🔥 Examination: Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light

14.7. Allegations of Ahlul-Bayt Omission

Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq claims the names of the Ahlul-Bayt (family of the Prophet) were removed from the Qur'an. However:

• Ahlul-Bayt Are Honored in the Qur'an: Verses such as Surah Al-Ahzab (33:33) clearly honor the Ahlul-Bayt. However, the Qur'an avoids naming individuals except when universally relevant (e.g., Musa, Isa).
• No Need for Additional Names: The Prophet (peace be upon him) clarified the status of Ahlul-Bayt in Hadiths, such as Hadith Al-Thaqalayn:
  “I leave you two things: the Book of Allah and my Ahlul-Bayt.”
  These narrations complement the Qur'an but do not indicate any incompleteness.

The "Allegations of Ahlul-Bayt Omission" refer to claims that certain verses or Surahs of the Qur'an were deliberately excluded or altered to downplay the status of the Ahlul-Bayt (the family of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) or to omit explicit references to their divine rights and leadership. These allegations are often rooted in historical Sunni-Shia tensions and differing interpretations of Islamic history and theology. Among these claims is the supposed existence of a "Surah Al-Wilayah" or other verses that emphasize Imam Ali's role as the Prophet's rightful successor. These allegations lack credible evidence from both Sunni and Shia scholarship.

Mainstream Shia scholars firmly reject the idea that the Qur'an has been tampered with or altered in any way.

Similarly, Ayatollah Abu Al-Qasim Al-Khoei in his work Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an affirms,

Sunni scholars categorically reject allegations of omissions in the Qur'an, emphasizing the divine assurance of its preservation.

They argue that the Qur'an's compilation under Caliph Abu Bakr and its standardization under Caliph Uthman were conducted with the consensus of the Prophet's companions, including members of the Ahlul-Bayt. This process ensured the Qur'an's completeness and integrity, safeguarding it against any claims of distortion.

The allegations often arise from historical grievances and polemics during the early Islamic period. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), disputes over leadership led to divisions within the Muslim community. Some factions claimed that explicit Qur'anic support for certain leaders, particularly Imam Ali, was suppressed. However, these claims lack substantiated evidence from historical records. The purported "Surah Al-Wilayah," allegedly emphasizing Imam Ali's leadership, has no basis in any authentic Qur'anic manuscript, Sunni or Shia. All historical manuscripts of the Qur'an, including the earliest ones preserved in museums today, are identical and do not include such a Surah.

While there are verses in the Qur'an that highlight the virtues and significance of the Ahlul-Bayt (e.g., Surah Al-Ahzab 33:33), mainstream Islamic scholarship agrees that the Qur'an does not endorse specific political leadership but provides general moral and spiritual guidance.

The belief in the Qur'an's preservation is foundational to Islamic theology. Any claim of alteration undermines the divine promise of its protection and the integrity of Islamic teachings. Both Sunni and Shia scholars emphasize that the Qur'an is a complete and unaltered divine text. The Qur'an recited by Muslims worldwide, whether Sunni or Shia, is the same, demonstrating the universal acceptance of its text. Disagreements between Sunni and Shia Islam pertain to its interpretation, not its content. These allegations, therefore, are baseless and stem from historical grievances rather than theological or textual evidence.