Orientalist View on the Unschooled Prophet (s)

The term ummi (unschooled) is applied both in the Qur’an and in Islamic Narrations. In every case, it holds a different meaning. Ummi has been attributed to the holy Prophet (s) twice in the Qur’an. Ummi (unschooled) in the view of lexicographers and exegetes is a person who neither can write nor read. Consequently, it was believed that the Prophet (s), like other Arabs, could neither write nor read. In the first part of the article, the meaning of this term will be discussed based on lexicography books. Then the different views of religious authorities and exegetes on the term ummi are presented and the author’s view in this regard is presented with evidence. Orientalists hold different ideas about the Prophet (s) regarding the concept of ummi. Some posit that he was not unschooled to attribute a non-revelational source to the Quran. Various ideas of orientalists are presented here.