No one writes a book except for one of seven reasons, and it’s impossible to author outside these categories:
1. To invent something that hasn’t been created before.
2. To complete something that is incomplete.
3. To explain something that is complicated.
4. To summarize something long, without losing any of its meanings.
5. To organize something that is mixed up.
6. To correct something that the original author got wrong.
7. To collect something that is dispersed.
Application in 2024
Remember, whether you’re writing a book, posting a tweet, or dropping a video online, sticking to those seven key reasons is crucial. It’s all about keeping it for Allah, staying sincere with your intentions – that’s what dawa is all about.
Make sure whatever you’re putting out there is genuinely meant to add something good to people, clear up confusion, or share something important. It’s not just about getting likes or clicks; it’s about making a real difference, staying true to yourself, and keeping things straight-up honest. That’s how we make sure our contributions really matter and reflect our true intentions.
Simply put: before you post something, ask yourself, “Will this take me to Heaven or to Hell?” If you’re unsure, then do what the Prophet ﷺ advised, “Abandon what makes you unsettled for what does not make you unsettled.”
Suhaib Webb
*Shams al-Din al-Babli, who passed away in 1077 Hijri, was mentioned by Mulla al-Muhibbi, Muhammad Amin ibn Fadl Allah, in “Khulasat al-Athar fi A’yan al-Qarn al-Hadi Ashar” (Volume 4/41, Cairo Edition, 1284 Hijri
I experienced learning and memorizing the major mutun in Arabic: Ajjrumiya, Mulah al-Irab, al-Miftah, Qatra and the Alifiyyah. None of them helped me speak and communicate like these works. Technical works are important, but they do not carry the emotion and day to day expressions found in literature. Thats why many can tell you the irab, but they can’t read an Arabic newspaper or novel. These are excellent in their language quality and expressions. .
Shams al-Din al-Dhahabi, in his work dated 748 AH, meticulously identified seven of the companions who met the three essential criteria he stipulated for the elite rank of those who recited the Quran to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
Al-Dhahabi’s Three Criterion
The first necessitated establishing that these companions received the Quran directly from the Prophet (peace be upon him).
The second required that these companions transmitted the Quran to those who came after them, just as they had received it directly from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
The third stipulated that these companions possessed unbroken chains of transmission (Isnad) to the ten Quranic recitations that the Muslim community had accepted, meaning that the chains of narration for these recitations and their traditions had culminated in these individuals.
Dr. Mohammad Hassan Jabal (D. 2015) subsequently undertook a comprehensive review, identifying thirteen companions who met Al-Dhahabi’s criteria. He noted that this number places the rank of direct companionship with the Messenger of Allah at its highest echelon, exceeding the minimum number required for establishing tawatur.
The second rank comprises the companions and the Tabi’un (the generation that followed the companions), each of whom presented the Quran, in whole or in part, to one or more individuals from the first. The chains of transmission for the ten Quranic recitations that the Muslim community has embraced come from these individuals.
Al-Dhahabi identified fifteen from the second group, while Dr. Mohammad Hassan Jabal later identified twenty-nine, mostly from among the Tabi’un, adhering to the criteria set forth by Al-Dhahabi.
Al-Dhahabi did not provide specific historical dates for the reciters who received the Quran from their predecessors in the second tier. However, these chains of transmission continued until they reached the eighteenth tier, which emerged in the early eighth century of the Hijri calendar, coinciding with his lifetime.
The total number of reciters in these tiers, as documented, amounted to four hundred and thirty-seven, with each reciter’s chain of transmission carefully delineated. These criteria were required for the individuals within this tier, as specified by Al-Dhahabi, although he did not provide a comprehensive historical account for this group.
This continues to be the case within the Muslim community, where the transmission of the Quranic text through the method of direct oral presentation persists from generation to generation and layer to layer, just as the companions received it from the Messenger of Allah through the intermediary of Jibrail, who received it from the Almighty, the Most High.
This method represents the most robust means of transmitting the Quranic text, as it involves direct presentation during the time of the Prophet and thereafter, solidifying the continuous transmission of the Quranic text through connected and authenticated chains of narration.
2- Continuity in Transmitting the Quranic Text Orally Without Official Presentation
This was the primary means of conveying the Quran to the Ummah (community), and it had various methods, including: reciting the Quran to those attending gatherings, reciting it to those invited to Islam, and reciting it to people in mosques, during loud prayers, in sermons, and in gatherings of the community. The news and authentic reports about this were abundant, and they have all been extensively documented by scholars such as Ibn Jarir, Al-Tha’labi, Al-Rua, and others in the books of Hadith.
This method had three significant outcomes:
The widespread dissemination of the Quranic text in his ﷺ time and thereafter. The companions, may Allah be pleased with them, followed the example of the Messenger of Allah in this method of conveying the Quranic text, and they spread it extensively in villages and regions. They recited it to people in mosques, during prayers and sermons, and in gatherings of the community.
