Examining Ibn Masudโ€™s reaction to Qurโ€™an preservation efforts

๐„๐ฑ๐š๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ˆ๐›๐ง ๐Œ๐š๐ฌ๐ฎ๐โ€™๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ž๐š๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐ซโ€™๐š๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐ซ๐ฏ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ž๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ



Mohamad Mostafa Nassar

Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR

ุจุณู… ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุงู„ุฑุญู…ู† ุงู„ุฑุญูŠู… ุงู„ุญู…ุฏ ู„ู„ู‡ ูˆุญุฏู‡ ูˆ ุงู„ุตู„ุงุฉ ูˆ ุงู„ุณู„ุงู… ุนู„ู‰ ู…ู† ู„ุง ู†ุจูŠ ุจุนุฏู‡ ูˆ ุนู„ู‰ ุขู„ู‡ ูˆ ุฃุตุญุงุจู‡ ุฃุฌู…ุนูŠู†

Ibn Masโ€™udโ€™s reaction to efforts regarding Qurโ€™an preservation during Uthmanโ€™s time has been a subject of interest to orientalists and missionaries. In this article, we shall put the lies on the issue in the coffin.

Firstly, you need to study the description of efforts during Uthmanโ€™s time regarding Qurโ€™an preservation. You find thatย HERE.

Ibn Masudโ€™s reaction:

Letโ€™s first study the narration that shows Ibn Masโ€™udโ€™s reaction to establish what his grievances were.

In Jamiโ€™ Tirmidhi, โ€˜Ubaydullah bin โ€˜Abdullah is recorded to have said:

โ€œAbdullah bin Mas’ud disliked Zaid bin Thabit copying the Musahif, and he said: ‘O you Muslim people! Avoid copying the Mushaf and recitation of this man. By Allah! When I accepted Islam he was but in the loins of a disbelieving man’–meaning Zaid bin Thabit–and it was regarding this that Abdullah bin Mas’ud said:

‘O people of Al-Iraq! Keep the Musahif that are with you, and conceal them. For indeed Allah said: And whoever conceals something, he shall come with what he concealed on the Day of Judgement. So meet Allah with the Musahif.'” (Jamiโ€™ Tirmidhi, hadith 3104)

Note: Above translation is taken from Acts-17 Ministryโ€™s blog. Its significance will be discussed in while. Hold your breath!

What were Ibn Masโ€™udโ€™s grievances?

1- Seemingly Ibn Masโ€™udโ€™ first grievance was on him being left out of the noble task and Zaid bin Thabit, who was definitely much younger to him, being made the head of the committee assigned with the task.

2- The fact that he was being asked to give up his Mushaf and adopt one prepared by the committee headed by Zaid bin Thabit.

In Mustadrak al-Hakim we read that when Abu Musa al-Ashโ€™ari and Huzayfa bin Yaman tried to persuade him to give up his personal manuscript, he said:

โ€œBy Allah I will not hand this manuscript over to them. Allahโ€™s Messenger โ€“may Allah bless him- personally taught me more than seventy surahs and now I should hand this (manuscript) over to them? By Allah, I will not give it to them!โ€ (Mustadrak al-Hakim, Hadith 2896. Classified as Sahih by al-Hakim and al-Dhahbi)

In essence the grievance was simply about being asked to hand over his personal manuscript and this aggravated further when he found he was to do it in favor of the Mushaf prepared by someone much younger to him. Reading this, one must consider Ibn Masโ€™udโ€™s own grand stature.

Simply Zaidโ€™s being in charge of the endeavor could have not sparked such a strong reaction as we know Ibn Masโ€™ud did not show any anger when Zaid was made the in charge of a similar task during Abu Bakrโ€™s time. The demand of giving up his personal manuscript was the real issue.

There was no difference in the text:

There was no difference on the actual text between Ibn Masโ€™udโ€™s manuscript and the official one. This is known because.

1- Zaid bin Thabit undertook a similar task during Abu Bakrโ€™s time and Ibn Masโ€™ud never raised his eye-brows then.

