Myth 22: “The Prophet Muhammad Was an Illiterate Shepherd”

Claim: 

Muhammad was an unlettered, illiterate shepherd. Therefore, he could not have authored the Qur’an himself—it must be of divine origin.

Reality: 

The myth of Muhammad’s illiteracy is a theological argument, not a historical fact. The term "ummi" does not necessarily mean “illiterate,” and multiple hadiths and early biographical sources imply Muhammad engaged in trade contracts, correspondence, and treaty documentation. His role as a caravan trader contradicts the notion of total illiteracy, and the Qur’an itself includes references to reading, writing, and scribal interaction.

📜 I. Doctrinal and Linguistic Breakdown of “Ummi”

🔹 Qur’an 7:157

“…the unlettered (ummi) prophet whom they find written in the Torah and the Gospel…”

  • Apologetic Claim: Ummi means Muhammad was illiterate, proving he couldn’t author the Qur’an.

  • Linguistic Reality: Classical Arabic also uses ummi to mean “Gentile” or “unscriptured people”, especially in contrast to Jews and Christians.

  • Ibn Abbas (early Qur'anic commentator) and other scholars supported this interpretation.

🧠 The term does not definitively prove illiteracy—it may instead denote religious identity or status.

📚 II. Evidence of Literacy in Historical Sources

🧾 Contractual and Trade Records

  • Muhammad was a merchant, negotiating contracts and managing Khadijah’s trade business.

  • Sahih Bukhari 3185 reports treaty dictation, and in Bukhari 4417 he orders writing of letters.

  • Treaty of Hudaybiyyah: Muhammad directed corrections in the document, showing familiarity with wording.

🖋️ Hadith Indications

  • Bukhari 3047: “The Prophet took the treaty and wrote…” (Though some narrations say he had scribes, others say he edited or ordered changes).

  • He had official scribes, but the interaction suggests at least functional literacy.

🧠 Logical Contradiction

  • It is implausible that a leader of a growing polity, responsible for treaties, laws, and correspondence, would be entirely illiterate.

  • The argument from illiteracy is an apologetic tactic to enhance the Qur’an’s miraculous status, not an evidence-based claim.

🏛️ III. Theological Motivation Behind the Illiteracy Claim

  • Claiming Muhammad was illiterate bolsters the argument that he could not have authored the Qur’an himself.

  • Islamic tradition treats this as a miracle of divine authorship.

  • However, this bypasses empirical analysis: literacy is a skill, not a disqualifier for revelation, and even a partially literate individual could memorize, compose, and dictate text.

🔥 IV. Common Defenses and Refutations

DefenseForensic Rebuttal
“Ummi means illiterate; it’s a miracle.”Textual and historical evidence shows ummi often meant non-Jew/Gentile.
“He had scribes, so he didn’t need to write.”Yet he dictated, edited, and ordered corrections—this requires linguistic awareness.
“Hadith say he couldn’t read or write.”Hadith are not always consistent or contemporaneous; multiple report contrary implications.
“Illiteracy makes the Qur’an miraculous.”Argument from ignorance. Literacy ≠ authorship. Many poets and orators composed rich material without formal literacy.

❌ Final Logical Conclusion

If:

  • The Qur’an uses “ummi” in a context that also means “Gentile,”

  • Muhammad was a caravan merchant engaged in trade, treaties, and letters,

  • And hadiths show he participated in document review and editing,

Then:

❌ The claim that Muhammad was completely illiterate is unsupported by evidence.
It is a theological device—not a historical fact.
The entire argument for the Qur’an’s miraculous origin based on illiteracy collapses under scrutiny.

📢 Final Word

Historical credibility cannot rest on linguistic sleight of hand.
If Muhammad was not illiterate, the apologetic argument for divine authorship loses its foundational premise.
Truth must be grounded in evidence—not miracle-based presuppositions.

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