Английская Википедия:Hadith of pen and paper
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Hadith Шаблон:Muhammad
The hadith of pen and paper (Шаблон:Lang-ar) is an incident in which the Islamic prophet Muhammad expressed a wish to issue a written statement shortly before his death, possibly on a Thursday, but was prevented from doing so. Muhammad's intentions are debated though it is commonly believed that the statement would have formally designated his successor. Possibly because of its ramifications throughout the history of Islam, some have referred to this incident as the Calamity of Thursday (Шаблон:Lang-ar).
Narration
Muhammad's request
Muhammad became ill in 11 AH (632 CE) and his condition worsened reportedly on a Thursday,Шаблон:Sfn when he asked for writing materials so that he would "write something, after which you will not be led into error," as related on the authority of Ibn Abbas in the canonical Sunni collection Sahih al-Bukhari.Шаблон:Sfn
Umar's objection
The account in Sahih al-Bukhari continues that Muhammad's companion Umar protested, "The illness has overwhelmed the prophet. We have the book of God [Quran] and that is enough for us."Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn In another report by the Sunni Ibn Sa'd (Шаблон:Died in), Umar instead told those present that Muhammad was raving,Шаблон:Sfn as noted also by Madelung.Шаблон:Sfn That Muhammad was told he was delirious also appears in another report by Ibn Sa'd, transmitted similarly by the Sunni al-Tabari (Шаблон:Died in), though this second report is silent about who made that comment. The Sunni Ibn Kathir (Шаблон:Died in) removes Umar from his report altogether, possibly fearing its negative image of Umar.Шаблон:Sfn
Quarrel
The Sahih's report continues that a quarrel then broke out at Muhammad's bedside,Шаблон:Sfn with some suggesting that his orders should be followed and some siding with Umar to disregard the prophet's request,Шаблон:Sfn adds Ibn Sa'd in his most detailed report.Шаблон:Sfn As the noise and quarrel increased, Muhammad asked them to leave and did not write anything. In one of Ibn Sa'd's reports, Muhammad's wives demand that his request is fulfilled but are silenced by Umar. Another report of him identifies Muhammad's wife Zaynab as the one making this demand.Шаблон:Sfn Ibn Abbas is quoted in the Sahih as saying, "The greatest of all calamities is what intervened between the Apostle and his writing."Шаблон:Sfn Some reports instead attribute similar words to Ubayd Allah ibn Abd Allah.Шаблон:Sfn The phrase 'Шаблон:Transl' is sometimes used in reference to this event.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
Muhammad's reaction
Al-Bukhari (Шаблон:Died in) and Ibn Sa'd both mention that Muhammad was saddened by the quarrel (Шаблон:Transl), while the Sunni al-Diyarbakri (Шаблон:Died in) suppresses this matter in his report but retains Umar's name. In one of Ibn Sa'd's reports, Muhammad reprimanded, "They [the women] are better than you are," after Umar silenced Muhammad's wives who were asking the men to fulfill the prophet's wish.Шаблон:Sfn
Muhammad's recommendations
Some reports add that Muhammad left three oral instructions in place of a written statement, though they have been recorded differently by various authors.Шаблон:Sfn One report by Ibn Sa'd lists two of these instructions as driving out the polytheists from Arabia and accepting delegations in the same manner as Muhammad had done. The third recommendation is absent, possibly forgotten by his source.Шаблон:Sfn The Shia Tabarsi (Шаблон:Died in) reports that the third (missing) instruction was about Muhammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt (Шаблон:Lit).Шаблон:Sfn In his account, Muhammad was later asked if he still wished to write something and he replied:Шаблон:BlockquoteYet another report by Ibn Sa'd on the authority of Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law Ali lists the three instructions as prayer, [[zakat|Шаблон:Transl]] (Islamic alms), and (kindness to) [[ma malakat aymanukum|Шаблон:Transl]] (slaves).Шаблон:Sfn
Debates
There is no dearth of speculation among scholars about what Muhammad intended to write. Shia scholars suggest that it would have been a formal appointment of Ali as the new leader, while Sunni authorities have advanced various alternatives.Шаблон:Sfn
Disobedience
Noting that it was Umar who prevented Muhammad from writing his will, the Sunni Ibn Hazm (Шаблон:Died in) suggests that he only meant good (Шаблон:Transl). He also claims that others present agreed with Umar and that the prophet's will must have had no religious significance. Otherwise, he says, Muhammad would have insisted on writing it. The Sunni al-Halabi (Шаблон:Died in) similarly suggests that Umar only wanted to ease the prophet's task (Шаблон:Transl).Шаблон:Sfn
Designation of Abu Bakr
Beginning with al-Baladhuri (Шаблон:Died in), many Sunni authors have presented the first caliph Abu Bakr as the designated successor, which Muhammad intended to put into writing on his deathbed. In one of al-Baladhuri's reports, Muhammad clearly says so, adding that his writing would prevent discord among Muslims. There is also no mention of Umar and Ali in al-Baladhuri's reports and the focus is on Abu Bakr and his daughter Aisha.Шаблон:Sfn
The accounts of al-Halabi and Ibn Hazm are similar to that of al-Baladhuri. Al-Halabi relates from Aisha with no further chain of transmission, while Ibn Hazm also expresses his regret about this missed opportunity to designate Abu Bakr, which would have prevented so much bloodshed after Muhammad, in his view.Шаблон:Sfn
Ibn Kathir goes further and presents a highly polemic account of Muhammad's death, adding that he designated Abu Bakr as his successor in his last sermon, an important announcement for which he had to purify himself first.Шаблон:Sfn The general Sunni belief today is that Muhammad did not appoint a successor.Шаблон:Sfn Al-Tabari only quotes two short reports about the pen and paper incident.Шаблон:Sfn
Designation of Ali
In Shia sources, the incident is viewed as a calamity and a missed opportunity to designate Ali as the successor.Шаблон:Sfn For instance, the report of al-Mufid (Шаблон:Died in) emphasizes Umar's disobedience and that it displeased Muhammad, who verbally reiterated Ali's rights on his deathbed. His account matches the Sunni narrative, according to Miskinzoda, except for the part about Ali.Шаблон:Sfn
Madelung quotes an exchange between Ibn Abbas and Umar in which the latter claimed that Muhammad intended to name Ali as his successor and that he prevented this out of the conviction that Arabs would revolt against Ali.Шаблон:Sfn A tradition to this effect is also cited by the Shia Tababatai (Шаблон:Died in).Шаблон:Sfn This view has been echoed by Hazleton.Шаблон:Sfn
Community politics
In Sunni Islam, this hadith has also been linked to the rise of the community politics that followed Muhammad's death. By not leaving a will, it is argued, Muhammad had implicitly accepted how the Muslim community ([[ummah|Шаблон:Transl]]) would function after his death. This hadith has thus been linked to the emergence of the Sunni tradition, "My Шаблон:Transl will never agree on an error," an idea perpetuated by the Sunni theologians Ibn Hazm and Ibn Sayyid al-Nas (Шаблон:Died in), among others.Шаблон:Sfn Madelung alternatively argues that the Quran advises the faithful to settle some matters by consultation, but the succession of prophets is not one of them. That matter is settled by divine selection for the past prophets in the Quran, he writes.Шаблон:Sfn
Muhammad's authority
For Miskinzoda, the focal point of the story is the question of Muhammad's religious authority, exemplified by Umar's statement, "You have the Quran, the book of God is sufficient for us." In her view, these traditions imply that the Quran is sufficient for the guidance of Muslims after Muhammad.Шаблон:Sfn In contrast, Hazleton notes that the Quran has been supplemented by the prophetic practice (Sunna).Шаблон:Sfn Shia Muslims add to these the practice of their Imams, citing the widely-reported Hadith al-Thaqalayn, in which Muhammad asks Muslims to seek guidance after him from the Quran and his family, the Ahl al-Bayt.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
See also
Footnotes
References
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