The Revelation and Compilation of the Quran

1. The first revelation

The event

1. Jibril (AS): "Iqra'" (Read / Recite) → the Prophet ﷺ: "I cannot read."
2. Jibril (AS) squeezed him tightly, released him and again said "Iqra'" – this happened three times.
3. "What shall I read?" → Jibril recited the first five verses of Surah al-'Alaq, and the Prophet ﷺ recited them.
4. Because of this new experience he felt shock and fear, returned home and said, "Cover me."
5. His wife Khadijah (RA) covered him, comforted him and gave him courage.
6. She took him to her relative Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who had studied the earlier scriptures. He made clear that the Prophet ﷺ was Allah's Messenger and that the one who had come was the angel Jibril (AS).

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2. How the Quran was revealed

• Verses were revealed according to circumstances and needs – one or two verses, many verses, or a whole surah at a time.
• Jibril (AS) would tell the Prophet ﷺ before or after which verse / surah a new verse / surah should be placed; the Prophet ﷺ would have the scribes of revelation note it.
• The Quran continued to be revealed until the Prophet's ﷺ death.

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3. Stage 1: The time of the Prophet ﷺ

• The Prophet ﷺ memorised the verses and told Companions who could write to write them down.
• Those who wrote down the revelation = kuttab al-wahy (كتّاب الوحي), the scribes of revelation.
• In Makkah few people could read and write, and writing materials were scarce.
• It was written on leather, thick bones and white stones.
• The Arabs had very strong memories – a special feature of that society. The Companions memorised easily.
• In the Prophet's ﷺ time the Quran was not compiled into a single book.
• Every Ramadan, Jibril (AS) recited the verses revealed so far, and the Prophet ﷺ checked his memorisation.
• In the Ramadan before his death he checked it twice; Zayd ibn Thabit (RA) was present and listening.

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4. Stage 2: The time of Abu Bakr (RA)

The reason

• After the Prophet's ﷺ death, false prophets (mutanabbi'un) and apostates (murtaddun – those who left Islam) caused trouble.
• A battle was fought against them at Yamamah.
• In that battle many huffaz who had memorised the Quran were martyred.
• 'Umar (RA) feared that the Quran might be lost → he advised the caliph to compile it.

What happened

• The caliph at first hesitated, saying it was "something the Prophet ﷺ did not do"; when he understood the situation he agreed.
• The task was given to a committee led by Zayd ibn Thabit (RA) (he too hesitated at first).
• Two men were stationed at the door of al-Masjid an-Nabawi, and it was announced that the pages written in the Prophet's ﷺ time should be handed in with witnesses.
• These were checked, written out and handed to the caliph → the caliph named it "the Mushaf".

The journey of the Mushaf

Abu Bakr (RA) → (after his death) 'Umar (RA) → 'Umar (RA) gave it to his daughter Hafsah (RA), a wife of the Prophet ﷺ.

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5. Stage 3: The time of 'Uthman (RA)

The reason

• In the campaigns in Armenia and Azerbaijan, there were soldiers from Iraq and from Sham (Syria).
• They recited the Quran in different ways and argued that their own way was correct.
• Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (RA) observed this and told the caliph that Muslims must not be divided in the name of the Quran.

Why the recitations differed

• At that time each tribe had its own Arabic dialect → the pronunciation differed; the meaning did not conflict.
• The Prophet ﷺ had allowed them to recite in their own dialects.

What 'Uthman (RA) did

1. He formed a committee led by Zayd ibn Thabit (RA) that included members of the Quraysh.
2. Based on the Mushaf of Abu Bakr's (RA) time and the dialect of the Quraysh, eight copies were prepared.
3. They were sent to each province, together with qurra' (reciters) who could recite in the Quraysh dialect.
4. The order: recite as these reciters do; copy only from the copy that was sent; burn all other copies held before.

The result

• Everyone came to recite the Quran in one way.
• 'Uthman (RA) = "Jami' al-Quran" (جامع القرآن) – the one who gathered the Quran.
• The copy of the Quran from his time = "al-Mushaf al-'Uthmani" (المصحف العثماني).

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6. Allah's protection

(15:9) – meaning: "Indeed, it is We who sent down this Quran, and We will surely protect it."

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7. The three stages – comparison table

Zayd ibn Thabit (RA) is linked with all three stages: he was present when the Prophet ﷺ checked the Quran in the final Ramadan, and he led both compilation committees.

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Quick revision

• First revelation: age 40, about 610 CE, the cave of Hira', Laylat al-Qadr, Surah al-'Alaq 1–5, "Iqra'" ×3.
• Khadijah (RA) comforted him; Waraqah ibn Nawfal confirmed his prophethood.
• Kuttab al-wahy = the scribes of revelation; they wrote on leather, bones and stones.
• Tartib al-nuzul = order of revelation; tartib al-tilawah = order of recitation.
• Abu Bakr (RA): Battle of Yamamah → 'Umar's advice → Zayd's committee → "the Mushaf" → 'Umar → Hafsah.
• 'Uthman (RA): Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman's observation → 8 copies in the Quraysh dialect → Jami' al-Quran → al-Mushaf al-'Uthmani.
• 15:9 – Allah Himself will protect the Quran.