Uthman's method in collecting the Qur'an
Uthman's method in collecting the Qur'an
1 - Uthman's work in collecting the Qur'an
The purpose of collecting the Qur'an during Uthman's time was to cut off the sedition that had befallen the Muslims due to differences in the Book of Allah, by collecting and defining the agreed-upon and transmitted aspects in the recitation of the Qur'an, and removing everything that was not proven to be Qur'anic, whether by abrogation or by not being Qur'anic at all.
Al-Qadi al-Baqillani said: Uthman did not intend what Abu Bakr intended in collecting the same Qur'an between two tablets, but rather he intended to collect them according to the established readings known from the Prophet, and to abolish what was not like that, and to take them with a Mushaf in which there was no advancement or delay, and no interpretation that was established with revelation, and no abrogated recitation that was written with an established script and obligatory reading and memorization; for fear of corruption and doubt for those who came after. (1)
So Uthman wanted to copy from the pages that Abu Bakr had collected agreed-upon Mushafs that would be leaders for the people in the recitation of the Qur'an.
Ibn Hazm said: Uthman feared that a wicked person would come and seek to plot against the religion, or that a delusional person from the people of goodness would make a mistake and change something in the Qur’an, and there would be a difference that would lead to misguidance. So he wrote unanimously agreed upon Qur’ans, and he sent a Qur’an to every region, so that if a delusional person made a mistake or someone changed it, it would be returned to the
unanimously agreed upon Qur’an, and the truth would be revealed, and the plot and delusion would be nullified. (2) Uthman’s intention was not to collect what had not been collected, for the Qur’an had been collected during the time of Abu Bakr. Rather, he intended to copy what had been collected during the time of Abu Bakr into copies of the Qur’an that the Muslims could follow.
Al-Nawawi said: Uthman feared that differences would occur that would lead to omitting or adding something from the Qur’an, so he copied from the collection that Hafsa had, which the Companions had agreed upon, into copies of the Qur’an, and sent them to the countries, and ordered that what contradicted them be destroyed. This action was done by agreement between him and Ali ibn Abi Talib, and the rest of the Companions, and others. (3)
Al-Bayhaqi said: Then (Zaid) copied what he had collected in the manuscripts (during the reign of Abu Bakr) into copies of the Qur’an, at the direction of Uthman ibn Affan, according to what the Chosen One had prescribed. (4)
2 - The work plan:
The Companions who were entrusted with collecting the Qur’an began writing the master copy, from which they later copied the copies sent to the countries, and the Caliph Uthman - may God be pleased with him - would oversee them and supervise them, and all the Companions present participated in this work.
The method of the Ottoman collection can be summarized as follows:
1 - Reliance on the collection of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. This is clearly evident in Uthman’s request for the pages in which Abu Bakr collected the Qur’an from Hafsa - may God be pleased with her. These pages - as mentioned - were based on the original written in the hands of the Prophet.
Thus, the door of the article is closed, so no one can claim that there is something in the written pages during the time of Abu Bakr that was not written in the Uthmanic Mushaf, or that something was written in the Mushafs of Uthman that was not in the pages of Abu Bakr. (5)
On the authority of Anas bin Malik, he said: … So Uthman sent to Hafsa: Send us the pages so that we may copy them into the Mushafs and then return them to you. So Hafsa sent them to Uthman, so he ordered Zaid bin Thabit, Abdullah bin Al-Zubayr, Saeed bin Al-Aas, and Abd Al-Rahman bin Al-Harith bin Hisham, so they copied it into the copies of the Qur’an. (6)
2 - That the collection committee be in charge of it and that the Caliph of the Muslims himself supervise it:
On the authority of Katheer bin Aflah, he said: When Uthman wanted to write the copies of the Qur’an, he gathered twelve men from Quraysh and the Ansar, among them Ubayy bin Ka’b and Zayd bin Thabit. He said: So they sent for the quarter (7) that was in Umar’s house, and it was brought. He said: And Uthman used to look after them. (8)
3 - That everyone who had something of the Qur’an that he heard from the Messenger should come? (9) This is indicated by what was authenticated from Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: O people, do not exaggerate in your criticism
of Uthman, and do not say anything to him except good things about the copies of the Qur’an and the burning of the copies of the Qur’an, for by Allah, he did not do what he did about the copies of the Qur’an except in the presence of all of us. He said: What do you say about this recitation? It has reached me that some of them say: My recitation is better than your recitation, and this is almost kufr. We said: What do you think? He said: We think that we should gather the people on one copy of the Qur’an, so that there will be no division and no disagreement. (10)
It was also reported that Uthman called upon the people to bring whatever they had of the Qur’an that was written in the presence of the Prophet, and that he was making sure of that with the utmost certainty.