The practice of reciting the Quran continued during the era of the Tabi’un (followers of the companions) and those who followed them with excellence, until in every mosque, there was a Quranic memorizer, a reciter who memorized a a large portion of if it, or even a small part of the Quran. But that practice established centers for unofficially transmitting the Quranic text.
This practice has endured until today in our Ummah (community). It has resulted in the formation of a class of individuals in every country, province, and region whose recitation is connected to those who recited to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
Second: The Abundance of Quranic Memorizers During The Prophet’s Time and After
The evidence for this is the well-established fact that the number of Quranic reciters who were martyred in the Battle of Bi’r Ma’una during the lifetime of the Prophet reached approximately seventy. This is in addition to those who were martyred in the Battle of Yamama led by Musaylimah the Liar. Some historians have mentioned their number to be around five hundred, as Ibn Kathir presented.
This does not contradict what is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari from the hadith of Anas: when he was asked about those who memorized the Quran during the Prophet’s time, and he said,
“Four, all of them from the Ansar: Ubay ibn Ka’b, Mu’adh ibn Jabal, Zaid ibn Thabit, and Abu Zaid.”
It is also narrated from him that he said, “The Prophet ﷺ passed away, and only four people had compiled the Quran: Abu al-Darda’, Mu’adh ibn Jabal, Zaid ibn Thabit, and Abu Zaid.”
Scholars have provided various explanations for these two hadiths, as mentioned by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari. He also presented a number of narrations that confirm the multitude of Quran memorizers among the companions and they were even more than that.
It’s possible that Anas meant to emphasize the specific clan of the Ansar called “Bila al-Khasr” in that context. This does not exclude the fact that Quran memorization extended beyond the Ansar to include the Nasr tribe, the descendants of other generations of immigrants, and those who came after them.
Third: Precision of Deleivering The Quranic Text Verses & Words
The Prophet’s recitation to his companions in loud prayers, sermons, and community gatherings, along with the meticulous preservation of Quranic verses, ensured that the Quran was firmly rooted in the hearts of the memorizers among the companions. Their memorization reached the highest levels of precision and mastery, even if it involved adding or omitting a letter.
This is supported by the narration where Umar recited,
“(And the forerunners, the first of the Muhajireen and the Ansar, those who followed them in righteousness)”
with the raf’ of “the Ansar” and without repeating “those who.” Zaid bin Thabit asked him about it, and Umar confirmed that it was indeed “those who followed them in righteousness.” Then, Umar turned to Ubay bin Ka’b, who also recited it as “those who followed them in righteousness.” Thus, they corroborated each other’s recitation.
This shows how the Quranic text was orally transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ to his companions and, from there, to the entire Ummah (community), safeguarded from any alteration, addition, or omission, thanks to the agreement of the Quranic specialists in each generation on the authenticity of the Quran.
The Second Means of Establishing Certainty: Documentation
The Prophet’s focus on preserving the Quranic text through writing was not less important than oral transmission. Historical sources mention that there were scribes who recorded revelations from the Prophet since the early days of its revelation in Mecca. There were around forty-three scribes, the most famous among them being the four Caliphs and Abu Sufyan and his son, Muawiyah, Yazid, Az-Zubair ibn Al-Awam, Talha ibn Ubaidullah, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas, Abdullah ibn Rawaha, Ubay ibn Ka’b, and Abdullah ibn Abi Al-Sarh.
The first to write down the revelations of the Messenger of Allah in Mecca was Zaid ibn Thabit. He was especially dedicated to this task. Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with them both, also participated in writing. Zaid ibn Thabit wrote down the revelations, and Ali ibn Abi Talib confirmed them.
There are many narrations that confirm the written documentation of the revelations from the Messenger of Allah. For instance, Al-Bukhari narrated from Al-Bara’ that when the verse,
“Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home) and those who strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with their wealth and lives.” [Quran 4:95],
was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Call Zaid for me and let him bring the board, the inkpot, and the scapula bone (which he used as an inkwell).” Then, the Prophet said, “Write: ‘Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home) except those who are disabled by injury or are blind or lame’ (to the end of the verse).”
There is also the narration about the conversion of Umar ibn Al-Khattab, which underscores the Prophet’s written documentation of the revelations from the very beginning of his mission in Mecca. When Umar learned that his sister and her husband had converted to Islam, he went to them and found them reading from Surah Ta-Ha, which was written down. He asked to read it, and upon doing so, he was deeply moved. So, he went to his sister but found that she had to perform ablution first. He got up and performed ablution, then took the written text and read it. Afterward, he went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and declared his Islam.
Any revelation received was promptly written down in separate scrolls and placed in the hands of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This is confirmed by the narration from Al-Bukhari through Al-Bara’ ibn ’Azib. Accordingly, the one who compiled and wrote down the Quran, ordered its collection, and dictated it to his scribes was the Prophet ﷺ himself, as stated by Judge Abu Bakr Al-Baqillani.
Scribes recorded the Quran on shoulder blades-bone-, pieces of leather, and sometimes even silk, following the customary practices of the Arabs in that regard.
The term used for these writings was “Suhuf” (scrolls). The revelations remained documented in these scattered scrolls under the supervision of the Prophet ﷺ throughout his life until they were finally compiled into a single Quranic manuscript during the time of Abu Bakr. Later, this process continued during the era of Uthman, ensuring the continuity of its transmission, both in written form and orally.
The Quranic Text and The Seven Ahruf Pg(s) 18-24
*Professor of Islamic Law and Arabic Literature, Tanta University, Egypt
A few weeks ago, I was on a call with Sheikh Dirie Ahmed from MAFAZ ARABIC. We talked about a story that’s often mentioned about Sayyiduna Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه supposedly insulting Sayyiduna Bilal’s mother رضي الله عنه. Sheikh Dirie pointed out that this story doesn’t have strong evidence to back it up.
I recall some research I had done on that topic that I am sharing below. Remember, just because something is popular amongst the masses does not mean it is authentic or true.
Abu Dharr & The Insult
Ibn Battal shares a story saying that Samurah ibn Jundub رضي الله عنه heard Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه insulted Bilal رضي الله عنه by talking about his mother. But when we look closely, we find that this story doesn’t have a strong link back to the original sources.
What we do know for sure is that Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه once insulted someone and mentioned his mother in a bad way. However, the story that it was about Bilal رضي الله عنه and his mother is unreliable because the sources that tell this story are weak and don’t match up with the authentic ones.
Al-Ma’rur bin Suwaid said, “I saw Abu Dharr wearing a cloak, and his servant was wearing a similar one. When I asked him about that, he mentioned that he had insulted a man during the time of the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, and derided his mother.
The man went to the Prophet ﷺ and mentioned that to him. The Prophet, ﷺ, said, ‘You are a man who has ignorance in him. Your brothers and those under your command; Allah has placed them under your charge. Whoever has his brother under his charge, let him feed him what he eats and clothe him with what he wears, and do not burden them with what overwhelms them. If you burden them, then help them.’” Narrated by Muslim (1661), and in a narration by Bukhari (6050): “Yes, they are your brothers, Allah has placed them under your charge. Whoever Allah has placed his brother under his charge, let him feed him what he eats, and clothe him with what he wears, and not burden him with work that overwhelms him. If he burdens him with what overwhelms him, then let him help him.” Therefore, Al-’Ayni said in “Umdat al-Qari” (1/208): “His saying: ‘I insulted a man’: Al-Nawawi said: And the context of the hadith suggests that the insulted was a slave.” Ibn Hajar comments on that narration: that it was Bilal رضي الله عنه, “It is broken.” The claim that Abu Dhar insulted Bilal or his mother, or her color is therefore unfounded.
Sh. Dirie adds, “So how did Bilal رضي الله عنه and his mother get brought into this? Well there is a report in Shu’ub al-Iman of Imam al-Bayhaqi that highlights that it was Bilal and his mother who Abu Dharr insulted. However, in the chain of transmission is a narrator by the name of ‘Abu Abdil Malik Ali Bin Yazid, who many of the great scholars of hadith designated as weak. [see tahdhib-at-tadhib 3/199 Mu’assasah al-Risālah.
Some passionate Muslims have contested the use of the term “pre-eternity” (Ar. Qidam) by many Muslim theologians, claiming it’s not a designated name of God and hence inappropriate because God’s names are specified by revelation.
This objection is weak for two reasons:
Hadith Evidence: Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As reported a hadith where the Prophet Muhammad, upon entering the mosque, would say,
قال أعوذ بالله العظيم وبوجهه الكريم وسلطانه القديم من الشيطان الرجيم
“I seek refuge with Allah the Great, with His Noble Face, and His Eternal Dominion from the accursed devil.”
This hadith, which mentions God’s “Eternal Dominion,” signifies an attribute without beginning, applicable not just to God’s dominion but essentially to God Himself.
Theological Clarification: The term “pre-eternity” is not claimed to be one of God’s names that would require textual specification (tawqifiyya); rather, it’s an attribute. There’s no issue in attributing this quality to God as long as it doesn’t imply imperfection and is agreed upon by Muslims in its meaning.
The flexibility in using qualities to describe God was practiced by some of the Salaf (early generations of Muslims). Imam al-Tahawi, about a thousand years ago, articulated in his creed about Allah:
قَدِيمٌ بِلَا ابْتِدَاءٍ دَائِمٌ بِلَا انْتِهَاءٍ
“He is pre-eternal without beginning, everlasting without end.”
Thus, Imam al-Tahawi utilized these descriptions without any notable objection
