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The Unlettered Prophet
Author : An Article by the Secretary General Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassanat
Date Added : 26-09-2023

 

The Unlettered Prophet

 

Allah, the Exalted, elevated the mention of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), purified him, praised his qualities, manners, character, and revealed some of the secrets of his beauty and perfection in many places in His Noble Book. No matter how much we want to speak about our Prophet, words, pens, and expressions fall short. Allah's statement to him suffices as an honor: " And raised high the esteem (in which) thou (art held)?." {Ash-Sharh, 4}. So, no matter how eloquent the words may be, the eloquence of words and phrases is inadequate to fully describe his noble attributes, peace and blessings be upon him, and to express them, keeping in mind the saying of the poet:

 

I attempted to describe the Beloved with some words, But the heart found from the Quran the answer.

I found that my words couldn't even convey a particle Of the tenfold divine bestowals.

How can my words describe the presence of the one Whose praise has consumed every tongue?

After what came in the Book, what value remains For praising a human being?

 

So, I asked my Lord for steadfastness in that which He has blessed me with and sincerity in my faith.

As my heart revealed the secret of my attachment To the Beloved, filling my soul with that paradise.

I live in the remembrance of the Beloved, and it is A source of constant joy throughout my life.

I hope, in the end, to behold His face And to gain His approval in the final abode.

 

Indeed, Allah Almighty has described our beloved Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) with many qualities. Some scholars have even said that one-third of the Quran is about the Prophet (PBUH). Today, I would like to discuss one of these attributes, which, on the surface, may seem like a deficiency but, in reality, is a description of his greatness and majesty. It's the attribute of being "Ummi" or "Unlettered."

Allah Almighty describes the Prophet (PBUH) as "An-Nabiyyu Al-Ummiyyu" in the Quran, which translates to "the unlettered prophet." This might initially appear as a deficiency because being unlettered implies not reading or writing, which is a form of honor and knowledge. However, if we contemplate this attribute in the context of the Prophet (PBUH), we realize it signifies a miraculous aspect of his perfection.

 

This attribute underscores the fact that the Prophet's (PBUH) knowledge and perfection were inherent to him, not acquired through conventional education or training. It emphasizes that his knowledge and completeness were intrinsic to his being, not reliant on external factors like reading or writing. Moreover, this description is also a direct reference to the prophecies about the unlettered prophet in previous divine scriptures.

 

In the book "Lata'if al-Isharat" by al-Qushayri, it is mentioned: "He (the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) manifested the honor of being described as 'An-Nabiyyu Al-Ummiyyu,' meaning that none of his virtues, knowledge, or the detailing of his religious laws came from himself or through his own learning and effort. Instead, everything that appeared in him was bestowed upon him by the Almighty. He was unlettered, not a reader of books, and he did not follow the ways of those who came before him."

 

Imam Al-Razi mentioned, "His being unlettered, according to this interpretation, was one of his miracles, and its explanation has several aspects:

 

Firstly, it implies that he (peace be upon him) would recite the Book of Allah, Mighty and Sublime, to them consecutively without changing any words. An Arab orator, when he delivers a sermon and then repeats it, he usually increases or decreases it slightly. But, with the Prophet (peace be upon him), he would recite the Quranic text repeatedly, and there was no increase or decrease in it.

Secondly, if he had been skilled in calligraphy and recitation, people might have accused him of having learned from the books of previous nations and acquired this knowledge through reading. However, when he presented this great Quran, which encompasses vast knowledge, without having learned or read anything, it became evident that it was a miracle.

 

Thirdly, learning calligraphy is a relatively easy task. Even people with little intelligence and insight can learn to write. So, his unlettered status points to a significant deficiency in understanding. However, Allah, the Most High, endowed him with the knowledge of both former and later generations, giving him insights that no human had ever reached. Despite having this extraordinary mental capacity, he was made unlettered in the specific skill of writing, something that people with much less intellectual capacity could easily learn. This combination of attributes defies natural expectations and is a characteristic of miracles."

 

Indeed, this description is a testament to the perfection of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and one of his noble miracles. Allah, the Most High, says in the Quran: "It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they were before in clear error." {Al-Jumu'ah, 2}.

 

The words of Imam Al-Busiri beautifully capture the significance of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) being unlettered. He describes the Prophet's knowledge as a miraculous aspect during the era of ignorance (pre-Islamic times) and a source of education for orphans. Indeed, the eloquence and miraculous nature of the Quran are highlighted by the fact that its Messenger was unlettered.

 

Furthermore, it's remarkable how Allah, in His wisdom, chose this unlettered Prophet to be a teacher for the entire nation and for scholars. Despite not having formal education, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was bestowed with profound knowledge by Allah. His teachings, recorded in the form of writings, books, and treatises, are but a drop in the vast ocean of knowledge he possessed. These teachings cover a wide array of subjects and continue to be a source of inspiration and guidance for people around the world.

 

Allah mentions in the Quran: "It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they were before in clear error." {Al-Jumu'ah, 2}. This verse underscores the unique role of the unlettered Prophet in teaching and guiding his people.

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

The Jurisprudential Significance of the Ḥadīth: "Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr Prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking..."
"Whoever says, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer, while crossing his legs, before speaking: 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu yuḥyī wa yumītu wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr' ten times — ten good deeds will be recorded for him, ten bad deeds will be erased from him, he will be raised ten levels, he will spend that day in protection from everything disliked and guarded from the devil, and no sin will be able to befall him on that day except associating partners with Allah" — does this noble ḥadīth apply to the imam, and what is meant by "extraneous speech"?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite, immediately after the final salām, the specific remembrance reported in the sunnah to be said before turning away from one's place of prayer. The imam then leaves his praying spot, and the act of "turning" is fulfilled when the imam faces the congregation — even without physically leaving his spot — by positioning his right side toward them and his left side toward the qiblah, and this applies even while he is engaged in supplication.
Al-ʿAllāmah Ibn Qāsim al-ʿAbbādī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Tuḥfah (Vol.2/P.105): "It is most virtuous for the imam, once he has given the salām, to rise from his place of prayer immediately afterward." He adds that an exception must be made for the remembrances that are specifically required to be recited before he turns away. He then notes, citing Sharḥ al-ʿUbāb: "Yes, an exception to this rising immediately after the salām applies to the Fajr prayer, due to the authentic report that the Prophet ﷺ, when he prayed Fajr, would remain seated until the sun rose." He further cites, from al-Khādim, the ḥadīth concerning one who recites, at the conclusion of the Fajr prayer while still in the position of crossing his leg to rise: "Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah..." and the rest of the well-known ḥadīth. He comments that this makes explicit that this particular remembrance is to be recited before the worshipper turns his legs to leave, and the same applies to Maghrib and ʿAṣr, as reported in those contexts as well.
What is meant by "speech" in the relevant ḥadīth is extraneous worldly speech that is not called for after the prayer and for which there is no legitimate excuse. The remembrances reported to be recited upon concluding the prayer, however, do not fall under this category of extraneous speech, since they are themselves required by the sharīʿah.
Al-ʿAllāmah ʿAlī al-Shabrāmalsī states in his Ḥāshiyah ʿalā al-Nihāyah (Vol.1/P.551): "If someone greets a person with salām while he is occupied with reciting this remembrance [i.e., 'Lā ilāha illā Allāh...'], should he return the greeting — without this causing him to forfeit the promised reward, since he is engaged in an obligatory matter — or should he delay returning the greeting until he finishes, this being a legitimate excuse for the delay?" He continues: "I say: the more likely view is the former, and the prohibition on speech is to be understood as applying to extraneous speech for which there is no legitimate excuse. Based on this, should the worshipper give precedence to this remembrance ('Lā ilāha illā Allāh...') or to reciting Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ ('Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad')? This requires consideration, though it is not unlikely that the remembrance takes precedence, given that the Lawgiver urged hastening to it through his words 'while crossing his leg.' This is not considered ordinary speech, since it is not extraneous to what is required after the prayer."
Accordingly, it is recommended for both the imam and those praying behind him to recite this remembrance and to give it precedence over the other remembrances of the prayer, ensuring it is said before they move from their place. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

"I told my family at night: 'I will fast tomorrow as qaḍā' (a make-up fast),' but I forgot to make the intention before sleeping. Is my fast valid?"

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
 
The intention is obligatory in acts of worship. For obligatory fasting, the required intention is to resolve to fast during the night [before dawn]. Its proper locus is the heart, while verbalizing the intention out loud in acts of worship is a sunnah — so that the tongue may align with the heart. If the intent behind the statement in question was the intention to fast, then it is valid; but if the intent was merely to inform someone, or reflected hesitation or doubt, then it is not valid.
 
It is stated in *Bushrā al-Karīm* (Vol.1/P.216): "It is a sunnah to verbalize the intention — that is, whatever has already been intended in the heart, whether an obligatory or a voluntary act — such as specifying the number of rak‘ahs, just before the opening takbīr — so that the tongue may assist the heart, and because this is further removed from whispered doubts (waswasah), and in order to accommodate the view of those who held it obligatory in every act of worship that requires an intention (even though this is a minority position), by analogy with Ḥajj."
 
Accordingly: if the intention to fast arose in your heart before the second adhān [i.e., before Fajr], then your fast is valid.
 
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is I‘tikaf, and how is it performed?

I‘tikaf is staying in the mosque with the intention of I‘tikaf. It is fulfilled by remaining in the mosque for a period that qualifies as devotion or seclusion (I‘tikaf). It is recommended (Sunnah) for anyone entering the mosque to intend I‘tikaf as long as they remain inside.

What is the ruling on men wearing rings (those made of silver and of other metals, such as iron), and are there conditions for men wearing rings?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is sunnah for men to wear a silver ring on the right hand, following the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is reported in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, on the authority of Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took a silver ring and had “Muḥammad Rasūl Allāh” engraved on it. He said: “I have taken a ring of silver and had ‘Muḥammad Rasūl Allāh’ engraved on it, so let no one engrave the like of its engraving.”
It is a condition that the silver ring not exceed the size customary in the local norm (ʿurf). If it does, that is extravagance (isrāf). A ring made of a metal other than silver, such as iron or copper, is permissible to wear without disapproval (karāhah), except gold, which is forbidden (ḥarām) for a man to wear.
It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.1/p.586): “It is permissible, without disapproval, to wear a ring of iron or lead. It is sunnah for a man to wear a silver ring on the little finger of his right or left hand. Wearing it on the right is better, and it is permissible on the left, and on both together.”
It is also stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.2/p.97): “It is lawful for him, that is, the man, and likewise the khunthā (person of indeterminate sex), indeed all the more so, to wear a ring of silver, by consensus (ijmāʿ), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took a ring of silver, narrated by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhārī and Muslim). Wearing it is in fact sunnah, whether on the right or the left, though the right is better according to the sound position, as stated in the chapter on clothing in al-Rawḍah… The Shāfiʿī jurists did not specify the permitted size of the ring, and they probably relied on custom (ʿurf), that is, the custom of that country and the habit of people of his standing in it. Whatever exceeds that is extravagance, as they said regarding a woman’s anklet. This is the reliable position (al-muʿtamad).” And Allah Almighty knows best.

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