What is meant by Gabriel's saying to the Prophet, "Recite," and the Prophet's saying, "I am not a reciter," and was the Preserved Tablet before him at that time? And what is the response to the شبهة (misconception/doubt) that the Prophet could not read or write before the prophethood, but he wrote the Qur'an with his own hand after the prophethood, based on the verse: "And you did not recite from any book before it, nor did you inscribe it with your right hand; otherwise, the falsifiers would have doubted"?

Scholars have different interpretations of Jibreel's words to the Prophet, peace be upon him, "Recite," and the Prophet's response, "I am not a reciter":

- It was said: He came to him with a pattern of brocade containing a book, and he said to him: Recite what is in this book. The Prophet responded: I am not a reciter. This is a mursal (unsupported) narration. - And it was said: The meaning of "Recite" is: Repeat after me what I say, and "I am not a reciter" means: I have not learned to read. - And it was said: It is not necessary, when commanded to recite, for there to be something written; rather, the meaning is: Recite what will be recited to you in the future, and "I am not a reciter" is an excuse for not reciting due to his illiteracy.

As for the claim that the Prophet, peace be upon him, read and wrote the Quran with his own hand after the prophethood, it is false, because the definitively established truth is that he remained illiterate, neither reading nor writing, until his death. There is no evidence in the verses or traditions that proves he learned to read and write after the prophethood. Furthermore, this claim casts aspersion on the Companions, as if the Prophet did not trust them with the writing of the Quran.