The document summarizes the compilation of the Quran. It discusses: 1. The Quran was compiled in three stages - during the lifetime of Muhammad, during the caliphate of Abu Bakr, and the caliphate of Uthman when standardized copies were distributed. 2. It provides evidence that the Quran could not have been authored by Muhammad as it contains scientific and historical knowledge that was unknown at the time. 3. The Quran is considered divinely revealed based on its accurate predictions, scientific knowledge incorporated, and historical records of places and events. The author concludes it is not possible for Muhammad to have authored it on his own.

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ASSIGNMENT NO. 1
QUESTION
Description about the compilation of Qur’an into
one book, Quran as a manual of guidance and as
the Book of Allah (SWT) through logical, scientific
and linguistic proofs.
HUM110
Submitted to:
Ma’am Farhat Nisar
Submitted by:
Laiba Aftab Malik
SP18-BPY-063
Section:
1-B
Date of submission:
10-03-2018

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HOLY QUR’AN
“This is the book: it is guidance sure, without doubt”.
(Surah Baqarah: 2:2)
The Holy Quran is the most widely read book in the history of mankind, a source of immense
inspiration, guidance and wisdom for millions of Muslims all over the world. It is the pivotal point
of Imaan, faith, and integral to the foundations of an Islamic society. The Holy Qur’an is the literal
word of Allah (SWT), divinely revealed to Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) through the Angel
Gabriel (AS).
 REVELATION PERIOD
PERIOD YEARS MONTHS DAYS
TOTAL REVELATION PERIOD 22 2 22
MAKKI PERIOD 12 5 13
MADNI PERIOD 9 9 9
 COMPILATION OF DIVINE REVELATION:
The compilation of the Holy Qur’an took place in three stages:
1. During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.):
There is ample evidence showing that the entire Qur’an was written down in the Prophet
Muhammad’s (P.B.U.H.) lifetime. Whenever Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) received a
revelation, he would instruct scribes to record the revelation on parchments of paper or pieces of

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leather and would also indicate that in which Surah which Ayah should be written. The
Companions never interfered in the arrangement of the Ayahs and Surahs which are the same in
copies of Qur’an available today. Hadrat Zaid bin Thabbit (R.A.) 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 Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). During this time the names of the Surahs were
also known. Angel Gabriel (A.S.) would also come to the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) every
Ramadan to listen to him reciting the Qur’an, and listened to him twice in the year of his demise.
2. During the caliphate of Sayyidina Abu Bakr (R.A.):
After the demise of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) an imposter called Muslimah announced
falsely his own Prophethood. Sayyidina Abu Bakr (R.A.) sent a Muslim expedition against him
and a harsh battle took place in 632 A.D (11 A.H) at the place of Yamamah [Bukhari] during which
hundreds of hafiz were martyred. Sayyidina Umar bin Kattab (R.A.) 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 Sayyidina Abu Bakr (rad) and asked him to
compile the Qur’an into a permanent book form. Sayyidina Abu Bakr (R.A.) was at first shocked
at the request and said he could not do something that the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) had
never done in his own lifetime. However Sayyidina Umar (R.A.) continued to persuade him until
Sayyidina Abu Bakr (R.A) agreed to the suggestion. Sayyidina Abu Bakr (R.A.) called upon
Hadrat Zaid bin Thabbit (R.A.) to collect and compile the Qur’an into one book. Hadrat Zain bin
Thabbit (R.A.) refused to do something that Prophet (P.B.U.H) had never done. Sayyidina Abu
Bakr (R.A.) began to persuade him until Hadrat Zaid bin Thabbit (R.A.) agreed to do this too.
Hadrat Zaid bin Thabbit (R.A.) 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 too many of the
hafiz. Then he carefully compared and cross checked each Ayah, he compiled the written Qur’an
into one single volume. Sayyidina Abu Bakr (R.A.) became its official custodian, passing on to
Sayyidina Umar bin Kattab (R.A.) during his caliphate. After his demise the Qur’anic volume was
passed into the custody of his daughter Hadrat Hafsah (R.A.).
3. During the caliphate of Sayyidina Usman bin Affan (R.A.):
As the Islamic empire increased, it incorporated many different nations and tribes who did not
speak and understand Arabic. As a result, a difference in the recitations and pronunciation of

