SHAFAQNA- Undoubtedly, the recommendations, measures and wills of the Prophet (PBUH) in the last days of his life are very important, but according to Ayatollah Yousefi Gharavi, a prominent Professor of Islamic history, the events that happened during the period of illness of the Prophet (PBUH) have not been recorded in history in a daily manner because they were not recorded in the beginning, nor were they written down later, that is, when historical news was allowed to be compiled.
In an interview with Shafaqna, Ayatollah Yousefi Gharavi pointed out several events in the last days of the life of the Prophet (PBUH), including: the request for stationery to write a written will, the will to Imam Ali (AS) for collecting and arranging the verses of the Holy Quran, taking measures to avoid deviating in determining his successor and not recognizing Abu Bakr as legitimate in congregational prayers; Of course, they did not allow any of the wills, wishes and measures of the Prophet (PBUH) to be implemented.
Following is a part of Ayatollah Yousefi Gharavi’s explanation in his conversation with Shafaqna about the will of the Prophet (PBUH) to collect and organize the Holy Quran by Imam Ali (PBUH).
Will of the Prophet (PBUH) to collect and organize the Holy Quran by Imam Ali (PBUH)
During the time the verses of the Quran were revealed, everyone wrote some of the verses for the Prophet (PBUH), because he did not write anything with his own hands, this is also mentioned in the Quran: “You ˹O Prophet˺ could not read any writing ˹even˺ before this ˹revelation˺, nor could you write at all. Otherwise, the people of falsehood would have been suspicious.” and they would accuse you more that you have adapted the Quran from previous divine books, i.e. the verses of the Torah and the Bible. You have heard it from Jews and Christians and now you are reciting it and you acknowledge that it was revealed to you by God.”
Some of the people of that time, even though they saw that the Prophet (PBUH) was not literate like them, they accused the Prophet (PBUH) but if he had written in front of them with his own hand, their accusations would have been stronger and stronger. Therefore, according to God’s command, the Prophet (PBUH) did not write any content or verse of the Quran with his own hands, and the Quran was written by others, and these verses were collected with the Prophet (PBUH).
When the Prophet (PBUH) was sick, he turned to Imam Ali (AS) in the presence of the people and said: “Under the bed on which I slept, there are bags or bundles in which the verses of the Quran are written and collected, after my death and burial, the first thing you care about and do is to collect and organize this Quran.”
Why had not the Verses of the Quran been collected and organized until then, and the Prophet (PBUH) had not ordered that they be collected in his presence?
It was not clear when the revelation of the verses of the Quran would end, it depended on the wisdom of God, who would reveal and command Gabriel, and Gabriel would reveal a verse or verses and a chapter revealed to the Prophet (PBUH). Even in the last year of the life of the Prophet (PBUH), i.e. the end of the 10th year of the Hijri and the first of the 11th year of the Hijri, verses were revealed.
It was even possible that until the last day of the Prophet’s (PBUH) life, Gabriel would descend and reveal some verses to the Prophet (PBUH) and because he had the policy of “waiting and patience”, the arrangement and collection of the verses of the Quran was not done, therefore it was necessary after the Prophet’s death, when the revelation of the verses ended, someone organize them and the Prophet (PBUH) gave this responsibility to Imam Ali (AS).
It took 6 months for Imam Ali (AS) to collect and arrange the Quran and after this period, he carried the collected, edited and arranged Quran on his shoulders and entered the mosque from his home and addressed the Muslims who had gathered and announced that you were and you saw and heard that the Prophet (PBUH) ordered me to collect and arrange the verses of the Quran, now I also collected them and brought them. Umar was shocked and said: “We ourselves have the writings of the Quran and we collect them ourselves. and there is no need for you to collect it.”
Therefore, they did not allow even this will of the Prophet (PBUH) to be implemented and said, “God’s book is enough for us.” Was it only during the time of the Prophet (PBUH) that it was necessary for the Quran to have an interpreter and the Prophet (PBUH) to be by the side of the Quran and whenever anyone did not understand any verse correctly and there was an ambiguity, he should ask the Prophet (PBUH) and the Prophet (PBUH) ) explain it to him?
After the Prophet (PBUH), this need ends and the Quran does not need an interpreter?! Certainly, the verses of the Quran should have been interpreted and ambiguities removed, but they, by opposing the Quran collected by Imam Ali (AS), actually wanted to prevent the interpretation of the Quran by the Ahl al-Bayt and they believed that the Quran is not very clear and we can follow our own opinion to interpret the verses and give any meaning that is beneficial to us.
They wanted to succeed the Prophet (PBUH) and said that if Ali (AS) succeeds the Prophet (PBUH), it will not be our turn. They also showed this thinking at the time of the Prophet’s (PBUH) death. When the Prophet (PBUH) passed away, they were sitting around the house of the Prophet (PBUH) and were waiting for the funeral ceremony to be done; Mughira bin Shuba said that you are waiting for Ali (A.S) to finish his work and take the place of the Prophet (PBUH) and assume the caliphate. After Ali (A.S), the caliphate goes to his children. Therefore, the life of all of you will end and you will not reach the caliphate and succession of the Prophet (PBUH), so now take this succession before Ali (AS).
Therefore, the second will of the Prophet (PBUH ) i.e. collecting and organizing the Quran was done by Hazrat Ali (AS), but they also prevented the acceptance of this will of the Prophet (PBUH).
Read more from Shafaqna:
UK’s Islamic Human Rights Council hosts discussion panel on book about Imam Ali