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(PBUHH): The Unschooled Prophet - Al-Shia The Scientific and Cultural Website of Shia belief (PBUHH): The Unschooled Prophet 2022-12-22 481 Views Dr. Sayyid `Abd al-Latif claims that it is possible to prove, through historical facts and traditions, that the Prophet (PBUHH) used to read and write.

He supports this by two facts Contents The Adversaries’ Accusation Conclusion First, he states: “Al-Bukhari relates within the narrations and ahadith recorded in the chapter: “ Al-Ilm ” (the knowledge) that the Prophet (PBUHH) gave ‘Ali, his son-in-law, a secret letter and told specifically not to open it, but have the name of the recipient in his mind and hand him over the letter.

Who else other than the Prophet could have written the letter while even ‘Ali, his son-in-law and his trusted person did not know its content? (1) Unfortunately, the narration in Sahih al-Bukhari does not mention ‘Ali’s (PBUH) name as the carrier of the letter, whereas Dr. `Abd al-Latif concludes that the Prophet (PBUHH) himself had written the letter, on the basis that he kept its contents a secret even to ‘Ali (PBUH).

In Sahih al-Bukhari, Chapter “ Al-Ilm “, Al-Bukhari asserts: “The Prophet set off a group of people and handed a letter to their commander and asked him not to open it before he arrived at a certain place.” However, he does not indicate that their commander was ‘Ali (PBUH). The contents of the narration reveal, in addition, that the one to open it should have been the carrier of the letter not a third person, as assumed by Dr. `Abd al-Latif.

What Al-Bukhari has narrated is really connected with a story called “ Batn al-Nakhlah ” recorded in books of history and Prophetic traditions. Both the ‘Sirah’ of Ibn Hisham (2) (under the title:`Abdullah ibn Jahsh’s sariyyah) and Bihar al-Anwar (3) relate the same narration that the carrier of the letter was `Abdullah ibn Jahsh.

It is said that the Prophet (PBUHH) asked him to open the letter after two days journey and do as he was instructed, and he did so and acted upon the command of Messenger of Allah. Al-Waqidi’s “Al-Maghazi” states in explicit terms that Ubay ibn Ka’b was the writer of the letter, not the Holy Prophet (PBUHH). It says: “Abdullah ibn Jahsh said: `Once, after the Salat al-Isha’ (night prayer), the Prophet asked me to come to him the next morning early, armed and ready, to be sent on a mission”.