The definitive statement regarding the issue of Imam Al-Mahdi.

Regarding the illiteracy of the Arabs and the difficulty of writing, it was common for the Arabs to be illiterate until the great scholars, when they wanted to write something, would find it difficult and would seek out a scribe. If they found someone to write for them, they would seize the opportunity to have their writing done. If the scribe added or omitted something, they would leave it to him to write what he wanted, and they would instruct him to correct it if it was wrong. If they were unable to write, they would entrust it to someone they trusted, or to a scribe who could correct it. They would then have it read back to them, or have it written down, so that it would be preserved and transmitted.

Allah Almighty said: "And if you fear a breach between them, then send a judge from his people and a judge from her people. If they both desire reconciliation, Allah will make them so. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise." (An-Nisa 4:35)

Ibn Taymiyyah's preferred view is that the Quran was revealed in seven dialects. This means that the initial dialects were options, but they were difficult for many people to master. The first view was chosen because it was less burdensome for those who were not fluent. However, we will examine these dialects and their ease, and we will discover that they also involve intellectual difficulty that may lead to doubt about the Quran. This is not surprising, as the most knowledgeable of the reciters, Ubay ibn Ka'b, said: "I was with the Prophet, and a man came and recited a recitation that I disliked. Then another man came and recited a recitation different from the first. We went to the Messenger of Allah, and I said, 'This man recited a recitation that I disliked, and another man recited differently from his recitation.' The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, made them recite, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, approved of their recitations. I felt a doubt, as I had been in the days of ignorance. Read the recitation again. Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw the effect on my chest, and I sweated. He said, 'O Ubay, I was sent with the recitation of seven dialects. I replied, 'I am unable to recite it according to my people's dialect.' He replied, 'Then recite according to the second dialect.'"