Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection): (16) Do not move your tongue with it...

There are several issues discussed here:

A group of early Rāfiḍah (Shi'a sect) claimed that this Qur'an has been altered, changed, added to, and diminished.

Their proof was that there is no coherence between this verse and the preceding one. If the arrangement were from God Almighty, this would not have happened.

Know that there are several ways to explain this coherence:

1. The Context of Revelation: It is possible that the haste being prohibited occurred to the Messenger (peace be upon him) precisely at the time these verses were being revealed. Therefore, he was prohibited from that haste at that moment, and it was said to him: {Do not move your tongue with it, to hasten it}. This is like a teacher instructing a student; if the student starts looking left and right during the lesson, the teacher might interrupt the lesson to say, "Do not look left or right," and then return to the lesson. If someone later records the lesson with this interruption included, one unaware of the context might find the placement illogical, but one who knows the event will see the arrangement as sound.

2. Contrasting Desires: God Almighty recounted that the disbelievers love immediate gratification, as stated in: {But man desires to act wickedly in front of him} (Al-Qiyamah: 5). Then, He clarified that haste is blameworthy in all matters, even in matters of religion, by saying: {Do not move your tongue with it, to hasten it}. He then concludes this section by saying: {Nay, but you love the hasty world} (Al-Qiyamah: 20).

3. Reliance on God: God Almighty said: {Nay, but man is insightful about himself * Even if he puts forth his excuses} (Al-Qiyamah: 14-15). Here, the Messenger (peace be upon him) showed haste in reciting along with Gabriel, offering the excuse of fearing forgetfulness. It is as if he was told: Even if you offer this excuse, you know that retention only occurs through God's success and aid. Therefore, abandon this haste and rely on God's guidance. This is the meaning of: {Do not move your tongue with it, to hasten it * Indeed, upon Us is its collection and recitation} (Al-Qiyamah: 16-17).

4. The Inherent Knowledge of the Unbelievers: It is as if God said: O Muhammad, your goal in this haste is to memorize it and convey it to them. However, there is no need for this, for {man is insightful about himself} (Al-Qiyamah: 14). They know in their hearts that their state of disbelief, idol worship, and denial of the Resurrection is wrong and false. If your goal in hastening is to show them the ugliness of their state, and this realization is already present in them, then this haste serves no purpose. Hence, He said: {Do not move your tongue with it}.

5. The Contrast in Seeking Refuge: God recounted the disbeliever saying, "Where is the escape?" Then God Almighty said: {Nay, there is no refuge * To your Lord, that Day, is the resting place} (Al-Qiyamah: 11-12). It is as if the disbeliever was fleeing from God to something else. Thus, it was said to Muhammad (PBUH): In seeking to memorize the Qur'an, you seek help through repetition, which is seeking help from other than God. Abandon this method and seek help in this matter from God. It is as if he was told: The disbeliever flees from God to others, but you must be the opposite; you must flee from other than God to God and seek help in all matters from God, so that your objective is achieved, as stated: {Indeed, upon Us is its collection and recitation} (Al-Qiyamah: 17). In another Sura, He said: {And do not hasten with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge"} (Ṭā-Hā: 114). Meaning: Do not seek help in memorization through repetition; rather, seek it from God Almighty.

6. Al-Qaffāl's View (The Address to Man): Al-Qaffāl mentioned that the address {Do not move your tongue with it} is not directed to the Messenger (peace be upon him), but to the man mentioned in: {Man will be informed that Day of what he put forth and what he held back} (Al-Qiyamah: 13). This address is for the man at the moment he is informed of the ugliness of his deeds, when his book is presented to him and he is told: {Read your book; sufficient is yourself this Day against you as an accountant} (Al-Isrā': 14). When he begins to read, his tongue falters from intense fear and the speed of reading. He is then told: Do not move your tongue with it, to hasten it, because it is incumbent upon Us, by promise or wisdom, to gather your deeds against you and recite them to you. When We recite them to you, then follow Our recitation with an admission that you performed those deeds. Then, it is upon Us to explain the matter and detail the ranks of his punishment. The essence of this interpretation is that God Almighty will recite all of the disbeliever's deeds to him in detail, which contains the severest warning in this world and the greatest terror in the Hereafter. Al-Qaffāl concluded that this is a sound interpretation that reason cannot refute, even if there are no established narrations supporting it.

Those who permit the possibility of sinning by the Prophets (peace be upon them) used this verse as proof. They argued: If this haste was permitted by God, how could He forbid it? If it was without God's permission, then a sin was committed by him.

The Answer: Perhaps that haste was permitted up to the point when the prohibition was issued. It is not impossible for something to be permitted at one time and then prohibited at another time. This is the reason we permit abrogation (Naskh).

Sa'īd ibn Jubayr narrated from Ibn 'Abbās, who said: The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) found the memorization of the revelation difficult. When revelation came to him, he would move his tongue and lips before Gabriel finished, fearing he might forget. So, God revealed: {Do not move your tongue with it}, meaning with the revelation, the descent, and the Qur'an. This omission (of the object) is permissible because the context indicates it, just as it is omitted in: {Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Decree} (Al-Qadr: 1). It is similar to His saying: {And do not hasten with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you} (Ṭā-Hā: 114), and {to hasten it}, meaning to hasten in grasping it.

Regarding the Almighty's saying: