A study of the narrative and the traditions that have reached us on the authority of the Ahlul-Bayt and a glance at their lives and works, reveals that the message of the Holy Quran and the safeguarding of its letter and spirit, was the prime concern of these luminaries.
Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq, the sixth Imam of the Prophet's infallible Household, quotes his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (s) as saying:
"Whoever memorizes the Quran and practices its teachings, will be among the ranks of the honourable and the justifyeous-"
Narrated the forth Imam Ali bin Husein : the Messenger of Allah (s) said:
"Whoever is given the Quran by Allah, but thinks that someone else is given a better thing than he is, would be belitting the great and magnifying the little."
The fifth Imam Muhammad al-Baqir is quoted to have said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said:
"O readers of the Quran, fear Allah for having charged you with His Book, as I am responsible and you are responsible. I am responsible for communicating the Message, while you will be questioned about what you have been charged with the Book of Allah and my traditions."
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq said:
"A believer should not die before learning the Quran, or trying to learn it."
He is also quoted to have said:
"The Quran is Allah's covenant to His creatures. So, a Muslim is ought to look into his covenant and read so verses of it every day."
Again he said:
"Three will complain to Allah, the Exalted: A deserted mosque where local people do not pray in it; a learned man among the ignorant; and the Scripture (the Quran) which is covered with dust as nobody reads it."
He also said:
"The Quran is alive, it never dies. It goes on as the night and the day go on, and as the sun and the moon go on..."
Thus, we recognize the value and the significance of the Quran as seen by the Ahlul-Bayt who not only dedicated their lives to its practical rendering, but, also, encouraged the Muslims to follow its principles, memorize it, and build their lives on its foundations.
Among the blessings of Allah on mankind is that He, Himself, has guaranteed to guard this everlasting Divine Message against any form of distortion, forgery and disfigurement, in such a way that falsehood cannot approach it from any direction.
Remarkably, the Quran, today, is the same text which was revealed fourteen centuries ago to the Prophet, and is free from any additions or deletions.
The religious scholars (ulama) and researchers, in the school of Ahlul-Bayt, certify this great fact. We mention only what Sheikh Tabarasi (one of the prominent interpreters and great Shi'ite scholars of the sixth century A.H.) (may Allah bless him) said:
"What is known among the Shi'a scholars and researchers, or what they even positively take for granted, is the rejection of the idea of any falsification."
He also said:
"...of such (baseless) talk about additions and deletions, in the Quran, is unbecoming of any interpretation. As to the additions, it is unanimously regarded to be a false assumption; and concerning deletions, a group of our people think of some alterations and deletions in the Quran, while the true belief of our people is to the contrary. This has been supported by (Sherif) Murtadha (may Allah bless his soul), who, extensively discoursed on it..."
Sheikh al-Balaghi (may Allah glorify his status) said:
The Quran continues to enjoy great veneration among the Muslims, generation after generation. Everywhere you would encounter thousands of copies of the Book and thousands of those who learn it by heart. They studiously copy from one another and the Muslims recite it to one another for verification. Thousands of its copies stand as sentinels over the learners, and thousands of learners stand as sentries over the copies of the Quran, and thousands of them both stand as guardian over the new copies. We say thousands, while actually they are hundreds of thousands. Nay! Thousands of thousands, because no historical event received such a kind of perpetuity and unquestionable eternity as the Quran did, as promised by Allah, the Exalted:
"Surely We have revealed the Reminder and We will most surely be its guardians." Holy Quran (15:9)
"Surely on Us (devolves) the collecting of it and the reciting of it." Holy Quran (75:17)
"Therefore, if you happen to hear dubious narratives that something of the Quran was distorted and some of it was lost, do not heed such talk, as scholarly researches have proved how disordered, shaky and weak their narraters are, and how contradictory they are to the Muslims..."
In a chapter titled 'The Imamiya's opinion rejecting deletions in the Quran', Balaghi further states in his 'Tafsir'. "It is no secret that Saduq (may Allah bless him) who is known for the great care he took in what he narrated, says in his book 'Iqtiqad'. Our belief in the Quran, which was sent down by Allah to His Prophet, Muhammad (s), is that it consists of all that is in between its two covers, and it is what is in circulation among the people, no more...Whoever ascribes to us that we say it was more than that, is but a liar."
Another great Shi'iti scholar, Sheikh Mufid, writes in his book 'Maqalat' that:
"A group of the Imamiya say that nothing was deleted from it (the Quran) not even a single word, verse, chapter, but what was omitted were the notes, explanations and interpretations concerning the meanings and the truth of its revelation, which had been written by the Commander of the Faithful Ali on his own compilation of the Book"
In 'Kashf al-Ghita fi kittab al-Quran', chapter eight, concerning the deletion, it is said:
"No doubt that it is protected against any alteration by the Sovereign, the Almighty, as is proved by the evidence of the Quran and the scholars' unanimity of opinion."
