The question how the Qur’an was collected into a book form is among those topics which has led some to believe in interpolation or tampering having occurred in the Qur’an. The process, as generally described, makes such changes appear inevitable.

It was therefore necessary to attend to this discussion with a view to establishing that no interpolation, alterations or omissions have occurred in the Qur’an.

Actually, the pristine quality of the Qur’an became doubtful because it was believed that Abu Bakr ordered its compilation after 70 reciters of the Qur’an were killed in the battle of Bir Maoonah, and four hundred in the battle of Yamamah.

Fearing that the Qur’an would be lost and forgotten by the believers, Umar and Zaid b. Thabit undertook the task of collection from scripts found on palm branches, pieces of cloth and covers, and also from the memory of the Muslims, provided that two witnesses gave testimony that it was from the Qur’an. There are several reports which indicate that such an exercise was indeed carried out.

When a compiler is not infallible, one can safely expect an element of error to creep in. Those who compile the widely scattered poems of one single poet could give you various versions of the couplets. These variations are usual, leading finally to the belief that some tampering has occurred. It is quite possible that someone, in spite of having actually heard the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) recite verses from the Qur’an, did not venture to present them because he could not provide two witnesses. Thus, an omission becomes quite probable.

The answer to this is that the doubt becomes valid only if the reports about compilation of Qur’an are deemed credible. So, it is imperative that we mention those reports and analyse them critically.

The Traditions About The Compilation Of The Qur’an

1. Zaid b. Thabit says:

“Abu Bakr sent for me after the battle of Yamamah, and I found Umar also present. Abu Bakr said: ‘Umar has come to tell me that the day of Yamamah has been hard for the reciters of the Qur’an, and he fears that other such occasions may be harder still, resulting in the loss of greater part of the Qur’an. He says I must give orders for compilation of the Qur’an.’ I told Umar that how could he do a thing which the Messenger of Allah did not do? Umar said: ‘But this, by God, is desirable.’ And Umar has been referring this matter to me persistently, till at last Allah opened up my chest for that undertaking, and I began to hold the same view as Umar’s.”

Zaid says:

“Abu Bakr said: ‘You are a young intelligent man, and we find no fault in you. You were also a scribe, writing down the revelations for the Messenger of Allah. So attend to the Qur’an, and compile it.’ By God, if they had entrusted me with removing a mountain from among the mountains, the task would not have been heavier for me than that of collecting and compiling the Qur’an.

I asked: ‘Why do you undertake something the Prophet himself never did?’

He answered: ‘By God, this is desirable.’ And then Abu Bakr never left me without reminders, till Allah opened up my chest, the way He did for Abu Bakr and Umar, and I attended to the work, compiling the Qur’an from palm branches, pieces of cloth, and from the memory of the people, till I found the last part of Surah al‑Tawbah with Abu Khuzaimah Al-Ansari, which no one else had till the end of Bara’ah.

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَاعَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَؤُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ

“There has indeed come to you a messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is whatever afflicts you; he is full of concern for you (your guidance), and most kind and merciful to the believers.” (Surah At-Tawba, 9:128).

These compiled pages were with Abu Bakr till he died, then with Umar in his lifetime, and then with Hafsa, daughter of Umar.”1

2. Ibn Shihab reports from Anas b. Malik:

“When Huzaifah b. al‑Yaman, with the Iraqis, was fighting the people of Syria, in the conquest of Armenia and Azerbaijan, he once came to Uthman and expressed his fears about variations in the recitations of Qur’an.

Huzaifa told Uthman: ‘O master of the faithfuls! Come to the rescue of this Ummah, before it is entangled into disagreements about the Book, the same way as Christians and Jews have been.’

Uthman sent a message to Hafsa asking her to submit the notes of Qur’an she held so that they could be copied into books, promising that they would be returned to her care and trust. Hafsa submitted the notes to Uthman who ordered Zaid b. Thabit, Abdullah b. az‑Zubair, Saeed b. al‑Aas, Abdur­Rahman b. al‑Harth b. Hisham, to transcribe. And Uthman told the group of three Qurayshites: ‘If you differ with Zaid b. Thabit on any parts of the Qur’an, write down according to the dialect of Quraysh, because it has come down in their dialect.’

So, they did the work, and when they had transcribed the notes into the books, Uthman returned the notes to Hafsa. Then he sent a copy to every place, ordering that all other versions of the Qur’an, found in pages or books must be set on fire.”

Ibn Shihab says:

“Kharijah b. Zaid b. Thabit informed me that he heard Zaid b. Thabit report the following: ‘When we were copying the notes, I found that an ayah from the Surah Al‑Ahzab was missing. It was an ayah I had been hearing the Messenger of Allah himself recite. So we went in search of it, and found it with Khuzaimah b. Thabit al‑Ansari and we added it to its Surah in the book.”2

مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَكُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ

“Among the believers are men who were true to their covenant with Allah...” (Surah Al-‘Ahzab, 33:23).

3. Ibn Abi Shaybah, on his own chain of authorities, reports from Ali:

“Abu Bakr deserves the best reward for the copies of Qur’an, for he was the first one to compile what exists between the two covers.”

4. Ibn Shihab reports from Salim b. Abdillah and Kharijah:

“Abu Bakr had compiled the Qur’an in some papers, and then asked Zaid b. Thabit to go through them. Zaid refused, till Abu Bakr asked Umar to intervene. So Zaid agreed. These books were with Abu Bakr till he died, then with Umar till he died, and thereafter with Hafsa, the Prophet’s wife. When Uthman sent for them, she refused to part with them, till he pledged that they would be returned to her. Then she gave them. Uthman transcribed them into the books, and returned the original to Hafsa with whom they remained.”

5. Hisham b. Urwah reports from his father, who said:

“When the participants of Yamamah were killed, Abu Bakr ordered Umar b. al‑Khattab and Zaid b. Thabit: ‘Sit at the door of the Mosque, and when anyone brings something from the Qur’an which you suspect, write it down if it is witnessed by two men.’ This is because those companions of the Prophet (S) who had compiled the Qur’an had been killed at Yamamah.”

6. Muhammad b. Sheen says:

“Umar got killed, without having compiled the Qur’an.”

7. Al‑Hasan says:

“Once Umar b. al‑Khattab inquired about a verse in the Qur’an. Someone said: ‘It was with so and so, but he was killed on the day of Yamamah.’

Umar replied: ‘To Allah we belong!’ Then he ordered the compilation of the Qur’an. So he was the first to compile it into a book form.”

8. Yahya b. Abdir Rehman b. Hatib says:

“Umar wished to compile the Qur’an, so he stood among the people and said: ‘Anyone from you who had heard part of the Qur’an from the Messenger of Allah, should come to us with it.’ They had written down parts of the Qur’an on pages, boards and palm‑branches. Umar did not accept anything unless it was supported by two witnesses. He was killed while the compilation continued.

Then Uthman took over. He said: ‘Anyone who has something of the Qur’an with him should bring to us.’ And he never accepted anything without having two witnesses. Then Khuzaimah b. Thabit came to him and said: ‘I find that you have left out two verses which you have not recorded.’ They asked: ‘Which are they?’ He said: ‘I have received from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny):

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَاعَنِتُّمْ…

“There has indeed come to you a messenger from among yourselves......” (Surah At-Tawba, 9:128) till the end of the Surah.

So, Uthman said: ‘And I bear witness that these two verses are from Allah. Now, tell us where do you want us to place them?’

Khuzaimah said: ‘Place them at the end of what was last revealed of the Qur’an’. So Bara’ah was ended with them.”

9. Ubaid b. Umair said:

“Umar never recorded any verse in the compilation till it was witnessed by two men. Then a man from Ansar brought to him these two verses till its end:

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَاعَنِتُّمْ

Umar said: ‘I shall never ask you to substantiate these. The Messenger of Allah was indeed like that’.”3

10. Sulaiman b. Arqam reports from Al‑Hasan and Ibn Sirin and Ibn Shihab Az‑Zuhri. They said:

“In the battle of Yamamah, massacre spread among reciters of the Qur’an, killing four hundred men. Then Zaid b. Thabit met Umar b. al‑Khattab and told him: ‘This Qur’an binds us to our faith. If Qur’an vanishes, our faith vanishes also. I have decided to compile the Qur’an in a book form.’

Umar asked him to withhold till he had consulted Abu Bakr. They went to Abu Bakr and informed him about the intention. He said: ‘Do not make haste. Wait till I have consulted the Muslims.’ Then he stood to address the people and informed them about the intention. They said: ‘You have made the right decision.’ So they compiled the Qur’an. Then Abu Bakr ordered a herald to announce among people: ‘Whoever has any part of the Qur’an with him should come up with it’.”

11. Khuzaimah b. Thabit reports:

“I brought the following ayah to Umar b. al‑Khattab and Zaid b. Thabit:

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ

Zaid asked: ‘Who bears witness with you?’ I said: ‘No. I do not know anyone.’ So Umar said: ‘I bear witness with him for the ayah’.”

12. Abu Ishaq reports from some of his friends. They said:

“When Umar had completed the collection of the Qur’an, he inquired: ‘Who is most well versed in Arabic?’ They said: ‘Saeed b. al‑Aas.’ Then he asked: ‘Who is most proficient writer?’ They said: ‘Zaid b. Thabit.’ He said: ‘Then Saeed should dictate and Zaid should write down.’ So they transcribed four copies of the Qur’an. A copy each was sent to Kufah, Basrah, Syria and Hijaz.”

13. Abdullah b. Fadhalah says:

“When Umar decided to write down the master copy of the Qur’an, he appointed a group of his companions for it and they said: ‘When you have any disagreement over the language, write it down in the dialect of Mudhar. Because Qur’an came down to a man from the family of Mudhar’.”

14. And Abu Qalabah said:

“In the days of Uthman’s caliphate, a tutor would teach recitation according to a particular person, while another would teach recitation according to another person; so when the boys (students) met, they disagreed about each other’s recitations. This finally came to the attention of the tutors who labelled each other’s recitations as profane.

When Uthman learnt about this, he stood up to address the people and said:

‘If you who are near me have so much of disagreements and confusion, then those who are farther away must have worse differences and errors. So, O Companions of Muhammad, join hands to write down a master copy of the Qur’an’.”

Abu Qalabah says: Malik b. Anas told me: (According to Abu Bakr b. Abi Dawud this Malik b. Anas is the grandfather of the known Malik b. Anas) “I was among those to whom the copy was dictated. So whenever there was any disagreement about an ayah, they would try to remember somebody who had heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny). And if he was away, or lived in the deserts, they would write the preceding and the following words, leaving the disputed part till the person they wanted to refer to appeared, or was sent for. When the copy was finally ready, Uthman wrote to all the towns saying: ‘I have done this way, and have struck off what I had, so you strike off what you have’.”

15. Masa’b b. Sa’ad reported:

“Uthman stood to address the people and said: ‘O people, you are only thirteen years away from the era of the Prophet (S) and have already begun to dispute about the Qur’an. Some of you talk of the recitation by Ubayy, while others quote the recitation by Abdullah. And one tells the other that his recitation has no value. So I command everyone who has any part of the Qur’an with him to come up with it.’

Then people started coming with the Qur’an written on pieces of papers and patches of skin, till most of it was compiled. Then Uthman called them individually, imploring each of them to confirm that he had heard the Prophet (S) recite for him, and each confirmed.

When it was over, Uthman said: ‘Who is the best scribe?’

They said: ‘The scribe of the Prophet (S), Zaid b. Thabit.’

He said: ‘Who is most proficient in Arabic?’

They said: ‘Saeed b. al‑Aas’.

Uthman said: ‘Then Saeed should dictate and Zaid should write’. So Zaid started writing and made out several copies which were distributed among men. Then I heard a companion of Muhammad say: ‘He has done well’.”

16. Abul Maleeh says:

“When Uthman decided to have the Qur’an copied, he said: ‘People of Huzail would dictate and people of Thaqif would write’.”

17. Abdul A’la b. Abdillah b. Abdillah b. Amir al-Qarshi says:

“When he had completed the work of compilation, Uthman came up with it, and looking in it said: ‘I see some minor errors which Arabs will mend on their tongues’.”

18. Ikramah said:

“When the transcribed Qur’an was brought before Uthman, he saw some minor error. So he said: ‘Had it been dictated by someone from Huzail and written by one from Thaqif, this error would not have occurred’.”

19. Ata says:

“When Uthman compiled the Qur’an, he sent for Ubayy b. Ka’ab who dictated it to Zaid b. Thabit, Saeed b. al‑Aas gave grammatical inflections. So this copy is according to the recitation by Ubayy and Zaid.”

