The Uthmani Script of Qur’an has its origin from the time of caliphate. The Holy Quran was transmitted to the prophet Muhammad in seven Ahruf to accommodate the different Arab tribes as compared to their local dialectal phenomenon. Most of the companions learnt the Holy Quran by heart as it was revealed to the prophet Muhammad (Sallahu alahi wassalam) through the arch angel Jibreel. The companions not only learnt the Quran by heart during the prophet’s life, but they also wrote it down on different kinds of materials such as bones, stones, leaves, skin, etc.
When the prophet died in 11 A.H.(632 A.G.), all parts of the Holy Quran was preserved, both in writing and in the memory of the companions, with the same order of the Ayat and Suwar in the holy Quran as the Prophet Muhammad exactly received it and then dictated it to others.
Zaid bin Thabit (r.a) put together all the parts of the Holy Quran in the form of a written complied text as he was instructed by the first caliph Abu Bakr (r.a). This first complied text known as Al Jamul Awwal was kept with Abu Bakr (r.a), then with the second Caliph Umar and at at last with Hafsa bin Umar (r.a) mother of believers. It was worth nothing that some other versions as Mushaf Ubai Ibn Kab and Mushaf Ibn Masud, were also exist at that time.
In the 25 A.H.(646 A.G.) the third caliph Uthman (r.a) directed Zaid bin Thabit along with three other Companions Abdullah bin Zubair, Saad bin Alas and Abdur Rahman bin Harith bin hashim (r.a) to prepare a single standard, authentic and reliable copy from the first written version of the Holy Quran possessed by Hafsa (r.a). For this purpose Uthman borrowed the first written version of the Holy Quran from Hafsa to make a standard copy.
When Zaid (r.a) has done his job, the Mushaf with Hafsa bin umar was returned to her. This written version, termed as Uthmani Script or Uthman’s script, was kept by the Caliph Uthman with himself in Madina. And all the other Mushaf were burnt by the Caliph Uthman with the consensus of the companions.
The caliph Uthman send copies of this standard and authoritative version to the different Muslim countries along with the following renowned reciters to teach the Holy Quran.
1) Zaid bin Thabit (r.a) was the reciter of the Mushaf Al Madinah,
2) Abdullah bin AsSaib (r.a)was the reciter of Mushaf Makkah,
3) Al Mugirah bin Shihab (r.a) was the reciter of Mushaf Ashsham,
4) Abu Abdur Rahman As Sulami (r.a) was the reciter of Mushaf Al Kufah,
5) Amir bin Abdul Qais(r.a) was the reciter of the Mushaf Al Basrah, etc.
When caliph Marwan started governing Al Madina Al Munawara, he requested Hafsa to hand over the Mushaf but she refused. And when she died, the Caliph Marwan attended her funeral ceremony and demanded the Mushaf from her brother Abdullah bin Umar (r.a).
Abdullah bin Umar (r.a) handed over the Mushaf to the Caliph Marwan, who at his turn burn this Mushaf, for fearing of its appearance which may cause the Muslims to return back to the forbidden differences.
Thus the Quran script we have between us is the standard and reliable Uthmani Script.
More details can be seen in the following books:
– Al-Itqan fi Ulumil Quran written by Jalaluddin Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr Al Sayyuti
– Al-Burhan written by Al Zarkashi
– Manahilul Irfan written by Muhammad Abdul Azim Al Zarqani
Also read: https://madinahquranacademy.com/division-of-quran-into-parts/
