Did Ibn Mas‘ud View Surat al-Falaq and al-Nas as Non-Quranic?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

Is it true that Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (Allah be pleased with him) did not consider “al-Mu‘awwidhatayn” (the two protective Suras; Surat al-Nas and Surat al-Falaq) part of the Quran?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The questioner may be referring to what Imam Ahmad and others narrated from Zirr ibn Hubaysh. He said, “I said to Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, ‘Indeed, Ibn Mas‘ud did not write “al-Mu‘awwidhatayn” in his Mushaf.’ Ubayy replied, ‘I bear witness that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, informed me: Jibreel said to him, “Say, ‘I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak’ (Quran, 113:1),” so I said it. Then he said, “Say, ‘I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind’ (Quran, 114:1),” and I said it. So, we say what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said.’” [Ahmad]

In another narration by Ibn Hibban, Zirr ibn Hubaysh said, “I met Ubayy ibn Ka‘b and said to him, ‘Indeed, Ibn Mas‘ud used to scrape “al-Mu‘awwidhatayn” from the Mushafs and said they were not from the Quran, so do not include in it what is not from it.’ Ubayy said, ‘It was said to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said to us, so we say (as he instructed).’” [Ibn Bulban, al-Ihsan fi Taqrib Sahih Ibn Hiban]

Note: Ubayy ibn Ka‘b was one of those whom the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) instructed to learn the Quran from. As narrated by Masruq, he said, “We used to visit ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr and talk with him. One day, we mentioned ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, and he said, ‘You have mentioned a man whom I have loved ever since I heard the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him) say: Take the Quran from four: from Ibn Umm ‘Abd – starting with him – and from Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfa.’” [Ahmad]

Therefore, Ubayy ibn Ka’b was one of the foremost in the Quran after the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him), and to him trace back some of the chains of Quranic recitation.

There are many opinions among scholars interpreting the words and actions of Ibn Mas‘ud, including:

Firstly: Scholars Who Reject the Narrations about Ibn Mas‘ud

A group of scholars reject the narrations about Ibn Mas‘ud and consider them false. Among them:

• Ibn Hazm al-Zahiri stated, “The Quran in the Mushafs held by Muslims in the East and the West, from the beginning of Umm al-Quran (al-Fatiha) to the end of al-Mu‘awwidhatayn (Surat al-Nas and Surat al-Falaq), is the word of Allah, Almighty and Glorious, and His revelation sent down to the heart of His Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Whoever disbelieves in a letter of it is a disbeliever. Allah (Most High) says, ‘(…) (O Prophet), grant it to them so they may hear the Word of Allah, (…)’ [Quran, 9:6], and ‘which the trustworthy spirit (Gabriel) brought down’ [Quran, 26:193], ‘into your heart (O Prophet)—so that you may be one of the warners.’ [Quran, 26:194], and ‘And so We have revealed to you a Quran in Arabic,’ [Quran, 42:7]. Everything reported about Ibn Mas‘ud, that al-Mu‘awwidhatayn and Umm al-Quran were not in his Mushaf, is a fabricated lie and not authentic. The only authentic narration from him is the recitation of Asim from Zirr ibn Hubaysh from Ibn Mas’ud, which includes Umm al-Quran and al-Mu‘awwidhatayn.” [Ibn Hazm, al-Muhalla]
• Imam al-Nawawi said, “The Muslims unanimously agree that al-Mu‘awwidhatayn, al-Fatiha, and the rest of the Suras written in the Mushaf are Quran, and whoever denies any part of it is a disbeliever. What is narrated about Ibn Mas‘ud regarding al-Fatiha and al-Mu‘awwidhatayn is false and not true about him.” [Nawawi, Sharh al-Muhazzab; Suyuti, al-Itqan; Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan]
• Imam al-Baqillani, who refuted the notion that Ibn Mas‘ud meant that, wrote extensively, nearly thirty pages, refuting all possibilities that might suggest Ibn Mas‘ud did not consider al-Mu‘awwidhatayn part of the Quran. It is advised for the questioner to refer to his book for many convincing arguments that reassure the believer’s heart. [Baqillani, al-Intisar]

Secondly: Scholars Who Affirm Narrations about Ibn Mas‘ud

A group of scholars affirm and validate what has been narrated about Ibn Mas‘ud. Among them are Hafiz Ibn Hajar, Ibn Kathir, Suyuti, and others. Ibn Hajar, in his book “Fath al-Bari,” commented on Nawawi’s aforementioned statement, saying, “There is room for reconsideration,” and even described the narration about Ibn Mas‘ud scraping off al-Mu‘awwidhatayn as “explicit and authentic”…[Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir; Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari; Suyuti, al-Itqan]

Based on the above, what is attributed to Ibn Mas‘ud is established and cannot be rightfully denied. This is the view of most scholars. However, some have interpreted it in various ways, while others consider it a human error made by Ibn Mas‘ud, and some even regard it as one of his anomalous opinions.

