Category: History

The Pen and Paper Incident (Raziyyat Yawm al-Khamis)

رزية يوم الخميس

Overview

One of the most consequential events in early Islamic history occurred on Thursday, just days before the Prophet Muhammad (s) passed away. While on his deathbed, the Prophet requested pen and paper so that he could dictate a document after which the Muslim community would never go astray. Umar ibn al-Khattab objected, saying "The Prophet is overcome by pain" (or, in some narrations, "is delirious") and that "the Book of Allah is sufficient for us." A dispute broke out among those present, and the Prophet, distressed by the argument, dismissed them without writing anything. This incident, recorded in both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, is known as the "Calamity of Thursday" (Raziyyat Yawm al-Khamis). Its significance lies in what the Prophet intended to write — a question over which Shia and Sunni scholars have disagreed for centuries.

Shia Position

The Shia position holds that the Prophet Muhammad (s) intended to write a formal, unambiguous document appointing Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor. This would have been a written confirmation of the verbal appointment already made at Ghadir Khumm. Umar's objection effectively prevented the Prophet from leaving a document that would have settled the question of succession beyond any dispute.

Evidence

  • [hadith] Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4432
    Sahih al-Bukhari records that Ibn Abbas narrated: "When the time of the death of the Prophet approached, there were some men present in the house. The Prophet said, 'Come, let me write for you a document after which you will not go astray.' Umar said, 'The Prophet is seriously ill, and you have the Quran; the Book of Allah is sufficient for us.' The people in the house differed and disputed. Some said, 'Give him writing material so that he may write for you a document after which you will not go astray,' while others agreed with Umar. When the noise and dispute increased, the Prophet said, 'Get up and leave me.'"
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  • [hadith] Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1637
    Sahih Muslim records a similar narration through Ibn Abbas: "The Messenger of Allah (s) said during his final illness, 'Bring me a shoulder blade and ink so that I may write for you a document after which you will never go astray.' Those present disputed, and it is not befitting to dispute in the presence of the Prophet. They said, 'The Messenger of Allah is talking deliriously.' The Prophet said, 'Leave me, for the state I am in is better than what you are calling me to.'"
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  • [hadith] Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4432
    Ibn Abbas himself wept over this incident, reportedly saying: "The calamity, the great calamity, is what came between the Messenger of Allah and his writing of that document." Ibn Abbas — a young Companion respected across all Islamic traditions — clearly considered this event a tragedy for the Muslim community, indicating that he believed what the Prophet intended to write was of paramount importance.
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Reasoning

The Shia reasoning connects this incident to the broader chain of events regarding Ali's succession. The Prophet had already designated Ali as his successor at Ghadir Khumm, and his deathbed request was an attempt to put this appointment in writing to prevent future disputes. The phrase "after which you will never go astray" mirrors the language of Hadith al-Thaqalayn ("I leave among you two things — if you hold fast to them, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my Ahl al-Bayt"). The Shia view holds that Umar's objection was motivated by awareness that such a document would formalize Ali's succession, making it impossible to circumvent.

Sunni Position

The Sunni position generally holds that Umar acted out of concern for the Prophet's comfort during his severe illness, and that the Prophet's request — while genuine — was not a mandatory command. Sunni scholars maintain that whatever the Prophet intended to write was not essential to the faith, since the Quran and existing Sunnah are sufficient for guidance.

Evidence

  • [scholarly] Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari
    Sunni scholars such as Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari explain that Umar's statement was motivated by compassion, not disobedience. Umar feared that dictating a long document in the Prophet's severe illness would cause him additional suffering. The phrase "the Book of Allah is sufficient for us" was an affirmation that the Quran already contains complete guidance, not a rejection of the Prophet's authority.
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  • [scholarly] al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim
    Some Sunni scholars argue that the Prophet's request was a matter of ijtihad (independent judgment) rather than a binding divine command. They cite the principle that the Prophet could express personal preferences that were not obligatory. When the dispute arose, the Prophet chose not to insist, which — according to this view — indicates the document was recommended rather than essential.
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  • [scholarly] General Sunni Scholarly Position
    The Sunni position also points out that the Prophet lived for several more days after this incident and could have written the document at another time if it were truly essential. His decision not to revisit the matter is taken as evidence that the document, while beneficial, was not indispensable to the community's guidance.
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Reasoning

The Sunni reasoning emphasizes that Umar was a loyal Companion exercising his judgment in a difficult moment, not deliberately obstructing the Prophet. The Prophet's decision not to insist or revisit the matter suggests that the document was not obligatory. Furthermore, Sunni scholars contend that essential matters of faith had already been communicated through the Quran and the Prophet's well-established Sunnah, and no single unwritten document could have been indispensable to the community's guidance.

