Quran I: the Ways of Revelations & Recording the Quran – SS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

The Holy Quran is the sacred book of Islam, which Muslims believe contains the exact words of Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. explain what revelation (Wahy) means;
2. describe the ways in which the Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad;
3. name the materials and the scribes used in recording the Quran;
4. describe how the Quran was memorised during the Prophet’s lifetime;
5. outline how the Quran was collected after the Prophet’s death;
6. state how the Quran was protected from change.

What is revelation (Wahy)?

Revelation is the way Allah passes His message to a prophet, and the Arabic word for it is Wahy.

• Purpose: through Wahy, Allah told Prophet Muhammad what to teach the people.
• Duration: the Quran came bit by bit over about 23 years (610 to 632 CE).
• First revelation: it came when the Prophet was 40 years old, in the cave of Hira near Mecca.

Why was the Quran revealed in parts?

• Easy learning: people could understand, learn and memorise a few verses at a time.
• Answers to events: verses came to guide Muslims as new situations arose.
• Comfort: the steady revelation strengthened the Prophet during hard times.

What are the ways in which the Quran was revealed?

The Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad in three main ways: through Angel Jibreel, by direct speech from Allah, and through true dreams.

1. Through Angel Jibreel (Gabriel)

Most of the Quran came through the Angel Jibreel, who brought Allah’s words to the Prophet.

• In the form of a man: the Angel sometimes appeared as a man and spoke to the Prophet.
• Like the ringing of a bell: at other times the revelation came as a sound like a bell, which was heavy on the Prophet.
• In his real form: on rare occasions the Prophet saw the Angel as he truly is.

2. Direct communication from Allah

• Direct speech: Allah spoke to the Prophet without the Angel, as during the night journey (Isra and Mi’raj).

3. True dreams

• Dreams: the dreams of prophets are true and are a form of revelation.

How was the Quran recorded in the Prophet’s lifetime?

The Quran was recorded by scribes who wrote each revelation on available materials under the Prophet’s direction.

What was the situation at the start?

• Few books: the Arabs did not have many books.
• Few readers: most people could not read or write.
• Strong memory: the Arabs were very good at remembering things by heart.

What materials were used for writing?

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

• Palm leaves: broad leaf stalks used as writing surfaces.
• Flat stones: thin, smooth stones.
• Pieces of leather: cut from animal skin.
• Shoulder bones: flat bones of animals.
• Wooden boards: planks that could be written on.
• Parchment: paper made from animal skin.

Who were the scribes?

Scribes are the people the Prophet chose to write down the revelations.

• Zaid bin Thabit: the best known of the scribes.
• Ubayy ibn Ka’b: an early scribe and also a memoriser.
• Ali ibn Abi Talib: a close companion and cousin of the Prophet.
• Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan: a companion who also wrote for the Prophet.

What were the steps of recording?

1. The Prophet received a revelation.
2. He called one of his scribes.
3. He told the scribe exactly what had been revealed.
4. He told the scribe where the new verses belonged in the Quran.
5. The scribe read the text back to him.
6. The Prophet corrected any mistake until the text was right.

How was the Quran memorised?

The Quran was memorised by the Prophet and his companions through teaching, recitation and regular review.

Why was memorisation important?

• Arab culture: people were used to memorising long poems and stories.
• Result: this skill helped them memorise the Quran.

Who was the first memoriser?

• The Prophet: Prophet Muhammad was the first person to memorise the Quran.
• Review with Jibreel: the Angel came to him every Ramadan to review what had been revealed so far.

Who were the Huffaz?

Huffaz (singular: Hafiz) are people who have memorised the whole Quran. Famous Huffaz among the companions were:

• Abu Bakr as-Siddiq: the first Caliph.
• Umar ibn al-Khattab: the second Caliph.
• Uthman ibn Affan: the third Caliph.
• Ali ibn Abi Talib: the fourth Caliph.
• Abdullah ibn Masud: a companion known for his recitation.
• Ubayy ibn Ka’b: a scribe and a memoriser.
• Zaid bin Thabit: a scribe and a memoriser.
• Abu Musa al-Ashari: a companion known for his beautiful voice.

What helped the companions to remember?

• Teaching: the Prophet taught verses to his companions, and they taught others.
• Prayer: reciting the Quran in the five daily prayers fixed it in the memory.
• Regular review: Muslims revised what they had learnt so that no part was forgotten.

How was the Quran collected after the Prophet’s death?

After the Prophet’s death, the Quran was collected into one book under Abu Bakr and copied as standard copies under Uthman.

How was the Quran protected from change?

The Quran was protected by Allah’s promise and by the many ways Muslims kept it.

What is Allah’s promise?

• Surah Al-Hijr (15:9): “Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [the Quran], and indeed, We will be its guardian.”

What methods of preservation were used?

• Writing: it was written down by many people.
• Memorising: it was memorised by many people.
• Review: it was regularly recited and reviewed.
• Public recitation: many people heard it recited and would notice any mistake.

Is the Quran today the same as the one revealed?

• Muslim belief: because the Quran was both written and memorised, Muslims believe it is the same Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) more than 1400 years ago.

Evaluation

1. What does the word “Wahy” mean?
2. Over how many years was the Quran revealed, and where did the first revelation come?
3. Describe two ways in which revelation came to Prophet Muhammad.
4. List four materials on which the companions wrote the Quran.
5. Name three ways in which the Quran was protected from change.

Assignment

Write the names of four scribes of the Prophet and four Huffaz. Then explain, in five points, how the Prophet and his companions helped to memorise and record the Quran.