Here is a summary of their statements and responses on this matter:

• Ibn Kathir, in his Tafsir, rationalized Ibn Mas‘ud’s objection, stating: “It is well-known among many reciters and jurists that Ibn Mas‘ud did not write al-Mu‘awwidhatayn in his Mushaf. Perhaps he did not hear them from the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him), and they were not mutawatir (widely transmitted) to him. Then, perhaps he later reverted from his opinion to that of the majority, as the Companions (Allah be pleased with them), wrote them in the master Mushafs and dispatched them to all regions, for which we thank and praise Allah.” [Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir]
• Some scholars suggest that Ibn Mas‘ud did not deny al-Mu‘awwidhatayn as a revelation from Allah (Most High) but rather thought of them as a supplication revealed to the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him). Bazzar narrated from Alqama, from Abdullah, that he used to scrape off al-Mu‘awwidhatayn from the Mushaf, saying, “The Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) commanded to seek refuge with them,” and Abdullah did not recite them. Bazzar said, “No one among the Prophet’s companions (Blessings and peace be upon him) agreed with Abdullah on this, and it is authentic that the Prophet recited them in prayer, and they were affirmed in the Mushaf.” [Bazzar, Musnad al-Bazzar]
• Ibn Qutayba affirmed that al-Mu‘awwidhatayn were considered protective supplications when he explained what was attributed to Ibn Mas‘ud. He said, “However, Abdullah believed – as seen by those who contemplate – that al-Mu‘awwidhatayn were like protective and healing supplications and others. He saw the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him), using them to protect Hasan, Husayn, and others.” [Ibn Qutayba, Ta’wil Mushkil al-Quran]
• Tabarani narrated from Abu Abdur Rahman al-Sulami, which confirms that Ibn Mas‘ud considered them as protective supplications. He said, “Indeed, he used to say, ‘Do not mix into the Quran what is not part of it. Indeed, they are only two protective supplications with which the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) sought refuge: Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, and Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,’ and Abdullah used to erase them from the Mushaf.” [Tabarani, al-Mu‘ajam al-Kabir]
• Some believe that Ibn Mas‘ud knew al-Mu‘awwidhatayn and acknowledged that the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) instructed him to seek refuge with them, but it was unknown to him that they were part of the Quran. Others were more knowledgeable about this, and they were indeed part of the Quran by the consensus of all. The crux of the matter is that Ibn Mas‘ud did not know, while others did, and those who knew are proof against those who did not.
• Ibn Mas‘ud’s students, who were among the leading Tabi‘un, like Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, did not agree with Ibn Mas‘ud in this view, as Ibn Abi Shayba reported in his Musannaf: “Ibrahim al-Nakhai said, ‘I asked al-Aswad: Are they part of the Quran?’ He said: ‘Yes,’ meaning al-Mu‘awwidhatayn.” [Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba]
• Additionally, Asim’s recitation from Ibn Mas‘ud, as I mentioned earlier, includes al-Mu‘awwidhatayn and is authentic. [Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan]
• Some scholars interpret Ibn Mas‘ud’s action of not writing al-Mu‘awwidhatayn in his Quran not as a denial of their being Quran, but rather because he did not view it as a Sunna to write them down, believing that nothing should be written in the Mushaf unless the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) had permitted its inclusion. Perhaps he was unaware of such permission, and some scholars consider this opinion unlikely. [Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari (where Ibn Hajar mentions this interpretation from Baqillani and Qadi ‘Iyad); Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
• Ibn Abi Dawud mentioned in his book “al-Masahif” something that suggests Ibn Mas‘ud’s eventual acceptance of Uthman’s compilation of the Quran. He titled a chapter in his book “The Approval of Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ud of Uthman’s (Allah be pleased with him) Compilation of the Mushafs.” Then he narrated from Fulfula al-Ju‘fi, who said, “I was alarmed along with those who were alarmed about Uthman’s compilation of the Mushafs. We went to Abdullah, and a man among the people said, ‘We did not come to visit you, but we came because this news troubled us.’ He said, ‘Indeed, the Quran was revealed to your Prophet in seven modes, on seven letters, and the book before you was revealed (or descended) in one mode, on one letter, but their meanings are the same.’”
• This narration indicates Ibn Mas‘ud’s approval of Uthman’s compilation and distribution of the Quran copies to different regions, and undoubtedly, what Uthman transcribed included al-Mu‘awwidhatayn.

