The initial compilation of the Quran
The Quran was not formally gathered into one complete book during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). While the verses of the Quran were revealed over a span of 23 years and written down by various scribes using available materials such as parchment, bones, and palm leaves, there was no concerted effort to compile these writings into a single, unified text. The sporadic nature of the revelations and the various materials used for writing necessitated later efforts to standardize the Quranic text.
During the caliphate of Abu Bakr, he allowed two significant actions concerning the Quran: the compilation of the Quran into one book and the permission for Sahabas to keep their personal copies, which often included notes and interpretations. This initial compilation under Abu Bakr’s caliphate laid the groundwork for the preservation of the Quranic text but still permitted personal variations among the Sahabas’ copies.
During the caliphate of Uthman, a more formal and comprehensive effort was undertaken to standardize the Quran. Uthman formed an official committee led by Zaid ibn Thabit to produce a standardized version of the Quran. This standardized text was then sent to new Muslim territories that were expanding under Islamic rule. The official copies of the standardized Quran were meant to be taught and disseminated throughout the Muslim lands, ensuring consistency and preventing errors in oral recitation. This was particularly important as many Sahabas traveled during wars and sought to teach the Quran to new converts in distant lands.
The personal copies of the Quran that the Sahabas kept were not necessarily free from errors, as they were subject to mistakes in writing. The efforts of the formal scribes during the Prophet’s lifetime were dispersed and not initially compiled into one text. Uthman’s standardization effort addressed these concerns by creating a single, authoritative version of the Quran, thereby preserving its integrity and accuracy for future generations.
Role of written preservation
The role of written preservation of the Quran is primarily supportive to the role of oral preservation. While written records provide a tangible, textual reference for the Quranic verses, they serve principally as a complementary measure to the more robust and reliable method of oral transmission.
Written preservation is considered only supportive because there is no divine guarantee that every scribe who penned the Quran did so without error. Historical evidence indicates that minor mistakes could and did occur during the writing process. These errors in the written copies necessitate a stronger, more error-free method of preserving the Quran—its oral recitation.
Oral preservation, by contrast, is deemed free from such human errors that may arise in writing. The tradition of memorizing and orally transmitting the Quran, which has been practiced rigorously and meticulously across generations, provides an additional layer of accuracy. This method ensures that the Quran’s verses are preserved in their exact form, as originally revealed, thus underscoring the primary and superior role of oral preservation in maintaining the integrity of the Quran.