Write on the Qur;ān from revelation to compilation.

Answer Details

The Qur'an passed through clear stages from its revelation to its final compilation into one book.

1. Revelation to the Prophet: The Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) through the angel Jibril, beginning in the cave of Hira' with the words Iqra' (Read) (Q.96:1-5). It came down gradually over about twenty-three years, in Makkah and Madinah, in response to events and the needs of the Muslims.
2. Memorisation: The Prophet himself memorised each portion and taught it to his companions, many of whom became huffaz (those who preserved the whole Qur'an by heart). Memorisation was the primary method of preservation.
3. Writing during the Prophet's lifetime: He appointed scribes, such as Zayd b. Thabit, to write down the revelations on parchment, palm leaves, flat stones, bones and leather. The Prophet directed where each verse and Surah was to be placed.
4. Compilation under Abu Bakr (R.A.): After many memorisers were killed at the Battle of Yamamah, 'Umar urged Abu Bakr to collect the Qur'an into one volume. Zayd b. Thabit gathered the scattered written pieces and verified them against the memory of the companions, accepting each verse only on strong evidence. The resulting manuscript (suhuf) was kept with Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then Hafsah.
5. Standardisation under 'Uthman (R.A.): As Islam spread, differences in recitation appeared. 'Uthman set up a committee under Zayd to produce standard copies from Hafsah's manuscript in the Quraysh dialect. Copies were sent to the main cities and all conflicting copies were burnt.

Through memorisation, careful writing and these two compilations, the Qur'an has been preserved unchanged, fulfilling Allah's promise: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian" (Q.15:9).