20. Mujahid reported:

“Uthman ordered Ubayy b. Ka’ab to dictate, Zaid b. Thabit to write down and Saeed b. al‑Aas and Abdur Rahman b. al‑Harth to give grammatical inflections.”

21. Zaid b. Thabit said:

“When we transcribed the Qur’an, I found that an ayah which I had been hearing from the Prophet (S) was missing, I found it with Khuzaimah b. Thabit مِّنَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا up to تَبْدِيلًا. And Khuzaimah was known as ‘one equal to two witnesses.’ Prophet (S) had accepted his testimony as equal to two.”

22. Laith b. Sa’ad said:

“The first person who collected Qur’an was Abu Bakr, and Zaid wrote it down. And people came to Zaid b. Thabit, but he would not write down any ayah except when supported by two witnesses. The ending part of Bara’ah was not found except with Abu Khuzaimah b. Thabit. He said: ‘Write it down, because the Messenger of Allah (S) had accepted his witness as equal to two witnesses.’ So it was written. And when Umar came up with the ayah of Rajm (i.e. stoning the adulterer or adulteress to death) it was not recorded because he was alone.”4

These are the important traditions reported on the subject of compilation of the Qur’an. Apart from being isolated reports which give no benefit of certitude, they have various deficiencies.

2. The Contradictions

These reports are self‑contradictory on many points, making them totally unreliable. Here, in the form of questions and answers, we examine the contradictions.

When Was The Qur’an Compiled As A Book?

The second report says it was compiled during the rule of Uthman. The first, third, fourth and some of the later reports explain that it was in the era of Abu Bakr. And the seventh and twelfth report indicate that it was during Umar’s caliphate.

Who Undertook To Compile The Qur’an During The Era Of Abu Bakr?

The first two traditions and the twenty second say that it was Zaid b. Thabit, but the fourth report says it was Abu Bakr himself; and that he only asked Zaid to go through what he himself had collected. And the fifth report together with the others indicate that the task was undertaken by Umar and Zaid.

Was Zaid Given Sole Authority To Compile The Qur’an?

The first tradition clearly states that Abu Bakr gave him sole authority. He told Zaid: “You are a young, intelligent man, and we find no fault in you. You were also a scribe, writing down the revelations for the Messenger of Allah (S). So attend to the Qur’an and compile it.”

These words are explicit. But the fifth and other traditions reveal that the writing was substantiated by two witnesses, so much so that when Umar came with the verse of Rajm, it was rejected.

Were There Some Verses Which Remained Unrecorded Till The Time Of Uthman?

Most of the traditions say that no verses remained unrecorded, but the second report says that some of the verses remained unwritten.

Did Uthman Omit Any Thing From What Was Compiled Before Him?

Most of the traditions quoted above say that he did not exclude or omit anything. But the fourteenth report tells us that he struck off some parts from the previous compilation, and ordered the Muslim to do the same.

From What Sources Did Uthman Prepare A Book Copy Of The Qur’an?

The second and fourth report say: he relied upon the notes and pages collected by Abu Bakr. Then the eighth, fourteenth and fifteenth traditions reveal that he relied upon two witnesses, and upon those who claimed to have heard the ayah from the Prophet (S).

Who Asked Abu Bakr To Compile The Qur’an?

The first report says that Umar did it, and that Abu Bakr conceded after having first refused. Then he sent for Zaid who also conceded after having declined. But the tenth report tells us that Zaid and Umar jointly asked Abu Bakr to undertake the work, and he conceded after having consulted the Muslims.

Who Prepared The Master Copy And Sent Its Editions To Various Cities?

The second report says it was Uthman, while the twelfth tells us it was Umar.

When Were The Two Verses Added To The Surah Of Bara’ah?

The first, eleventh and twenty second reports reveal that this happened during the time of Abu Bakr, and the eighth report together with others say that it happened in the era of Umar.

Who Came Up With Those Two Verses?

The first and twenty second reports say they were brought in by Abu Khuzaimah, while the eighth and eleventh reports say it was Khuzaimah. These are two gentlemen who had no relationship with each other at all, as reported by Ibn Abd al-Barr.5

How Were They Accepted As Being Parts Of The Qur’an?

