Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Al-Ankaboot, Ayah 48

وَمَا كُنتَ تَتْلُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مِن كِتَٰبٍۢ وَلَا تَخُطُّهُۥ بِيَمِينِكَ ۖ إِذًۭا لَّٱرْتَابَ ٱلْمُبْطِلُونَ

And you did not recite before it any scripture, nor did you inscribe one with your right hand. Otherwise the falsifiers would have had [cause for] doubt.

Common Words

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Ibn Abbas Commentary

(And thou (O Muhammad) were not a reader of any scripture before it) before the Qur'an, (nor didst thou write it with thy right hand, for) if you could read or write (then might those have doubted, who follow falsehood) then the Jews, Christians and idolaters would have doubted, for it is mentioned in the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians that you are unlettered.

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And you did not use to recite before this namely before the Qur’ān any other Book nor did you write it with your right hand for had you been reciting something and writing then those who follow falsehood the Jews would have had doubts about you and would have said ‘What the Torah states is that he will be unlettered ummī unable to read or write’.

Related Hadiths

Sunan Abu Dawud#3650Hasan

"We used not to write anything but the Tasha-hud and the Qur'an."

Narrated by It was narrated that Abu Saeed Al-Khudri said:

Sahih Muslim#984Sahih

I was forbidden to recite (the Qur'an) while I was bowing, and there is no mention of 'Ali in the chain of transmitters.

Narrated by Ibn 'Abbas reported:

Sahih Muslim#5795Sahih

Had you not weighed it, you would be eating out of it and it would have remained intact for you.

Narrated by Jabir reported that a person came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and asked for food. And he gave him half a wasq of barley, and the person and his wife and their guests kept on making use of it (as a food) until he weighed it (in order to find out the actual quantity, and it was no more). He came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) (and informed him about it). He said:

Sunan Abu Dawud#4221Sahih

They searched for it but could not find it. 'Uthman then fashioned a signet-ring and engraved on it "Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah". He used to wear it or stamp with it.

Narrated by The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Ibn 'Umar through different chain of narrators from the Prophet (ﷺ). This version adds: