Islamiyat · Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 21 · Question 4

under ‘Uthman.

Use the AO1 Levels of Response.

Candidates in this answer need to write about how, after the Battle of Yamama (632) in which many huffaz were martyred, ‘Umar feared losing the Qur’an. His persuasion of Abu Bakr to compile it, Abu Bakr’s reservations and eventual agreement, and the appointment of Zayd ibn Thabit and Zayd’s collection process need to be given. A quote from Zayd when he was asked to compile the Qur’an and Umar’s help with the compilation are all facts that can be added for further development of the answer.

Details of how the compiled copy of the Qur’an was given to Hafsa after Umar’s death, and so came to be called mushaf Hafsa, can also be given by candidates.

By the time of ‘Uthman’s caliphate the Islamic empire had expanded greatly, and people were reciting the Qur’an in their own dialect. Huzayfa bin al- Yaman when returning from battle in Azerbaijan in 645 alerted the Caliph of this issue (details can be added here). He asked the Caliph to make a unified text so that the Qur’an would be read by all in the same way, avoiding any disunity and differences in its recitation.

After consultation with the shura ‘Uthman asked for the Mushaf from Hafsa and appointed Zayd to head a team of scribes to copy the Mushaf. Names of the other scribes, how long it took them to copy it, and the dialect in which it was written etc. need to be given for this compilation. That 4 more copies were made from ‘Uthman’s copy for the 4 points of the compass could be added to the development of the answer.

In your opinion, what were the benefits of a written Qur’an to Muslims in

the time of the two compilations and today.

Use the AO2 Levels of Response.

It could be said that Abu Bakr and ‘Uthman’s compilations of the Qur’an prevented the possibility of different versions of the Qur’an evolving over time and helped preserve the Qur’an at the time of their caliphates in its pure form. The compiled Qur’an thus became standardised, eliminating the possible danger of any change or mistake occurring in the text in the future. Later, as Islam spread, a written Qur’an became accessible to Muslims across the world and was beneficial to those who could not memorise the Qur’an by heart.

A compiled Qur’an made it easier to translate it into different languages in latter times. Today because the Qur’an is in the written form it is easily available to all and can be accessed online as well.

All valid answers to be credited.