Part 2 of chapter 2 history and importance of Quran cambrige Olevel Islamiat 2058

1. Preservation of Quran
• he history of the Quran refers to the oral revelation of
the Quran to Islamic prophet Muhammad and its subsequent
written compilation into a manuscript. It spans several decades
and forms an important part of early Islamic history.
• According to Muslim belief and Islamic scholarly accounts, the
revelation of the Quran began in 610 C.E. when the
angel Gabriel(Arabic: ‫جبريل‬, Jibrīl or ‫جبرائيل‬, Jibrāʾīl) appeared to
Muhammad in the cave Hira near Mecca, reciting to him the
first verses of Sura Iqra(al-`Alaq). Throughout his life,
Muhammad continued to have revelations until before his
death in 632.[1] The Quran we see today was compiled into book
format by Zayd ibn Thabit and other scribes under Uthman, the
third caliph (reign 644 to 656). (A caliph is the political leader of
a Caliphate (Islamic government).) For this reason, the Quran as
it exists today is also known as the Uthmanic codex.[citation needed]

2. • During Lifetime of Holy Prophet only revelations
were revealed and written down by Scribes and
memorized, taught, preached and recited
• During Abu Bakr RA period complete book shape
was given and Mushuf was made with Surahs
placed on separate sheets
• During Usman period all differences were removed
of Dialect and a standardize copy was made with
Mushuf complete Shape

3. Compilation During Life of Holy Prophet
• Causes
• Revelations were constantly being revealed upon Holy
prophet and it was vital to store them in memory, or
written form, or book Form

4. Methodology• During 23 Years from 610AD to 632AD
• First Surah was Alaq and last was Surah Maidah
• Chief Scribe in Madina was Zaid and in Makkah was Hazrat Ali
• Dialect Of Quran was Quraish
• Holy prophet himself memorized Every revelation By heart
• He recited it before himself and before skillful teachers
• Writing, Memorizing, reciting, teaching and preaching
• Companions were also instructed to memorize it(Huffuz)
• He appointed a group of 40 Scribes round the clock available to write the
revelations down as soon as it was received by Holy Prophet then he asked Scribes
to read these Ayah to verify it
• Quran was written down on wood parchments, Leather pieces, branches of trees,
camel bones and date Palm leaves
• He also taught Muslims the Ayah for recital in daily prayers and this is how Muslims
would memorize portions of Quran
• HP arranged Quran under divine Guidance so as soon as Ayats were revealed to
Scribes were instructed to put them in Surah
• Every Ramdan Holy Prophet would Recite Quran in the Presence of Angle Gabriel
for verification of Accuracy
• He also recited in Special Taraweeh Prayer in Ramzan
• In his Last Ramzan, HP recited Quran in the presence of Angel Gabrial and in the
presence of Zaib Bin Sabit

5. Importance
• Although whatever collected in the lifetime of Holy Prophet
was scattered but it was to provide the bases for all of the
compilation to take Place after Demise of Holy Prophet
• All the revelations were safely Written and preserved on many
Scattered Objects like stones.
• As many people had memorized and recited Quran due to the
instructions of Prophet SAW so they had Holy Quran and its
teachings in their memory and would teach it to their next
generations. And its purity was preserved
• As Scribes like Zaid Bin Sabit wrote whole of Quran with HP so
he had gained Skills and enhanced his memory and practiced a
lot so he would be ready and better for next Compilation Period
• Any mistake in writing the original copy and be corrected and
checked By Holy prophet

6. Compilation During Abu Bakr RA
• Causes
• During his caliphate, some people in the country declared themselves
as prophets and Musalima was amongst them.
• Abu Bakr Waged a war against him in 11AH(632AD) and many
companions(about 300) who memorized the Quran(Huffuz) were
Martyred which was known as Battle Of Yamamah.
• Umer RA believed that Huffuz would gradually depart from this world
due to Natural Death or owing to Martyrdom in future battles like
Yamamah. Hence Umar RA fear the loss of Quranic Knowledge like
previous books so it was vital for the government(caliph) to devise a
plan for compilation of Quran in a book form for future Generations.
• Umer RA expressed his fear of loosing the Holy Quran and pressed
the Caliph to preserve the Holy Quran but he hesitated and said that
how could he do something not done by HP and same reply was
given by Zaid bin Thabit when he was asked the same thing
• However, Umer RA kept arguing that compilation in these
circumstances was necessary .
• Umer keep on persuading the caliph until he was finally persuaded

7. Method adopted• A commission was made headed by Zaid and some other prominent
scribes and Zaid RA Was assigned the task to order all companions to
bring whatever verses of the Holy Quran they had in masjid-e-Nabwi ,
verses were to be collected from every part of the Islamic Empire and
then compile them in a book form using his memory.
• Zaid Bin Thabit(huffuz) thought of the task as very difficult but Hazrat
Abu Bakr somehow persuaded him until opinion of both were same.
• Zaid collected Chapters from people who had it from palm leaves,
stones and wood pieces . Committee formed of 20-25 Scribes
• However various methods of Verification were carried out that
whatever that was submitted to the Commission was authentic and
only that would be accepted.Surahs were written on separate Sheets
• 1st Zaid would check, then Umer and then the Caliph
• Testimony was to be obtained by two witnesses that whatever
submitted to the Commission was written in front of the HP and
whichever portions if Quran that were recited before the commission
were same as exactly heard from the Holy Prophet and also recited
before him and to compare material with the last recitation of Quran
from HP. The book form called the Mus’huf
• Zaid handed the compilation to Abu Bakr and after His demise it

8. Significance
• As now Quran was compiled in a book form so there was no
fear of loosing it and its Knowledge consequently Muslim
Ummah would be saved from disintegration
• Even a single or slight error in memory could cause the
distortion of entire Ummah
• Future Generations can easily get Access to Quranic
Teaching and not be lost in Age of Ignorance and they
would have the laws to govern their lives in a correct
Manner
• This copy of Quran was used to remove the differences in
dialect in Hazrat Usman’s period and unite whole ummah
over a single copy Of Quran and this was official copy with
Quraish Dialect

9. Compilation Under Hazrat Usman RA
• Causes
• New people entering into the folds of Islam
• An army consisting of people from Syria and Iraq was sent to
Armenia and there a dispute arose during offering a salat on the
issue of Pronunciation/mode of recitation /Dialect of a Quranic
Ayah
• Some said that they heard a particular word said by Iraqi Scholar
while some said that Syrian way of Recitation was correct.
• Hence Leader of Army Hazrat Huzaifa Bin Yemen understood
delicacy of the problem and solved the problem temporarily but
on reaching Madina even before going to his home he informed
caliph about this Problem and expressed his fear about Division
of Ummah
• Caliph realized the Urgency of the situation and ordered the
Master copy and Other scriptures for comparison

10. Method
• Caliph summoned Mushuf from Hazrat Hafsa
• Caliph made a commission headed By Zaid Bin Thabit and other
members like Hazrat Saeed, Abdur Rahman bin Haritha and Hazrat
Abdullah Bin Zubair RA were included
• Commission was instructed to make a master copy from the Mushuf
and it was advised that Recitation of Quraish would be followed
• Standard Dialect was Quraish
• Calpih Directed that any differences of of opinion among members of
Committee should be referred to him.
• Work Started with all the above Specific Instructions and all the
differences were removed
• 3rd Caliph got 4/7 copies of Quran and declared them the standard
model to be followed .
• One copy was kept in Madina and remaining were sent to capitals of
various provinces.
• All individually prepared copies were destroyed and an obligation was
imposed that in future, every copy of Quran would be made strictly
with the accordance of official one.
• Hazrat Usman was known as Jami-Ul-Quran as he united whole
Ummah on a single copy

11. Importance
• Hazrat Usman known as Jami Ul Quran as he united
whole of Ummah on a single Quran with standard
Quraish Dialect
• Ummah saved from disunited and crumbling as single
mode of recitation
• Less chances of Future conflicts within Islamic State
• Uniformity among Muslims
• It is same pure undistorted and completed Quran that
was writen 1400 years ago and we still read it now and
it is safe from Any significane
• Future generation aware of Quranic Knowledge.
• Suhuf compiled during Abu Bakr time period was in the
form of Surahs but Usman RA gave Suhuf the shape of
Mus’haf