Revelation and Compilation of the Holy Quran
The Revelation and
Compilation of the Holy Quran
Introduction
The Holy Quran is the most
widely read book in the history of mankind.it is a source of immense
inspiration, guidance and wisdom for millions of Muslims all over the world. It
is the focal point of imaan, faith,
and fundamental to the foundations of an Islamic society being the basis of its
shariah, Islamic legal
injunctions and law. It is a book not just to be read, but to be studied,
understood and ultimately respected.
Titles of the
Holy Qur’an
The Qur’an has been
referred to by many different names in the holy text. The word Qur'an itself
can be found in the scriptures:
"We
do relate unto you the most beautiful stories, in that We reveal to thee this
(portion of the) Qur'an: Before this thou too was among those who knew it
not." (Yusuf, 12:3)
"Nay
this is a glorious Qur'an (inscribed) in a tablet preserved". (Al-Buruj, 85:21-22)
However Allah Almighty
refers to the Holy Qur'an using several other names:
al-hukm
the
judgment (13:37)
al-nur the light (7:157)
al-dhikr
the
reminder (15:9)
al-kitab
the scripture (21:10)
al-furqan
the
criterion (25:1)
al-tanzil
the
revelation (26:192)
Further descriptive titles
include Mubarak (blessing), mussadiq (confirmation of truth), mubin (explanation), hakim (wisdom), Majid (glorious) and Karim (honoured)
Divine
Revelation
The very first revelation
of the Holy Qur’an took place on the 15th night of Ramadhan in the
year 610 AD. At this time the Holy Prophet (saw) had reached the age of 40. For
many years it had become his practice to visit a small cave in mount Hira,
situated around 3 miles from the city of Makkah. The Holy Prophet (saw) would
retreat to this cave in solitude and meditate there for many days. He would
take supplies of food and water and engage in long prayers. As the years
progressed these periods of solitude became more pronounced extending his stay
from days into weeks. During the month of Ramadhan Holy Prophet (saw) would
keep fasts and spend the entire month in this spiritual state of solitude.
It was during one of these
periods, in the year A.D 610 that the first revelation of the Qur’an began. In
a Hadith related by Ayesha (r.a) the Angel Gabriel (a.s) came to the Holy
Prophet (saw) and said ikra,
“Read!”. He replied: “I am not a learner”. The Angel then held him, pressed him
hard and released him and again said ikra,
“Read!”. The Prophet replied the same. The angel held and pressed him hard for
a third time and said:
“Read, in the name of your
Lord who created. It is He who created man from clots of blood. Read! Your Lord
is the most bounteous, Who has taught the use of the pen. He has taught man
what he did not know”. (Al-Alaq, 96:5 )
These were the very first
verses of the Qur’an recited to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). As soon as Angel Gabriel
(AS) recited the entire verse, asking him to read in the name of his Lord, only
then did the Holy Prophet (SAW) recite the same.
All commentators (Mufasareen) on the Holy Qur’an
unanimously agree that this verse refers to the Holy Prophet (saw), in that
Allah taught His Prophet the Qur’an and intelligent speech.
Way and Forms
of Revelation
The Holy Qur’an was
revealed to the Holy Prophet (saw) in a variety of ways.
1. In the form of
dreams:
Prophet Muhammad (saw)
would sometimes receive divine revelations of the Holy Qur’an in the form of
dreams. Ayesha (RA) narrates that the beginning of Wahi was in the form of true dreams. Whenever the Holy Prophet
(saw) would see a dream its true meaning and significance it would become clear
by the morning (Bukhari).
2. Revelation revealed
directly into the heart:
The Holy Prophet (saw) also
used to receive revelation directly into the heart. Imaam Hakim narrates that
the Holy Prophet (saw) stated: “Angel Gabriel conveyed a message into my heart.
That no man can die until his ‘rizk’
or resources have been completed. So Man should fear God and try all means to
achieve his resources. If there is a delay in receiving your due then do not go
astray to achieve it for whatever you will receive will be through Allah and
what he has already ordained”.
