Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

The Holy Quran was compiled in form of written recordafter the death of Prophet Mohammad ( PBUH ).

In this regard i have following questions:

1)    Were any relevations left out or missed.

2)      Why was the book not compiled during the lifespan of Prophet ( PBUH ).

3)      In the verse "Alif Lam Mim..Zaalik al kitab.." which when translated means - This Book. Was the book being refered is Holy Quran. But at that time it was not in form of book.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Compilation of quran

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Statement: The Holy Quran was compiled in form of written record after the death of Prophet Mohammad ( PBUH)

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.201 Narrated by Zaid bin Thabit Al Ansari

Hadrat Zaid (r.a.) who was one of those who used to write the Divine Revelation said: ‘Abu Bakr sent for me after the (heavy) casualties among the warriors (of the battle) of Yamama (where a great number of Qurra' were killed). Umar was present with Abu Bakr who said, "Umar has come to me and said, 'The people have suffered heavy casualties on the day of (the battle of) Yamama, and I am afraid that there will be more casualties among the Qurra' (those who know the Qur'an by heart) at other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Qur'an may be lost, unless you collect it (in a manuscript). And I am of the opinion that you should collect the Qur'an.'" Abu Bakr added, "I said to 'Umar, 'How can I do something which Allah's Prophet (saws) has not done?' 'Umar said (to me), 'By Allah, it is (really) a good thing.' So 'Umar kept on pressing, trying to persuade me to accept his proposal, till Allah opened my bosom for it and I had the same opinion as 'Umar." (Zaid bin Thabit added:) 'Umar was sitting with him (Abu Bakr) and was not speaking. Abu Bakr said (to me), "You (Zaid) are a wise young man and we do not suspect you (of telling lies or of forgetfulness): and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah's Prophet (saws). Therefore, look for the Quran and collect it (in one manuscript)." By Allah, if he (Abu Bakr) had ordered me to shift one of the mountains (from its place) it would not have been harder for me than what he had ordered me concerning the collection of the Quran. I said to both of them, "How dare you do a thing which the Prophet (saws) has not done?" Abu Bakr said, "By Allah, it is (really) a good thing." So I kept on arguing with him about it till Allah opened my bosom for that which He had opened the bosoms of Abu Bakr and Umar. So I started locating Quranic material and collecting it from parchments, scapula, leaf-stalks of date palms and from the memories of men (who knew it by heart).

The manuscript on which the Quran was collected, remained with Abu Bakr till Allah took him unto Him, and then with 'Umar till Allah took him unto Him, and finally it remained with Hafsa, Umar's daughter.

It would not be accurate to say that the Quran was only written after the death of the Prophet (saws). The truth is that the Glorious Quran was very much documented during the very life-time of the Prophet (saws), for whenever an Ayaah or Surah was revealed, the scribes appointed by the Prophet (saws) would immediately document the Revelations verbatim from the Prophet (saws). The Messenger of Allah (saws) had appointed specific scribes, who would immediately document the Revelations as soon as they were revealed to the Prophet (saws) on partchments, scapula, leaf-stalks, etc.; and besides scores of the noble companions had secured the Glorious Quran to their memories.

After the death of Prophet Mohamed (saws) the need arose to document the Glorious Quran in a Book form, a process which was started during the reign of Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.) and completed during the reign of Hadrat Uthmaan (r.a.).

Q-1: Were any relevations left out or missed.

The Glorious Quran that we have amongst us today is the exact verbatim and complete Revelation which the Lord Most High Revealed on Prophet Mohamed (saws). Leave alone a verse been left out or missed, not even one alphabet is left out, or missed, or misplaced from its original revelation! The authenticity of the Glorious Quran is guaranteed by none other than the Lord Most High Himself:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 75 Surah Qiyaamah verses 17-18:

(O Prophet) It is upto Us to have it (the Quran) collected and read! Therefore, when We are reciting it, listen to its recital carefully.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 15 Surah Al Hijr verse 9:

It is We (Allah), Who has sent down this Quran, and We will assuredly guard it (against corruption).

Q-2: Why was the book not compiled during the lifespan of Prophet ( PBUH ).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verse 32:

32 Those who reject Faith say: "Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once?" Thus (is it revealed) that We (Allah) may strengthen thy (O Prophet (saws)) heart thereby, and We have rehearsed it to thee in slow well-arranged stages gradually.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) had appointed specific scribes who were commanded to document the Quran as soon as it was revealed over a period of 23 years; and scores of the noble companions had secured the Glorious Quran to their memories.

It is only after the death of the Prophet (saws), when a number of the ‘qurra’ or memorizers of the Quran were martyred in the Battle of Yamamah, the need arose to document the Quran in a single book form for the use of future generations.

Q-3: In the verse "Alif Lam Mim..Zaalik al kitab.." which when translated means - This Book. Was the book being refered is Holy Quran. But at that time it was not in form of book.

Although Allah Subhanah has often referred to the Quran as a ‘Kitaab’ in His Revelations, it is indeed true that when the verse you have quoted from Surah Al-Baqarah was revealed, the Quran was not available in a Book form.

But if truth be told, in the Arabic language ‘zaalika’ actually means ‘that’….the term used for ‘this’ in the Arabic language is ‘haadha’. Thus the actual and correct translation of the term ‘zaalikal kitaab’ should read ‘that book’ and not ‘this book’.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan