik
and laqilani held the opinion ol #! (ijtihaad). All ol the opinions agree that because the sahabah chose the
arrangement, we should respect it and conlorm to it.

1he Number ol 8urahs 1he Number ol 8urahs 1he Number ol 8urahs 1he Number ol 8urahs

Another interesting point: Lthman said that he did not know il 1awbah was a separate surah and so he did not
write the basmalah. 8ome ol the tabi'oon said that there are 11! surahs (combined Anlaal and 1awbah) and not
114 surahs. 1his is a trivial point. ll the surahs themselves came lrom the sahabah, then what about the
names7 ly and large, they are lrom the tabi'oon and taba tabi'oon. 8ometimes, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said a name ol a surah: kecite the two large rainlul clouds. kecite laqarah and Al-lmran. 1hese
names are mentioned by the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

1he Names ol 8urahs 1he Names ol 8urahs 1he Names ol 8urahs 1he Names ol 8urahs

ln the classical books, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) did not name each and every surah. 1o this
day, even in lbn lathir you will lind statements: 'ol the names ol the surah is this.'. 8urah At-1awbah is also
called 8urah Al-lara'. 8urah names are not lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). ln our times,
certain names have stuck and others have not, and let us leave it as that. 1he names are not divine and were
given lor convenience. 1he names are not divine and are used to demarcate surahs lrom each other.

1he classilication ol 8urahs 1he classilication ol 8urahs 1he classilication ol 8urahs 1he classilication ol 8urahs

ln one tradition, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) seems to categorize the Quran into lour separate
categories. ln one hadeeth, he (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) says: 'l have been given in place ol the 1orah, the
seven tiwaal and in place ol the 2aboor, l have been given the mi'een (surahs with around 100 verses), and l
have been given in place ol the lnjeel the mathaani, and l have been prelerred over the others by the mulassal.'

1. 1he 1iwaa| 8urahs: 8urahs alter Al-latihah. 8ome include 8urah At-1awbah because they considered
it part ol Anlal.
2. 1he Vi`ccn 8urahs with over 100 verses. most ulamaa say it begins at Yunus to 8urah Al laatir
!. 1he Vatnaani: 1he olt-repeated 8urahs. 8tart with Yaseen to 8urah Al lujurat
4. 1he Vujassa|: 1hese 8urahs are called disjointed or broken because ol the lrequent occurrence ol the
lasmalah. 1hey start, according to the strongest opinion, lrom 8urat Qaal (or, according to another
opinion, Al lujuraat) and linish with An-Naas.

1his tradition which appears to be authentic (reported in At-1abarani) tells us:
1he original books ol the prophets belore the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) were very small, and ours is
the largest given. (opinion ol the majority ol the scholars).
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was given similar types ol genres. 1he 2aboor has glorilying verses,
and the 1awrah has legal rulings.

8cholars have dillered about the dillerences between the mathaani and mulassal.
6

1here are other classilications as well. Very early on, the Quran was separated into seven sections called
manzil. Once upon a time, people would linish the Quran in one week as standard practice. ll you linish the
Quran in one week, then the Quran is divided into parts, and they would write each part, which today is
shown sometimes as a manzil. 1his is shown lrom hadeeth ol ludhaylah: l asked the companions how they
would divide the Quran up. 1hey said: '1hree surahs (laqarah, Al lmran, An-Nisa), and then live surahs, and
then seven, and then nine, and then eleven, and then thirteen, and then lrom Qaal until 8urah An-Naas).'" 1his
was the habit ol most ol the sahabah to linish the Quran in one week.

later, one week was changed to one month and divisions were changed to !0, which are now called juz J para.
1hese divisions are completely man-made, therelore, there are trivial dillerences about where to begin and
end. 1he hizb is also a man-made division. lach juz has 2 hizb, and each hizb is 4 parts. 1here is no religious
signilicance, and it is simply a man-made categorization to help people memorize and benelit lrom the Quran.

66
chapter Nine chapter Nine chapter Nine chapter Nine: leginning and lndings ol Verses : leginning and lndings ol Verses : leginning and lndings ol Verses : leginning and lndings ol Verses

1he leginning ol the 8urahs: 10 categories 1he leginning ol the 8urahs: 10 categories 1he leginning ol the 8urahs: 10 categories 1he leginning ol the 8urahs: 10 categories

All ol this is man-made. 1hey are categorizations to help us understand.
1. uisjointed letters
1he Vuattaàat

2. olorilication ol Allah
Alhumdulillah, tabarak Allah, subhanalladhi

!. A call
O you who believe, o mankind (surah an-Nisa)

4. 8tatement ol lact
Qadha allaha mu'minoon (the believers are indeed successlul)

. Oath
wa'dhuha, wa'l lajr, wa'l asr

6. condition
ldha jaa an-nasrulahhi wa'l lath (8urah An-Nasr)

. command
lqra (read) bismirubbi
Qul (say) hu Allahu ahad

8. Question
Amma yatasaaloon.

9. lnvocation J du'a
(statement that sounds like a du'a. lor Allah, there is no du'a)
waylul lil mukhadibeen
wayluli kulli humzatil lumaza
1abbat yada abi lahabu watab

10. keason or cause
li ilali Quraysh (only surah that begins with a reason) - 'lor the travel ol the Qurayhs'

1he uisjointed letters ( 1he uisjointed letters ( 1he uisjointed letters ( 1he uisjointed letters (Vuattaàat Vuattaàat Vuattaàat Vuattaàat): 29 8urahs ): 29 8urahs ): 29 8urahs ): 29 8urahs

1here are 29 surahs that begin with al hurool al muqatta'aat. All ol the surahs that begin with these are makki
except lor laqarah and Al lmran, which are early madani surahs. oeneral speaking, the muqatta'aat are an
earlier phenomenon. 2 were revealed in makkah, and it is primarily a makkan phenomenon. 1here are over
20 opinions on what the muqattaa'at are. 8ome ulema ol talseer spend 0 pages discussing this topic.

1. mutashaabih: only Allah knows their meaning. 1his is a legitimate opinion, but we need to consider the
wisdom ol including these letters in the Quran. 1his opinion does not mean that we shouldn't look at
the other opinions.

6
2. 1hese letters are lrom the names ol Allah. 8ome ol the early scholars held this and then the 8ulis took
it to another level.

!. Allah has sworn by these letters. kesponse to this: why give an oath in a manner that is not known to
be giving an oath7 1he Arabs did not do this. 8ome ulema have said the phenomenon ol the
muqatta'aat were lound in Arabic poetry, but generally speaking, it was not a habit ol the Arabs and not
part ol their vernacular to mention letters. lt is a Quranic phenomenon, so we have to think about why
they are mentioned in the Quran.

4. 1hese letters represent numerical values. 1his is a 8uli opinion, and orthodox muslims never
considered this opinion with any degree ol respect. 8ahabah and tabi'oon explicitly spoke against it.
Alil ba ja dal ha wa zal
1his is where people get 86 lrom and this should be avoided completely!

. 1hey stand lor specilic meanings. 1hink ol sentences that begin with the letters and correlate them.
1his is not lar-letched because some ol the tabi'oon held it, but they derived very simple statements
mostly having to do with the names ol Allah. 1his opinion is related to the second opinion. mujahid
said: alil laam meem stands lor 'l Allah know everything.'

6. lsoteric lnterpretations.

. 1hey are lrom the names ol the Quran.

8. 1hey are meant to ballle the disbelievers.

9. 1hey are the names ol the surah. (i.e. Yaseen, 1a la, Qaal)

10. 1hey are meant to demonstrate man's limited knowledge.

11. 1hey are relerences to the other hall ol the alphabet. 1his opinion is interesting because when you
compile all ol the muqatta'aat, 14 letters are used to make them up. 1he Arabic letter has exactly 28
letters. 1his led ulema to think that maybe it is meant to be a relerence to the other hall ol the
alphabet and as il Allah is trying to say: lere is the Quran composed ol your very letters, see il you can
compose something similar to it, and by putting the muqatta'aat with only 14 letters, then use the
remaining letters. 1his is the opinion ol Ar-kazi. 1his shows the miraculous nature ol the Quran.
Almost every time Allah mentions the muqattaa'aat, the next verse has to do with the Quran.

12. 1hey are used to attract attention. when a surah is started with the muqatta'aat, people pay attention.

1here are other opinions as well.
8haykh Yasir goes back to the lirst one. 1hey have some merit, but 8haykh Yasir cannot lind himsell agreeing
with any ol them. All ol them have some meanings. Allahu 'Alam what is the wisdom. 1here are two things:
the wisdom and lunctionality. 1he lunctionality is that we can name surahs with the letters like 8urah Qaal
and 8urah 1a la. 1o say that this is the cause ol why Allah revealed it, 8haykh Yasir is more hesitant, and only
Allah knows why.

68
chapter chapter chapter chapter 1en: 1en: 1en: 1en: 1he Qi 1he Qi 1he Qi 1he Qira'aat ol the Quran ra'aat ol the Quran ra'aat ol the Quran ra'aat ol the Quran

1he meaning ol the word Qira'aat" 1he meaning ol the word Qira'aat" 1he meaning ol the word Qira'aat" 1he meaning ol the word Qira'aat"

linguistically: 1he word Qira'aat" is the plural ol Qiraa'ah, which comes lrom the root word q-r-a, meaning 'to
read, to recite.'

lts meaning within the Quranic sciences: 1he various ways and manners ol reciting the Quran that are in
existence today.

lach Qiraa'ah has its own peculiar rules ol recitation (tajwccJ) and variations in words and letters and is named
alter the reciter who was lamous lor that particular Qiraa'ah.

listory ol the Qira'a listory ol the Qira'a listory ol the Qira'a listory ol the Qira'aat at at at

what happened alter Lthman (radhi Allahu 'anhu) compiled the mus-najs and sent them out to the various
cities was that he also sent a person along with the mus-naj. le sent a qari, usually a tabi'ee and sometimes a
sahabi. le did this because the Quran is not meant to be recited only lrom the book, but it is also meant to be
recited lrom the tongues ol men as well. You cannot read the Lthmanic mus-naj without help. No matter how
knowledgeable you are ol the Arabic language, you do not know il it is ya`|amccn or ta`|amccn unless someone
tells you. 1hese qura taught the people the recitation tongue to tongue and took it lrom the book page to page.

lventually, a number ol lamous sababah specialized in the art ol reciting the Quran. 1he nucleus ol these
sciences begins to be lormed. Ol the sciences that lormed was the science ol reciting the Quran, which is called
qira'a meaning recitation. 1he plural ol qira'a is qira'aat. oroups ol scholars amongst the sahabah and then
tabi'oon specialized in the art ol reciting the Quran.

ln madinah: 8aeed ibn musayyib and Lrwah ibn 2ubayr and Lmar ibn Abdul Aziz
ln makkah: Ata lkrimah, 1awus, mujahid
ln lulah: lbn masood was teacher Alqamah and Abu Abdurkahman as-8ulami and An-Nakha'l (teacher ol
Abu lanilah)
ln lasrah: lasan al lasri, lbn 8ireen, Qatadah,
ln 8yria: mughirah ibn Abi 8hihab, lhalilah ibn 8a'ad

centers ol reciting the Quran were developing. liqh was being recorded dillerently in the various areas and
the Quran was being recited dillerently in the various areas. 8ometimes within the same city there were
dillerences as well.

Another generation ol scholars comes alter them and continues this line ol dillerences that are lound until
linally just like hadeeth is codilied and liqh and seerah are codilied, the recitation ol the Quran is also codilied.
A new genre ol books was developed. looks were written on the qira'at. many were the books that were
written. Ol the lirst: Abu Lbaydah Qasim As-8alaam (d. -22!) wrote a very comprehensive book that has been
lost. le compiled 2 dillerent recitations. 1his is the same time liqh is being compiled and hadeeth are being
compiled. All the intellectual output happened in the 2
nd
and !
rd
centuries alter the hijrah.

At-1abari the lamous mulasir wrote a book with !0 qira'at. 1his book is also lost. linally, the most lamous
early scholar ol qira'at by the name ol lbn mujahid (d. !24) came along. le wrote a lamous book called: 1he
look ol the 8even kecitations. 1his book proved to be so popular and comprehensive that it basically eclipsed
all ol the other books. 8imilarly, when lukhari wrote his book, it was the death ol smaller booklets. lbn
mujahid said he chose the best qira'at ol the major cities ol the muslim lmpire. 1he major cities ol the muslim
69
lmpire ol the time were: makkah, madinah, lula, lasrah, uamascus (lims in lalestine J 8haam). lrom lula he
chose !. le said that he chose the most lamous qira'at ol each ol the cities. le compiled their recitations and
wrote a comprehensive book on their dillerences, their reciters, etc. 1hese recitations became codilied and
well known and the other recitations over time were lorgotten. 8imilarly, this happened with liqh. At one time
there were many madhahib and every 'alim was a madhab. 1hey began to be called alter the people who
recited them.

1he conditions lor an Authentic Qiraa'ah 1he conditions lor an Authentic Qiraa'ah 1he conditions lor an Authentic Qiraa'ah 1he conditions lor an Authentic Qiraa'ah

lbn al-}azaree mentioned these three conditions:
1. must conlorm to the Arabic grammar
2. must conlorm with at least one ol the mus-hals ol 'Lthman. Not necessarily all ol them.
!. must have an authentic chain ol narrators back to the lrophet (sal Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) i.e. must be
mutawaatir.

low did lbn mujahid choose these seven7 le tells us, and later ulema add, that lor any qira'a to be authentic, it
must meet three conditions. 1he lirst is that it must be in proper Arabic. lt would not go against the standard
Arabic that was spoken and be grammatically correct. 1he second criterion that he used was that he said it
must conlorm to at least one ol Lthman's mus-najs, not necessarily all ol them because we know they diller one
lrom the other. 1he third and most important condition: it must be mutawaatir. ln other words, this person
who has the qira'a must have received it lrom a large group ol the tabi'oon who received it lrom a large group
ol the sahabah who received it lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1he tradition is a living
tradition, and the Quran is handed down lrom generation to generation. Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) said: 1he
Quran is a sunnah that must be taken. mutawaatir basically says that it all goes back to the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam). 1his is the key lact lor us that dillerentiate a true qira'a.

ll these three conditions are met, it is called a saheeh qira'a. ll it does not have mutawaatir chains ol narration
or does not match the mus-naj ol Lthman or does not conlorm to Arabig grammar, it must be rejected.

Other types ol Qira'at Other types ol Qira'at Other types ol Qira'at Other types ol Qira'at

1. 5anccn: these are the 10 authentic Qira'aat and the conditions ol acceptance were discussed above.

2. 5naaJn: these Qira'aat have an authentic chain ol narration back to the lrophet and conlorm to the
Arabic grammar, but do not match the mus-hals ol 'Lthman and are not mutawaatir.

ll condition #2 is not met (does not match mus-naj ol Lthman). 8urah An-Nisa: Allah (subhanahu wata'ala)
says: 'And he has a brother or sister, he will have 1J6
th
..' ln a shaadh qira'a, il he has a brother and sister
only lrom the mother, then he shall have 1J6" A shaadh qira'a has an isnad back to the lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam), but it goes against the Lthmanic mus-naj.

1hese were compiled. 1hese are important because they have an authentic chain back to the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1hey are enumerated to be lour. lour shaadh qira'at were preserved.

!. ua`ccj: these Qira'at conlorm with the Arabic grammar and are allowed by the mushal ol 'Lthman, but
do not have authentic chains ol narration back to the lrophet

4. 8aati|: these Qira'aat do not meet any ol the ! criterion mentioned above, and are rejected completely,
even as 1alseer

0
lven though lbn mujahid tried to limit them to seven, many other qira'at continued until lbn al }azaree (d.
-8!27 - equivalent ol lbn lajar to hadeeth). le was the one who really did more to the science ol qira'at
since the time ol lbn mujahid. le wrote many books and was ol those who questioned why lbn mujahid
chose seven. le increased the number up to 10.

1he ruling concerning these last ! types ol Qira'aat, the 8haadh, ua'eel and the laatil, is that they are not part
ol the Quran, and in lact it is laram to consider such as Qira'aah as part ol the Quran. ll it is recited in prayer,
such a prayer will not be acceptable, nor is one allowed to pray behind someone who recites these Qira'aat

8haadh can be used lor talsir. None ol them except the sahih can be used while leading the prayer. 1he shaadh
qira'at are used to understand the Quran but not to recite it as an act ol worship. 1he da'eel and baatil are
completely neglected.

lbn mujahid got the qira'at through isnad and narration. le said: l will preserve the two best chains ol every
qari'." 1hese seven were then multiplied to 14 ( x 2). lbn al }azaree said he would lollow the same tradition
and so had 20 (2 x 20). le had the recitation ol a scholar lrom makkah via this particular student or the scholar
lrom makkah via the second student. 1hey intentionally chose the best two. lach qari' had more than two
students, but only two were chosen.

As-8uyooti classilies the various Qira'aat into 6 categories:
1. mutawaatir
2. mash-hoor
!. Ahaad
4. 8haadh
. mawdoo'
6. mudraj

1he 1en Authentic Qira'aat: 1he 1en Authentic Qira'aat: 1he 1en Authentic Qira'aat: 1he 1en Authentic Qira'aat:

1. Naali' Al madani. (d. 169 Al). Among his students was lmam maalik. lmam maalik (d. 19 Al) recited in the
qira'a ol Naali'. le recited the Quran lrom tabi'oon who took it lrom Lbayy ibn la'ab and others ol the
sahabah. Naali' has two lamous students: Qaloon and warsh (this is not the name ol the student but he was
called by his skin color).

ll someone is reciting the Quran in a particular way, he will say: l am reciting warsh lrom Naali'. low can a
Quran be printed in warsh7 1he dots and tashkeel are not lrom the mus-naj ol Lthman and have been added
based on the recitation ol warsh lrom Naali'. (lrom the skeleton ol Lthman's mus-naj.)

2. lbn lathir Al makki (d. 120 Al). (not the lamous lbn lathir who wrote the talsir). lis students are Al luzzee
and Qumbul.

!. Abu 'Amr al-lasree (d. 14 Al). lis students are: Ad-uooree and As-8oosee. (Note: these are not their
names but what they are called).

4. lbn Amir Ash-8haamee (d. 118 Al). lis students are: lisham and lbn 1hakhwan.

. Asim al-luli (d. 12 Al). le was the teacher ol lmam Abu lanilah. lis students were: lals (d. 180 Al) and
8hu'ba (his son-in-law). lulah was the capital ol the early muslim empire. 1he qira'a we recite in our times is
lals and Asim.

1
6. lamzah al-luli (d. 16 Al). lis qira'a is the strangest to hear lor the average muslim because he has exotic
ways ol merging the letters. 1wo lamous students: lhalad and lhalath.

. Al-lisaa'ee lrom lula. 8tudents: Al layth and Ad-uooree
8. Abu }a'lar al-madanee
9. Yaqoob al-lasree
10. lhalal
(Note: lbn }azaree added the last ! to get a total ol 10 qira'at.)

1he actual qari was the qira'a and the students were the tareekh to the qiraat.

1he uillerences 1he uillerences 1he uillerences 1he uillerences between between between between the Qira'at the Qira'at the Qira'at the Qira'at

1he primary dillerence between these qira'at is that ol accents. 1hese trivial dillerences were recorded by
later scholars and books were written. looks were written to dillerentiate between the accents. most ol the
dillerences were so trivial and do not change the meaning. 1here are also occasions where the qira'a changes
the meaning. Ol the most common changes is the consonant. Also, adding an alil where there is no alil, and
the Lthmanic consonants allow it. lor example: maaliki yawm ad-deen and maliki yawm ad-deen. Vaa|ik
(Owner) and ma|ik (ling). On occasion, there are also dillerences in the words (mentioned earlier in class:
missing nuwa, ja or wcw). 1he vast majority ol dillerences have absolutely nothing to do with meaning and are
just accents and pronunciations. ln Algeria, they recite warsh and Nali'.

1he dillerences between lals and 8hu'ba can be written down in a lew pages. lor example, in certain
occasions, 8hu'ba would recite bala as bal. Asim himsell recited according to a number ol qira'a, so it is
possible he taught 8hu'ba one version and Asim another. 1he important thing is they all took lrom the one's
who taught them who all took it back lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

ly and large, the world has become lals and Asim. why7 Once upon a time, this was a living tradition. ln
makkah you would hear lbn lathir and in madinah you would hear Nali'. 1here are hundreds ol manuscripts
written where they are in one qira'a and in the margins it will say lals has this and warsh has this because it is
meant lor several cities. Yaseen uutton (Lniv. ol ldinborough in 8cotland has many good articles on the Quran
- search }stor). www.islamic-awareness.org lowever, slowly, certain qira'at began to dwindle and others took
over until with the advent ol the printing press, one ol the biggest issues allecting the qira'at, the Ottoman
lmpire was the lirst to print the Quran, and they recited lals and Asim. 1his had a prolound ellect on the
other qira'at and made lals the reigning qira'a so much so that in our times, perhaps 9/ ol the muslim world
recites in this qira'a. 1he average person in North Alrica is bi-qari' because you grow up listening to lals on
the radio and television. Over time, only three or lour qira'a remained living in the last century, and these
living qira'at are Qaloon (libya), warsh (morocco), lals, Abu Amr, and lbn Amir. 1he ten qira'at are studied all
over the world but only in specialized institutes ol higher learning. 1hey are only being studied by classically
trained ulema to students with a passion lor the qira'a.

1he students who want to learn the qira'at will lirst memorize the Quran in lals typically, then they will be
told to memorize certain poems such as the 8haatibiyyah and then they will memorize the rest simultaneously.
1he college ol Quran at Lniversity ol madinah teaches the qira'at.

1he 4 8haadh Qir 1he 4 8haadh Qir 1he 4 8haadh Qir 1he 4 8haadh Qira'aat a'aat a'aat a'aat
1. Al lassan Al lasree
2. lbn muhaysin
!. Yahya al Yazeedee
4. al 8hamboozee
2

lventually, however, most ol the other Qira'at died out and were replaced by other ones. 1hus, the situation
today is that the vast majority ol the muslim world recites only the Qira'at ol lals 'an 'Asim (9/ ol the
muslims).

1hey are only taught in madinah at the graduate level at the Lniversity ol madinah and in Al Azhar. 1hese lour
are not memorized as Quran but only as talsir. No one will recite any ol these or quote them like Quran but will
say it as a statement.

1he kelationship between the Ahrul and the Qira'at: ! Opinions 1he kelationship between the Ahrul and the Qira'at: ! Opinions 1he kelationship between the Ahrul and the Qira'at: ! Opinions 1he kelationship between the Ahrul and the Qira'at: ! Opinions

1. All the authentic Qira'at are based upon one harl ol the Quran
2. All the Ahrul are preserved in the Qira'at, such that each harl is lound scattered throughout the Qira'at
!. 1he Qira'at represent portions ol the Ahrul, but not all ol them in totality

lxamples ol the lxamples ol the lxamples ol the lxamples ol the uillerences uillerences uillerences uillerences ol the Qira'aat ol the Qira'aat ol the Qira'aat ol the Qira'aat

Ol the most simple examples: ma|iki yawm aJ Jccn and maa|iki yam aJ Jccn. Vaa|iki is the reading ol Asim and
Qisa'i both lrom lula. All the rest ol the countries and cities and villages would recite ma|iki yawm aJ Jccn. 1he
dillerence is deep and prolound. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) is the ling ol the uay ol }udgement and is the
Va|ik. Ol lis Names and 1itles is ling and ling ol lings. ly saying that le is the ling ol the uay ol }udgment,
le is emphasizing that le will do as a king does which is to rule and judge. ly emphasizing Vaa|ik, Allah owns
the uay ol }udgment when every human being, jinn, angel, and animal will be together in one time and place.
Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) owns everything and what is belore and alter. Allah is the Owner ol the creation
itsell. Allah is saying that le owns this uay and everything. (ibso lacto Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) owns
everything J moreso is le the owner ol everything else.) 1hese concepts are complementary.

Another example: Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) mentions in surah Al laqara v. 29 the story ol the man who was
brought back to lile along with his mule. ln one qira'a, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 'why don't you look at
the bones ol your mule and how we raised them up and caused them to join one together and stand up.' ln the
other qira'a, nccnsniruna means 'to bring back to lile'. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) is using both ol them, and the
story that is painted is a more complete story. lutting the two verbs together, we get a mental image that is
more perlect. lt is being raised up and resurrected at the same time. loth verbs add to the meaning ol the
verse.

1he lamous liqh example: 8urah maa'idah v. 6. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) talks about wudu. 1his verse ol
wudu can be read in two ways, and both ol these ways have valid meanings. 1he lirst: arju|akum 'o you who
believe, when you stand up to pray, wash your lace and hands, wipe your head, and your arju|akum to the
ankles.' Arju|akum goes back to the verb ol washing. 1he other qira'at has arji|akum which goes back to the
verb ol wiping. At lirst glance, this is a contradiction because you either wipe or wash. At-1abari said there is
no contradiction because you wash your leet unless you are wearing socks in which case you wipe over them.
1he qira'at never contradict one another even il there is a dillerence in meaning.

lmportant kule: All qira'at are authentic and right.
1o derive a ruling, you must derive lrom all qira'at. You cannot ignore one ol the qira'at. All ol the qira'at are
authentic and go back to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1hese names are not the lounders ol the
qira'at but they are the people whom the qira'at are named alter because they became lamous lor reading the
Quran. All ol them go back to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

1he qira'at are living, real traditions ol how to recite the Quran and are tangible.
!
lenelits ol the Qira'at lenelits ol the Qira'at lenelits ol the Qira'at lenelits ol the Qira'at

1hey add a layer ol beauty, recitation, and prolundity that otherwise does not exist. lt shows the miraculous
nature ol the Quran in that the qira'at do not contradict and are complementary. lor those who have
memorized the Quran, it is lascinating to hear the other qira'at, and every halidh has a passion lor the qira'at.
Also, it shows us that the Quran has been preserved. 1he hadeeth literature and mus-najs ol Lthman and qira'at
come together to lorm a complete picture. 1he qira'at allow lor more meanings. ln the classical time, they
allowed people with dillerent Arabic accents to lacilitate in memorizing the Quran and passing it down. Also, it
shows us the preservation ol the Quran. 1here is a level ol i'jaz.

lacilitation in the memorization ol the Quran
lrool that the Quran is a revelation lrom Allah
lrool that the Quran has been preserved exactly
lurther indication ol the miraculous nature ol the Quran

4
chapter lleven: 1he Ahrul ol the Quran chapter lleven: 1he Ahrul ol the Quran chapter lleven: 1he Ahrul ol the Quran chapter lleven: 1he Ahrul ol the Quran

meaning ol t meaning ol t meaning ol t meaning ol the word Ahrul he word Ahrul he word Ahrul he word Ahrul

linguistically:
1. A letter or word
2. 1he border, the edge ol something, the brink
!. 1o swerve lrom the truth or distort

1he question arises: where did the dillerences come lrom7
As muslims, we lind in the hadeeth literature a concept ol the Quran being revealed in dillerent ways ol
recitation, and these ways are called ahrul (plural ol harl). 1he concept ol harl is not lound in the Quran at all.
ln hadeeth literature, we lind that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Allah gave him seven ahrul.

ladeeth ol Lbayy inb la'ab:

'Lbayy ibn la'ab reported that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was once on the
outskirts ol madeenah when }ibreel came to him and said, Allah has commanded that you
recite the Quran to your people in one harl." 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) replied,
l ask Allah's pardon and lorgiveness! my people are not capable ol doing this!" }ibreel came to
him again and said, Allah has commanded you to recite the Quran to your people in two
ahrul." 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, l ask Allah's pardon and lorgiveness!
my people are not capable ol this!" }ibreel then came a third time and said, Allah has
commanded you to recite the Quran to your people in three ahrul." 1he lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) replied lor a third time l ask Allah's pardon and lorgiveness! my people are
not capable ol this!". At last }ibreel came lor the lourth time and said," Allah has commanded
you to recite the Quran to your people in seven ahrul, and in whichever harl they recite, they
would be right.' [muslim]

what do we learn lrom this ladeeth what do we learn lrom this ladeeth what do we learn lrom this ladeeth what do we learn lrom this ladeeth

1he dillerent Ahrul are all directly lrom Allah and not lrom the companions
1he reason the prophet requested the number ol Ahrul to be increased was to make the memorization
and recitation easier lor his Lmmah. le (sal Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) told }ibreel my ummah is made
ol the unlettered people."
1he prophet used to teach the dillerent Ahrul to the dillerent companions, depending on the condition
and situation ol that companion. clearly mentioned in ladeeth narrated by umar na lisham. Lmar
said he heard lisham reciting Allurqan, using ahrul that rasulullah heard not taught me. Lmar
recognizes the 8urah. le continues, l was about to pounce on him during the salah and l waited and
when he was done l pounced on him and asked himwho taught him, hisham said lrom rasulullah. Lmar
said you lie and said he taught me the same surah in a dillerent ahrul. Lmar dragged him to rasulullah
and rasulullah asked them to both recite and told them that both were sullicient and good.
1he dillerences between the Ahrul were not so great as to prevent recognition ol what was being
recited.
lach one ol these Ahrul is complete in and ol itsell. kasulullah said everyone is kaalin 8haalin. 1hey
are sullicient in and ol itsell
1he number ol Ahrul is exactly seven - not more, not less. 8ome ulamaa say it is just a number and not
necessarily literal.
1he revelation ol the Quran in seven Ahrul started in madeenah, alter lijrah

concern shown by the companions in the preservation ol the correct recitation ol the Quran was very
great. Lmar was genuinely bothered by lisham reading dillerently.

1his is one tradition. 1here are over 20 traditions about the ahrul. 1he concept ol ahrul is mutawaatir
(lukhari, muslim, Abu uawood, etc.) lor us, delinitively, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) talked about
ahrul and there are numerous chains ol narrators. 1here is only one big problem: what are these ahrul7 1his
is the essential question. we know that there are seven ahrul and they are lrom Allah (subhanahu wata'ala). lt
originates lrom the wahy. 1he reason why the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) wanted seven ahrul is to
make it easier lor the ummah.

ln another hadeeth: 'O }ibreel, my ummah has the unlettered and illiterate.' 1he reason why ahrul are added
is to lacilitate the reading and memorization ol the Quran. lrom other traditions, we also learn that the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) used to teach dillerent ahrul to dillerent companions.

Narrated by Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) and lisham ibn lakim (radhi Allahu 'anhu) in lukhari and muslim:
Lmar enters the masjid and says: l heard lisham reciting 8urah Al lurqan [he recognizes the surah] using
ahrul [words and letters] that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) had not taught me. l was about to
pounce on him in the prayer, but l held back until he linished. l held him by the collar and l asked him, 'who
taught you this recitation7'" lisham said: l learned this surah lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam)." Lmar said: You lie! l learned this surah also lrom the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) with a
dillerent ahrul." Lmar dragged him to the house ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and said: Ya
kasulullah, this man claims to have learned 8urah Al lurqan lrom you, and l have also learned it lrom you in a
dillerent ahrul." 1he lrphet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) told Lmar to release him and asked lisham to recite.
le says that this is how it was revealed. 1hen he had Lmar recite and said this is how it was revealed. le said:
O Lmar, Allah allowed me to recite in seven ahrul and all are sullicient and good."

lisham and Lmar are both Qurayshi and yet they have been taught the Quran slightly dillerently. 1he
dillerences between the ahrul were not so great that the surah could not be recognized. Also, it shows that
each and every ahrul is complete in and ol itsell because it is sullicient. Also, we can derive lrom this that
there are seven ahrul and not more or less. 8ome ulema said: seven is just a number, meaning a quantity and
not exact (i.e. between 4 and 9). kesponse: Ahadeeth say quite clearly that it is up to seven. 8ome ulema say
they started in madinah because the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said he was outside ol madinah in
the hadeeth, but others say it started earlier than that.

Lnlortunately, what is still a mystery is what exactly the dillerences were. 1o this day, it is dillicult to pinpoint
100/. 1his is the crux ol the matter: what are the dillerences between the ahrul7 we do not have one single
explicit relerence to the actual dillerences between the ahrul. why is there so much ikhtilaal7 lveryone
agrees there are seven ahrul, but the problem comes because we do not know what they are. 1here is a theory
ol seven ahrul, which is theoretical and abstract.

low do you correlate the ahrul and the qira'at7 Al }azaree, the khatim ol quraa', said: l have pondered over
the meanings ol the qira'at and the ahrul and thought about this issue and have contemplated it lor the past !
years until linally this is the position l'm coming to now. [le is the greatest scholar ol the qira'at, and it
troubled him lor ! years! lis position is clearly not the strongest position]. 1he problem comes with the
correlation. lmam As-8uyuti (d. 911) in his lamous book Al ltqaan lee Lloom al Quran lists around 40 opinions.
Only two ol the positions are strong.

6
what is meant by the Ah what is meant by the Ah what is meant by the Ah what is meant by the Ahrul ol the Quran rul ol the Quran rul ol the Quran rul ol the Quran

1. 1hose opinions which have no basis whatsoever
dillerent categories exist

An esoteric interpretation by certain groups, claiming that there are levels ol knowledge, or degrees
by meanings to each verse
i.e. 8even layers ol meanings behind veils and alter lilting one layer there is another meaning. 1he
8ulis love this idea.

dillerent branches ol knowledge

2. 1hose opinions which have some apparent basis, but are weak opinions
1his category has some basis that is semi-legitimate, but in reality, there are no lacts to back them up.
dillerent ways to pronounce the words, without actually changing the letters
1his is not entirely true because we know the letters have been changed.

types ol verses in the Quran: apparent, command, recommendation, specilic, particular, general and
parable - il you think about it, when Lmar and lisham are dillering, they are dillering in letters and
words.

commands and prohibitions, promises and occurrences, na|a| anJ naram, clear and ambiguous
kelutation ol this opinion: Lmar and lisham are dillering in letters and words and not in commands
and prohibitions.

qira'at
1he common idea ol the average muslim is the seven ahrul are the seven qira'at. 1his position was not
held by any scholar period because it is non-sensical. 1he qira'at were codilied in the !
rd
century, and
the ahrul existed lrom the time ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), therelore, they cannot be
the same thing. lisham and Lmar were not reciting in lals and warsh lor example. 1his is why when
ibn mujahid wrote his book and said he chose seven qira'at, the scholars ol his time and alter said that
he should not have chosen the same number because he would conluse the masses. when the average
muslim reads the hadeeth literature, he thinks they are the same. lbn al }azaree was also irritated at
the number seven and decided to make it ten so people would know it is not the same.

!. 1hose opinions which have strong evidence
tribal dialects ol the Arabs prevalent at the time ol the lrophet (sal Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam):
Quraysh, Yemen, 1haqeel, Yathrib, etc.

ways ol recitation such that words are replaced by their synonyms.
lor example: even in lnglish words are used in America that are not used in lngland. 1hey are saying
that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) revealed synonyms ol the same word. 1his opinion has merit but
problems as well. 1here is a report lorm Az-2uhri (d. 129): lt has reached me that the ahrul all have
the same meaning, but they diller in wording, lor example, one will say 'hallumma' and the other will
say 'ta'aal', both meaning 'come here.'

dillerent ways that the verse can be changed
1his is the weakest ol the stronger opinions, and is lbn Al }azaree's opinion. le mentions seven specilic
ways a word can be changed (adding alil, changing a dot, etc.) le categorizes how a word can be

change. when lisham and Lmar are reciting, they are changing in all seven ways, so it is a mixture.
1his opinion tells how changes can occur but does not tell the dillerence between the ahrul.

Are the Ahrul in existence today7 ! opinions Are the Ahrul in existence today7 ! opinions Are the Ahrul in existence today7 ! opinions Are the Ahrul in existence today7 ! opinions

1. Only one harl exists today.
2. All ol the ahrul are in existence today.
!. A portion ol the ahrul are preserved.

Opinion 1:
1here are large groups 8yrians and lraqis in Azerbaijan reciting in dillerent ways. No one preserved how they
dillered. ludhaylah went back to the khalilah and said the ummah needs to be unilied. were they dillering in
complete words like na||umma and taàa|7 lt is a possibility which means that it is possible that they are reciting
the Quran using words that are completely dillerent than the ones we have in the mus-naj and use words that
are synonymous to what we have in the Quran. with this thinking, then Lthman comes and codilies and
standardizes into one wording. 2ayd was in charge ol Abu lakr's mus-naj, but he was not a Qurayshi, so a
committee ol Qurayshis was added to the committee, and he said il you dillered in a word, then write it in the
dialect ol the Quraysh. ll this was the correct opinion, then Lthman got rid ol six and lelt it on one, the
Qurayshi dialect. [Opinion ol At-1abari]
lroblems:
1. ll only one has been preserved, where do we get all ol these real dillerences between the qira'at.
2. ll only one harl has been preserved, then how about the changes within the Lthmanic mus-naj7

Opinion 2:
leople were dillering and they didn't realize that all ol them were legitimate. Lthman wanted to make them
realize that all ol the dillerences are legitimate, so he writes the mus-naj dillerently on purpose because he
wants to preserve all ol the ahrul, alter all, who is Lthman to get rid ol the six ahrul7 what right does he have
to get rid ol the six ahrul7 1hey say: scholars ol the lirst opinion, do not presume ol Lthman what he wasn't
and that he would get rid ol six ahrul. All ol these seven put together and then strands were taken out to get
the seven qira'at. lach ol the qira'at is taking what they want lrom the seven such that all together they
represent the seven but each one alone doesn't represent a harl in itsell. [Lthman preserved all seven ahrul
because he had no right to discard any. le is only a sahabi. ll the sahaba are dillering, then his job is to teach
them and not unilaterally choose between the seven. le taught them by making ollicial codexes ol the Quran.
le preserved the seven within all ol the manuscripts, and when he couldn't preserve two dillerent words, he
wrote both ol them. 1hese were preserved in the mus-najs, and people continued to recite dillerently. As they
were reciting, people pick and choose what is convenient to them. lach qira'at represents portions ol the
seven ahrul, but you cannot correlate each harl with the qira'at. 1he dillerences are jumbled up together. All
variations together make the seven ahrul.] [Opinion ol laqillani]
lroblems: 1here are never seven dillerences between the qira'at. No word has seven dillerent ways ol
recitation (maximum ol !). 8econdly, we know that preserved in the shaadh qira'at are variations
beyoned the Lthmanic manuscript. ln lukhari and muslim, there are sahabah reciting surahs you
know in a way that you do not know. we know lor a lact that other sahabah recited the Quran in ways
that the Lthmanic mus-naj did not preserve.

Opinion !:
[8haykh Yasir agrees with it even though it has its own llaws] lbn 1aymiyyah held this position. lbn
1aymiyyah and others held a position that an unspecilied portion ol the seven ahrul were preserved. what and
how was this done7 lis opinion is that when Lthman wrote the mus-naj, he tried his best to unily the ummah
8
on one skeleton ol a recitation. le could not eliminate in totality. certain variations remain because ol the
rudimentary way ol writing the Arabic allowed it. ln other words, il dots and tashkeel were known at the time,
there would be no dillerent qira'at. lecause there were no dots and tashkeel, people could continue to recite
alternatively as long as the skeleton allowed them to do so. 1he Lthmanic mus-naj acted like a sieve where the
seven ahrul were poured into it and portions came out and others did not go through.
lroblems: we still have some variations within lour or live or six mus-najs. ll Lthman wanted one
skeleton, then why all the variations7
when Lthman saw the purpose ol the ahrul was to lacilitate memorization and that now the ummah
was disunilying, he said to unily the ummah and leave the lacilitation ol memorization. Lthman
wanted unilormity but could not do it because the script did not allow him to. 1his again is
problematic because the question can be made: why didn't he send a person with same qira'at7

1he key lactor: Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) revealed the Quran in slightly dillerent ways. 8omehow, some ol
those ways were preserved and are still manilested in the qira'at. we can believe this delinitively. 1he
question is how, what, and why, and we may never lind a delinitive answer because we do not have anything
authentically recorded about the dillerences.

1his area has a deep relationship with the 8peech ol Allah. Allah speaks and there are a plethora ol meanings.
8omehow the 8peech ol Allah because it is beyond our speech and imagination has to do with the uivine nature
ol Allah's 8peech. when Allah speaks, there is a prolundity that we cannot understand.

1he Old 1estament is completely shrouded in mystery and the oldest manuscripts date thousands ol years alter
musa (alayhi salaam). No serious historian believes that }ohn, matthew, luke, and mark are the actual authors
ol the New 1estament. lart lhreman was an evangelic christian who studied at a seminary and then went to
lrinceton and later became an agnostic. le is a leading scholar, and his basic understanding ol christianity is
exactly how we understand it. kead his book: misquoting }esus. le has a book on the compilation ol the New
1estament. 1he point is comparing with our tradition, we know that within two years ol the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) the Quran is compiled cover to cover. Never has there been a real controversy over
the content ol the mus-naj. 1he controversies are so trivial. 1he simplistic notion that our Quran matches the
Lthmanic Quran is not correct.

1he lact that the Quran is memorized at such a level shows that there is something special about this book.

9
chapter chapter chapter chapter 1welv 1welv 1welv 1welve: 1he clear and Lnclear Verses ol the Quran e: 1he clear and Lnclear Verses ol the Quran e: 1he clear and Lnclear Verses ol the Quran e: 1he clear and Lnclear Verses ol the Quran

1here are various categories ol verses that the Quran and later scholars mention. Ol these categorizations is
the issue ol muhkam and mutashabih. 1his topic has more to do with theology.

uelinition ol muhk uelinition ol muhk uelinition ol muhk uelinition ol muhkam and mutashaabih am and mutashaabih am and mutashaabih am and mutashaabih

linguistically: 1he word Vunkam comes lrom h-k-m, which has the lollowing meanings:
1. to judge or pass a verdict
2. to prevent, or obstruct

1he word Vutasnaauin comes lrom sh-b-h, which has the lollowing meanings:
1. resembling
2. unclear or vague

1he Quran as muhkam and mutashaabih 1he Quran as muhkam and mutashaabih 1he Quran as muhkam and mutashaabih 1he Quran as muhkam and mutashaabih

1he issue arises because Allah limsell categorizes into muhkam and mutashabih. lt is a divine category.
where does Allah do so7 8urah Al lmran v. . Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) categorizes the Quran into muhkam
and mutashabih.
%! ,ls .>l >> _ .>l > ,:. !!
_%! `,l _ -,. ! ,:. !-., .l !-., .&#!. ! l-
&#!. | < l l-l l1 ! ., _ s !, ! |
l` ,l
. lt is le who has sent down to you (muhammad) the look (this Qur'an). ln it are Verses that
are entirely clear, they are the loundations ol the look [and those are the Verses ol Al-Ahkm
(commandments, etc.), Al-lar'id (obligatory duties) and Al-ludud (legal laws lor the
punishment ol thieves, adulterers, etc.)], and others not entirely clear. 8o as lor those in whose
hearts there is a deviation (lrom the truth) they lollow that which is not entirely clear thereol,
seeking Al-litnah (polytheism and trials, etc.), and seeking lor its hidden meanings, but none
knows its hidden meanings save Allah. And those who are lirmly grounded in knowledge say:
'we believe in it, the whole ol it (clear and unclear verses) are lrom our lord.' and none
receive admonition except men ol understanding. (1alsir At-1abar).

muhkam is the loundation ol the book and the mutashabih can be interpreted. 1his has led to many issues and
discussions. muhkam comes lrom ha ka ma meaning 'to judge J to pass a verdict J to prevent and obstruct.'
mutashabih comes lrom sha ba ha meaning 'to resemble something J something which is unclear.' when two
things resemble one another they are unclear.

1he meaning ol muhkam here is: that which is clear in its meaning in and ol itsell. A muhkam verse prevents
misunderstanding ol it.

80
mutashaabih means that it is vague and unclear and can be taken many dillerent ways. mutashaabih does not
have a specilic meaning that you can tell immediately lrom the word. lt does not mean allegorical or lable!
1his is a very incorrect interpretation by Yusul Ali and others. mutashaabih means it is unclear. Allegorical
means: you understand what it means but do not have to take it at lace value. Yusul Ali used this allegorical
interpretation to do away with a lot ol verses that he did not like in the Quran. mutashaabih means: you do
not know what it means until you look at the muhkam verses and can misinterpret il you have a disease.
8cholars have said that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) is warning us that it is possible to misinterpret the Quran il
you have a disease, and do not presume that this Quran cannot be misinterpreted because it can.

1he Qadiyyanis use verses to say that there are prophets alter the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), but
they ignore the muhkam verses saying that prophecy has come to an end. 8imilarly, the 8hi'as use any verse
mentioning wali to reler to their imams and ignore explicit verses that talk against the attributes they give to
their imams. 1here is not any group ol people with a deviant people that does not back up there beliel with the
Quran, but there are verses ol the Quran that contradict what they are trying to prove. 8ome groups try to
deny qadr and say that humans are completely lree and lind verses to prove their point while others say Allah
controls everything that we do. 1he methodology ol ahl as sunnah is in between: there are verses showing
that we have lree will, but it is always under and subservient to the will ol Allah. Ahl as sunnah takes vague
verses back to explicit ones and understand vague verses in light ol explicit verses.

1he Attributes ol Allah are muhkam (the meaning is understood) but the howness ol how they exist is
mutashabih. we all understand what these attributes mean, but how they exist is unknown and lrom the
mutashabih.

l . >> . . l. _ $! >> ,,>
1. Alil-lm-k. [1hese letters are one ol the miracles ol the Qur'n and none but Allh (Alone)
knows their meanings]. [8urah lud: 1]

< _.> >' !,. !,:. !. -:1. l> _%! : , .
_,#. l> ,l || < ,l < ., _ '!: _ l. <
! l _ !
2!. Allah has sent down the best statement, a look (this Qur'an), its parts resembling each
other in goodness and truth, olt-repeated. 1he skins ol those who lear their lord shiver lrom it
(when they recite it or hear it). 1hen their skin and their heart solten to the remembrance ol
Allah. 1hat is the guidance ol Allah. le guides therewith whom le pleases and whomever Allah
sends astray, lor lim there is no guide. [8urah Az-2umar: 2!]

Are the Attributes ol Allah mutashaabih7 Are the Attributes ol Allah mutashaabih7 Are the Attributes ol Allah mutashaabih7 Are the Attributes ol Allah mutashaabih7

1he attributes are Vunkam, meaning they are understood, in the sense that the linguistic meaning and
connotation ol these attributes are known, and the attributes that are Vutasnaauin, in actuality and how-ness"
ol the attributes.

81

1he laqeeqee and the 1he laqeeqee and the 1he laqeeqee and the 1he laqeeqee and the majaazee majaazee majaazee majaazee
ll a word is used in its literal sense - in other words, its original and primary intent - then this is relerred to as
its uacccc meaning, lor example, to apply the word ollspring" to one's children is a uacccc meaning.

On the other hand, il a word is used in a metaphorical sense then this is the Vajazcc meaning. lor example, to
apply the word ollspring" to include grandchildren is a Vajazcc meaning.

1his is a human categorization. 8ome ol the scholars developed this in the 4
th
century ol the hijrah and others
denied it. lbn 1aymiyyah and lbn Al Qayyim denied this categorization completely.

1his talks about understanding a word at lace value versus understanding a word at a secondary meaning
value. lor example: ollspring - to apply it to your direct children is haqeeqee and to grandchildren is
majaazee. lxample: to apply the word lion to an animal is haqeeqee and to apply it to a brave person is
majaazee. 1o apply the word lox to an animal is haqeeqee and to apply it to a cunning person is majaazee.
majaazee meaning comes to mind based on the context. 1he haqeeqee meaning comes to mind immediately.
'uo not stretch your hand all the way out nor tie it up to your neck but rather be in the middle.' lveryone
understands that this means: do not spend all ol your money and do not be stingy but be in the middle
somewhere.

'Aam & lhaas 'Aam & lhaas 'Aam & lhaas 'Aam & lhaas

1he 'Aam (lit. general) is a word that applies to all the members ol a specilic set, no matter how small or large
that set is. l.g. lasting prescribed lor everyone

knaas (lit. specilic) is a word that is used to denote a limited number ol things, including everything to which it
can be applied. l.g. exclusion ol lasting - the traveller and the sick

! categories ol 'Aam:
1) completely unspecilied
2) 'Aam in wording but lhaas in meaning
!) 'Aam that has been specilied

Aam and khaas are similar to each other when used vis a vis mutlaq and muqayyad.
Aam is a general ruling that applies to a large category. Aam means general. lt applies to all members ol a
specilic sect. lt is a general ruling that can be extracted. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 'last in kamadan.'
lhaas is an exception that is an exclusion lrom the aam. '.except when you are sick and traveling'. 1his is
khaas. You exclude one subset lrom the aam.

1he reason this comes about: sometimes two verses at a very basic level seem to contradict each other. You
hold the aam to be general and take the khaas out. what is specilic is an exception to a rule.

1he 1he 1he 1he mutlaq and muqayyad mutlaq and muqayyad mutlaq and muqayyad mutlaq and muqayyad

1he Vut|a (lit. unconditional) verse is one that is absolute in its scope, but not limited to what it applies.
1he VuayyaJ (lit. qualilied) occurs when mutlaq is specilied by an adjective.

1his is an alternate categorization. 1he dillerence is: a mutlaq verse is also one that is broad and absolute, but
it only applies to one unspecilied item in the entire set and not the entire set simultaneously. lxample: Allah
says: 'il you practice dhihaar with your wile (a pagan practice), you must lree a slave.' 1his is not aam because
82
only one slave must be lreed. ll Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) said lree all slaves, then that would be aam. One
slave is unconditional generality.

ln another verse, Allah says: 'il you break an oath or promise, lree a believing slave.' 1his is a restricting
phrase and is not mutlaq. muqayyad means restricted clause. uo you hold the muqayyad upon the mutlaq or
leave the mutlaq as is7 l.e. when a person does dhihaar, can he lree a kaalir slave7 1his is the issue. 1his
category has relevance when trying to derive liqh.
1hese categories are used in interpreting the text and deducing laws
1he 1he 1he 1he mantooq and malhoom mantooq and malhoom mantooq and malhoom mantooq and malhoom

1he mantooq ol a verse is the apparent meaning that can be understood directly lrom the words in a sentence.

1he mahloom ol a verse is an understanding ol the verse that is not explicit in the words ol the sentence. 1here
are 2 types:
1. Vanjccm a| Vuwajaaan is delined to be the extension ol a ruling lrom a mentioned case to an
unmentioned one due to a commonality between the two.
lxample: Allah says in the Quran: 'when your parents become old, do not say 'ool' to them.' A person
may say that this means they can hit their parents. You say: study liqh and you will understand that
the understanding which is implicit is that you do not disrespect them. lt is understood.

2. Vanjccm a| Vukna|ajan is delined to be the application ol the opposite ruling ol a mentioned case to an
unmentioned case, due to the lact that the mentioned case contains a condition that is not lound in the
unmentioned case.
lxample: 8urah An Nisa v. 2. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 'whoever amongst you does not have
the means to marry lree women lor a long period ol time, may marry slave women.' lrom this, the
mantooq ruling is that il you cannot marry lree women lor a long period ol time then you marry slave
women. 1he malhoom al mukhalalah tells us it is haraam lor a man to marry slave women il he is able
to marry a lree woman.

Again these categories are used in deducing laws lrom the Quran

1hese are used in deriving laws. 1he mantooq ol a verse is that which is explicitly stated. 1his comes lrom
nataa meaning 'to say explicitly'. 8urah Al laqarah: 'whoever cannot give the haadi, let him last ! days in lajj
and seven when he comes back.' 1he malhoom ol a verse is an understanding that is not explicit in the words
ol the text. lt is understood. malhoom means to understand. malhoom is clear in the verse even though it is
not stated.

All ol these categories are used in liqh to derive laws, therelore, they have more to do with usool al liqh.

8!
chapter 1hirteen: Abrogation in the Quran chapter 1hirteen: Abrogation in the Quran chapter 1hirteen: Abrogation in the Quran chapter 1hirteen: Abrogation in the Quran - -- - An An An An- -- -Naasikh wal Naasikh wal Naasikh wal Naasikh wal- -- -mansookh mansookh mansookh mansookh

1he uelinition ol Naskh 1he uelinition ol Naskh 1he uelinition ol Naskh 1he uelinition ol Naskh
linguistically:
loth Naasikh and monsookh come lrom the same root n-s-kh, which has the lollowing meanings:
1. to remove, to abolish, to abrogate
2. to transcribe a copy
!. to replace to supersede

1his is a controversial topic that plays a role in our tradition and those who try to relute our tradition. 1he
Arabic word is noon seen kha (naskh) and the verb nasakha means to remove, to abolish to abrogate. lt also
means to transcribe or copy. 1he reason it has the opposite meaning is because when you take a book and open
it and copy it to another book, it is as il you have removed the lirst book and supplanted it into the second. lt is
as il this version is replacing the original.

Quranic sciences delinition: the abrogation ol a ruling by a ruling that was revealed alter it.
8imple delinition. lt means that it is gone, the law is annulled, and the law is no longer applied anymore.

lrom the Quranic sciences delinition, there are three lactors.
1he lirst is abrogation. lor naskh to occur, the lirst ruling must be completely annulled and not applied at
all. ll the lirst ruling is amended or restricted, this is not abrogation. Abrogation means you get rid ol the
rule completely.
'Ol a ruling by a ruling' - this means liqh law. Abrogation does not occur in theology lrom religion to
religion and lrom early makkan to late madinan revelation. 1here is never any abrogation in theology or
the broad aspects ol morality. Abrogation occurs in rulings, liqh. 1he Names and Attributes ol Allah never
change. Naskh only occurs in rulings and never in theology.
'by a ruling that was revealed alter it' -- this shows there must have been a period ol time when there was a
ruling that is being applied and then another ruling comes to get rid ol the lirst.

1hese are the primary understanding or conditions. Naskh always involves two texts: naasikh is the ruling
that abrogates (active) and mansookh is the passive lorm and the ruling that is abrogated.

Naasikh, the active participle, is the ruling that does the abrogating, while mansookh, the passive lorm, is the
ruling that is abrogated.

1he larly 1he larly 1he larly 1he larly oenerations oenerations oenerations oenerations and the term naskh" and the term naskh" and the term naskh" and the term naskh"

1he term naskh like all ol the liqh and usool terms ol lslam were delined later on. 1he term naskh was delined
later in lslam just like the live types ol rulings (haraam, mustahab, lard, mubaah, makrooh). when the classical
scholars used the terms naskh and mansookh, we must be carelul because they may not mean what we are
talking about, and they may mean that the verse is a broad verse and the conditions were added later on J
specilications were later made.

1he lrool ol Naskh 1he lrool ol Naskh 1he lrool ol Naskh 1he lrool ol Naskh

Naskh is mentioned in the Quran itsell explicitly.

! . _ !. ,! , !. !l. l l-. < ls `_: '
84
106. whatever a Verse (revelation) do we abrogate or cause to be lorgotten, we bring a better
one or similar to it. lnow you not that Allah is Able to do All things7 [8urah Al laqarah: 106]

Allah says that sometimes le changes lis commandments either through abrogation or lilting it up. 1he
concept ol abrogation occurs.

| !l, ' < `ls !, l! !| _. , `. l-
101. And when we change a verse [ol the Qur'an, i.e. cancel (abrogate) its order] in place ol
another, and Allah knows the best ol what le sends down, they (the disbelievers) say: 'You (O
muhammad ) are but a multari! (lorger, liar).' Nay, but most ol them know not.
[8urah An Nahl: 101]

Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says that the doubts that naskh will cause in the minds ol non-muslims is that they
will make accusations ol a change ol mind and lorgery.

_l > < >s l. > !-. _> .! ,!. ,l-
_,..! | _> > l ,l- _,l , < < _ _.l
66. Now Allah has lightened your (task), lor le knows that there is weakness in you. 8o il there
are ol you a hundred steadlast persons, they shall overcome two hundred, and il there are a
thousand ol you, they shall overcome two thousand with the leave ol Allah. And Allah is with
As-8abirin (the patient ones, etc.). [8urah Al Anlaal: 66]

Allah had a strict ruling belore and says that because we are weak, le made it lesser.

1he conditions ol Naskh 1he conditions ol Naskh 1he conditions ol Naskh 1he conditions ol Naskh

lor naskh to occur, there are a number ol conditions that the scholars have outlined.
1. 1he two rulings in question must directly contradict each other.
ll they can be reconciled, then no naskh occurs. 1his is a crucial condition because you do not ever
want to get rid ol a ruling ol a verse as long as you can apply it. 1o say that you do not need to apply a
verse is a very big statement, therelore, you must make sure that the rulings x and y are in direct
contradiction, and in this case, you take the later ruling over the earlier.
2. 1he naasikh ruling must have been revealed alter the mansookh.
ln the Quran: 'whoever amongst you dies, let the wile wait one year.' 'whoever becomes widow
amongst you, wait lour months and ten days.' 1his is a contradiction because you cannot apply two
rulings. we know that both rulings cannot apply and apply the ruling that was revealed later.
!. loth the naasikh and mansookh rulings must originate in the Quran and 8unnah.
1he mind and desires cannot abrogate the 8peech ol Allah. 1he scholars understood the danger ol not
applying this condition. 1he scholars ol the classical tradition all agreed that naskh only occurs within
the revelation. lt is an internal phenomenon and does not apply externally. Quran and 8unnah must
abrogate Quran and 8unnah.

most scholars have also added the condition that the Naasikh ruling must originate lrom an equal or greater
authority than the mansookh. lowever this view is NO1 correct and will be discussed.

8
categories ol Naskh categories ol Naskh categories ol Naskh categories ol Naskh

You cannot use your understanding to no longer apply the ruling. 1here can never be ijmaa' that goes against
the Quran and 8unnah. 1) where they originate lrom. 2) whether the verse is still in the Quran or not. !)
looking at the severity ol the ruling (increased or decreased or remained the same)

A. 8ources ol Naasikh and mansookh
lmam Ash-8haali'ee was ol the opinion that naskh only occurs within the same type ol revelation (i.e. Quran
with Quran and 8unnah with 8unnah.
1. Quran abrogating the Quran
a. lxample ol the waiting time lor the widow
2. Quran abrogating the 8unnah
a. 1he ruling to pray to }erusalem was never revealed in the Quran and was part ol the 8unnah.
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would pray lacing layt Al maqdis. Allah revealed in
the Quran (laqarah: 'we have seen your lace looking up to the sky, we will show you a qiblah
that you like. lace the masjid Al laram in makkah.') 1his is a clear abrogation
!. 8unnah abrogating the Quran
a. mutawaatir hadeeth abrogating the Quran
i. most common example: the writing ol the will ol inheritance. Allah (subhanahu
wata'ala) says in 8urah Al laqarah v. 180: 'll you leel that you are about to die, it is
obligatory on you to write a will.' According to this verse, it is lard 'ayn lor every
muslim to write a will. lowever, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) later said in
a hadeeth: '1here is no need to write a will lor the ones who will inherit lrom you.'
8urah An-Nisa came down with the main theme ol inheritance, and 8urah Al laqarah
was revealed belore 8urah An-Nisa. 1his raises an interesting point: based upon this,
shaykh Yasir would say that it is permissible to bring lorth the ruling that it is waajib
lor muslims in North America to write a will because the laws in this country do not
operate according to the 8hari'ah. ln this example, it seems that Quran is being
abrogated by hadeeth, and this hadeeth is mutawaatir
b. Ahaad hadeeth abrogating the Quran
i. ls it permissible lor such a hadeeth to abrogate the Quran7 1he vast majority ol
scholars have said no, and a small minority says yes. 1here is no evidence or example
that can be given that is conclusive lor this category.
4. 8unnah abrogating the 8unnah
a. 1his topic has nothing to do with Lloom al Quran. 1here are many examples ol this.
1hroughout the course ol the 2! years, he abrogated many rulings within the sunnah.
b. lxample: visiting the graves (it was stricter in the beginning and then allowed), making wudu
alter eating meat (initially, eating anything that was cooked on lire broke wudu, and later this
ruling was made lax and allowed).

l. 1he verse and ruling ol the Quran

lt is possible that either the recitation ol the verse, the ruling, or both have been abrogated.

1he phenomenon ol having Quranic verses that no longer exist in the Quran is pretty much agreed upon by
8unni ulema. 1here were verses that were revealed and within the liletime ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) were lilted up. 1he problem is that once they were raised up, we do not know what they are. 8ome
relerences give indications that hundreds were raised up and others indicate that 10 or 1 were raised up. ll
you have a disease in your heart, then you can run with this.
8ome ol these verses deal with legal rulings:
86
1. 1he abrogation ol the ruling and the verse. (Naskn a|-uukm wa at-1i|awan).

1his means that we no longer have the verse or the ruling. lxample: the hadeeth ol Aisha (radhi
Allahu 'anha) in muslim: 'it had been revealed in the Quran that il a woman breastled a baby ten
times, that she would be the loster mother ol the child.' (i.e. all the rulings ol marriage would
apply). Another verse abrogated this by saying live leedings. when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) died, it was belore that time lound in the Quran.

1he ruling is abrogated lrom ten leedings. Llema all say that il a woman breast leeds a child that is
not her own live lull times, then the woman becomes the loster mother. 1here is no such verse
indicating ten, and the ruling does not apply, therelore, both have been raised up. we no longer
have the verse, and we no longer have the ruling.

1his category makes the most sense to all ol us because we no longer need the verse because the
ruling does not apply, so Allah lilted it up.

2. 1he abrogation ol the ruling without the verse (Naskn a| nukm Jccna at-ti|awan)

1he ruling is not applied, but the verse still exists in the Quran. lxample: the woman waiting lor
one year. 8imilarly, in 8urah An Nisaa v. 1, there is a ruling that is no longer applied. 'il two
people are guilty ol lornication, place them under house arrest until they die or Allah makes a way
out lor them.' later on in 8urah An Noor v. 2, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) said: 'the one who
lornicates male or lemale, then llog them 100 times.' 1his ruling abrogated the previous one. 1he
tilawah is still there and only the ruling has been abrogated.

!. 1he abrogation ol the verse without the ruling (Naskn at-1i|awan Jccna a| uukm).

1his is the most dillicult lor our simple minds to understand. why is the verse lilted when the
ruling is still applicable7 1he most controversial example, which is used the most by others to
discredit lslam, is that ol the stoning ol the adulterer. 1he Quran clearly says that the lornicator
should be lashed 100 times. 1he term 'zaani' and 'zaaniyah' can reler to the married and
unmarried. Yet, we learn lrom hadeeth that there used to be a verse that said: 'il you are married
and lornicate, .' we know that there used to be a verse because ol the hadeeth in lukhari and
muslim. According to hadeeth literature, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) had revealed verses about
stoning to death ol the married adulterer and adulteress. 1he wording ol the ayah is preserved in
other reports. ln this case, there is clear hadeeth indicating what we are supposed to do, yet we do
not have the verse.

Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) stood on the mimbar one day and said: 'lndeed Allah has sent the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) with the Quran and truth and sent down the book to us, and
the verse ol stoning was revealed in the look, and we used to recite it. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) told us to punish the adulterer man or woman to stone him to death, and we used
to do this and will continue to do this. l am scared with the lapse ol time that people will say we do
not lind the punishment ol stoning in the look ol Allah and go astray by abandoning this
commandment. 8toning is ..'

lukhari: Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) said: 'were l not alraid that l would be accused ol tampering
with the Quran, l would have added the verse back.'

1here is ijmaa' on this ruling.
8
As average human beings, the third category is the most dillicult to lind wisdom lor. 8cholars have tried to
give their wisdoms.

c. 1he rulings ol Naasikh and mansookh

1his is a trivial categorization.
1. 1he naasikh ruling is more dillicult or more constrained than the mansookh
ln this case, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) is making things gradually to the linal level that le wants. 1he
classic example is that ol alcohol until linally Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) abrogates the permissibility ol
drinking alcohol.

2. 1he naasikh ruling is equivalent to the mansookh ruling in dilliculty
lxample: the direction ol the qiblah.

!. 1he naasikh ruling is concession lrom the mansookh
lxample: the iddah ol the widow, lasting (initially, lasting was prescribed lrom the time you went to sleep
until maghrib the next day)

4. 1here is no naasikh command in place ol the mansookh
1he ruling is abrogated completely. lxample ol this: 8urah 8:12-1!. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) initially
said: 'il you want to speak to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) privately, then lirst give some
charity to the poor.' 1his ruling was completely repealed. lt is a type ol number ! as well because it is
easier.

llessings ol Naskh llessings ol Naskh llessings ol Naskh llessings ol Naskh

1wo types ol naskh: 1here is a general naskh, which is the topic ol theology, and this means that the religion ol
lslam abrogates the previous religions.

oeneral Naskh
_ _., ,s l` ! _l ,1 > _ _.l
8. And whoever seeks a religion other than lslam, it will never be accepted ol him, and in the
lerealter he will be one ol the losers. [8urah Al lmran: 8]

8pecilic Naskh
,l < ,l _ Ll -, ,l .-, ls _-, , !--
&#-> .> l` .l
!. ln order that Allah may distinguish the wicked (disbelievers, polytheists and doers ol evil
deeds) lrom the good (believers ol lslmic monotheism and doers ol righteous deeds), and put
the wicked (disbelievers, polytheists and doers ol evil deeds) one on another, heap them
together and cast them into lell. 1hose! lt is they who are the losers. [8urah Al Anlaal: !]

what is the wisdom ol specilic naskh7
1he general wisdom is that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) wishes to make things easier lor us and reveals
rulings that are more benelicial to us. we learn this wisdom lrom 8urah Al laqarah: 'we never
88
abrogate except that we bring something better than it or equivalent.' 1his shows us that naskh is lor
our own benelit. we have eman in Allah that le knows what is best.
8cholars have derived the wisdoms such as: the abrogation ol the ruling and the verse - when Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala) lilted them both up, then it is lor our own convenience because we do not need to
know the ruling or the verse.
lor the ruling ol #2 when the verse is kept in the Quran:
uemonstrate lor us the ease ol 8hari'ah and mercy ol Allah (subhanahu wata'ala).
Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) reminds us ol the gradual revelation
lvery verse gives us more reward when we memorize it and recite it.
lor #!: the primary wisdom is to test the believers and lollow a commandment that is not as clear.
At the end ol the day, you cannot question the wisdom ol Allah (subhanahu wata'ala).
1here are many hadeeth that give us an indication ol an unspecilied number ol verses that have been
abrogated.

One ol the sahabah asked: 'low many verses does Ahzab have7' lis student said a number. le replied: 'lt
used to be in size the same as 8urah Al laqarah.'
1his sahabi is talking about a time when 8urah Al laqarah is not the same as we know and may have been less.
1his is a very deep tradition that orientalists abuse saying there are around 40 pages gone.

Also, in the incident ol the well ol ma'oona, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) revealed pages ol verses praising those
who died as shaheed, and these verses are not lound. lor one month, the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
recited them in the salat to remind the people. what kind ol naskh is this7 1his is theology and never
repealed. Naskh at-1ilawah doona al-lukm.

we even have incidents where supposedly (hadeeth are not in the lamous books ol hadeeth but are in the more
obscure books) sahabah went lrom house to house because they could not remember a verse, and then the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said that this verse was abrogated by Allah (subhanahu wata'ala). 1here
are hadeeth indicating that they did remember other abrogated verses.

len len len lenelis ol lnowing Naasikh & mansookh elis ol lnowing Naasikh & mansookh elis ol lnowing Naasikh & mansookh elis ol lnowing Naasikh & mansookh

1. Lnderstand and implement the Quran properly.
2. Lnderstanding helps derive laws and gain knowledge ol the gradual revelation ol the 8hari'ah
!. uelense ol the Quran and 8unnah.

Note: we study all ol these topics in chapters, and non-muslims mix up everything to lorm their own theories.
lor them, all ol these things come into play.

1he uillerence between Naskh and 1akhsees 1he uillerence between Naskh and 1akhsees 1he uillerence between Naskh and 1akhsees 1he uillerence between Naskh and 1akhsees

1akhsees is delined to be the specilication ol a general ruling ('Aam), such that what seems to be a general
ruling only applies in certain cases

Naskh dillers lrom Naskh dillers lrom Naskh dillers lrom Naskh dillers lrom 1akhsees in the lollowing ways: 1akhsees in the lollowing ways: 1akhsees in the lollowing ways: 1akhsees in the lollowing ways:

1. Naskh may only occur with regards to laws and rulings (ahkaam). 1akhsees, on the other hand, may
occur with respect to other matters
2. Naskh implies a total abandonment ol the previous ruling, no matter what the case. 1akhsees, on the
other hand is delined to be the implementation ol a previous ruling in only some ol the original cases
89
!. 1he Naasikh must be revealed alter the mansookh, whereas there is no such time restriction on
1akhsees
4. Naskh only occurs with respect to Quran or 8unnah. 1akhsees on the other hand may apply to Qura,
8unnah, ljmaa' or Qiyaas

Number ol Naasikh J mansookh verses in the Quran Number ol Naasikh J mansookh verses in the Quran Number ol Naasikh J mansookh verses in the Quran Number ol Naasikh J mansookh verses in the Quran

1he key issue: when we say the number ol abrogation verses in the Quran, we are not talking about those
verses that have been lilted up.

1he scholars have dillered greatly with regards to this issue. 8ome have 20 examples and others have . ln
reality, it is not that big ol a controversy. why7 lecause the main issue ol dillerence ol opinion is over
something known as ayatu as-sayl (the verse ol the sword). 1his verse is an important verse that comes under
scrutiny in our times, therelore, it is interesting to discuss. 1he verse ol the sword is 8urah At 1awba v. .
l. >' l.! _,:l > `.> `> .>
- l .` ,!. ! l.l '. l l l, |
< "s ">
. 1hen when the sacred months (the lst, th, 11th, and 12th months ol the lslamic calendar)
have passed, then kill the mushrikn (8ee V.2:10) wherever you lind them, and capture them
and besiege them, and prepare lor them each and every ambush. lut il they repent and
perlorm As-8alt (lqmat-as-8alt), and give 2akt, then leave their way lree. Verily, Allah is
Olt-lorgiving, most mercilul.

1he verse ol the sword is one ol the most explicit verses used by non-muslims to show that our religion is
violent. None ol the scholars ol lslam understood the verse the way the non-muslims understand it.

1here are hundreds ol verses that were revealed in the makkan era that told the muslims to overlook the
wrong the non-muslims did to them and to lorgive and lorget. A group ol scholars including lbn lazm said
that this verse abrogated all ol the verses ol makkah saying to lorgive them even the verses saying 'speak with
them nicely'. lbn lazm was living at a time when there was lriction in the muslim states with the christians in
Andalusia. 1his is the position ol some ulema, but it was never the position ol the majority ol ulema. 1his is
why the more discerning and lamous scholars consider the number ol abrogated verses to be very lew.

1he maliki scholar lbn Al 'Arabi (also an Andalusian scholar - remember a scholar is inlluenced by the time and
place he lived in) had the most number ol mansookh and naasikh verses in the Quran and said almost !00
verses can be considered to be candidates lor naasikh and mansookh. le discusses !00 possibilities and says
there are 100 legitimate cases.

lbn lazm: more than 200 legitimate cases (around 180 dealing with the verse ol the sword)
As-8uyuti (d. 911): 20 cases
8hah waliyullah Al uahwali: about cases.

8haykh Yasir is ol the opinion that the verse ol the sword abrogated nothing and was a verse revealed to a
particular time and place and applied then. we look at the time and situation we are in now and see which ol
the situations and scenarios is the best to apply.
90

1he scholars have dillered greatly with regards to the number ol verses in the Quran that are mansookh. 1he
reason lor such a diverse opinion is that many verses are considred examples ol Naskh when in lact they are
example ol 1akhsees or do not lall under Naskh at all.

91
chapter lourteen chapter lourteen chapter lourteen chapter lourteen: :: : 1he miraculous Nature ol the Quran: l'jaaz al 1he miraculous Nature ol the Quran: l'jaaz al 1he miraculous Nature ol the Quran: l'jaaz al 1he miraculous Nature ol the Quran: l'jaaz al- -- -Quran Quran Quran Quran

uelinition ol l'jaaz. 1he word used lor miracle in medieval and later books is called mu'jizah. 1his word is not
lound in the Quran or 8unnah, rather it was a term coined by some ol the early scholars ol lslam perhaps even
lmam Ahmad. we do not know lor sure when this term came into vogue. lt was coined within the 2
nd
or !
rd

century ol the hijrah.

1he term mu'jizah comes lorm the root ayn - ja - za. lt is interesting that ajaza means 'to be incapable ol, to be
weak.' mu'jizah is that which mankind in its totality is too weak to imitate. You cannot bring lorth something
like it. 1he Quranic term lor mu'jizah is ayah. 1his concept ol miracle has a very deep theological tangent.
mu'jizah became one ol the signs ol prophecy.

low do you know that a person is a prophet and messenger ol ood7 1his is a theological question: what are
the signs ol prophethood7 1his led to an issue ol mu'jizah being one ol the signs ol prophethood J the only sign
ol prophethood. 8ome ol the theological groups said that the only sign ol a prophet is mu'jizah. 1his is not the
8unni position. Ahl as sunnah said mu'jizah is a sign ol a prophet but there are stronger and more clear signs ol
a prophet. Ol the greatest signs ol a prophet is his own character and his own lilestyle, the message he brings,
the purity ol the message and what he calls lor, the acceptance ol his message and teachings in the lace ol great
odds (not always a sign), and the lact that he brings lorth miracles. ln lact, it is not the major sign because il
you look at the seerah ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), ask yoursell how many non-muslims
converted to lslam because ol a mu'jizah.

many times when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) showed a mu'jizah, the non-believers said it was
magic. 1he signs ol a prophet are more than just a miracle. 1hose groups that said the only sign ol a prophet is
mu'jizah expanded on this and placed many conditions, which 8haykh Yasir does not agree with anymore. lbn
1aymiyyah said: il you need to deline a mu'jizah, then the entire point is gone because a mu'jizah is sell-
explanatory.

1ypes ol supernatural 1ypes ol supernatural 1ypes ol supernatural 1ypes ol supernatural acts other than mu'jizah acts other than mu'jizah acts other than mu'jizah acts other than mu'jizah

1he highest level is mu'jizah. A mu'jizah is only given to a prophet.

laraamah, which is given to a lollower ol a prophet. what is a karaamah7 A supernatural act that Allah
blesses a normal human being with. oenerally speaking, it is lar more trivial than a mu'jizah. lxample:
Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) seeing 8aariyah, his general in battle.
lxample: light illuminating the way lor the sahabah at night.
8unnis agree with karamaat, and mu'tazila deny it, and 8ulis make too much out ol it. A karamah is a gilt
lrom Allah and cannot be demanded lrom Allah (subhanahu wata'ala). A karamah is something you do not
boast or llaunt. A true lriend ol Allah is a modest person and not someone who boasts.

lstidraaj is a supernatural act given to an evil person to delude him even more and increase his
punishment. 1he best example ol this is Ad-uajjal, who is a human being to whom Allah will give many
strange powers.

8ihr. llack magic has nothing to do with this because it is not supernatural in the grand scale ol things. lt
is something that is natural in the realm ol the jinn. lor humans, they are supernatural. Olten, many times
a person cannot dillerentiate between karamah and black magic. A karamah is given to a righteous man,
and black magic is practiced lrom evil men, and it is something that the jinns do which appears
supernatural to humans but in lact is not supernatural.

92
1he lrool lor l'jaaz 1he lrool lor l'jaaz 1he lrool lor l'jaaz 1he lrool lor l'jaaz

1he prool lor i'jaaz is that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) has willed (it is lis sunnah) that anytime le sends
prophets, le sends mu'jizah with the prophets.

laqarah v. 211 Allah mentions the quantity ol miracles given to the children ol lsra'il.
8urah Al lmran v. 49
|| _., `.| >.> !, _ , l> l _,Ll
,Ll ! > ,L , < , , _`-
.l , < >, !, l!. ! >. ., | ,l >l
| . _, _
49. And will make him ['lesa (}esus)] a messenger to the children ol lsrael (saying): 'l have come
to you with a sign lrom your lord, that l design lor you out ol clay, as it were, the ligure ol a
bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave, and l heal him who was born
blind, and the leper, and l bring the dead to lile by Allah's leave. And l inlorm you ol what you
eat, and what you store in your houses. 8urely, therein is a sign lor you, il you believe.

Al Aral v. 9 - miracles ol musa
8urah 8aad - miracles to uawud and 8ulayman

1he challenge 1he challenge 1he challenge 1he challenge

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: [lukhari] 'No prophet has ever been sent except that he was
given miracles because ol which people believed in him, and the only miracle l have been given (this is
emphasizing the greatest miracle) is that ol my revelation that Allah has revealed to me, and because ol this, l
wish to have the largest number ol lollowers on the uay ol }udgment.' 1he Quran itsell tells us ol this
challenge, and these are called the verses ol the challenge (ayat at-tahaadi).

1he order they appear in the mus-naj:
1. 2:2!-24 1his is the last one revealed and the only madani verse. 1he linal verse to be revealed ol
tahaadi was revealed in the lirst year ol madinah. 1he others were all revealed in the makkan era.
Allah says bring one surah similar to it.
2. 10:!8 bring one surah similar to it
!. 11:1! bring ten surahs that are lorged
4. 1:88 bring an entire Quran and a speech similar to this
. 2:22-24 bring an entire Quran and a speech similar to this

1he strongest position: to make the challenge even more explicit and taunt the mushrikeen even more, Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala) reduced the challenge.

why is the Quran so miraculous, and how is it so miraculous7
many lamous ulema such as lbn 1aymiyyah and lbn lhaldun and others is that they said: the previous miracles
given to the other prophets were given externally to the message. lsa (alayhi salaam) came with the lnjeel, and
9!
to prove the lnjeel, Allah allowed him to heal the blind, cure the leper, and raise the dead. musa came with the
1orah, and to prove it, Allah caused him to allow the ked 8ea to split and the stall and the hand. 8ulayman and
uawood were given the 2aboor and the miracles were external. 1he miracle and the message are combined in
one: the miracle is the message and the message is the miracle. 1his is a prolound statement. lt is the prool
and the challenge in one. lt is not in need ol external miracles to prove its own truthlulness.

1wo points that separate: the time-space lactor has been removed (it becomes an eternal miracle) and the
miracle and message are combined in one. 1he beauty ol the Quran is that you can witness the beauty and
miracle ol the Quran now. No miracle has ever been given as powerlul as this miracle, which is why the
lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said he wants the largest ummah on the uay ol }udgment.

low is the Quran miraculous7
8cholars have tried to come up with a list, but the reality is that every list is incomplete. 1he miracle ol the
Quran is that it is miraculous in an inlinite number ol ways and not just one way. lbn }uzee Al lalbee has a list
ol ten specilic miracles.

1. 1he eloquence ol the Quran above that ol any human speech
language and style ol the Quran: 1he choice ol wording and sounds ol letters and way the Quran llows
is unparalleled. lt has timeless quality. 8tory ol Abu }ahl and Ltbah and other leaders ol the Quraysh:
they lound themselves three nights in a row walking to the house ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) to listen to the Quran. 1hey leave their beds in the middle ol the night when it is pitch black,
and they bump into each other on the way back and are caught in the act ol listening to the Quran and
tell each other that they made a mistake and would not do it again. 1hese people who did not believe
in lslam even knowing it to be true and the Quran had an ellect on them. 1o this day, the ellect the
Quran has is something that can be seen and witnessed. lven when non-muslims hear it, they have
never heard anything like the Quran. lven the recitation and sound ol the Quran has an amazing
ellect.

1he issue ol grammatical errors in the Quran: 1his is extremely ludicrous. 1he entire premise makes
no sense whatsoever. Arabic grammar was codilied because ol the Quran alter the revelation. when
the Quran was being revealed, there was no such thing as codilied Arabic grammar. 1he science ol
grammar was revolutionized alter the Quran was revealed because the Quran was revealed. 8ibaway (d.
10 Al) was the lirst person to sit down and think about the rules. Also, do you not think that 8ibaway
knew the Quran better than you7 1hese rules are man-made, and the Quran is wahy ol Allah. lt is
circular to try to lind grammatical errors in the Quran when the Quran is the basis lor the Arabic
grammar.

2. 1he unique arrangement and organization ol its verses and 8urah and the manner in which the words
are arranged
!. 1he incapability to produce anything similar to it by the disbelievers during the lrophets liletime and
those alter them
4. 1he stories and accounts ol the nations and prophets ol old, since the lrophet had no recourse to such
inlormation.
1he very lact that these stories are mentioned in the Quran is a miracle because tehse stories were
unknown to the culture ol bedouin Arabs. Article on muslimmatters. 1he non-muslim perspective is
that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) copied the stories. lrom a muslim perspective, this is a
prool ol his prophethood because he could not have copied when there is nothing to copy lrom. Allah
says: 8urah Al lmran v. 44, 8urah 11:49 1he Quran itsell tells us ol the ignorance ol the people ol
makkah to these stories.
. 1he predictions which occurred in the Quran and which later came true
94
1here are not many ol these. ln the beginning ol 8urah Ar-kum: the komans deleating the lersians.
1he luture tense is used. 1he emperor leracleus was waging a war with the 8asanid lingdom, and the
8asanids took over many lands ol the koman lmpire and were sullering a civil war. when the komans
were at the depth ol their weakness, this ayah was revealed.
6. 1he names and attributes ol Allah came with, and the morals and conduct that it called lor
. 1he laws and 8ahriah that the Quran came with, and morals and conduct that it called lor.
As muslims, we say that the laws ol lslam are perlect. we say that the theology is the only theology
that is reasonable and rational and appeals to the litrah and mankind linds themselves attracted to.
8. 1he lact that it has been protected and remained unchanged over such a long period ol time
9. 1he ease by which it is memorized
10. 1he deep meanings which are present.

lllect the Quran has on its listeners. 1his is a good daw'ah tool to use. oive someone a cu with the recitation ol
the Quran. many people are very moved when they listen to the Quran. Allah says in the Quran that those with
sincerity and pure hearts are allected by the Quran when they listen to it.

1he ease by which the Quran is memorized. 1his is a much overlooked miraculous aspect ol the Quran. we do
not pause to register the very lact that we have people who are able to memorize this entire book cover to
cover. lt is humanly impossible to do, and it is being done regularly in every community and society. lt is so
regular that the average muslim does not think it is miraculous.

You never get tired ol listening to the Quran.

9
chapter 1 chapter 1 chapter 1 chapter 1: 1alseer: 1he lnterpretation o : 1alseer: 1he lnterpretation o : 1alseer: 1he lnterpretation o : 1alseer: 1he lnterpretation ol the Quran l the Quran l the Quran l the Quran

1he topic ol talseer is the crux ol Lloom al Quran. 1alseer is the end result ol all ol the other sciences (i.e.
asbab an-nuzool, makki, madani, etc.) ln lact, there are separate books written only on how interpretation is
done.

None ol us is qualilied to open the Quran and make rulings. 1he Quran cannot be interpreted by any person,
and he must have studied the sciences.

uelinition uelinition uelinition uelinitions ss s ol 1alseer ol 1alseer ol 1alseer ol 1alseer and 1a'weel and 1a'weel and 1a'weel and 1a'weel

what is talseer7
linguistically: 1he word talseer comes lrom l-s-r, which means 'to explain, expound, to elucidate, to interpret.'

lts meaning within Quranic 8ciences: the science by which the Quran is understood, its meaning explained, and
its rulings are derived

ln Quranic sciences, it is the art ol explaining and understanding the Quran. 1he word talseer is used in the
classical traditions and earliest works. lukhari and other books ol hadeeth mention the chapter ol hadeeth ol
the Quran.

1he word 1a'weel comes a-w-l which means 'to return or revert'
1he word 1a'weel has three meanings:
1. to understand a word in light ol one ol it connotations, despite the lact that this connotation is not
the primary intent ol the words
2. the explain a word or phrase
!. the actuality ol an event

1here is another meaning that is used by the classical scholars: ta'weel. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) used this word rather than talseer. when he made du'aa lor lbn Abbas, he said: 'O Allah, teach him the
ta'weel ol the Quran.' [lukhari] 1his du'aa is very important because it means the interpretation ol lbn Abbas
should be given more weight than that ol others. lbn Abbas is considered the greatest mulasir ol the Quran
period. At one time, both terms were used interchangeabley by scholars such as At-1abari. 1his shows the
evolution ol terminology. when you come across a term in classical books, do not read your meaning into it.

main opinion main opinion main opinion main opinions ss s as to the dillerence between 1alseer and 1aweel as to the dillerence between 1alseer and 1aweel as to the dillerence between 1alseer and 1aweel as to the dillerence between 1alseer and 1aweel

1. 1hey are equivalent in meaning
2. 1alseer is used in explaining a word which carries only one meaning, whereas 1a'weel is used in chosing
one ol the connotations ol a word that possesses many connotation
!. when the interpretation is based on certain knowledge, this is called 1alseer. whereas when it is based on
personal reasoning (ljtihaad) it is known as 1a'weel
4. 1alseer is the explanation ol the literal meaning ol the verse, whereas 1a'weel was the actual intent behind
the verse
. 1alseer is meant to give the meanings ol the individual words in a verse, whereas 1a'weel gives the
meaning ol the verse as a whole

96
Necessity & lmportance ol 1alseer Necessity & lmportance ol 1alseer Necessity & lmportance ol 1alseer Necessity & lmportance ol 1alseer

1. Allah uses the most clear, eloquent and concise language, and in doing so the meaning is clear to those who
are well-rounded in the Arabic language, but not so clear to those who are not. 1he language ol the Quran
requires some elaboration.
2. 1he Quran itsell does not always mention the events or relerences lor which each particular verse was
revealed and these must be known in order lor the verse to be lully and totally understood. 1here are some
customs that need to be explained by external sources, e.g. the customs ol the jahili arabs mentioned in the
Quran are explained in talser
!. 8ome words may have multiple meanings, and it is the job ol the person that does 1alseer to explain what
is meant by each word.

ll a layman says: why do l have to go through a science7 can't l just go through the Quran directly7 kesponse:
while it is true that the Quran is guidance lor mankind, it is not true to say that every person will be able to
obtain the same amount ol guidance. while it is true that the Quran can help even the non-muslim using a
translation in some basic issues, you cannot compare the benelit that a non-Arab will get with the benelit an
Arab will get. lt is a question ol levels and degrees. No one denies that the Quran is lor all ol mankind to read.

1here are higher levels you derive, which cannot be done without background knowledge. 1his shows that
Allah uses the most perlect and eloquent and concise language, and in doing so, the precise relerence ol the
Quran is not obvious. 1he language that the Quran uses requires a little elaboration. 1he Quran sometimes
relerences customs and events and beliels that are not necessarily known lrom the Quran itsell, but it is
extraneous knowledge derived lrom external sources.

1he knowledge ol talseer lills in the gaps. lecause the Arabic ol the Quran is so eloquent, many times a word
has multiple meanings, and it is the job ol the mulasir to explain the meaning ol each word.

1he listory ol 1alseer 1he listory ol 1alseer 1he listory ol 1alseer 1he listory ol 1alseer

At the 1ime ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
1he lirst stage occurred during the time ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). 1he sahabah themselves
in the liletime ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would ask about the meaning ol the Quran, which is
the lunction ol the prophet.

,l!, ,l !l ,l| %! _,,.l _!ll ! ,l| l-l >.
44. with clear signs and looks (we sent the messengers). And we have also sent down unto you
(O muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)) the keminder and the advice (the Qur'an), that
you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought.
[8urah An Nahl: 44]

1his verse shows us that one ol the lunctions ol the prophet is to explain the Quran. 1his is a very central point
to 8unni lslam. 1he lrophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) lunction is to clarily the Quran.

8ometimes issues arose and sahabah were conlused about certain ayat. Abu lurayrah (radhi Allahu 'anhu)
with the threads: 'eat and drink until you can dillerentiate the black thread lrom the white thread'. le took
this at lace value and took two threads, but the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) corrected him and said
that Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) is relerring to the white thread ol dawn.

9
8urah Al Ana'am. '1hose who believe and do no injustice, they will be the ones who will come on the uay ol
}udgment without any lear.' 1he sahabah said: 'O messenger ol Allah, is there anyone who does not do
injustice7' 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: '1his is not the injustice being relerred to. 8hirk is
the worst dhulm.'

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) implemented the Quran in action. 1he most lamous example, which
is so important and cannot be overemphasized, is the salat. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) clarilied in the Quran
more clearly the verses ol inheritance than the procedure ol salat. why7 1here is no need to when the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) has done it so many times in lront ol people. Lnless you turn to the 8unnah as
your source ol inlormation, you will not be able to understand the Quran properly. 1he role ol the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was to explain the Quran in speech and action.

ll someone asked: how many verses did the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) explain7 kesponse: ll you
mean explain verbally, then not many. ll you mean in action, then yes he explained the Quran.

Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) said: his akhlaq is nothing other than the Quran.

At the time ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), the companions asked about the meaning ol the Quran.
le acts as a messenger and clarilies the rulings.

1ime ol the 8ahabah
1he tabi'oon asked the sahabah more and more about the Quran. 8ome ol the sahabah excelled at the talsir.
8pecializations were born in the time ol the sahabah. 8ome began to specialize in talsir more than others and
lbn Abbas was the best. Lbayy ibn la'ab, Abdullah ibn masood, and 2ayd ibn 1haabit are also lamous scholars
ol talseer. 1hey began to teach the people the meanings ol the Quran. 1hey were walking universities.
mujahid, the lamous student ol lbn Abbas, said: 'l recited the Quran three times to lbn Abbas, and any time l
did not understand a word or phrase, l asked him.' ln talsir books, mujahid is also mentioned a lot.

1he sahabah initiated another way ol interpreting the Quran, which was through Arabic poetry. 1he lirst
group ol people to open up the door lor pre-lslamic poetry to be taken as a source ol understanding words was
the sahabah. ll they came across an obscure word, they would not hesitate to quote a word ol pre-lslamic
poetry. 1here was a lamous debate between the leader ol the lhawarij and lbn Abbas. 1hey debated on over
180 verses, and a number ol books ol history record this debate. Nali' tried to outwit lbn Abbas, and lbn Abbas
would correct the meaning and use poetry as a prool. 1his shows the knowledge ol lbn Abbas.

1he sahabah explained circumstances ol revelation to the tabi'oon. Lrwa and Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) have
many conversations about the Quran, and she would tell him the context ol revelation. lbn Abbas came to
Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) talking about 8urah At-1ahreem and what happened with the wives ol the lrophet
(sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam). Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) told him the story. 1his shows us that the sahabah are
opening up the door lor the various chapters ol this science. All ol the sciences were being taught but not
separately.

1he leriod ol the 8uccessors
1he tabi'oon were the lirst to think about comprehensive talseer. 1hey began compiling what the sahabah said
and tried to arrange and tabulate them. ln the generation ol the late tabi'oon (10s - 200 Al) the lirst talseers
were written down. we have a talseer written in 10 Al by lukhatir lbn 8ulayman, which is in print. 1here is
a manuscript printed in 1!0 Al.

98

1he compilation ol the 1alseer

many talseers were lost lor the same reason that many ol the ahadeeth were lost, which was when the more
encyclopedic works came out, the others were eclipsed. 1he treasure trove ol talseer is }ami' ul layan lee
1alsir by At-1abari (d. !10 Al). 1his is the classic talsir and is voluminous. All ol the riwayaat have an isnad,
which is a big blessing. lt is one ol the lirst talseers to do talseer ol every single verse. lbn Abbas only made
talseer ol the verses which his students lound problematic. As time went on, people became more and more
conlused, and more gaps needed to be lilled. ly the turn ol the !
rd
century and beginning ol the 4
th
, talseer is
an independent science. leople will continue to write talseer. 1he need lor writing talseer will never stop.

1he lrinciples ol 1alseer

1alseer is done by a number ol dillerent principles. what is the methodology and what tools are used7

1. 1alseer ol the Quran by the Quran
1he lirst source ol talseer is the Quran itsell. we say that we do talseer ol the Quran with the Quran and by the
Quran. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was the lirst to show us this. when he (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) was asked who does not do dhulm7", the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) responded with another
verse saying that shirk is the biggest dhulm, and he gave us the basic principle that what is said in one verse
cannot be taken independently lrom what is said in another verse. lxample: in laqarah: Adam and luwa
learned some words lrom Allah and repented. ln 8urah Al Ar'aal, we learn what these words are. ll you do not
put it together, then you do not get the lull picture.

concept ol 8alvilic exclusivity. 1here is a new concept that all religions are acceptable to Allah, and il your
heart is pure, then you will enter paradise. 1here is a new idea that all religions (or at least the Abrahamic
religions) are ok. 1hey use 8urah Al laqarah: 'those who believe, and the christians, and the }ews, and the
8abeans.' 1he claim that christians and }ews can enter }annah goes against both kalimahs and goes against the
purpose ol revealing the Quran. 1he whole claim is the theological destruction ol the religion ol lslam.
whoever claims this is saying that lslam is not needed, and it is a very dangerous claim and a demolishment ol
the religion ol lslam. 1hey lorget hundreds ol verses that clarily the meaning ol this one verse.
(muslimmmatters.org)

Ol the clear verses are:
8urah Al lmran: whoever seeks a religion other than lslam, it will never be accepted ol him, and he will be in
the herealter ol those who are destroyed.
what does the verse mean then7 christians at the time ol lesa and }ews at the time ol musa were also muslims.

2. 1alseer by the 8unnah
You cannot understand the Quran by divorcing it lrom the sunnah, and you must always understand the Quran
in light ol the 8unnah. You cannot derive rulings or theology without the sunnah either. lxample ol prayer,
rulings ol zakat, lajj. low much ol the Quran was explained7 Verbally not that much, but in action and
practice, it was explained by the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

!. 1alseer by the statements ol the companions and 8uccessors
1hese sources are not as weighty as the lirst two but must be taken into account. 1he reason why we value the
sahabah so much is because they witnessed the revelation ol the Quran and interacted with the lrophet (sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) directly and know the Arabic language more than anyone else does, and most
importantly, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says: 'Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Allah.'
1he status ol the sahabah is a crucial key dillerence between 8unni muslims and others.
99

we lind these statements in many ol the classical talseers ol the Quran.

4. 1alseer by Arabic language and classical poetry
when we do talseer by poetry, we are saying: words whose meanings we do not understand can be understood
by looking up classical lines ol poetry.

!| l ! !,s >l-l l1-.
2. Verily, we have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an in order that you may understand. [8urah Yusul: 2]

loetry prohibited7
ln some verses, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) cursed the poets, and the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said
that it is better lor the inner stomach to be lilled with pus rather than poetry. ln the Quran, Allah (subhanahu
wata'ala) denied that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) is a poet. 8ome scholars lelt awkward about
using this as a tool, but the response is: the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) used poetry to relute the
Quraysh ol makkah. 1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) encouraged the use ol poetry to delend lslam.
Allah only prohibited poetry when it was used to sin. what is prohibited is the misuse and excessive
engagement in poetry to the extent that it turns you away lrom understanding the Quran.

. 1alseer by lre-lslamic Arab customs
8urah Al laqarah, Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) says about seeing the moon: '1he new moon is to set your
calendar and to determine the lajj. lt is not righteousness that you enter the houses lrom the back, rather it is
righteousness to enter lrom the doors.' Lntil you study pre-lslamic Arab custom, this would not be understood.
when the new moon was seen, the Arabs had a superstitious custom to enter the houses lrom the back.

1he issue ol dhihaar: the man will say: 'you are to me like the back ol my mother.' 1his is an Arab expression
meaning l am going to treat you like your mother and cannot approach you intimately and will not divorce
youm so the person will be in limbo. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) prohibited dhihaar and said there is a severe
penalty lor those who did it.

custom ol 8ala and marwa: Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) said there is no sin il you do sa'ee. Lrwa ol the tabi'oon
had no idea ol the jahiliyy custom and asked Aisha (radhi Allahu 'anha) the meaning ol this. 8he explained that
idols used to be there.

6. 1alseer by }udeo-christian narratives (al -lsra'iliyaat)
1his means that we explain stories and lill in details by turning to christian and }ewish sources. 1his is done by
many scholars ol talseer. many times the details contradict our aqeedah such as the story ol uawood in 8urah
8aad: many mulasiroon took lrom the Old 1estament, which is unethical and makes accusations not belitting
ol a prophet. 1he reason why some scholars lelt this is permissible to do so is because there are a number ol
contradictory ahadeeth in this regard.

Ol the hadeeth allowing it: 'Narrate lrom the children ol lsra'il and you have no sin when you do so.'
'uo not believe what the christians and }ews tell you, but do not deny it.'
Lmar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) lound the 1orah and began to read it, and when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) saw him reading it, he became extremely angry and said: 'O Lmar, il musa had been alive, he would
have no choice but to lollow my 8hari'ah.'
lecause ol these dillering stances, scholars have dillered about the use ol the lsra'iliyyat.

100
lor example: the beliel that lblis was a lallen angel is lrom the lsra'iliyaat. 1he Quran is so clear that lblis is ol
the }inn.

lbn Abbas and others themselves started this. lbn Abbas would read books captured in battle and would
narrate the isra'iliyyaat lollowing the position that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) allowed reading
them without believing in them.

Ahadeeth related to the lsra'iliyaat:
1he lrophet (sal Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said 8pread knowledge lrom me, even il it is a sentence, and
narrate lrom the children ol lsra'il without hesitation, but whoever intentionally lorges a lie upon me, then
let him prepare his place ol residence in hell" [lukhari]

Lmar (radi Allahu 'anhu) once came to the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) with a copy ol the 1orah.
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asked him 'what is this Lmar7 le replied, it is a book that l had
copied so that l can add to my present knowledge, more knowledge.' At this the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) became so angry that his cheeks appeared llushed, and he immediately ordered all the
companions to be called to the masjid . [Ahmad]

}ews would read the 1orah in lebrew and then explain it to the muslims in Arabic. 1he prophet (sal Allahu
'alayhi wa sallam) remarked uo not believe the people ol the book, nor disbelieve them, but rather say we
believe

categories ol lsra'iliyaat
Narrations conlirmed by the Quran and 8unnah
narrations contradicted by the Quran and 8unnah
narrations concerning which muslims have no knowledge

. 1alseer by subjective opinion (ar-ka'i)
1his is the most controversial category ol talseer. 1he problem with this talseer comes because it is not as
structured as other types ol talseer, you can open up the door lor misinterpretation and lor correct
interpretation. lt is dillicult to lay out a loundation to do talseer bi ra'i. lt is true that talseer is an ongoing
process, but at the same time, you do not want to go against the traditional intepretaion and come up with
something radically new. where do you draw the line between tradition and something new7

lt is interpreting the Quran using knowledge ol the other sciences ol lslam, some ol which may be wrong and
some ol which may be right. lt is not quoting Quran and 8unnah or poetry, but they are deriving some benelit
and wisdom. 1here is no doubt that this is an important type ol talseer that needs to be done.

main qualilication: it must not contradict what is stronger than it (talseer with Quran, 8unnah, statements ol
the sahabah).

8ometimes it may go to extremes such as counting the number ol times a word occurs in the Quran and
deriving lrom that. 1he script lrom the Lthmanic mus-naj allowed lor various words. 1he sahabas did not like
numerology and said that the religion does not have anything to do with numbers. 1his trend is dangerous,
and the problem comes on where to draw the line.

Qualilications ol a mulassir Qualilications ol a mulassir Qualilications ol a mulassir Qualilications ol a mulassir
what do you need to do in order to interpret the Quran7 1he lollowing are taken lrom As-8uyuti's book.
1. lroper intention.
2. correct lslamic beliel (aqeedah). Approach the Quran believing that it is the 8peech ol Allah.
101
!. lree lrom practicing or believing in innovations, and to respect the Quran. lor example, il someone
does not believe in predestination, then they already have a deviant beliel and are reading it into the
Quran. Approach the Quran with an open heart.
4. kepentant and pious heart. 1he purer your heart is, the more it will benelit lrom the Quran.
. A thorough understanding ol the lundamentals ol religion (aqeedah).
6. lollowing the proper methodology ol talseer. 1alseer is the crux ol all ol Lloom al Quran. when you
derive interpretations, it is as il you are speaking on behall ol ood, so you must have a mastery ol all ol
the sciences ol lslam belore propounding that a verse means something. Abu lakr (radhi Allahu 'anhu)
said: 'which earth would l be able to stand on and which sky would give me shelter il l said something
about the book ol Allah that is not true7' 1here is a level ol meaning that is basic, which is the basic
text speaking to you. ln talseer, we ask why Allah said 'qul' and not just 'le is One.' what is the
purpose ol revealing the verse at a certain time and place7 8ome books ol talseer will give 40 reasons
as to why 'qul' is used. Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) knows il they are true or not. 1hey are human
interpretations. 1he point is that the scholars who derived it were qualilied and they were giving a
legitimate opinion.
. lnowledge ol the Arabic language and its vocabulary.
8. lnolwedge ol grammar (nahw)
9. lnowledge ol morphology (sarl)
10. lnowledge ol the basis ol Arabic words and word structures (isthtiqaaq)
11. lnowledge ol Arabic rhetoric, eloquence and manners ol oratory
12. lnowledge ol the saheeh, da'eel, shaadh, and baatil qira'at
1!. lnowledge ol the lrinciples ol liqh (usool al-liqh)
14. lnowledge ol liqh itsell
1. lnowledge ol asbaab an-nuzool
16. lnowledge ol naasikh and mansookh
1. lnowledge ol the hadeeth ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
18. lnowledge ol all other branches ol uloom al-Quran
19. A divine endowment that is not possible to obtain by one's sell. Allah blesses some people with an
inner understanding ol the Quran. 1his is like the du'a ol the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) lor
lbn Abbas.

1ypes ol 1alseer 1ypes ol 1alseer 1ypes ol 1alseer 1ypes ol 1alseer

1he primary types ol talseer:
1. 1alseer based on narrations.
1alseer At-1abari
what did Abu lakr say, what did Lmar say, etc.
lt gives narrations ol the scholars.
while this is the salest talseer, it is the most dillicult and most dry to the average muslim. lt is not in
simple llowing language. many types ol talseer are written.
At least 20 or !0 have been written along these lines.
1hese are relerence books that the average muslim will not benelit lrom that much because all he will
lind is al ist ol opinions about what the word means.

2. uoing away with classical talseers and instead a lot ol sciences are incorporated. ly distancing themselves
lrom the classical tradition, they read in what they wanted to lrom the talseer. many beliels and ideas that
the Quran does not talk about were put into the talseer by the authors ol the time.
most lamous example is the talseer ol Ar-kazi. (1alseer malaatihul ohayb)

102
1he best types ol talseer combine between the talseer ol the traditional scholars and the second type. An
example is lbn lathir.

!. 1alsir ol the luqahaa. 1hey pick verses pertaining to only liqh and concentrate on them. 1hey try to prove
their liqh and their positions through their talseer. 1he most lamous example: maliki scholar Al-Qurtubi
who wrote 1alseer Al-Qurtubi. le especially concentrates on liqh in his talseer.

4. 8cientilic talseer
1his began around 100 years ago, and Ar-kazi is the basis ol this. 1his talseer tries to read in every
scientilic lact and miracle into the Quran. when we read them now 100 years later, we see how
ludicrous they are because they are reading in their theories into the Quran, and science has evolved
greatly since 19!0. what we consider science today 100 years lrom now will also have changed.
lor example, in the late 1800s one ol the scholars ol lgypt wrote a talseer in which he said: (microscope
was lirst introduced) 'this is the meaning ol the jinn in the Quran.'
lt is ludicrous to try to read in every scientilic lact into the Quran. Allah revealed the Quran lor
spiritual guidance. when we look at modern science, it is not that the Quran gives vivid detail (it gives
open generalities), but what is amazing that in these generalities, nothing we know as lact is
contradicted. lor example: the development ol the human embryo. 8imple geological lacts are lound
in the Quran. 1here is some evidence that the Quran does not contradict modern science. lor example:
ln the Quran: 'mountains are pegs.' Nobody discovered this through the Quran, but the Quran gives a
simple statement that does not contradict modern science.

. lshari J 8uli talseer
1hey try to read in a hidden meaning into the Quran. 1here is a meaning that you simply do not
understand. ll you let your imagination run wild, you can go very lar with this. lor example, Allah
(subhanahu wata'ala) tells musa (A8): '1ake oll your shoes, you are in the holy valley ol mount 1uwa.'
1hey say: the real meaning is that Allah is telling him to get rid ol your love ol this world and the next
and have only love lor lim. 1he shoe is a symbol lor this world.
1his is symbolic talseer. 1here is no ground to stand on.

we do need to write a talseer lor our modern times where the upcoming generations have a book written in
simple lnglish that makes the Quran relevant to their lives. we need an 'alim to write a talseer that will help
the western speaking muslims to connect with the Quran using relevant examples. 1alseer is an ongoing
process. One ol the scholars who has done this: ur. Ahmed 2aki lammad has written a talseer ol 8urah Al
lkhlas and 8urah Yusul.

1he uangers ol lmproper 1alseer 1he uangers ol lmproper 1alseer 1he uangers ol lmproper 1alseer 1he uangers ol lmproper 1alseer

1hese are obvious. ll we misunderstand our loly look, then the entire religion can be misunderstood. 1o
misunderstand the Quran is to misunderstand the entire purpose ol being here. lach and every lacet ol our
religion comes lrom the Quran.

Once the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) passed by a group ol people arguing over the Quran. le
commanded them, Verily, the nations belore you were destroyed by this action ol yours." [Ahmad & An-
Nasa'i]

10!
chapter 8ixteen chapter 8ixteen chapter 8ixteen chapter 8ixteen: At 1arjamah: 1he 1ranslation ol the Quran : At 1arjamah: 1he 1ranslation ol the Quran : At 1arjamah: 1he 1ranslation ol the Quran : At 1arjamah: 1he 1ranslation ol the Quran

lor most ol us, translations are our only source ol understanding the Quran. lt is no doubt ol the signs ol Allah
that we speak dillerent languages.
_ .. l> ,.l _ l.> ..l />l | ,l _,l-ll
22. And among lis 8igns is the creation ol the heavens and the earth, and the dillerence ol your
languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs lor men ol sound knowledge. [8urah Ar-
kum: 22]

Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) tells us that it is ol lis 8igns that le has created dillerent languages.

1ranslations need to be done, and none ol the scholars oppose translation. 1hey were concerned about how
they should be translated and the lunction ol translation. 1he question arose: who should do the translation7
low should it be done7 what is the lunction and role ol the translation7

1ypes ol 1ranslations 1ypes ol 1ranslations 1ypes ol 1ranslations 1ypes ol 1ranslations

1he translation can be done in one ol two ways:
1. Verbatim 1ranslation: the word-lor-word translation ol a text
1his is only uselul to learn the Arabic. 1he syntax ol every sentence is dillerent. 1he scholars said that
a word lor word translation should only be done to understand the Arabic and not the Quran.
Very good and scholarly word lor word translation by ur. mohir Ali. le was one ol the leading muslim
scholars who understood academics. Ol the last books he wrote was a word lor word translation ol the
meanings ol the Quran printed by }imas ol lngland in 2004.
2. 1ranslation by meaning: the intent or meaning ol a text is translated.
1he majority ol translators do this.

kulings on 1ranslations kulings on 1ranslations kulings on 1ranslations kulings on 1ranslations

ln terms ol a verbatim translation, this is lorbidden with regards to the Quran. 1his is because there is no
benelit to be gained out ol it. As lor translations ol meaning, this is allowed and in lact is lard lilaayah lor the
ummah, as part ol its duty to spread the message ol lslam. 1here is no dillerence in opinion on this.

8cholars unanimously agree that the translation ol the Quran does not take the place ol the original Arabic
except lor one scholar but alter his death there was ijmaa' against his opinion and he was even opposed by his
own students.

1he translation cannot be used to derive laws, rulings, theology, or recitation in the Quran.

8cholars have encouraged translation ol the Quran lrom the earliest ol time and there are manuscripts lrom
the !
rd
century ol the hijrah with lersian translations. lersian translations were the most common ol the early
time because it was the main language ol the muslim scholars [lukhari, lmam Abu lanilah].

