Quran II: the Compilation & Standardization of the Quran – SS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

The compilation and standardisation of the Quran was the work of collecting the revealed text into one written copy under Abu Bakr, then fixing one agreed text under Uthman ibn Affan.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. Explain why the Quran was compiled under Abu Bakr.
2. Describe the method Zaid bin Thabit used in the first compilation.
3. Explain why Uthman ordered the standardisation of the Quran.
4. Describe how the standard copies were made and distributed.
5. Name the main people involved in the compilation and standardisation.
6. State the importance of the compilation and standardisation.

How was the Quran kept during the Prophet’s lifetime?

The Quran was kept in memory and in writing, but not yet in one book, when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) died in 632 CE.

• Memorisation: many companions learnt the revealed verses by heart and recited them daily.
• Writing: scribes wrote the verses on materials such as palm leaves, flat stones, bones and leather.
• Scribes: Zaid bin Thabit was one of the main scribes of the Prophet.
• Missing step: the written pieces were scattered among the companions and were not gathered into one volume.

How was the Glorious Quran compiled?

The Quran was first compiled into one written copy during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (632 to 634 CE).

Why was the Quran compiled?

• Battle of Yamama: many companions who had memorised the Quran were killed in this battle.
• Umar’s worry: Umar ibn al-Khattab feared that parts of the Quran might be lost if more memorisers died.
• Umar’s advice: he suggested to Abu Bakr that the Quran should be collected in one place.
• Abu Bakr’s decision: he agreed and appointed Zaid bin Thabit to lead the work.

Why was Zaid bin Thabit chosen?

• Scribe: he was one of the main scribes of the Prophet.
• Memory: he had memorised the whole Quran.
• Final review: he was present at the final review of the Quran with Angel Jibreel.
• Character: he was known for his intelligence and trustworthiness.

What method did Zaid use?

1. He collected the written pieces of the Quran from different companions.
2. He accepted only materials written in the presence of the Prophet.
3. He required two reliable witnesses to confirm each verse.
4. He checked each verse against his own memory.
5. He consulted other companions who had memorised the Quran.

What happened to the first complete copy?

The first complete copy was called the Mushaf, and it passed from one keeper to the next.

1. It stayed with Abu Bakr during his lifetime.
2. It passed to the second caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab.
3. After Umar’s death it was kept by his daughter Hafsa, a wife of the Prophet.

How was the Glorious Quran standardised?

The Quran was standardised when Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (644 to 656 CE) had one agreed text written and copied for the Muslim community.

Why was standardisation needed?

• Spread of Islam: Islam had reached many new areas.
• Different readings: people from different regions recited in slightly different ways, based on dialects the Prophet had allowed.
• Disputes: the differences began to cause confusion and arguments.

What did Hudhaifah ibn al-Yaman report?

• Who he was: a companion who was fighting in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
• The report: soldiers from different regions were arguing over the correct way to recite the Quran.
• The warning: he urged Uthman to act, so that the Muslims would not differ over their book as earlier communities did.

Who was on Uthman’s committee?

Uthman formed a committee of four trusted companions.

1. Zaid bin Thabit (leader)
2. Abdullah ibn Zubair
3. Sa’id ibn al-As
4. Abdur-Rahman ibn Harith

What was the standardisation process?

1. Uthman borrowed the manuscript kept with Hafsa as the main source.
2. The committee wrote the text in the Quraishi dialect, the dialect of the Prophet.
3. They checked each verse against the memories of the companions.
4. They made sure the order of verses and chapters was correct.
5. They made several copies of the standard text.
6. The manuscript was returned to Hafsa.

How were the standard copies distributed?

• Provinces: Uthman sent one copy to each major Islamic province, such as Makkah, Syria, Kufa and Basra.
• Medina: he kept one copy in Medina.
• Other copies: he ordered that written copies different from the standard text be collected and burned, to avoid confusion.

What is the Uthmanic Codex?

The Uthmanic Codex is the standard text produced in Uthman’s time, and Muslims still use it today.

What is the difference between the compilation and the standardisation?

The compilation gathered the whole Quran into one written copy. The standardisation copied one agreed text and sent it to the provinces.

Who were the compilers of the Glorious Quran?

The main compilers were Zaid bin Thabit, with the caliphs Abu Bakr and Uthman who ordered the work.

Who worked in Abu Bakr’s time?

• Zaid bin Thabit: the main compiler who led the project.
• Abu Bakr as-Siddiq: the first caliph, who ordered the compilation.
• Umar ibn al-Khattab: the companion who suggested the compilation.
• Other companions: they brought written materials and gave witness testimony.

Who worked in Uthman’s time?

• Zaid bin Thabit: chosen again to lead because of his expertise.
• Abdullah ibn Zubair: a young companion known for his knowledge.
• Sa’id ibn al-As: known for his excellent knowledge of the Quraishi dialect.
• Abdur-Rahman ibn Harith: known for his reliability and knowledge.

Who were the other important people?

• Uthman ibn Affan: the third caliph, who ordered the standardisation.
• Hafsa bint Umar: she kept the first complete manuscript safe.
• Hudhaifah ibn al-Yaman: he reported the need for standardisation.
• Ali ibn Abi Talib: he supported the standardisation effort.
• Ubayy ibn Ka’b: one of the best Quran reciters among the companions.

Why are the compilation and standardisation important?

They kept the Quran safe, united the Muslims and made it easy to teach.

• Preserving the exact words: no part of the Quran was lost or changed, in line with Allah’s promise to protect His book.
• Preventing disagreements: one text kept the community united.
• Ease of learning and teaching: a standard written text made it easier to teach new Muslims in different places.
• Continuing the Prophet’s work: it carried on his task of preserving the Quran and spreading its message.

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

Evaluation

1. Why did Umar ibn al-Khattab suggest to Abu Bakr that the Quran should be collected?
2. Give four reasons why Zaid bin Thabit was chosen to lead the first compilation.
3. Describe the five steps Zaid used to compile the Quran.
4. What did Hudhaifah ibn al-Yaman report to Uthman?
5. List the members of Uthman’s committee and state the dialect they used.

Assignment

1. Write a short account of how the Quran was distributed after the standardisation under Uthman, and give three reasons why the compilation and standardisation are important to Muslims.