Assalamu aleikum. Note: [TOTM] = Translation of the Meaning
--- Transmission of the Revelation Thursday, 12 May, 2005 http://gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=36296&version=1&template_id=47&parent_id=27 Allah is the Protector of the Book Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has declared that He Himself will protect the Qur'an from any corruption or alterations: Verily it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (ie. the Qur'an) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption) [Surah Al-Hijr 15: 9] [TOTM]. This stands as an assurance from Allah to every person who reads the Qur'an. Allah also wished to make the task of recitation easy to Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and the following verse explains it: Move not thy tongue concerning (Qur'an) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and give you the ability to recite it: but when We have recited it, follow you its recital. [Surah Al-Qiyaamah, 75: 16-18] [TOTM]. But in the case of books of previous religions, this task was entrusted to the priests of those previous religions. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged the Jews by the Taurah after those prophets] for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book and they were witnesses thereto. [Surah Al-Maa'idah 5:44] [TOTM] The stages of transmission 1) Oral Transmission Through Memorisation and Recitation The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) himself was the first to commit a revelation to memory after the Angel Jibreel (`alaihi salaam) had brought it to him. When a Qur'anic verse(s) was revealed, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) declared the revelation and instructed his companions (radiallahu `anhum) to memorise it. There are numerous ahadith giving account of various efforts and measures taken by the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) to ensure that the revelation was preserved in the memory of his companions (radiallahu `anhum). Narrated Uthmaan bin Affaan (radiallahu `anhu): The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said: The most superior among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it. � Al-Bukhari. In order to safeguard the Qur'an from any alteration, Angel Jibreel (`alaihi salaam) used to review it with the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) in the nights of Ramadan. During the last year of the life of Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) angel Jibreel (`alaihi salaam) visited him to study the Qur'an twice. This was reported by Muslim. It is well known that the recital of the Qur'an during daily prayers is required and hence several hundreds of companions (radiallahu `anhum) repeatedly heard passages from the revelation, memorised them and used them in prayer. Ibn Mas'ood (radiallahu `anhu) was the first man after the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam), to publicly recite the Qur'an in Makkah, for which he was beaten by the kuffaar (disbelievers) of Makkah. This event shows that even in the very early phase of Islam, recital of the revelation from memory was practised by the companions (radiallahu `anhum). The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) also liked to listen to the recitation of the Qur'an by his companions (radiallahu `anhum). Abdullah bin Mas'ood (radiallahu `anhu) was asked by the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) to recite the Qur'an, and he started reciting Surah An-Nisa'. When he reached the verse, How (will it be) then when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people? [Surah An-Nisau 4:41] [TOTM] the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said "Stop", and his eyes were shedding tears. 2. Qur'anic Teachers and Readers The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) used to send teachers to communities in other places so that they might receive instruction in Islam and Qur'an. This was done even before the Hijrah. When these men (of the first pledge of `Aqaba) left (for Madina) the apostle sent with them Musa'ab bin Umair ...and instructed him to read the Qur'an to them and to teach them Islam and to give them instruction about religion. In Madina Musa'ab was called the reader. Report by Ibn Hisham. 3. Recording of Qur'anic manuscripts. When each passage of the Qur'an was received and recited by the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) it was immediately set down in writing by the scribes on any suitable object within reach such as the leaves of trees, pieces of wood, parchment or leather, flat stones, shoulder blades and so on. Thus it will be seen that the recording of the Qur'an was completed during the lifetime of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam)). This shows that in addition to memory in the minds of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and his companions (radiallahu `anhum), there were also written records kept for the benefit of future generations. 4. Collection of Scattered Manuscripts � During Abu Bakr's Period When Abu Bakr (radiallahu `anhu) became the Khaleefah, he sent orders to compile the Qur'an in a unified copy with all the ayaat and suwar (verses and chapters) arranged in the right order, in which they have already been memorised. He had a valid reason to do so. According to Imam Al-Bukhari, there were heavy casualties among the Qurraa (reciters of Qur'an) in the battle against Musaylimah, which took place in Yamamah. Abu Bakr (radiallahu `anhu) feared that there would be some more casualties in other places too and eventually a large part of the Qur'an may be lost this way. So he consulted Umar ibn al-Khattaab and Zaid bin Thaabit (radiallahu `anhumaa), to collect the Qur'an. The formidable task of collecting the Qur'an in one Mus-haf was entrusted to Zaid bin Thaabit (radiallahu `anhu), who was one of the official scribes of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and he was also present during the last recitation by the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) before his death. Zaid bin Thaabit (radiallahu `anhu) followed strict rules of procedure in the task of collection of Qur'an. 1. Zaid took only verses whose recitation had not been abrogated. 2. The selected text must be certified by two witnesses as having been the actual dictation of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam). 3. The text must have been transmitted by numerous persons (tawaatur) and must enjoy the consensus (Ijmaa') of the Muslim Ummah. 4. It must be in accordance with one of the modes of recitation in which the Qur'an was revealed. i.e. one of the seven modes. This manuscript on which the Qur'an was collected, and remained with Abu Bakr (radiallahu `anhu) till he passed away. Then it was kept with Umar (radiallahu `anhu) during his rule. Finally Umar (radiallahu `anhu) passed the Qur'an to Hafsah his daughter (radiallahu `anha) who was also the wife of Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam). 5. Copies. During the Khilaafah of Uthmaan Ibn Affaan (radiallahu `anhu) the Islamic state spread immensely and the Qur'anic reciters went to different regions with different modes of reading. So differences in reading the Qur'an became obvious in these regions. Uthmaan (radiallahu `anhu) borrowed the suhuf (pages) of Abu Bakr (radiallahu `anhu), that was kept with Hafsah (radiallahu `anha) and gave directives for the preparation of a standard copy that would be sent to all the regions. The Order To Collect According to Anas Ibn Maalik (radiallahu `anhu): People of Syria and the people of Iraq were waging expeditions to conquer Armenia and Azerbaijan. Hudhayfah Ibn al-Yaman who was afraid of the difference in recitation (of people of Sham and Iraq) of the Qur'an, came to Uthmaan bin Affaan and said, "O commander of the faithful! Save the nation before they differ about the book (Qur'an) as the Jews and Christians did before." So Uthmaan (radiallahu `anhu) sent a message to Hafsah (radiallahu `anha) saying: "Send us the manuscripts of the Qur'an so that we may compile the Qur'anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you." When Hafsah (radiallahu `anha) sent it to Uthmaan (radiallahu `anhu), he ordered Zaid bin Thaabit, Abdullah Ibn Zubair, Sa'eed Ibn al-Aas and Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Haarith Ibn Hisham (radiallahu `anhum) to re-write the manuscripts in perfect copies. Uthmaan (radiallahu `anhu) said to the three Quraishi men, "In case you disagree with Zaid Ibn Thaabit on any point, then write it in the dialect of Quraish as the Qur'an was revealed in their tongue." They did so, and when they had written many copies, Uthmaan (radiallahu `anhu) returned the original manuscripts to Hafsah (radiallahu `anha). Uthmaan (radiallahu `anhu) sent every Muslim province one copy of what they have copied and ordered that all the other Qur'anic materials whether written on fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies be burnt. Thus Abu Bakr (radiallahu `anhu) made one single copy from various verbal and written material. Uthmaan (radiallahu `anhu) made several copies prepared from this copy and sent them to various places in the Muslim world. May Allah have mercy upon and be pleased with each and every one of them, ameen. Next week insha Allah: The difference between Qur'an and Hadith, and other related topics http://gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=36296&version=1&template_id=47&parent_id=27 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Would you Help a Child in need? It is easier than you think. 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