3. Revelation disclosed
upon the sound of a bell:
Another method of
revelation was at the sound of a bell. The Holy Prophet (saw) would hear the
ringing of a bell or a musical sweet sound, which would be immediately followed
by divine revelation. According to Hadrat Ayesha (RA) once the divine
revelation began, Angel Gabriel (AS) would come at various times with different
ayahs of the Qur’an. According to her, the Holy Prophet (saw) himself stated
that: “Sometimes wahi comes to
me after a bell rings and that is a heavy time for me”. (Bukhari)
This method of revelation
appears to be the most difficult type for the Holy Prophet (saw) to bear. If he
(saw) was mounted on a camel and received revelation after the ringing of a
bell, the camel would be unable to bear its weight and be forced to come down
upon its knees. On another occasion it is narrated by Hadrat Zaid bin Thabit (RA)
that the Holy Prophet’s (saw) thigh was resting on his thigh at the time of
receiving wahi. The force of
the revelation was so strong that it felt as if his own thigh was breaking.
Hadrat Ayesha (RA) also reports that during these occasions the Holy Prophet’s
(saw) brow would sweat or that his face would become very red.
4. Revelation Brought by
an Angel in the Form of a Man:
One of the most common ways
of receiving revelation was through Angel Gabriel (as). The Holy Qur’an states:
Say:
Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel – for he brings down the (revelation)to thy
heart by Allah’s will, a confirmation of what went before , and guidance and
glad tidings for those who believe, - Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His
angels and apostles, to Gabriel and Michael, - Lo! Allah is an enemy to those
who reject faith”( Al-Bakarah: 2:97-98)
Angel Gabriel (RA) would
sometimes come to the Holy Prophet (saw) in the form of a man. Hadrat Ummi
Salma (r.a) reports that: “once I saw Dhaya Qalbi in front of the Prophet (saw)
talking to him. The Prophet (saw) then asked me: “Do you know who this man is?”
I replied: “That was Dhaya Qalbi” By God I thought it was him but the Prophet
of God (saw) later announced in his Kutbah it was the Angel Gabriel”.
5. Revelation through an
Angel in his True Form:
Angel Gabriel also came to
the Holy Prophet (saw) in his actual angelic form. Hadrat Abdullah ibn Masood (RA)
narrates that Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “When I saw Angel Gabriel he had 600
wings”.
6. Revelation Directly
from God:
God has directly
communicated with some of His Prophets as with Prophet Musa (AS) on Mount Toor.
The Holy Prophet (saw) spoke directly with Allah (swt) during his ascent into
the heavens, the Miraj. There, Allah (swt) gave divine revelation to his Holy
Prophet (saw) concerning the obligatory prayers.
It is interesting to note
how the differing methods of communication reach their climatic end with ‘Kalam
Elahi’, Allah directly speaking to His beloved. Initially Allah (swt) beckons
His Prophet (saw) gently through dreams. Then revelation is communicated
directly into his heart. Thereafter the Angel Gabriel (AS) comes with
revelation in the form of a man. As the Holy Prophet (saw) draws closer and
closer to Allah (swt) Angel Gabriel (AS) is shown in his full glory to him.
Finally Allah (swt) calls His beloved Prophet (saw) to the heavens and talks to
him directly in the finale of the Miraj-un-Nabi.
Process of
Divine Revelation
The Beginning of Revelation
According to its own
testify the Holy Qur’an was revealed in the month of Ramadhan on the night of
power. “Ramadhan is the (month) in which we sent down the Qur’an,..”(Al Baqara
2:185)
“We have indeed revealed
this (message) in the night of Power” (Al-Qadr 97:1).
At first glance these
verses appear to be at odds with Islamic history suggesting the Holy Qur’an was
revealed in one go on the night of laila
al qadr, the night of power, rather than in stages. However this point
is clarified by Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas who states that the Qur’an was
revealed in one go from lauh
al-mahfuz, 'the tablet of destiny' to the lower heaven, bait al izzat, 'house of honour' on
the night of Qadr (power). It
was from this lower heaven that the Qur'an was revealed in stages onto the
earth, the first revelation having taken place on the night of power. The Holy
Prophet (saw) then quoted an ayah
Of Qur’an to support this
view:
“(It is) a Qur’an which we have divided (into Parts from time to time),
in order that thou mightiest recite it to men. At intervals we have revealed it
by stages”
(Al-Sail
17:106).
