...The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read."...
1. Read! In the name of your Lord who created
2. Created man from a clot
3. Read and your Lord is The Most Honorable
4. Who taught by the pen
5. Taught man what he didn't know.
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
When Allah's Apostle was on his death-bed and in the house there were some people among whom was 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, the Prophet said, "Come, let me write for you a statement after which you will not go astray." 'Umar said, "The Prophet is seriously ill and you have the Qur'an; so the Book of Allah is enough for us." The people present in the house differed and quarrelled. Some said "Go near so that the Prophet may write for you a statement after which you will not go astray," while the others said as Umar said. When they caused a hue and cry before the Prophet, Allah's Apostle said, "Go away!"
Narrated 'Ubaidullah: Ibn 'Abbas used to say, "It was very unfortunate that Allah's Apostle was prevented from writing that statement for them because of their disagreement and noise."
Narrated Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah:
Ibn Abbas said, "When Allah's Apostle was on his deathbed and there were some men in the house, he said, 'Come near, I will write for you something after which you will not go astray.' Some of them ( i.e. his companions) said, 'Allah's Apostle is seriously ill and you have the (Holy) Quran. Allah's Book is sufficient for us.' So the people in the house differed and started disputing. Some of them said, 'Give him writing material so that he may write for you something after which you will not go astray.' while the others said the other way round. So when their talk and differences increased, Allah's Apostle said, "Get up." Ibn Abbas used to say, "No doubt, it was very unfortunate (a great disaster) that Allah's Apostle was prevented from writing for them that writing because of their differences and noise."
I cannot find any primary sources on it, but I've heard numerous times recounting at the mercy of the Muslims at war, and their eagerness towards knowledge, was that the ransom for prisoners of war (The Battle of Badr) was that they teach 10 Muslims to read and write. Why couldn't/shouldn't have Muhammad taken advantage of such and opportunity to obey the command of his Lord ("Read!")?
Of course I will expand more on this later, i''a.
Topic: The literary perfection of the Qu'ran.