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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

What is the ruling on praying in congregation at the mosque?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Congregational prayer (Salat al-Jama‘ah) is a communal obligation (Fard Kifayah) for resident men regarding the performance of the prescribed (obligatory) prayers. For men, praying in congregation at the mosque is better than praying elsewhere, such as at home. On the authority of Abdullah bin Umar, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Prayer in congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than the prayer of a person alone' (Reported by Bukhari & Muslim). Furthermore, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Shall I not tell you that by which Allah erases sins and raises ranks?' They said, 'Of course, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Performing wudu thoroughly despite difficulties, taking many steps toward the mosques, and waiting for the next prayer after the prayer; that is your Ribat (steadfastness)' (Narrated by Muslim).
 
As for a woman, her praying in congregation at home is better for her than in the mosque, according to the saying of our Master the Prophet ﷺ: 'Do not prevent your women from attending the mosques, but their homes are better for them' (Narrated by Abu Dawood). Young boys should be encouraged to attend the mosques and congregational prayers so they may become accustomed to them. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on combining more than one intention in the prayer, such as combining the *sunnah* of wuḍūʾ with the pre-Dhuhr *sunnah*, or combining the *sunnah* of greeting the mosque (*taḥiyyat al-masjid*) with the pre-Dhuhr *sunnah*?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Combining two intentions in a single act of worship, which some jurists call the “overlapping of acts of worship”, has several cases and precise rules. These can be consulted in the books of legal maxims, such as al-Manthūr fī al-Qawāʿid al-Fiqhiyyah by al-Zarkashī and al-Ashbāh wa’l-Naẓāʾir by al-Suyūṭī. Among the most important of these rules:
First: If all of the acts of worship that one wishes to combine under one intention are obligatory, the intentions do not overlap. An example is combining the intention of the obligatory ʿAṣr prayer with that of the obligatory Dhuhr prayer. The intentions do not overlap in this case.
Second: If the two acts are specified supererogatory prayers (nawāfil muqayyadah) that are aimed at in themselves because of a particular time, occasion, or cause, or if they are an obligatory prayer and a specified supererogatory prayer, the intentions again do not overlap. An example is the Duha prayer, which may not be combined with, for instance, the regular sunnah of Dhuhr.
It is stated in Bushrā al-Karīm: “Whatever is not, in meaning, an absolute voluntary prayer, such as the Duha sunnah… is not subsumed under another. Rather, if he intends something else along with it… the prayer is not validly entered. This is because combining two obligations, two specified supererogatory prayers, or an obligation and a specified supererogatory prayer invalidates the prayer in cases not built upon overlapping, as ritual purification (ṭahārah) is.”
Third: If the two acts are absolute voluntary prayers (nawāfil muṭlaqah), or one of them is, where the texts of the Sharīʿah show that the aim of the voluntary act is to fill the time with worship, then overlapping of intentions is permissible. An example is the obligatory Dhuhr prayer together with the sunnah of greeting the mosque (taḥiyyat al-masjid). And Allah Almighty knows best.

Does undergoing an endoscopy during the day in Ramadan affect the validity of fasting?

Undergoing an endoscopic procedure during the day in Ramadan—whether through the mouth, nose, front private part, or back private part—invalidates the fast.
Whoever undergoes such a procedure must refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day out of respect for the sacred month and make up for that day after Ramadan.

What is the ruling on performing the night prayer (*qiyām al-layl*) between the first and second adhān of Fajr? And which is better: delaying the prayer until shortly before the Fajr adhān, or performing it earlier than that?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The time for night prayer (qiyām al-layl) begins after the Maghrib prayer and lasts until the second adhān of Fajr. The best time for it is the last third of the night, and best of all are the fourth and fifth sixths of the night. If the night is divided into two halves, the latter half is better.
Whoever intends to pray at night is encouraged to delay the Witr until he has prayed the night prayer. If he knows that he will not wake up, it is better for him to pray and perform Witr before sleeping, so that he does not miss both the night prayer and the Witr.
It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vpl.1/p.462): “I say: The voluntary prayer of the night, that is, the absolute voluntary prayer (al-nafl al-muṭlaq), is better than the absolute voluntary prayer of the day, because of the report in Muslim: ‘The best prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night prayer.’ In another narration of his: ‘In the night there is an hour that no Muslim man meets while asking Allah for any good of this world and the next except that He gives it to him, and that is every night.’ It is also because the night is a time of heedlessness. I restricted the voluntary prayer to the absolute kind following the commentator, although what the ḥadīth and the underlying meaning require is that the night rawātib be preferred over the day rawātib, since the jurists preferred the two rakʿahs of Fajr over everything except Witr. The middle of the night is better than its two ends if it is divided into thirds, because heedlessness is greatest then and worship is hardest. If he wishes to pray during some third, the best is the fourth and fifth sixths, based on the ḥadīth in the two Ṣaḥīḥs: ‘The most beloved prayer to Allah the Exalted is the prayer of Dāwūd: he would sleep half the night, stand for a third of it, and sleep for a sixth.’ Then the latter part is better than the first if he divides it into two halves, because of the saying of Allah the Exalted: ‘And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness’ [al-Dhāriyāt: 18], and the report of the two Shaykhs: ‘Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted, descends,’ meaning His command descends, ‘to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and says: Who calls upon Me, that I may answer him? Who asks of Me, that I may give him? Who seeks My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’”
It is also stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik (p. 60): “It is better to perform it [the Witr] immediately after the sunnah of ʿIshāʾ, unless he has tahajjud, in which case it is better to delay it so that he performs Witr after it. If he performs Witr and then wishes to pray tahajjud, he prays two rakʿahs at a time and does not repeat the Witr, nor does he need to cancel it with a single rakʿah before the tahajjud. It is recommended that he not deliberately pray after it.”
Qiyām al-layl is a term applied to any prayer performed at night. Tahajjud, on the other hand, refers to the night prayer that follows sleep, whether it is prayed after Maghrib or after ʿIshāʾ, or the prayer performed after ʿIshāʾ without sleep. On this basis, the Witr is also called tahajjud, since it is only prayed after ʿIshāʾ.
It is stated in al-Majmūʿ (Vol.4/p.84): “The sound position, as stated in al-Umm and al-Mukhtaṣar, is that the Witr is called tahajjud.”
It is stated in Nihāyat al-Zayn (Vol.1/p.114): “Among the absolute voluntary prayers is qiyām al-layl. If it is performed after sleep, even during the time of Maghrib and after having prayed ʿIshāʾ early (taqdīman), it is called tahajjud.”
And it is stated in Ḥāshiyat al-Bujayrimī ʿalā al-Khaṭīb (Vol.1/p.418): “His statement: ‘(the night prayer)’: the genitive construction (iḍāfah) carries the sense of fī, meaning a prayer in the night. His statement: ‘(it would be more fitting)’: the reason it is more fitting is that the night prayer includes both tahajjud and other prayers.” And Allah Almighty knows best.

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