Imaam Faqir-uddin-Razi, Imaam
Hafiz ibn Qaseer and Imaam Qurtubi state that those parts of the Qur’an which
were to be revealed to the Holy Prophet (saw) in one year would first be
revealed in the heavens on the Night Of Qadr in advance. Sheikh Sarwardi
however is of the opinion that once the Holy Qur’an was revealed in one goes in
the heavens it was then given in the custody of Angel Gabriel (a.s) who would
reveal it in stages to the Holy Prophet (saw) when required. However the
majority of scholars, including Imaam Shaitibi and Imaam ibn Hajr as-Qalani
conclude that the Holy Qur’an was first revealed in its entirety in the heavens
and then revealed in stages to Prophet Muhammad (saw) in the methods already
outlined above.
Revelation in
Stages
The Qur’an was not revealed
in one instance but through a piecemeal process with small numbers of ayahs
revealed at any one time. Hadrat ibn Ashtar states that normally one to two
ayahs was revealed to the Holy Prophet (saw) at any one time. Other scholars
such as Imam Bahiqui, Hadrat Umar (RA) and Hadrat Ali (RA) are of the opinion
that four to five ayahs would be revealed at any one time.
As revelation started the
pagan Arabs witnessed the piecemeal process and used this as a tool to attack
the new Muslims. They taunted them asking them why the Qur’an was not revealed
in one go if it was a Divine book:
“Those who reject faith
say: Why is the Qur’an not revealed to him all at once”? (Al-Furqan, 25:32)
The Qur’an then eloquently
answers its critiques: “Thus (it is
revealed), that We may strengthen thy heart thereby, and we have rehearsed it
to thee in slow, well-arranged stages, gradually.” (Al-Furqan, 25:32) “(It is) a Qur’an which We have divided
(into parts from time to time), in order that thou mightiest recite it to men
at intervals: We have revealed it by stages.” (Al-Isra’il, 17:106)
As the Muslims began to
grow in number they became faced with many different problems. So often in
response to specific situations that arose Qur’anic ayahs were revealed to the
new Muslim community. The Holy Prophet (saw) brought a revolutionary message to
the pagan Arabs. The aim of Islam was to change the entire society and culture
of that time. The Arabs had been worshipping idols for hundreds of years and
Makkah had become the focal point of all worshippers throughout the Arab
peninsula. An annual pilgrimage took place where hundreds of Arabs would gather
together and celebrate their idols and pagan traditions. These ancient
religious traditions which engulfed every aspect of Arab life now had to be
challenged and redressed by a new moral, social, political and religious order.
The message of Islam
intended to change the prevailing system, giving rights to the poor, needy,
orphans and women. It preached morals and virtuous acts putting constraints on
evil and vice. A new political system was advocated based on meritocracy rather
than patriarchy. So the divine message of Allah was revealed slowly to allow
the new Muslim Arabs to change and accept the new faith. The very first verses
revealed were intended to strengthen the faith of the new Muslims. Having
worshipped idols all their life it was important to lay the foundations of the
unity of God and spread the message of His oneness. Once the belief of the
Muslims had become strong and they were able to practice Islam more freely in
Madinah, the majority of the laws and legislation were revealed. It was upon
these new principles that the Islamic State of Madinah was created.
Revelation in stages also
created a constant link between Allah and His beloved Prophet (saw) giving
moral support in times of need and distress:
“Thus (it is revealed),
that We may strengthen thy heart..” (Al-Furqan, 25:106).
