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Shaykh Asif al-Mohseni: معتبر - Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

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Shaykh Asif al-Mohseni: معتبر - Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

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al-Muhsini: This report indicates that the Qur’an was already gathered in the first period (immediately after the death of the prophet), and there is no indication in the report that his (i.e. Ali’s) Qur’an was lengthier or shorter than the Qur’an that is circulating today, for it is possible that the differences between the two is with regards the arrangement of the chapters and verses, and also the writing down of some Tanzil (‘sent-down’) material which were not part of the Qur’an proper.

As for the recitation of the man (in the first part of the report) then it is possible that he was reciting according to one of the recitations that are not famous but which were reliable according to the ‘Aimma.

I say: There is dispute over the reliability of the principal narrator in the chain - Salim Abi Salama - with Najashi considering him Thiqa while Tusi deeming him Dhaif.

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Shaykh Asif al-Mohseni: معتبر - Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

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Shaykh Asif al-Mohseni: معتبر - Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

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Shaykh Asif al-Mohseni: معتبر - Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

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al-Muhsini: This is an example of a difference in Qira’a.

We find in the book al-Masahif of Abi Bakr Abdallah b. Abi Dawud Sulayman b. al-Ash’ath al-Sijistani (d. 316) that al-Aswad and Alqama prayed behind Umar and he recited it like this. And in this same book there are many reports by way of the Ahl al-Sunna indicating that addition and reduction happened in the Qur’an and that the codexes of the companions were differing (between themselves).

I say: He is alluding to reports such as the ones below:

Abdallah – Abdallah b. Sa’id – Yahya b. Ibrahim b. Suwayd al-Nakhai – Aban b. Imran al-Nakhai who said: I said to Abd al-Rahman b. Aswad: You recite ‘Sirata Man An’amta Alayhim Ghayri l-Maghdhub Alayhim wa Ghayr al-Dhalin’? He said: My father reported to me, and he was Thiqa, that he prayed behind Umar b. al-Khattab and heard him reciting it (thus).

Abdallah – Ahmad b. Sinan – Abu Muawiya – al-A’mash – Ibrahim – al-Aswad that Umar used to pronounce (it) Maalik Yawmi -l-Diin and used to recite: ‘Sirata Man An’amta Alayhim Ghayri l-Maghdhub Alayhim wa Ghayr al-Dhalin’

al-Muhsini: Both of these reports (i.e. [3/-] and [4/-]) which are quoted from Tafsir al-Qummi and despite their reliable chains are not considered reliable by us, because the attribution of the existing Tafsir to its putative author Ali b. Ibrahim is not proven. In summary, the aforementioned Qira’a is not established by our chains and we do not accept the transmission of the Ahl al-Sunna in this regard.

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Shaykh Asif al-Mohseni: معتبر - Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

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Translator:

I say: Most of the reciters, including Hafs from Asim which is ubiquitous today, recite it asلَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ which can mean ‘give the lie to’ i.e. deny/reject/disbelieve. The popular interpretation based on this reading is that they (the disbelievers) did not consider the prophet to be a liar in reality (in their hearts), they knew that he was truthful and his message correct, yet they opposed the verses of God for their own selfish motives.

However, Nafi and Kisai (two of the seven normative reciters), one reception of A’sim (i.e. A’sha from Abi Bakr), and al-A’mash recited it as لا يُكْذِبُونَكَ, and this is also attributed to the Commander of the Faithful and Ja’far al-Sadiq in early Sunni works (see Mu’jam al-Qira’at, Vol. 2, Pg. 417 for references). Indeed the grammarians Abu Ubayd and al-Zajjaj preferred this latter over the former. That this is the recitation of the Ahl al-Bayt is confirmed in our sources as can be seen here.

Reciting it in this way gives a different nuance to the meaning of the verse. The Imam explainsلا يُكْذِبُونَكَ to mean they will never be able to find you out (expose the prophet as a liar) by challenging you with their own version of truth (in reality falsehood) which detracts from your greater truth.

See also a paralell report in Tafsir al-Ayyashi (Vol. 2, Pg. 97) on the authority of al-Husayn b. al-Mundhir where al-Sadiq is quoted as giving this recitation and then commenting:

لا يستطيعون ابطال قولك

They will not be able to nullify your statements (assertions)

Consider also a report in Sayyari (Pg. 49) which must be considered to be a variant of the same report as above:

صفوان عن يعقوب بن شعيب عن عمران بن ميثم عن عباية الاسدي قال: قرأ رجل عند امير المؤمنين صلوات الله عليه فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ فقال: بلى والله لقد كذبوه اشد التكذيب ولكنها مخففة لا يُكْذِبُونَكَ لا ياتون بحق احق من حقك

Note that whilst in al-Kafi Imran b. Miytham has al-Sadiq quoting the Commander of the Faithful, in Sayyari’s report Imran has Abaya al-Asadi (a Majhul companion of the Commander of the Faithful) quoting the Commander of the Faithful. This opens up the possibility of a mistake in Kulayni’s chain and has the potential to change its grading.

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Shaykh Asif al-Mohseni: معتبر - Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

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