The Phrase "...And Teach Them the Book and Wisdom..." (Quran 2:129) Means Muhammad Conveyed the Book which Is Synonymous with Wisdom

Published in July 30, 2018

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- We imagine that this question would be posed to our person one day: (You say that Muhammad's mission never included to explain or interpret the Quran; God says in the Quran that Muhammad has taught people around them the Book and Wisdom; hence, why are you not convinced that Muhammad was a teacher who explained the Quranic verses to his contemporaries?). We said to ourselves that the Quran never contains any contradictions or discrepancies; therefore, the fact that Muhammad taught his contemporaries the Book and Wisdom simply means that his sole mission was to warn, bring glad tidings, and deliver God's message by merely reading the Quran to them. Thus, to read Quranic verses to them means to teach them the Book (i.e., the Quran), whose many synonyms include the terms (Wisdom) and (knowledge).    

2- God says the following about Abraham and his first-born son Ishmael and their prayers (which were predicting Muhammad) while re-building the Kaaba: "Our Lord, and raise up among them a messenger, of themselves, who will read to them Your Verses, and teach them the Book and Wisdom, and purify them. You are the Almighty, the Wise."" (2:129); "Just as We sent to you a messenger from among you, who reads Our Verses to you, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and Wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know." (2:151); "God has blessed the believers, as He raised up among them a messenger from among themselves, who reads to them His Verses, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and Wisdom; although before that they were in evident error." (3:164); "It is He who sent among the unlettered a messenger from themselves; reading His Verses to them, and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and Wisdom; they were before it in obvious misguidance." (62:2). It is a common mistake or a misconception to assume that any prophets/messengers are like tutors/teachers in a classroom or a school with disciples or students around them. The image is totally different when we ponder deeply on the Quranic terminology.  

3- As per Quranic terminology, the Divine Revelation is (knowledge); God has taught Muhammad the Quran and before that, Muhammad never knew about Islam; God has commanded Muhammad to read the Quran to people; this means his mission to teach them is by merely reading its verses to them in public. After the death of Muhammad, the Quran remains until the Last Day as the source of knowledge to teach people what they never knew before.

4- We provide more details in the points below.

Firstly: the celestial revelation from God is the Divine Book, which is knowledge:

1- The ministry of any of God's prophets/messengers began when God provides him with knowledge and Wisdom; both are synonyms to describe the Divine Scripture. 

1/1: God says the following about Joseph: "When he reached his maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge..." (12:22).

1/2: God says the following about Moses: "And when he reached his maturity, and became established, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. ..." (28:14).

1/3: God says the following about Lot: "And Lot - We gave him judgment and knowledge..." (21:74).

2- This Divine, Celestial Revelation makes the messengers/prophets of the Lord God distinguished from other human beings.

2/1: God says the following about David and Solomon: "And We gave David and Solomon knowledge. They said, "Praise God, who has favored us over many of His believing servants."" (27:15).

2/2: God's messengers/prophets know and learn from God what they did not know; God has taught them the message or Scripture.

2/2/1: Noah said to his people: ""I deliver to you the messages of my Lord, and I advise you, and I know from God what you do not know."" (7:62)

2/2/2: Abraham said to his father: "O my father, there has come to me knowledge that never came to you. So follow me, and I will guide you along a straight way." (19:43).

2/2/3: Jacob said to his sons: "..."I only complain of my grief and sorrow to God, and I know from God what you do not know."" (12:86).

Secondly: the Lord God has taught Muhammad and endowed him with knowledge; i.e., the Quran:

 Since this knowledge; i.e., the Quran, is bestowed from the Lord God to Muhammad, this means that God has taught Muhammad the Quran to deliver it to people.

1- God says the following about Jacob: "...He was a person of knowledge inasmuch as We had taught him..." (12:68).

2- Jacob said the following to Joseph after he narrated his dream to his father: "And thus your Lord will choose you, and will teach you the interpretation of events, and will complete His blessing upon you and upon the family of Jacob, as He has completed it before upon your forefathers Abraham and Isaac. Your Lord is Knowing and Wise." (12:6).

3- Joseph said the following to his prison-cell inmates: "..."No food is served to you, but I have informed you about it before you have received it. That is some of what my Lord has taught me..." (12:37).

4- God says the following about Jesus: "And He will teach him the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel." (3:48); "...How I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel..." (5:110).

Thirdly: the Quran is the knowledge from God:

1- The Quran has many descriptions, including the term (knowledge); hence, reading this knowledge to others means to teach or inform them of the Quranic text as God's Last Message to humanity.

2- Muhammad received the entirety of the Quranic text into his soul/mind/heart at Mount Al-Tur, in Sinai, Egypt, during the Night-Journey when he was transported miraculously there; see our book, in English, titled "The Night-Journey Is The Night of Decree", found on this link: (http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=112). Yet, God made him read Quranic verses in chunks separately as per the occasions during his lifetime within several stages; he never uttered them unless with God's command and leave: "Exalted is God, the True King. Do not be hasty with the Quran before its inspiration to you is concluded, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge."" (20:114); the phrase (increase me in knowledge) means to increase his Quranic revelation/knowledge and to permit/help him to deliver the entire Quranic message before his death.  

3- After showing the truth about the creation of Jesus, God has said to Muhammad: "And if anyone disputes with you about him, after the knowledge that has come to you, say, "Come, let us call our children and your children, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, and let us invoke God's curse on the liars."" (3:61). The phrase (after the knowledge that has come to you) means that the Quran is the Divine, Celestial knowledge from God.

4- God has warned Muhammad against following desires/whims of the People of the Book after he received Divine knowledge (i.e., the Quran): "The Jews and the Christians will not approve of you, unless you follow their creed. Say, "God's guidance is the guidance." Should you follow their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you will have in God neither guardian nor helper." (2:120); "Even if you were to bring to those who were given the Book every proof, they would not follow your direction, nor are you to follow their direction, nor do they follow the direction of one another. And if you were to follow their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you would be in that case one of the unjust ones." (2:145); "...Were you to follow their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you would have neither ally nor defender against God." (13:37); of course, the term (knowledge) in all these verses refers only to the Quranic text.

Fourthly: before the descent of the Quran, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah of Qorayish did not know anything about God's religion:

1- Before the descent of the Quran, Muhammad never knew anything about religion; he was heedless and unaware: "...These are the Verses of the Clear Book. We have revealed it an Arabic Quran, so that you may understand. We narrate to you the most accurate history, by revealing to you this Quran. Although, prior to it, you were of the unaware." (12:1-3).

2- Of course, within the Quranic Chapter 12, for instance, Muhammad was taught the story of Joseph; God has said the following to him by the end of the Quranic Chapter 12: "This is news from the past that We reveal to you. You were not present with them when they plotted and agreed on a plan." (12:102).

3- God has said the following to Muhammad by the end of the story of Noah: "These are some stories from the past that we reveal to you. Neither you, nor your people knew them before this. So be patient. The future belongs to the pious ones." (11:49).

Fifthly: God has taught Muhammad what he did not know previously:

1- God has said the following to Muhammad: "Were it not for God's grace towards you, and His mercy, a faction of them would have managed to mislead you. But they only mislead themselves, and they cannot harm you in any way. God has revealed to you the Book and Wisdom, and has taught you what you did not know. God's goodness towards you is great." (4:113).

2- God never taught Muhammad poetry but the Quran, whose many names include (Remembrance), as per this verse: "We did not teach him poetry, nor is it proper for him. It is only a reminder, and a Clear Quran." (36:69).

3- Likewise, real believers are taught by the Quran things they never knew about; e.g., prayers during the times of fear: "But if you are in fear, then on foot, or riding. And when you are safe, remember God, as He taught you what you did not know." (2:239).

Sixthly: after the death of Muhammad, the Quran itself is the messenger; once we read it, we learn from it what we never knew before:

1- God says in the Quran: "God has prepared for them a severe retribution. So beware of God, O you who possess intellect and have faith. God has sent down to you a Remembrance." (65:10); of course, the term (Remembrance) means the Quran; this is the Messenger that remains with people till the end of days to be read, learned, and taught: "A messenger who reads to you God's Verses, clear and distinct, that he may bring those who believe and work righteousness from darkness into light. Whoever believes in God and performs good deeds, He will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow, therein to abide forever. God has given him an excellent provision." (65:11). This means that God did not make Muhammad 'descend' from heaven; rather, He descended the Messenger which is the Quran itself; this Messenger/Quran remains available, until the end of days, for those who desire to learn things they never knew.

2- The same meaning about the Quran is expressed here: "A messenger from God reciting purified scripture. In it, there are valuable writings." (98:2-3).

3- As long as there are those who read the Quran, which is God's Messenger, it still exists among all people; God says the following directly to all believers: "And how could you disbelieve, when God's Verses are being recited to you, and among you is His Messenger? Whoever cleaves to God has been guided to the Straight Path." (3:101). The phrase (His Messenger) refers to the Quran and NOT to Muhammad. 

Lastly:

 The Divine, Celestial Book; i.e., the Quran, is the knowledge bestowed on Muhammad by God and preserved by Him till the end of days to warn all humanity; God has taught the Quran to Muhammad; before the descent of the Quran, Muhammad never knew anything about religion. Muhammad's mission to deliver the Quranic message is teaching people the Quran; he imparts Quranic knowledge to them by merely reading its verses to them. After the death of Muhammad, the Celestial, Divine Book remains as the source from which we learn what we never knew before.