Sheikh Bahauddin Amili says:
"...they also differed concerning additions and deletions in it, but the truth is that the Glorious Quran is protected against all that, be it addition or deletion. This is proved by Allah's saying: "We surely are its guardians."
Muqaddas Baghdadi, in 'Sharh al-Wafiya' says:
"...the talk about deletion which is in circulation among our companions, is in contrast to the unanimous talk of non-interference in it...it is said that Sheikh Ali bin Abdul-Aali had written an exclusive book refuting the deletion theory', quoting the aforementioned speech of Saduq."
The late contemporary scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Husein Aal Kashif al-Ghita', in his book 'Asl al-Shi'a wa Usuliha', says:
"The Book which is (in circulation) among the Muslims is the Book which Allah had sent down to His Prophet - a miracle and challenge - and there is no deletion, distortion, nor additions in it."
This is the position of the Shi'ati scholars, regarding the Quran now in the hands of the Muslims. It is, it was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (s), and it will remain pure and unadulterated, as long as man remains on the face of the earth, guiding humanity towards virtue and happiness.
Certain dubious narrations which allegedly speak about deletions in the holy text, and, sometimes, claim of a Quran other than this, have been exploited by purposeful offenders and have obviously misled some people. These simple-minded souls cite the following narration from Imam Ja'far bin Muhammad al-Sadiq to support their misconstrued views:
"...but by Allah (pointing to his chest) we have the weapon of the Messenger of Allah (s), his sword and his armour. By Allah we have Fatima's 'Mashaf' (book), wherein are not any of the verses of Allah's Book. It is a dictation of the Messenger of Allah, written by Ali with his hand."
They have misunderstood the Imam, and without going into the lexical meaning of the word Mashaf thought that he was indicating a Quran other than the one in circulation. It was a grave mistake on the part of these people.
However, a careful scrutiny of the narrative, will help reveal the actual meaning of the word Mashaf:
"By Allah we have Fatima's 'Mashaf' (book),"
By looking up the word Mashaf in Arabic lexicons, we discover what Imam al-Sadiq actually meant.
Raghib Isfahani says:
"(Al-Sahifa means any flat thing such a s the flatness of the check, a leaf a page, or a sheet which is used for writing. Its plural is Saha'if or Suhuf as the Almighty says;
"'Suhuf' of Abraham and Moses, and also...receiving pure 'Suhuf' (pages) wherein are all the correct books." Holy Quran (87:19)
It is said that it means the Quran and that by using the plural Suhuf in which are 'Books', it is meant to say that they include more than what is in Allah's Books. Hence, a Mashaf is a collection of written Suhuf, and its plural form is Masahif.
Therefore, the word Mashaf means any book and is not a special term for "the Book of Allah". It can mean any collection of Suhuf (leaves of paper or skin), and only in this context can the Quran also be called Mashaf because it is a collection of Suhuf.
The exclusive names for the Book of Allah are: Al-Quran, al-Dhikr, al-Furqan and al-Kitab, as mentioned in the holy text, itself. Allah did not call it "Mashaf", but, it were the later Muslims who named it so, after having compiled it on leaves or sheets.
Thus, it is clear that the mistake arose from the linguistic use of the word during the early days of Islam, when people did not take 'Mashaf' to mean Quran, as it may imply in present day usage.
A closer look at Imam al-Sadiq's narration, itself, will help clarify the misconception. He says that:
"In Fatima's Mashaf there are none of the verses of Allah's Book"
It obviously means that it is neither the Quran nor any part of it. Nor is it a divine revelation, but it is a dictation of the Messenger of Allah written in Imam Ali's handwriting.
According to some scholars 'the Mashaf Fatima' was a collection of supplications and instructions which Prophet Muhammad (s) dictated for the benefit of his beloved daughter Fatima.
The Quran is the Book of Allah Who sent it down as a Revelation to His Prophet Muhammad (s).
Allah protected it (the Quran) against any distortion, forgery and disfigurement, additions and deletions.
Praise be to Allah that all the Muslims agree with the purity and the safety of the Quran, but there is a scientific problem which is the problem of understanding the Quran and its explanation. Most of the differences in ideological, and jurisprudental opinions belong to the difference that exist in understanding and explaining the Quran.
In order to give a correct explanation to the Quran, the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt used to follow a scholarly method in explaining the Quran, these are:
1. The explanation of the Quran by the Quran, that is; some Quranic verses explain some others.
2. The explanation of the Quran by true and authentic traditions and narrations. Surely the Messenger of Allah (s) explained what was in need of explanation through his sayings and actions, like the verses of prayer, paying the poor-rate (zakat), pilgrimage and various other Quranic concepts and laws.
