Ramadan: If Muhammad was illiterate, why does Sahih Hadith such as Bukhari say he used to write letters?

Because he was literate that is why he could run a major business. However, he wasn't educated.

The ignorants decided to proclaim Muhammad (AS) an illiterate man! They figured that this would make the Quran's extraordinary literary excellence truly miraculous. The word they relied on to bestow illiteracy upon the Prophet was "UMMY." Unfortunately for those "scholars," this word clearly means "Gentile," or one who does not follow any scripture (Torah, Injeel, or Quran) [see 2:78, 3:20 & 75, 62:2]; it does NOT mean "illiterate."

The Prophet(AS) was a successful merchant. Those who fabricated the illiteracy lie forgot that there were no numbers during the Prophet's time; the letters of the alphabet were used as numbers. As a merchant dealing with numbers every day, the Prophet had to know

the alphabet, from one to one-thousand. The Quran tells us that Muhammad(AS) wrote down the Quran - Muhammad's contemporaries are quoted as saying,

"These are tales from the past that he wrote down. They are being dictated to him day and night" (25:5).

You cannot "dictate" to an illiterate person. The Prophet's enemies who accuse him of illiteracy abuse Verse 29:48, which relates specifically to previous scriptures.

On the 27th night of Ramadan 13 B.H. (Before Hijerah), Muhammad the soul, the real person, not the body, was summoned to the highest universe and the Quran was given to him (2:97, 17:1, 44:3, 53:1-18, 97:1-5).

When the Prophet(AS) died, he left the complete Quran written down with his own hand in the chronological order of revelation, along with specific instructions as to where to place every verse. The divine instructions recorded by the Prophet were designed to put the Quran together into the final format intended for God's Final Testament to the world (75:17).

Obviously he was not but the sects benefit from propagating this myth. To base your convictions on secondary sources both as a source of belief or attacking the Muslim faith is plain nuts. There is no sound base for these reports and all of them stand impossible to verify. Allow me to add, howcome most people tend to hear only one side of the story? Of course there is something comforting about walling yourself off from inconvenient truth, or as somebody once put it; spending your time in ideological “cocoons.” . It is easy to hang around people and/or sites where you are part of a choir than to raise your hand and ask the tough questions. Like how do you know what you know and what makes it the truth? Edit: M@ Where does it say in the entire chapter Al-Alaq ; Muhammad replied, "I can't read", here is the entire chapter ... Recite in the name of your Lord who created - (1) Created man from a clinging substance. (2) Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous - (3) Who taught by the pen - (4) Taught man that which he knew not. (5) No! [But] indeed, man transgresses (6) Because he sees himself self-sufficient. (7) Indeed, to your Lord is the return. (8) Have you seen the one who forbids (9) A servant when he prays? (10) Have you seen if he is upon guidance (11) Or enjoins righteousness? (12) Have you seen if he denies and turns away - (13) Does he not know that Allah sees? (14) No! If he does not desist, We will surely drag him by the forelock - (15) A lying, sinning forelock. (16) Then let him call his associates; (17) We will call the angels of Hell. (18) No! Do not obey him. But prostrate and draw near [to Allah]. (19) I guess it never stops (claiming stuff is in the Quran when in reality it has nothing to do with Quran) Edit: John@ I am responding to //// (1) In the Qur'an, 96:1, Gibreel said "iqra" = read. Muhammad replied, "I can't read". ////

LOL.... look mate when i say i wrote a letter to my friend , it doesn't mean i wrote it . it meant that i sent it!!

another thing is that when reading the story of mohammad pbuh , the guys who were writting are his friends, for exaple Ali wrote a letter and the messenger was giving him what to write, read his story before reading the hadiths, AN ADVISE TO YOU. . go and read and u will see. and even the Quran ,mohammad pbuh was appointing every man for writting a certain surah . and abu huraira was asking mohammad pbuh so that he can narrate them due generations. it will be all clear when reading his story! and BTW read it from authentic genuine books not internet!

He didn't write any letters :S people wrote it for him and they would re read it back - if it was accurate the way he wanted it, he sound stamp it with his ring that had his name on it to show it is "from" himself - i.e. it was approved by him...

you are aware that there are scribes or people like secretaries that can write what you dictate by mouth..

thats exactly how prophet Muhammed made sure the Quran was accurate, he had people write it down verbatim and repeat it and rewrite it till they got it exactly to what he wanted...

so there is no reason to think he didnt have friends write letters to people..

They had, as in other countries, including England, professional letter writers and readers.

The Quranic Revealations were dictated to him (saw) by Angel Gabriel. He kept them in memory and would dictate them to his 'trusworthy God fearing ' scribes to put them in writing.

So whenever he (saw) wants something to be written, he (saw) would just tell his (saw) scribes to put them in writing. He (saw) would just put his (saw) seal on them.

But where does the hadith says that he (saw) wrote the letter himself?

Ever heard about personnels called "Secretaries" who write things for their bosses?

Ever heard of a person called a 'Scribe'?