> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://qurantalk.gitbook.io/muhammad-was-not-illiterate/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://qurantalk.gitbook.io/muhammad-was-not-illiterate/adversaries-acknowledged-muhammad-wrote-the-quran.md).

# Adversaries acknowledged Muhammad wrote the Quran

Even the prophet's adversaries among his contemporaries acknowledged that he could read and write. This is stated in the following verse.

> *\[25:5] They also said, “Tales from the past that **he wrote down**; they were dictated to him day and night.”*
>
> (٥) وَقَالُوا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ **اكْتَتَبَهَا** فَهِيَ تُمْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا

<table><thead><tr><th width="83">1</th><th width="162">waqālū</th><th width="115">وَقَالُوٓا۟</th><th>And they said,</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2</td><td>asāṭīru</td><td>أَسَـٰطِيرُ</td><td>“Tales (of)</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>l-awalīna</td><td>ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ</td><td>the former [ones] (people) / past generations</td></tr><tr><td><strong>4</strong></td><td><strong>ik’tatabahā</strong></td><td><strong>ٱكْتَتَبَهَا</strong></td><td><strong>(which) he wrote it</strong></td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>fahiya</td><td>فَهِىَ</td><td>and [it]</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>tum’lā</td><td>تُمْلَىٰ</td><td>it is dictated</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>ʿalayhi</td><td>عَلَيْهِ</td><td>to him</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>buk’ratan</td><td>بُكْرَةً</td><td>morning / day</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>wa-aṣīlan</td><td>وَأَصِيلًا</td><td>and evening / night.”</td></tr></tbody></table>

In another verse, we see a similar claim made against the prophet, but this time, it specifies that they speculated a human was teaching him.&#x20;

> *\[16:103] We are fully aware that they say, “A human being is teaching him!” The tongue of the source they hint at is non-Arabic, and this is a perfect Arabic tongue.*
>
> &#x20;وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُۥ بَشَرٌ لِّسَانُ ٱلَّذِى يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِىٌّ وَهَـٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ

Interestingly, the Quran never refutes the claim that the prophet "wrote"; instead, it only refutes the other claims that the Quran was tales from the past or that it was dictated to him by men.&#x20;

> *\[53:2] Your friend (Muhammad) was not astray, nor was he deceived.*\
> \&#xNAN;*\[53:3] Nor was he speaking out of a personal desire.*\
> \&#xNAN;*\[53:4] It was divine inspiration.*\
> \&#xNAN;*\[53:5] **Dictated by the Most Powerful.***
>
> (٢) مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ\
> (٣) وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ\
> (٤) إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌ يُوحَىٰ\
> (٥) **عَلَّمَهُۥ شَدِيدُ ٱلْقُوَىٰ**