Highlight the preservation of the Qur;an in the early days of Islam.

Answer Details

The Qur'an was carefully preserved in the early days of Islam through several complementary means.

1. Memorisation by the Prophet: Each time revelation came, the Prophet (S.A.W.) committed it to memory. Jibril used to rehearse the whole of what had been revealed with him every Ramadan, and twice in the final year of his life.
2. Memorisation by the Companions: The Prophet taught the verses to his companions, who learnt them by heart. Many became huffaz, such as Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, Ubayy b. Ka'b, Zayd b. Thabit, Ibn Mas'ud and Abu ad-Darda'. Memorisation was the strongest guarantee of preservation.
3. Writing down of the revelation: The Prophet appointed scribes who wrote each revelation as it came, on parchment, palm leaves, flat stones, bones, leather and pottery. He indicated the exact Surah and position of every verse.
4. Teaching and daily recitation: The Qur'an was recited constantly in the five daily prayers and taught in circles of learning, so it circulated widely among the believers and was fixed in their memories.
5. Verification: The companions cross-checked their memorised and written portions with one another and with the Prophet, ensuring accuracy.
6. Suhuf preserved after the Prophet: Under Abu Bakr, the scattered writings were gathered by Zayd b. Thabit into a single manuscript kept with the Caliphs, which later served as the basis for 'Uthman's standard copies.

Through simultaneous memorisation and writing, the Qur'an was preserved intact from the earliest days, fulfilling Allah's promise to guard it (Q.15:9).