Prolegomena Lesson 12 Chapter 7 part 2 Evidence of prevention of the existing Quran from alteration

evidence which supports prevention of Quran from alteration. From the Quran: A- 15:9 In this verse it clearly states that God will protect it from alteration. Problems and misconceptions of the supporters of alteration: 1. But those who support alteration interpreted this verse metaphorically, and considered “zikr” is the Prophet (S) with the clue of 65: Respond: The opinion is invalid, because the verse says the zikr which was descended, and Prophet (S) was not descended, and Prophet (S) was not descended, he was sent. The clue is also in 15:16.

2. Protection could mean, from the abuse and insult of the people Respond: This is invalid and rejected because many non-believers and enemies of Islam they insulted and mocked the Quran. -yes, if it means the protection of its great deep meanings, then that is correct if we say before the descend of the Quran. After the descend of the Quran, it protects its dept meaning, and this is not understood from the verse.

3.The unaltered Qur'an is with the Imam (AJ) The verse indicates the protection in sum, that means that there is at least one copy unaltered with the 12th Imam(AS), and if at least that copy is protected, then the Quran is said to be protected. Even though if there are copies which might have had altered. Respond: -weak interpretation, the miracle appears by being protected where the chances of alteration are more, in the hand of the people. -What is the use of the protected copy if it was not beneficial to people.

4. Cannot prove Qur'an from Qur'an: Proving the prevention from alteration, by this verse created a logical circle, may be this verse is altered, in that case it can not be used. Respond: -The acknowledgement of if infallibles (AS) and there authentic narrations that prove that the Qur'an has not been altered, and that the Qur'an is proof and authoritative

B. Second verse from the Qur'an: 41:41-42 Alteration is from Batil (wrong), and it cannot reach the Qur'an. Misconception: No batil comes to it from books before it such as the batil in the testaments, and no books came after it to invalidate it, and it does not contain invalid information. And does not reflect prevention from alteration. Respond: The batil or vain is general in it includes the inappropriate things from the previous books, and alteration too it includes. So every type of batil is away from the Qur'an.

Evidence from the Hadeeth that Qur'an cannot be altered: 1. Hadeeth “Athaqalayn” the two heavy things left by the Prophet (S), and the Prophet (S) command the Muslims to hold to them, and follow them, and not to deviate from them, because they are 2 resources of guidance. So if there was alteration, the Prophet (S) would not have commanded the Muslims to follow them. -The hadeeth proves the existence of the 12th Imam (AS) with the Qur'an.

Misconception: The hadeeth indicates the prevention from alteration in commands, such as verse of Jurisprudence, and does not prevent an alteration in the rest of the Qur'an. Respond: The whole Qur'an is a book of guidance, every single world is light of guidance, the verses of Qur'an are proof and have authority, if there was an alteration, then it would not have been permissible to take the apparent meaning of the verses, because it might be the altered verse, and our Infallibles (AS) considered the Quran proof in itself.

Permission To Recite The Chapters In Salaat: The Infallibles (AS) commanded their followers to recite a complete chapter from the Qur'an after Fatiha or opening. And gave them permission to recite divided parts of it in the Salaat of Signs (Ayaat) so if there was an alteration, such would not have been permitted.

The Alteration Happened By The Caliphs: All those narrations are solitary, and rejected. Because Qur'an was transmitted by tawator, hundreds of companions memorized it and taught it to hundreds and thousands, generation after generation. If alteration would have done by the caliphs, then Imam Ali would not have been silent (several times Imam Ali (AS) opposed the caliphs when they did wrong such as the Khilafat and fadak), if for some reason he was silent in front of them, then when he came to power he would have mentioned it, and since such did not happen, then it proves that the Qur'an was not altered by the caliphs. Even Uthman, when people killed him they mentioned so many mistakes but the issue of alteration was not one of those. And if such would have been done by one of the three caliphs, Imam Ali (AS) would have corrected it, but nothing like that has been recorded.

The Confusion Of Those Who Claim And Support The Alteration: First misconception: The alteration happened in previous books, and the Prophet (S) said whatever happened in previous nations will happen, and since alteration happened in previous books, then alteration happened in the Qur'an. Response: The narration of resemblance are solitary and weak. There is no alteration by increase in the Quran, but it happened in the previous books. Many things happened in the previous nations but did not happen in Islam, such as worshipping the cow, lost of children and Israel for 40 years, Kingdom of Suleiman (AS), birth of Jesus (AS) without father, or signs of Musa (AS). So if there is resemblance it may be partial. If hypothetically the hadeeth is authentic then the alteration is restricted to the end of time before resurrection, and not in the early time of Islam

Second Misconception: Imam Ali(AS) presented the scripture or codes of Quran to the caliph, but was rejected, such codes which had more than our Quran, so our Quran has alteration by decrease. He mentioned that it is the diction of the Prophet(S), and interpretation, it includes everything a nation needs until the day of Judgment. Respond: The extra things in the Quran of Imam Ali(AS) was not a part of Quran, but interpretation. There is no strong evidence about such claim, on the contrary the evidence clearly states the Quran was not altered.

Third Misconception: The narrations of Ahlul Bayt(AS) indicates uninterrupted (multiple) (tawator) that alteration happened. Respond: Does not indicate the debative type of alteration most of these are weak Some of these are narrated by a fabricators like Ahmad Sayari and Ahmad Alkofi

Discussion Of The Narrations: first group indicates: 20 narrations which indicate that the real alterations happened. some narrations indicate the alteration in the recitors and the readings, such kind of alteration happened with the security of the Qur'an. others talks about the alteration in the meanings, which also happened, such as denying the Quality of Ahlul Bayt(AS) and the praise.

Second group: Many narrations included names of Infallibles(AS) explicitly Respond: If the narrations are authentic and it was possible to have a metaphor that is Tanzeel (descended interpretation), then that is the course. If the above is not possible, then such narrations must be rejected. If the name of Imam Ali (AS) was mentioned in the Qur'an explicitly, then it would have not required the incident Ghadeer. So Authentication of this incident rejects such narration. The correct narration of Abu Baseer where he asks the reason of the names of Ahlul Bayt(AS) not mentioned in the Quran, Imam(AS) mentioned that the number of rakaat in the salaat was not mentioned in the Qur'an but the Prophet (S) explained it. -This correct narrations overruled all the weak narrations which indicates that the names of the infallibles (AS) were removed from the Quran. 5. The opposition party to the first caliph who supported Imam Ali (AS) did not present those verses which has the name of Imam Ali (AS).

The third group: narrations clearly states that real alteration with increase and decrease happened, such replacing a name. Respond: weakness in the narrators oppose the Qur'an and authentic hadeeth, and the consensus of the Muslims on the issue of increase.

The fourth group: the narrations which indicate only a decrease happened in the Qur'an. These narrations, most of them are weak, and if narrators in the link is perfect, then it is interpreted to the metaphorical, but if it contradicts the Qur'an and Sunna, it will be rejected as most of those. -weak=rejection -authentic, contradicting=rejected -possible to interpret=accepted -whatever narration contradicts the Qur'an and the mutawwator narration, it must be rejected, unless if the interpretation was possible.