Not to be confused with Convenient Revelations
Changes to the Qur'an during Muhammad by the sahaba (or changes to the Qur'an during Muhammad by the followers) are the instances when the sabaha would be able to successfully intervene and amend the Quranic revelations.
The instances are listed in the order of the relevance.
The criteria
The following are the criteria for the instance(s) to be included in the article,
- Muhammad has a revelation.
- The revelation is either meant to be part of the Quran, or is part of the Quran.
- The sahaba changes the revelation after the fact.
Why is this important?
The article aims to deliver all currently known instances of the changes made by the sahaba. However, just one instance of the changing of the Quran is enough to have all the consequences below.
The issue, if successfully proven, falsifies many of the narratives provided by the modern Muslim leadership. Below is the incomplete list of the incomplete list of the claims that must be false.
Muslim leadership narrative
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The necessary conclusion
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Reasoning
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The Quran is the eternal word of Allah, existing before the world exists (for example, the Quran being the Mother of the Book, written on the stone tablets) |
The Quran has been changed by the mere people, and therefore isn't eternal. |
Assume the Quran is the eternal word of Allah at some point of time. After the Quran successfully has been changed by the sahaba within time continuum, the Quran they have after the event is no longer the eternal word of Allah outside the time continuum. Therefore, either the verses alleged to mean that the Quran is eternal word of Allah mean something different, or the Quran is false.
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The Quran is perfectly preserved, right down to the letter. |
The Quran has been changed |
After the Quran successfully has been changed by the sahaba at least once, the Quran is changed. If the Quran says that no word(s) of the Quran can be changed, then the Quran must be false.
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The only author of the Quran is Allah |
The Quran is at least partially authored or edited by the sahaba. |
1. If sahaba successfully changed the Quran the Quran is at least partially authored or edited by the sahaba
2. Possible escalation: If "We" in the Quran only refers to both the authorship of the Quran and the deity to be worshipped, Islam reduces to polytheism.
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Allah's word is eternal and cannot be changed |
Allah's word in the Quran (Quran 3:4) was successfully changed and therefore isn't eternal |
Allah's word outside the time continuum has been changed by the sahaba within the time continuum, and therefore isn't eternal.
This very conclusion is very detrimental to the Quranic claims.
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The instances
Quran 4:95 (the blind man corrects Muhammad)
Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] -
other than the disabled - and the mujāhideen, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred the mujāhideen through their wealth and their lives over those who remain [behind], by degrees. And to all [i.e., both] Allah has promised the best [reward]. But Allah has preferred the mujāhideen over those who remain [behind] with a great reward -
Asbab Al-Nuzul
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
The Mujahid and those Who Do not Join Jihad are Not the Same, [and Jihad is Fard Kifayah] Al-Bukhari recorded that Al-Bara' said,
"When the Ayah, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home),) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah called Zayd and commanded him to write it. Then, Ibn Umm Maktum came and mentioned that he was blind. Allah revealed, غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (except those who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame)). Al-Bukhari recorded that Sahl bin Saʿd As-Saʿdi said, "I saw Marwan bin Al-Hakam sitting in the Masjid. I came and sat by his side. He told us that Zayd bin Thabit told him that Allah's Messenger dictated this Ayah to him, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَـهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled, and those who strive hard and fight in the cause of Allah) Ibn Umm Maktum came to the Prophet as he was dictating that very Ayah to me. Ibn Umm Maktum said, ʿO Allah's Messenger! By Allah, if I had power, I would surely take part in Jihad.' He was a blind man. So Allah sent down revelation to His Messenger while his thigh was on mine and it became so heavy for me that I feared that my thigh would be broken. That ended after Allah revealed, غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (except those who are disabled). This was recorded by Al-Bukhari. At-Tirmidhi recorded that Ibn ʿAbbas said, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled), refers to those who did not go to the battle of Badr and those who went to Badr. When the battle of Badr was about to occur, Abu Ahmad bin Jahsh and Ibn Umm Maktum said, ʿWe are blind, O Messenger of Allah! Do we have an excuse' The Ayah, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled) was revealed. Allah made those who fight, above those who sit in their homes not hindered by disability. وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَـهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَـعِدِينَ أَجْراً عَظِيماًدَرَجَـتٍ مِّنْهُ (but Allah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home), by a huge reward. Degrees of (higher) grades from Him), above the believers who sit at home without a disability hindering them.
This is the wording recorded by At-Tirmidhi, who said, "Hasan Gharib. Allah's statement, لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْقَـعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home),) this is general. Soon after, the revelation came down with, غَيْرُ أُوْلِى الضَّرَرِ (except those who are disabled). So whoever has a disability, such as blindness, a limp, or an illness that prevents them from joining Jihad, they were not compared to the Mujahidin who strive in Allah's cause with their selves and wealth, as those who are not disabled and did not join the Jihad were. In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said, «إِنَّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَقْوَامًا مَا سِرْتُمْ مِنْ مَسِيرٍ، وَلَا قَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ وَادٍ، إِلَّا وَهُمْ مَعَكُمْ فِيه» قالوا: وهم بالمدينة يا رسول الله؟ (There are people who remained in Al-Madinah, who were with you in every march you marched and every valley you crossed.) They said, "While they are still in Al-Madinah, O Messenger of Allah He said, «نَعَمْ حَبَسَهُمُ الْعُذْر» (Yes. Only their disability hindered them (from joining you).) Allah said, وَكُلاًّ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى (Unto each, Allah has promised good) meaning, Paradise and tremendous rewards. This Ayah indicates that Jihad is not Fard on each and every individual, but it is Fard Kifayah (which is a collective duty). Allah then said, وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَـهِدِينَ عَلى القـعدين أجرا عظيما (but Allah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home), by a huge reward). Allah mentions what He has given them rooms in Paradise, along with His forgiveness and the descent of mercy and blessing on them, as a favor and honor from Him. So He said; دَرَجَـتٍ مِّنْهُ وَمَغْفِرَةً وَرَحْمَةً وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً (Degrees of (higher) grades from Him, and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.). In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abu Saʿid Al-Khudri said that the Messenger of Allah said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِائَةَ دَرَجَةٍ، أَعَدَّهَا اللهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ، مَا بَيْنَ كُلِّ دَرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْض» (There are a hundred grades in Paradise that Allah has prepared for the Mujahidin in His cause, between each two grades is the distance between heaven and Earth.)
Tafsir Ibn Kathir of Surah An-Nisaa, Verse 95