How did Imam 'Ali recite the Qur'an before its revelation?

[al-Amali al-Tusi, volume 1 page 706]

Narrated Imam al-Sadiq:

"al-'Abbas ibn 'Abdul Muttalib and Yazeed Bin Qa’nab were both seated in what is between a group of the Clan of Hashim to a group of Abdul 'Uzza facing the Sacred House of Allah (Ka'bah), when Fatima Bint Asad Bin Hashim, mother of the Commander of the Faithful, came, and she was expecting the Commander of the Faithful, in the ninth month, and it was the day of completion.

He said, ‘I paused in front of the Sacred House (Kabah), and it was difficult upon heras, so she shot a glance towards the sky and said, ‘Yes Lord! I am a believer in You and in whatever has come from You with the Messengers and every Prophet from Your Prophets, and in every Book You have Revealed, and I am a ratifier with the speech of my grandfather 'Ibrahim the friend (of the Beneficent), and he built Your Ancient House (Kabah).

I ask You by the right of this House and the one who built it, and by this new-born who is in my lap, the one who speaks to me and comfort me by his discussion, and I am certain it is one of Your Signs and Your Evidences, if You could Ease the blessing of his blessing to me.'

al-'Abbas Bin Abdul Mutallib and Yazeed Bin Qa’nab said, ‘When Fatima Bint Asad had spoken and supplicated with this supplication, we saw the House (Kabah) to have opened from its back, and Fatima entered into it and disappeared from our sights. Then the opening return and closed up by the Permission of Allah. We aimed to open the door in order for one of our women to arrive to her, but the door would not open. We came to know that is was a Command from the Commands of Allah the Exalted. And Fatima remained in the House (Ka'bah) for three days.

[..] 

When Abu Talib saw the newborn he became happy, and 'Ali said to his father: Peace, mercy and blessings upon you my father.

Then the Prophet entered, when the Commander of the Faithful 'Ali saw the Prophet ﷺ, he trembled for him and smiled in his face, and said to the Prophet ﷺ : Peace, mercy and blessings be upon you Messenger of God.

Then he adjusted himself with the permission of God, and recited:

“In the name of God the most Gracious the Most Merciful, Certainly will the believers have succeeded, They who are during their prayer humbly submissive” until the rest of the verses of the Surah, to which the Prophet (pbuh) answered the newborn 'Ali saying: The believers have succeeded because of you.”

المؤمنين (عليه السلام) لتسعة أشهر، وكان يوم التمام، قال: فوقفت بإزاء البيت الحرام، وقد أخذها الطلق، فرمت بطرفها نحو السماء، وقالت: أي رب، إني مؤمنة بك، وبما جاء به من عندك الرسول، وبكل نبي من أنبيائك، وبكل كتاب أنزلته، وإني مصدقة بكلام جدي إبراهيم الخليل،وإنه بنى بيتك العتيق، فأسألك بحق هذا البيت ومن بناء، وبهذا المولود الذي في أحشائي الذي يكلمني ويؤنسني بحديثه، وأنا موقنة أنهإحدى آياتك ودلائلك لما يسرت علي ولادتي.

قال العباس بن عبد المطلب ويزيد بن قعنب. لما تكلمت فاطمة بنت أسد ودعت بهذا الدعاء، رأينا البيت قد انفتح من ظهره، ودخلت فاطمة فيه،وغابت عن أبصارنا، ثم عادت الفتحة والتزقت بأذن الله (تعالى)، فرمنا أن نفتح الباب ليصل إليها بعض نسائنا، فلم ينفتح الباب، فعلمنا أنذلك أمر من أمر الله (تعالى)، وبقيت فاطمة في البيت ثلاثة أيام. قال: وأهل مكة يتحدثون بذلك في أفواه السكك، وتتحدث المخدرات فيخدورهن.

[..]

فلما رآه أبو طالب سر وقال علي عليه السلام: السلام عليك يا أبه ورحمة الله وبركاته، ثم قال: دخل (6) رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فلمادخل اهتز له أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وضحك في وجهه وقال: السلام عليك يا رسول الله ورحمة الله وبركاته، قال: ثم تنحنح بإذن الله تعالىوقال:

(بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم * قد أفلح المؤمنون * الذين هم في صلاتهم خاشعون) إلى آخر الآيات فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قدأفلحوا بك، وقرأ تمام الآيات إلى قوله: (أولئك هم الوارثون

Evaluation:

Firstly, this narration from al-Amali of Sheikh al-Tusi from Imam al-Sadiq shows that Imam 'Ali was in fact born in the Ka'aba.

Secondly, there might be a contention made in the second part of the narration: that Imam 'Ali recited the Qur'an when He was born, preceding the actual revelation of the Qur'an by 10 years!

The primary reason for this being that the Imam is the Qur'an al-Natiq - the Walking Qur'an.

As such, He is the embodiment of the Qur'an al-Samit - the Silent Qur'an, and thus it is no surprise that He was aware of its verses prior to it's physical revelation.

[Tafsir al-Qummi, vol 1, page 97]

"Abi Ja’far (al-Baqir) said that the Messenger of God, is the best of those firmly rooted in knowledge. He knew all that God had revealed to him of tanzil and ta’wil.

God would not reveal to him (the Prophet) except that he taught him its ta’wil. 

And his awsiya’ (successors) know it (the Quran & its ta’wil) entirely.

حدثني أبي عن ابن أبي عمير عن ابن أذينة عن بريد بن معاوية عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله أفضلالراسخين في العلم قد علم جميع ما انزل الله عليه من التنزيل والتأويل وما كان الله لينزل عليه شيئا لم يعلمه تأويله وأوصياؤه من بعدهيعلمونه كله

Let's see how this miracle of the Imam can be Islamically feasible.

We will dissect the event into 4 parts-

Part 1: Existence of the Imams before the Creation of Adam

Part 2: The Register with the knowledge of the Unseen

Part 3: Those who can witness the Kitab

Part 4: How did an infant recite scripture?

Part 1: Existence before the Creation of Adam.

From Abu ‘Abdallah who said:

"Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, said, “O' Muhammad! I have created you and 'Ali a light, a spirit, without body before I created My heavens, My earth, My Throne, and My ocean. You continued to acknowledge Me as your Lord and speak of My glory. I then collected the spirits of both of you and made it one spirit. This spirit continued to speak of My Glory, My Holiness and acknowledge Me as the Lord. I then divided it into two and two which became four: one Muhammad one Ali, al-Hassan and al-Hussain. Then Allah created Fatima from the spirit that was created first without a body. He then wiped us with his right hand to allow his light reach us all."

يا محمد إني خلقتك وعليا نورا يعني روحا بلا بدن قبل أن أخلق سماواتي وأرضي و عرشي وبحري فلم تزل تهللني وتمجدني، ثم جمعتروحيكما فجعلتهما واحدة فكانت تمجدني وتقدسني، وتهللني، ثم قسمتها ثنتين وقسمت الثنتين ثنتين فصارت أربعة محمد واحد وعلي واحدوالحسن والحسين ثنتان، ثم خلق الله فاطمة من نور ابتدأها روحا بلا بدن، ثم مسحنا بيمينه فأفضى (2) نوره فينا

This narration showcases how Allah created the Ahl al-Bayt before the creation of the Universe and even preceding the creation of Adam, and that they (Aal Muhammad) were concious beings in this period, worshipping Allah. 

In this period of time, not only were the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt concious and worshipping Allah, but they were also tasked with witnessing the names of their future Shi'as.

[al-Kafi volume 1 page 444]

From Abu ‘Abdallah al-Sadiq:

"The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Allah presented my Ummah to me in the realm of clay and taught me their names just as He had taught all the names to Adam. The people of flags passed by and I prayed to ask forgiveness for 'Ali and his followers. My Lord has promised me a quality for the Shi‘a of Ali." 

It was asked, “What is that quality O' the Prophet of Allah?” He replied, “It is forgiveness for those of them who have faith and that no minor or major sins from them will be left without being changed to good deeds.”

أمتي في الطين، وعلمني أسماء هم كما علم آدم الأسماء كلها، فمر بي أصحاب الرايات فاستغفرت لعلي وشيعته، إن ربي وعدني في شيعةعلي خصلة، قيل: يا رسول الله وما هي؟ قال: المغفرة لمن آمن منهم وأن لا يغادر منهم صغيرة ولا كبيرة ولهم تبدل السيئات حسنات.

Hence, the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt had knowledge of the Unseen even before their physical birth in this world.

Part 2: The Kitab (register) with unlimited 'Ilm al-Ghaib (knowledge of the Unseen).

Allah describes a book called "the Kitab" in the Qur'an, which is a divine "primary" book through which the other Revelations of God (including the Qur'an) is derived from.

"And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record (kitab)." (6:59)

As the verse shows, this Kitab contains every single knowledge ever, including the verses of the Qur'an itself.

Part 3: Certain chosen ones can access this Kitab.

Now, God says that certain ones brought close to Him can witness this Kitab.

"And what can make you know what is 'illiyyun? It is a register (kitab) inscribed. Which is witnessed by those brought near [to Allah]." (83:19-21)

The ones being referred to in this verse are the Angels. Allah says that these close angels are capable of witnessing the Kitab. In other words, they have access to all the knowledge of the unseen.

And who else has access to this Kitab with all the knowledge of the Unseen?

The Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt.

[al-Kafi volume 1 page 261]

Imam al-Sadiq said:

“I have knowledge of what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. I know what is in heaven and what is in hell. And I have knowledge of what was and what will be.” 

When the Imam noticed that some people were shocked by this statement, He says:

“I acquired knowledge of that from the Kitab of Allah - which Allah says is a clarification of all things (referring to 16:89)."

عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن محمد بن سنان، عن يونس بن يعقوب، عن الحارث بن المغيرة، وعدة من أصحابنا منهم عبدالاعلى وأبو عبيدة وعبد الله ابن بشر الخثعمي سمعوا أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إني لاعلم ما في السماوات وما في الأرض وأعلم مافي الجنة وأعلم ما في النار، وأعلم ما كان وما يكون، قال: ثم مكث هنيئة فرأى أن ذلك كبر على من سمعه منه فقال: علمت ذلك من كتاب اللهعز وجل، إن الله عز وجل يقول فيه تبيان كل شئ (1).

Hence the Kitab contained verses of the Qur'an as part of its knowledge of the Unseen, and the Imams had access to the Kitab even  before their physical birth in this world, as shown earlier.

Part 4: How did a newborn speak?

How did Imam 'Ali recite the Qur'an and speak to the Prophet from the cradle? The example of Prophet 'Isa is sufficient.

"So she pointed to him. They said, "How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?" [Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah . He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet." (19:29-30)

Conclusion

Imam 'Ali recited the Qur'an before its revelation because He was a concious being even before the creation of Adam, and He had witnessed the Kitab of Allah in which the Qur'anic verses had existed, thus having knowledge of the verses of the Qur'an upon his birth in the world.

As clarified in the introduction, the Imam is the living manifestation of the verses of the Qur'an. He is a physical embodiment of the silent Qur'an.

Hence, looking at all the points raised, one may conclude that Imam 'Ali reciting the Qur'an before its revelation is not an unfeasible supernatural event.

After all, "God has competence over all things" (2:20)

Wa Allahu 'Aalam.