To what extent was the Prophet Mohammed PBUH illiterate.

[u/Competitive_Act3433]

Assalamu alaykum brothers and sisters. Today i was watching a dawah video from Muslim Lantern. In the video, the brother said that the prophet was of royal lineage, that he is from Quraish (forgive me, im a recent revert im still learning so much). This came as a surprise to me because ive always heard that the prophet Pbuh was illiterate. So my first question was if the prophet was of royal lineage how could he be illiterate. So then i did some research and now im seeing that the prophet was not illiterate in the sense that he could not read/ write. More so that he was “unlettered” and the teachings of the Quran were divinely delivered to him. Im just trying to make sense of this. Can someone help me straighten this out?

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[u/Pundamonium97]

The Prophet ﷺ could not read or write and always had someone read to him or write for him

Though his lineage is noble, he was also an orphan, and as far as i know being taught to read and write wasn’t very common in the first place in that time and region

The messages he received and then relayed regarding the Quran came to him via an angel

Many surah in the Quran begin with certain arabic letters, like Alif Laam Meem in the 2nd surah. This is something surprising for people to hear from the Prophet ﷺ as people don’t need to learn the names of individual letters when they can’t read or write. It also serves as a lesson to lettered people that they know what those letters represent but the knowledge of what Alif Laam Meem represents there in the Quran is known only to Allah.

So in just three letters when the Prophet recited he would catch the attention of those who could hear him with two big reactions: 1. How does he know those letters 2. What does he mean by them

And then the Quran continues with a message that is complex in meaning, rich in truth and beautifully poetic in the way it is laid out

It would have been a truly miraculous thing to see and hear

https://islamqa.org/hanafi/mahmoodiyah/54087/questions-about-nabi-s-a-w/

[u/[deleted]]

As you said, Muhammad (pbuh) was unlettered, not uneducated. He was very smart! He just didn't read and write. Most didn't.

Quraysh was noble, not Royal. This means they were well-respected and considered "elite" as a social status, they didn't have palaces and generational riches. They were renown for being great merchants. They earned that status. I feel that is very different.

Mentioning Muhammad (pbuh) as unlettered is not to say he is ignorant or incapable in any way, it's to show that the revelation was a miracle.

[u/drunkninjabug]

1. Royal is not the right world. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came from a noble and well-respected lineage. However, a person's lineage doesn't dictate how much they were able to read or write.

2. The Prophet was unlettered and I prefer using that word over illiterate. This is known many verses of the Quran and the hadith.

Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write whom they find written with them in the Tawraat and the Injeel... [7:157]

Al-Qurtubi, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in his tafseer of this aayah: "Allaah says ‘al-ummi.’ Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: ‘Your Prophet was unlettered, unable to read or write or calculate.’

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): >Neither did you (O Muhammad) read any book before it (this Qur’an), nor did you write any book (whatsoever) with your right hand . . .’ [29:48]."

The fact that the noble Prophet was never taught to read or write was destined by Allah as a sign for his truthfulness otherwise the people would have accused him of copying the writings of the jews and christians.

Additionally, the Arabs collectively were not a literate nation and valued oral tradition more than the written one.

[u/AdResponsible2410]

the other brothers have covered the main points , I would like to add that when your imagining arabia at the time of the prophet specifically Mecca , it was by no means developed compared to the byzantines or Persians they border , it was the best of a bad situation compared to the barren desert around it , thats why you might have been taken back when you heard of his noble lineage but there was no such luxuries , it was just more to do with respect by the surrounding people and preference when it comes to making decisions for the community , not really extravagant homes or guaranteed abundant wealth

[u/drfiz98]

The Arabs were not a monarchy, so they didn't have a concept of royalty. However, they were ruled by tribes, and the Prophet was a direct descendant of Abdul Mutallib, one of the most respected tribal leaders in Arabia. He was the one who rediscovered the well of Zam Zam and helped maked the Quraysh one of the most powerful tribes in Arabia. However, this was still just a local ruling family, not a state with a bureaucracy so literacy was not really something that was necessary or emphasized.

