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Muhammad and illiteracy: Difference between revisions
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==Is reading the only way to get information?== | ==Is reading the only way to get information?== | ||
Humans have 5 senses for getting information from the outside world: | Humans have 5 senses for getting information from the outside world: | ||
* '''Hearing ''' (!!!) | |||
* Sight | *'''Hearing ''' (!!!) | ||
* Touch | *Sight | ||
* Taste | *Touch | ||
* Smell | *Taste | ||
*Smell | |||
Human can receive information by listening (hearing). Verbal communication is a common way to get information. This point is probably obvious to everyone, except Islamic apologists. | Human can receive information by listening (hearing). Verbal communication is a common way to get information. This point is probably obvious to everyone, except Islamic apologists. | ||
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===The meaning of ''ummiy''=== | ===The meaning of ''ummiy''=== | ||
The word is derived from the root أمم. There are 119 words in the Quran, derived from this root <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=Amm</ref>. There are other words besides ''ummiy'' (أمي): | The word is derived from the root أمم. There are 119 words in the Quran, derived from this root <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=Amm</ref>. There are other words besides ''ummiy'' (أمي): | ||
* ''umm'' (أم) - mother | |||
* ''amam'' (امام) - in front of | *''umm'' (أم) - mother | ||
* ''imam'' (إمام) - leader (because he is "in front of" others) | *''amam'' (امام) - in front of | ||
* ''ummah'' (أمة) - the (Islamic) community/nation | *''imam'' (إمام) - leader (because he is "in front of" others) | ||
*''ummah'' (أمة) - the (Islamic) community/nation | |||
The Lane's lexicon says this about ''ummiy'': | The Lane's lexicon says this about ''ummiy'': | ||
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Online Arabic dictionary says about ummiy: | Online Arabic dictionary says about ummiy: | ||
{{Quote|Almaany.com on أمي | {{Quote-text|Almaany.com on أمي | | ||
Translation and Meaning of أمي in Almaany English Arabic Dictionary | Translation and Meaning of أمي in Almaany English Arabic Dictionary | ||
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- of or relating to mother | - of or relating to mother | ||
}} | }} | ||
* اسم (''ism'') means "a noun". | |||
*اسم (''ism'') means "a noun". | |||
So this word has a variety of meanings. We could speculate that it could even mean "motherly" (derived from ''umm'' - mother), because Muhammad's father died before Muhammad was born and he lived only with his mother. | So this word has a variety of meanings. We could speculate that it could even mean "motherly" (derived from ''umm'' - mother), because Muhammad's father died before Muhammad was born and he lived only with his mother. | ||
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}} | }} | ||
* The word ''iqra'' is sometimes translated as "recite", but "recitation" in Arabic is تِلاَوَة (''tilawa'') and the Quran uses form of that word for "recitation" <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=tlw</ref>. | |||
*The word ''iqra'' is sometimes translated as "recite", but "recitation" in Arabic is تِلاَوَة (''tilawa'') and the Quran uses form of that word for "recitation" <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=tlw</ref>. | |||
There are two versions of the story of the first revelation. In the Sirat Rasul Allah by Ibn Ishaq it goes as follows: | There are two versions of the story of the first revelation. In the Sirat Rasul Allah by Ibn Ishaq it goes as follows: | ||
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He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food likewise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "'''I do not know how to read.''' (مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ)" The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not know how to read.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, 'Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists), created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous." (96.1, 96.2, 96.3) | He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food likewise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "'''I do not know how to read.''' (مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ)" The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not know how to read.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, 'Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists), created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous." (96.1, 96.2, 96.3) | ||
}} | }} | ||
* If the ''iqra'' in 96:1 meant "recite" as some translators translated it, then here Muhammad says "I don't know how to recite". | |||
*If the ''iqra'' in 96:1 meant "recite" as some translators translated it, then here Muhammad says "I don't know how to recite". | |||
This shift from ''"and what shall I read"'' (وما اقرأ) to ''"I don't know how to read"'' (مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ) seems to indicate that Muhammad's illiteracy was a later invention. | This shift from ''"and what shall I read"'' (وما اقرأ) to ''"I don't know how to read"'' (مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ) seems to indicate that Muhammad's illiteracy was a later invention. | ||
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==Conclusions== | ==Conclusions== | ||
* According to the hadiths, Muhammad could write. | |||
* The meaning of the word ''ummiy'' in the Quran is not clear, but if it means "illiterate", then the Quran is in contradiction with the sahih hadiths. | *According to the hadiths, Muhammad could write. | ||
* Muslims believe Muhammad was illiterate and they consider him their perfect role model for all times. | *The meaning of the word ''ummiy'' in the Quran is not clear, but if it means "illiterate", then the Quran is in contradiction with the sahih hadiths. | ||
* Muhammad could be the author of the Quran regardless if he could or couldn't read and write. | *Muslims believe Muhammad was illiterate and they consider him their perfect role model for all times. | ||
*Muhammad could be the author of the Quran regardless if he could or couldn't read and write. | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
<references /> | |||