Pen and Paper

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PEN AND PAPER INCIDENT

There was much political intrigue in days and weeks surrounding the death of Prophet Muhammad. The famous "PEN AND PAPER" incident occured just 4 days before his death.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad asked that writing materials be brought to him and Umar opposed the instruction.

Umar’s conduct violated the Quranic rulings relating to obedience to Prophet namely:

"Obey Allah and Obey his Prophet and worry, and be warned that Prophet's duty is only to deliver the message clearly" (Surah al Maidah verse 92)

"Perform Salat (Prayer), give Zakat and obey Allah and his Prophet" (Surah Mujadilah verses 12-13)

"Obey Allah and his Prophet and if you dispute, then on him is what is imposed on him, and on you is what is imposed on you; and if you obey him you are guided aright; and there is no duty on Prophet save the clear delivery". (Surah Nur verse 54)

Say, "Obey Allah and Prophet, but if they turn back, then verily Allah does not love the disbelievers" (Surah Aal-e-Imran verse 32)

"O ye who believe! Obey Allah and His Prophet, and turn not away from him when you hear (him speak)." (Surah Anfal verse 20)

"And obey Allah and His Prophet and do not quarrel." (Surah Anfal verse 46).

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The incident is reported in Musnad of Ahmad, volume 3 page 346. The tradition is declared 'Sahih' [genuine] by Shaykh Shoib al-Arnaut. It deals with what Umar was up to in the Calamity of Thursday:

Jabir said: "The Holy Prophet asked for a paper to write his Will after which which no one would get astray, but Umar objected until he rejected it".

Umar admits:

"We were with Prophet, and there was a screen between the women and between us. Prophet said: Wash me with seven waterskins and bring something to write upon and an inkpot, I shall write a document for you and you will never be misguided till eternity. The women said bring to Prophet what he wants. Umar said; I said to them: Keep quiet. You are like the women of Yusuf when he is ill and you shed tears, and when he is healthy you hold him by his neck. Thereupon Prophet said: They are better than you"

al-Tabaqat al Kabir, Volume 2 page 305 English translation by S. Moinul Haq

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Only two groups were in the room at the time, Umar lead those opposed the writing of the will.

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This is one of the traditions we read in Sahih al-Bukhari (the others which provide more detail will be shown shortly) as narrated by Ibn Abbas:

When the time of the death of Prophet approached while there were some men in the house, and among them was Umar Ibn al-Khattab, Prophet said: "Come near let me write for you a writing after which you will never go astray." Umar said: "Prophet is seriously ill, and you have the Qur'an, so Allah's Book is sufficient for us." The people in the house differed and disputed. Some of them said, "Come near so that Prophet may write for you a writing after which you will not go astray," while the others said what Umar said. When they made much noise and quarreled greatly in front of Prophet, he said to them, "Go away and leave me." Ibn Abbas used to say, "It was a great disaster that their quarrel and noise prevented Prophet from writing a statement for them.

Sahih al Bukhari Arabic-English Volume 9 hadith number 468 and Volume 7 hadith 573

We read a further account in Sahih al Bukhari as narrated by Sa'id Ibn Jubair, who heard Ibn Abbas say:

"Thursday! And you know not what Thursday is?" After that Ibn Abbas wept till the stones on the ground were soaked with his tears. On that I asked Ibn Abbas, "What is (about) Thursday?" He said, "When the condition (i.e. health) of Prophet deteriorated, he said, 'Bring me a bone of scapula, so that I may write something for you after which you will never go astray.' The people differed in their opinions although it was improper to differ in front of a prophet. They said, 'What is wrong with him? Do you think he is talking no sense (delirious)? Ask him (to see if he is talking no sense). Prophet replied, 'Leave me, for I am in a better state than what you are asking me.' Then Prophet ordered them to do three things saying: 'Turn out all the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula, show respect to all foreign delegates by giving them gifts as I used to do.' The third order was something beneficial which either Ibn Abbas did not mention or he mentioned but I forgot!.

Sahih al Bukhari Arabic-English Volume 9 hadith number 468 and Volume 4 hadith 393

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Allamah Shahrastani in his classic book (indeed the pre-eminent Sunni treatise on the topic, standard reading in all good Sunni madrasahs) concerning divisions in Islam attests that the origin of disputes amongst the companions originated from this tragic episode of the Calamity of Thursday.