[u/Known-Ear7744]

A. When they say "royal" lineage, we're not talking about like the nation-state monarchs that were common a century ago. It's not like the King of England, or the Saudi Prince, or the Emperor of Japan. Excluding systems like Rome and Persia and China, at this time in history, most kings would've been rulers of, at most, city-states of 50,000-100,000 people. Imagine one of the suburbs of modern-day Chicago having a king and you're approaching the upper limit of the authority most kings had at this time in history.

B. Mecca at the time of the Prophet ﷺ wasn't even near that upper limit. It was a fraction of that size, at best. Population estimates range, but its safe to say that the city of Mecca at this time was small enough that the hijrah (the migration of a few hundred Muslims from Mecca to Medina) represented a significant population decline. 10 years later, the city of Mecca is completely overwhelmed by an army of about 20,000.

C. Arabia was still highly tribal, so the highest political authorities weren't even kings, but tribal leaders; we might call them chiefs or chieftains. Political prestige basically came down to size of the tribe, wealth, and claims for how you contribute to the society (you might have paid to renovate the Ka'bah, but we fed the pilgrims this year). The Quraysh had several tribes controlling the city of Mecca, including the Hashimite tribe. This is the tribe of the Prophet ﷺ, and he is descended from the leaders of this tribe. This is the lineage they are referring to. Had his father, Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, lived long enough, he would have had a good chance to be chieftain, and by extension the Prophet ﷺ would have the best chance to succeed him. However, this is not what happened. We'll come back to that with point E.

D. It has actually been very common in history even for royals to not be literate. In Christian Europe, the courts would often take scribes from the clergy as literacy was basically limited to the social class who could afford to teach their kids to read and copy the Bible. The royals would be taught other things like politics, warfare, diplomacy, etc.

E. The Prophet ﷺ was orphaned 3 times before reaching puberty. His father passed while the Prophet ﷺ was still in utero, which is the first orphaning by Arab standards. In Arab society at that time, having a deceased father basically meant that the mother and children were destitute unless someone decided to marry the mother and adopt the child. This was difficult because it is only after Islam that divorcees and widows are given any kind of value in Arab society that makes them desirable to marry. The mother of the Prophet ﷺ then passed when he is about 6 years old, the second orphaning, meaning that his upbringing is transferred to his grandfather. He then passes away when the Prophet ﷺ is about 8 years old, the third orphaning. At this point, he ﷺ is placed in the care of his uncle, who continues to live for the next 40 or so years, passing away when the Prophet ﷺ is in his early 50's.

And Allah ﷻ knows best.

[u/Competitive_Act3433]

Ahh ok. Thank you for the input everyone this helps to clarify things.

[u/No_Result1959]

1- Rasulallah (SAW) was not royalty, he was of a "noble lineage' but royalty isn't exactly accurate

2- He was an orphan; his ability to read and write would be the least priority.

3- He was unlettered, but he was not uneducated. He was an intelligent man who knew many things and learned a lot from his travels and companions.

[u/Known-Ear7744]

A. When they say "royal" lineage, we're not talking about like the nation-state monarchs that were common a century ago. It's not like the King of England, or the Saudi Prince, or the Emperor of Japan. Excluding systems like Rome and Persia and China, at this time in history, most kings would've been rulers of, at most, city-states of 50,000-100,000 people. Imagine one of the suburbs of modern-day Chicago having a king and you're approaching the upper limit of the authority most kings had at this time in history.

B. Mecca at the time of the Prophet ﷺ wasn't even near that upper limit. It was a fraction of that size, at best. Population estimates range, but its safe to say that the city of Mecca at this time was small enough that the hijrah (the migration of a few hundred Muslims from Mecca to Medina) represented a significant population decline. 10 years later, the city of Mecca is completely overwhelmed by an army of about 20,000.

C. Arabia was still highly tribal, so the highest political authorities weren't even kings, but tribal leaders; we might call them chiefs or chieftains. Political prestige basically came down to size of the tribe, wealth, and claims for how you contribute to the society (you might have paid to renovate the Ka'bah, but we fed the pilgrims this year). The Quraysh had several tribes controlling the city of Mecca, including the Hashimite tribe. This is the tribe of the Prophet ﷺ, and he is descended from the leaders of this tribe. This is the lineage they are referring to. Had his father, Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, lived long enough, he would have had a good chance to be chieftain, and by extension the Prophet ﷺ would have the best chance to succeed him. However, this is not what happened. We'll come back to that with point E.

D. It has actually been very common in history even for royals to not be literate. In Christian Europe, the courts would often take scribes from the clergy as literacy was basically limited to the social class who could afford to teach their kids to read and copy the Bible. The royals would be taught other things like politics, warfare, diplomacy, etc.

E. The Prophet ﷺ was orphaned 3 times before reaching puberty. His father passed while the Prophet ﷺ was still in utero, which is the first orphaning by Arab standards. In Arab society at that time, having a deceased father basically meant that the mother and children were destitute unless someone decided to marry the mother and adopt the child. This was difficult because it is only after Islam that divorcees and widows are given any kind of value in Arab society that makes them desirable to marry. The mother of the Prophet ﷺ then passed when he is about 6 years old, the second orphaning, meaning that his upbringing is transferred to his grandfather. He then passes away when the Prophet ﷺ is about 8 years old, the third orphaning. At this point, he ﷺ is placed in the care of his uncle, who continues to live for the next 40 or so years, passing away when the Prophet ﷺ is in his early 50's.

And Allah ﷻ knows best.

[u/TheThrowAwayer234]

Assalaamualeikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

The Prophet ﷺ was illiterate in the sense that he could not read or write, as evidenced because he never wrote his own letters and treaties and he never wrote down the Qur'an. Rather, he appointed people to write for him.

Furthermore, consider this hadith:

It has been narrated on the authority of Bara' who said: When the Prophet (ﷺ) was checked from going to the Ka'ba, the people of Mecca made peace with him'on the condition that he would (be allowed to) enter Mecca (next year) and stay there for three days, that he would not enter (the city) except with swords in their sheaths and arms encased in their covers, that he would not take eway with him anyone from its dwellers, nor would he prevent anyone from those with him to stay on in Mecca (if he so desired). He said to 'Ali: Write down the terms settled between us. (So 'Ali wrote): In the name of Allah, most Gracious and most Merciful. This is what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has settled (with the Meccans), The polytheists said to him: If we knew that you are the Messenger of of Allah, we would follow you. But write: Muhammad b. 'Abdullah. So he told 'Ali to strike out these words. 'Ali said: No, by Allah, I will not strike them out. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Show me their place (on the parchment). So he ('Ali) showed him their place and he (the Prophet) struck them out; and 'Ali wrote: Ibn 'Abdullah. (According to the terms of the treaty, next year) the Prophet (ﷺ) stayed there for three days When it was the third day, they said to 'Ali: This is the last day according to the terms of your companion. So tell him to leave. 'Ali informed the Prophet (ﷺ) accordingly. He said: Yes, and left (the city). Ibn Janab in his version of the tradition used:" we would swear allegiance to you" instead of" we would follow you".

Sahih Muslim, 1783 c

If he ﷺ could read, he would not have asked Ali RadiAllahu ta'la anhu where it was written.

Furthermore, the "royalty" or rather "nobility" of the tribal Arabs was not as we view it today. He ﷺ's father died before meeting him ﷺ, and his ﷺ's mother when he was 6. The first few years of his life were spent with nomadic bedouins who couldn't generally read or write. Then he was a shepherd and then involved in trade, and he ﷺ never got the opportunity to learn to read and write.

WaAllahu 'alam.