The Shī`a Ithnā’ `Ashariyya, when cornered by the fact that countless of their scholars had promoted the belief that the Holy Qur’ān has been distorted, choose another path to evade the issue and play with the minds of Muslims—they deceptively accuse the Sunnī scholars of believing in the distortion of the Holy Qur’ān. But these petty attempts do not exceed more than misquoting a couple of scholars and deliberately distorting their actual words.

The Answering-Ansar team, following this same deceptive approach, also quotes a Sunnī scholar in this regard, Anwar Shāh al-Kashmīrī (d. 1352). They have quoted him as explicitly stating that the Holy Qur’ān has been distorted by `Uthmān ibn `Affān (ra) and his followers!

However, let us show how this is nothing but clear deception and distortion of texts.

What is Really Mentioned in Fayđ al-Bārī

Before the real statement is mentioned and Answering-Ansar’s deception is exposed, a few things should be clear to the readers to have a better understanding of the issue at hand.

Firstly, it should be pointed out that the Answering-Ansar team ignorantly states that al-Kashmīrī “writes” whatever distorted words they have mentioned. But the fact is that the work quoted, Fayđ al-Bārī Sharĥ Şaĥīĥ al-Bukhārī, is actually a result of the arabicization and transcription of al-Kashmīrī’s lectures on Şaĥīĥ al-Bukhārī by his student. This is a well-known fact.

Secondly, readers should know that the actual words that are about to be quoted from Fayđ al-Bārī, is the commentary of al-Kashmīrī on the following narration of Ibn `Abbās (ra) found in Şaĥīĥ al-Bukhārī:

عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال يا معشر المسلمين كيف تسألون أهل الكتاب وكتابكم الذي انزل على نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم أحدث الاخبار بالله تقرؤنه لم يشب وقد حدثكم الله ان أهل الكتاب بدلوا ما كتب الله وغيروا بأيديهم الكتاب فقالوا هو من عند الله ليشتروا به ثمنا قليلا أفلا ينهاكم ما جاءكم من العلم عن مسايلتهم ولا والله ما رأينا رجلا منهم قط يسألكم عن الذي انزل عليكم

“Ibn `Abbās (ra) said: ‘O company of Muslims! How can you ask the People of the Book when your book which was sent down on His Prophet (saws) is the most recent of the reports by Allāh. You recite and it has not been altered. Allah has reported to you that the People of the Book have altered what Allāh wrote and changed the Book in their possession. They said: ‘It is from Allāh’ in order to sell it for a small price. Does not the knowledge that has come to you spare you from asking them? No, by Allāh, we have not seen a man among them asking you about what was sent down on you!’”

·         Şaĥīĥ al-Bukhārī, of Abū `Abd Allāh al-Bukhārī (d. 256), volume 3, page 163 [Beirut]

It is clear from the narration above, that it is concerning the earlier nations and the distortion of their texts.

Now, let us see what is really mentioned in the commentary, Fayđ al-Bārī:

قوله وقال ابن عباس...الخ واعلم أن في التحريف ثلاثة مذاهب ذهب جماعة إلى أن التحريف في الكتب السماوية قد وقع بكل نحو في اللفظ والمعنى جميعا وهو الذي مال إليه ابن حزم وذهب جماعة إلى أن التحريف قليل ولعل الحافظ ابن تيمية جنح إليه وذهب جماعة إلى إنكار التحريف اللفظي رأسا فالتحريف عندهم كله معنوي قلت يلزم على هذا المذهب أن يكون القرآن أيضا محرفا فإن التحريف المعنوي غير قليل فيه أيضا والذي تحقق عندي أن التحريف فيها لفظي أيضا أما إنه عن عمد منهم أو لمغلطة فالله تعالى أعلم به

“His statement: ‘and Ibn `Abbās said:…’

You should know that there are three opinions concerning the occurrence of the distortion:

A group of scholars opined that distortion in the heavenly texts has occurred in every manner—both in text and meaning. This is what Ibn Ĥazm inclined towards.

A group opined that the distortion is little, and perhaps Ĥāfiž Ibn Taymiyya sided with this.

A group opined towards completely denying the textual distortion, and so the distortion according to them is all in meaning. I say: this opinion would necessitate that the Qur’ān is distorted as well, since the distortion of the meaning in it, too, is not little.

What I have realized through research is that distortion in them is textual as well. As for whether it was done deliberately by them or by error, Allāh the Exalted knows best about it.”

·         Fayđ al-Bārī Sharĥ Şaĥīĥ al-Bukhārī, of Anwar Shāh al-Kashmīrī (d. 1352), volume 3, page 395 [Beirut]

This is it.

As it is obvious, al-Kashmīrī states in the commentary of Ibn `Abbās’ aforementioned narration about the distortion of heavenly texts by the earlier nations that the scholars have three opinions about their textual distortion, and then he concludes with his own preferred opinion.

Compare the actual quote above to what is quoted by the Answering-Ansar team:

As one can see, the Answering-Ansar team has:

·        Mistranslated the text and come up with “analysis based on Sahih al Bukhari that the Qur'an has tahreef with regards to words.” The mistranslation is very clear.

·        Deceptively distorted the quote by adding the “Hadhrath Uthman's party” phrase. There is absolutely no mention of `Uthmān (ra) at all!

Is this not dishonesty in quoting Sunnī texts?

