Furat bin Ibrahim al-Kufi and Tahreef

In this article we will be covering the early Shia book of Tafseer known as “Tafseer Furat” written by one of their scholars who lived in the time of the minor occultation. His name is Furat bin Ibrahim al-Kufi and his book is one of the earliest Imami books of Tafseer that were preserved to this day thus making it a valuable asset.

The researcher of the book quotes al-Majlisi’s opinion regarding the narrations of the book:

كون أخباره موافقه لما وصل إلينا من الأحاديث المعتبرة وحسن الضبط في نقلها مما يعطي الوثوق لمؤلفه وحسن الظن به

“The fact that its narrations are in harmony/agreement with what has reached us from the accepted narrations, and the accuracy of its transmission grants reliability to its author and makes us think well of him.”

So let’s take a look at a few samples from this book and see what al-Majlisi considers as being in agreement with the vast bulk of Shia narrations.

Note: Colored parts are Shia attempts to corrupt the Qur’an.

pg.60

عن أبي جعفر الباقر عليه السلام:وقال: نزل جبرئيل عليه السلام بهذه الآية هكذا: [وقوله. ر] بئس ما اشتروا…بغيا في علي

[From abu Ja`far al-Baqir (as), he said: Jibril (as) descended with the following verse as such: {How abject is the price for which they exchange their lives that they should disbelieve in what Allah has sent down, out of jealousy from `Ali that Allah should reveal of His grace to whomever He wills of His bondmen!}]

pg.105

فرات قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله جعفر بن عبد الله قال: حدثنا محمد بن عمر قال: حدثنا جابر! قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: نزل جبرئيل عليه السلام على محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم بهذه الآية هكذا: يا أيها الذين أوتوا الكتاب آمنوا بما نزلنا في علي مصدقا لما معكم من قبل

[Abu Ja`far (as) said: Jibril (as) descended on Muhammad (saw) with this verse like such: {O People given the Books! Believe in what We have sent down regarding `Ali confirming the Book which you possess}]

pg.146

فرات قال: حدثني جعفر بن محمد الفزاري معنعنا: عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: لو أن الجهال من هذه الأمة يعلمون متى سمي على أمير المؤمنين [لم ينكروا ولايته وطاعته. قال: فسألته: ومتى سمي علي أمير المؤمنين.ب، ر]؟ قال: حيث أخذ الله ميثاق ذرية آدم وكذا [ب: هكذا] نزل [به. ب] جبرئيل على محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم [وبارك. أ]: وإذ أخذ ربك من بني آدم من ظهورهم ذريتهم وأشهد هم على أنفسهم ألست بربكم وأن محمدا عبدي ورسولي وان عليا أمير المؤمنين قالوا: بلى. ثم قال أبو جعفر [عليه السلام. ب]: والله لقد سماه الله باسم ما سمى باسمه [ب: به] أحدا قبله

[Abu Ja`far (as) said: “If the ignorant from this nation knew when `Ali was named chief of believers, they would not have rejected his love and obedience.” I asked: “When was `Ali called chief of believers?” He (as) replied: “When Allah made the progeny of Adam testify and this is how Jibril revealed it to Muhammad (saw): {And remember when your Lord brought forth the generations from the backs of the Descendants of Adam, and made them their own witness; “Am I not your Lord, and Muhammad is my slave and messenger and `Ali is the chief of believers?”; they all said: “Yes”} He (as) then said: “And Allah has bestowed upon him a name that nobody before him held.”]

pg.231

فرات قال: حدثني علي بن يزداد القمي معنعنا: عن حسان العامري قال: سألت أبا جعفر عليه السلام عن قول الله: ولقد آتيناك سبعا من المثاني والقرآن العظيم قال: ليس هكذا تنزيلها إنما هي: ولقد آتيناك سبعا من المثاني نحن هم ولد الولد والقرآن العظيم علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام.

[I asked abu Ja`far (as) about Allah’s words: {And indeed We have given you seven verses that are repeated, and the great Qur’an} He (as) replied: “This isn’t how it was revealed, it is as such: {And indeed We have given you seven that are repeated, we are they, the son of the son, and the great Qur’an `Ali ibn abi Talib peace be upon him.}]

pg.234

فرات قال: حدثنا محمد بن القاسم [بن عبيد. أ، ب. قال: حدثنا الحسن بن جعفر قال: حدثنا أبو موسى المشرقاني قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن عبيد عن علي بن سعيد. ش]: عن أبي حمزة الثمالي [عن جعفر الصادق عليه السلام. أ، ر] قال: قرأ جبرئيل [عليه السلام. ب، ر] على محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم [هذه الآية. أ، ش، ر] هكذا: وإذا قيل لهم ماذا أنزل ربكم في علي قالوا: أساطير الأولين).

[Ja`far al-Sadiq (as) said: Jibril (as) recited to Muhammad (saw) this verse in this way: {And when it is said to them, “What has your Lord sent down regarding `Ali?”, they say, “The tales of former people.”}]

There you have it brothers and sisters and these samples are sufficient since the book is loaded with nonsense. May Allah guide the foolish ones.