He writes:

"The first dispute that took place during Prophet's sickness, according to what the Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad b. Isma'il al-Bukhari relates on the authority of Abdullah b. Abbas, is as follows: When the last sickness of Prophet became acute, he said, 'Bring me an inkpot and writing material; I shall write something for you so that you will not be led astray after my departure'. Umar said, 'Prophet has been overcome by pain, God's Book is sufficient for us'. A noisy argument arose among those gathered; whereupon Prophet said 'Go away there should be no quarrelling in my presence'. Ibn Abbas says, 'What a tragedy which prevented us from having some writing of Prophet!".

Al Mihal al Nahal, by Allamah Muhuummud b. Add'al Karim Shahrastani, page 18 - English translation by A.K.Kazi and J.G.Flynn (publishers Kegan Paul International, First Edition 1984)

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Sahih al-Bukhari: as narrated by Ibn Abbas:

When the time of the death of Prophet approached while there were some men in the house, and among them was Umar Ibn al-Khattab, Prophet said: "Come near let me write for you a writing after which you will never go astray." Umar said: "Prophet is seriously ill, and you have the Qur'an, so Allah's Book is sufficient for us." The people in the house differed and disputed. Some of them said, "Come near so that Prophet may write for you a writing after which you will not go astray," while the others said what Umar said. When they made much noise and quarreled greatly in front of Prophet, he said to them, "Go away and leave me." Ibn Abbas used to say, "It was a great disaster that their quarrel and noise prevented Prophet from writing a statement for them.

Sahih al Bukhari Arabic-English Volume 9 hadith number 468 and Volume 7 hadith 573.

Sahih al Bukhari as narrated by Sa'id Ibn Jubair, who heard Ibn Abbas say:

"Thursday! And you know not what Thursday is?" After that Ibn Abbas wept till the stones on the ground were soaked with his tears. On that I asked Ibn Abbas, "What is (about) Thursday?" He said, "When the condition (i.e. health) of Prophet deteriorated, he said, 'Bring me a bone of scapula, so that I may write something for you after which you will never go astray.' The people differed in their opinions although it was improper to differ in front of a prophet. They said, 'What is wrong with him? Do you think he is talking no sense (delirious)? Ask him (to see if he is talking no sense). Prophet replied, 'Leave me, for I am in a better state than what you are asking me.' Then Prophet ordered them to do three things saying: 'Turn out all the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula, show respect to all foreign delegates by giving them gifts as I used to do.' The third order was something beneficial which either Ibn Abbas did not mention or he mentioned but I forgot!.

Sahih al Bukhari Arabic-English Volume 9 hadith number 468 and Volume 4 hadith 393.

We read in Sahih Bukhari under the chapter ‘Holding Fast to the Qur'an and Sunnah’ Volume 9, Book 92, Number 468:

Narrated Ibn Abbas: “When the time of the death of Prophet approached while there were some men in the house, and among them was Umar, Prophet said, "Come near let me write for you a writing after which you will never go astray." Umar said, "Prophet is seriously ill, and you have the Quran, so Allah's Book is sufficient for us." The people in the house differed and disputed. Some of them said, "Come near so that Prophet may write for you a writing after which you will not go astray," while some of them said what Umar said. When they made much noise and differed greatly before Prophet, he said to them, "Go away and leave me." Ibn Abbas used to say, "It was a great disaster that their difference and noise prevented Prophet from writing that writing for them.”

Muslim presents various narratives of the event in the Book of Wills:

Sa'id b. Jubair reported that Ibn Abbas said: Thursday, (and then said): What is this Thursday? He then wept so much that his tears moistened the pebbles. I said: Ibn Abbas, what is (significant) about Thursday? He (Ibn Abbas) said: The illness of Prophet took a serious turn (on this day), and he said: Come to me, so that I should write for you a document that you may not go astray after me. They (the Companions around him) disputed, and it is not right to dispute in the presence of Prophet. They said: How is he? Has he lost his consciousness? Try to learn from him (this point). He said: Leave me. I am better in the state (than the one in which you are engaged). I make a will about three things: Turn out the polytheists from the territory of Arabia; show hospitality to the (foreign) delegations as I used to show them hospitality. He (the narrator) said: He (Ibn Abbas) kept silent on the third point, or he (the narrator) said: But I forgot that.

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4014

Sa'id b. Jubair reported from Ibn Abbas that he said: Thursday, and what about Thursday? Then tears began to flow until I saw them on his cheeks as it they were the strings of pearls. He (the narrator) said that Prophet said: Bring me a shoulder blade and ink-pot (or tablet and inkpot), so that I write for you a document (by following which) you would never go astray. They said: Prophet is in the state of unconsciousness.

