Quran IV: Preservation & Other Names of the Quran – SS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

The preservation of the Quran is the way Allah has kept its text unchanged since it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), through memorisation, writing, compilation and transmission.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. State Allah’s promise to preserve the Quran and give the verse where it appears.
2. Describe how the Quran was preserved in the Prophet’s time and after it.
3. Explain why the Quran is not arranged in the order of revelation.
4. Describe the structure of the Quran (surah, juz, manzil and ayah).
5. Give evidence for the authenticity of the Quran.
6. List and explain at least five other names of the Quran.

What is Allah’s promise to preserve the Quran?

Allah promises in Surah Al-Hijr (15:9) that He Himself will guard the Quran.

• The verse: “Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [the Quran], and indeed, We will be its guardian.”
• Fulfilment: Muslims believe the promise was carried out through the methods below.

How was the Quran preserved in the Prophet’s time?

In the Prophet’s time the Quran was preserved by three methods: memorisation, writing and regular recitation.

1. Memorisation (Hifz)

• The Prophet: he memorised each revelation as it came to him.
• The companions (Sahabah): many of them memorised the whole Quran.
• Prayer: the Prophet recited the Quran in prayers, which helped others learn.
• Yearly review: every Ramadan, Angel Jibreel reviewed the whole Quran with the Prophet.
• Last year: in the last year of the Prophet’s life, they reviewed it twice.

2. Writing down revelations

• Scribes: the Prophet appointed scribes to write down revelations.
• Main scribes: Zaid bin Thabit, Ubayy ibn Ka’b and Ali ibn Abi Talib.
• Materials: palm leaves, stones, animal bones and pieces of leather.
• Placing verses: the Prophet told the scribes exactly where to place new verses.

3. Regular recitation

• Daily prayers: Muslims recited portions of the Quran in their five daily prayers.
• Encouragement: the Prophet urged Muslims to read the Quran regularly.
• Public recitation: many people heard the same verses again and again.
• Correction: any mistake was noticed and corrected by others.

How was the Quran preserved after the Prophet’s time?

After the Prophet’s death the Quran was preserved by four steps: Abu Bakr’s compilation, Uthman’s standardisation, diacritical marks and an unbroken chain of transmission.

1. What was Abu Bakr’s compilation?

It was the first collection of the whole Quran into one manuscript, led by Zaid bin Thabit.

1. Many memorisers (huffaz) died in the Battle of Yamama.
2. Umar advised Abu Bakr to collect the Quran in one place.
3. Zaid bin Thabit led the project.
4. Written materials were collected and checked by at least two witnesses.
5. The complete manuscript was kept by Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Hafsa.

2. What was Uthman’s standardisation?

It was the making of official copies of the Quran to end differences in reading.

1. As Islam spread, people in different places began to read the Quran differently.
2. Uthman ordered a committee, led by Zaid bin Thabit, to make official copies.
3. The committee used Hafsa’s manuscript as the main source.
4. Several copies were made and sent to major Muslim cities.
5. Other unofficial copies were destroyed to prevent confusion.

3. What are diacritical marks?

Diacritical marks are dots and vowel signs added to Arabic letters to make reading easier.

• Early script: it had no dots or marks.
• Dots: in the time of the fifth Umayyad caliph, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf asked scholars to add dots to tell similar letters apart.
• Vowel marks: added later to help non-Arab Muslims read correctly.
• Effect: the additions did not change the text. They only made it easier to read.

4. What is the chain of transmission (isnad)?

Isnad is the unbroken chain of teachers and students that links Muslims today to the Prophet.

• Teaching: each generation of Muslims has taught the next.
• Ijazah: teachers give “ijazah” (permission) to qualified students.
• Link to the Prophet: this creates a chain back to the Prophet.
• Scope: it applies to both written copies and memorisation.

What are the modern methods of preserving the Quran?

The modern methods are mass printing and digital preservation.

1. Mass printing

• Identical copies: printing made it possible to produce the same text in large numbers.
• First printed Quran: it appeared in Europe in 1537.
• First Muslim-printed Quran: printed in 1787 in Russia.
• Today: millions of identical copies exist worldwide.
• King Fahd Complex: this printing centre in Saudi Arabia prints high-quality copies.

2. Digital preservation

• Digital formats: the Quran is stored as text and audio files.
• Audio: recordings by well-known reciters are widely available.
• Apps and websites: they make the Quran easy to reach anywhere.
• Checking: computer programs help find errors in new printings.

Why is the Quran not arranged in the order of revelation?

The Quran is not in the order of revelation because Allah fixed its present order through the Prophet.

