Mirza Hussain Tabrasi (d. 1902), Shīʿī scholar and author of Faslul-Khitaab
Muslims believe that the text of the Quran as well as the order and arrangements of the verses and chapters are based upon revelation from Allah. There is consensus amongst all Muslims that no alteration was every made to the Quran, and it today exists in the exactly the same way as it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (salalahu alaihi wa sallam). As Allah says; “Indeed We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed We will preserve it” (al-Hijr 15:9)
However, the Shia do not believe that the Qur’an has been preserved from alteration. This is because the ones who preserved it, and transmitted it to us were the Sahaaba who received it directly from the Prophet. The entire Muslim Ummah believes that these noble Companions were the vanguards of Islam and the best of all the believers. But according to the Shia, all but a few of the Companions apostated after the death of the Prophet (salalahu alaihi wa sallam) Among the companions who the Shia considers to be apostates are Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthmaan (ra). Given that Shias agree with Muslims that the Quran we have today was collected, compiled and preserved by these three Caliphs, then it is impossible to have believe in the authenticity of the present day Quran and at the same time, entertain such beliefs regarding those who preserved it.
The Shia scholars / works that allege that the Quran has been distorted includes
- al-Kāfī of al-Kulaynī,
- Biḥār al-Anwār of al-Majlisī,
- al-Anwār al-Nuʿmāniyya,
- Tafsīr al-Ṣāfī,
- Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī,
- Tafsīr al-Qummī, and
- Tafsīr Furāt ibn Ibrāhīm
The Book of At-Tabarsi
In 1875, one of the most famous and respected Shia scholars, from Najaf, Mirza Husain bin Muhammad Taqi An-Nawari At-Tabarsi, wrote the infamous book Faslul-Khitaab fee Ithbatti Tahreefi Kitaab Rabbil-Arbaab (The Decisive Word on the Proof of Alteration of the Book of the Lord of Lords). In this book he compiled hundreds of texts written by Shia scholars in different eras alleging that the Qur’an has been tampered with, that there have been both additions to it and omissions from it.
Among the ‘proofs’ offered by At-Tabarsi was a quotation from what the Shias consider to be a missing part of the Qur’an, called by them Suratul-Wilaayah. (see front cover). It mentions the granting of wilaayah (sovereignty) to `Ali as follows:
Translation of the false verse: “O you who believe, believe in the prophet and the wali, the two whom we sent to guide you to the straight path. A prophet and wali who are of each other and celebrate the praise of your Lord, and Ali is among the witnesses”
‘Proof’ of alleged distortion of the Qur’an according to Shia sources
From the evidences that the Shia bring are the following.
1. “When the Holy Prophet passed away, ‘Ali gathered the Qur’an and produced it to the Muhajirun and the Ansar as the Holy Prophet had bided him to do so. When Abu Bakr opened the first page, he found some denunciation of the Quraish tribe. At this ‘Umar leapt forward and said: “O ‘Ali, take it back for we are not in need of it.” Ali took it back. Just then Zaid ibn Thabit, a prominent reciter of the Qur’an appeared, and ‘Umar told him: “‘Ali was here a short while back with a Qur’an which despises the Emigrants and the Helpers. I think we should compile such a Qur’an wherein all these aspects are omitted.” Zaid agreed with him, but he added: “Once I have completed the Qur’an according to this method and ‘Ali sees it, will your version be not invalidated?” Umar then asked: “What plot should we employ then?” Zaid replied: “You know better of such plots.” Umar then thought of having him killed by Khalid ibn al-Walid, but this plan failed.
When ‘Umar assumed the leadership, [he] asked him: “O ‘Ali, produce the Qur’an which you showed Abu Bakr so that we may agree on it.” Ali said: ‘This is not possible, I only showed it to Abu Bakr so that the proof may be established on you people, and so that you may not say on the Day of Judgment: ‘We were unaware of it, You did not produce it.’ The Qur’an in my possession will not be touched except by the pure, and the designated ones of my family’” (Al-Ihtijaj, Najaf, page 225. Also see Tafsir al-Safi page 11, and Fasl al-Khitab page 7)
2. Jabir reported Imam Baqir as saying: ‘No one can claim that he has compiled the Qur’an as Allah revealed except a liar. The only person to compile it and memorise it according to its revelation was Ali ibn Abi Talib and the Imams who succeeded him. (Usool Al Kafi 1:228)
Examples of alleged distortion of the Qur’an according to Shia sources
1. Surah Ale Imraan (32): “Certainly Allah has chosen Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham and the family of Imraan above the (families of the) worlds.”