Mus’ab bin Sa’d said: Uthman stood up and addressed the people and said: O people! Your covenant with your Prophet has been thirteen years, and you are still doubting the Qur’an… So I urge every man among you who has something of the Qur’an with him to bring it. A man would bring a paper or a leather bag with the Qur’an on it, until he had collected a large number of them. Then Uthman entered and called them one by one and asked them: Did you hear the Messenger of Allah dictate it to you? He would say: Yes. (11)
4 - Restricting oneself to the language of the Quraysh when there is disagreement.
As it came in the hadith of Anas bin Malik that Uthman said to the three Qurayshi men: If you and Zaid bin Thabit differ about something in the Qur’an, then write it in the language of Quraysh, for it was revealed in their language, so they did. (12)
What is meant by collecting on one language is collecting on the transmitted reading that is known to all to have been proven from the Prophet, even if its aspects differ, so that there is no division or disagreement, for what everyone knows is that it is a reading proven from the Messenger of God, and they do not differ about it, and none of them denies the reading with it.
Abu Shama said: It is possible that his saying: It was revealed in the language of Quraysh, meaning: It was revealed in the beginning, then it was permitted to be read in a language other than theirs. (13)
Perhaps when Uthman compiled the Qur’an, he saw the letter in whose language the Qur’an was first revealed as the first letter, so he applied it to the people when they differed. (14)
The Companions differed over the word (the Ark), is it with a ta’ or a ha’?
Al-Zuhri said: They differed on that day about (the coffin) and (the taboo), so the Quraysh group said: (the coffin), and Zaid said: (the taboo), so their difference was brought to Uthman, so he said: Write it (the coffin), for it is in the language of Quraysh. (15)
However, it has been reported that the one who saw it with the ta’ was Zaid, as al-Tahawi narrated on the authority of Zaid ibn Thabit that when he heard: {Indeed, the sign of his kingship is that the coffin will come to you}, (16) Zaid said: So I said: (the coffin), so we brought that to Uthman, so he wrote (the coffin). (17)
5 - It is forbidden to write what has been abrogated in recitation, what was not in the final presentation, what was narrated by individuals, what was not known to be Qur’anic, or what is not Qur’anic, such as what some of the Companions used to write in their own copies of the Qur’an, explaining a meaning, or clarifying what was abrogated or what was abrogated, or something like that. (18)
Among the evidence for this is what was reported on the authority of Muhammad ibn Sirin on the authority of Katheer ibn Aflah, who said: So if they disputed about something, they would postpone it. Muhammad said: So I said to Katheer - and he was among them (among those who wrote): Do you know why they postponed it? He said: No. Muhammad said: I thought that they were only delaying it to see who was the most recent among them to the last presentation, so they could write it according to what he said. (19)
6 - That the collection includes the letters in which the Qur’an was revealed, and whose presentation was confirmed in the last presentation (20), taking into account the following:
A - When writing the word that was repeatedly pronounced in different ways by the Prophet, the scribes keep it free of any mark that limits its pronunciation to one way; In order for the written meaning of both the transmitted and heard words to be equal, (21) these words are written in one script in all the Qur’ans, which is possible due to the many aspects that are transmitted in them. Examples of this include:
1 - The Almighty’s saying: {How shall We resurrect it?} (22) with a dotted zay. Abu Ja`far, Nafi`, Ibn Kathir, Abu `Amr, and Ya`qub read it {We shall spread it} with a silent ra’. (23)
2 - And His saying: {There every soul will be tested for what it has put forth} (24) with a unified ba’ from affliction. Hamza, al-Kisa’i, and Khalaf read: {There every soul will recite for what it has put forth} with a double ta’ from recitation, instead of the ba’. (25)
3 - And the Almighty’s saying: {In extended pillars}, (26) with the opening of the ‘ayn and the ‘mim, Hamzah, Al-Kisa’i, Khalaf and Shu’bah read: {In extended pillars}, with the closing of the ‘ayn and the ‘mim. (27)
B - What is not possible in one script, such as words that include two or more readings, and were not abrogated in the final presentation, and writing them in one form is not possible due to what is in them of the aspects of the readers, so such words are written in some copies of the Qur’an in a form that indicates one reading, and in some of them in another script that indicates the other reading. (28) And