Point of Disagreement

The core disagreement centers on what the Prophet Muhammad (s) intended to write. The Shia hold that it was a written confirmation of Ali's succession; the Sunni position maintains that its content is unknown and that whatever it was, it was not essential since the Prophet did not insist on writing it.

Both traditions accept the historicity of this incident as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. The disagreement is interpretive: was Umar's objection a legitimate exercise of concern, or an obstruction of a prophetic command? Was the Prophet's decision not to write the document an indication of its non-essential nature, or a response to the distress caused by the dispute? The Shia emphasize that no Companion had the right to question or override the Prophet's explicit request, citing Quran 53:3-4 ("He does not speak out of desire; it is nothing but revelation revealed"). The Sunni position treats Umar's statement as a reasonable, if imperfect, judgment call made under extreme circumstances.

Critical Analysis

Hadith Analysis

  • Authenticity Beyond Dispute

    This incident is recorded in both Sahih al-Bukhari (4432) and Sahih Muslim (1637), the two most authoritative hadith collections in Sunni Islam. It is narrated by Ibn Abbas through multiple chains of transmission. No serious scholar from any tradition disputes that this event occurred. The question is not whether it happened, but what it means.

  • The Phrase "You Will Never Go Astray"

    The Prophet's promise — "I will write for you a document after which you will never go astray" — uses the same language found in Hadith al-Thaqalayn: "I leave among you two things; if you hold fast to them, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my progeny, my Ahl al-Bayt." This linguistic parallel strongly suggests that what the Prophet intended to write was connected to the authority of the Ahl al-Bayt, reinforcing the Shia interpretation that the document would have formalized Ali's succession.

Logical Analysis

  • Can a Companion Override a Prophetic Command?

    The Quran states: "It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should have any choice in their affair" (33:36). The Prophet made an explicit request — to be given writing materials. Regardless of one's interpretation of the content, the request was clear and direct. The question of whether any Companion had the authority to override or obstruct this request is a fundamental point of disagreement. The Shia position holds that the Quran leaves no room for such obstruction.

  • The Argument from Silence

    The Sunni argument that the Prophet could have written the document later if it were truly essential assumes that the conditions would have remained favorable. In fact, the Prophet's health continued to deteriorate, and the dispute itself may have discouraged him from making a second attempt. The absence of a later attempt does not prove that the document was inessential; it may indicate that the moment — and the opportunity — had passed.

Conclusion

The Pen and Paper Incident is documented in the most authoritative Sunni hadith collections with unquestioned authenticity. The Prophet Muhammad (s) explicitly requested writing materials to dictate a document that would prevent the community from ever going astray — a promise of extraordinary weight. The linguistic parallel with Hadith al-Thaqalayn, the context of the Prophet's prior designation of Ali at Ghadir Khumm, and Ibn Abbas's own grief over the incident all point to a document that would have formalized Ali's succession. While the Sunni tradition offers explanations centered on Umar's good intentions and the non-essential nature of the document, the Quranic principle that the Prophet does not speak from personal desire (53:3-4) and the command not to place one's choice above the Prophet's decision (33:36) weigh heavily against overriding a direct prophetic request. The incident remains one of the most significant "what if" moments in Islamic history.

Quick Reference

  • Recorded in both Sahih al-Bukhari (4432) and Sahih Muslim (1637) — authenticity is undisputed.
  • The Prophet said: "Bring me writing materials so I may write for you a document after which you will never go astray."
  • Umar objected, saying the Prophet was overcome by pain and that the Quran was sufficient.
  • Ibn Abbas wept over this event, calling it "the calamity of Thursday."
  • The phrase "you will never go astray" mirrors the language of Hadith al-Thaqalayn about the Ahl al-Bayt.
  • The Quran states the Prophet does not speak from desire (53:3-4) — his request carried prophetic authority.
  • The Prophet dismissed those present without writing the document, and the opportunity was lost.

Sources