“Book Burning,” An Islamic Tradition?

By: Dr. Ismael Fahmy Pasha**

Last week, (Dec. 12, 2014), we all witnessed how the ISIS/ISIL/Daesh were burning thousands of old
manuscripts in the Iraqi cities of Mosul, Tikrit and other areas under their occupation. They burned the
Christian Holy Books and manuscripts and even some Islamic literatures that were not in accordance with their
brand of the “Wahhabi Islam” (Originated in Saudi Arabia, during 17th century A.D.)

They destroyed not only the books, but also they annihilated many tombs, and shrines and even the ancient
mosques, and houses of worship, belonging to the different Muslim sects, like the Shiah and Sunnis, Sufis,
Izadis, and other Islamic branches of faith; they looted many ancient monuments, and took away with them lots
of historical artifacts of the Nineveh civilization, some of which were three thousand years old.

Those looted objects were later sold in the black market, just as they were selling the women and the girls in
the slave-markets of Mosul and elsewhere. These, after they had already massacred thousands of people in the
Syrian and Iraqi lands, that they have controlled since June of 2014, in their so called Islamic Caliphate.

The tragedy of the Wahhabi/Salafi extremism in the Muslim World, especially the most brutal forms of it, like
the Taliban in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Boko Haram in Nigeria, Mali, and now the latest version – the so-called
– “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria” is too big to discuss in just one article or even a book; so, here we only want
to tackle the “Burning Books Tradition” among those Islamic fundamentalist groups.

But before going into the details, we should like to mention the fact that majority of the people, including
majority of the Muslims themselves, do not realize the fact that, there are actually “two Islams” existing
parallel to each other, in this world. First, is the Islam that existed in its purest form, during the lifetime of the
Holy Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.) and then there is another Islam that was hijacked by the extremist,
nationalist Arab tribes, which is known in history as the Caliphate, starting immediately after the death of the
Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) in 632 A.D.

That hijacked and violent version of Islam, did continue upto the end of the Ottoman Caliphate in Turkey, in
1924, after their defeat in the first World War (1914-1918). The pure Islam, during the lifetime of the Holy
Prophet (p.b.u.h) was the exact opposite of the later versions, which were nationalistic, Arabistic, revisionistic,
reactionary and very violent, even to the taste of Genghis Khan, the Mongol, and his ilk. We shall see that
later, but first, let us tackle the Book Burning Tradition of the early Muslim caliphs.

First Caliph, Abu Bakr Burned Hadith

The first person who started the ugly tradition of book burning in Islam, was the first caliph, Abu Bakr Bin
Abi Quhafah (573-634 A.D). It is shocking to know that immediately after assuming power, Abu Bakr focused
on destroying the collections of the Hadith i.e. the teachings, traditions or the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet
(p.b.u.h). He believed that those collections were harmful (!?) to the integrity of the Holy Qur’an, and they
should be eliminated, in order to protect the sanctity and the authenticity of the Book of Allah, as the only
recorded and bounded Book. Thus, he was the first person to deny the necessity of the Sunnah or the traditions
and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h), at least in its written and recorded form. Although, Omar bin
Khatab who became the 2nd Caliph later, had already “shouted” back at the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) earlier, after
“disobeying his order to write his last will for the guidance of the Muslim Ummah”, and telling the Holy
Prophet that : “The Book of Allah is enough for us” i.e. no need for your “Sunnah”/teachings! (See “Sahih
Bukhari” vols. 5/7/9 p. 511-512, also “Sahih Muslim” vol. 6/p.76, etc.)
This story of Omar disobeying the Holy Prophet, and even lecturing him that “The Holy Quran is enough” reminds us
about Allah’s order to the Angels to make “sajdah” to Adam, and Shaitan refusing, and even protesting… “How could
I(Shaitan) prostrate to someone that You created from the soil?!” Holy Qur’an 17:61.

Meanwhile, all the Muslims, without exception, believe that both the Kitab and the Sunnah i.e. The Holy
Qur’an plus the Teachings of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) are the two principal sources of knowledge and
practices in the Islamic Faith. (So, who is telling the Truth now?).

Just to know how Abu Bakr started destroying the Islamic manuscripts and records, here is a tradition narrated
by no less than Aisha, the beloved daughter of Abu Bakr, himself. Aisha said and we quote: “One night, I saw
my father was very restless and he could not sleep till morning. When the sun rose, he told me: Bring that
book/collection of the teachings of the Holy Prophet, and when I handed it to him, he burned it.” (Ref. (1)
Fazail A’mal” by Pakistan Tablighi Jamaat/Lahore/Pakistan/2000/p.82. also (2)“The History of Hadith” by
Dr. Ali Nasiri/Al-Mustafa Int’l College/Manila, 2012/p.79-81. (3) “Tazkirah Al-Huffaz” by Shams Al-Din
Dahabi, Vol. 1 pp. 5-13).

Omar Bin Khatab Burned, Too

What the first caliph had started, i.e. burning the book that contained the Sunnah or teachings of the Holy
Prophet (p.b.u.h) became even worse, during the time of the second caliph Omar Bin Khattab. He, not only
burned the books of the Islamic Hadith, but also the books of the other nations that he conquered, i.e. Persia,
Egypt, etc. (see Alberto Miguel/BookReview/ The Int’l New York Times, Nov.10,2014/p.10)

He also prevented the Sahabah or the companions of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) from teaching his teachings,
and he even took some of them as hostages in Madina, till his own death, just to stop them from spreading the
message of the Holy Prophet in other cities and tribal regions of Arabia and beyond, claiming that the Book of
Allah was enough i.e. “Hasbuna Kitaballah!” (Ref. (1)“The History of Hadith” p.80. (2) “Tabaqat Kubra by
Waqidi vol. 3 p.206, and (3) “Al-Jami” by Ibn Abdul Birr, vol. 1 pp. 64-65”).

That prohibition (i.e. recording of the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad [p.b.u.h.]) went on for
almost a 100 years, until the time of the Omayyad dynasty, when another caliph, also named Omar bin Abdul
Aziz (682-720 A.D.) the 8th Omayyad ruler, reversed many ordinances (Bid’ah) of his own predecessors,
known as “Khulafa Rashidun” (“The well guided caliphs!”)

The three most important changes to the Bid’ahs of the previous caliphs, which are related to our topic here, are
the following:

1. He allowed Muslims to record, once again, the Sunnah or the traditions and teachings of their Holy
Prophet (p.b.u.h).
2. He returned the Fadak orchards back to the family of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h). His reason was that:
“I will not violate the will of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) who gave this property to Fatimah Zahra and
the Ahlal Bayt (A.S.)”. By doing so, he was implying that Abu Bakr had already “violated” the will of
the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h).
We may even say that he was openly challenging the first caliph Abu Bakr’s confiscation and the
usurpation of the Fadak earlier, in the year 11 A.H., upon the death of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h).
3. Omar Bin Abdul Aziz also stopped the Muslims from cursing Imam Ali (a.s.) during the Khutbah of
the Friday prayer, as it was the tradition of Moawiyah and his followers for over 70 years. (Ref.
“Iqdul Farid” vol. 5/p.366)

Books of the Persians Drowned

To get a better picture of what Omar did in destroying the books, in the name of Islam and Allah (s.w.t.), here
is an interesting quotation from the well-known Arab and Islamic scholar, Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406 A.D.),
who recorded some of those events, in his famous book titled, “Al-Muqaddimah” (known as Prolegomena in
Greek).

During the seventh century, when Muslim soldiers invaded Persia, they discovered an extraordinary number of
books; wishing to carry them off as loot, they asked Omar Bin Khattab, second caliph of the Muslims for
permission.

Omar’s answer became legendary, and was applied to other book destructions: “Throw them in the river! If
they hold a guide to the truth, God has given us a better guide in the Holy Qur’an. And if they hold nothing but
lies, may God rid us of them.”(Ref. Alberto Miguel/Book Review/Int’l New York Times/Nov.10, 2014/p.10)

This destruction of the books, continued by the succeeding Arab rulers; Also the prohibition regarding the
collection of the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) went on unchallenged up to one hundred and fifty years.
Finally, the newly converted Persian Muslims in Central Asia and the mainland Iran, broke that Taboo, when
some prominent Persian Muslim scholars collected and recorded the Arabic Traditions for the Arab people.
Because, the Arabs themselves considered any “work”, including writing or making books, called Rawwaqin,
below their dignity, and they would rather let those dirty jobs to their mawali or the slaves. (Mostly Persian
scholars.)

That’s why, the American professor, Patricia Crone, wrote: “The indigenous rural Imams, in what is now Iran,
defied the conquering Arabs, and they helped shape the Islamic Culture” (that we know, today!) –Ref. “The
Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran” (2004)

The First and Greatest Book of Hadith

The first and the greatest book of Hadith i.e. the teachings and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(p.b.u.h) in Arabic, for the Arabs of the Sunni Islam, was written by a Persian Muslim Scholar by the name of
Imam Muhammad Bin Isma-il al-Bukhari (780-850 A.D.) from Bukhara, the ancient Persia.

To prepare this great book in nine volumes, Imam Bukhari spent sixteen years of his life in research work, and
he went over 600,000 Hadithes, choosing only 7,275 of them or almost one percent, because the rest were
considered by him, to be fakes. (See “Sahih Bukhari”, The Introduction).

The Second Great Book of Hadith

After Imam Bukhari, one of his most brilliant students, another Persian scholar, wrote the second book of
Hadith in Arabic. He was Imam Muslim Nayshabouri (850-910 A.D.). He was also a townmate of the world
famous Omar Khayyam Nayshabouri, and his Hadith book is titled as Sahih Muslim, very close to the Sahih
Bukhari of his teacher. (Also with 7,275 Hadiths).

After those two great scholars of Islam, came four more collectors and writers of Hadith in the Arabic language
(for the Sunni Muslims). It’s very interesting to note here that all those prominent researchers, who preserved
the Islamic Hadith, and greatly served the Arabic and Islamic literatures, were Persians, and not the Arabs
themselves. Here is the list of all the six major collections of Hadith in the Sunni Islam, and their collectors,
respectively:

1. “Sahih al-Bukhari” by Imam Muhammad Bukhari (194-256 A.H) of Bukhara, the ancient Persia.
2. “Sahih Muslim” by Imam Muslim ibn Hajjaj al-Nayshabouri (206-261 A.H) of Nayshabour, Persia.
3. “Sunan Tirmidhi” by Abu Eisa Muhammad ibn Eisa al-Tirmidhi (209-289 A.H) of Tirmiz, Ancient
Persia.
4. “Sunan Nasa’iy” by Abu Abd al-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb al-Nasa’iy (215-303 A.H) of Nasa, one
of the cities of ancient Khorasan, (=Saracen) Persia.
 5. “Sunan ibn Majah” by Muhammad ibn Maja al-Qazwini (207-273 A.H) of the Caspian Sea Region,
Persia. (Note: “Majah” or Maja is a Persian honorific title, “Magi” the Zoroastrian priest.)
6. “Sunan Abu Dawood” by Imam Abu Dawood Sajistani (210-275 A.H) of Sajistan, or Sistan, Persia.