the Companions did not write those words in two scripts, one in the original and the other in the margin; so that it would not be imagined that the second is a correction of the first, and that the first is an error, and also because making one of the readings in the original and the other readings in the margin is arbitrary, and preferring without a preference; since they received all of those aspects from the Prophet? (29)
Examples of this include:
1 - The Almighty’s statement: “And they said, ‘Allah has taken a son’” (30). Abdullah ibn Amir al-Shami read it: “They said, ‘Allah has taken a son’” without a waw. It is also the case in the copies of the Sham copies. (31)
2 - His statement: “And Abraham enjoined it” (32). Abu Ja`far, Nafi`, and Ibn Amir read it: “And Abraham enjoined it” from the word “isay’”. It is written in the copies of the Sham copies of the people of Medina and Syria by proving an alif between the two waws. Abu Ubaid said: I saw it in the same way in the Imam Mushaf of Uthman? It was written in the rest of the Mushafs with two waws before the sad, without an alif between them. (33)
3 - And the Almighty’s saying: {And He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow} (34) Abdullah bin Katheer Al-Makki read it: {And He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow}, with the addition of (from) before (underneath). It is like this in the Makkan Mushaf, and in the rest of the Mushafs without it. (35)
4 - And the Almighty’s saying: {And therein is whatever the souls desire and the eyes delight in} (36) in the reading of Abu Ja`far, Nafi`, and the narration of Hafs from `Asim with a ba` after the ya` in (tashtahihi), and the rest of the reciters read it: {And therein is whatever the souls desire and the eyes delight in}, without the final ha`. (37)
Abu `Amr al-Dani said: In the copies of the Qur’an of the people of Medina and Ash-Sham (tashtahihi) is with two ba`s, and I saw some of our sheikhs say: That is also the case in the copies of the Qur’an of the people of Kufa, and he made a mistake.
Abu `Ubayd said: And with two ba`s I saw it in the Imam. In all other copies of the Qur’an (tasthahi) with one “ha” (38)
7 - After finishing writing the Qur’an, the Imam reviews it with Zaid bin Thabit, then Uthman reviews it himself.
On the authority of Zayd ibn Thabit, who said: I lost a verse from Al-Ahzab when we copied the Mushaf. I used to hear the Messenger of God reciting it, so we looked for it and found it with Khuzaymah ibn Thabit Al-Ansari: “Among the believers are men true to what they promised God.” (39) So we included it in its surah in the Mushaf. (40)
This was Zayd’s first review, and it appears from the narrations that he reviewed it two more times, and the second showed the difference in The word (coffin), and the third did not reveal anything.
On the authority of Zaid bin Thabit, that when he heard: {Indeed, the sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you}, Zaid said: So I said: The Ark, so we took that to Uthman, so he wrote the Ark, then he presented it - meaning the Mushaf - another presentation, but I did not find anything in it, so Uthman sent to Hafsa to give him the scroll, and he swore to her that he would return the scroll to her, so she gave it to him, so I presented it. (41)
This trace indicates that the opposition to what Abu Bakr had collected was after the completion of writing the Imam’s copy of the Qur’an, for greater reassurance. This indicates that the established aspects of reading remained without any difference between the memorizers and scholars.
The Companions implemented these rules with the utmost precision, so they might have waited for someone who was absent and had some of the Qur’an for a period of time, so that they could verify what he had, even though those who were in charge of writing and dictation were memorizers and reciters.
On the authority of Malik bin Abi Amir, he said: I was among those to whom he dictated, and they might differ about a verse, and they would mention a man who had received it from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and perhaps he was absent or in some desert, so they would write what came before it and what came after it, and leave its location until he came, or it was sent to him. (42)
Then Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, ordered the copies of the Qur’an to be copied from the Imam’s copy, and sent to the provinces, which were later known as the Uthmanic copies of the Qur’an, and the discussion will revolve around them in the next chapter - God willing.
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(1) Al-Burhan fi Ulum al-Quran (1/235-236), and Al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Quran (1/171).
(2) Al-Fasl fi al-Milal wa al-Ahwa wa al-Nihal (2/212-213).
(3) Al-Tabyan fi Adab Hamalat al-Quran p. 96.
(4) Evidence of Prophethood and Knowledge of the Conditions of the Master of the Law (7/148).
(5) The Bright Planets, p. 21.
(6) Narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih: Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an, Chapter on the Collection of the Qur’an (8/626) Hadith 4987.
(7) Ar-Rab’ah: The perfumer’s jar, and the box of parts of the Mushaf. Al-Qamoos Al-Muhit (quarter) p. 929.
(8) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Book of the Mushafs, Chapter on the Collection of the Mushafs by Uthman, may God have mercy on him, p. 33. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir included it on the authority of Ibn Abi Dawud, and said: Its chain of transmission is sound. The Virtues of the Qur’an, p. 45.
(9) See Al-Burhan fi Ulum Al-Qur’an (1/238-239).
(10) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Book of the Mushafs, Chapter on the Collection of the Mushafs by Uthman, p. 30. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: With a sound chain of transmission. Fath Al-Bari (8/634).
(11) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Book of the Mushafs, Chapter on the Collection of the Mushafs by Uthman - the Qur’an in the Mushafs. (12) Narrated by Al-Bukhari in his
Sahih: Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an, Chapter on the Compilation of the Qur’an (8/626), Hadith 4987.
(13) Fath Al-Bari (8/625).
(14) Fath Al-Bari (8/625).
(15) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Book of the Mushafs, Chapter on Uthman’s Compilation of the Qur’an in the Mushafs, p. 26. See Fath Al-Bari (8/635).
(16) Surah Al-Baqarah, from verse 248.
(17) Narrated by Al-Tahawi in Ta’wil Mushkil Al-Athar, Chapter on the explanation of the problematic narrations narrated from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding his saying: The Qur’an was revealed in seven letters. (4/193).
(18) See Al-Burhan fi Ulum Al-Quran (1/235-236), and Al-Itqan fi Ulum Al-Quran (1/171).
(19) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Kitab Al-Masahif, Chapter: Uthman, may Allah have mercy on him, collected the Mushafs, p. 33, and Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir included it on the authority of Ibn Abi Dawud, and said: Its chain of transmission is sound. Fada’il Al-Quran, p. 45.
(20) See Nukat Al-Intisar li-Naql Al-Quran, pp. 387-388.
(21) Al-Nashr fi Al-Qira’at Al-‘Ashr (1/33).
(22) Surah Al-Baqarah, from verse 259.
(23) Al-Nashr fi Al-Qira’at Al-‘Ashr (2/231).
(24) Surah Yunus ?, from verse 30.
(25) Al-Nashr fi Al-Qira’at Al-‘Ashr (2/283).
(26) Surah Al-Humazah, verse 9.
(27) Al-Nashr fi Al-Qira’at Al-‘Ashr (2/403).
(28) Samir al-Talibin fi Rasm wa Datab al-Kitab al-Mubeen, by Sheikh Ali Muhammad al-Daba’, pp. 101-106. See also Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Mawrid al-Dhaman by Ibrahim al-Marghani al-Tunisi, pp. 436 and following.
(29) Manahil al-Irfan (1/259), and al-Kawakib al-Durriya, pp. 22-23.
(30) Surah Al-Baqarah, from verse 116.
(31) The Book of the Mushafs by Ibn Abi Dawood, p. 54, and Al-Nashr fi al-Qira’at al-‘Ashr (1/11), and Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Mawred al-Zaman, p. 442.
(32) Surah Al-Baqarah, from verse 132.
(33) The Book of the Mushafs by Ibn Abi Dawood, pp. 49, 51, 54, and Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Mawred al-Zaman, p. 442.
(34) Surah At-Tawbah, from verse 100.
(35) Al-Nashr fi al-Qira’at al-‘Ashr (1/11), and (2/280), and Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Mawred al-Zaman, p. 448, and The Book of the Mushafs by Ibn Abi Dawood, p. 57.
(36) From verse 71 of Surah Az-Zukhruf.
(37) Al-Nashr fi al-Qira’at al-‘Ashr (2/370), and Kitab al-Masahif by Ibn Abi Dawud, pp. 49, 53, 56.
(38) Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Murud al-Zaman, pp. 455-456.
(39) Surat al-Ahzab, from verse 23.
(40) Narrated by al-Bukhari in Sahih, Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an, Chapter on Compiling the Qur’an (8/626), Hadith 4988.
(41) Narrated by Al-Tahawi in Ta’wil Mushkil Al-Athar, Chapter: Clarification of the problematic narrations narrated from the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, regarding his saying: The Qur’an was revealed in seven letters. (4/193).
(42) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Kitab Al-Masahif, Chapter: Uthman’s collection of the Qur’an in the Masahifs. p. 29.
1 - Uthman's work in collecting the Qur'an
The purpose of collecting the Qur'an during Uthman's time was to cut off the sedition that had befallen the Muslims due to differences in the Book of Allah, by collecting and defining the agreed-upon and transmitted aspects in the recitation of the Qur'an, and removing everything that was not proven to be Qur'anic, whether by abrogation or by not being Qur'anic at all.
Al-Qadi al-Baqillani said: Uthman did not intend what Abu Bakr intended in collecting the same Qur'an between two tablets, but rather he intended to collect them according to the established readings known from the Prophet, and to abolish what was not like that, and to take them with a Mushaf in which there was no advancement or delay, and no interpretation that was established with revelation, and no abrogated recitation that was written with an established script and obligatory reading and memorization; for fear of corruption and doubt for those who came after. (1)
So Uthman wanted to copy from the pages that Abu Bakr had collected agreed-upon Mushafs that would be leaders for the people in the recitation of the Qur'an.
Ibn Hazm said: Uthman feared that a wicked person would come and seek to plot against the religion, or that a delusional person from the people of goodness would make a mistake and change something in the Qur’an, and there would be a difference that would lead to misguidance. So he wrote unanimously agreed upon Qur’ans, and he sent a Qur’an to every region, so that if a delusional person made a mistake or someone changed it, it would be returned to the
unanimously agreed upon Qur’an, and the truth would be revealed, and the plot and delusion would be nullified. (2) Uthman’s intention was not to collect what had not been collected, for the Qur’an had been collected during the time of Abu Bakr. Rather, he intended to copy what had been collected during the time of Abu Bakr into copies of the Qur’an that the Muslims could follow.
Al-Nawawi said: Uthman feared that differences would occur that would lead to omitting or adding something from the Qur’an, so he copied from the collection that Hafsa had, which the Companions had agreed upon, into copies of the Qur’an, and sent them to the countries, and ordered that what contradicted them be destroyed. This action was done by agreement between him and Ali ibn Abi Talib, and the rest of the Companions, and others. (3)
Al-Bayhaqi said: Then (Zaid) copied what he had collected in the manuscripts (during the reign of Abu Bakr) into copies of the Qur’an, at the direction of Uthman ibn Affan, according to what the Chosen One had prescribed. (4)
2 - The work plan:
The Companions who were entrusted with collecting the Qur’an began writing the master copy, from which they later copied the copies sent to the countries, and the Caliph Uthman - may God be pleased with him - would oversee them and supervise them, and all the Companions present participated in this work.
The method of the Ottoman collection can be summarized as follows:
1 - Reliance on the collection of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. This is clearly evident in Uthman’s request for the pages in which Abu Bakr collected the Qur’an from Hafsa - may God be pleased with her. These pages - as mentioned - were based on the original written in the hands of the Prophet.
Thus, the door of the article is closed, so no one can claim that there is something in the written pages during the time of Abu Bakr that was not written in the Uthmanic Mushaf, or that something was written in the Mushafs of Uthman that was not in the pages of Abu Bakr. (5)
On the authority of Anas bin Malik, he said: … So Uthman sent to Hafsa: Send us the pages so that we may copy them into the Mushafs and then return them to you. So Hafsa sent them to Uthman, so he ordered Zaid bin Thabit, Abdullah bin Al-Zubayr, Saeed bin Al-Aas, and Abd Al-Rahman bin Al-Harith bin Hisham, so they copied it into the copies of the Qur’an. (6)
2 - That the collection committee be in charge of it and that the Caliph of the Muslims himself supervise it:
On the authority of Katheer bin Aflah, he said: When Uthman wanted to write the copies of the Qur’an, he gathered twelve men from Quraysh and the Ansar, among them Ubayy bin Ka’b and Zayd bin Thabit. He said: So they sent for the quarter (7) that was in Umar’s house, and it was brought. He said: And Uthman used to look after them. (8)
3 - That everyone who had something of the Qur’an that he heard from the Messenger should come? (9) This is indicated by what was authenticated from Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: O people, do not exaggerate in your criticism
of Uthman, and do not say anything to him except good things about the copies of the Qur’an and the burning of the copies of the Qur’an, for by Allah, he did not do what he did about the copies of the Qur’an except in the presence of all of us. He said: What do you say about this recitation? It has reached me that some of them say: My recitation is better than your recitation, and this is almost kufr. We said: What do you think? He said: We think that we should gather the people on one copy of the Qur’an, so that there will be no division and no disagreement. (10)
It was also reported that Uthman called upon the people to bring whatever they had of the Qur’an that was written in the presence of the Prophet, and that he was making sure of that with the utmost certainty.
