Muhammad and illiteracy: Difference between revisions

===The word ''ummiy'' in the Quran===

The word ''ummiy'' (أمي) appears 6 times in the Quran. Two times in the singular (verses 7:157-158) and four times in the plural form (verses 2:78, 3:20, 3:75 and 62:2). <ref>http://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=Amm</ref> From the verses we will see that the word doesn't have to necessarily mean "illiterate", but can also mean "ignorant" or "pagan" or "gentile".

The two singular forms are in the verses 7:157 and 7:158 in the context of talking about Moses:

{{Quote-text|{{Quran|7|155-159}}|

So the verse 29:12 actually talks about hypocrites who give lame excuses for not reading the Bible.

One of the plural forms is in sura 2:

{{Quote-text|{{Quran|2|78}}|

So here the word could mean "illiterate" or "ignorant".

Another is in the verse 3:20.

{{Quote-text|{{Quran|3|20}}|

So if they the disbelievers dispute with you O Muhammad (s) concerning religion say to them ‘I have surrendered my countenance to God that is to say I have submitted to Him I and whoever follows me’ wajh ‘countenance’ is chosen here because of its noble character for the other parts of the body will just as soon surrender once the countenance has; and say to those who have been given the Scripture the Jews and the Christians '''and to the uninstructed the Arab idolaters''' ‘Have you submitted?’ that is to say ‘Submit!’ And so if they have submitted they have been guided from error but if they turn their backs to Islam your duty is only to deliver the Message; and God sees His servants and so requites them for their deeds — this statement was revealed before the command to fight them had been revealed.}}

So here, according to the tafsir Al-Jalalayn, the word ''ummiy'' means gentile/pagan.

{{Quote-text|{{Quran|3|75}}|

And among the People of the Scripture is he who, if you entrust him with a great amount [of wealth], he will return it to you. And among them is he who, if you entrust him with a [single] silver coin, he will not return it to you unless you are constantly standing over him [demanding it]. That is because they say, "There is no blame upon us concerning '''the unlearned''' (الْأُمِّيِّينَ, ''al-ummeena'')." And they speak untruth about Allah while they know [it].}}

So from this verse it seem to indicate that ummiy means gentile.

{{Quote-text|{{Quran|62|2-3}}|

62:2 "It is He who has sent among '''the unlettered''' (الْأُمِّيِّينَ, ''al-ummeen'') a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom - although they were before in clear error -"