A Simple Guide to ISLAM
The Qur’an
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In 632 A.D. when the Prophet died at the age of 63 years, the
Qur’an existed in two forms: one, in the memory of the several
thousand companions, since they repeated the Qur’an daily on
different occasions, having learned it by rote in what is now its
present order; two, in writing—on pieces of paper and other
materials used for writing in those days. These scriptures were
preserved by the companions. Although not in their present order,
all the parts of the Qur’an existed at that time in written form.
After the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr Siddiq was appointed the
first caliph. It was during his caliphate that the compilation of the
Qur’an was carried out. Zaid ibn Thabit, the Prophet’s foremost
scribe, and an authority on the Qur’an was entrusted with this task.
His work was more a process of collection than of compilation.
That is, the scattered bits and pieces of the Qur’an in written form
were collected by him, not so that they could be assembled and
bound in one volume, but so that they could be used to verify the
authenticity of the Qur’an as memorized by countless individuals
and passed on in oral tradition. Once this exact correspondence
between the oral and written forms of the Qur’an had been
established beyond any doubt, Zaid proceeded to put the verses of
the Qur’an down on paper in their correct order. The volume he
produced was then handed over to the caliph, and this remained in
the custody of the Prophet’s wife, Hafsa. The third caliph Osman
arranged for several copies of this text to be sent to all the states
and placed in central mosques where the people could prepare
further copies.