Allamah Ali ibn Ibrahim AI-Qummi; one of the early Shia commentators of the Qur’an said concerning this verse: ‘The Imam said: ‘The words: “The family of Muhammed” were also revealed along with ‘the family of Ale Imraan.’ They (the Companions) removed the words “The family of Muhammad” from the original text (Al-Qummi’s commentary: 308).
2. Surah Taha (115): “And We had given Adam an order before, but he forgot and We did not find any resolve in him (to disobey the order).”
Imam Ja’far said that Allah had revealed this verse with the following words: “We had ordered Adam before with some words about Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hassan, Hussain and the Imams from their offspring but he (Adam) forgot.” Ja’far said: ‘By Allah, these were the words which were revealed to Muhammad.’ (Usul Kafi: 1:416)
3. Surah Muhammad (9): “That is because they resented what Allah revealed, so Allah in turn cancelled their deeds.”
AI-Qummi has stated that Imam Muhammad Baqir said that Jibreel had transmitted this verse as: ‘That is because they resented what Allah revealed about Ali.‘ But then the apostates removed Ali’s name (from the Qur’an). (Ibid: 1011)
Mullah Muhsin Kashani, an 11th century Shia scholar comments on the above statement:
“It is clear from all of these traditions and quotations from the Family of the Prophet that the present Qur’an is not the complete Qur’an which was revealed to the Prophet. In fact, there are verses that contradict that which was revealed; verses that have been distorted and places where omissions have been made such as the names of Ali, the Family of Muhammad and, on several occasions, there were the names of the hypocrites. Moreover, the present order of the Qur’an is not according to the preferred order of Allah and His Messenger”. Ali ibn Ibrahim (a renowned Shia commentator) also holds this opinion.” (Tafseer of Saafi: 1 : 32)
In addition, the Shia belief that the many other verses of the Quran have been tampered with including; 2:23, 2:59, 4:47, 4:66. 4:166, 4:168- 170, 15:41.16:92, 18:29, 20:115, 33:71, 42:13, 46:9, 47:26, 51:8-9, 67:29, 70:1-3, 73:11 and many more.
The Shia belief regarding the status of the present Qur’an
They believe that the real Qur’an was entrusted by the Prophet (salalahu alaihi wa sallam) but when the enemies did not believe in this ‘real Quran’, Ali (ra) concealed it and entrusted it to his successor Imaams. The eleventh Imaam handed the “Qur’an” over to the twelfth Imaam – the underground and hidden Imaam. He is keeping the real Qur’an in his custody, and when he will reappear, he will then reveal the real Qur’an. The underground Imaam was only a child when he was entrusted with the Qur’an for safe custody.
What is the Mushaf Fatima
Perhaps the most important of the Shia holy books is the “Mushaf Fatima,” or the “Book of Fatima.” They claim that after the Prophet (salalahu alaihi wa sallam) died, Fatima (ra) took over the role of Prophethood by receiving divine inspiration. Fatima supposedly received divine inspiration, and would then narrate these divine revelations to Ali who would write it down. See the following Shia hadith.
“The Imams (a.s) said, “When Allah took the Holy Prophet from this world, it caused such a degree of grief to Fatima that only Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, knows its extent. Allah then sent an angel to her to offer solace and speak to her. She complained about it to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali who asked her to inform him whenever she would find the angel speak to her. She then informed him when the angel came to speak. Amir al-Mu’minin Ali then would write down all that he would hear of the conversations of the angel so much so that his notes took the shape of a whole book.” (Al-Kāfī Hadith 636, chapter 40)
In another ‘hadith’ it quotes the Imaans as saying, “With us there is the Mushaf of Fatima. What do they know what Mushaf of Fatima is?”. “Mushaf of Fatima is three times bigger than your Qur’an. There is not even a single letter therein from your Qur’an.”(Al-Kāfī Hadith 635, Ch. 40).
The Shia will deny that the Mushaf Fatima is the “Shia Qur’an” arguing that there is no comparison between the Qur’an and the Mushaf Fatima. So we ask: why did their own Imam make such a comparison and in fact elevate it above the Quran by claiming that the Mushaf Fatima is “three times bigger than your Qur’an.”
Other reports state that; “Allah dictated it and revealed it to her” and “not a single letter of your Qur’an is in it. (Al-Kāfī vol. 1, p. 240) Muṣḥaf Fāṭimah and ʿAlī’s hidden Qur’an refer to the same doctrine: a divine text, superior to and replacing the Qur’an, hidden away until the Mahdī’s arrival.
In summary the Shia do not believe in the present Qur’an to be authentic. According to them the Companions who transmitted it were liars and apostates who tampered with the verses. The ‘real Quran’ was entrusted to Ali and is now underground with the fictitious Twelfth Imaam.