3. Explaining the verses, whose explanation does not reach us from the pure Prophetic traditions (sunnah), and were not clear, because of other verses, from the linguistic understanding of the Arabic language. Indeed Allah's Book is a clear Arabic Book; what is understood from its literal meaning is an excuse upon the Muslims.
4. The explanation depends on the reason for the revelation in explaining most of the verses of the Quran and this should be done within the framework of the Quran and the Traditions in order to give their true and real meanings.
It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s) said:
"May Allah prosper the person who heard my saying, memorized it, comprehended it and retold it (to others) as he had heard it, since a carrier of knowledge may not be a scholar and perhaps one may transport knowledge to a more learned one."
The Prophetic tradition means the specific actions, sayings and the declarations (confirmations)* of the Prophet Muhammad (s).
Allah, the Almighty ordered us to follow the Prophet (s) and practise his traditions (sunnah) by saying:
" ...whatever the Apostle gives you accept it, and whatever he forbids you abstain (from it)."Holy Quran (59:7)
"Certainly you have in the Apostle of Allah an excellent examplar for him who hopes in Allah and the Last Day..." Holy Quran (33:21)
"...and If you have a dispute concerning any matter refer it to Allah and the Apostle." Holy Quran (4:59)
*- Taqrir in Arabic means "confirmation". it is a declaration, approval and signature and means that the Messenger of Allah (s), himself had a witness for the actions practised by the Muslims but, did not forbid them.
These divine instructions were strictly adhered to by the Ahlul-Bayt and those who followed their radiant path and advocated sincere adherance to the Book of Allah and the Prophetic sunnah in interpretation, narration, jurisprudence, legislation and ideology and other Islamic knowledge and sciences.
Thus, the Prophetic sunnah is the second source among the sources of thought and legislation on which the Muslims depended for judgement, laws and values.
Most of the Shari'ah laws, and their concepts were not clearly detailed in the Book of Allah like the laws concerning the paying of poor-rate (zakat), prayer, wealth, holy struggle (jihad), family, and international relations and others.
Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (s) started explaining them and clarifying their rules to the Muslims through his sayings and actions. He (s) told the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt to return to the Quran and the Prophetic traditions as two main sources for explaining Islamic laws and rules and to refuse analogy, opinion, approval and other sources upon which some jurists of Islamic sects depended in their inductions and inferences.
It is narrated that Imam al-Sadiq said: "Never is there anything but that is mentioned either in the Book of Allah or in the Prophetic tradition."
Sama'ah asked Imam Musa bin Ja'far: "I said to him: 'Is everything found in the Book of Allah and the tradition of His Prophet (s); or do you comment on them?' He replied: 'Yes, all things are found in the Book of Allah and the sunnah of His Prophet ".
Narrated Imam Ali bin Musa al-Ridha said:
"Do not accept any saying (relating them to us) which disagrees with the Quran; surely our sayings should agree with the Quran and the Prophetic traditions; we speak either quoting them from Allah or His Messenger."
It is narrated that Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq said:
"Do not accept any narrative related to us unless they agree with the Quran and the sunnah."
Indeed the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt memorized the Prophetic traditions quoting them from their fathers who quote them from the Messenger of Allah (s) and called people to write them down from the period (of rule) of Ali and his son Hasan while the caliphs forbid the writing down of the sunnah and they continued so till the period of Umar bin Abdul-Aziz who ordered, again, to write down the Prophetic traditions in the year of 99 A.H.
Imam al-Sadiq said: "My narration is my father's, and my father's is my grandfather's, and my grandfather's is his father's, and his; father's is the narrative of Ali bin Abi Talib, and the narrative of Ali is the narrative of the Messenger of Allah (s), and the narrative of the Messenger of Allah (s), is the words of Allah. the Exalted."
The Imams of Ahlul-Bayt were those who comprehended and understood the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, memorized, narrated them to others, and explained their contents to the Muslim nation.
Scholarly Methods for Proving the true Sunnah:
In order to distinguish the true narratives (sunnah) from the interpolated and false ones, the scholars of the school of Ahlul-Bayt placed some scholarly and ideological bases and measures for proving true sunnah. The most prominant of them are:
1. Any hadith (the Prophet's sayings) should be checked with the Book of Allah to see whether it is correct or not. If it conforms with the Quran, then, it is of true hadith, but, if it contradicts the divine text, then it is a false one.
2. All hadiths mentioned in the books of hadith, disregarding the reliability of their narrators, should be checked and investigated by the scholars in order to be sure of the reliability of the narrator and his truthfulness.
3. The scholars should not accept any narration unless their narrators are described by piety and truthfulness, disregarding the sect or the group to which the narrator belonged.
Therefore, the method of the jurists of Ahlul-Bayt is not to view a book of hadith as completely correct or as completely false.
Ahlul-Bayt In Quran and Sunnah
Go Back To Index