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4015

Ibn Abbas reported: When Prophet was about to leave this world, there were persons (around him) in his house, Umar b. al-Khattab being one of them. Prophet said: Come, I may write for you a document; you would not go astray after that. Thereupon Umar said: Verily Prophet is deeply afflicted with pain. You have the Qur'an with you. The Book of Allah is sufficient for us. Those who were present in the house differed. Some of them said: Bring him (the writing material) so that Prophet may write a document for you and you would never go astray after him. And some among them said what Umar had (already) said. When they indulged in nonsense and began to dispute in the presence of Prophet, he said: Get up (and go away) 'Ubaidullah said: Ibn Abbas used to say: There was a heavy loss, indeed a heavy loss, that, due to their dispute and noise. Prophet could not write (or dictate) the document for them.

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4016

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Note: Instead of relying on the Saudi paid English translator, we present the ‘actual’ translation when translating the Arabic term ‘Yahjur’ as ‘nonsense’ while the Saudi translator has translated them as “Has he lost his consciousness?” and “Prophet is in the state of unconsciousness” respectively:

We read in Sahih Bukhari under the chapter ‘Holding Fast to the Quran and Sunnah’ Volume 9, Book 92, Number 468:

Narrated Ibn Abbas: When the time of the death of Prophet approached while there were some men in the house, and among them was Umar, Prophet said, "Come near let me write for you a writing after which you will never go astray." Umar said, "Prophet is seriously ill, and you have the Quran, so Allah's Book is sufficient for us." The people in the house differed and disputed. Some of them said, "Come near so that Prophet may write for you a writing after which you will not go astray," while some of them said what Umar said. When they made much noise and differed greatly before Prophet, he said to them, "Go away and leave me." Ibn Abbas used to say, "It was a great disaster that their difference and noise prevented Prophet from writing that writing for them.

Muslim presents various narratives of the event in the Book of Wills:

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4016:

Ibn Abbas reported: When Prophet was about to leave this world, there were persons (around him) in his house, Umar b. al-Kbattab being one of them. Prophet said: Come, I may write for you a document; you would not go astray after that. Thereupon Umar said: Verily Prophet is deeply afflicted with pain. You have the Quran with you. The Book of Allah is sufficient for us. Those who were present in the house differed. Some of them said: Bring him (the writing material) so that Prophet may write a document for you and you would never go astray after him And some among them said what Umar had (already) said. When they indulged in nonsense and began to dispute in the presence of Prophet, he said: Get up (and go away) Ubaidullah said: Ibn Abbas used to say: There was a heavy loss, indeed a heavy loss, that, due to their dispute and noise. Prophet could not write (or dictate) the document for them.

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4014:

Sa'id b. Jubair reported that Ibn Abbas said: Thursday, (and then said): What is this Thursday? He then wept so much that his tears moistened the pebbles. I said: Ibn Abbas, what is (significant) about Thursday? He (Ibn Abbas) said: The illness of Prophet took a serious turn (on this day), and he said: Come to me, so that I should write for you a document that you may not go astray after me. They (the Companions around him) disputed, and it is not meet to dispute in the presence of Prophet. They said: How is he? Is he talking nonsense? Try to learn from him (this point). Prophet said: Leave me. I am better in the state (than the one in which you are engaged). I make a will about three things: Turn out the polytheists from the territory of Arabia; show hospitality to the (foreign) delegations as I used to show them hospitality. He (the narrator) said: He (Ibn Abbas) kept silent on the third point, or he (the narrator) said: But I forgot that.

Sahih Muslim Book 013, Number 4015:

Sa'id b. Jubair reported from Ibn Abbas that he said: Thursday, and what about Thursday? Then tears began to flow until I saw them on his cheeks as it they were the strings of pearls. He (the narrator) said that Prophet said: Bring me a shoulder blade and ink-pot (or tablet and inkpot), so that I write for you a document (by following which) you would never go astray. They said: Prophet is talking nonsense.

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‘Yahjur‘comes from the root word ‘Hajara’.

According to Hans Wehr's "A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J. Milton Cowan

"Hajara means "To emigrate; to give up; to abandon; to talk nonsense"

"Al-Munjad" also defines Hajara as:

"incoherent speech, nonsense"

The root word ‘hajara’ had also been used to refer to nonsense by Allah on two occasions, firstly in Surah Furqan verse 30:

"O my Lord! Truly my people took this Quran for just foolish nonsense."

Then in Al-Mumenoon, verse 67:

"In arrogance: talking nonsense about the (Quran), like one telling fables by night."