Angel Gabriel (as) would
come with news of future victories and successes providing vital motivation to
the Companions who faced great opposition from the Kufar. This created an
unimaginable link between the Companions and their new leader and guide, the
Holy Prophet. They would constantly witness their Holy Prophet (saw) receiving
divine revelation from Allah which intern had a twofold effect. Firstly it
created a living link between Allah (saw) and the new Muslims. They had given
up their entire livelihoods including their wealth, prestige and status. Many
families were split as some family members embraced Islam whilst other rejected
the new faith. As a result the new Muslims faced many hardships and obstacles.
So witnessing a living link between Allah and His Beloved Prophet (saw) gave
them renewed motivation and inspired them to follow him (saw) even more:
“It is He who hath sent His
Apostle with guidance and the religion of truth, to proclaim it over all
religion, even though the pagans may detest it.” (Al-Tauba, 9:33) “But God
willed to justify the truth according to His words, and to cut off the roots of
the unbelievers.” (Anfal,8:7) Secondly, revelation in stages also strengthened
their concept of Tauheed, belief in the oneness of God. Often the Holy Prophet
(saw) and his Companions were put in positions where defeat was imminent and no
alternative was left but to beseech Allah (swt) for help. When divine
revelation was sent as a response to this, the Companions realized that only Allah
could help them in times of distress and need. He was the All Omnipotent and
All Powerful and worked through the intercession of His Beloved Prophet (saw).
This was an important lesson for the Companions to learn. They had spent their
entire lives in idolatry, beseeching man made statues for help and assistance
rather than the one true God. Their existence was dependent upon pleasing their
Gods through ritual sacrifices and traditions that spanned many centuries.
Makkah was the heart and soul of the pagan society, being home to the annual
pilgrimage where thousands of people came from all parts of the Arabian
Peninsula to worship the idols kept in the Kaábah and pay tribute to their
keepers. This old allegiance needed to be destroyed and replaced by an allegiance
to the One True God and His Beloved Messenger (saw). Through practical
demonstrations of beseeching for help in times of need the Companions of the
Holy Prophet (saw) now had living examples of the power and mercy of God,
knowing for certain only He was the source of all things. Another interesting
aspect of the revelation process is the continual appearance of Angel Gabriel
(a.s) as the intermediary between Allah
and His Messenger (saw). Angel Gabriel (a.s) would come again and again
amongst the Companions, bringing divine revelation from the heavens. They
witnessed how he would sit with respect and reverence in the company of the
Holy Prophet (saw) and the manner in which he would converse with him. Although
he is considered the leader of the heavenly angels, he too was shown to be
subordinate to the Holy Prophet (saw). The Companions observed a heavenly
being, pure, perfect and made of light, deal with veneration and esteem with
their Holy Prophet (saw). This amounted to invaluable training for them for if
an angel sent from Allah had such
respect for their new leader surely they too should follow in his way and imbue
the same feelings in their lives too. Consequently Angel Gabriel (a.s) became a
role model of moral conduct and etiquettes when dealing with the Holy Prophet
(saw). This in itself is a reflection of the high status of Prophet hood. Allah
intended that the Companions should learn to love, respect and revere the Holy
Prophet (saw) so that that there would be no room left for any other worldly love
and attachment. Only this type of passion, of undying love and loyalty could
motivate them to change their existing way of life. If this new faith entailed
being separated from family and friends, caused them to endure severe
hardships, engage in torturous journey’s and eventually ask the ultimate
sacrifice of their lives for the cause of Islam, the Companions were prepared
to do this for the sake of their love to the Holy Prophet and belief in his
message
Recording of Revelation
Memorization: The
first method of recording the verses of the holy Qur’an was through
memorization. Upon receipt of wahi the Holy Prophet (saw) would immediately
commit all passages revealed to him to his memory, which is known as hifz: “…an
apostle from God, rehearsing scriptures, kept pure and holy…(98:2) Thereafter
he would recite the same to his Companions. Hadrat ibn Mas’ud (RA) was the
first to recite the Qur’an publicly in Makkah. The Arabs of this time were
generally an illiterate but were great fans of poetry and tales. Being a
predominantly oral culture the Arabs would memorize poems and tales in order to
communicate it to others. They had a heightened sense of memory in comparison
to other nations. Therefore once the Muslims were taught a passage of the
Qur’an they immediately confined it to memory quite easily and this practice
was encouraged by the Prophet (saw). Hadrat Uthman bin Affan narrates the
Prophet (saw) as saying the most superior amongst the Companions were those who
learn the Qur’an and then taught it to others. The same passages were also
regularly recited in the five daily prayers, so remembrance of the verses was a
daily occurrence. It was also a practice of the Holy Prophet (saw) to listen to
Qur’anic recitation from the Companions. Hadrat Ibn Masud (RA) in particular
narrates how the Prophet (saw) once shed tears after listening to his
recitation of Surah Nisa.