2- After Zaid had completed the work during Uthmanโ€™s time, he compared the mushaf prepared then with the suhuf prepared during Abu Bakrโ€™s time. And he testified;

โ€œI compared the Mushaf with those manuscripts; they did not differ in anything.โ€ (Mushkil al-Athar, Hadith 2645)

This leads us to logical conclusion that Ibn Masโ€™ud mushaf had no fundamental textual difference with the official mushaf.

The actual reason of grievance has just been described above.

Why was Ibn Masโ€™ud asked to give up his Mushaf?

This brings us to the question, as to why was Ibn Masโ€™ud asked to give up his Mushaf? Answer to this question is already given in my paper on Uthmanโ€™s efforts regarding Qurโ€™an preservation i.e. personal masahif (manuscripts) did not take into account all the sanctioned readings at certain instances in the Qurโ€™an.

Personal Masahif prepared by great scholars like Ibn Masud and that too directly learnt from the Prophet โ€“may Allah bless him- were never wrong and could never be disputed with, but there is no denying that they could not encompass all the sanctioned variants. And Uthman wanted them to be destroyed only to avoid potential trouble as all sanctioned readings were already preserved in the officially prepared Masahif.

As this idea rests on the Seven Ahruf thing, Christian missionaries have tried to counter this by alluding to large scale differences of interpretations about Seven Ahruf and that Ibn Masudโ€™s mushaf did not allegedly have three surahs (i.e. no. 1, 113 & 114).

As to Seven Ahruf, in-shaโ€™Allah a paper with extensive discussion on the subject is in the pipeline that will kill the misconceptions about it. And the no. of surahs in Ibn Masudโ€™s manuscript will be discussed in full in another forthcoming article dedicated to the subject.

Due to the complexity of the issues and the fact that things are interrelated I have but no option except to refer the readers back to earlier articles or ask to them to wait for forthcoming work.

Did Ibn Masud accuse Companions of deceit in reading Qurโ€™an?

Lately we have seen Christian missionaries using a certain report from Ibn Saโ€™dโ€™s Tabaqat al-Kubra, sometimes referred to as Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir.

They present the narration like this;

— Ibn Masud does not think highly of today’s Quran, the one collected by Zaid. In comparing himself to Zaid, he says:

โ€œThe people have been guilty of deceit in the reading of the Qur’an. I like it better to read according to the recitation of him (Prophet) whom I love more than that of Zayd Ibn Thabit. By Him besides Whom there is no god! I learnt more than seventy surahs from the lips of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, while Zayd Ibn Thabit was a youth, having two locks and playing with the youth.โ€ (Ibn Sa’d, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir, Vol. 2, p.444) โ€“

This is wrong translation. Translation should actually be;

โ€œSo conceal the manuscripts! I like it better to read according to the recitation of him (Prophet) whom I love more than that of Zayd Ibn Thabit. By Him besides Whom there is no god! I learnt more than seventy surahs from the lips of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him, while Zayd Ibn Thabit was a youth, having two locks and playing with the youth.โ€

Allah knows what has lead to the addition of the words โ€œin the reading of Qurโ€™anโ€ in the translation given by missionaries. See the actual Arabic text below and decide for yourself;

