سورة الأنعام

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ هذا کِتابٌ أَنْزَلْناهُ مُبارَکٌ مُصَدِّقُ الَّذِی بَیْنَ یَدَیْهِ [And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed, verifying that which is before it] — meaning the Quran is a Book which We have sent down as blessed, verifying the Tawrat, the Injil and the Zabur.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ لِتُنْذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُری وَ مَنْ حَوْلَها [and that you may warn Ummul Qura and those around her] — meaning Makkah has been named Ummul Qura for the reason that it was the first spot and house built on the earth.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ لِتُنْذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُری وَ مَنْ حَوْلَها [and that you may warn Ummul Qura and those around her]; the meaning is that by means of the Noble Quran, you warn the people of Makkah and those around Makkah.

Imam al-Jawad (peace be upon him): Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sufi said: I asked Imam al-Jawad (peace be upon him): "Why was the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) called al-Ummi?" He said: "What do people say on this matter?" I said: "People suppose that because His Eminence could not write and read, he was called al-Ummi!" He said: "They lie, may the curse of Allah be upon them. How can such a thing be, when Allah in His firm Book, the Glorious Quran, says: And He is the One who raised up among the unlettered people a Messenger from among themselves, who recites His verses to them and purifies them and teaches them the Book (the Quran) and wisdom. (Jumuah/2). He is the Allah who, among the ummi Arabs [who did not know reading and writing], raised as Messenger an honourable Prophet from among that very people, so that he might recite for them the verses of Allah's revelation, and purify them from ignorance and unpleasant qualities and ugly morals, and teach them the shari'ah, the heavenly Book and divine wisdom. So when Allah says: 'The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) recited the verses and taught the people the Book,' could such a Prophet not read and write?! By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) read and wrote in seventy-three languages, and the reason His Eminence was called al-Ummi was because he was from the people of Makkah, and Makkah is called Ummul Qura, as Allah the Exalted says: وَ لِتُنْذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُری وَ مَنْ حَوْلَها [and that you may warn Ummul Qura and those around her]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Ali ibn Asbat said: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "People claim that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) did not know how to write or read." He said: "How is that possible, when Allah the Mighty and Majestic has said: هُوَ الَّذِی بَعَثَ فِی الْأُمِّیِّینَ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ یَتْلُوا عَلَیْهِمْ آیاتِهِ وَ یُزَکِّیهِمْ وَ یُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْکِتابَ وَ الْحِکْمَةَ [He is the One who raised up among the unlettered people a Messenger from among themselves, who recites His verses to them, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book (the Quran) and wisdom] (Jumu'ah/2). So how could he teach them the Book and wisdom while he himself was unable to read and write?!" I said: "Then why has he been called al-Nabi al-Ummi?" He said: "He has been ascribed to Mecca, and that is the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: وَ لِتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَی وَ مَنْ حَوْلَهَا [That you may warn Ummul Qura and those around it]. Ummul Qura is Mecca, and for that reason he was called Ummi."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ الَّذِینَ یُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ یُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ [And those who believe in the hereafter believe in it]; meaning they believe in the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the Quran.