It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that: “I am commanded
to recite the Quran for Umar.”1
And it is narrated from Ibne Masud that: “Umar was most pious of us with regard to God and most knowledgeable of us about recitation of Quran.”2
Mohib Tabari has narrated from Ali bin Harb Tai, from channels of Ibne
Masud that he said to Zaid bin Wahab:
“Recite to us what Umar recited for you and encouraged you to recite,
indeed Umar is most knowledgeable about Quran and most judicious in religion
of Almighty Allah.”3
These are Mursal traditional reports, which have no chains of narrators. I
think that proving their chains invalid is not required to prove the falsity of these
traditional reports.
Indeed, if the Caliph had really been blessed by Almighty Allah and
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) was ordered to recite Quran for him, he should
have been able to memorize and understand it, know its meanings and act upon
it; he should have recited Quran more than other companions as was mentioned
in the report of Hakim, or should be most knowledgeable and judicious as
mentioned in report of Tai, and why he spent twelve years to memorize Surah
Baqarah? As was mentioned above,4 and why his rulings are deviated from Holy
Quran: like:
1. His ruling that if one is ritually polluted and has no water for ritual bath,
he should omit prayer, negligent of the statement of Almighty Allah in Surah
Nisa5 and Surah Maidah.6
2. His ruling to stone to death a woman six months pregnant, while before
him was the verse:
وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصْلُهُ ثَلْثُوْنَ شَهْرًا
“And the bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months.”7
And the verse:
وَالْوَالِدَتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَا دَهْنَ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ
“And the mothers should suckle their children for two whole years…”8
3. His prohibition of increasing the dower of women, whereas he was having the statement of Allah before him, saying:
وَاتَيْتُمْ احْدُهُنَّ قِنْطَارًا
“And you have given one of them a heap of gold…”9
4. Not knowing the meaning of ‘Abb’ while he recited the verse:
مَتَاعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِكُمْ
“A provision for you and for your cattle.”10
5. His theory that the Black Stone (Hajar Aswad) causes no harm and benefit due to his ignorance to statement of Almighty Allah:
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ
“And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs…”11
6. Forbidding good things of life by relying on the verse of:
اذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَتِكُمْ فِي حَيَاتِكُمُ الدُّنْيَا
“You did away with your good things in your life of the world.”12
As he was negligent of the preceding verses and also did not pay attention to other verses which say:
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهِ وَالطَّيِّبَتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ
“Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions…”13
7. Not knowing meanings and implications of terms and allegorical and
unclear statements of Quran.
8. Ordering the stoning of a woman, who committed fornication under
compulsion and being in a helpless position, whereas it is mentioned in Quran:
فَمَنِ اضْطَرَ غَيْرَ بَاغَ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ
“But whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him.”14
9. Curiosity, which made him climb the wall and enter a house, without greeting the occupants and he paid no attention to the following three verses:
وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا
“And do not spy…”15