1he conditions ol 1ranslation 1he conditions ol 1ranslation 1he conditions ol 1ranslation 1he conditions ol 1ranslation

1. 1he translator must be a muslim with correct aqeedah.
2. 1he translator must be prolicient in Arabic and the language that he is translating in.
104
!. 1ranslator must be knowledgeable in the grammar and peculiarities ol the Arabic language, specilically the
Quran.
4. 1he translator must be lamiliar with the other lslamic sciences to adegree with which he can translate the
Quran with the proper interpretation.
. 1ranslator must conlorm to the intent ol the verse, such that it is a reasonable rendering ol the meanings
ol the original.
6. 1ranslation must be complete.
. Neither the translator nor the audience may believe that the translation is the Quran.

1he translator must be qualilied to translate the Quran. A translation is nothing less than a type ol talseer.
when you translate, you are doing talseer right then and there. when you translate the Quran, you must have
the qualilications ol a mulasir or at least have access to the works ol a mulasir because when you substitute an
lnglish word lor an Arabic word, you are substituting a meaning, which is talseer. when muslims translated
the Quran, the lirst ones to do so especially into western languages were not lslamically trained, which led to
serious problems.

listory listory listory listory ol 1ranslations ol 1ranslations ol 1ranslations ol 1ranslations

latin translations ol the Quran (new book)
1he lirst translation ol the Quran was when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) sent a delegation to
Abyssinia and }aalir ibn Abi 1alib recited 8urah maryam, and it was translated into Abyssinian. None ol the
sahabah objected. 1he lirst time the Quran was translated was when the emperor ol Abyssinia heard the
translation ol 8urah maryam.

lt was also translated when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) sent a letter to leracleus and he quoted
the Quran, which was translated along with the letter. 1here are relerences to a lersian translation. lt is even
said (no authentic evidence lound) that 8alman Al larsi translated the Quran into lersian. we also learn lrom
books ol history that one ol the rajas ol lndia when the muslims lirst came to lndia (kaja mahrook) asked the
delegation to translate portions ol the Quran lor him. 1he people ol 8indh translated the Quran.

ln western languages, the lirst translations occurred when muslims ruled 8pain and christian civilizations lor
the lirst time came into serious intellectual contact with the muslim civilization. 1he christians lelt an
inleriority complex to the superiority ol the muslim civilization. A priest lamented the lact that christian
children were dressing like muslim children and speaking Arabic. when the keconquista started, this was
when lor the lirst time serious intellectual debates began between muslims and christians. 1o understand
where the muslims were coming lrom, the muslims lelt the need to translate their loly look. 1he earliest
translation was in 114! cl by kobertus keteniciss at the behest ol leter the Venerable, Abbot ol cluny.
kobertus was with a group ol people prolicient in translating lrom Arabic to latin. 1hey would translate books
ol astronomy, medicine, mathematics, and physics. 1hey needed this knowledge. leter the Venerable was
recommend kobertus as the leading translating and paid a helty amount lor the translation. 1here are still
manuscripts ol this translation. lt was never printed because the printing press had not yet been invented.
kobertus lound someone to write Arabic on one side and wrote the latin on the other side.

martin luther ol the lrotestant kelormation edited this and published an edited copy in 14! and wrote an
introduction to kobertus' translation. le was interested in the Quran and had read it. le does have some
statements where he said they should learn certain things.

Allonso X ordered the translation ol the Quran into 8panish and it was completed in 1284. 1he lirst middle
lnglish partial translation occurs in 11. 1his translation is anonymous, and in all likelihood he did it lrom
the latin and not the Arabic. Alter this, in 14, the Quran was translated into ltalian, and in 1616, the ltalian
10
translation was translated into oerman and in 1641 the oerman translation was translated into uutch. ln 164,
Andrew ueryer, the lrench ambassador to lgypt, translated the Quran in lrench. ln 1649, lor the lirst time the
lrench translation was translated into lnglish by Alexander koss who was not a linguist but an ambassador.

Other translations occurred until the one which held the world ol the occident (i.e. lngland and America) lor
200 years was that ol oeorge 8ail in 1!4. lt was the standard translation lor over 200 years. 1his translation
was printed at least !0 times. 8ail relied heavily on the latin translation because his Arabic was very poor, and
he injected strange customs and anti-lslamic rhetoric. le produced a very garbled translation that gave the
worst image ol lslam, and this image shaped the luropean image ol lslam lor over 200 years. 1he muslim world
came into more contact with the western world and more qualilied translations developed. muslims
considered translations by non-muslims to be delective because they said il they do not believe in it, then how
can they give it justice7 1he lirst time a muslim translated the Quran into lnglish was 190 when ur.
Abdullakeem lhan translated the Quran lrom Arabic into lnglish. A number ol others translated as well.

Ol the earliest translations to be done, and a very academic translation is the one done by muhammad Ali. le
was a lollower ol the Qaadiyyani mirza ohulam Ahmed. le did a lot to spread the Qaadiyyani laith. mirza
ohulam Ahmed claimed to be a prophet. muhammad Ali came to America in 1919 and had a prolound impact
on the Nation ol lslam. 1he translation was the best translation in lnglish lor the time and place, but
unlortunately it was a Qaadiyyani translation.

Abdullah Yusul Ali plagiarized muhammad Ali's translation. le never studied Arabic and could not speak or
understand Arabic. le lived his lile in the peripheries ol the muslim ummah. Abdullah Yusul Ali grew up in
lngland and had better lnglish than muhammad Ali. lt became popular because ol the quality ol the lnglish,
which was very llowery. 8earching lor 8olace is a biography ol Abdullah Yusul Ali.

marmaduke lickthall was a white convert who studied at Azhar and translated the Quran into antiquated
lnglish but with authority. 1he lnglish is too literal lor average people to benelit lrom. le was pretty much a
contemporary ol Abdullah Yusul Ali but his translation was very dry.

muhammad Asad. le is another enigmatic ligure who has lelt an autobiography that is a tour de lorce called
koad to mecca. le was a genius and had superb lnglish. le had the best translation up until his time, but his
aqeedah was not correct and he was very progressive. le did not agree with many ol the things in the Quran
and considered them outdated. le read in his own understandings into the translation.

linal conclusion: 1ranslations that shaykh Yasir recommends:
1. ur. muhir Ali lor the word to word translation il you are interested in learning the Arabic and
linguistics ol the Quran.
2. lor the layman: 8ahih lnternational translation.
!. Azhari academic at 8OA8: m.A.8. Abdel laleem published by Oxlord world classics. lt is simple and
llowing.

1alseer Al muyassar (ling lahd lrinting lress translates lrom ancient Arabic to modern Arabic)
1alseer As-8aadee - simple Arabic

106
chapter 8eventeen chapter 8eventeen chapter 8eventeen chapter 8eventeen: lpilogue : lpilogue : lpilogue : lpilogue

1he one thing that always comes back to us is the lact that the Quran is so moving and personal and intimate in
our lives and there is a level beyond logical prools and our hearts and souls know that it is true. with that in
mind, it is distressing to see the status ol the Quran in the daily lives ol muslims. low olten do we read this
look and establish a relationship with it7 ll you make it a habit to recite this look every morning, then on the
day you did not recite it you will miss it. You will have peace and tranquility on the days you recite the Quran
in the morning. lt is breaklast lor the soul.

lbn Al Qayyim says that Allah says in the Quran that the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) will complain on
the uay ol }udgment and say: 'O my lord, my own people took this Quran as something to be abandoned.'
! l | 1l >
!0. And the messenger (muhammad) will say: 'O my lord! Verily, my people deserted this
Qur'an (neither listened to it, nor acted on its laws and orders). [8urah Al lurqan: !0]

1he primary meaning ol this verse is that the Quraysh have neglected the Quran. lbn Al Qayyim is telling the
muslims not to be complacent and think that this does not apply to you. what il you abandon acting upon it
and ignore what it tells you to do and do not judge by the Quran7 lave you not also lallen guilty ol abandoning
it7 what about abandoning seeking shila'a lrom it7 low olten do you use ruqiyyah when you are sick7
lhysical and spiritual shila'a is eman. when the lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: my ummah and my
people, it can also apply to us. lbn Al Qayyim said: Are you so sure that the complaint cannot be applied to
you7

1he Quran is the greatest blessing and it will be taken away when it is not acted upon.

lt is distressing to see that the muslims have turned away lrom this great treasure that has been revealed to
them.

words by lbn Al Qayyim: 1here are various types ol abandonment ol the Quran
1. 1o abaondon listening to it and believing in it
2. 1o abandon acting upon it and ignoring its lawlul and prohibited ordinances, even il one believes in it
and recites it.
!. 1o abandon juding by it and resorting to it as a judge when there are dillerences in the essence ol the
religion or other matters.
4. 1o abandon pondering over it, and understanding it, and seeking the explanation ol it.
. 1o abandon using it as a cure in all types ol diseases ol the heart, and instead to seek to cure these
diseases by other means.

Ol the last signs ol the uay ol }udgment when lesa (alayhi salaam) comes back down lrom the mountain and
destroyed Yahjuj and mahjuj and only musllims are lelt on earth, the most peacelul time will be on earth, and
then Allah will send a wind to take the souls ol all the believers. 1hen the worst time ever on earth will begin
and men will act like beasts and lewdness will be rampant and people will abandon the Quran completely until
one day when the Quran will disappear lrom the lace ol the earth. lt will be wiped away lrom the books and
taken lrom the memory ol men. when the Quran is neglected completely, it will return back to Allah. 1his
shall be the very generation that the uay ol }udgment comes upon. No believer will hear the blowing ol the
trumpet.

10

ladeeth that summarizes the entire subject ol Lloom al Quran:
1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, lndeed Allah will honor people by this book, and he will debase
others by it."

You are either honored by the Quran or humiliated and debased by it. 1he Quran takes you to }annah or drags
you to the lire ol lell. 1here is no middle path. You must make up your mind about your relationship with
this look.

8imple 1ips kegarding memorizing the Quran
kealize that memorizing the Quran is a blessing that Allah gives to people. lt is not earned. lt is a gilt lrom
Allah. Allah blesses this gilt to those who are worthy ol it. Ol the best ways to memorize the Quran is to make
yoursell worthy ol the Quran. Ol the best ways to memorize is to lacilitate the acceptance ol this gilt.

Allah says in the Quran: 1his Quran is composed ol clear verses that are captured in the hearts ol those who
have knowledge." Allah mentions that those who have knowledge will have the Quran. 1rue knowledge is
righteousness and action.

1he lirst condition when you want to memorize the Quran: lurity ol heart. You have a relationship with Allah
where you are striving to come closer to Allah and realize the sanctity and holiness ol this look and want it
inside your heart and encompassed in your body and soul. lave a leeling ol humility and coming closer to
Allah. 1his is done by increasing your good deeds and abstaining lrom sins. 1he closer you are to Allah, the
easier it is to memorize the Quran. 1hose who have memorized say that when their eman is stronger, then
their memorization is stronger, and they go through ups and downs. when eman goes down, your
memorization goes down. 1here is a miraculous relationship between your eman and relationship with the
Quran.

1he lrophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: ll any ol you lorgets the Quran, do not say that you have
lorgotten the verse but say that you have been caused to lorget the verse. [lukhari] (i.e. you were not worthy
ol it in the lirst place so Allah caused you to lorget it)

lncrease your spirituality and good deeds.

8econd condition: (also a spiritual condition). 8incerity J ikhlaas. when you start memorizing the Quran, it is
so easy to stray in your intentions and be ol those who want to impress others. You must memorize lor a
genuine love ol the Quran. Anyone who thinks that he has sincerity already has a problem. 1he greatest 'alim
has to battle with this emotion. lkhlaas can be achieved by remembering the benelits and beauties ol the
Quran and being scared ol the dangers ol not having ikhlaas.

Abu lurayrah (radhi Allahu 'anhu) narrates that ol the lirst three people to be thrown in the lire ol hell is the
qari' who memorizes lor the people and not lor the sake ol Allah.

lmam Ash-8hali'ee complained that he could not memorize hadeeth, and his teacher told him that knowledge is
a light that Allah gives, and how can Allah give this light to a sinner7 le told Ash-8hali'ee to leave sins and do
better deeds. ll this is the case with hadeeth, then even more so with the look ol Allah.

condition three: lt is very essential to have consistency in memorization. 8it down and think to yoursell how
much time do you have every day without exception even il it is 20 or !0 minutes. As long as it is consistent,
there is no problem. 1he problem comes when you start taking breaks. when you memorize the Quran, you
108
cannot have weekends oll because your memory skills become weak. 1he more you memorize, the easier it
becomes to memorize. when you have consistency, you will be able to absorb more and more inlormation.

condition lour: memorization must be done early in the day and the lirst thing that you do in the day. lven
belore breaklast (prelerably right alter lajr). You cannot memorize in the evenings or night. wake up early lor
the Quran.

condition live: Lse the same mus-naj. 8haykh Yasir strongly recommends the madinan mus-naj. lvery verse
linishes at the end ol a page, so you can linish a chunk at the page. when you memorize with one mus-naj, you
get a visual as well.

condition six: lmmerse yoursell in listening to the Quran. ll your goal is to memorize the Quran, you have no
time lor lslamic lectures. Your entire day and night must be lilled with Quran. losari, minshawy, Abdul lasit.
1ry to lind the tarteel recitation. 1he best memorization techniques involve simple recitations. listen to the
Quran as much as possible, especially the section you are memorizing and those you have memorized.

condition seven: Your voice will come, and it is something that is separate.

condition eight: kecite the Quran consistently to someone. 8ell memorization will not teach you your
mistakes. ll you restrict the Quran to yoursell, you will memorize a mistake. 1his also gives you a deadline.

condition nine: lt is uselul to memorize with translation and maybe even talseer because you get an
understanding ol what you are memorizing. 1his is why it is uselul to have lbn latheer or other books.

with these tips in mind, how do you actually memorize7
1here are no secret tips ol memorization. lt is done by sitting down in a quiet room and going over and over
and over again.

lave consistency in memorizing the same amount every day no matter how much (i.e. ! lines, lines, etc.)

Allocate three separate things you are doing with the Quran. 8uppose you are memorizing 8urah Al laqarah
and are in the middle and are memorizing live lines everyday.
memorize your section early morning.
lelore you leave the home, you must do one more thing which will take you 1J! ol the time the actual
memorization took you, which is: go over the last days worth ol memorization, which is connected to
what you have memorized that day. 1his has two lunctions: 1) solidily what you have memorized. 1he
easiest thing to lorget is what is lresh in your memory. You are reviewing the same lines lor 8 days 2)
you connect it with what is belore and what is alter. when you memorize these live lines and move on,
there is a gap that you didn't memorize and the connection is not done by you unless you review the
last days.
Old review, which is everything belore the last days. low much should you do ol an old review7 1he
rule ol thumb is between -10 times the daily amount. ll you memorize 1 page a day, then review 10
pages. lour to live pages a day is the minimum. 1his never linishes until you die. You must always
continue this.

All hulladh will tell you the weakest link in the memorization is the connection.

8tart reciting the Quran you have memorized in the salah. ll you lead taraweeh prayers, it is the strongest way
ol reinlorcing your Quran memorization.

109
lind a companion to memorize the Quran along with you so that you can review with each other.

1hroughout this process, make du'aa to Allah (subhanahu wata'ala) that Allah blesses you with the Quran and
causes it to be a light lor you in this world and the next and a shila'a.

lersistence pays oll.

lave the intention ol memorizing the Quran. when you have children, make sure that they are halidh as well.

1he order ol memorization: the worst thing to do is to not have an order. 1his is a big blunder. 8tart lrom }uz
Amma and work your way to 8urah Qal. 1hen decide what you want to do.

kecord your own voice reciting Quran and listen to it because you will lind mistakes.

ll you have memorized portions and have lorgotten them, then you must memorize those sections again lirst.

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koute 114: Lloom al Quran Qabeelat losna

8haykh Yasir Qadhi November 2008

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