In my other articles in the series i discussed how ibn abbas, Abu Darda, Ibn Umar all testified that the Quran is indeed corrupted. This time, we shall look at the testimonies of Aisha, Muhammads wife and daughter of Caliph Abu Bakr. For those interested in what her importance and virtues were in Islam, here are the words of renowned scholar Ibn Qayyim:

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Among her unique characteristics is: that she was the dearest of the wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to him, as was reported from him in al-Bukhari and elsewhere. He was asked, Which of the people is dearest to you? He said, ‘A’isha. He was asked, Who among men (is dearest to you)? He said, Her father. Also among her unique characteristics is: that he did not marry any other virgin apart from her. Also among her unique characteristics is: that he did not receive Revelation in the bed of any of his wives apart from hers. Also among her unique characteristics is: that when Allah revealed the ayah commanding him to give his wives the choice, he started with her and gave her the choice first. He said, “You do not have to hasten until you have consulted with your parents.” She said, “Do I need to consult my parents concerning this? I choose Allah and His Messenger and the Home of the Hereafter.” The rest of his wives followed her example and said the same as she had said. Also among her unique characteristics is: that Allah declared her innocence of that of which the people of the slander (ahl al-ifk) accused her, and revealed words concerning her innocence that are recited in the mosques of the Muslims and during their prayers until the Day of Resurrection. Allah Himself bore witness that she is one of the good women, and promised her forgiveness and a goodly provision. He, may He be glorified, stated that what was said about her in the slander was ultimately good for her, in the end it was not bad for her and did not do any harm to her status, because through this Allah raised her status and her innocence is mentioned among the people of heaven and earth, which is an incomparably good thing. Also among her unique characteristics is: that the greatest Sahaba, when they were confused about some matter of religion, would consult her and would find the knowledge they were seeking with her. Also among her unique characteristics is: that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) died in her house, on her day, in her arms, and he was buried in her house. Also among her unique characteristics is: that the angel showed her image to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on a silk cloth before he married her. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “If this is from Allah, then it will surely come to pass.” Also among her unique characteristics is: that the people used to try to bring their gifts to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on her day, seeking to draw close to the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). So they would bring him gifts of things that he liked, in the house of the one who was the dearest of his wives to him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). May Allah be pleased with all his wives. [1]

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With that being said, let us see what Aisha, who Muhammad described as the “dearest” person to him said about Quranic corruption.

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Evidence 1: Aisha identifies 4 mistakes in the Quran

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In the Uthmanic Quran, verses 4:162, 5:69 and 20:63 read as follows:

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Quran 4:162:

لَّٰكِنِ ٱلرَّٰسِخُونَ فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ ۚ وَٱلْمُقِيمِينَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۚ وَٱلْمُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ سَنُؤْتِيهِمْ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا But those of them who are firm in knowledge and the believers believe in that which is revealed unto thee, and that which was revealed before thee, especially the diligent in prayer and those who pay the poor-due, the believers in Allah and the Last Day. Upon these We shall bestow immense reward [2]

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Quran 5:69:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلصَّٰبِـُٔونَ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحًا فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ Lo! those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Sabaeans,and Christians – Whosoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right – there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. [3]

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Quran 20:63:

قَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَٰذَٰنِ لَسَٰحِرَٰنِ يُرِيدَانِ أَن يُخْرِجَاكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُم بِسِحْرِهِمَا وَيَذْهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ ٱلْمُثْلَىٰ They said: Lo! these are two wizards who would drive you out from your country by their magic, and destroy your best traditions; [4]

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However Aisha testified that after her nephew asked about the 3 Quranic verses quoted above, that there are large portions in the verses (bolded above) that are mistakes committed by the scribe. From the Tafsir of Thalabi:

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أخبرنا أبوبكر بن عبدوس وأبو عبدالله بن حامد قالا : حدثنا أبوالعباس الأصم قال حدثنا : محمد بن الجهم السمري قال حدثنا الفراء قال حدثني أبومعاوية عن هشام بن عروة عن أبيه عن عائشة أنها سئلت عن قوله سبحانه في النساء { لكن الراسخون } { والمقيمين } وعن قوله في المائدة { إن الذين آمنوا والذين هادوا والصابئون } وعن قوله { إن هذا لساحران } فقالت : يا بن أخي هذا خطأ من الكاتب Abu Bakr bin Abdoos and Abu Abdullah bin Hamid <– Abu al-Abbas al-Asim <– Muhammad bin al-Jahm al-Samri <– al-Fara <– Abu Mu’awiyah <– Hisham bin Arwa <– his father that Aisha was asked about Allah’s statements in Surah Nisa (verse 162) ‘But those of them who are firm’ and ‘especially the diligent’ and the Almighty’s statement in Sura Maidah (verse 69) ‘Lo! those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Sabaeans’ and His statement (Taha, 63),`these are two wizards’. Aisha replied: ‘O my nephew, this is due to mistakes committed by the scribe’. [5]

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This hadith as far as I know was not graded by the scholars of hadith. However, all of the narrators in the chain are reliable. Abu Bakr bin Abdoos was classed as “Imam” [6], Abu Abdullah bin Hamid was classed as “Sheikh and Mufti of Hanbalis” [7], Abu al-Abbas al-Asim was classed as “Thiqah” [8], Muhammad bin al-Jahm al-Samri was classed as “Thiqah” [9], al-Fara was classed as “Thiqah” [10], Abu Mu’awiyah was classed as “Thabt” [11], Hisham bin Arwa was classed as “Hujja” [12] and his father was classed as “Thabt” [13].

However, another hadith which only has Abu Mu’awiyah, Urwah and his father as the chain was recorded in As-Suyutis Al-Itqan, where he said:

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وبعد فهذه الأجوبة لا يصلح منها شيء عن حديث عائشة أما الجواب بالتضعيف فلأن إسناده صحيح كما ترى There is no strength with the replies that are advanced against the above cited reply of Ayesha, namely that it contains a weak chain. The chain is Sahih. [14]

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Evidence 2: The verses of breastfeeding and stoning

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Aisha in the authentic hadiths makes clear references to 3 Quranic verses that do not exist anymore. For instance, Maliks Muwatta 30:17 says:

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وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ حَزْمٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ فِيمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ عَشْرُ رَضَعَاتٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ يُحَرِّمْنَ ثُمَّ نُسِخْنَ بِخَمْسٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ فِيمَا يُقْرَأُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Hazm from Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman that A’isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Amongst what was sent down of the Qur’an was ‘ten known sucklings make haram’ – then it was abrogated by ‘five known sucklings’. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died, it was what is now recited of the Qur’an.” [15]

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And Sahih-Muslim 1452a:

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حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ فِيمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ عَشْرُ رَضَعَاتٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ يُحَرِّمْنَ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ نُسِخْنَ بِخَمْسٍ مَعْلُومَاتٍ فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُنَّ فِيمَا يُقْرَأُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ A’isha (Allah be pleased with, her) reported that it had been revealed in the Holy Qur’an that ten clear sucklings make the marriage unlawful, then it was abrogated by five sucklings and Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) died and it was before that time in the Holy Qur’an. [16]

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So Aisha believed in two verses that are not in todays Quran. So what happened to them? Well, once again, Aisha answers that question. Kind of. We read in Sunan Ibn Majah 1944:

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حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، يَحْيَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، ‏.‏ وَعَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ لَقَدْ نَزَلَتْ آيَةُ الرَّجْمِ وَرَضَاعَةُ الْكَبِيرِ عَشْرًا وَلَقَدْ كَانَ فِي صَحِيفَةٍ تَحْتَ سَرِيرِي فَلَمَّا مَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَتَشَاغَلْنَا بِمَوْتِهِ دَخَلَ دَاجِنٌ فَأَكَلَهَا ‏.‏ It was narrated that ‘Aisha said: “The Verse of stoning and of breastfeeding an adult ten times was revealed, and the paper was with me under my pillow. When the Messenger of Allah died, we were preoccupied with his death, and a tame sheep came in and ate it. [17]

Hadith grade:

(Hasan) according to Al-albani

(Hasan) according to Al-darani

(Thiqat narrators) According to Ibn Hajar

(Sahih) according to Ibn Hazm

(Hasan) according to Darusallam

(Sahih) according to Islamweb

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The stoning part, while seemingly damming on the surface is not as big an issue Islamiclly as some critics believe. This is because authentic hadith indicate that the command of stoning was never meant to be in the Quran. From Musnad Ahnad 21086:

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عَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ قَالَ كَانَ ابْنُ الْعَاصِ وَزَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ يَكْتُبَانِ الْمَصَاحِفَ فَمَرُّوا عَلَى هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ فَقَالَ زَيْدٌ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ الشَّيْخُ وَالشَّيْخَةُ إِذَا زَنَيَا فَارْجُمُوهُمَا الْبَتَّةَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لَمَّا أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقُلْتُ أَكْتِبْنِيهَا قَالَ شُعْبَةُ فَكَأَنَّهُ كَرِهَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّ الشَّيْخَ إِذَا لَمْ يُحْصَنْ جُلِدَ وَأَنَّ الشَّابَّ إِذَا زَنَى وَقَدْ أُحْصِنَ رُجِمَ Kathir ibn al-Salt reported: Amr ibn al-‘As and Zayd ibn Thabit would write down the Quran. They passed over this verse and Zayd said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: The married old man and old woman, if they commit adultery, then stone them irrevocably.” Umar said, “When this was revealed, I went to the Prophet and I said: Let me write it.” Shu’bah said, “It was as if the Prophet disliked that.” Umar said, “No doubt, you see that if an old men is unmarried he is merely flogged, while if a youth commits adultery while married is stoned.” [18]

Hadith grade:

(Sahih) according to Al-Albani

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One could however argue that this may not be the case as Aisha quite literally said she had a page with the verse on it. Nevertheless, I will not use this argument myself as it is not concrete. The verse of 10 breastfeedings is also abrogated so it is not evidence of Quranic corruption that a goat ate the page. Rather, the real evidence of Quranic corruption comes from, not what the hadith does say but from what it DOESN’T say.

There is absolutely Zero mention of the verse of five breastfeedings, nor can I find anything in any authentic hadith saying where it went. In other words, it’s gone with zero evidence of abrogation.

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Evidence 3: Quran 2:238 has a deleted part

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In the Uthmanic Quran for Quran 2:238 we read the following:

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حَٰفِظُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ قَٰنِتِينَ Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer, and stand up with devotion to Allah. [19]

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However Aisha believed that there should be an additional part. From Sahih-Muslim Vol. 2, Book 4, Hadith 1316:

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وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي يُونُسَ، مَوْلَى عَائِشَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَمَرَتْنِي عَائِشَةُ أَنْ أَكْتُبَ لَهَا مُصْحَفًا وَقَالَتْ إِذَا بَلَغْتَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ فَآذِنِّي ‏{‏ حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى‏}‏ فَلَمَّا بَلَغْتُهَا آذَنْتُهَا فَأَمْلَتْ عَلَىَّ حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْوُسْطَى وَصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ ‏.‏ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم Abu Yunus, the freed slave of ‘A’isha said: ‘A’isha ordered me to transcribe a copy of the Qur’an for her and said: When you reach this verse:” Guard the prayers and the middle prayer” (ii. 238), inform me; so when I reached it, I informed her and she gave me dictation (like this): Guard the prayers and the middle prayer and the afternoon prayer, and stand up truly obedient to Allah. ‘A’isha said: This is how I have heard from the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him). [20]

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From the evidence provided, it should become clear to the reader that the claim that the Quran is free from corruption is severely weakened as Aisha, the woman who was the dearest to Muhammad and whom Sahaba would consult, lists at least 5 mistakes and a missing verse.

If that isn’t telling, I don’t know what is.

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Sources:

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[1]

Jalaa’ al-Afhaam, pp. 237-241

[2]

https://quranx.com/4.162

[3]

https://quranx.com/5.69

[4]

https://quranx.com/20.63

[5]

Tafsir Thalabi, Volume 6 page 250

[6]

Siar alam alnubala, v17 p58 by Dhahabi

[7]

Siar alam alnubala, v17 p203 by Dhahabi

[8]

Tazkirat al-Hufaz, v3 p860 by Dhahabi

[9]

Siar alam alnubala, v13 p164 by Dhahabi

[10]

Siar alam alnubala, v10, p119 by Dhahabi

[11]

Tazkirat al-Hufaz, v1 p294 by Dhahabi

[12]

Tazkirat al-Hufaz, v1 144 by Dhahabi

[13]

Tazkirat al-Hufaz, v1 p62 by Dhahabi

[14]

Al-Itqan, Vol. 1 page 212

[15]

https://quranx.com/Hadith/Malik/USC-MSA/Book-30/Hadith-17/

[16]

https://muflihun.com/muslim/8/3421

[17]

https://quranx.com/Hadith/IbnMajah/DarusSalam/Volume-3/Book-9/Hadith-1944/

[18]

[19]

https://quranx.com/2.238

[20]

https://muflihun.com/muslim/4/1316