By a sole witness, as mentioned in the first, ninth and twenty second report. By the accompanying witness by Uthman, as shown in the eighth; and by the supporting witness by Umar as shown in the eleventh.

Who Did Uthman Appoint For Dictating And Writing Of The Qur’an?

1. Uthman appointed Zaid, Ibn az-Zubair, Saeed and Abdur­ Rahman as writers. (see Report No. 2)

2. He appointed Zaid for writing, and Saeed for dictating. (see Report No. 15)

3. He appointed a person from Thaqif to write down, and a person from Huzail to dictate. (see Report No. 16)

4. The writer was not from Thaqif and the one who dictated was not from Huzail. (see Report No. 18)

5. The dictation was by Ubayy b. Ka’ab, and Saeed gave grammatical inflections to what Zaid wrote down. (see Report No. 19)

6. The twentieth report adds the name of Abdur Rahman together with Saeed.

3. Their Conflict With Other Traditions Related To The Compilation Of The Qur’an

These traditions are in conflict with all those traditions which stress that the Qur’an was recorded and compiled during the time of the Prophet (S) himself. It has been reported by a group which include: Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ahmad b. Hanbal, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Haban, al‑Hakim, al‑Bayhaqi, Ziya al-Maqdasi, who report from Ibn Abbas as following:

“I asked Uthman b. Affan: ‘Why have you joined al‑Anfal with Bara’ah, excluding the line of Bismillah from between them, while the former is shorter than 100 verses, and the later exceeds a hundred, and then you placed them among the seven long Surahs? What made you do that?’ Uthman said: ‘At times, the Prophet (S) used to come up with the revelation of Surahs containing numerous verses, then when revelation came in small parts, he used to call his scribe and say: ‘Place this part among the Surah which says so and so’; and when verses were revealed, he instructed: ‘Place these among the Surah which mentions such and such thing.’ Al‑Anfal was from among the early revelations at Madina, and Bara’ah was from what was revealed last. Their contents were similar, so I presumed that they belonged to each other. The Prophet (S) never clarified this in his lifetime, so I joined them, without Basmalah in between and placed them among the seven long Surahs’.”6

Tabrani reports, and so does Ibn Asakir from Asha’bi:

“The Qur’an was compiled in the days of the Prophet (S) by six men from the Ansar. They were Ubayy b. Ka’ab, Zaid b. Thabit, Muadh b. Jabal, Abu al‑Darda’, Sa’ad b. Ubaid, and Abu Zaid. And Ibn Jariyah had taken it except two or three Surah.”7

And Qataadah says:

“I asked Anas b. Malik: ‘Who collected the Qur’an at the time of the Prophet (S)?’ He said: ‘Four of them, all from Ansar. They were Ubayy b. Ka’ab, Muadh b. Jabal, Zaid b. Thabit and Abu Zaid’.”8

Masrooq, when recalling Abdullah b. Umar and Abdullah b. Masud said:

“I have always loved him. I heard the Prophet (S) say: Take the Qur’an from four: from Abdullah b. Masood, Salim, Muadh and Ubayy b. Ka’ab.”9

Nasai has a report based on authentic chain from Abdullah b. Umar who said:

“I gathered the Qur’an, and read it every night. The Prophet heard about it, so he said: ‘Read it in a month ...’”10

We will mention the compilation of the Qur’an by Umm Waraqah later.

One might argue that the collection or compilation mentioned in these reports denote committing the Qur’an to memory, and not to the papers. This presumption cannot be corroborated. Besides, it is a known fact that there were numerous believers at the time of the Prophet (S) who knew the Qur’an by heart, so how can the memorising of the Qur’an be confined to four or six names?

Those who have studied carefully the lives of the companions of the Prophet (S) would know it for certain that the Qur’an was ready compiled during the days of the Prophet (S) and that the number of its compilers were too many to be ignored.

The report by al‑Bukhari through Anas stating that when the Prophet (S) died, the Qur’an had not been compiled by anyone except four: Abu al-Darda, Muadh b. Jabal, Zaid b. Thabit and Abu Zaid, is a report which ought to be discarded and rejected because it contradicts not only the earlier reports, but also what al‑Bukhari himself reported.

Moreover, the report cannot be accepted because it is difficult to conceive that the reporter knew all the Muslims at the time of the death of the Prophet (S), and that in spite of the great number of the Muslims, scattered all around, he was able to find only four who had collected the Qur’an. This is a mere conjecture.

To summarize the whole situation, one may ask:

1. With all the foregoing reports, how can one believe that Abu Bakr was the first to compile the Qur’an, after he had become a Caliph?

2. And if we accept the report, it is strange that Abu Bakr should ask Zaid and Umar to collect the Qur’an from leather parchments, pieces of papers and from the people’s memory, while Abdullah, Muadh and Ubayy were present alive among the people, especially when the Prophet (S) had himself recommended that the Qur’an be taken from them?

3. Of course, they could not have anything from Salim because he was one of those killed at the battle of Yamamah. But Zaid, one of the compilers of the Qur’an, was there, and Abu Bakr had certified his character as young, intelligent and without blemish. So what was the need of resorting to others?

4. Finally, the widely acknowledged and authentic tradition about thaqalayn leaves us with no doubt that the Qur’an existed in a complete book form. We shall point this out later.

4. Their Conflict With The Qur’an Itself

These reports contradict the Qur’an itself. Numerous verses of the Qur’an prove that complete Surahs existed, each distinguished from the other. They were in the hands of the people, even those who were idolaters or the people of the Books. The famous challenge by the Prophet (S) to the disbelievers was to produce the like of the Qur’an, the like of ten Surahs or even one Surah. This means that the Surah were there in the public hands.

And in the Qur’an itself, the word “book” has been used in many verses. And also in the famous saying of the Prophet (S): “I leave among you two valuable things, the book of Allah and my progeny”, there is a clear proof that the Qur’an was then written and compiled, because the word “book” is not used for that which is retained in the memory, nor for scattered writings on the parchments, pieces of papers and bones, except metaphorically. It is not right to construe any word metaphorically unless there is an evidence in its context.

The word “book” denotes existence of a collection and not of scattered scribbles, nor of things which are in the memory but not written.

5. Their Conflict With Reason

The greatness of the Qur’an itself, and the painstaking effort by the Prophet (S) to arrange for its memorization and reading, and the inclination of the Muslims to do the same with reverence and expectation of being rewarded by Allah, all point to the fact that the Qur’an could not have been compiled in the haphazard manner shown in the reports.

The Qur’an itself has an inherent quality which would make it absolutely imperative for Muslims to preserve it and to make it known popularly by all, even the ladies and the children. These qualities are:

A) The Eloquence And Rhetoric Of The Qur’an

The Arabs had a tendency of preserving their glorious literature, like the famous poems and speeches of pre‑Islamic era. The Qur’an should receive all the more attention because it challenged all the existing fine literature, surpassing them all in excellence. The result was that it captured the attention of all, believers and disbelievers alike. A Muslim committed it to memory driven by his faith, while the disbeliever tried to remember it so that it could be eventually opposed or refuted.

B) The Prophet’s Inclination To Preserve The Qur’an

As is known, he had an absolute control over his people, and when such a leader expresses a desire that a particular book be read or preserved, it becomes a popular handbook among the followers, especially if the book is meant to be for earning the pleasure of Allah, here and hereafter.

C) Those Who Committed The Qur’an To Memory Were Held In High Esteem

This is very well evidenced in the history of Islam. This was a strong impetus which motivated many to memorize the Qur’an fully or even partially.

D) The Reward And The Blessings From Allah Upon Those Who Recite Or Memorize The Qur’an

This was perhaps the greatest incentive for Muslims to preserve it. In fact, the Muslims revered the Qur’an, and valued it much more than their own souls, wealth and families. We have reports which indicate that even some of the ladies had compiled the whole Qur’an.

Ibn Sa’ad says in al‑Tabaqat: Al‑Fadhl b. Dakin informed us through al‑Waleed b. Abdillah b. Jamee’, who reported from his grandmother that Ummu Waraqah bint Abdillah b. Harith was frequently visited by the Prophet (S), and he called her a Shaheedah. She had compiled the Qur’an. When the Prophet (S) advanced to the battle of Badr she asked him if she could go along with him for nursing the ill and tending the wounded so that Allah may bless her with martyrdom. And the Prophet answered: ‘Allah has prepared for you the martyrdom’.11

If the ladies had undertaken such a task, we can expect men to have done better. A large group of people was known to have known the Qur’an by heart in the era of the Prophet (S).

Al‑Qurutbi says:

“Seventy of the reciters were killed in the battle of Yamamah, and in the days of the Prophet (S) nearly the same number were killed at Bir Maoonah.”

And in the preceding tenth report, we find that four hundred reciters had been killed at Yamamah. The fact that the Prophet (S) showed particular concern about compilation of the Qur’an, with several scribes at his disposal, and that the Qur’an was revealed to him piece by piece during twenty-three years, gives us justifiable certitude that the Prophet asked for the Qur’an to be written down in full.

Zaid b. Thabit says: “We used to organize the Qur’an from the parchments, in presence of the Prophet (S).”

Al-Hakim says: “This report is authentic, based on the conditions laid down by the two Sheikhs (Bukhari and Muslim) though they have not recorded it. And in this there is a clear evidence that the Qur’an was collected during the era of the Prophet (S).”12

And as for committing certain Surahs or parts thereof to memory, we know that it was a common practice. There was hardly a Muslim male or female, who did not do that.

Ubadah b. Samit says:

“The Prophet (S) used to remain occupied. So when any Muhajir called upon him, he would entrust him to one of us for teaching him the Qur’an.”13

And Kulaib reports:

“I was with Ali (‘a) when he heard loud voices of people in the mosque, reciting the Qur’an. He said: They are blessed.’.”14

And another report from Ubadah b. Samit says:

“Whenever someone migrated to Medina, the Prophet (S) would send him to us for learning the Qur’an. And loud voices of recitation of the Qur’an could be usually heard from the mosque, till the Prophet (S) asked them to lower the voices so as to avoid errors in confusion.”15

Yes, the memorization of the Qur’an or its parts was current among the Muslims, so much so that a Muslim lady would ask for being taught one Surah or more from the Qur’an in lieu of her Mahr (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasai, al‑Taj). With all these pointers, how could we accept the proposition that the collection of the Qur’an was delayed till the days of Abu Bakr, and that Abu Bakr had to depend upon two witnesses asserting that they had heard it from the Prophet (S)?

6. Their Conflict With Consensus

These reports contradict the unanimous belief of all the Muslims that the only way of establishing the authenticity of the Qur’an is tawatur, which means ‘a continuous and wide-spread acknowledgement’. If we believe these reports, then it would follow that the Qur’an is established as authentic by reliance on two witnesses at every stage of compilation, or one witness whose testimony was accepted as equal to two.

This means that the authenticity is proved by an isolated report also, a concept unthinkable to a Muslim. I wonder how can we reconcile between the two; one telling us that the Qur’an depends upon evidence, and the other telling us that it had an unbroken, widespread currency among the people ‑ tawatur, needing no further corroboration. If we accept the consensus that the Qur’an is evidenced by tawatur, then we have no alternative but to reject all the reports contradicting it.

Surprisingly enough, Ibn Hajar interprets two witnesses as “written evidence” and “evidence of memorization”. I believe he had to take recourse to this interpretation so as to avoid a conflict with the fact that the Qur’an is based on tawatur.

But even this interpretation has many faults:

(a) It is contrary to the evident meaning of all the reports you have so far seen.

(b) This would mean that no parts of the Qur’an, however explicitly based on tawatur, would be accepted if they were not written down by someone. It becomes quite probable that certain parts of the Qur’an which, though current and wide­spread, were omitted because there was no written evidence.

(c) When tawatur exists, the written or memorized evidence is superfluous and redundant. In fact, such evidences would not be acceptable as parts of the Qur’an, if they do not comply with tawatur.

In fact, there is no alternative but to reject all these reports, because they prove the authenticity of the Qur’an on things other than tawatur. And the consensus of the Muslims lends no support either.

7. Those Traditions And Interpolations

If these reports on the collection of the Qur’an were accepted as true, then an argument suggesting some possible omissions becomes plausible, and together with it, one has to concede that some additions also may have occurred. The way the process of compilation has been described justifies such a presumption.

It may be argued that the eloquence and style of the Qur’an prevented any addition without being traced. Perhaps a complete Surah, if fabricated, could be detected, but an addition of a word or two, or even a short verse, would certainly be very difficult to distinguish. Had this been the case, the preceding reports would not have mentioned the provision of testimony by two witnesses.

In fact, whenever a person came with an ayah, the very act presented a possibility that it either was from the Qur’an, or it was not. Thus we are faced with an ever attending curse of interpolation, while the consensus of Muslims is that the Qur’an is intact from all tampering and profanities.

To summarize, we say that to attribute the collection of the Qur’an to the Caliphs is based on mere conjecture, and it contradicts the holy Book itself, the Sunnah, the consensus and the reason. And therefore, those who believe that the Qur’an has been tampered with or interpolated do not have any solid grounds if they rely on the reports.

And if at all we accept that Abu Bakr compiled it during his caliphate, there is no doubt that the process of collection as described in these reports is untrue. The fact is that the collection of the Qur’an was entirely based on tawatur among the Muslims. At the most, what Abu Bakr might have done was to collate a codex or a volume (mushaf) content of which had already been preserved by the way of tawatur.

Yes, there is no doubt that Uthman produced a copy of the Qur’an in his days, but this was not to say that he collected the verses and the chapters into a book form. Actually, he effected a consensus on recitation according to a single master copy, ordering Muslims to burn out all other copies which varied from his copy. He actually wrote to all towns and cities, forbidding Muslims from entertaining different recitations. This has been substantiated by many Sunni scholars.

Al‑Harith al-Muhtasibi says: “It is commonly held by the Muslims that Uthman was compiler of the Qur’an. This is not so. Actually, Uthman enjoined upon Muslims to unite on one recitation, acting on the advice of certain Muhajireen and Ansar who feared disunity resulting from some confusion among the people of Iraq and Syria in respect of recitations. Before that, there were various copies having recitations based on the ‘seven readings’ upon which the Qur’an was revealed ...”16

I say that Uthman united the Muslims upon one mode of recitation, the recitation which was already current and known among the Muslims, the one which they had heard from the Prophet (S). He forbade all other systems which had developed based on the so-called report about the Qur’an having been revealed according to ‘seven readings’, and I have already proved that this report is untrue.

Uthman was never censured for this, because the different recitations were bound to bring about disunity and discord among the Muslims. In fact, each group had begun to label the others as infidels. And the Prophet (S) himself had forbidden any differences in respect of the Qur’an. However, Uthman was censured for having burnt up the rest of the copies of the Qur’an, and for having ordered the Muslims to do so. A group of Muslims became his severe critics, labelling him as “the burner of Qur’an.”

8. Conclusion

It is clear from what we have mentioned above that the question of interpolation or profanity occurring in the Qur’an is baseless, advocated by those who have poor judgement, or those who refuse to ponder, or those who are infatuated with the task of disproving the Qur’an - and indeed, infatuation makes a person blind and deaf. A person with intellect and sense of justice can have no doubt about groundlessness of this presumption.

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• 1. Sahih al-Bukhari, Bab Jam’ al-Qur’an, Vol. 6, p. 98.
• 2. Sahih al-Bukhari, Bab Jam’ al-Qur’an, Vol. 6, p. 99.
  NOTE: These two reports, and the following ones till No. 11 are mentioned in Muntakhab of Kanz al-Ummal, on the margin of Ahmad Hanbal’s Musnad, Vol. 2, p. 43‑52.
• 3. This tradition in Muntakhab of Kanz al-Ummal has been reported by Yahya b. Ju’dah.
• 4. Al‑Itqan, Vol. 1, p. 101.
• 5. Tafseer al-Qurtubi, Vol. 1, p. 56.
• 6. Muntakhab Kanz al-Ummal, Vol. 2, p. 48.
• 7. Muntakhab Kanz al-Ummal, Vol. 2, p. 48.
• 8. Sahih al-Bukhari, chapter on Qura from the Prophet’s companions, Vol. 6, p. 202.
• 9. Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 6, p. 202.
• 10. Al‑Itqan, Vol. 1, p. 124.
• 11. Al‑Itqan, Vol. 1, p. 125.
• 12. Mustadrak, Vol. 1, p. 611.
• 13. Musnad of Ahmad, Vol. 15, p. 324.
• 14. Kanz al-Ummal, 2nd Edition, Vol. 2, p. 185.
• 15. Manahi al-Irfan, p. 324.
• 16. Al‑Itqan, Vol. 1, p. 103.