Again, it’s very important to note here that not only the six fundamental Books of Hadith for the Arabs and the
Sunni Muslims were written by the Persian Muslim Scholars, and not by the Arabs, but that the four basic
Books of Hadith of the Shiah Islam were also written by the Persian Muslim Scholars, to make them the ten
original Books of Hadith, Traditions and Teachings in Islam. The titles of the Four Major Books of Hadith in
Shiah Islam, are as follows. :

1. “Al-Kafi” by Muhammad Al-Kulayni (250-329 A.H.) from Kulayn, a village near Tehran, Iran.
2. “Al-Faqih” by Shaykh Sadooq Al-Qummi (310-380 A.H.) from Qum, Iran.
3. “Al-Tahdib” by Shaykh Tusi (996-1067 A.H.) from Khorasan, Iran.
4. “Al-Istibsar” also by Shaykh Tusi (996-1067A.H.), Al-Khorasani (=”Saracen”).

Burning Of The Holy Qur’an

After the first two caliphs, i.e. Abu Bakr and Omar, with their scandalous traditions of burning the books of
Hadith of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) came even more scandalous practice by the third caliph Othman, who
burned all the manuscripts of the Holy Qur’an, that were compiled by the other companions of the Holy
Prophet. He only kept his own collection called the Rasmul Othmani or the Othman’s version. That version
exists today in the hands of 1.6 billion Muslims around the world, both Sunnis and Shias.

Othman’s reason for burning all other copies of the Holy Qur’an that were compiled by the other Sahaba
[companions of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h)] was “To uniform the manuscripts of the Holy Qur’an, and to unify
the Muslim Ummah.”

Alas! The first part happened, but the second part did not. By doing so, i.e. burning the copies of the Holy
Qur’an, the third caliph already attested to the fact that he also believed that the Holy Qur’an was not
uniformed, as some people want us to believe, otherwise, why burn the remaining six or seven other collections?
Again by this act, the third caliph Othman got the title of the first Burner of the Holy Book of Islam, and he
entered into the Guinness Book of World Records, some 1400 years ago. (Ref. “Sahih Bukhari”, Vol. 6,
Chapter 61, Hadeeth No. 510, “Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of his own version of the Holy
Quran, and he ordered that all the other Qur’anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or
whole copies, be burnt!”)1

The fourth caliph, Imam Ali never burned any books, much less a Holy Book, as it was also the pure tradition
of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h), who never thought nor he taught anyone, such an abominations to
the nations.

What Should Muslims Do Today?

Now that we have seen the book burning tradition by the ISIS/ISIL/Daesh and their three role models i.e. the
early caliphs vs. the pure traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) as well as the fourth caliph,
Imam Ali, the question for us Muslims will be “what should we, as Muslims do, today?”

After all, this is also another teaching/Hadith and tradition attributed to the Holy Prophet (which was saved
from burning) that said: “After me, you must follow my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Khulafa Ar-Rashidun,

1
Regarding “Othman Burning the Holy Qur’an”. That was one reason for the revolution by the Sahabah of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.)
against Othman that ended murdering him. He was not even allowed to be buried in a “Muslim Cemetery” but rather he was buried
in the “Jewish Cemetery” of Madinah; because he was accused by the Sahaba of not only “Burning the Holy Qur’an” but also of
“Altering the Book of Allah/Tahrif” in his own “Othman’s Version!” See “Shaikh Mostafa Rashid Al-Azhari”/ the great sunni Imam of
the Al-Azhar University in Egypt.
Abu-Bakr and Omar!” (How did the Holy Prophet know that after him shall come those Khulafa Rashidun,
while the “Wahhabi Muslims” believe that nobody knows the future, except Allah (s.w.t.)?

So, if we are supposed to follow the traditions of the Holy Prophet (who did not destroy any books, much less
the Holy Books) as well as the practices of the fourth caliph, Imam Ali, who also followed the footsteps of the
Holy Prophet, perfectly (i.e. he also did not burn any books) then what are we supposed to do with the opposite
examples of those three caliphs (and the ISIS/ISIL/DAESH, today) who were/are systematically killing not
only the people, but also the books? Shall we also destroy the books of Hadith (i.e. Bukhari, Muslim, etc.) as
did Abu Bakr, Omar and Othman before, and the ISIL are doing, today? A very disturbing question, indeed!

Vandalism of Burning Books in History

There have been many other examples of burning books in history, like the Mongols (in 13th Century A.D.), the
Communists in Russia (1920s), Communists in China (Cultural Revolution 1960s), Pol Pot in Kampuchea
(1980s), etc. also the Nazi Germany under Hitler (1930s), who engaged in those ugly sadistic practices, too.
Even recently the American Pastor, Terry Jones, burned the Holy Qur’an (just like Caliph Othman did) in his
Florida Church, in March 21, 2011. Their reasons for those acts of “Barbarism” were their own insecurities,
their fear of the truth, their ignorance, and their lack of education, that made those monsters so envious, that
they hated “what they themselves didn’t have.” (Just like the “Eunuchs” who hate the men who have!).

With regards the “Arab Caliphs” burning books, especially burning the Holy Books like the Teaching of the
Holy Prophet Mohammad and even the Holy Quran itself, the reasons behind those unforgivable blunders
were all of the above, plus “some Arabs burning desire” to go back again to the Jahiliyyah of their ancestors
(=Salafi) or the life before Islam, and before the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

The Holy Quran had already predicted the existence of this “Arab mentality” (=Jahiliyyah Syndrome) among
some “followers” of the Holy Prophet, by saying:

“Mohammad is just another Prophet, from the chain of the prophets before him; Now, if he died or he
was murdered (He was actually poisoned) are you going to return to your old ways?” Holy Quran
3:144

And that they did, indeed!

Remember that almost 99% of the first batch of the Holy Prophet’s followers, were “born and raised in
Jahiliyyah” or the pre-Islamic traditions i.e. idol worship, drinking, debauchery, lasciviousness, burying girls
alive, etc. etc.

When the Holy Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h) passed away (632 A.D.), and the old guards (i.e. Oligarchs of
Mecca, also known as Muhajirs vs. the Ansars of Madina) took over the power, the first thing they did was to
“destryoy anything that reminded the people about the Holy Prophet (i.e. His traditions, teachings, even the
Holy Quran, and also his “desendents”). They committed those anti-Islam/anti-Prophet crimes, by:

1. Murdering Fatimah Zahra (a.s.), the beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet, and her “unborn child”
after burning their house!2
2. Usurping the “Fadak” the ranch that the Holy Prophet had left for her daughter Fatimah (aside from the
spiritual gifts like “Tasbihat Fatimah” after the daily wajib prayers)
3. Burning the teachings of the Holy Prophet, with an alibi of “protecting the sanctity and the integrity of
the Holy Quran!” and finally also burning “The Collections of the Holy Qur’an” by the other Sahabah,

2
Regarding the murder of Lady Fatimah Zahra. (1) See Tabaris “History of Islam” vol. 2/p.405 “Martyrdom of Fatimah.” (2) Ibn Shahr
Ashub “Manaqib”, vol. 3/p.352. Also (3), “Mizan Al-Itidal” vol. 1/p.139
 and keeping only the “Othman’s version.” (Who says that “Othman’s version was better than the other
sahabah’s?”)3

They actually committed all those crimes against Allah and His Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) just to “omit any traces
of the real Islam, and of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h)” from the Muslim society and their own guilty consciences;
And Today, their “Children” in the form of the ISIS/ISIL/DAESH, Boko Haram, Taliban, etc. are
completing what their ancestors (=Salaf) could not finish!

That is why many Muslims, rightfully believe that this so-called “Islamic State/Caliphate” has been created by
the CIA, and the Israeli Mossad, in order to destroy anything genuinely Islamic. Just as we observed in the
creation of the “Taliban” and the Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, in 1980’s; They also became “Mujahidin” for the
USA, with the help of the Pakistani Secret Services (ISI), under the military dictator, Gen. Muhammad Zia-ul-
Haq (1924-1988), and the Saudi, Yahudi Royal family’s financial and “Fatwa” supports.

