Imam Ali (AS) – The Master of the Quran

Among the companions of the Prophet (SAW) , no one's knowledge of the Quran was as widely acknowledged as that of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) . Sunni record that Imam Ali (AS) not only mastered every verse—its meaning, context, and occasion of revelation—but also The original mushaf soon after the Prophet's (SAW)

This mushaf was unique: unlike Uthman's version, Imam Ali's (AS) Quran was arranged according to the chronological order of revelation and included explanations of verses and historical background. Narrations describe him declaring: “This is the Quran as it was revealed.”

In this part, we will explore the reports from Sunni history that prove Imam Ali's (AS) unmatched mastery of the Quran, his compilation.

(Part 4 Quran and Zikr) Imam Ali (AS) – The Master of The Quran_e0419886_08241137.jpeg

After the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Imam Ali (AS) dedicated himself to preserving the Quran. Historical reports mention that he began compiling the mushaf immediately after the Prophet's (SAW) death, arranging it in the exact order of revelation and adding explanations of verses and their context. This early effort shows his deep concern for safeguarding the divine message in its purest form.

Imam Ali's (AS) Compilation of the Quran

Ibn Saad records in Tabaqat al-Kubra that Imam Ali (AS) withdrew from public matters and focused on compiling the Quran after the Prophet's death. His version was arranged according to revelation.

Tabaqat al-Kubra, Ibn Saad.

Ibn Sirin's Testimony

Ibn Sirin, a famous Tabii, said:

“Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) compiled the Quran in the order it was revealed. If I had that mushaf, I would have found a great deal of knowledge.”

This shows Imam Ali's (AS) mushaf contained insights beyond the text, including tafsir and historical context.

al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Qur'an, al-Suyuti

Imam Ali(AS) Declares His Mushaf

Ibn Abi Dawud reports that Ali (AS) once presented his compilation and said:

“This is the Quran as it was revealed.”

His declaration confirmed that his mushaf preserved the Quran in its original sequence of revelation.

Kitab al-Masahif, Ibn Abi Dawud,

Imam Ali's (AS) Own Claim of Quranic Knowledge

Imam Ali (AS) is reported to have said:

“There is not a single verse in the Quran that I do not know—whether it was revealed at night or during the day, in the plains or the mountains, and on what occasion it was revealed.”

This statement highlights his complete mastery over the Quran.

al-Mustadrak al-Hakim,

Companions Recognizing Imam Ali's (AS) Authority

Abdullah ibn Masud (RA), known for his Quranic recitation, acknowledged Imam Ali's (AS) knowledge by saying:

“The Quran was revealed upon seven ahruf, and none knows them better than Imam Ali (AS).”

Even the most respected reciters recognized Imam Ali (AS) as the foremost authority on the Quran.

al-Mustadrak al-Hakim.

Questions to Think About

Imam Ali (AS) had the complete Quran, wasn't why't it accepted by the Muslim community?

Was politics stronger than preservation of the Quran?

Does Imam Ali's mushaf still exist today?

Where is it?

Conclusion

From what we have seen so far, it is clear that early reports from authentic Sunni sources raise serious questions about how the Quran was compiled, preserved, and transmitted. Whether it was Abu Musa's statement about missing verses, Umar's concern over lost ayat, Ubayy ibn Kab's different readings, or Ayesha's narration about the goat eating written verses — all of these come from well-recognized Sunni hadith collections that scholars consider authentic themselves.

This shows that the debate about Zikr vs Quran is not new, and that different companions preserved and understood the revelation in different ways. What we have explored in this series so far is based only on authentic Sunni books, accepted by Sunni scholars as reliable.

In the next part of the series, we will look at narrations from Shia authentic sources to see what they say about Imam Ali (AS) and his mushaf, and to search for the truth with an open mind. InshaAllah, Allah will guide us in this journey .

Part 6: Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) And The Quran 17,000 Verses: What the Imams Said About the Quran