Islamiyat · May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Question 2

Write about the ways in which Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman were involved in the compilation and preservation of the Qur’an.

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Candidates may include some of the following information. All other relevant information must be credited.

During the time of the Prophet (pbuh) the Qur’an was written on pieces of animal skin and on parts of bone but mainly was memorised by the companions. During Abu Bakr’s caliphate, many companions who had memorised the Qur’an died at the Battle of Yamama.

‘Umar, worried that the words of the Qur’an would be lost due to companions dying of old age or in battle, he suggested to Abu Bakr that the Qur’an should be compiled into one book. Abu Bakr hesitated saying that he could not do something the Prophet (pbuh) had not done; he eventually agreed and called Zayd ibn Thabit to collect all the verses that had been written. Zayd was a hafiz himself, yet he only included a verse into the master copy once he had verified its authenticity. ‘Umar was part of the process of collecting parts of the mushaf from companions.

The verses were written in the order that the Prophet (pbuh) had given, but the suras were written on separate sheets. This copy was verified by the committee and was kept with Abu Bakr during his lifetime, after which it passed to ‘Umar, and then to ‘Umar’s daughter Hafsa.

During ‘Umar’s caliphate, he took steps to ensure the Qur’an was taught and memorised to ensure it was not corrupted.

During ‘Uthman’s time as caliph, Islam had spread to other areas. Hudhaifa reported to ‘Uthman that people were reciting the Qur’an in a different dialect in different parts. ‘Uthman summoned Zayd and with other companions they set about copying the original suhuf of Hafsa. ‘Uthman then checked and approved the final version. More copies of this were made. This new copy was sent around the various provinces of the expanding Muslim world. He ordered for any other copies to be collected and burnt. For this he is known as ‘Jami al-Qur’an’.

What is the significance for Muslims to have the Qur’an written in the form of a book?

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The Qur’an in written form helps Muslims all over the world to have a uniform text. Even those who do not speak Arabic can read it and get the rewards. Muslims can read and understand the teachings.

A Muslim does not need to be a hafiz to study and read the Qur’an, as the Qur’anic text has become available to everyone.

They can refer to specific passages with ease and being in a book they can carry it with them wherever they go. It becomes more accessible as a book. The availability of the written form allows the Qur’an to be accessed online, which gives Muslims another way to easily read the Qur’an as well as being able to search for verses.