Did the Messenger, may God's prayers and peace be upon him, die illiterate, not knowing how to read or write?
The illiteracy of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is a perfection in his right and one of his greatest miracles. Had he been able to read and write, the deniers would have cast doubt. Allah Almighty refuted this misconception with His saying: "And you did not recite before it any scripture, nor did you inscribe it with your right hand. For then the falsifiers would have had [cause for] doubt." (Al-Ankabut: 48). Therefore, he neither read nor wrote before his prophethood nor after it, and he died in that state according to the most preponderant opinion and the majority of scholars. There is no benefit in reading and writing for one whom Allah Almighty has taught through revelation.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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