ููŽุบูŽู„ูŽู‘ูˆูุง ุงู„ู’ู…ูŽุตูŽุงุญูููŽ. ููŽู„ุฃูŽู†ู’ ุฃูŽู‚ู’ุฑูŽุฃูŽ ุนูŽู„ูŽู‰ ู‚ูุฑูŽุงุกูŽุฉู ู…ูŽู†ู’ ุฃูุญูุจูู‘ ุฃูŽุญูŽุจูŽู‘ ุฅูู„ูŽูŠูŽู‘ ู…ูู†ู’ ุฃูŽู†ู’ ุฃูŽู‚ู’ุฑูŽุฃูŽ ุนูŽู„ูŽู‰ ู‚ูุฑูŽุงุกูŽุฉู ุฒูŽูŠู’ุฏู ุจู’ู†ู ุซุงุจุช. ููˆ ุงู„ุฐูŠ ู„ุง ุฅูู„ูŽู‡ูŽ ุบูŽูŠู’ุฑูู‡ู ู„ูŽู‚ูŽุฏู’ ุฃูŽุฎูŽุฐู’ุชู ู…ูู†ู’ ูููŠูู‘ ุฑูŽุณููˆู„ู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู – ุตูŽู„ูŽู‘ู‰ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุนูŽู„ูŽูŠู’ู‡ู ูˆูŽุณูŽู„ูŽู‘ู…ูŽ – ุจูุถู’ุนู‹ุง ูˆูŽุณูŽุจู’ุนููŠู†ูŽ ุณููˆุฑูŽุฉู‹. ูˆูŽุฒูŽูŠู’ุฏู ุจู’ู†ู ุซูŽุงุจูุชู ุบูู„ุงู…ูŒ ู„ูŽู‡ู ุฐูุคูŽุงุจูŽุชูŽุงู†ู ูŠูŽู„ู’ุนูŽุจู ู…ูŽุนูŽ ุงู„ู’ุบูู„ู’ู…ูŽุงู†ู

So the translation given by missionaries makes โ€œghallaโ€ to mean โ€œdeceitโ€ while the basic meaning of the word and the one intended here is โ€œto hide/conceal.โ€ Following are my evidences for this.

1- In the similar report in Jamiโ€™ Tirmidhi wording is;

ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุจู’ู†ู ู…ูŽุณู’ุนููˆุฏู: ” ูŠูŽุง ุฃูŽู‡ู’ู„ูŽ ุงู„ุนูุฑูŽุงู‚ู ุงูƒู’ุชูู…ููˆุง ุงู„ู…ูŽุตูŽุงุญูููŽ ุงู„ูŽู‘ุชููŠ ุนูู†ู’ุฏูŽูƒูู…ู’ ูˆูŽุบูู„ูู‘ูˆู‡ูŽุง ููŽุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูŽ ูŠูŽู‚ููˆู„ู: {ูˆูŽู…ูŽู†ู’ ูŠูŽุบู’ู„ูู„ู’ ูŠูŽุฃู’ุชู ุจูู…ูŽุง ุบูŽู„ูŽู‘ ูŠูŽูˆู’ู…ูŽ ุงู„ู‚ููŠูŽุงู…ูŽุฉู} ููŽุงู„ู‚ููˆุง ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูŽ ุจูุงู„ู…ูŽุตูŽุงุญููู

Abdullah bin Mas’ud said: ‘O people of Al-Iraq! Keep the Musahif that are with you, and conceal them. For indeed Allah said: And whoever conceals something, he shall come with what he concealed on the Day of Judgement. So meet Allah with the Musahif.'”(Jamiโ€™ Tirmidhi, Hadith 3104)

Mark this, this is the translation they themselves gave and here โ€œghallaโ€ and all its forms have been translated as โ€œconcealโ€.

Also note at the end the narration says, โ€œMeet Allah with the masahifโ€ now if โ€œghallaโ€ is translated as โ€œdeceitโ€ then what would the whole thing mean?

2- In Kitab al-Masahif of Ibn Abi Dawud Khumayr bin Malik says:

ุณูŽู…ูุนู’ุชู ุงุจู’ู†ูŽ ู…ูŽุณู’ุนููˆุฏู ูŠูŽู‚ููˆู„ู: ” ุฅูู†ูู‘ูŠ ุบูŽุงู„ูŒู‘ ู…ูุตู’ุญูŽูููŠุŒ ููŽู…ูŽู†ู ุงุณู’ุชูŽุทูŽุงุนูŽ ุฃูŽู†ู’ ูŠูŽุบูู„ูŽู‘ ู…ูุตู’ุญูŽูู‹ุง ููŽู„ู’ูŠูŽุบู’ู„ูู„ู’ุŒ ููŽุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูŽ ูŠูŽู‚ููˆู„ู: {ูˆูŽู…ูŽู†ู’ ูŠูŽุบู’ู„ูู„ู’ ูŠูŽุฃู’ุชู ุจูู…ูŽุง ุบูŽู„ูŽู‘ ูŠูŽูˆู’ู…ูŽ ุงู„ู’ู‚ููŠูŽุงู…ูŽุฉู}