Writing
During the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (saw) scribes also carefully wrote the
passages of the Qur’an on a variety of different writing materials. These
varied from pieces of parchment to leather and leaves. However once any passage
was recorded the Holy Prophet (saw) would personally check the written records
and insure that all the words were correct and in the correct order.
Whenever an ayah was
revealed, he (saw) informed the Companions of the name of the relevant Surah
and where it was to be placed in the Qur’an. Hadrat ibn Abbas reports that
Hadrat Othman bin Affan stated that when the Holy Prophet (saw) received
revelation he would call a companion to write it down and then tell them where
to place the ayah in the Qur’anic order. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal reports the narration of Hadrat Othman bin
abi-ul-Aas (rad) as stating: “I was once sitting with the Holy Prophet (saw)
when he received revelation. Then he lowered his eyes and the Holy Prophet
(saw) stated that ‘Angel Gibraeel has come to me and ordered that I should
place this ayah with this Surah. Imam Malik details how the inhabitants of
Yemen were sent collected written sheets of the Qur’an (mushaf) by some Muslims with orders given to keep it clean and
safe, confirming the writing down of the Qur’an in some for during the Holy
Prophet’s (saw) lifetime. The Qur’an also describes itself as a kitab, a book well-guarded indicating
an organized compilation in some shape.
Since the Holy Prophet
(saw) instructed the Companions where to place each ayah, they themselves never
interfered in the divine order. Hadrat ibn Zubayr (RA) narrates that he asked
Hadrat Othman (RA) why he placed one ayah in the Qur’an when another had
revoked it. Hadrat Othman (RA) replied that he did not have the authority to
change the order, which had been divinely revealed.
One has to remember that
the Qur’an is not just a book of prayers but a practical guide to life. It
instructs man in every sphere, be it on the modes of marriage, the penal
system, business codes and ethics as well as the personal sphere of human
relationships. As such the holy Qur’an is often termed the “living Qur’an’ due
to its continual usage in daily life. So every passage that was revealed to the
Holy Prophet (saw) was continually quoted and read, either in the daily prayers
or in the daily affairs of life. In this way it was impossible for any mistakes
or errors to occur in any of the words or passages as the words of the Qur’an
were always in use. It was indeed a living book. Allah (swt) is also the
ultimate guarantor and protector of the Qur’an ensuring it to be free from any
error and interference:
“We have without doubt sent
down the message and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)”. (Al-Hijr,
15:9)
Revelation
Period and Division of Qur’anic Surahs
As stated earlier the first
revelation of the Holy Qur’an took place on the 16th Ramadhan, A.D
610. The period of revelation spanned 22 years, 2 months and 22 days. There is
a traditional division of the surahs between those that were revealed in the
city of Makkah, (Makki surahs) and those that were revealed in the city of
Madinah (Madni surahs). The following table highlights the split in the
revelation period between these two cities:
|
PERIOD
|
YEARS
|
MONTHS
|
DAYS
|
Surahs
|
|
REVELATION
PERIOD
|
22
|
2
|
22
|
114
|
|
MAKKI
PERIOD
|
12
|
5
|
13
|
87
|
|
MADANI
PERIOD
|
9
|
9
|
9
|
27
|
Out of the 114 surahs
revealed, the majority of them were revealed in the city of Makkah. A ‘Makki’
Surah is classified as such if its beginning was revealed in Makkah even if
parts of it were later revealed during the Madani phase. Imam Zarkashi is of
the opinion that 85 surahs were revealed in Makkah. Other commentators believe
86 were revealed whilst others give a slightly higher number. Difference of
opinion lies regarding whether Surah 1, Al-Fatiha and Surah 83, Al-Mutaffin
were revealed in Makkah or Madinah. The Makki Surah’s were revealed over a
period approximately lasting 12-13 years, from the first call of Islam up until
the Hijrah, migration to the
city of Madinah. Most of the Makki Surah’s are shorter in length and deal with
concepts regarding Tauheed, oneness of God; good morals and conduct and life in
the Hereafter – heaven and hell. The Makki ayah’s also contain passages
regarding the Christian and Jewish scriptures, detailing which Prophets have
been sent by Allah (swt) in the past.
