The Prophet -sallallahu alayhi wa sallam- became LITERATE after the message?

[Um Abdullah M.]

assalamu alaykum

In another forum, a Muslim brother was arguing with other Muslim members about the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam, and him being literate or illiterate after the message came down.

He was of the opinion that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, was illiterate before the message of Islam, but after the message, Allah taught him how to read and write.

This is the opinion of a small minority of Muslims, and the vast majority of Muslims are of the opinion that the Prophet sallallalhu alayhi wa sallam was illiterate all his life until his death.


The evidence that the small minority have for their opinion is hadith of the treaty of hudaibiyah.
So I wrote a short response about this hadith, showing how it is not evidence that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was literate and was able to write.

here it is: (if anyone has any other points to add, please do)

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The following hadith is the one used by them as evidence for their opinion:


Sahih Muslim
Book 019, Number 4403:
It has been narrated on the authority of Bara' who said: When the Prophet (may peace be upon him) was checked from going to the Ka'ba, the people of Mecca made peace with him'on the condition that he would (be allowed to) enter Mecca (next year) and stay there for three days, that he would not enter (the city) except with swords in their sheaths and arms encased in their covers, that he would not take eway with him anyone from its dwellers, nor would he prevent anyone from those with him to stay on in Mecca (if he so desired). He said to 'Ali: Write down the terms settled between us. (So 'Ali wrote): In the name of Allah, most Gracious and most Merciful. This is what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has settled (with the Meccans), The polytheists said to him: If we knew that thou art the Messenger of of Allah, we would follow you. But write: Muhammad b. 'Abdullah. So he told 'Ali to strike out these words. 'Ali said: No, by Allah, I will not strike them out. The Messenger of Allah (may Peace be upon him) said: Show me their place (on the parchment). So he ('Ali) showed him their place and he (the Holy Prophet) struck them out; and he wrote: Ibn 'Abdullah.(According to the terms of the treaty, next year) the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) stayed there for three days When it was the third day, they said to 'Ali: This is the last day according to the terms of your companion. So tell him to leave. 'Ali informed the Prophet (may peace be upon him) accordingly. He said: Yes, and left (the city). Ibn Janab in his version of the tradition used:" we would swear allegiance to you" instead of" we would follow you".


The underlined bold part, they say that "he" in (and he wrote: Ibn 'Abdullah) is the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Now I will try to show in short simple points how this is not evidence that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wrote (Ibn Abdullah) and that "he" in (he wrote) would be Ali radiyallahu anhu and not the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

1_ In this same narration (underlined and italisized), the PRophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam asked Ali to point out where he wrote "the messenger of Allah" so he could erase it, now if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam knew how to write he would have been able to find the words himself, especially when only about 2 lines were written, but him asking Ali to point it out to him to erase it, shows that he didn't know how to read.


2_ The word "kataba" means "wrote", but can also mean "he ordered to write", like when someone says "The king built this city", meaning ordered for the city to be built, not that he built it with his own hands.
there are hadiths which say that the Prophet "kataba", and in another narration of the same story or incident, it mentions him ordering someone to write, which explains that "kataba" in first narration means "he ordered someone to write".


3_ There are other narrations that explain this narration, here are ones in sahih Bukhari and Muslim, of same incident:


Sahih al Bukhari
Volume 3, Book 50, Number 891:
Narrated Al-Miswar bin Makhrama and Marwan

(.........This is a lengthy narration, so I only posted the part we are discussing ........)

When Suhail bin Amr came, the Prophet said, "Now the matter has become easy." Suhail said to the Prophet "Please conclude a peace treaty with us." So, the Prophet called the clerk and said to him, "Write: By the Name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful." Suhail said, "As for 'Beneficent,' by Allah, I do not know what it means. So write: By Your Name O Allah, as you used to write previously." The Muslims said, "By Allah, we will not write except: By the Name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful." The Prophet said, "Write: By Your Name O Allah." Then he dictated, "This is the peace treaty which Muhammad, Allah's Apostle has concluded." Suhail said, "By Allah, if we knew that you are Allah's Apostle we would not prevent you from visiting the Kaba, and would not fight with you. So, write: "Muhammad bin Abdullah." The Prophet said, "By Allah! I am Apostle of Allah even if you people do not believe me. Write (uktub) : Muhammad bin Abdullah."
.....
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamen...i/050.sbt.html




In Sahih Muslim
Book 019, Number 4404:
It has been narrated on the authority of Anas that the Quraish made peace with the Prophet (may peace be upon him). Among them was Suhail b. Amr. The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said to 'Ali: Write" In the name of Allah, most Gracious and most Merciful." Suhail said: As for" Bismillah," we do not know what is meant by" Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim" (In the name of Allah most Gracious and most Merciful). But write what we understand, i. e. Bi ismika allahumma (in thy name. O Allah). Then, the Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Write:" From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah." They said: If we knew that thou welt the Messenger of Allah, we would follow you. Therefore, write your name and the name of your father. So the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Write " From Muhammad b. 'Abdullah."



So these narrations explain the first one, showing that "kataba" in that narration is refering to Ali radiyallahu anhu or that it means "he ordered Ali to write".

[WM]

Firstly, I recommend Arabic readers to go to Fath al-Bari which comments on this.

Secondly, you are right in mentioning that his action of asking (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) Ali clearly proves he was illiterate.

Thirdly, many, many illiterate people can write their name. I could write my name in Arabic, before I could either read or understand the letters.

[abu_ibrahim]

Christian debators try to prove the Prophet of Allah [saw] could read and write by citing the example of Hudaybiyah. I know someone who is illerate and they can write there own name.