Question: it is very often to read and see condemnation of illiteracy in newspaper, streets, and advertisements counting it as one of the signs of backwardness although Allah (Exalted be He) describes this Ummah (nation of creed) as being illiterate by saying: He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) from among themselves Please clarify this.
Answer: The Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him) amongst Arabs and Persians can not read or write, this is why they were called unlettered. However, those who used to read and write amongst them were very few compared to others. Moreover, our Prophet Muhammad did not know how to read or write as Allah (Glorified be He) says:
Neither did you (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴـﻪ ﻭﺳـﻠﻢ) read any book before it (this Qur'ân), nor did you write any book (whatsoever) with your right hand. In that case, indeed, the followers of falsehood might have doubted.
This was one of the evidences of the verity of his Prophethood and mission (peace be upon him), for he had come to people with a great book revealed by Allah and brought down to him by Jibril (Gabriel), the Trustworthy Soul, by which he had miraculously amazed the Arabs and Persians. Allah (Glorified be He) had also revealed to him the purified Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) along with much knowledge about the earlier generations. Furthermore, He (Glorified be He) had informed him of many things that happened in the old times and many things that will happen in the last times and on the Day of Resurrection. In addition, Allah had told him about the status of Jannah (Paradise) and Nar (Hellfire) and their inhabitants, and this was one of the things with which He had favored him unlike others and guided people to his superior rank and the essence of his mission (peace be upon him).
However, describing this Ummah as being illiterate did not mean to encourage them to stay like that, rather it was meant to inform about their fact and real condition when Allah had sent Muhammad (peace be upon him) to them. Both the Qur'an and Sunnah encourage learning
and writing and urge for eliminating illiteracy, thus Allah (Glorified be He) says: Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" Allah (Glorified be He) also says: O you who believe! When you are told to make room in the assemblies, (spread out and) make room. Allâh will give you (ample) room (from His Mercy). And when you are told to rise up [for prayers, or Jihâd (holy fighting in Allâh's cause), or for any other good deed], rise up. Allâh will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge.
He (Glorified be He) also says: It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh. Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever follows a path in pursuit of knowledge, Allah will facilitate for them a path to Jannah (Paradise) Related by Imam Muslim in his Sahih (authentic book of Hadith).He (peace be upon him) also said: When Allah wishes good for a person, He causes them to clearly understand the religion (Agreed upon by Imams AlBukhari and Muslim)There are also many Ayahs and Hadiths stressing this meaning. May Allah grant us success.