Mus’ab bin Sa’d said: Uthman stood up and addressed the people and said: O people! Your covenant with your Prophet has been thirteen years, and you are still doubting the Qur’an… So I urge every man among you who has something of the Qur’an with him to bring it. A man would bring a paper or a leather bag with the Qur’an on it, until he had collected a large number of them. Then Uthman entered and called them one by one and asked them: Did you hear the Messenger of Allah dictate it to you? He would say: Yes. (11)
4 - Restricting oneself to the language of the Quraysh when there is disagreement.
As it came in the hadith of Anas bin Malik that Uthman said to the three Qurayshi men: If you and Zaid bin Thabit differ about something in the Qur’an, then write it in the language of Quraysh, for it was revealed in their language, so they did. (12)
What is meant by collecting on one language is collecting on the transmitted reading that is known to all to have been proven from the Prophet, even if its aspects differ, so that there is no division or disagreement, for what everyone knows is that it is a reading proven from the Messenger of God, and they do not differ about it, and none of them denies the reading with it.
Abu Shama said: It is possible that his saying: It was revealed in the language of Quraysh, meaning: It was revealed in the beginning, then it was permitted to be read in a language other than theirs. (13)
Perhaps when Uthman compiled the Qur’an, he saw the letter in whose language the Qur’an was first revealed as the first letter, so he applied it to the people when they differed. (14)
The Companions differed over the word (the Ark), is it with a ta’ or a ha’?
Al-Zuhri said: They differed on that day about (the coffin) and (the taboo), so the Quraysh group said: (the coffin), and Zaid said: (the taboo), so their difference was brought to Uthman, so he said: Write it (the coffin), for it is in the language of Quraysh. (15)
However, it has been reported that the one who saw it with the ta’ was Zaid, as al-Tahawi narrated on the authority of Zaid ibn Thabit that when he heard: {Indeed, the sign of his kingship is that the coffin will come to you}, (16) Zaid said: So I said: (the coffin), so we brought that to Uthman, so he wrote (the coffin). (17)
5 - It is forbidden to write what has been abrogated in recitation, what was not in the final presentation, what was narrated by individuals, what was not known to be Qur’anic, or what is not Qur’anic, such as what some of the Companions used to write in their own copies of the Qur’an, explaining a meaning, or clarifying what was abrogated or what was abrogated, or something like that. (18)
Among the evidence for this is what was reported on the authority of Muhammad ibn Sirin on the authority of Katheer ibn Aflah, who said: So if they disputed about something, they would postpone it. Muhammad said: So I said to Katheer - and he was among them (among those who wrote): Do you know why they postponed it? He said: No. Muhammad said: I thought that they were only delaying it to see who was the most recent among them to the last presentation, so they could write it according to what he said. (19)
6 - That the collection includes the letters in which the Qur’an was revealed, and whose presentation was confirmed in the last presentation (20), taking into account the following:
A - When writing the word that was repeatedly pronounced in different ways by the Prophet, the scribes keep it free of any mark that limits its pronunciation to one way; In order for the written meaning of both the transmitted and heard words to be equal, (21) these words are written in one script in all the Qur’ans, which is possible due to the many aspects that are transmitted in them. Examples of this include:
1 - The Almighty’s saying: {How shall We resurrect it?} (22) with a dotted zay. Abu Ja`far, Nafi`, Ibn Kathir, Abu `Amr, and Ya`qub read it {We shall spread it} with a silent ra’. (23)
2 - And His saying: {There every soul will be tested for what it has put forth} (24) with a unified ba’ from affliction. Hamza, al-Kisa’i, and Khalaf read: {There every soul will recite for what it has put forth} with a double ta’ from recitation, instead of the ba’. (25)
3 - And the Almighty’s saying: {In extended pillars}, (26) with the opening of the ‘ayn and the ‘mim, Hamzah, Al-Kisa’i, Khalaf and Shu’bah read: {In extended pillars}, with the closing of the ‘ayn and the ‘mim. (27)
B - What is not possible in one script, such as words that include two or more readings, and were not abrogated in the final presentation, and writing them in one form is not possible due to what is in them of the aspects of the readers, so such words are written in some copies of the Qur’an in a form that indicates one reading, and in some of them in another script that indicates the other reading. (28) And
