We can see from the hadith below and from the khamr verses that much was preserved when it could be preserved:
Al Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 53:
Narrated Ibn Az-Zubair:
I said to 'Uthman bin 'Affan (while he was collecting the Qur'an) regarding the Verse:-- "Those of you who die and leave wives ..." (2.240)
"This Verse was abrogated by an other Verse. So why should you write it? (Or leave it in the Qur'an)?" 'Uthman said. "O son of my brother! I will not shift anything of it from its place."
http://www.sultan.org/books/bukhari/060.htm
We also know from the lost verses of the very long "son of adam mountain belly dust" surah that much was lost, we also know that much of the punctuation we now have wasn't present at the time of the original, i am sometimes surprised when the imam stretches the "raaaaaq" in surah qiyamah as if it must be a fixed duration of standing fathas despite most of the sahabah's (ra) having been simple people reciting to the best of their ability and in different dialects with no complaints.
Therefore i have no issues with someone reminding me of the possibility that a word might have missed a jot if they can provide sound observations, i would keep that possibility in mind if it was a sincere effort to find the truth and a reasonable note, and i would continue reciting exactly as it is written in the Quran as it was 1,400 years ago and as it is now unless there was a beyond doubt reason that has been sufficiently and honestly examined internationally to rectify a demonstrable scribal error.
I'm not advanced in Arabic but i'm pretty sure some of us have come across places where a question is begun to be posed such as "am man" or "am" and the latter part appears not present, i would presume that that's either exactly how it was meant to be, or that it wasn't able to be verified stringently at the time of compilation.
Allah knows best.
But i'm definitely not going to waste my time on mutashaabihaat since what is available in terms of guidance is weightier than anything else available on the planet and i don't believe a lifetime is enough to absorb what's available, if someone has the time and can find a good observation, thanks, i'll absorb what knowledge i can if it's worthwhile.
Bukhari
Volume 6, Book 60, Number 8:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
Umar said, "Our best Qur'an reciter is Ubai and our best judge is 'Ali; and in spite of this, we leave some of the statements of Ubai because Ubai says, 'I do not leave anything that I have heard from Allah's Apostle while Allah:"Whatever verse (Revelations) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten but We bring a better one or similar to it." (2.106)
When conversing about ayaat mutashaabihaat, one must also be careful and concerened of the level of the knowledge of listeners, because one may inadvertently be giving them more debatable stuff than the vast amount of guidance and certain stuff available and thereby cause their ignorance to get the better of them, the Prophet pbuh was cautious of harming them in their sensitive stage, but again he had no qualms in speaking the truth exactly as and when it ws required, we have nothing to hide, and we do not cower in the face of legitimate scrutiny as long as it's respectful.
Volume 6, Book 60, Number 11:
Narrated 'Aisha: (The wife of the Prophet) Allah's Apostle said, "Don't you see that when your people built the Ka'ba, they did not build it on all Abraham's foundations?" I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Why don't you rebuild it on Abraham's foundations?"
He said, "
Were your people not so close to jahiliyyah ( the period of Heathenism, i.e. the Period between their being Muslims and being infidels), I would do so."
The sub-narrator, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar said, "Aisha had surely heard Allah's Apostle saying that, for I do not think that Allah's Apostle left touching the two corners of the Ka'ba facing Al-Hijr except because the Ka'ba was not built on all Abraham's foundations."
Another thing i've observed is that Allah in His infinite wisdom :sometimes allows doubts to be created and gets minds to start or restart a process of thinking and questioning, there is much benefit in this ultimately as it sifts the hearts, allows those who bother to thibk to become firmly grounded in faith after comparing things in this imperfect world of humans, and also shows up those who dispute for the sake of ignorant contention, He did it in the recitation of Surah najm, He did it during the siege of the confederates at the trench, He did it to the Prophet pbuh at hudaybiyyah where the Prophet pbuh made a pledge on behalf of Uthman who was presumed to have been martyred - despite being alive, to the extent that some sahabah including 'Umar (ra) began to doubt and they even lost morale to the extent that they refused to get up at Allah's messenger's command, He did it when Musa (as) smashed the tablets, He did it when He sent Maryam (as) unmarried and with a child, He did it when He allowed people to believe in the crucifixion, but the end fact is that He makes sure to prove the truth in the minds of those who care to think objectively, otherwise He could have made it all perfect and sent down a sign by which everyone would bend their necks in abject humiliation, He could have even shown Himself if He wanted to, but He lets us evaluate, compare, ponder, wonder, and come to an overall understanding.
This helps us in many stages of our day to day interactions with each other too.
Hudaybiyah: A Victory in the Long Term
Posted by:*Abu Ibraheemin*Analysis,*History,*Islamic Thought*10/03/20116 Comments*Leave your Comment
Sometimes, events happen that are deemed disturbing by those that witness them first hand. But later on, history will describe these same events as significant positive turning points.
.....Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA) was surprised by all this and said, “I never doubted my Islam except on that day.”
He came to the Prophet (SAW) and asked, “Are you not truly the Messenger of Allah (SAW)?”
The Prophet said, “Yes, indeed.”Umar (RA) asked, “Is not our cause just and the cause of the enemy unjust?”
The Prophet (SAW) said, “Yes.”Umar (RA) asked, “Then why should we be humiliated in our religion?”
He (SAW) said, “I am Allah’s Messenger; I do not disobey Him and He will make me victorious.”
Umar (RA) asked, “Did you not tell us that we would go to the Ka’bah and perform Tawaf around it?”
He (SAW) said, “Yes, but did I tell you that we would visit the Ka’bah this year?”
Umar (RA) replied, “No.
”He (SAW) said, “So you will visit it and perform Tawaf around it!”
http://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/2369-hudaybiyah-a-victory-in-the-long-term/
This seemed like a technicality to 'Umar (ra) and he was harsh in speech, he also went to Abu Bakr (ra) and it is the method of thought and words of Abu Bakr that actually make things clear, after repeating almost exactly what was said by the Prophet pbuh, he said, i bear witness that he is indeed Allah's messenger and that Allah will not forsake him, so stick to his stirrup til the end.
Abu Bakr's mentality was very different and his title is As-Siddeeq, he was able to bypass the smaller issues and look at the big picture.
His faith was not to be shaken on technicalities even if he was proven to have had a wrong interpretation or understanding initially.
The thing we'd have to wonder is: would the Prophet Muhammad pbuh stop being the Messenger of Allah even if a scribal error was found? Would the truth of Allah's existence be nullified if such an inconsequential fact was later proven? Are we of blind faith and would we follow the method of the people before us who claim that thousands of different totally contradictory versions aren't scribal errors but correct? Would we get angry and reject it if an original parchment proved beyond doubt that a jot was misplaced or would we be prepared to consider?
I'd be prepared for such shocks just in case.
9.*O you who believe! Remember the Grace of Allah, (bestowed) on you, when there came down on you hosts (to overwhelm you): But We sent against them a hurricane and forces that ye saw not: but Allah sees (clearly) all that ye do.
10.*Behold! they came on you from above you and from below you, and behold, the eyes became dim and the hearts gaped up to the throats, and ye imagined various (vain) thoughts about Allah.
11.*In that situation were the Believers tried: they were shaken as by a tremendous shaking.
12.*And behold! The Hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (even) say: "(Allah) and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion!"
13.*Behold! A party among them said: "Ye men of Yathrib! ye cannot stand (the attack)! therefore go back!" And a band of them ask for leave of the Prophet, saying, "Truly our houses are bare and exposed," though they were not exposed they intended nothing but to run away.
14.*And if an entry had been effected to them from the sides of the (city), and they had been incited to sedition, they would certainly have brought it to pass, with none but a brief delay!
15.*And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must (surely) be answered for.
16.*Say: "Running away will not profit you if ye are running away from death or slaughter; and even if (ye do escape), no more than a brief (respite) will ye be allowed to enjoy!"
17.*Say: "Who is it that can screen you from Allah if it be His wish to give you punishment or to give you Mercy?" Nor will they find for themselves, besides Allah, any protector or helper.
18.*Verily Allah knows those among you who keep back (men) and those who say to their brethren, "Come along to us", but come not to the fight except for just a little while.
19.*Covetous over you. Then when fear comes, thou wilt see them looking to thee, their eyes revolving, like (those of) one over whom hovers death: but when the fear is past, they will smite you with sharp tongues, covetous of goods. Such men have no faith, and so Allah has made their deeds of none effect: and that is easy for Allah.
20.*They think that the Confederates have not withdrawn; and if the Confederates should come (again), they would wish they were in the deserts (wandering) among the Bedouins, and seeking news about you (from a safe distance); and if they were in your midst, they would fight but little.
21.*Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah.
22.*When the Believers saw the Confederate forces, they said: "This is what Allah and his Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger told us what was true." And it only added to their faith and their zeal in obedience.
23.*Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah. of them some have completed their vow (to the extreme), and some (still) wait: but they have never changed (their determination) in the least:
24.*That Allah may reward the men of Truth for their Truth, and punish the Hypocrites if that be His Will, or turn to them in Mercy: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
25.*And Allah turned back the Unbelievers for (all) their fury: no advantage did they gain; and enough is Allah for the believers in their fight. And Allah is full of Strength, able to enforce His Will.
, i just keep the possibility in mind in case i'm proven wrong in future, since Allah is always right anyway.