• If it followed revelation: it would begin with Surah Al-Alaq (96).
• Last revealed: An-Nasr is regarded as the last complete surah, and 2:281 is reported as the last verse revealed.
• Guidance from Jibreel: Angel Jibreel showed the Prophet where to place each revelation.
• Instruction to scribes: the Prophet told them to put a passage in the surah where a certain matter is mentioned.
• Tawqifi: this order is called “tawqifi”, meaning fixed by divine instruction.

What is the structure of the Quran?

The Quran has 114 surahs, divided into 30 juz and 7 manzil, and each verse is called an ayah.

How are the surahs organised?

• Order: generally from the longer surahs to the shorter ones.
• First surah: Al-Fatihah (The Opening).
• Last surah: An-Nas (The People).
• Names: each surah is named after a word or theme in it.
• Bismillah: every surah except At-Tawbah (Surah 9) begins with “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah).

What are the special groupings of surahs?

Scholars group the surahs by length into four groups: al-Tiwal, al-Mi’un, al-Mathani and al-Mufassal.

• Seven Oft-Repeated: Al-Fatihah is also given this special name.

What is the wisdom behind this arrangement?

• Memorisation: the arrangement helps people to memorise.
• Themes: similar themes are grouped together in many places.
• Balance: long and short surahs are balanced.
• Al-Fatihah first: it is placed first because it is recited in every unit of prayer.
• Study: it suits regular recitation and study.

What is the evidence for the authenticity of the Quran?

Authenticity means the Quran is the genuine, unchanged word of Allah, and Muslims give five lines of evidence for it.

1. Preserved text

• Unchanged: the text has stayed the same for over 1400 years.
• Early manuscripts: ancient manuscripts agree with the Quran used today.
• Birmingham manuscript: radiocarbon dating places this early parchment in the first years of Islam, and its text matches the standard text.
• Worldwide: Muslims everywhere recite the same text.

2. Memorisation tradition

• Huffaz: millions of Muslims have memorised the whole Quran.
• Living tradition: it goes back to the Prophet’s time.
• Correction: a mistake in recitation is noticed and corrected by others.

3. Historical documentation

• Compilation: the work of Abu Bakr and Uthman was well recorded.
• Eyewitnesses: many accounts describe how the Quran was preserved.
• Careful methods: verses were checked by witnesses before they were written in the manuscript.
• Community: the whole Muslim community took part.

4. Consistency in content

• No contradictions: Muslims hold that the Quran does not contradict itself.
• Teachings: its message is the same throughout.
• Style: its language keeps a consistent style.

5. Inimitability (I’jaz)

• The challenge: the Quran challenged its opponents to produce something like it.
• Result: Muslims hold that no one has met this challenge.
• Literary excellence: many non-Muslims also admire its style.
• Arabic: Muslims regard its language as the highest standard of Arabic.

What are the other names of the Quran?

The Quran has many names, and ten common ones are Al-Kitab, Al-Furqan, Al-Dhikr, Al-Tanzil, Al-Huda, Al-Noor, Al-Shifaa, Al-Maw’izah, Al-Mubarak and Al-Hakeem.

• Al-Kitab (The Book): shows that the Quran is a written book. “This is the Book about which there is no doubt” (2:2).
• Al-Furqan (The Criterion): it tells right from wrong and helps people choose well. “Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion” (25:1).
• Al-Dhikr (The Reminder): it reminds people of Allah and of what matters. “Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder” (15:9).
• Al-Tanzil (The Revelation): it was sent down from Allah, so it has a divine origin. “And indeed, it is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds” (26:192).
• Al-Huda (The Guidance): it guides people to the right path and shows how to live well. “This is the Book…a guidance for those conscious of Allah” (2:2).
• Al-Noor (The Light): it brings spiritual light and helps people see the truth. “There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book” (5:15).
• Al-Shifaa (The Healing): it heals spiritual troubles and comforts troubled hearts. “And We send down of the Quran that which is healing” (17:82).
• Al-Maw’izah (The Admonition): it gives helpful warnings on how to avoid harm. “O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord” (10:57).
• Al-Mubarak (The Blessed): reading and following it brings blessings. “And this is a Book We have revealed which is blessed” (6:155).
• Al-Hakeem (The Wise): its teachings contain perfect wisdom. “These are verses of the wise Book” (10:1).

Evaluation

1. Which verse contains Allah’s promise to preserve the Quran, and what does it say?
2. Describe two ways the Quran was preserved during the Prophet’s time.
3. Why did Abu Bakr order the Quran to be collected, and who led the work?
4. What did Uthman do to deal with the different readings of the Quran?
5. Explain what “tawqifi” means.

Assignment

Write any five other names of the Quran. For each, give its meaning and one verse that supports it.