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Qur’an began to occur. It is reported by Hadrat Anas bin Malik (R.A.) that Hadrat Hudaifah bin
Yaman (R.A.) 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 and immediately reported to Sayyidina Usman (R.A.) who expressed a deep
concern at this new development. They both feared conflicts could arise so Sayyidina Usman
(R.A.) took action and asked Hadrat Hafsah (R.A.) for the original volume of the Qur’an promising
to return it to her once the copies were made. Hadrat Zaid bin Thabbit (R.A.), having been
responsible for the first compilation (R.A.) was appointed as the head of a committee to make
exact and perfect copies of the original. Hadrat Usman (R.A.) gave instructions that if any of the
three committee members disagreed upon any point with Hadrat Zaid (R.A.) then the relevant
Ayah should be written in the language of the Qur’aish as that was the tongue in which the Qur’an
was revealed. Once copies were made the original Qur’an was returned to Hadrat Hafsah (R.A.).
The new copies were then distributed to every Muslim province with the orders that all other copies
of the Qur’an (full copies or partial copies) were to be burnt and replaced by this original one.
Since that day the Holy Qur’an has remained in its original pristine form and will remain as such
in the future by the Grace and Blessings of Allah Almighty until the Day of Judgement, the Qur’an
itself testifies to its divine protection:
“It is for us to collect and recite it” (75:17)
HOLY QUR’AN: GUIDANCE FOR MANKIND
This topic of Qur’an as guidance is never-ending. There are thousands of verses in Qur’an that
give us guidance about right and wrong but here only few have been mentioned.
Islam is a religion superior to all the religions in the world as it guarantees the happiness of man’s
life hereafter if he follows the universal laws set in Holy Qur’an. As Allah says in the Qur’an in
Surah Bani-Israel, verse 9:
“Indeed this Qur’an guides to the path which is clearer and straighter than any other.”
Most surely this verse strengthens the fact that mankind is in a loss if he/she does not heed the
advice given to us in the Holy Qur’an. Allah says in Surah An-Nahl, verse 89:
“............ We have revealed to you the book which clarifies every matter.......”

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The Qur’an by itself cannot teach and guide its readers because there is every possibility of
misunderstanding and misinterpretations, and so, it is necessary that the teachings of Qur’an be
directly taken from the Prophet and his Ahlul Bait (progeny). The Holy Prophet himself declared:
“I leave among you two weighty things, the Book of Allah (the Qur’an) and my Itrat (progeny); if
you hold fast to them you will never go astray; and these two shall never separate from each other
till they meet at the heavenly fountain of Kauser.”
Allah commands humanity in Surah Baqarah, verse 2 -3:
“This is the Book. In it is guidance surely without any doubt, to those who fear Allah, who
believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what we have provided for
them.”
Through this verse Allah commands mankind that if he/she wants guidance they must turn towards
him. Qur’an is a guidance to mankind and Allah guides those who obey the commands of Allah.
In the Qur’an in Surah Yunus, verse 9:
“Those who believe, and work in righteousness, the Lord will guide them because of the faith.”
QUR’AN: THE BOOK OF ALLAH
From the time of its revelation till today, people have tried to cast doubts about the Divinity of the
Holy Qur’an, and have tried to argue that the author of the Qur’an is Prophet Muhammad
(P.B.U.H.) himself; but they have not succeeded because of its inherent truth. It is evident that
what we recite as the verses of the Holy Qur'an, are exactly the same words presented before the
world by the Almighty Allah (SWT) through His messenger Muhammad (P.B.U.H.).
1. “. . . and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our
Lord." (3:7).
2. “But Allah bears witness that what He has revealed to you (O Muhammad), He has revealed
from His own knowledge, and the angels bear witness (to it), but sufficient is Allah for
witness”. (4:166).
3. “And you (O Muhammad) did not recite any book before this, nor were you able to transcribe
one with your right hand. In that case, indeed those who talk vanity could have doubted.”
(29:48).

