The Meaning of the Messenger Being Illiterate While He Is the Teacher of the Ummah
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
May Allah reward you. The questioner asks: How can the Messenger be illiterate while he is the teacher of the Ummah?
The Shaykh:
Allah knows best. He became a teacher through the teaching of Allah,[An-Nisa 4:113], which is correct with us. I am writing for you. [An-Najm 53:5] meaning Jibril (peace be upon him). He is the witness of the strength, Allah sent him to him, and he taught him.
He moved from ignorance to knowledge. As for the illiterate, he is illiterate, he does not read or write. This is reasonable, that he does not read or write. And this is among the miracles of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is among his miracles: that he carries this Shari'ah and this great Qur'an while he does not read or write. So there is the teaching of Allah to him (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The questioner:
May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh:
And those who follow.[Al-A'raf 7:157] He described him with that. Do you deny this?
May Allah reward you. The questioner asks: How can the Messenger be illiterate while he is the teacher of the Ummah?
The Shaykh:
Allah knows best. He became a teacher through the teaching of Allah,
and has taught you that which you did not know. And ever has the favor of Allah upon you been great.
وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُن تَعْلَمُ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًاTaught to him by one intense in strength -
عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰHe moved from ignorance to knowledge. As for the illiterate, he is illiterate, he does not read or write. This is reasonable, that he does not read or write. And this is among the miracles of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This is among his miracles: that he carries this Shari'ah and this great Qur'an while he does not read or write. So there is the teaching of Allah to him (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The questioner:
May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh:
And those who follow.
the Messenger, the unlettered prophet
الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ
Source
شرح كتاب التوحيد [ صالح الفوزان ]، تابع باب قول الله - تعالى - : { ومن الناس من يتخذ من دون الله أندادا يحبونهم كحب الله } — islamhouse.com (1:07:39)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.