The word ‘delirium’ comes from the Latin delirare. In its Latin form, the word means to become crazy or to rave. This medical website provides us with the following definition of the word:

Delirium: A sudden state of severe confusion and rapid changes in brain function, sometimes associated with hallucinations and hyperactivity, in which the patient is inaccessible to normal contact. Symptoms may include inability to concentrate and disorganized thinking evidenced by rambling, irrelevant, or incoherent speech. There may be a reduced level of consciousness, sensory misperceptions and illusions, disturbances of sleep, drowsiness, disorientation to time, place, or person, and problems with memory.

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Shaikh ul Islam Ibn Taimiyyah who said in Minhaj al-Sunnah, Volume 6 page 202:

“On Thursday he (the Holy Prophet) determined to write a will. But, Umar said: ‘What is wrong with him, is he delirious?’ Umar had doubts if that statement (of the Holy Prophet) was a rave due to illness, or was a regular statement. Thus Umar feared that the Holy Prophet might have been raving due to fever”.

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In the English translation of Tabari, the translator has remained faithful to the Arabic text. He narrates from Ibn Abbas:

"Prophet said bring me a tablet (lawh) and an inkpot (dawat), so that I can write for you a document, after which you will not go astray". Some people said that Prophet was talking deliriously".

The History of Tabari, Volume 9 translated by Ismail. K. Poonawala p 175

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The translator committed dishonesty by translating it as "Prophetis seriously sick" while ‘Yahjur’ does not mean "seriously sick".

Here is another variation of the pen and paper episode from Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 288:

Narrated Said bin Jubair: Ibn Abbas said, "Thursday! What (great thing) took place on Thursday!" Then he started weeping till his tears wetted the gravels of the ground . Then he said, "On Thursday the illness of Prophet was aggravated and he said, "Fetch me writing materials so that I may have something written to you after which you will never go astray." The people (present there) differed in this matter and people should not differ before a prophet. They said, "Prophet is talking nonsense.' Prophet said, "Let me alone, as the state in which I am now, is better than what you are calling me for." Prophet on his death-bed, gave three orders saying, "Expel the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula, respect and give gifts to the foreign delegates as you have seen me dealing with them." I forgot the third (order)" (Ya'qub bin Muhammad said, "I asked Al-Mughira bin 'Abdur-Rahman about the Arabian Peninsula and he said, 'It comprises Mecca, Medina, Al-Yama-ma and Yemen." Ya'qub added, "And Al-Arj, the beginning of Tihama.")

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Abu Bakr’s mental state on his death bed.

Ayseha [ra] said: ‘Uthman was writing the will of Abu Bakr, then Abu Bakr fainted, thus Uthman wrote the name of Umar. When Abu Bakr woke up and asked: ‘Waht you have written?’ He (Uthman) replied: ‘I wrote Umar’’. He (Abu Bakr) said: ‘you wrote the thing which I wanted to tell, even if you wrote your own name instead it, you would be suitable for it’’.

Tarikh al-Madina, Volume 2 page 667

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The Sunni Muhadatheen had a habit of covering up traditions that painted the Sahaba in a bad light.

Imam Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Haroon bin Yazeed al-Khilal Abu Bakr (d. 311) who authored the esteemed Sunni work Al-Sunnah the margin of which has been written by Dr.Attya al-Zahrani . We read in Al-Sunnah, Volume 3 page 511 Tradition 822:

Al-Fadhel bin Ziyad said: ‘A man presented a book to Ahmad bin Hanbal which contained Hadiths denouncing certain companions of Prophet [as]’. He (Ahmad) read through it, and said, "Verily, whoever compiled this is an evil man’. And I heard Abu Abdullah saying: ‘I have been informed that Salam bin Abi Muti' went to Abi Awwanah and borrowed from him a book that contained unfortunate narrations that he had heard from Al-A'mash. He therefore showed them to Abi Awwanah. Salam bin Abi Muti' then proceeded to burn them’. A man said to Abu Abdullah: ‘I hope this does not harm him in any thing’. Abu Abdullah replied, ‘Harm him!! Nay, he will rewarded Inshallah’. // The chain is Sahih.

We read in Volume 3 page 512 Tradition 827:

Al-Abbas bin Muhammad Al-Dawri stated that in Muhadhir's books he read some Hadiths that were abandoned. So I asked him, "What are these abandoned ahadith?” He replied: ‘These are the scorpions that Ibn Abi Shaybah forbade me from reporting’ // The chain is Hasan.

We read in Volume 3 page 511 Tradition 824:

Abu Bakr al-Maruwthi said: ‘I heard Abu Abdullah saying: ‘Don’t say anything about the companions of Prophet except the good things’ // The chain is Sahih.

