Quran I – The Ways of Revelations & Recording the Quran SS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note

The Holy Quran is the sacred book of Islam. Muslims believe it contains the exact words of Allah (God) as they were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The story of how the Quran came to the Prophet, how it was recorded, and how it was memorized is very important in Islamic history.

The Ways of Revelation

What is Revelation?

Revelation means the sharing of Allah’s message with the Prophet Muhammad. The Arabic word for revelation is “Wahy.” Through revelation, Allah told Prophet Muhammad what to teach the people.

How Revelation Happened

The Quran was not given to Prophet Muhammad all at once. It came bit by bit over about 23 years (610-632 CE). The first revelation came when Prophet Muhammad was 40 years old in a cave called Hira near Mecca.

Angel Jibreel (Gabriel)

Most of the time, Allah sent His words through the Angel Jibreel. The Angel would come to Prophet Muhammad and tell him what Allah wanted him to know. Sometimes the Angel looked like a man, and sometimes the revelation came like the ringing of a bell.

Direct Communication

Sometimes Allah spoke directly to Prophet Muhammad, like during the night journey (Isra and Mi’raj).

Dreams

Some revelations came to Prophet Muhammad in his dreams. Dreams of prophets are considered true and are a form of revelation.

The Ways of Recording the Quran

In the Beginning

When the Quran was first revealed, the Arabs did not have many books. Most people could not read or write. The Arabs were very good at remembering things by heart.

Materials Used for Writing

The companions of the Prophet wrote down the Quran on whatever they could find:

• Palm leaves
• Flat stones
• Pieces of leather
• Shoulder bones of animals
• Wooden boards
• Parchment (animal skin paper)

The Scribes

Prophet Muhammad chose special people to write down the revelations. These people were called scribes. Some famous scribes were:

• Zaid bin Thabit
• Ubayy ibn Ka’b
• Ali ibn Abi Talib
• Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan

The Process of Recording

Whenever the Prophet received a revelation, he would call one of his scribes. He would tell them exactly what had been revealed and where to put the new verses in the Quran.

Checking the Written Text

The Prophet would listen to the scribes read back what they had written to make sure everything was correct.

The Ways of Memorizing the Quran

Importance of Memorization

In Arab culture, people were used to memorizing long poems and stories. This skill helped them memorize the Quran as well.

The Prophet as the First Memorizer

Prophet Muhammad himself was the first person to memorize the Quran. Angel Jibreel would come to him every Ramadan to review what had been revealed so far.

Companions Memorizing

Many companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Quran during his lifetime. They were called “Huffaz” (memorizers). Some famous Huffaz were:

• Abu Bakr as-Siddiq
• Umar ibn al-Khattab
• Uthman ibn Affan
• Ali ibn Abi Talib
• Abdullah ibn Masud
• Ubayy ibn Ka’b
• Zaid bin Thabit
• Abu Musa al-Ashari

Teaching and Learning

The Prophet would teach verses to his companions, and they would teach others. People would recite the Quran in prayers, which helped them remember it.

Regular Review

Muslims would regularly review what they had memorized to make sure they didn’t forget any part of the Quran.

Recitation in Prayer

Reciting the Quran in the five daily prayers helped Muslims remember it better.

The Protection of the Quran

Allah’s Promise

Allah promised in the Quran itself that He would protect it from any changes. In Surah Al-Hijr (15:9), Allah says: “Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [the Quran], and indeed, We will be its guardian.”

Multiple Methods of Preservation

The Quran was protected in multiple ways:

• Written down by many people
• Memorized by many people
• Regularly recited and reviewed

Public Recitation

The Quran was often recited in public, which meant many people heard it and would notice if someone made a mistake.

Conclusion

The Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over 23 years through different means. It was carefully recorded using various materials and memorized by the Prophet and many of his companions. This dual method of preservation—both written and memorized—helped ensure that the Quran remained exactly as it was revealed. Muslims believe that the Quran we have today is the same Quran that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) more than 1400 years ago.