Did Prophet Muhammad (S) Know How To Read and Write?

Did he write the Qur'an? Or was it someone else who wrote it? You find no, he didn't write the Qur'an. Some say Why? They say, because he is an Ummi, he can't read or write. We know in the Qur'an, the verses are clear. "Alladheena attabiyuna ar-Rasul an-Nabi al-Ummi" (7:157). Correct? "Alladheena attabiyuna ar-Rasul an-Nabi al-Ummi", what does it mean? It says that they follow the Messenger, the Prophet who is an Ummi.

In another verse of the Qur'an you find the word Ummi. "Huwa alladhi ba'tha fi 'l-Ummiyina Rasula minhum" (62:2). Many said that he didn't write the Qur'an because he is an Ummi. They said Ummi means what? Ummi means that he can't read and write. No, Ummi doesn't mean he can't read and write.

Ummi means he was never formally taught at an institution how to read and write. This is a vital point. If you say Rasul Allah can't read and write, there is a problem there. Like how am I following a man who can't read and write? Our Holy Prophet learned more languages than everyone in this whole and everyone in this world put together. Our Holy Prophet could read and he could write.

Ummi doesn't mean he couldn't read and write. It means that he was never formally taught at an institution how to read and write. What's the difference? The difference is if you say he was taught at that school in Mecca and then he wrote the Qur'an, they will turn around and say, that's Muhammad's opinions, not Allah.

They will say Muhammad has written his own book and he studied at that school, and his teacher must be the one at that school who gave him that knowledge. Allamah at-Tabatabai' has a phenomenal explanation for the meaning of the word Ummi. He says, Why do you think Allah would call his Holy Prophet Ummi? For what reason?

He says: a mother likes to see no one else but her bring up her child, and educate her child. Likewise, Allah liked to see no one but Him bring up and educate Muhammad. Correct? Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala when he says My Prophet is an Ummi doesn't mean he can't read and write. No one can ever say I was taught by anyone but Me. Who taught him? I [Allah] taught him. Why?

Today if you said Rasul Allah wrote the Qur'an, people would turn around to you and say what? People would turn around to you and say, no way. That means that Muhammad. Where did he study? You say he studied at Mecca University. Then who was his teacher? They'll say the person who taught in Arabic was this person. Everybody would turn around and say what? They turn around and that professor is the one who taught him about the Qur'an.

Find out who that professor is and then you will realize who taught him the Qur'an. Ask any Arab at the time. Did Rasul Allah go to school? No. Did you go to college? No. Did you go to university? No. So who's the one who taught him this? Who?

"Allamahu" (55:4), the Lord the Almighty through the angel Gabriel. That's the One who taught him how to read and write. But why did Rasul Allah not display the reading and writing? Because he knew had he written, they would have said that's Muhammad's opinions. But while he doesn't write, no one can accuse him, let alone the fact that some of the things he's writing, you need to have gone to 100 universities to know. Correct?

If Rasul Allah wrote the Qur'an, well, how does he know about the sea, and the clouds, and the solar system, and the camel, and the fingerprints? But anyway, besides that point, "Wa ma kunta tatloo min qablihi min kitabin, wa la takhuttuhu bi yaminik, ida la artaba al-mubtiloon" (29:48). What does the Qur'an say? The Qur'an says you never used to what? Recite a Scripture before this, nor did you transcribe this.

Their arguments are all weak and fable. Those who tried to say that Rasul Allah wrote the Qur'an, no. Rasul Allah didn't write, because he doesn't know? No. Because the choose an argument against him, that Muhammad wrote it. That means it's Muhammad's opinions, no.

So Rasul Allah, if he didn't write the Qur'an therefore then how did he instruct the writing of the Qur'an? Rasul Allah would have scribes under him.