Corruption and Distortion (Tahreef) in the Quran By Amar Khan 08 April, 2009 Contents 1. Introduction 2. Corruption in Shia Narrations 3. Sunni Reports about Additions in the Quran 4. Sunni Reports about Deletions from the Quran 5. Sunni Reports about Mistakes and Changes in the Quran 6. Corruption in the Quran Claimed by Ahle Sunnah Ulemas 1. Introduction In the Quran, Allah makes this emphatic promise: Verily, we have sent down the Reminder, and, verily, we will guard it [Q15:9]. Despite almighty Allah's vacuous promise to protect the originality of the Quran, it is substantially corrupted. And it is interesting that all Islamic Schools also accept this fact in the way that the Sunnis blame the Shias for corrupting the Koran, while the Shias blame the Sunni for the same. In reality, both Shia and Sunni books have narrations regarding corruption and editing of the Koran. Previously, I had written an article regarding corruptions in the Quran. Over recent the weeks, I have expanded my research on the Quranic corruptions and distortion and have compiled the outcome of my research into this E-book. I believe my research findings, as presented here, will end debates or counter-claims against the fact that the Koran has been corrupted and distorted to a significant extent from its original version. After this reading E-book, Muslims will ever be able to say that the current Quran is the pristine, uncorrupted, words of Allah as revealed to Prophet Muhammad. 2. Shia hadiths on distortions in the Quran First group of hadith about Tahreef The first group of hadiths are those that contain the word “Tahreef” in them. Here we see first one from Al Kafi: “It has been narrated from Ali Ibn Suweed that Imam Musa Kazim [as] was in prison when I wrote a letter to him. The Imam [as] replied to it and amidst his reply he wrote this sentence: “They were declared Ameen over the book of Allah but they have committed Tahreef and made changes to it” We see another hadith, belonging to this group, which has been recorded by Ibn Shehr Ashob in 'Manaqib'. The sermon of Imam Hussain, delivered on the day of Ashura, has been recorded in the following manner. “No doubt you are counted amongst those people from the ummah of my grandfather who are disobedient and rebellious, who have left the bounds determined by Allah, who have thrown away the Book of Allah, and talk with the satanic intuition. Verily you are amongst the same people whose faces are black on account of your sins and have committed the dangerous crime of making Tahreef with the Book of Allah”. Second Group of hadith about Tahreef The second group of hadiths are those that suggest that the names of Imams of Ahlulbait [as] were present in the Quran but were deleted at a later date. We read in Al-Kafi [Vol. 1, p.417, Hadith 26] regarding the verse 2:23: 'Jabir said: Gebrail revealed this verse to Muhammad in this manner: 'And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed in favor of Ali to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it.'' In a second tradition of this group of hadiths, Abu Baseer narrated the revelation of the verse 33:71 from Imam Jafar Sadiq in the following manner [Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 414]: Abu Abdullah [as] said: 'Allah almighty said: 'and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger in the guardianship of Ali and the Imams after him, he indeed achieves a mighty success'. It was revealed in this manner.' A third tradition of this group, as records Al-Kafi, has been narrated by Manhal from Imam Jaffar Sadiq [as] the verse 4:47 was revealed in the following manner: Abu Abdullah said: 'Gabriel (as) revealed upon Muhammad (s) this verse: 'O you who have been given the Book! believe that which We have revealed in Ali's favor a clear light'.' It has been narrated on the authority of Asbagh bin Nabata that Ameer al Momineen [as] said: One part of the Quran is about us Ahlebayt and our friends, and another part is about incidents and traditions while one part is about obligations and instructions.” We also read in Tafseer al Ayashi that Imam Jaffar Sadiq [as] said [p. 17, Hadith 4]: “If the Quran were recited in the manner in which it was revealed then our name(s) would have appeared in it. The third group of hadith about Tahreef This group contain hadiths that demonstrate Tahreef in Quran in respect of additions or deletions. First Hadith [Tafseer Al Ayashi, p. 13, Hadith 6]: “Narrated from Mesar that Imam Baqar [as] said: Had additions and deletions not been made in then Quran then our right would not have been hidden from those who possess minds. When the Qaim [as] rises, the Quran shall endorse every sentence uttered from his tongue.” Second Hadith [Usole kafi 1:228]: Jabir reported that he heard Imam Baqir saying: 'No one can claim that he has compiled the Quran 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. http://www.allaahuakbar.net/shiites/shiite_belief_that_the_present_Quran_is_fabricated.htm Kulyani narrates the following statement, which he attributes to Imam Baqir: "None among mankind but a great liar claims that he has compiled the whole Qur'an as it was revealed. No one compiled it nor memorized it as Allah revealed it, but Ali Bin Abi Talib and the Imams after him." http://www.kr-hcy.com/shia/books/majlisulama/part2.shtml Third Hadith [Al-Kafi, Vol. 1 p. 13, Hadith 4; Basair al Darjaat, p. 213, Hadith 1]: Imam Baqar [as] said: 'Other than the actual successors of the Holy Prophet [s] no one can claim that he possesses the Quran with its internal and external meanings.' The fourth Group of Hadith about Tahreef This group comprises of those traditions that suggest that the names of some men and women were mentioned in the Quran but were deleted later on. First Hadith [Tafseer al Ayashi, Vol 1: p. 12: Hadith 10]: Imam Jaffar Sadiq [as] said: “The Quran contains the incidents of the past and future and it contained the names of some men which were deleted from it and one name was mentioned in many Surahs which on one knows except the actual successors of Holy Prophet [s]. Second Hadith [Al Kafi, Vol 2: p. 613: Hadith 16]: Baznati narrates that Imam Raza [as] gave me a Quran and asked me not to see it, but I opened it and recited the first verse of Surah Baina. I found the names of 70 people from the Quraish along with their father’s names. The Imam [as] asked me to return the Quran to him. Third Hadith [Thawaab al A`maal, p. 100; Bihar al Anwar, Vol 92: p. 50]: Abdullah bin Sanan narrated from Imam Jaffar [as] that said:Surah Ahzab contained the blemishes of men and women from the Quraish and non Quraish. O son of Sanaan this Surah alone used to expose the wrong deeds of the women of Quraish and it was lengthier than Surah Baqra but Tahreef and deletion was made to it” The fifth Group of Hadith about Tahreef This group of hadiths contains those hadiths relating to a certain form of recitations [Qirat] that have been attributed to Imams [as]. One such tradition is where a man recited the verse 33 of Surah An'am before Amir al- Momineen [as] in this manner: 33. QAD NAAALAMU INNAHU LAYAHZUNUKA ALLATHEE YAQOOLOONA FA- INNAHUM LA YUKATHTHIBOONAKA WALAKINNA ALTHTHALIMEENA BI-AYATI ALLAHI YAJHADOONA. http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/Quran/transliteration/006.html Umran bin Maytham narrated that Abu Abdullah said: 'A man recited to Ameer al Momineen (as) '{but surely they do not call you a liar but the unjust deny the communications of Allah}'. He (Imam Ali) said: 'By Allah they called him liar, but the verse (Yukathiboonaka) is not to be pronounced emphatically means that they cannot bring falsehood to reject your truthfulness'. [Al-Kafi, Vol 8: p. 200–241] Muhammad bin Suleman narrates from some Sahaba who from Imam Abul Hassan [as]: We hear some verses that have never been heard before from the Quran. Moreover we cannot recite [ do qirat] in such a beautiful manner as you do, so are we sinners? The Imam replied: No you are not sinners but you recite the Quran in the manner in which you have been taught and soon there will come a person to teach you.” [Usool al-Kafi, Vol 2: p. 453] 3. Sunni reports about additions in Quran Ibn Abbas testified to fifty verses being added to the Quran of Uthman Allamah Jalaluddin Suyuti has recorded a tradition from Ibn Abbas wherein he says [Tafseer Al Itqan fi Uloom al Quran, Vol 1: p. 84]: The number of verses in the Quran are 6616. Disagreement amongst Sunni scholars over the number of Quranic verses Allamah Jalaluddin Suyuti, whilst citing Sunni scholarly opinion from Sunni scholar Uthman bin Saeed bin Uthman Abu Amro al-Daani (d. 444 H), wrote [Al-Itqan fi Uloom al-Quran, Vol 1: p. 84]: Al-Daani said: ‘They agreed that the number of verses of Quran are six thousand but they disagreed in what has been added further (to the Quran), some of them didn't add more whilst others said it was two hundred and four. Some said two hundred and fourteen, others said two hundred and nineteen.