How does one respond to Christians who claim the Prophet was not illiterate, citing the narration about writing "This is what Muhammad ibn Abdullah has decreed," and their assertion that illiteracy means ignorance, not the inability to read and write?

The Christians lied in their claim that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, could write. Al-Bukhari mentioned in his Sahih (definition) that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, took the document and personally erased the words "Messenger of Allah," writing "Muhammad ibn Abdullah" after Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, refused to do so. The hadith (definition) explicitly states that he, peace and blessings be upon him, was not skilled in writing. The majority of scholars believe that attributing writing to him was metaphorical, as he was the one who commanded and forbade.

Others, however, believe that his illiteracy was removed. They cite the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and his reading of a document belonging to Uyainah ibn Hisn, as well as his saying about the Dajjal, "written between his eyes: kafir (disbeliever)," as evidence. The majority countered that writing a few words does not remove illiteracy, that the hadith about Uyainah ibn Hisn is not authentic, and that knowing some letters does not remove illiteracy.