A ‘Madni’ Surah is
characterized as those Surah’s which have their beginning passages revealed in
Madinah. According to Imaam Zarkashi 29 Surah’s were revealed in Madinah. Other
commentators give a figure of 28 whilst others have given a slightly higher
figure. The Madni Surah’s were revealed over a period of nine to ten years
beginning from the Hijrah, to the eventual demise of the Prophet (saw). These
Surahs are often longer than their Makki counterparts. When the Holy Prophet
(saw) arrived in the city of Madinah he set up the first Islamic state in the
history of Islam. As such the Qur’anic Surah’s in this period of time deal with
the practical aspects of living. Much of the injunctions of Shariah law were
revealed in Madinah including laws relating to marriage, divorce, laws `of
probate and criminal sanctions. They dealt with the new burgeoning community of
the indigenous Ansars and newly
arrived Muhajiroonas well as
mankind in general.
Over the 22 year period a
total of 114 Surahs were revealed. These are roughly arranged according to
length with the longest surahs being placed at the beginning of the Qur’an and
the shorter ones at the end. The main exception to this rule is with regard to
the opening chapter of the Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatiha having only 8 ayahs. The
surahs are not however placed in chronological order since early Makki Surahs
are placed near the end of the Holy Qur’an and the later Madni Surahs being
placed in the beginning of the Qur’an. This order was divinely given by Allah
through Angel Gabriel (a.s) to the Holy Prophet (saw)
For liturgical purposes the
Qur’an has been further divided into thirty parts, each part being called a Juz, for easy use of reference.
During the Holy month of Ramadhan one part is read daily with the intention of
completing all 30 parts in the month. The Surah’s (chapters) are sub-divided
into sections known as Rukuhs and each section is divided into verses known as
Ayahs.
The final revelation took
place on the 9th day of Dhul Hajj, in the 10th year of
Hijrah. This was the 63rd year of the Holy Prophet’s (saw) life. The
final verse to be revealed was:
“This day we have perfected
for you your religion. And have completed My bounties for you, And have
approved Islam as the religion for you”. (5:3)
In this year, during the
month of Ramadhan, Angel Gabriel (a.s) came twice to the Holy Prophet (saw) and
they recited the entire text together twice. Since that year no Qur’anic verse
has been added or deleted from the original text. It is and will remain in its
pristine condition until the Day of Judgement.
Compilation
of Divine Revelation
The compilation of the Holy
Qur’an took place in three stages:
1.
During the lifetime of the
Holy Prophet (saw)
2.
During the caliphate of Sayyiduna
Abu Bakr (RA)
3.
During the caliphate of Sayyiduna
Othman bin Affan (RA)
In the
Lifetime of the Holy Prophet (saw)
There is ample evidence
showing that the entire Qur’an was written down in the Prophets (saw) lifetime.
As stated earlier when he (saw) received revelation he would instruct scribes
to record the revelation on parchments of paper or pieces of leather. He would
also indicate in which Surah each ayah was to be placed. The Companions never
interfered in the arrangement of the ayahs and Surahs which are the same in
copies of Qur’ans available today. Hadrat Zaid bin Thabit was one of the most
prominent of the scribes and has reported that he, along with other companions
would compile the Qur’an in the presence of the Holy Prophet (saw). During this
time the names of the Surahs were also known. Angle Gabriel (a.s) would also
come to the Holy Prophet (saw) every Ramadan to listen to him reciting the
Qur’an, and listened to him twice in the year of his demise.
