Question

Please confirm the original source of this Hadith and what did Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) mean when he says “Many verses have gone”?

Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) reportedly said, “Let none of you say, ‘I have got the whole Quran,  how does he know what all of it is? Many verses have gone. Let him say instead, I have got what has survived.”

Answer

Imam Abu ‘Ubayd Al Qasim ibn Sallam has recorded this narration of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar under the chapter “Those verses which were abrogated from the Quran and were not inserted into the Mushaf”.

(Fadailul Quran, Hadith: 699)

‘Allamah Suyuti (rahimahullah) has cited this narration under the chapter wherein he discusses the abrogated verses of the Holy Quran.

(Al Itqan Fi ‘Ulumil Quran, vol. 2, pg. 588)

Hafiz ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has also indicated that this refers to the abrogated verses.

(Fathul Bari, Hadith: 5019, vol. 9, pg. 65)

It is therefore quite evident that Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) was referring to the abrogated verses of the holy Quran. The correct explanatory translation is as follows:

“None of you should say that he has the whole of the Quran. How could he know what all of it was before some verses of it being abrogated! Substantial parts of the Quran may have passed him due to abrogation. He should rather say, ‘I have taken of the Quran that which remained and became apparent after abrogation.”

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar