An-Nisā’ 4:162
The verses
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. — Marmaduke Pickthall
They said: Lo! these are two wizards who would drive you out from your country by their magic, and destroy your best traditions; — Marmaduke Pickthall
The issue
The verse contains a contradiction to Arabic grammatical rules. The verse in Arabic uses the wrong grammatical case: hadhān instead of hadhāīn for “the twain.” ‘Ā’isha, the favorite wife of Muhammad, conceded that human error was involved in the scripting of the Qur’ān. When she was asked about the repeated grammatical mistakes in Q 4.162, Q 5.69, and Q 20.63, she replied, “Son of my sister! This is an error by the scribe”.
Abbān, the son of ‘Uthmān Ibn ‘Affān (third caliph after Muhammad), confirms in turn that the deviation from proper grammar in the aforementioned verses is due to the human factor. When he was asked about al-muqimīna in Q 4.162, which should have been al-muqimūna, he replied that “it is from the scribe”.
‘Uthmān Ibn ‘Affān also admits that there is solecism (ungrammatical combination of words; substandard deviation) in the Qur’ān, stating, “There is solecism in the mušhaf, but the Arabs will correct it [mušhaf] as they recite” (emphasis added). In this context it is said that when Q 20.63 was read to ‘Uthmān, his companions suggested that he fix the grammatical error in it. He replied, “Let the verse be as it is, for it does not forbid what is permitted, nor does it permit what is forbidden”.
An Islamic scholar comments on this verse, saying, “I am ashamed of Allah to recite…‘hadhān’” (emphasis added).
Arabic text of this item
في الآية مخالفة لقواعد اللغة العربية، إذ كان يجب أن تكون: «هَذيَن».
وقد أقرّت عَائِشَة ـ زوجة محمدٍ ـ بأن سبب الخطأ بشري، فعندما سُئلتْ عن الخطأ النحوي المتكرر في: <لَّكِن الرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ...وَالْمُقِيمِينَ> (الْنِّسَاءِ 4: 162)، و<إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَالَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالصَّابِئُونَ> (المَائِدَةِ 5: 69)، و<إِن هَذَانِ لَسَاحِرَانِ> (طَه 20: 63)، أجابت: «يا ابن أختي، هذا خطأ من الكاتب». وبدوره يؤكد أبَّانُ بن عثمان أن مرد اللحن في هذه المواضع يعود إلى العامل البشري، فعندما سُئل عن «الْمُقِيمِينَ»، وكان يجب أن تأتي بصيغة الرفع، قال: «مِنْ قِبَلِ الكَاتِب».
كما اعترف عثمان بن عفّان بوجود اللحن في القرآن، بقوله: «في المصحفِ لحنٌ، وستقيمه العرب بألسنتهم». وفي هذا السياق يُروى أنّه قُرئت لدى عثمان بن عفان الآية (طه: 63)، فاقترح أصحابه إصلاح الخلل النحوي فيها، فقال: «دعوه فإنه لا يحرّم حلالاً، ولا يحلّل حراماً»! ويعلق أبو عمرو، أحد علماء المسلمين، على ذلك: «إنّي لأستحي من اللهِ أنْ أقرأ: <إنَّ هذان>».
Sources cited
- al-Qurţubī 14: 90.
- Ibid.; al-Sijistānī 234-235 (2002); compare with al-Baghawī 5: 281.
- القرطبي، تفسير 14: 90.
- السجستاني، كتاب المصاحف 234-235.
- البغوي، تفسير 5: 281.
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