Some Muslims have assumed that holy Prophet -saww was...

Some Muslims have assumed that holy Prophet -saww was illiterate (na’uzubillah) based on the following Verse: الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ مَعَهُ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ {157} Those who are following the Rasool, the Prophet, the Ummy ( Makkan) whom they are finding written with them in the Torah and the Evangel (that) he would be instructing them with the good things and forbidding them from the evil, and permitting for them the good things and prohibiting upon them the bad, and removing from them their burdens and their shackles which would be upon them.

So those who believe in him, and assist him, and help him, and follow the Light which descends with him, they would be the successful ones [7:157] The meaning of ‘Ummy’ حدثنا احمد بن محمد عن ابى عبد الله البرقى عن جعفر بن محمد الصوفى قال سألت ابا جعفر عليه السلام محمد بن على الرضا عليه السلام وقلت له يابن رسول الله لم سمى النبي الامي قال ما يقول الناس قال قلت له جعلت فداك يزعمون انما سمى النبي الامي لانه لم يكتب It has been narrated to us Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Abu Abdullah Al-Barqy, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al-Sowfy who said: ‘I said to Abu Ja’far -asws , ‘O son of Rasool-Allah -saww , why was the Prophet -saww called ‘Al-Ummy ’ ?’ He -asws said: ‘What do the people say.’ I said to him -asws , ‘May I be sacrificed for you -asws , they are alleging that the Prophet -saww was called ‘Al-Ummy’ because he -saww could not write.’ فقال كذبوا عليهم لعنة الله انى يكون ذلك والله تبارك وتعالى يقول في محكم كتابه هو الذى بعث في الاميين رسولا منهم يتلوا عليهم آياته ويزكيهم ويعلمهم الكتاب والحكمة ‘He -asws said: ‘They are lying about him -saww , may Allah -azwj Curse them!

I -asws say that, and Allah -azwj Blessed and Exalted has Said in His -azwj Decisive Book: He is the One Who Sent among the inhabitants of Makkah, a Rasool from them, reciting His Verses upon them and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the Wisdom [62:2] .

✦ ✦ ✦