The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 26
Seal of the Prophets - Volume I 26 Ḥaḍrat Abū Hurairah ra narrates that there is none among the companions of the Prophet sa who hath narrated more Aḥādīth than I except ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Amr who was in the routine that he would write a Ḥadīth after listening to it, and I never did the same. 1 There is another Ḥadīth that states: ُ عَن ْ اَبِی ْ جَحِیْفَة َ قَال َ قُلْت ُ لِعَلِی ٍّ رَضِی اللّٰه ُ عَنْه ُ ھَل ْ عِنْدَكُم ْ كِتَاب ٌ قَال َ لَا اِلَّا كِتَاب ِ اللّٰه ِ اَو ْ فَھْم ٌ اُعْطِیَه ٗ رَجُل ٌ مُسْلِم ٌ اَو ْ مَا فِی ْ ھٰذِہ ِ الصَّحِیْفَة ِ قُلْت ُ مَا فِی ْ ھٰذِہ ِ الصَّحِیْفَة ٍ قَال َ الْعَقْل ُ وَفِكَاك ُ الْاَسِیْر ِ وَلَا یُقْتَل ُ مُسْلِم ٌ بِكَافِر Abū Jaḥīfah said, Once I asked Ḥaḍrat ‘ Ali ra , do you possess anything written? Upon which Ḥaḍrat ‘Ali ra replied, “No, except Allāh’s Book I have nothing. Of course, I do possess the God-given power of understanding, bestowed upon a Muslim by which he can derive a verdict through means of assessment and thought. However, I do indeed possess this written scripture. ” I asked, What is written in this scripture? He responded, “It contains Aḥādīth pertinent to such and such religious precepts. ” 2 From this Ḥadīth , it becomes apparent that it was also the custom of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alī ra to write down distinctive instances of the Holy Prophet sa and thus safeguard his words on paper. Furthermore, it is mentioned in another Ḥadīth : عَن ْ اِبِی ْ ھُرَیْرَة َ قَال َ خَطَب َ النَّبِی ُّ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ عَام َ فَتْح ِ مَكَّة َ فَقَال َ. . . . . ٍ فَجَاء َ رَجُل ٌ مِن ْ اَھْل ِ الْیَمَن ِ فَقَال َ اُكْتُب ْ لِی ْ فَقَال َ اكْتُبُوْا لِاَبِی ْ فُلَان Ḥaḍrat Abū Hurairah ra narrates that at the occasion of the Fall of Makkah, the Prophet of Allāh sa made an address in which he stated ‘such and such’. A man from Yemen came forward and said, “O Messenger of Allāh! Please write this address for me. ” The Prophet ordered that this address be given to him in writing. 3 1 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābul-‘Ilm, Bābu Kitābatil-‘Ilm, Ḥadīth No. 113 2 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābul-‘Ilm, Bābu Kitābatil-‘Ilm, Ḥadīth No. 111 3 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābul-‘Ilm, Bābu Kitābatil-‘Ilm, Ḥadīth No. 112