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 Scientific, logical and linguistic Miracles of the Qur’an
1. Holy Qur’an is in Total Agreement with Modern Scientific Data:
Dr. Maurice Bucaille, the French scientist, writes as follows:
“A crucial fact is that the Qur’an, while inviting us to cultivate science, itself contains many
observations on natural phenomena and includes explanatory details which are seen to be in
total agreement with modern scientific data...... A thorough linguistic knowledge is not in itself
sufficient to understand these verses from the Qur’an. What is needed along with this is a highly
diversified knowledge of Science…. They lead to the conclusion that it is impossible for a human
being living in the seventh century A.D. to have made statements in the Qur’an on a great variety
of subjects that do not belong to his period. For me, there can be no human explanation to the
Qur’an”.
Qur’an encourages us on seeking knowledge.
"Are those who know equal to those who do not" (39:9).
The Qur'an strongly recommends the study of these sciences on the condition that it leads to truth
and reality, that it produces a correct view of the world based on an understanding of Allah
EXAMPLES:
1. All scientific circles in the world today agree that the planets were originally composed of a
mass of Sodium gas and that earth and heaven were one entity and then they were separated.
Centuries ago, the Qur’an referred to this scientific theory when not a single human being knew
anything about science:
 “Then Allah turned to the creation of the heavens (the planets), when they were but a smoky
substance.” (41:11)
 “Do the unbelievers not see that the heavens and the earth were joined together before we
separated them, and that We brought all living things into existence from water? Why do they
still not believe in Allah?” (21:30)
2. Before the time of Newton, that great scientific personality, no one was aware of the force of
gravity. Qur’an describes the above mentioned gravitational force as ‘invisible pillars’:

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“Allah it is Who raised up the heavenly bodies to invisible pillars .....” (13:2).
2. Accuracy of Historical Records in the Qur’an:
Many ancient historical events and geographical regions have been mentioned in the stories of the
Holy Qur'an such as : the river or seathrough which the Bani Israel passed, the land of Ashab-
e Hijr, Dhul Qarnayn Dam, Ashab-e Kahf's Cave, earthy paradise of Dhat al-`Imad etc., not
forgetting the detailed stories of past Prophets.
a) City of Iram
Example of historical record can be found in chapter 89 of the Qur’an which mentions an ancient
city called Iram:
“Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the Aad (people), of the (city of) Iram, with lofty
pillars, the like of which were not produced in (all) the land?” (89:6-7).
Apart from it being mentioned in the Qur’an, there were no historical record about this city- Iram
at the time of Prophet (P.B.U.H.). The research findings published by the official journal of the
American National Geographic society in December 1978 have conclusively shown that Iram was
a city. It is impossible how Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) could describe accurately in the Qur’an the
physical features and the level of architecture of a people who lived in an ancient city which was
destroyed 3000 years before he was born.
b) The body of Fir’aun
The Qur’an has explicitly recorded about what has become of the body of Fir’aun.
“This day We save therein your body so that you become a sign for those who come after you.
But verily, many among mankind are heedless of our signs......”
(10:92).
As the Qur’an states, the body of the Pharaoh (Fir’aun) of the Exodus was in fact rescued: visitors
may see him in the Royal Mummies Room of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. It is not possible that
the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), who lived in Arabian Desert came to know that the body of Fir’aun would
be rescued for future generations to learn a lesson.
3. Predictions in the Qur’an

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The Holy Qur’an predicted and foretold several events with total confidence and categorical
details. Here we will discuss only one of them.
a) Defeat of Persian Empire
In 615 AD, Khusru Parviz of Persia attacked Byzantium (Roman) empire and gained control of
Syria, Palestine and North Africa. He ransacked Jerusalem, set fire to the Holy Sepulcher and
destroyed numerous cities. The war ended in clear victory for fire worshippers of Persia. An
anxiety was spread in Muslims of Makkah. It was at that time the revelation of Allah came:
“The Romans have been defeated in a land nearby. But in the future they will triumph over their
enemies, within a period of few years. All affairs, both earlier and later, are in the hands of
Allah. And on the day when the Romans triumph, the believers and the followers of Islam will
rejoice. Allah assists to whomsoever He wills, and He is Powerful and Compassionate. This is
the promise of Allah, a promise which cannot be violated, but most of the people know not”.
(30:1-6).
Within less than 10 years, this Prophecy of the Qur’an was fulfilled in the year 624 A.D.
 CONCLUSION:
Based on a few evidences given above, it can be clearly and easily predicted that Qur’an is indeed
a Divine revelation and is not written by Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) because he, being a human being,
could not just predict all the scientific information, future and past events all by himself at that
primitive time. Even the non-Muslim scholars admit to the authenticity of the Qur’an as Divine
revelation. One of those scholars Laura Veccia Vaglieri, professor at the University of Naples said:
“The heavenly book of Islam is miraculous and inimitable. Its style is totally unprecedented in
Arabic literature, and its peculiar impact on the spirit of the human being derives from its
special and superior characteristics. How is it possible that such a book should be the work of
Muhammad, an Arab who had never studied?”
THE END

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