Compilation of Quran
The Uthmani Script (mushaf) of Qur’an has its origin from the time of caliphate when compilation of Quran began. The Quran was revealed in seven dialects as was narrated in hadith of Umar (رضي الله عنه) from Prophet (ﷺ). This was narrated by Bukhari and Muslim; these were the dialects of Arabs which were known for their eloquence. Most of the companions learnt the Quran by heart as it was revealed to the prophet (ﷺ) through the arch angel Jibreel. They used to memorize the Quran by heart. While a few of them used to write down some verses or surahs on animal skins, thin white stones and the like.
Prophet’s order to write down Quran
Initially Prophet (ﷺ) forbade the writing of anything other than the Quran. He forbade them to write down his words (hadith) for a while. This is so that the Sahabah would focus on memorizing the Quran and writing it down. This is also because words of the Prophet (ﷺ) would not be confused with the words of Allah. Hence the Quran was protected from anything being added or taken away.
The Prophet (ﷺ) appointed a group of his Companions who were trustworthy and knowledgeable to write down the revelation . They are known in their biographies as those who wrote down the Revelation. Such as four Caliphs, Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, Muawiyah ibn AbiSufyan, Zayd ibn Thabit and others (رضي الله عنهم).
How was the Quran compiled prior to Uthmani script?
The Quran was preserved through the hearts of the Sahabah, who had memorized it, as well as on various materials. This was up until the time of the Caliph Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (رضي الله عنه).
During the Riddah wars, many of the Sahabah who had memorized the Quran were martyred. Fearing that the Quran could be lost, Abu Bakr sought advice from the senior companions. It was on the matter of compiling the Quran into a single book in order to preserve it. He assigned this important task to Zayd ibn Thabit (رضي الله عنه), the chief among the memorizers, to ensure its preservation.
This marked the beginning of the Quran’s collection. A pivotal step toward safeguarding the sacred words of Allah for future generations.
Al-Bukhari narrated in his Saheeh that Zayd ibn Thabit said:
Abu Bakr al-Siddiq sent for me when the people of al-Yamamah had been killed [i.e., a number of the Prophet’s Companions who fought against the false prophet Musaylimah]. (I went to him) and found Umar ibn al-Khattab sitting with him. Abu Bakr then said (to me) “ ‘Umar has come to me and said: ‘Casualties were heavy among the Qurra of the Quran (i.e. those who knew the Quran by heart) on the day of the battle of al-Yamamah. And I am afraid that more heavy casualties may take place among the Qurra on other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Quran may be lost.
Therefore I suggest that you (Abu Bakr) order that the Quran be collected.” I said to ‘Umar, “How can you do something that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not do?”. Umar said, “By Allah, this is something good.” Umar kept on urging me to accept his proposal till Allah opened my heart to it and I began to realize the good in the idea which Umar had realized.”
Abu Bakr urges Zayd ibn Thabit to collect Quran
Zayd ibn thabit further said: “Then Abu Bakr said (to me). “You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you. And you used to write the Divine Inspiration for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So search for (the fragmentary scripts of) the Quran and compile it in one book.” By Allah If they had ordered me to move one of the mountains, it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to compile the Quran. Then I said (to Abu Bakr), “How can you do something that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not do?” Abu Bakr replied, “By Allah, it is a good thing.” Abu Bakr kept on urging me to accept his idea until Allah opened my heart to that to which He had opened the hearts of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.
So I started looking for Quran and collecting it from (what it was written on) palm-stalks & thin white stones. Also from the men who knew it by heart, until I found the last verse of Surah al-Taubah with Abu Khuzaymah al-Ansari. And I did not find it with anybody other than him. The verse is: “Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty…” [al-Taubah 9:128] until the end of Surat Bara’ah (i.e., al-Taubah).
Then the complete manuscript (copy) of the Quran remained with Abu Bakr until he died, then with Umar until the end of his life, and then with Hafsah, the daughter of Umar.
The Sahabi Zayd ibn Thabit knew the Quran by heart but he was methodical in his confirmation. He would not agree to write down any verse until two of the Sahabah testified that they had heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
What was Uthman’s Quran copy (known as Uthmani script or mushaf)?
This Mushaf remained in the hands of caliphs until the time of caliph Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). The Sahabah had dispersed to different lands. They used to recite Quran according to what they had heard of the seven recitations from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). And each of their students used to recite according to what he had heard from his shaykh.
If a student heard someone reciting in a manner different from what he knew, he would denounce him. He would also accuse him of making a mistake, and this went on until the Sahabah feared that there would be fitnah (trouble) between the Tabieen and successive generations. So they thought that they should unite the people in following one recitation. And this was in the dialect of Quraysh in which the Quran had first been revealed, so as to dispel any disputes and resolve the matter. Uthman was consulted, and he agreed with this opinion.
Hudhayfah urges Uthman to end differences amongst Muslims
Al-Bukhari narrated in his Saheeh from Anas ibn Malik that Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman came to Uthman at the time when the people of Sham (Syria) and the people of Iraq were waging war to conquer Armenia and Azerbaijan. Hudhayfah was alarmed by their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Quran, so he said to Uthman, “O Ameer al-Mumineen! Save this nation before they dispute about the Book (Quran) as the Jews and the Christians did before.” So Uthman sent a message to Hafsah saying, “Send us the manuscript of the Quran so that we may make copies of the Mushaf and we will return the manuscript to you.”
Hafsah sent it to Uthman. Then Uthman ordered Zayd ibn Thabit, Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, Saeed ibn al-As and Abd al-Rahman ibn Harith ibn Hisham to copy out the manuscripts. Uthman said to the three men who were from Quraysh (the tribe of which the Prophet (ﷺ) was a member), “In case you disagree with Zayd ibn Thabit on any point in the Quran, then write it in the dialect of Quraysh, for the Quran was revealed in their tongue.” They did so, and when they had written many copies, Uthman returned the original manuscripts to Hafsah.
Uthman sends a copy to every Muslim province
Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied (Uthmani script). He also ordered that all the other Quranic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt. The copy that was preserved is known as the Uthmani script.
Ibn Shihab said: Kharijah ibn Zayd ibn Thabit told me that he heard Zayd ibn Thabit say. “When we made copies of the Mushaf I missed a verse of al-Ahzab that I used to hear the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recite. So we searched for it and we found it with Khuzaymah ibn Taabit al-Ansari. (The verse was) ‘Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah [al-Ahzab 33:23]. So we put it in its place in its surah in the Mushaf.”
Conclusion
Thus an end was put to dispute and the Muslims were united over one copy of Quran (the Uthmani script). The Quran has remained and will remain narrated from generation to generation and preserved in men’s hearts until the Day of Resurrection.
This is how Allah has preserved His Book, in confirmation of the verse in which He says: “Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Quran) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)” [al-Hijr 15:9]
And Allah knows best.
Do you want to know about the Divisions of Quran into parts? Click here