We read in Volume 3 page 510 Tradition 821:

Abu Bakr al-Marwdhi said to Abu Abdullah: ‘I have borrowed a book from the man of hadith in which there exists some bad Hadiths. Should I tear it or burn it?’ He (Ahmad bin Hanbal) replied: ‘Yes’. Salam bin Abi Muti borrowed a book from Abi Awana a that contained such traditions thus Salam burnt the book. I said: ‘Shall I burn it?’ He replied: ‘Yes’. // The chain is Sahih.

We read in Volume 3 page 510 Tradition 820:

Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal narrates that he heard his father saying: ‘Salam bin Abi Mutee is among the Thuqaat [reliable] the companion of Ayub, he was a pious man and Abdulrahman bin Mahdi narrated his narrations to me’. Then my father said: ‘Abu Awwanah had compiled a book that contained the faults of the companions of Prophet and it contained unfortunate traditions. Thus Salam bin Muti' came to him and said, ‘O Abu Awwanah! Give me the book’. He did. Salam took it and burnt it’’. // The chain is Sahih.

We read in Volume 3 page 502 Tradition 803:

Yahya bin Moin said: ‘Ahmad, Khalaf and another man were with Abdulrazaq, when the blemish Hadiths appeared. Ahmad thrusted his fingers into his ears for a long time. He thene removed his fingers and then put them back again (over his ears) until all the traditions passed’. // The chain contains al-Abbas bin Muhammad.

We read in Volume 3 page 501 Tradition 800:

A man asked Abu Abdullah: ‘When someone narrates traditions containing faults of the companions of Prophet, should he narrate it just as he heard it?’ He replied: ‘I disliked narrating a tradition containing a fault of the companions of Prophet and I abandon such traditions that contain faults of the companions of Prophet’.

We read in Volume 3 page 504 Tradition 807:

Muhana said: I’ asked Ahmad about Ubaidullah bin Musa al-Abasi?’ He replied: ‘He is Kufi’. I said: ‘How is he?’ He replied: ‘As Allah wanted him to be’. I said: ‘O Abu Abdullah, how is he?’ He replied: ‘I don’t like to narrate from him’. I said:’Why?’ He replied: ‘Because he narrated Hadiths that degraded some companions of Prophet’ .// The chain is Sahih.

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The Sahaba were aware that a will in favour of Ali (as) was in circulation.

Right at the beginning of his mission when Prophet was instructed "And warn your tribe of near kindred..." (26: 214), he [s] summoned his close relatives and delivered this speech, the first call to Islam:

“Al-Fadl bin Sahl- Afan bin Muslim- Abu Awana- Uthman bin al-Mughira- Abi Sadeq- Rabeea bin Najed narrated that a man came to Ali and said: Oh commander of believers, why only you inherited your cousin without your uncle? He (Ali) replied: Prophet invited the children of Abdulmutalib and he cooked for them food, they ate till they get fulfilled and the food remained as if no one had touched it, then he (Prophet) brought water and all of them drank from it, but the water remained as if no one had touched it or drank from it.Then he (Prophet) said: ‘Oh children of Abdulmutalib, I have been sent to you specially and to the people in general, and you saw the sign of that, therefore who among you give baya to be my brother, my companion, my inheritor and my minister.’No one responded for that, hence I responded and I was the youngest among them, he (Prophet) said: ‘Sit down’ for three times. I responded and He say ‘Sit down’, till the third time he clapped by his hand on my thigh and said: ‘You are my brother, companion, inheritor and minister’. Hence I inherited my cousin without my uncle.”

Khasais by Imam Nesai, page 85

We read in Sahih Muslim Book 13, Number 4013:

Aswad b. Yazid reported: It was mentioned before A'isha that will had been made (by the Holy Prophet) in favour of Ali (as Prophet's first caliph), whereupon she said: When did he make will in his favour? I had been providing support to him (to the Holy Prophet) with my chest (or with my lap). He asked for a tray, when he fell in my lap (relaxing his body), and I did not realise that he had breathed his last. When did he make any will in his ('Ali's) favour?

Ayesha seeks to quash the idea of a will for Ali by claiming that Prophet died resting on her bosom. But there exist narrations in Tabaqat ibn Sad volume 2 pages 327-329 that inform us that he died whilst in the arms of Imam Ali.

It is well known that Ayesha had intense hatred for Ali and his children. After the death of Prophet, Ayesha left her house in defiance of her husband in order to campaign against Ali. She managed to raise an army. This army of Ayesha fought Ali at Basra in Iraq.


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