the Companions did not write those words in two scripts, one in the original and the other in the margin; so that it would not be imagined that the second is a correction of the first, and that the first is an error, and also because making one of the readings in the original and the other readings in the margin is arbitrary, and preferring without a preference; since they received all of those aspects from the Prophet? (29)
Examples of this include:
1 - The Almighty’s statement: “And they said, ‘Allah has taken a son’” (30). Abdullah ibn Amir al-Shami read it: “They said, ‘Allah has taken a son’” without a waw. It is also the case in the copies of the Sham copies. (31)
2 - His statement: “And Abraham enjoined it” (32). Abu Ja`far, Nafi`, and Ibn Amir read it: “And Abraham enjoined it” from the word “isay’”. It is written in the copies of the Sham copies of the people of Medina and Syria by proving an alif between the two waws. Abu Ubaid said: I saw it in the same way in the Imam Mushaf of Uthman? It was written in the rest of the Mushafs with two waws before the sad, without an alif between them. (33)
3 - And the Almighty’s saying: {And He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow} (34) Abdullah bin Katheer Al-Makki read it: {And He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow}, with the addition of (from) before (underneath). It is like this in the Makkan Mushaf, and in the rest of the Mushafs without it. (35)
4 - And the Almighty’s saying: {And therein is whatever the souls desire and the eyes delight in} (36) in the reading of Abu Ja`far, Nafi`, and the narration of Hafs from `Asim with a ba` after the ya` in (tashtahihi), and the rest of the reciters read it: {And therein is whatever the souls desire and the eyes delight in}, without the final ha`. (37)
Abu `Amr al-Dani said: In the copies of the Qur’an of the people of Medina and Ash-Sham (tashtahihi) is with two ba`s, and I saw some of our sheikhs say: That is also the case in the copies of the Qur’an of the people of Kufa, and he made a mistake.
Abu `Ubayd said: And with two ba`s I saw it in the Imam. In all other copies of the Qur’an (tasthahi) with one “ha” (38)
7 - After finishing writing the Qur’an, the Imam reviews it with Zaid bin Thabit, then Uthman reviews it himself.
On the authority of Zayd ibn Thabit, who said: I lost a verse from Al-Ahzab when we copied the Mushaf. I used to hear the Messenger of God reciting it, so we looked for it and found it with Khuzaymah ibn Thabit Al-Ansari: “Among the believers are men true to what they promised God.” (39) So we included it in its surah in the Mushaf. (40)
This was Zayd’s first review, and it appears from the narrations that he reviewed it two more times, and the second showed the difference in The word (coffin), and the third did not reveal anything.
On the authority of Zaid bin Thabit, that when he heard: {Indeed, the sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you}, Zaid said: So I said: The Ark, so we took that to Uthman, so he wrote the Ark, then he presented it - meaning the Mushaf - another presentation, but I did not find anything in it, so Uthman sent to Hafsa to give him the scroll, and he swore to her that he would return the scroll to her, so she gave it to him, so I presented it. (41)
This trace indicates that the opposition to what Abu Bakr had collected was after the completion of writing the Imam’s copy of the Qur’an, for greater reassurance. This indicates that the established aspects of reading remained without any difference between the memorizers and scholars.
The Companions implemented these rules with the utmost precision, so they might have waited for someone who was absent and had some of the Qur’an for a period of time, so that they could verify what he had, even though those who were in charge of writing and dictation were memorizers and reciters.
On the authority of Malik bin Abi Amir, he said: I was among those to whom he dictated, and they might differ about a verse, and they would mention a man who had received it from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and perhaps he was absent or in some desert, so they would write what came before it and what came after it, and leave its location until he came, or it was sent to him. (42)
Then Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, ordered the copies of the Qur’an to be copied from the Imam’s copy, and sent to the provinces, which were later known as the Uthmanic copies of the Qur’an, and the discussion will revolve around them in the next chapter - God willing.
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(1) Al-Burhan fi Ulum al-Quran (1/235-236), and Al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Quran (1/171).
(2) Al-Fasl fi al-Milal wa al-Ahwa wa al-Nihal (2/212-213).
(3) Al-Tabyan fi Adab Hamalat al-Quran p. 96.
(4) Evidence of Prophethood and Knowledge of the Conditions of the Master of the Law (7/148).
(5) The Bright Planets, p. 21.
(6) Narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih: Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an, Chapter on the Collection of the Qur’an (8/626) Hadith 4987.