โ€œI heard Ibn Masud saying: I have concealed my Mushaf. Whoever can conceal his mushaf he should conceal it. For Allah says, โ€œAnd whoever conceals something, he shall come with what he concealed on the Day of Judgement.โ€โ€ (Kitab al-Masahif, Narration 52)

Now if โ€œghallaโ€ is to be translated โ€œto deceiveโ€ then narration above would make Ibn Masud says, โ€œI have deceived my mushaf.โ€ Why do these missionaries divorce with reason? Reason is not that bad!

There are other forms of the same narration that show โ€œghallaโ€ can never mean โ€œto deceiveโ€ here.

* In all the above discussed narrations Ibn Masud asked people to conceal their manuscripts because they were based on his own personal manuscript, and for his above mentioned grievance he initially reacted this way.

James White at his best- lying!

This is perhaps nothing when we even find them concocting stories on this issue. James White in one his debates with Muslim scholar, Shabir Ally alleged that Ibn Masud was beaten for not giving up his manuscript and he ended up dying for this reason. See the proof in this video. He lied and said he was quoting from Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhiโ€™s book, โ€œAn Introduction to the Sciences of the Quranโ€ whereas it is nowhere to be found in the book. Thatโ€™s the best they can do!

Did Ibn Masud later agree with Uthman?

We know initially Ibn Masud reacted furiously, but did he later agree with Uthman and rest of the companions? Yes, he did. He might not have given up his personal manuscript but he did agree with the idea behind the scheme of Uthman, made into a reality by the team headed by Zaid bin Thabit.

Ibn Kathir tells us;

โ€œUthman โ€“may Allah be pleased with him- wrote to him (Ibn Masud) bidding him to follow the Companions in what they had agreed upon due to its benefits, (and because it lead to) unity of opinions and the end of differences. So, he inclined to it and agreed to follow and to give up the opposition โ€“may Allah be pleased with them all.โ€ (al-Bidaya wal-Nihaya 7/217)

Ibn Kathir even goes on to reason that it was only natural for Ibn Masud to agree on such a fundamental issue. He first quotes the following report;

Abdul Rahman bin Yazid said: Abdullah bin Masโ€™ud entered the mosque in Mina. He asked how many rakโ€™ahs have the Commander of the Faithful (i.e. Uthman) offered in Zuhr salah? People said, โ€œ(He offered) four.โ€ Ibn Masud offered four rakโ€™ahs. People asked, โ€œHave you not told us that the Messenger of Allah โ€“may Allah bless him- and Abu Bakr and โ€˜Umar offered two (in Zuhr prayers at Mina)?โ€ He said, โ€œIndeed and I narrate to you the same now even but I do not like to differ.โ€

On this Ibn Kathir comments;

โ€œSo if Ibn Masud followed Uthman this way even in secondary issues, how much (more willing) he would have been in following him regarding Qurโ€™an and in sticking to the recitation to which he had bound the people.โ€ (al-Bidaya wal-Nihaya 7/217)

Conclusion:

There was some initial misunderstanding between the Companions but evidences show it was never about the basic text of the Holy Qurโ€™an, and even that misunderstanding between Ibn Masud and Uthman etc. was later removed โ€“may Allah be pleased with them all! Excitement of missionary haters of Islam is rather pointless.

Indeed Allah knows the best!

Source: Let me Turn the Tables

No. of Surahs in Ubayyโ€™s Mushaf

No. of Surahs in the Mushaf of Ibn Masud

How many Surahs in Ubayyโ€™s Mushaf?

Muslim Studies on Qurโ€™anic Manuscripts

Dated Muslim Texts From 1-72 AH / 622-691 CE: Documentary Evidence For Early Islam