Summary

After considering various opinions and the circumstances surrounding this issue, it can be inferred that Ibn Mas‘ud acknowledged al-Mu‘awwidhatayn but was unaware that they were part of the Quran. This is confirmed by the following hadiths:

• Narrated by ‘Uqba bin ‘Amir, the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) said, “There were revealed to me verses the likes of which have not been seen: ‘Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak’ until the end of the Sura, and ‘Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind’ until the end of the Surah.” [Nasa‘i]
• Also narrated by ‘Uqba bin Amir, he said, “I followed the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him) while he was riding, and I placed my hand on his foot, and said, ‘Teach me Sura Hud or Sura Yusuf.’ He said, ‘Nothing is more significant before Allah than “Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak”’” [Ahmad]
• Again narrated by ‘Uqba bin Amir, he said, “I was leading the camel of the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him) on a journey, and he said, ‘O ‘Uqba, shall I not teach you the best two Suras ever recited?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘“Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak” and “Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind.”’ Then, when he dismounted, he prayed the morning prayer with them and said, ‘How do you find them, O ‘Uqba?’” [Ahmad]

Important Note

It is well-known that Ibn Mas‘ud witnessed the final presentation (‘Arda Akhira) of the Quran to the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him). This implies that Ibn Mas‘ud had knowledge of what was abrogated from the Quran, as clarified by Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him), who said: “Which of the two readings do you consider earlier?” They said, “The reading of ‘Abdullah.” He said, “No, it is the latter one, ‘The Quran used to be presented to the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him) once every year, but in the year he passed away, it was presented twice, and Abdullah witnessed it, so he knew what was abrogated and what was changed.’” [Ahmad]

Therefore, do not assume, dear questioner, that al-Mu‘awwidhatayn were among those whose recitation was abrogated, and that Ibn Mas‘ud knew this and hence argued against their Quranic status. If that were the case in Ibn Mas‘ud’s view, it would have been a stronger argument for him to exclude them from the Mushaf, and he would not have needed to justify their exclusion by claiming they were a supplication revealed to the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him) and not part of the Quran. Moreover, the abrogated Quran is still the Quran, but it is abrogated, which is not what Ibn Mas‘ud claimed about al-Mu‘awwidhatayn.

Mutawatir Nature of the Quran

If we assume that Ibn Mas‘ud denied al-Mu‘awwidhatayn, or even al-Fatiha, or the entire Quran, his denial does not harm us in any way because this denial does not negate the mutawatir (widely transmitted) nature of the Quran, nor does it remove the absolute knowledge established by tawatur (continuity). No one in the world has said that a condition for tawatur and the certain knowledge based on it is that there must be no dissenters. [Zurqani, Mahil al-‘Irfan]

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize two important points:

First: Ibn Mas‘ud’s lack of awareness about the Quranic nature of al-Mu‘awwidhatayn does not diminish his stature (Allah be pleased with him). He was among the foremost early Muslims, prayed towards both Qiblas, performed both migrations, participated in all battles with the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him), was a companion of Badr, and was one of those whom the Messenger of Allah instructed to learn the Quran from. The Prophet said about him: “Whoever wishes to read the Quran fresh as it was revealed, let him read according to the recitation of Ibn Umm ‘Abd.” [Ahmad]

Mistakes in fundamental issues can occur even among the great scholars in their independent reasoning. This does not prevent the belief in the virtues of the Companions and their high status. The only one protected from error was the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and peace be upon him) and then his Umma collectively after him.

Second: The Umma has unanimously agreed on the authenticity of what is between the covers of the Mushaf, that it is the book which falsehood cannot approach from before it or from behind it, beginning with Surat al-Fatiha and ending with Surat al-Nas. The consensus of the Umma is protected (from error), and after the establishment of this consensus, it is not permissible for anyone to consider what deviates from the ‘Uthmanic script as the Quran, and what conforms to the ‘Uthmanic script must be mutawatir (widely transmitted) to be considered as Quran. This is a clear truth that must not be contradicted.

Finally: Our religion is clear, and there is nothing in it to be ashamed or afraid of. The discussion of differences in this matter is a testament to this. Perhaps one of the wisdom behind such serious disputes related to the most truthful book is to clearly demonstrate and manifest the truth of Allah’s statement: “Indeed, it is We who sent down the Dhikr (the Quran), and indeed, We will be its guardian.” [Quran, 15:9]

And Allah knows best.

May blessings and peace be upon our master and prophet, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.

Shaykh Anas al-Musa