(7) Ar-Rab’ah: The perfumer’s jar, and the box of parts of the Mushaf. Al-Qamoos Al-Muhit (quarter) p. 929.
(8) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Book of the Mushafs, Chapter on the Collection of the Mushafs by Uthman, may God have mercy on him, p. 33. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir included it on the authority of Ibn Abi Dawud, and said: Its chain of transmission is sound. The Virtues of the Qur’an, p. 45.
(9) See Al-Burhan fi Ulum Al-Qur’an (1/238-239).
(10) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Book of the Mushafs, Chapter on the Collection of the Mushafs by Uthman, p. 30. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: With a sound chain of transmission. Fath Al-Bari (8/634).
(11) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Book of the Mushafs, Chapter on the Collection of the Mushafs by Uthman - the Qur’an in the Mushafs. (12) Narrated by Al-Bukhari in his
Sahih: Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an, Chapter on the Compilation of the Qur’an (8/626), Hadith 4987.
(13) Fath Al-Bari (8/625).
(14) Fath Al-Bari (8/625).
(15) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Book of the Mushafs, Chapter on Uthman’s Compilation of the Qur’an in the Mushafs, p. 26. See Fath Al-Bari (8/635).
(16) Surah Al-Baqarah, from verse 248.
(17) Narrated by Al-Tahawi in Ta’wil Mushkil Al-Athar, Chapter on the explanation of the problematic narrations narrated from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding his saying: The Qur’an was revealed in seven letters. (4/193).
(18) See Al-Burhan fi Ulum Al-Quran (1/235-236), and Al-Itqan fi Ulum Al-Quran (1/171).
(19) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Kitab Al-Masahif, Chapter: Uthman, may Allah have mercy on him, collected the Mushafs, p. 33, and Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir included it on the authority of Ibn Abi Dawud, and said: Its chain of transmission is sound. Fada’il Al-Quran, p. 45.
(20) See Nukat Al-Intisar li-Naql Al-Quran, pp. 387-388.
(21) Al-Nashr fi Al-Qira’at Al-‘Ashr (1/33).
(22) Surah Al-Baqarah, from verse 259.
(23) Al-Nashr fi Al-Qira’at Al-‘Ashr (2/231).
(24) Surah Yunus ?, from verse 30.
(25) Al-Nashr fi Al-Qira’at Al-‘Ashr (2/283).
(26) Surah Al-Humazah, verse 9.
(27) Al-Nashr fi Al-Qira’at Al-‘Ashr (2/403).
(28) Samir al-Talibin fi Rasm wa Datab al-Kitab al-Mubeen, by Sheikh Ali Muhammad al-Daba’, pp. 101-106. See also Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Mawrid al-Dhaman by Ibrahim al-Marghani al-Tunisi, pp. 436 and following.
(29) Manahil al-Irfan (1/259), and al-Kawakib al-Durriya, pp. 22-23.
(30) Surah Al-Baqarah, from verse 116.
(31) The Book of the Mushafs by Ibn Abi Dawood, p. 54, and Al-Nashr fi al-Qira’at al-‘Ashr (1/11), and Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Mawred al-Zaman, p. 442.
(32) Surah Al-Baqarah, from verse 132.
(33) The Book of the Mushafs by Ibn Abi Dawood, pp. 49, 51, 54, and Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Mawred al-Zaman, p. 442.
(34) Surah At-Tawbah, from verse 100.
(35) Al-Nashr fi al-Qira’at al-‘Ashr (1/11), and (2/280), and Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Mawred al-Zaman, p. 448, and The Book of the Mushafs by Ibn Abi Dawood, p. 57.
(36) From verse 71 of Surah Az-Zukhruf.
(37) Al-Nashr fi al-Qira’at al-‘Ashr (2/370), and Kitab al-Masahif by Ibn Abi Dawud, pp. 49, 53, 56.
(38) Sharh al-I’lan bi-Takmil Murud al-Zaman, pp. 455-456.
(39) Surat al-Ahzab, from verse 23.
(40) Narrated by al-Bukhari in Sahih, Book of the Virtues of the Qur’an, Chapter on Compiling the Qur’an (8/626), Hadith 4988.
(41) Narrated by Al-Tahawi in Ta’wil Mushkil Al-Athar, Chapter: Clarification of the problematic narrations narrated from the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, regarding his saying: The Qur’an was revealed in seven letters. (4/193).
(42) Narrated by Ibn Abi Dawud in Kitab Al-Masahif, Chapter: Uthman’s collection of the Qur’an in the Masahifs. p. 29.
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