Destroying Islam, in the name of Islam, that has been the game, since 1400 years ago, and it’s still going on, in
the entire Muslim and non-Muslim world.

To complete the picture, and to show how Allah (s.w.t) looks at those destructive people and their ugly
characters, here are four very telling verses from the Holy Qur’an, as witnesses:

1. “The Arabs (Beduins?) are the worse in disbelief and hypocrisy” Holy Qur’an 9:97.
2. “And if you (Arabs) went back (to your Jahiliyyah), soon we shall replace you with another people (the
Persians) and they will not be like you!” Holy Qur’an 47:38.
3. “And (in the Day of Judgement) the Messenger (p.b.u.h.) will say: “O’my Lord! (after me) my people
(Muslims) abandoned this Qur’an (Burned it?)” Holy Qur’an 25:30.
4. “There shall come a day(judgement) when We shall bring every people with their own Imams (leaders).”
Holy Qur’an 17:71

(Note: Since 1932 A.D. the Wahhabi Saudi, Yahudi tribes have dominated Arabia, by sword and by the
countless beheadings of the innocent Muslims, just like what the ISIS are doing, today. They also have burned
many books. They have even destroyed many tombs of the Imams and the Sahabah of the Holy Prophet
(p.b.u.h) as well as the “house in which the Holy Prophet was born” in order to eliminate any traces or signs of
the Prophet and his Descendants and his Companions, from the Islamic society. They even wanted to destroy
the shrine of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.). All of this, in the lame name of preserving “Tawhid” i.e.
worshipping the One and only God, and to safeguard the integrity, authenticity, and purity of Islam! (As Abu
Bakr and others claimed. Yet, today, the Saudi, Yahudi Royal family are rebuilding the ancestoral homes of
their own “Wahhabi Forefathers” in the desert village of “Diriyah” with half a billion dollars of the public
money, as a “touristic attraction” and a Unesco World Heritage site, 2010/see “The New York Times”/June
8/2015 p.6).

***

Now, if saving Islam was to forget about the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), then why should the Muslims include the
name of the Holy Prophet with the Name of Allah (s.w.t.) in their “Shahadah” or in the “Azan” five times a
day, and in the Daily Wajib Prayers to “Allah” by saying: “As-salamo Alaika Ay-yuhan Nabi…?” Peace be
with you O’ Prophet! – who “died” 1400 years ago! Or by saying: “Allahumma Sal-le ala Muhammad wa Aal-e
Mohammad…. O’ Allah bless Muhammad and his descendants…. Just as you did for Prophet Ibrahim and his
descendants…!” Can we mix the prayers to Allah, with the names of the Holy Men?! Is it not a great “shirk” ?

3
Regarding the “Poisoning” of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.) narration of Ayishah/”Sahih Bukhari” vol. 5 ch.59 hadith 713,
also 4428, etc.
Well, that needs another article, to explain further, in the near future, Insha Allah!)

References:

 Patricia Crone, “Hagarism: The Making of the Islamic World” (1977, written with Micheal Cook).
 Patricia Crone, “God’s Rule: Government and Islam: Six Centuries of Medieval Islamic Political
Thought” 2004.
 Patricia Crone, “The Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran” (2012)
 Fazail A’mal by Pakistan Tablighi Jamaat/Lahore/Pakistan/2000
 The History of Hadith by Dr. Ali Nasiri/Al-Mustafa Int’l College/Manila, 2012
 Tazkirah Al-Huffaz by Shams Al-Din Dahabi
 The History of Hadith
 Tabaqat Kubra by Waqidi
 Al-Jami by Ibn Abdul Birr
 Iqdul Farid
 Sahih Bukhari by Imam Muhammad Bin Ismail Al-Bukhari