In the time
of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (RA)
A detailed account of this
is contained in an account given by Zaid bin Thabit in Sahih Bukhari. After the
demise of the Holy Prophet (saw) an imposter called Muslimah announced falsely
his own Prophethood. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (RA) sent a Muslim expedition against
him and a harsh battle took place in 632 A.D (11 A.H) at the place of Yamamah
during which hundreds of hafiz
were martyred. Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (RA) became concerned at the heavy
loss of casualties, fearing that a large part of the Qur’an could be lost if
the rate of martyrdom increased. He expressed these fears to the Caliph Sayyiduna
Abu Bakr (rad) and asked him to compile the Qurán into a permanent book form. Sayyiduna
Abu Bakr (rad) was at first shocked at the request and said he could not do
something that the Holy Prophet (saw) had never done in his own lifetime.
However Sayyiduna Umar (rad) continued to persuade him until Sayyiduna Abu Bakr
(RA) said his heart was opened by Allah (swt) and he agreed to the suggestion.
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (RA)
called upon Hadrat Zaid bin Thabit (RA) to collect and compile the Qur’an into
one volume. Hadrat Zain bin Thabit was also astonished at this request and
declared it would have been easier for him to shift a mountain than to do such
a task. He too questioned how they could do something that the Holy Prophet
(saw) had never done. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (rad) replied this was a good thing
and began to persuade him until Allah (swt) opened the heart of Hadrat Zaid bin
Thabit (RA) who agreed to do this too.
Hadrat Zaid bin Thabit (RA)
set about completing the task. He collected all the written parts of the Qur’an
from date leaves, parchment and pieces of leather and also listened to many of
the hafiz who recited verses
from their memories. After having carefully compared and cross checked each
ayah, he compiled the written Qur’an into one single volume. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr
became its official custodian, passing on to Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (RA)
during his caliphate. After his demise the Qur’anic volume was passed into the
custody of his daughter Hadrat Hafsah (RA).
In the time
of Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (RA)
As the Islamic empire
increased it incorporated many different nations and tribes who did not speak
and understand Arabic. As a result difference in reciting the Qur’an and
pronunciation began to occur. It is reported by Hadrat Anas bin Malik that
Hadrat Hudhayfah bin Yaman (RA) had been involved in the victories of the
Muslim run Sham, now modern day Syria, and Iraq over Armenia and Azerbaijan. He
heard the differences in the recitation of the Qur’an by the inhabitants there.
Upon his return he related these concerns to Sayyiduna Uthman (RA) who
expressed a deep apprehension at this new development. They both feared
conflicts could arise, replicating the problems that had occurred in the
authenticity of the Bible and Toroth. Sayyiduna Uthman took action and asked
Hadrat Hafsah (RA) for the original volume of the Qur’an promising to return it
to her once copies were made. She sent it immediately to him. Hadrat Zaid bin Thabit,
having been responsible for the first compilation (RA) was appointed as the
head of a committee to make exact and perfect copies of the original. The other
committee members consisted of Hadrat Abdullah bin Zubayr, Hadrat Sa’id bin Al
A’as and Hadrat Abdur Rahman bin Harith (rad). Hadrat Uthman gave them
instructions that if any of the three disagreed upon any point with Hadrat Zaid
(RA) then the relevant ayah should be written in the language of the Quraish as
that was the tongue in which the Qur’an was revealed.
Once copies were made the
original was returned to Hadrat Hafsah (rad). The new copies were then
distributed to every Muslim province with the orders that all other copies of
the Qur’an, be they full or partial copies, were to be burnt and replaced by
this original one. Since that day the Holy Qurán has remained in its original pristine
form and will remain as such in the future by the Grace and Blessings of Allah
Almighty.
