Yaḥyā ibn Aktham (d. 242 AH/857 CE) ؒ reported:
كان للمأمون وهو أمير إذ ذاك مجلس نظر، فدخل في مجلس الناس رجل يهودي حسن الثوب حسن الوجه طيب الرائحة، قال: فتكلم فأحسن الكلام والعبارة. قال: فلما أن تقوض المجلس دعاه المأمون فقال له: إسرائيلي؟ قال: نعم. قال له: أسلم حتى أفعل بك وأصنع، ووعده، فقال: ديني ودين آبائي، فانصرف. فلما كان بعد سنة جاءنا مسلما، قال: فتكلم على الفقه فأحسن الكلام. فلما أن تقوض المجلس دعاه المأمون فقال له: ألست صاحبنا بالأمس؟ قال له: بلى. قال: فما كان سبب إسلامك؟ قال: انصرفت من حضرتك فأحببت أن أمتحن هذه الأديان، وأنا مع ما تراني حسن الخط، فعمدت إلى التوراة فكتبت ثلاث نسخ فزدت فيها ونقصت، وأدخلتها الكنيسة فاشتريت مني، وعمدت إلى الإنجيل فكتبت ثلاث نسخ فزدت فيها ونقصت، وأدخلتها البيعة فاشتريت مني، وعمدت إلى القرآن فعملت ثلاث نسخ وزدت فيها ونقصت، وأدخلتها إلى الوراقين، فتصفحوها، فلما أن وجدوا فيها الزيادة والنقصان رموا بها فلم يشتروها، فعلمت أن هذا كتاب محفوظ، فكان هذا سبب إسلامي.
“Al-Maʾmūn, who was an amīr at the time, held a gathering for discussion. A Jewish man entered among those attending. He was well dressed, handsome in appearance, and exuded a pleasant fragrance. When he spoke, he did so with remarkable eloquence. When the gathering concluded, al-Maʾmūn summoned him and asked, ‘Are you an Israelite?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ Al-Maʾmūn said, ‘Accept Islam, and I shall bestow favours upon you and reward you.’ He responded, ‘This is my religion and the religion of my forefathers,’ and then departed. The following year, he returned as a Muslim and joined one of al-Maʾmūn’s gatherings, engaging in discussion on matters of fiqh. He spoke well. When the gathering ended, al-Maʾmūn called him and said, ‘Are you not our companion from last year?’ He replied, ‘Indeed.’ Al-Maʾmūn then asked, ‘What caused you to embrace Islam?’ He responded, ‘I left your gathering intending to test the religions. As you can see, I possess fine handwriting. I made three copies of the Torah, deliberately adding to and omitting from it. I took these copies to the synagogue, and they purchased them from me. Then I made three copies of the Gospel, again adding and removing portions, and took them to the church, where they were likewise purchased. Thereafter, I made three copies of the Qurʾān, adding and omitting material, and presented them to the Muslim copyists and bookbinders. They examined them, and when they realised that they contained alterations and omissions, they discarded them and refused to purchase them. From this, I came to know that this Book is preserved, and this was the reason for my acceptance of Islam.’” (Dalāʾil an-Nubuwwah, 7:159–160, report 2019.)
The Evidence Cited by Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah
Yaḥyā ibn Aktham continued:
فحججت في تلك السنة، فلقيت سفيان بن عيينة، فذكرت له الحديث فقال لي: مصداق هذا في كتاب الله عز وجل. قال: قلت: في أي موضع؟ قال: في قول الله عز وجل في التوراة والإنجيل.
“I performed ḥajj that year and met Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah (d. 198 AH/814 CE). I related the account to him, and he said: ‘Its confirmation is in the Book of Allah .’ I asked: ‘Where?’ He replied: ‘In Allah’s statement concerning the Torah and the Gospel.’” (Dalāʾil an-Nubuwwah, 7:160.)
The verse reads:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ ۚ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِن كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ
فَلَا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ
“Verily, We did send down the Torah [to Mūsā (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah’s Will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged for the Jews by the Torah after those Prophets], for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah’s Book, and they were witnesses thereto. Therefore fear not men but fear Me (O Jews), and sell not My Verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the Kāfirūn (i.e. disbelievers of a lesser degree, as they do not act on Allah’s Laws).” [Q 5:44]
فجعل حفظه إليهم فضاع.
“He entrusted its preservation to them, and it was lost.” (Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah, in Dalāʾil an-Nubuwwah, 7:160.)
He then cited Allah’s statement:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
“Verily, We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qurʾān), and surely We will guard it (from corruption).” [Q 15:9]
فحفظه الله عز وجل علينا فلم يضع.
“Allah preserved it for us, and it was not lost.” (Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah, in Dalāʾil an-Nubuwwah, 7:160.)
Al-Bayhaqī’s Explanation
Imām Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn al-Bayhaqī (d. 458 AH/1066 CE) ؒ stated:
وفي الكتاب ثم في أخبار السلف دلالة على أن الأمم السالفة كانوا إذا غيروا شيئا من أديانهم غيروه أولا من كتبهم واعتقدوا خلافه بقلوبهم، ثم أتبعوا أهواءهم أقوالهم وأفعالهم. وفي هذه الأمة قد حفظ الله تعالى عليهم كتابه وسنة نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم، وثبتهم على عقائدهم حتى لا يغيروا شيئا منها، وإن كان فعلا وقال بعضهم بشهوة أو بغفلة خلافها. والحمد لله على حفظ دينه وعلى ما هدانا لمعرفته، ونسأله الثبات إلى الممات والمغفرة يوم تحشر الأموات.
“In the Book, and then in the reports of the salaf, there is evidence that when previous nations changed something of their religions, they first changed it in their scriptures and believed contrary to it in their hearts. They then made their words and deeds follow their desires.
As for this ummah, Allah has preserved His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet for them and made them steadfast in their beliefs, so that they do not change any of them, even though some may act or speak contrary to them out of desire or heedlessness.
All praise is due to Allah for preserving His religion and guiding us to knowledge of it. We ask Him for steadfastness until death and forgiveness on the day when the dead are gathered.” (Dalāʾil an-Nubuwwah, 7:160; excerpt.)
References
Qurʾān, 5:44 and 15:9.
Al-Bayhaqī, Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn (d. 458 AH/1066 CE). Dalāʾil an-Nubuwwah wa-Maʿrifat Aḥwāl Ṣāḥib ash-Sharīʿah, 7:159–160, report 2019 in the verified electronic transcription. Dār ar-Rayyān, 1988; Al-Madkhal ilā as-Sunan al-Kubrā, 1:235–237.
Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī (d. 852 AH/1449 CE). Tahdhīb at-Tahdhīb, 11:214–216.