But What About “Distortion In It”?

The Answering-Ansar team and their followers, of course, would now clutch on straws to save themselves from the disgrace of distorting Islamic texts and put doubts in unwary Muslims’ minds. They will definitely say that the printed editions state that al-Kashmīrī said “distortion in it [fīhi] is textual as well,” not “distortion in them [fīhā],” and thus he was pointing towards the Holy Qur’ān and its distortion.

However, the truth is that the actual text of Fayđ al-Bārī states “in them” [fīhā] and refers to the distortion of the heavently texts by the earlier nations mentioned in the context, and not “in it” [fīhi] as it is in the printed works.

The late Sunnī scholar and researcher, Sarfarāz Khān Şafdar (d. 1430), states about this issue:

“My beloved brother! it is in Fayđ al-Bārī, volume 3, page 395:

‘You should know that there are three opinions concerning the occurrence of the distortion:

A group of scholars opined that distortion in the heavenly texts has occurred in every manner—both in text and meaning. This is what Ibn Ĥazm inclined towards.

A group opined that the distortion is little, and perhaps Ĥāfiž Ibn Taymiyya sided with this.

A group opined towards completely denying the textual distortion, and so the distortion according to them is all in meaning. I say: this opinion would necessitate that the Qur’ān is distorted as well, since the distortion of the meaning in it, too, is not little.

What I have realized through research is that distortion in it [fīhi] is textual as well. As for whether it was done deliberately by them or by error, Allāh the Exalted knows best about it.’

My beloved brother, ‘in it’ [fīhi] has been written in place of ‘in them’ [fīhā] in these words. However, the actual sentence [aşlī `ibārat] is:

‘What I have realized through research is that distortion in them [fīhā] is textual as well. As for whether it was done deliberately by them or by error, Allāh the Exalted knows best about it.’”

·         Āp kay Masā’il awr Un kā Ĥal (Urdu), of Muĥammad Yūsuf al-Ludhiyānawī (d. 1421), volume 9, page 144-145 [Karachi]

Furthermore, it is also contextually impossible that al-Kashmīrī referred to the Holy Qur’ān as textually distorted with “in it” [fīhi] in light of the following points:

1.      The discussion evidently revolves around the distortion of the heavenly texts by the earlier nations. As scholars usually do, al-Kashmīrī has cited different opinions about the earlier texts and then mentioned his own preferred view. Why would he discuss and mention the opinions related to the earlier texts and then conclude with the opinion about the Holy Qur’ān?

2.      While citing the third opinion, al-Kashmīrī has objected to those who say that distortion is solely in meaning, not in wording. He objects by saying that this opinion necessitates that the Holy Qur’ān is distorted as well, because its meaning too has been distorted. The point is that since the Holy Qur’ān can’t be called “distorted,” despite of the occurrence of the distortion of its meaning, it would be inaccurate to say that by “distorted” earlier texts, it simply means distortion in the meaning and not in the text. If the Holy Qur’ān was indeed textually distorted according to him, it would have been meaningless for him to make such an argument.

3.     al-Kashmīrī ends with stating that distortion was done by “them.” The usage of this ambiguous impression implies that “they” have already been mentioned. However, it is obvious from the context that the only groups of people mentioned were either the earlier nations or the scholars whose opinions were cited. It is irrational to say that the scholars textually distorted any of the heavenly texts, and plainly absurd to believe that the Holy Qur’ān was distorted by the earlier nations.

4.     He states that distortion was either done “deliberately” or by error. Who else can al-Kashmīrī believe to be deliberately treacherous but the earlier nations under discussion? And since the distorters are earlier nations, the objects of distortion can only be the earlier texts.

The abovementioned points make it clear that the actual phrase of Fayđ al-Bārī can be nothing but “distortion in them [fīhā] is textual as well” and this refers to the distortion of the heavenly texts by the earlier nations, and that al-Kashmīrī was not referring to the Holy Qur’ān. Such occurrence of errors in Islamic texts is not impossible—especially minor errors that involve dropping of only the letter alif, as it is in this case—and is seen at different instances as well.

The Main Issue – Answering-Ansar’s Distortion

Whatever the case maybe, the main thing is that one cannot find anything such as al-Kashmīrī stating that according to his “analysis based on Sahih al Bukhari” the Holy Qur’ān was distorted by “Hadhrat Uthman's party.” This deception and distortion of texts is the main issue.

And who is responsible for this deceptive addition in the text of Fayđ al-Bārī?

Answering-Ansar

We seek Allāh’s (swt) refuge from such deception and distortion of texts.

It is only Allah (swt) who gives success, and blessings and peace be on the Seal of the Prophets, his Pure Progeny and his Noble Companions

♦        ♦        ♦

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Works Cited

Sunnī texts:

1.       Şaĥīĥ al-Bukhārī

Abū `Abd Allāh al-Bukhārī (d. 256)

Dar al-Fikr

Beirut, Lebanon

2.       Fayđ al-Bārī Sharĥ Şaĥīĥ al-Bukhārī

Anwar Shāh al-Kashmīrī (d. 1352)

Dar al-Ma`rifa

Beirut, Lebanon

3.       Āp kay Masā’il awr Un kā Ĥal (Urdu)

Muĥammad Yūsuf al-Ludhiyānawī (d. 1421)

Maktaba Ludhiyanawi

Karachi, Pakistan