Omar HH
10-04-2006, 09:41 PM
Preservation of the Qur'an by Shaykh Abu Ammar
In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful
How the Qur`an was complied.
Allah sent prophets to the different places of the world and at different times. He sent them for the guidance of humanity. He also revealed books upon them so they may use it to guide the people on the straight path. Some prophets came to guide people in a certain area or city, country etc. That is why their message was only for their area and for that period of time. When the human race progressed and reached the furthest parts of the world it was needed for such a prophet that would be able to guide the entire world. That is why Allah sent our beloved prophet Muhammad to guide the whole world. He was the last prophet and no prophet will come after him. Allah gave our beloved prophet, in the form of book his last revelation; the Holy Qur`an in which He mentioned everything. Many of the earlier revelations got lost and many were changed by the people but the Qur`an is unique as Allah has taken the responsibility to see to that no harm comes to it. Allah says:
‘We have sent down this Qur`an and we most surely are its guardian’ [Surah Al Hijr Verse 9]
‘There is no approach of falsehood to it either from before or from brhind it’ [Surah Al Sadah Verse 42]
To this day the Qur`an has its original form as from when it was revealed. The Qur`an has not been altered with and will not be altered with. It will keep its original form as from when it was revealed.
When the Qur`an was revealed through the angel Jibraeel, he would tell the prophet where to write the revelation down. The prophet had many of his companions who would write down the Qur`an and they were called the writers of the Qur`an. These writers would only write the Qur`an. The prophet would call his writers and tell them the latest revelation. Until the latest revelation had not been written Jibraeel would stay. When they finished writing it and had memorized it by heart Jibraeel would leave.
The Qur`an would be looked after in three ways. One it would be written down by the special writers. Two it would be memorized. And three it would be written down by other companions who would keep their own copies of the Qur`an. When a new revelation would come the prophet would tell them and they would write it down. When they had finished writing the prophet would ask them to read what they had written. If anyone had any mistakes in their writing the prophet would correct them.
Like this the Qur`an was first revealed to the prophet he passed it to his companions he asked them to write it and memorize it. They then passed it to the Tab`ee they asked them to write it and memorize it. They passed it to the Taba Tab`ee etc. That is how the Qur`an was passed generation to generation. This is how we received the Qur`an from the prophets time until now. Whatever is written in it is the truth and it has not been altered with. The Qur`an reached us through Mutawatur. The definition of Mutawatur is continuous. If a large number of people have given evidence of a certain subject, to call that subject wrong would be almost be impossible. For example: The Ka`bah is in Makkah, The prophets resting place is in Madina and the Dome of the Rock is in Jerusalem. To disagree with these statements would be impossible because they are all facts.
Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq writes that when any part of the Qur`an was revealed, first the prophet would recite it in a gathering of male men and then in a gathering of female women.
[Maghazi Muhammad bin Ishaq with ref from Khutbate Bahawalpur by Dr. Hameedullah]
As a result of writing the Qur`an, many thousands had learnt the Qur`an by Heart. They were not just males but also females.
Many people doubt on how the Qur`an was compiled. They say that when Allah revealed the Qur`an to the prophet at that time the Qur`an was not compiled as a book and was not compiled in order. The revelation came and was written somewhere and that is how the Qur`an was compiled. When the kilafah of Abu Bakr came many Companions were martyred. So the other companions realized that they must collect the Qur`an but in order. Abu Bakr gave Zaid bin Sabit the duty of collecting the Qur`an. That is how the Qur`an was collected in order. After approximately 25 years in the kilafah of Uthman the Qur`an was rechecked copied and was distributed around the world in the form of a book. They believe that is how the Qur`an was compiled.
This means that when the prophet left this world he did not have any thought of compiling the Qur`an. After His death people put the Qur`an in their own order.
If so how can it be that in the prophets time people wrote the Qur`an down as we do today and they also memorized the Qur`an as we memorize it today. Inshallah we will prove this further in the article.
The reasons that are given for the prophet not compiling the Qur`an are that:
Firstly the prophet did not collect the Qur`an because at that time people were mostly illiterate they could not read or write.
Secondly at that time paper was unavailable so there was nothing to write on.
Thirdly when Allah would reveal a verse he would reveal it one by one. Allah would then change his command in the verse after a short period of time. If the prophet kept writing them down there would be a lot of confusion amongst the people.
That is why the prophet was unable to write the Qur`an. Even if he had it written from someone else that was only one copy and it was not in the correct order. These are the three doubts that are brought up by some people. We will prove these are wrongs further in the article in detail Inshallah.
There is one thing to remember about these objections. At one side they say that the prophet used to write the Qur`an down. On the other side they say there was no one or nothing to write it on. If there was no one who could write, who could write it then? If there was no paper available what did they write it on? And if the verses were changed there are still to this day many verses that are cancelled out by other verses of the Qur`an. We will Inshallah prove further in the article that the prophet did compile the Qur`an in his lifetime, put it in order of verse and also prove that the Qur`an is the same today as it was in the prophets time. We will also discuss the collecting of the Qur`an in Abu Bakrs Kilafah and prove it is weak. Inshallah.
Proof of writers
There were writers in the prophets time and the Qur`an was written by them on parchments. Also the writers were not only males but also females.
Muhammad bin Ishaq narrates that Umar Ibn al Khattab set out on the thought of killing the prophet. He was told on the way of his mission, that his sister and his brother in law have both embraced Islam, He should first see to them. When Umar reached there He heard something being recited. Umar asked to be shown what they were reading. He was showed some verses of the Qur`an that were written on a parchment.
[Maghazi Muhammad bin Ishaq
Chap Umar embracing Islam]
This proves that the Qur`an was written in the time of the prophet and that people had it written individually.
Imam Abu Daood writes that Shifaa bint Abdullah says that one day the prophet came to my house. The wife of the prophet Hafsa was next to me. The prophet asked me why have you not told her the cure to disease from recitation as you told her how to write.
[Abu Daood Chap Tibb]
Imam Ibn Saad writes that before the prophet there were some people who already knew how to write. When they embraced Islam the prophet gave many of them the duty of writing the Qur`an. Some of them were:
Abu As bin Heera, Abi Saad bin Rabee, Shahar bin Saad, Abdullah bin Zaid, Aus bin Khaulah, Munzir bin Amar, Usaid bin Ghuzair, Saad bin Ubadah and Rafe bin Malik.
These were those people who knew how to write before Islam.
[Tabaqaat Ibn Saad Biography of above]
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr writes that the prophet had given different people the duty of writing. Some of them were people who would write the Qur`an as it was revealed and some were those who wrote letters for the prophet to kings leaders etc. People who had the duty of writing for the prophet were:
Ubay bin Qaab, Zaid bin Sabit, Abdullah bin Saad, Abu Bakr, Umar Ibn Al Khattab, Uthman Ibn Affan, Ali Ibn Ali Talib, Zubair bin Nawaam, Khalid, Abban, Saeed, Hanzala, Ulaa, Khalid bin Waleed, Abdullah bin Rawah, Muhammad bin Salma, Abdullah bin Abdullah bin Ubay, Mugheera bin Shobah, Amar bin Aas, Muaaveyah bin Sufyaan, Ibn Sulat, Maekeeb bin Fatimah, Shurjail bin Hasnah, Abdullah bin Rakab.
[Al Istiyaab Biography of Ubay bin Qaab
By Imam Ibn Abdul Barr]
Hafiz Ibn katheer writes that the writers of the prophet were:
Abban, Ubay bin Qaab, Arkam bin Abi Al Arkam, Sabit bin Kais, Hanzala bin Rabeeh, Khalid bin Saeed, Khalid bin Waleed, Zubair bin Awaam, Zaid bin Sabit, Asjal, Saad bin Abi Sarah, Amir bin Farhah, Abdullah bin Arkam, Abdullah bin Zaid Abdullah in Saad Abdullah bin Usman, Ulah bin Harzami, Muhammad bin Salma, Muaaveyah bin Sufyaan, Mugheerah bin Shubah.
[Tareekh Ibn Katheer Seerah tun Nabi
chap writers of the prophet by Hafiz Ibn Katheer]
This narration proves that in the time of the prophet people knew how to write and the prophet had appointed them for writing and it is wrong to say that people did not know how to write.
Proof of parchments being available in the Qur`an
Allah says in the Qur`an:
‘We had sent down on you a book written on paper’
[Surah Al Anaam Verse 7]
‘Say you, who has sent down that book which was brought by Moses a light and guidance for the people, of which you have made separate papers to show and much of it you conceal’
[Surah Al Anaam Verse 91]
From the above verses it proves that when the Qur`an was revealed paper was available.
Imam Qurtabi writes the Jews had their scripture written on different pieces of the paper and when someone came to see the scripture, they would take any one of the scriptures and show the person. Any they wanted to hide they would not show it. The above verse was revealed for them. The scholars say that it is not permissible to write the Qur`an on different papers.
[Tafsir Al Qurtabi under Surah Al Anaam Verse 91
by Imam Qurtabi]
From the statement of Imam Qurtabi it proves that to write the Qur`an in different places is not permissible, so how could the prophet write the Qur`an in different places. Surely the prophet had the Qur`an in the form of a book and the name of the book was Imam. It was kept in a special box by a special pillar in the prophets mosque. This will be written in detail further in the article.
Proof writing of the Qur`an
Proof that the Qur`an was Written in the time of the prophet.
Imam Bukhari writes when the verse ‘Laa yas tawil Kaaedoon’ was revealed the prophet said call Zaid before me. Zaid was one of the writers of the Qur`an. When Zaid came he had with him his ink and his board and the prophet asked him to write this verse down.
[Bukhari Chap Kaatib un Nabi by Imam Bukhari]
Imam Haysami writes that Umme Salma said that when Jibraeel would come with a verse, He would tell the prophet where to write this. The prophet would call one of his writers and would ask them to write that verse down.
[Majma Uzawaid vol 7 page 157]
Imam Dhabi writes Zaid bin Sabit said that we use to sit with the prophet and write the Qur`an on parchments.
[Talkhees Mustadarak, Fath ul Bari,
Al Itqaan chap Jam ul Qur`an
by Imam Dhabi Ibn Hajr Asqalani
and Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayooti]
Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayooti said that all of the Muslim Ummah agrees that the Qur`ans verses order was given by the prophet.
Uthman Ibn Affan said that when any verse of the Qur`an was revealed, the prophet would call for one of his writers and ask them to write the revealed verse in a specific place in the Qur`an.
Imam Ahmad writes [from the expectable chain of Hasan] that Uthman Ibn Abi Al Aas says that I was sitting in the presence of the prophet. Suddenly He raised his eyes up as if someone was sitting in front of him. Then He raised his eyes back down and then said: Jibraeel just came to me and commanded me to put the verse 90 of Surah Nahl in this Surah Nahl. Uthman Ibn abi Al Aas raised a question to the prophet and the prophet replied that the answer to your question is in the last verse of surah Nisa.
Hafiz Ibn Hajr writes that Allah gave the order of the Qur`an to the prophet. Just as the Qur`an was revealed that is how the prophet was told order it.
Qazi Abu Bakr said that when Jibraeel brought the revelation, He would tell the prophet to have this written in a certain place. That is how the Qur`an was put in order exactly as Allah revealed it. This is also why we have the Qur`an in the same form the time of the prophet. The Qur`an we have today is in the same order as it is in Lawhe ??Mahfuz?? and in the same order as the prophet used to recite it in. It is also in the same order from that the prophet used to recite it to Jibraeel in the moth of Ramadan as ??Wird??.
Imam Bahaiqi writes in his book Mudkhal that in the era of the prophet the Surah of the Qur`an and verses had already been ordered and is in the same order as the prophet was given by Allah.
[Al Itkaan Chap Jum ul Qur`an
by Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayuti]
Imam Bukhari and Muslim write that Yazeed bin Ubaid said that I saw Salma bin Akwa come to the prophets Mosque for prayer. He tried to stand as close as possible to the pillar where the Qur`an was kept. I asked him about his action. He replied that I saw the prophet try and pray close to this pillar.
[Muslim Bukhari Chap Salaat ul Ustuwaana]
Note: It is interesting to know that in Imam Bukharis famous book of Hadeeth there are only 22 hadeeth that have a chain of only three men. These are called Salaseate Bukhari. The chain is of Imam Bukhari, Imam Bukharis teacher, Imam Bukharis teachers teacher and then the prophet. Most Hadeeth have chains of 4, 5, 6,7 or 8 people. The above-mentioned Hadeeth is one of the twenty-two that have a chain of three people. These are categorized as Salas ate Bukhari.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes in the sharah of this hadeeth it shows that in the prophets Mosque there was a special place in which the Qur`an was kept.
Imam Bukhari writes this Hadeeth as it is but Imam Muslim writes that there was special box where the Qur`an was kept and this box was kept close to the pillar.
[Fath ul Bari Chap Salaat ul Ustuwaana
by Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani]
I Abu Ammar have many different copies of Imam Muslims book but all have the Hadeeth of Salma that they used to pray there but there is no mention of the box. This proves that the copy of Imam Muslims book that Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani had must have some mention of the box. That is why they wrote this. Otherwise the book of Imam Muslim today does not mention the box.
From the above narrations it proves that in the time of the prophet the Qur`an was written under the supervision of the prophet and it was written in the prophets time. It was written as Allah told Jibraeel and as Jibraeel told it to the prophet. It also proves that the prophet gave the order of the Qur`an during His time and that He had it written down in the same order as we have it today.
Huffaze Qur`an
In the Islamic tradition a Hafiz is a person who has memorized the Qur`an by heart. It is the miracle of the Qur`an that, it is the only book of revelation in the world which can be memorized by heart. At present there are millions of people who know the Qur`an by heart. Small children learn the Qur`an by heart. These days it is difficult to find someone who has memorized the Bible!
In the month of Ramadan, people who have memorized the Qur`an lead a special prayer which is called the Trawi. In the Trawi the whole Qur`an is recited. Like this there is another tradition, which is known as Shabeenah. In this the Hafiz sits and recites the Qur`an by heart aloud and the listeners open their Qur`ans and follow. Like this the whole Qur`an is recited. Subhanallah the Qur`an is the only book which can be memorized by heart. Today people memorize the Qur`an and they did from the beginning. When people memorized it in the prophet’s time they did not just memorize it but they also wrote it down. They were not just males but there were also females who memorized the Qur`an.
When there was English rule over India an English man came to Shah Waliullah Dehlvi. He spoke to Shah Waliullah Dehlvi about the Qur`an. The man said to him if we were to destroy all the copies of the Qur`an in India and in all other Muslim populated areas what will become of your religion? Shah Waliullah replied the first thing is that it is not possible that you do this because Allah has said that I will see that no harm comes to the Qur`an and you will not be able to collect the Qur`an anyway. Shah Waliullah then called a boy near who was sitting nearby. He said if it is possible than this 10 year old boy knows all the Qur`an by heart like many other millions. If you destroy these people will be able to rewrite the Qur`an.
Another interesting point is that people who memorize the Qur`an need the a written copy of the Qur`an so they may memorize each and every verse. Anyone who tries to memorize the Qur`an without a written copy or without a copy that is in order, will not be successful. It is another miracle of the Qur`an that thousands blind people have also memorized the Qur`an. A seeing person who is memorizing the Quran help a blind person along side himself. In this way the blind person can memorize the Qur`an within 4 or 5 years.
Most of the companions of the prophet had memorized the Qur`an. This was because they had the Qur`an written and in order.
List of the Huffaze Qur`an
[Names of the Hafize Qur`an in the prophets time]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani and Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayooti write the following names of the Hafize Qur`an in the prophets time:
Abdullah Bin Masood, Salum, Ma aaz, Ubay Bin Qaab, Zaid Bin Sabit, Abu Zaid, Abu Zarda, Abu Bakr, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Abdullah bin Umar, Ubadah bin Samid, Abu Ayyub Ansari, Uthman Ibn Affan, Tamim Dari, Mujammah bin Jariah, Saad bin Ubaid, Ubaid bin Muaaveyah, Umar Ibn Al Khattab, Saad, Huzaifah, Abu Hurairah, Abdullah bin Saad, Abdullah bin Zubair, Abdullah bin Abbas, Aisha, Hafsa, Umme Salma, Fadwalah bin Ubaid, Muslimah bin Mukhlid, Uqba bin Aamir, Abu Musashiri, Ubadullah, Kais bin Sasa, Saad bin Al Munzir, Amar ibn Aas, Abu Haleemah, Umme Warqah, Saad bin Ubadah,
Hazrat Abu Bakr had a very good voice. That is why the prophet asked him to lead the prayer near to the prophets death. This was because He had the best voice. Islam says that the person with the best voice should lead the prayer.
Abdullah bin Umar used to recite a whole Qur`an in one night. When the prophet found out he said that you should finish one Qur`an in one month.
All above mentioned are people who memorized the Qur`an. in the prophets time.
[Fathul Bari Al Itqaan Chap Qurrah wal Huffaz
by Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani and
Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayuti]
All above mentioned were Hafize Qur`an. These above mentioned
names are not just in Fathul Bari or Al Itqaan but they are in all the
book of Al Jarhu Watadeel [Biographies of Companions, Ta`bee,
Taba Ta`bee, and other Narrators of Hadeeth] mentioned as
Huffaz.
A lady Hafizah
In the prophets time and after the prophets time there were many Hafizah [women who had memorized the Qur`an]. One of them was Umme Warqah. She had a very interesting story that is why I am writing it.
Umme Warqah was one of the companions of the prophet. She was also a Hafizah. When the prophet set out for the war of Badr, Umme Warqah asked permission from the prophet to go to war so She may nurse the wounded or be martyred and have the status of a martyr. The prophet said if you stay home and you will have the status of a martyr. From then onwards she was known as shaheedah. When people went to visit her they used to say lets go and visit Mother Shaheedah. Time went by when the Khilafah of Umar came, his two slaves martyred Umme Warqah during the night, When people found out they said Subhanallah what the prophet said came true. Hazrat Umar killed both of them read their funeral and finally buried the slaves.
[Tabaqaat Ibn Saad, Usdul Ghabah, Al Asabah
by Imam Ibn Saad, Imam Ibn Atheer
and Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani
Biography of Umme Warqah.]
Compilers of the Qur`an
Imam Bukhari writes that Ans bin Malik reported that in the prophets time only 4 members of the Ansar helped compile the Qur`an. Their names are as follows:
Ubay bin Qaab, Ma Aaz bin Jabal, Zaid bin Sabit and Abu Zayd.
In another narration Abu Zardahs name is also mentioned.
[Bukhari Chap Qurrah By Imam Bukahri]
Imam Ibn Saad writes that Imam Aamir Shabi reports that the people who compiled the Qur`an in the prophets time names are as follows:
Ubay bin Qaab, Ma Aaz bin Jabal, Abu Zardah, Zaid bin Sabit, Abu Zaid, Saad bin Ubaid, Mujammah bin Jariah, Uthman Ibn Affan, Tamim Dari, Ubadah bin Sabit, Abu Ayyub Ansari.
[Tabaqaat Ibn Saad Chap Jam e Ane Qur`an]
The names that Imam Ibn Saad mentioned above are not only mentioned by Ibn saad but also mentioned by other scholars of Hadeeth in their biography. Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes in his book Al Asabah, Tahzeeb Atahzeeb and Fathul Bari. Imam Ibn Atheer writes in Usdul Ghabah. Imam Ibn Abdul Barr writes in Istiyaab. Imam Bukhari has mentioned in others in his Tareek ul Kabeer and Tareek Sagheer and Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayooti has mentioned all of the above names in his book Al Itqaan Fee Ulumil Qur`an chap Jam Ul Qur`an.
Khatmul Qur`an
Imam Ibn Majah writes that Abdullah bin Amar said that I used to complete a whole Qur`an in one night. When the prophet found out he said you should at least take a week to finish the Qur`an.
[Ibn Majah chap Khatmul Qur`an,
Nisaee chap Khatmul Qur`an]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes in Fathul Bari that this narration is Authentic.
[Fathul Bari chap Qurrah wal Huffaz
by Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani]
Imam Ibn Majah writes that the prophet said whoever finishes the Qur`an in under three days he has not understood anything.
[Ibn Majah chap Khatmul Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari writes that the prophet said to Abdullah bin Amar don’t finish the Qur`an within one day, but finish one Qur`an in one month.
[Bukhari chap Khatmul Qur`an
by Imam Bukhari]
Imam Bukhari writes that Abdullah bin Amar said to the prophet you asked me to finish one Qur`an in one month, but I can read the Qur`an much faster. The prophet then replied then finish one in one week.
[Bukhari chap Kam Yukraul Qur`an]
This Hadeeth has also been mentioned by Abu Daood, Imam Ibn Majah and Imam Tirmidhi in chap Kam Yukraul Qur`an.
Imam Ibn Majah, Imam Tirmidhi and Abu Daood write that a companion named Aus reported that I came to the prophet with a delegation. My delegation was set at the house of Mugheera Bin Shobah. I waited there and after every Isha Salat the prophet would come and talk to us. One day the prophet came late, so I asked why had He come late? The prophet replied everyday I recite a part of the Qur`an, but today there was some extra. I felt it was not right if I did not complete it. Aus then asked other companions how do you finish the Qur`an? They replied we finish the Qur`an in 7 manzils.
[Ibn Majah Tirmidhi and Abu Daood
chap Kamyuk ra Ul Qur`an]
There are 7 manzils in the Qur`an. They begin from one Surah and finish at another. They are divided as:
1.Surah Bakarah-Surah An-nisa
2.Surah Al Maidah-Surah At Tawbah
3.Surah Yunas-Surah Nahal
4.Surah Bani Israeel-Surah Furqaan
5.Surah Shorah-Surah Yaseen
6.Surah Sifaat-Surah Hujraat
7.Surah Kahf-Wannas
Imam Abu Daood writes that the Qur`an has 7 Manzils. Like this the companions would finish the Qur`an in 7 days beginning from one manzils and finishing at another. This is known as Manzil meaning palce of pausing.
[Abu Daood Chap Kamyukra Ul Qur`an]
Imam Darmi writes that Abu Kulasa writes that the prophet said if anyone is present whilst the Qur`an is being started he is as if he is the victor of Jihad. If anyone is present whilst the Qur`an is being finished then he is as if he was there when the plundered belongings of the enemy are being given out.
[Darmi chap Katmul Qur`an]
Imam Darmi writes that the prophet was asked what is the best of deeds. The prophet replied the best of deeds is that to when you begin the Qur`an do not finish at the end but start to recite the Qur`an again from the beginning.
[Darmi Chap Khatmul Qur`an]
This narration has been mentioned by Imam Nabawi in Kitab Ul Azkaar, in Tufathul Ahweez by Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri and in Faziley Qur`an by Hafiz Ibn Katheer.
From all the above narrations it proves that that the Qur`an was memorized in the prophets time and it was written and the companions used to recite it from beginning to end as we recite it today and in the same order. If the Qur`an was not compiled during the time of the prophet then how can the companions come to the prophet and say that we finish the Qur`an in one day or in one week and how can the prophet tell them to finish it in one month or in one week. This proves that the Qur`an was compiled in the prophets time and that the companions used to recite it and also that the prophet had told them how to finish the Qur`an and in how much time. All above proves that the Qur`an was compiled, ordered in the prophets time.
There is another narration by Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari that the prophet said that the Qur`an should not be taken to the enemies territories.
[Muslim Bukhari Kitabul Jihad]
Imam Ibn Majah writes that the prophet said that when a person dies he leaves three things, which may be of benefit to him. Firstly his knowledge which he teaches and others pass on. Secondly his good son whom he leaves behind and thirdly the Qur`an, which he made somebody heir of looking after.
[Ibn Majah Chap Swaab Muallim Unnas]
This Hadeeth also proves that the person who leaves the Qur`an behind it will benefit him. Here the word heir has two meanings:
One that he left the Qur`an behind so his family or friends may inherit it and two that he taught the Qur`an to someone and the remembered it. If there was no copies of the Qur`an than how could the prophet have said this.
Proof from the name of the Surah that Qur`an was compiled in the prophets time.
The Qur`an was compiled in the prophets time and the Surahs were named and people knew the Surahs from their names. The prophet and his companions used to recite the Qur`an in the same order. The prophet also used to tell people the excellency of a particular Surah.
Imam Abu Daood writes that Abdullah Bin Masood reported that sometimes used to recite two different Surahs together in one Rakat.
e.g: Surah Annajm-Surah Ar Rahman
SurahAl Qamar-Surah Al Haaqah
Surah Toor-Surah Zaariyah
Surah Waqiyah-Surah Noon
Surah Al Maarij-Surah Naziaat
Surah Quwwerat-Surah Mutaffefeen
Surah Muddsser-Surah Addhar.
[Abu Daood Chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Abu Daood writes that Amar Ibn Aas reported that the prophet told me that the Qur`an has 15 Sadah in it.
[Abu Daood Chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write that the prophet said that recite Surah Al Bakarah and Sural Aale Imran. These two Surahs will intercede on you behalf on the day of judgement.
[Muslim chap Faziley Qiraat ul Qur`an
Bukhari chap Faziley Surah Al Bakarah]
Imam Muslim writes that whosoever recites the first ten verses of the Qur`an he shall be saved from the trouble of the Dajjaal.
[Muslim Faziley Surah Al Qahf]
Imam Muslim writes that Umar Ibn Al Khattab reported that I went to the Mosque and there I saw Hasham bin Hakam was reciting Surah Furqaan.
[Bukhari Musim chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Muslim writes that Ukbah bin Aamir reported that the prophet said tonight Surahs of high excellency have been revealed to me which have never been revealed before. They are Surah Al Falaq and Surah Naas
[Muslim Chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari writes that Aisha said that the prophet once fell ill and recited Surah Al Falaq and Surah Anaas
[Bukhari Chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari write that Abdullah bin Masood reported that the prophet asked me to recite a part of the Qur`an. So I recited Surah Nisa.
[Muslim Chap Faziley Qur`an Bukhari
Chap Buka Indal Qiraat ul Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write that Ans reported that the prophet said to Ubay bin Qaab Allah has commanded me to recite Surah Lam Yaku to you. Ubay Bin Qaab asked the prophet has Allah mentioned my name. The prophet replied yes. Hearing this Ubay Bin Qaab began to cry.
[Muslim chap Faziley Qur`an
Bukhari chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari writes that Umar Ibn Al Khataab reported that when Surah Fatah was revealed the prophet said this Surah is more beloved to me more than the whole world.
[Bukhari chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Waliudeen Tabrezi writes that the prophet said every thing has a heart. The heart of the Qur`an is Surah Yaseen. They Angels said how blessed would those people who shall be able to recite Surah Taa Haa and Surah Yaseen. The prophet said that whosoever recites Surah Duhaan 70, 000 Angels will pray for him and the prophet said that whoever recites Surah Mulk will save a person from the punishment of Allah. The prophet said that whoever recites the last verses of Surah Hashar Angels will pray for him.
The prophet said to Uqbah bin Aamir that in place of Surah Yusaf or Hud you may recite Surah Al Falaq Surah Annas. The prophet also said that everything has its own beauty.
The beauty of The Qur`an is Surah Arahman. Whoever reads Surah Waqiyah he will never feel any weakness.
[Miskat chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Muslim writes that Abu Saeed reported that prophet that used to spend so much time in the first Rakahs of Asar and Zuhr. It was equivalent to the time of reading Surah Sajdah. The prophet used to read long Qiraat in prayer and recited different Surah sometimes Surah Mumenoon or sometimes Surah Kahf, Surah Salat, Surah Layl, Surah Aalaa, Surah Toor or Surah Washams.
[Muslim chap Qiraat Fis Salat]
Imam Bukhari that Umme Fazal reported that I heared the prophet recite Surah Mursalaat in the Maghrib Prayer.
[Bukari chap Qiraat]
Imam Bukhari writes that the prophet used to recite Surah Toor in the Maghrib prayer and in the Isha prayer they would recite Surah Mushaqqat or another Surah Teen. In Fajr prayer they would recite Surah Toor. They would do long recitation in the morning prayer, sometimes they would recite half Surah Al Bakarah or sometimes Surah Yusaf, Surah Yunas, Surah Kahf or Surah Anhal.
[Bukhari chap Qiraat fis Salaat]
All above Hadeeth proves that the Surahs of the Qur`an had been given their order in the prophets time and they were named and the prophet told each Surahs excellency and the prophet and the Companions used to recite the Surahs as we do today.
Reciting the Qur`an whilst looking.
Imam Waliudeen Tabrezi writes that Uthman Bin Affan reported that the prophet said that anyone who recite the Qur`an by heart will receive 1000 good deeds and whoever recites the Qur`an with looking will receive 2000 good deeds.
[Miskaat Faale Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write that Aisha reported that the prophet said that anyone who is an expert on the Qur`an or anyone who has memorized the Qur`an keeps company with the Angels which have the highest status. Any person who has difficulty reading the Qur`an will receive two Ajars.
[Bukhari chap Tawheed
Muslim chap Fazeelat Hafize Qur`an]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes that in the above narration the word expert means he knows the Qur`an very well by heart.
[Fathul Bari chap At Tawheed]
From the above two narrations it comes to be known that the prophet used to encourage the reading of the Qur`an and they also encouraged them to read with looking. If there was no Qur`an in the prophets time then why would the prophet encourage them to read the Qur`an?
NOTE:
Jam Ul Qur`an and Hifz Ul Quran
People say that the word Jam ul Qur`an does not mean to compile the Qur`an but it means that to memorize the Qur`an by heart. Jam Ul Qur`an means to compile the Qur`an and Hifz Ul Qur`an means to memorize the Qur`an by heart. Then a question raises that the Hadeeth Imam Bukhari has narrated says that Abu Bakr Compiled the Qur`an using the word Jam Ul Qur`an but if the meaning is to memorize it then that means that Abu Bakr and Zaid bin Sabit also memorized it and they did not compile it. Therefore if Abu Bar did not compile it or the prophet did not compile it then that means the Qur`an disappeared Na oozubillah min Zalik. May Allah protect us from such thoughts! We say again that Jam Ul Qur`an means to compile the Qur`an and Hifz Ul Qur`an means to Memorize the Qur`an by heart.
Tawatur
The Qur`an reached us through Tawatur. The definition of Mutawatur is continually. If so many people give evidence of a certain subject to call that subject wrong would be impossible. For example The Ka`bah is in Makkah, The prophets resting place is in Madina and the dome of the rock is in Jerusalem.
Note:
Ummey
Did the prophet know how to read or write?
Reference from the scholars such as Kurtabi or Alusi and from Tafseer e Namoonah that the Qur`an was gathered in the prophets time
Proof that the Qur`an was compiled with evidence from various scholars.
First of all we will write some references of Shi`a scholars that the Qur`an was compiled, ordered by Surahs and verses and also that today we have the same Qur`an in the same form as it was in the prophets Time.
Ayatullah Makkarin Shirazi writes that as it is famous that the Qur`an was not compiled in the prophets time and was later compled in the Khalifat times is a misunderstanding. The real fact is that the Qur`an was compiled in the prophet time and we have the same copy of the Qur`an as them. The first Surah in the Qur`an wa Surah Fatihah. The reason for this being the first Surah is not that it was revealed first but there are many evidences that the Qur`an was compiled in the prophets time and it is in the same form as we have it today.
The first evidence is that Jafar Sadiq reported that the prophet told Ali to write the Qur`an on a parchment.
The second evidence is that the famous Sunni scholar Aalim Kharzini writes in Kitab Ul Manakib that Ali bin Rawah narrates that Ali and Ubay bin Qaab collected the Qur`an in the prophets time.
Third evidence is that Ahle Sunnahs famous scholar Imam Hakim Naishapuri writes in his book Mustadarak from a narration from Zaid Bin Sabit that we sat by the prophet and wrote the Qur`an on a parchment and then we would show it to the prophet and we wrote each verse in its own place and the prophet would also check it. It was all written on a parchment and Ali ordered it.
The famous Shi`a scholar Sayyed Murtaza says that the form of the Qur`an we have today is the same a it was in the prophets time. Imam Tibarani, Imam Ibn Asakir narrate from Shabi that in the prophets time there were six people who collected the Qur`an and Qattada also narrates that I asked Ans who collected the Qur`an in the prophets time? They replied four companions, they were all from the tribe of Anaar. They are as follows:
Ubay bin Qaab, Zaid bin Sabit, Maaz and Abu Zaid.
If anyone raises a doubt that who collected the Qur`an after the prophet, they might says this because it says in above narration that Ali did and other companions also did. The answer is that Ali did not only collect it but also interpreted it. They also wrote where each verse was revealed and also wrote footnotes. Uthman changed all the different Qiraats into one same Qiraat and added punctuation because before there was no punctuation in the Qur`an. To say that the prophet did not compile the Qur`an is incorrect.
[Tafsir Namoonah chap Jamul Qur`an vol 1
Ayatullah Makarin Shiraz]
Printed Dar Ul Kutb Islamiyah, Iran 1360 Hijra
Another famous scholar Sheilk Abu Ali Fazal bin Hasan Tabresi writes that that the Qur`an was in the same form in the prophets time as it is today. The companions memorized the Qur`an by heart, wrote it and there was a large group companions who had memorized the Qur`an The companions who memorized the Qur`an used to recite the Qur`an the prophet Himself. There was also a group of companions who kept their own copies of the Qur`an. Abdullah bin Masood, Ubay bin Qaab and other companions finished reciting the whole of the Qur`an by heart to the prophet. They also wrote the Qur`an, compiled it and it was compiled in the same order as it is today. People who say that the Qur`an was not compiled in the prophets time and also give narrations are wrong and their narrations are incorrect. The Qur`an reached us through Tawatur. If so many people give evidence of a certain subject to call that subject wrong would be impossible. The Qur`ans Tuwatur is the same as the Tawatur of the cities of the world. It is one of the miracles of the prophet and the Muslims took so much care of the Qur`an even more than their own life. They added covers to the Qur`an and kept the many ways of reciting the Qur`an. They also kept it from being changed by anyone or anything.
[Tafsir Majmaul Bayaan chap Jam Ul Qur`an
By Sheilk Abu Ali Fazal bin Hasan Tabresi]
We have deliberately wrote these Shi`a scholars references because sometimes people say that Shi`a scholars believe that the Qur`an was changed and its order was altered with and also the Qur`an was not the same then as it is now. Sheilk Tabresi is the most famous and is the main scholar of Shi`a people. Ayatullah Makarin Shiraz is also very famous and quite popular scholar of the Shi`a. His Tafseer is a very authentic Tafseer. The Shi`a Scholars agree the Qur`an is the same today as it was then in the prophets time.
Now we shall look at what the Sunni scholars opinion.
Proof from the Sunni Scholars that the Qur`an was compiled in the prophets Time.
Allamah Alusi writes that the Qur`an is in the same order as it was in the prophet time. It was also recited and memorized in the same way as today. People used to recite the Qur`an to the prophet in the same order as we do. There was a group of companions who used to recite the Qur`an. Abdullah bin Masood used to recite the Qur`an to the prophet, Ubay bin Qaab had recited the Qur`an many times to the prophet. It is clearly proved above that the Qur`an was recited in the prophets time and was also compiled. It is a misunderstanding of some people who say that one part of the Qur`an was written somewhere and another part was written somewhere else. The Qur`an was compiled in the Prophets time and was also ordered in the prophets time.
[Tafseer Rooh Ul Mani chap Jam Ul Qur`an
by Allama Alusi Al Hanafee Al Baghdadee]
Imam Jalaludeen Sayooti writes that Imam Malik said that as Allah revealed the Qur`an to the prophet it was written down as it was revealed.
Imam Baghavi says that the Qur`an Allah revealed to the prophet, the companions wrote it as it was revealed, just as the prophet told them. The verses were not altered with and neither was the order altered with. The Qur`an with us today is the same as in the prophets time and was the same as the companions compiled it as they were told by the prophet. Allah told the order of the verses and Surah through Jibraeel to the prophet, and also where each should be and where the Surah should be put. The prophet would tell his writers where to put each Surah. Therefore the prophet would tell his writers where to write it. The Qur`an is in the same order as it was in the prophets time and the companions used to recite it.
Imam Nabavi writes that the Qur`an was in the same order as it was in the prophets time.
[Al Itqaan chap Jam Ul Qur`an
By Imam Jalaudeen Sayuti]
Refute of the evidence which shows that the Qur`an as not assembled in the prophets time
The main evidence people have for saying that the Qur`an was not assembled in the prophets time is:
Imam Bukhari writes that I heard from Musa bin Ismaeel he heard from Ibraheem bin Saad he heard form Ibn Shuhaab Zuhri he heared from Ubayd bin Sabbaq he reported from Zaid bin Thabit that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me when the people! of Yamama had been killed [i.e., a number of the Prophet's Companions who fought against Musailama]. [I went to him] and found `Umar bin Al-Khattab sitting with him. Abu Bakr then said [to me], "`Umar has come to me and said: "Casualties were heavy among the Qurra' of the! Qur'an [i.e. those who knew the Qur'an by heart] on the day of the Battle of Yalmama, and I am afraid that more heavy casualties may take place among the Qurra' on other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Qur'an may be lost. Therefore I suggest, you [Abu Bakr] order that the Qur'an be collected." I said to `Umar, "How can you do something which Allah's Apostle did not do?" `Umar said, "By Allah, that is a good project. "`Umar kept on urging me to accept his proposal till Allah opened my chest for it and I began to realize the good in the idea which `Umar had realized." Then Abu Bakr said [to me]. 'You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah's Apostle. So you should search for [the fragmentary scripts of] the Qur'an and collect it in one book]." By Allah If they had ordered me to shift one of the mountains, it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur'an. Then I said to Abu Bakr, "How will you do something which Allah's Apostle did not do?" Abu Bakr replied, "By Allah, it is a good project." Abu Bakr kept on urging me to accept his idea until Allah opened my chest for what He had opened the chests of Abu Bakr and `Umar. So I started looking for the Qur'an and collecting it from [what was written on] palmed stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart, till I found the last Verse of Surat at-Tauba [Repentance] with Abi Khuza`ima Al-Ansari, and I did not find it with anybody other than him. The Verse is:
'Verily there has come unto you an Apostle [Muhammad] from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty..[till the end of Surat-Baraa' [at-Tauba] [9.128-129] Then the complete manuscripts [copy] of the Qur'an remained with Abu Bakr till he died, then with `Umar till the end of his life, and then with Hafsa, the daughter of `Umar.
[Bukhari chap Jam Ul Quran by Imam Bukhari]
Examination of the above Narration
It proves from the narration that the Qur`an was not assembled in the prophets time and nobody had a copy of the Qur`an in the form of a book until the khilafah of Uthman. This was because that Abu Bakr did not distribute any copies of the Qur`an in his Khilafah. This clearly proves that nobody completely recited the Qur`an from the prophets time until almost half of khilafah of Uthman, because no one had a copy of the Qur`an. This narration also shows that the Verses and the Surah of the Qur`an were not ordered in the prophets time. This means that no one even knew the Qur`an by heart because if the Qur`an was not in order then how could someone memorize the Qur`an. It cannot be accepted that no one had memorized or even recited the Qur`an from the prophets time until half the Khilafah of Uthman. This narration is against all the narrations that the Qur`an was compiled in the Qur`an and also thousands of people memorized the Qur`an in the prophets time. Not only males but also females had memorized the Qur`an. We have mentioned above some of their names. Here there are two options. One to accept this narration and ignore all the other narrations and two to accept the above narrations and reject this one. Most sensible people would accept the above narrations. The narration above is of a single chain. Zaid bin Sabit alone narrated this narration and from Zaid bin Sabit Ubayd bin Sabbaq narrated this narration and then Imam Zuhri. Other narrations are mutawatur. Who can deny the Mutawatur narration and accept the above single narration. The narration says that Abu Bakr asked Zaid bin Sabit alone to assemble the Qur`an. Why did Abu Bakr only ask Zaid bin Sabit and not ask an earlier or more senior companion such as Abdullah bin Masood, Abu Bakr Himself, Umar, Uthman, Ali? Why did Abu Bakr not ask any other companions to assist Zaid bin Sabit? How is it possible that Zaid alone assembled the Qur`an in such a short time. The copy that Zaid bin Sabit assembled was not checked. This narration also proves that the Qur`an we have today is the copy which Zaid bin Sabit assembled, even though the Qur`an is Mutawatur and is not narrated from one person.
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr writes about the above narration that this narration says Zaid bin Sabit gathered the Qur`an from palmed stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart. Zaid bin Sabit knew the Qur`an by heart, so why did he not write it from his memory rather than collecting the Qur`an from palmed stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart. Also why did Zaid make an excuse by saying that this job is too great for me. Al Istiyaab
[Biography of Zaid bin Sabit by Imam Ibn Abdul Barr]
From this it proves that even Imam Ibn Abdul Barr is not satisfied with this narration.
Lets look at the Narrators of this Narration
Hafiz Asqalani writes that this narration the narration of Zaid bin Sabit is really the narration of Ubayd bin Sabbat. Imam Bukhari writes this narration in chap Jam Ul Qur`an, chap Tafseer and chap Ahkam wat Tawheed. In some places all the narration is written and in some places only part of the narration is written. Imam Bukhari has only taken one narration from Ubayd bin Sabbaq.
[Fathul Bari chap Jam ul Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari wrote the Zaid bin Thabits narration with a different chain from Imam Zuhri but all chains have a weak narrator
First Narrator of Jam Ul Qur`an Zaid bin Thabit
Zaid bin Thabit was a faous companion of the prophet. According to Ubayd bin Sabbaq Zaid bin Thabit is ony the narrator of this narration. When Zaid bin Thabit assembled the Qur`an obviously all of Madina knew that Zaid bin Thabit has done this. Why has not any other companion reported about this event.
Second Narrator of Jam Ul Qur`an Ubayd bin Sabbaq
Hafiz Asqalani writes Ubay bin Sabbaq used to live in Madina he narrated Hadeeth form Zaid bin Thabit and Imam Zhuri was his student
[Tahzeeb ut Thazeeb biography ubayd bin Sabbaq]
I Abu Ammar say that Imam Bukhari, Imam Ibn Abi Hatim, Hafiz Dhabi and Hafiz Asqalani all write a very short biography of Ubay bin Sabbaq but nobody mentioned about his birth or death. There is no evidence that he saw Zaid bin Thabit and narrated any narrations from him. This narration cannot become strong until there is any proof that there was a meeting of the two; Zaid bin Thabit and Ubayd bin Sabbaq. If Zuhri did not take this narration from Ubayd bin Sabbaq would be unknown
Third Narrator of Jam Ul Qur`an Imam Zhuri
Imam Dhahabee writes that Imam Zuhree’s full name was Muhammad bin Muslim bin Abdullah, bin Shuhaab, az-zuhree. But, he is famous as ibn Shuhaab-uz-zuhree. He was born in the 50th year of Hijrah in Madeenah. He saw only a few companions of the Prophet [SAW]. He was such a great a scholar that many scholars of his time used to praise him, even Abdullah bin Umar [RA].[Tadhkarat-ul-huffaz, Tahdheeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Imam Zuhree]
Apology
We feel sad to highlight weaknesses in Imam Zuhree, but we have just quoted what other scholars of Hadeeth have said about him. We also respect Imam Zuhree greatly as a muhaddith, but he was a man like us and had weaknesses.
Another fact is that Imam Zuhree has narrated Hadeeth [which have been collected by Muslim and Bukhari] which show that the family of the Prophet [SAW] and the companions did not get on well with each other [Saheeh Muslim and Saheeh Bukhari, bab-ul-fayy]
The fact is that the Prophet’s [SAW] family and the companions did get on well with each other.
Hafid Asqalanee wrote:
It was a habit of Imam Zuhree to do tadlees and attribute the narrations to people like Abdur-rahmaan bin azhar, ibn k’ab, abbaan, ibn uthmaan, ibn hakm, ibn us-saalimee, abdullah bin ja’far, ubaada bin saamid, raafi’, umm abdullah, abu hurairah, and abdullah bin Umar. Concerning Abdullah bin Umar, the scholars of hadeeth are split as to whether Imam Zuhree actually saw him or not. In the same way, there is no proof that Imam Zuhree did take narrations from ‘Urwa bin zubair. But, the scholars of Hadeeth accept these narrations which Imam Zuhree allegedly took from Urwa. For us, this is evidence and we should therefore believe that Imam Zuhree heard something from Urwa. Imam Zuhree was from a group of scholars of hadeeth who used to ‘grab’ hadeeth when they heard them. [Tahdheeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Imam Zuhree]
Tadlees – What is it?
Hafid Asqalaani writes:
The literal meaning of the arabic word ,tadlees, is “hiding”. Technically, it means to hide a hadeeth narrator. If a muhaddith did tadlees, he would use a narrator’s name but it would be a name by which he wasn’t commonly known. Thus, the identity of the weak narrator was hidden. The stronger narrators in the chain would be emphasized so that the attention of the hearer of the hadeeth would be diverted.
[An-nukhbah, chap. on tadlees, by hafid asqalaani]
Imam Dhahabee and Hafid Asqalaani write:
Imam Zuhree narrated 2200 hadeeth, of which about a half have a chain leading to the prophet [SAW]. He used to do tadlees even though is was a small amount. Imam Zuhree’s marasee ahadeeth used to be weaker than other peoples [A tabi’i would claim a hadeeth directly from the prophet [saw] without mentioning a companion’s name] [Tadhkarat-ul-hufaaz, Tahdheeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Imam Zuhree].
Imam Dhahabee writes that Imam Shubah waastee wites:
“I would rather fall from the skies and be broken to pieces, than to do tadlees”
[Tadhkarat-ul-huffaz, biography of Imam Shubah waastee]
Hafid Asqalaani writes:
Yazeed bin zurayy was asked, “What is the legal ruling regarding tadleees?” To this, he replied “It is an absolute lie.”
[Tahdheeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Yazeed bin Zurayy]
Imam Dhahabe writes:
Sulaimaan bin harb said that Imam Jareer ‘azdee was asked about tadlees. The Imam said, “I reject it. A mudallis shows that which he has not heard.”[Tadhkarat-ul-huffaaz, biography of Imaam Jareer bin haazin azdee]
Hafid ibn katheer writes:
Imam shaafi’ee rejects all the narrations of any muhaddith who did tadlees, but other scholars say that if a mudallis identified who he took narrations from and if that was a reliable source, that particular narration would be accepted.[Ikhtisaar uloom-ul-hadeeth, chap. on tadlees, by hafid ibn katheer]
Hafid Asqalaanee writes:
If a mudallis uses the words “Qaala”, so-and-so said, or “’And”, from so-and-so, in a narration, the hadeeth will be rejected. But, the mudallis uses a word implying that he directly heard the narration e.g.”sami’tu” - I heard, the mudallis would be lying. The rule concerning such people is that even if the mudallis was truthful, the hadeeth would not be accepted.[SharH nukhbah, chap. hadeeth mu’dal]
Idraaj and Imam Zuhree
Imam Zuhree used to do idraaj, so it was difficult for people to understand his narrated hadeeth.
Hafid Asqalaanee writes:
Idraaj literally means “Inserting something”. Its technical meaning is to insert one’s own words into the text of a narration. Sometimes the text could be added at the start or, at the end. To find the actual hadeeth text from a mudrij was very difficult. Either the hadeeth was analyzed be someone who had very deep knowledge, or the mudrij showed which words he inserted into the hadeeth text. [SharHan-nukhbah, chap. hadeeth mudrij]
Imam Bukhari writes:
It was reported by Imam malik that the famous scholar of hadeeth rabee’ut-turaayy used to advise Imam Zuhree to show clearly in his narrations, which were his own words and which were those of the Prophet [SAW] [Taareekh-ul-kabeer, biography of Rabee’utturaayy].
Muslim and Bukhari contain ahadeeth in which Imam Zuhree has inserted his own words. Scholars of hadeeth have refuted these words. An example is given below:
Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari write:
When Hadrat abu bakr [RA] became the khaleefah, hadrat Ali [RA] did not give bayah [Pledge of allegiance] to him nor did the tribe of banu hashim. But, after six months when hadrat Faatima [RA] passed away they all gave bayah to him.[Bukhari, chap. on khaybar. Muslim chap. bab-ul-fayy]
Hafid Asqalaanee writes:
Imam ibn habbaan, Imaam baihaqqee, and other scholars of hadeeth say that this narration contains some of Imam Zuhree’s own words. Somebody said to Imam Zuhree, that when abu bakr [RA] became the khaleefah, hadrat Ali [RA] did not give bayah for six months. Imam Zuhree said, not only Ali, but the whole of the tribe of banoo Haashim did not give bayah to abu bakr until hadrat faatimah [RA] passed away. The fact is that Imaam Zuhree’s words are wrong, and also that Hadrat Ali [RA] gave bayah to Hadrat Abu bakr on the first day he was appointed khaleefah [FatH-ul-baari, end of Chap. on Khaybar].
Hafid Qastalani also writes the same as above.
Hafid ibn katheer writes that the narrations which say that Ali [RA] gave bayah to Abu bakr [RA] on the first day he was appointed khaleefah are more authentic than those which do not support this. The reason for this is that Ali [RA] used to pray behind Abu Bakr [RA] and stayed with him all the time[Taareekh ibn katheer, chap. yaum-us-saqeefah].
The references prove that Imam Zuhree used to do tadlees and Idraaj. The scholars have pointed out that his narrations are not reliable.
Ijazah and Imam Zuhree
Eejaazah literally means “giving permission”. Its technical meaning is for a muhaddith to give permission to his students to narrate his hadeeth, or any book of hadeeth which he has knowledge of [SharH-ul-nukhbah, by Hafid Aasqalaanee, chap. Eejaazah].
This was the correct way to give Eejaazah, but Imam Zuhree’s way to give Eejaazah was very strange.
Imam Dhahabee writes that Ubaidullah reported:
I saw that the students of Imam Zuhree used to bring books to the Imam and ask him for permission to narrate from it using the Imam’s name. The Imam used to allow them without knowing what was in those books. This was because neither the Imam used to read the ahadeeth, nor did the students read the hadeeth to him [Tadhkarat-ul-Huffaaz, biography of Imam Zuhree].
Shiekh Saalih najdi writes:
Imam ibn Hazm said that if a scholar of hadeeth gives permission to his students to narrate a book of hadeeth using his name, and the Scholar has not read the narrations, nor has anyone read them to him then, this is a bid’ah and not permissible. Other scholars of hadeeth have been more strict in this respect and have said that the scholars of hadeeth who used to do this, in effect, gave permission to their students to attribute lies to them.[uloom-ul-hadeeth, chap. on tadlees]
From the above, it is evident that the authenticity of Imam Zuhree’s narrations are in question. It could be the case that one of the students of the Imam used to narrate non-authentic hadeeth and use the Imam’s name, as he had given him permission to do so without checking the hadeeth.
Our sheikh Shah Abul-Hasan zaid faarooqee writes:
Hafid ibn-ul-qayyim writes in his book, Alaam-ul-muwakki’een Vol. 3 p85, that Imam Malik wrote a letter to his colleague Imam layth bin sa’ad, whose knowledge was greater than Imam Malik’s. When Imam lays replied to the letter, he wrote a few things about Imam Zuhree. He wrote:
There is no doubt that our teacher, Imam Zuhree was a great scholar, but we have to accept that some of Imam Zuhree’s verbal and written statements used to contradict one other. When we used to ask him something, sometimes the written answer would be different from the answer he used to give us verbally. Even some of his written statements used to contradict one other. The Imam did not realize what he had said before and what he was now writing. These are the reasons, why I have left him [Sawaanee Hayaat Imaam abu Haneefah, biography Imam Lays].
This statement provides for us that Imam Zuhree’s narrations are not necessarily authentic. For this reason, we cannot use a single narration from Imam Zuhree as being more authentic than the practice of the companions, the Taabi’een, the Tab’a taabi’een and of a great group of scholars. The single narration of zaid bin sabit is only taken from Imam Zuhree. His students made the narration famous after this.
Lets See the Narrators after Imam Zhuri
The narration of Jam Ul Qur`an after Imam Zhuri are Ismaeel bin Awais. Imam Zhabi and Hafiz Asqalqani writes that Imam Nisa`ee was a weak narrator, his narrations should not be accepted, he was a liar, and used to make fabricated hadeeth. Dar Qutni said that if I needed a authentic Hadeeth I would not go to Ismaeel bin Awais.
[Mizaan Ul Itidaa Tahzeeb ut Thazeeb biography Ismaeel bin Awais by Imam Zhabi and Hafiz Asqalani]
Another narrator of this narration is Ibraheem bin Saad.
Hafiz Asqalani writes that Imam Jazra said that Imam Ibraheem bin Saad heard narrations of hadeeth from Imam Zhuri when he was very young. That is why his narration of Zhuri are not very strong. Imam Ahmad said he was weak in Hadeeth. He was reliable in knowledge of hadeeth.
[Tahzeeb Ut Thzeeb biohraphy of Ibn Saad by Hafiz Asqalani]
These are the kind of narrators of Jam ul Qur`an. It will not be right to accept this narration and ignore all the other that prove that the Qur`an was Assembled in the Qur`an. From this it proves that the narrators are not satisfactory.
Two false narrations which make doubt on the Qur`an
Imam Ibn Majh writes that Aisha said that the stoning [if a married man and woman comit adultery their punishment is to be stoned to death] and breastfeeding verses of the Qur`an were revealed and were written on a paper beside my bed. On the day of the death of the prophet we became engaged with the funeral services. Whilst doing this a goat came into our house and ate.
[Ibn Majah chap Rada Al Kabeer and Musnad Ahmad Marwiaate Aisha by Imam Ibn Majah by Imam Ibn Majah and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hambal]
This narration clearly shows that it is against the Qur`an, but Allah says that I will look after the Qur`an. If this narration is true this means Allah has failed to look after the Qur`an. Secondly reached us through mutawatur. This narration is the only narration against Mutawatur. Thirdly the narrator of this narration. The narrator of this narration is Muhammad bin Ishaq. We will look at the authenticity of Muhammad bin Ishaq.
The other narrator of this narration is Muhammad bin Ishaaq, who was very knowledgeable in Islamic history but very weak in narration of Hadeeth.
Imaam Dhahabi and Hafiz Asqalani write [that]:
The scholars of Hadeeth have different opinions about Muhammad bin Ishaaq. Yahya bin Mo’een says that he is authentic, but his narration of Hadeeth is not good. Ali Ibn Madiny says his two narrations are unknown. Nasai said that he is not strong in the knowledge of Hadeeth. Imaam Dar Qutni said that his Hadeeth cannot be used as evidence. Imaam Abu Ba’oo said that Naf’e was Qadri. Imaam Hashaam and Imaam Salaiman said that he was a liar. Imaam Malik said that he is a liar and is a Dajjaal. Abdullah bin Mubarak said, “I saw Muhammad bin Ishaaq in Masjid ul Haif. I did not go near him because people might have said that I have wrong beliefs like him.” Imaam Ahmad said “When he narrates Hadeeth, he narrates Hadeeth from those people whom he never met. Imaam Yahya bin Saeed says “I witness that Muhammad bin Ishaaq is a liar. He has narrated one thousand Hadeeth’s which no one else has narrated.” Imaam Bukhari never wrote any Hadeeth that was narrated by Muhammad bin Ishaaq. No one can use his narration of Hadeeth as evidence for halaal and haraam. But there are a few people who praised him like Imaam Shoba.
[Mizan ul I’tidaal, Tahzeeb ut Tahzeeb, Tazkarat ul Huffaaz, biography of Muhammad bin Ishaaq]
We cannot accept any narrations form this kind of narrator which may doubt the Qur`an.
Another False Narration
Imam Ahmad reported Abdullah bin Masood refused to believe that Surah Falaq and Surah Naas are part of the Qur`an.
[Musnad Ahmad narration of Zirr bin Hubaish by Imam Ahmad Ibn Hambal]
This narration also has been written by Imam Tabrani and also by Imam Bukhari but has not written clearly that Abdullah bin Masood refused to believe that Surah Falaq and Surah Naas are part of the Qur`an but has a similar meaning. The narrators of this narration are not reliable. They will be discussed further in the Article Inshalla
Hafiz Asqalani writes all the Muslims agree that Surah Falaq and Surah Naas are part of the Qur`an. If someone says that these surahs are not part of the Qur`an is a kafir. Any narrations that prove Abdullah bin Masood refused to believe that Surah Falaq and Surah Naas are part of the Qur`an are wrong and scholar of Hadeeth refuse to accept those narration which say the above. Ibn Hazam and Imam Razi and other scholars said that these narrations which are about the above are lies.
[Fath ul Bar chap Fazaile Qur`an]
Let us look at the Narrators of this Hadeeth.
The first narrator of this Hadeeth Sufyaan bin Uyainah. Imam Dhabi write that he was a mudalleth and in his final age he used to mix the text of different Hadeeth.
[Mizaan Ul Itidaal Tahzeeb ut Tahzeeb biography of Sufyaan bin Uyainah by Imam Dhabi and Hafiz Asqalani]
The other narrators of this narration Asim bin Bahdalah. Imam Dhabi and Hafiz Asqalani write that Imam Ibn Saad said that when he narrated a hadeeth he used to make many mistakes. Imam Uqylee said that he had a bad memory. Imam Hammad bin Salma said that he used to mix text of different hadeeth. Dar Qutni said his memori was really bad. Abu Bakr Bazaar said he was not a proper scholar of hadeeth. Imam Yahyah Qattan said that most Asim named narrators had a bad memory. Imam Nisaee said he was not a properscholar of hadeeth. Imam Shobah said his narrations are not satisfactory. Imam Abu Hatim said he was not reliable.
[Mizaan ul Itidaal Tahzeen ut Tahzeeb biography Asim bin Bahdalah by Hafiz Dhabe and Hafiz Asqalani]
It will only be fair to ignore Asim bin Bahdalahs narration and say that the narration concerning Abdullah bin masood is a great lie.
In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful
How the Qur`an was complied.
Allah sent prophets to the different places of the world and at different times. He sent them for the guidance of humanity. He also revealed books upon them so they may use it to guide the people on the straight path. Some prophets came to guide people in a certain area or city, country etc. That is why their message was only for their area and for that period of time. When the human race progressed and reached the furthest parts of the world it was needed for such a prophet that would be able to guide the entire world. That is why Allah sent our beloved prophet Muhammad to guide the whole world. He was the last prophet and no prophet will come after him. Allah gave our beloved prophet, in the form of book his last revelation; the Holy Qur`an in which He mentioned everything. Many of the earlier revelations got lost and many were changed by the people but the Qur`an is unique as Allah has taken the responsibility to see to that no harm comes to it. Allah says:
‘We have sent down this Qur`an and we most surely are its guardian’ [Surah Al Hijr Verse 9]
‘There is no approach of falsehood to it either from before or from brhind it’ [Surah Al Sadah Verse 42]
To this day the Qur`an has its original form as from when it was revealed. The Qur`an has not been altered with and will not be altered with. It will keep its original form as from when it was revealed.
When the Qur`an was revealed through the angel Jibraeel, he would tell the prophet where to write the revelation down. The prophet had many of his companions who would write down the Qur`an and they were called the writers of the Qur`an. These writers would only write the Qur`an. The prophet would call his writers and tell them the latest revelation. Until the latest revelation had not been written Jibraeel would stay. When they finished writing it and had memorized it by heart Jibraeel would leave.
The Qur`an would be looked after in three ways. One it would be written down by the special writers. Two it would be memorized. And three it would be written down by other companions who would keep their own copies of the Qur`an. When a new revelation would come the prophet would tell them and they would write it down. When they had finished writing the prophet would ask them to read what they had written. If anyone had any mistakes in their writing the prophet would correct them.
Like this the Qur`an was first revealed to the prophet he passed it to his companions he asked them to write it and memorize it. They then passed it to the Tab`ee they asked them to write it and memorize it. They passed it to the Taba Tab`ee etc. That is how the Qur`an was passed generation to generation. This is how we received the Qur`an from the prophets time until now. Whatever is written in it is the truth and it has not been altered with. The Qur`an reached us through Mutawatur. The definition of Mutawatur is continuous. If a large number of people have given evidence of a certain subject, to call that subject wrong would be almost be impossible. For example: The Ka`bah is in Makkah, The prophets resting place is in Madina and the Dome of the Rock is in Jerusalem. To disagree with these statements would be impossible because they are all facts.
Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq writes that when any part of the Qur`an was revealed, first the prophet would recite it in a gathering of male men and then in a gathering of female women.
[Maghazi Muhammad bin Ishaq with ref from Khutbate Bahawalpur by Dr. Hameedullah]
As a result of writing the Qur`an, many thousands had learnt the Qur`an by Heart. They were not just males but also females.
Many people doubt on how the Qur`an was compiled. They say that when Allah revealed the Qur`an to the prophet at that time the Qur`an was not compiled as a book and was not compiled in order. The revelation came and was written somewhere and that is how the Qur`an was compiled. When the kilafah of Abu Bakr came many Companions were martyred. So the other companions realized that they must collect the Qur`an but in order. Abu Bakr gave Zaid bin Sabit the duty of collecting the Qur`an. That is how the Qur`an was collected in order. After approximately 25 years in the kilafah of Uthman the Qur`an was rechecked copied and was distributed around the world in the form of a book. They believe that is how the Qur`an was compiled.
This means that when the prophet left this world he did not have any thought of compiling the Qur`an. After His death people put the Qur`an in their own order.
If so how can it be that in the prophets time people wrote the Qur`an down as we do today and they also memorized the Qur`an as we memorize it today. Inshallah we will prove this further in the article.
The reasons that are given for the prophet not compiling the Qur`an are that:
Firstly the prophet did not collect the Qur`an because at that time people were mostly illiterate they could not read or write.
Secondly at that time paper was unavailable so there was nothing to write on.
Thirdly when Allah would reveal a verse he would reveal it one by one. Allah would then change his command in the verse after a short period of time. If the prophet kept writing them down there would be a lot of confusion amongst the people.
That is why the prophet was unable to write the Qur`an. Even if he had it written from someone else that was only one copy and it was not in the correct order. These are the three doubts that are brought up by some people. We will prove these are wrongs further in the article in detail Inshallah.
There is one thing to remember about these objections. At one side they say that the prophet used to write the Qur`an down. On the other side they say there was no one or nothing to write it on. If there was no one who could write, who could write it then? If there was no paper available what did they write it on? And if the verses were changed there are still to this day many verses that are cancelled out by other verses of the Qur`an. We will Inshallah prove further in the article that the prophet did compile the Qur`an in his lifetime, put it in order of verse and also prove that the Qur`an is the same today as it was in the prophets time. We will also discuss the collecting of the Qur`an in Abu Bakrs Kilafah and prove it is weak. Inshallah.
Proof of writers
There were writers in the prophets time and the Qur`an was written by them on parchments. Also the writers were not only males but also females.
Muhammad bin Ishaq narrates that Umar Ibn al Khattab set out on the thought of killing the prophet. He was told on the way of his mission, that his sister and his brother in law have both embraced Islam, He should first see to them. When Umar reached there He heard something being recited. Umar asked to be shown what they were reading. He was showed some verses of the Qur`an that were written on a parchment.
[Maghazi Muhammad bin Ishaq
Chap Umar embracing Islam]
This proves that the Qur`an was written in the time of the prophet and that people had it written individually.
Imam Abu Daood writes that Shifaa bint Abdullah says that one day the prophet came to my house. The wife of the prophet Hafsa was next to me. The prophet asked me why have you not told her the cure to disease from recitation as you told her how to write.
[Abu Daood Chap Tibb]
Imam Ibn Saad writes that before the prophet there were some people who already knew how to write. When they embraced Islam the prophet gave many of them the duty of writing the Qur`an. Some of them were:
Abu As bin Heera, Abi Saad bin Rabee, Shahar bin Saad, Abdullah bin Zaid, Aus bin Khaulah, Munzir bin Amar, Usaid bin Ghuzair, Saad bin Ubadah and Rafe bin Malik.
These were those people who knew how to write before Islam.
[Tabaqaat Ibn Saad Biography of above]
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr writes that the prophet had given different people the duty of writing. Some of them were people who would write the Qur`an as it was revealed and some were those who wrote letters for the prophet to kings leaders etc. People who had the duty of writing for the prophet were:
Ubay bin Qaab, Zaid bin Sabit, Abdullah bin Saad, Abu Bakr, Umar Ibn Al Khattab, Uthman Ibn Affan, Ali Ibn Ali Talib, Zubair bin Nawaam, Khalid, Abban, Saeed, Hanzala, Ulaa, Khalid bin Waleed, Abdullah bin Rawah, Muhammad bin Salma, Abdullah bin Abdullah bin Ubay, Mugheera bin Shobah, Amar bin Aas, Muaaveyah bin Sufyaan, Ibn Sulat, Maekeeb bin Fatimah, Shurjail bin Hasnah, Abdullah bin Rakab.
[Al Istiyaab Biography of Ubay bin Qaab
By Imam Ibn Abdul Barr]
Hafiz Ibn katheer writes that the writers of the prophet were:
Abban, Ubay bin Qaab, Arkam bin Abi Al Arkam, Sabit bin Kais, Hanzala bin Rabeeh, Khalid bin Saeed, Khalid bin Waleed, Zubair bin Awaam, Zaid bin Sabit, Asjal, Saad bin Abi Sarah, Amir bin Farhah, Abdullah bin Arkam, Abdullah bin Zaid Abdullah in Saad Abdullah bin Usman, Ulah bin Harzami, Muhammad bin Salma, Muaaveyah bin Sufyaan, Mugheerah bin Shubah.
[Tareekh Ibn Katheer Seerah tun Nabi
chap writers of the prophet by Hafiz Ibn Katheer]
This narration proves that in the time of the prophet people knew how to write and the prophet had appointed them for writing and it is wrong to say that people did not know how to write.
Proof of parchments being available in the Qur`an
Allah says in the Qur`an:
‘We had sent down on you a book written on paper’
[Surah Al Anaam Verse 7]
‘Say you, who has sent down that book which was brought by Moses a light and guidance for the people, of which you have made separate papers to show and much of it you conceal’
[Surah Al Anaam Verse 91]
From the above verses it proves that when the Qur`an was revealed paper was available.
Imam Qurtabi writes the Jews had their scripture written on different pieces of the paper and when someone came to see the scripture, they would take any one of the scriptures and show the person. Any they wanted to hide they would not show it. The above verse was revealed for them. The scholars say that it is not permissible to write the Qur`an on different papers.
[Tafsir Al Qurtabi under Surah Al Anaam Verse 91
by Imam Qurtabi]
From the statement of Imam Qurtabi it proves that to write the Qur`an in different places is not permissible, so how could the prophet write the Qur`an in different places. Surely the prophet had the Qur`an in the form of a book and the name of the book was Imam. It was kept in a special box by a special pillar in the prophets mosque. This will be written in detail further in the article.
Proof writing of the Qur`an
Proof that the Qur`an was Written in the time of the prophet.
Imam Bukhari writes when the verse ‘Laa yas tawil Kaaedoon’ was revealed the prophet said call Zaid before me. Zaid was one of the writers of the Qur`an. When Zaid came he had with him his ink and his board and the prophet asked him to write this verse down.
[Bukhari Chap Kaatib un Nabi by Imam Bukhari]
Imam Haysami writes that Umme Salma said that when Jibraeel would come with a verse, He would tell the prophet where to write this. The prophet would call one of his writers and would ask them to write that verse down.
[Majma Uzawaid vol 7 page 157]
Imam Dhabi writes Zaid bin Sabit said that we use to sit with the prophet and write the Qur`an on parchments.
[Talkhees Mustadarak, Fath ul Bari,
Al Itqaan chap Jam ul Qur`an
by Imam Dhabi Ibn Hajr Asqalani
and Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayooti]
Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayooti said that all of the Muslim Ummah agrees that the Qur`ans verses order was given by the prophet.
Uthman Ibn Affan said that when any verse of the Qur`an was revealed, the prophet would call for one of his writers and ask them to write the revealed verse in a specific place in the Qur`an.
Imam Ahmad writes [from the expectable chain of Hasan] that Uthman Ibn Abi Al Aas says that I was sitting in the presence of the prophet. Suddenly He raised his eyes up as if someone was sitting in front of him. Then He raised his eyes back down and then said: Jibraeel just came to me and commanded me to put the verse 90 of Surah Nahl in this Surah Nahl. Uthman Ibn abi Al Aas raised a question to the prophet and the prophet replied that the answer to your question is in the last verse of surah Nisa.
Hafiz Ibn Hajr writes that Allah gave the order of the Qur`an to the prophet. Just as the Qur`an was revealed that is how the prophet was told order it.
Qazi Abu Bakr said that when Jibraeel brought the revelation, He would tell the prophet to have this written in a certain place. That is how the Qur`an was put in order exactly as Allah revealed it. This is also why we have the Qur`an in the same form the time of the prophet. The Qur`an we have today is in the same order as it is in Lawhe ??Mahfuz?? and in the same order as the prophet used to recite it in. It is also in the same order from that the prophet used to recite it to Jibraeel in the moth of Ramadan as ??Wird??.
Imam Bahaiqi writes in his book Mudkhal that in the era of the prophet the Surah of the Qur`an and verses had already been ordered and is in the same order as the prophet was given by Allah.
[Al Itkaan Chap Jum ul Qur`an
by Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayuti]
Imam Bukhari and Muslim write that Yazeed bin Ubaid said that I saw Salma bin Akwa come to the prophets Mosque for prayer. He tried to stand as close as possible to the pillar where the Qur`an was kept. I asked him about his action. He replied that I saw the prophet try and pray close to this pillar.
[Muslim Bukhari Chap Salaat ul Ustuwaana]
Note: It is interesting to know that in Imam Bukharis famous book of Hadeeth there are only 22 hadeeth that have a chain of only three men. These are called Salaseate Bukhari. The chain is of Imam Bukhari, Imam Bukharis teacher, Imam Bukharis teachers teacher and then the prophet. Most Hadeeth have chains of 4, 5, 6,7 or 8 people. The above-mentioned Hadeeth is one of the twenty-two that have a chain of three people. These are categorized as Salas ate Bukhari.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes in the sharah of this hadeeth it shows that in the prophets Mosque there was a special place in which the Qur`an was kept.
Imam Bukhari writes this Hadeeth as it is but Imam Muslim writes that there was special box where the Qur`an was kept and this box was kept close to the pillar.
[Fath ul Bari Chap Salaat ul Ustuwaana
by Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani]
I Abu Ammar have many different copies of Imam Muslims book but all have the Hadeeth of Salma that they used to pray there but there is no mention of the box. This proves that the copy of Imam Muslims book that Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani had must have some mention of the box. That is why they wrote this. Otherwise the book of Imam Muslim today does not mention the box.
From the above narrations it proves that in the time of the prophet the Qur`an was written under the supervision of the prophet and it was written in the prophets time. It was written as Allah told Jibraeel and as Jibraeel told it to the prophet. It also proves that the prophet gave the order of the Qur`an during His time and that He had it written down in the same order as we have it today.
Huffaze Qur`an
In the Islamic tradition a Hafiz is a person who has memorized the Qur`an by heart. It is the miracle of the Qur`an that, it is the only book of revelation in the world which can be memorized by heart. At present there are millions of people who know the Qur`an by heart. Small children learn the Qur`an by heart. These days it is difficult to find someone who has memorized the Bible!
In the month of Ramadan, people who have memorized the Qur`an lead a special prayer which is called the Trawi. In the Trawi the whole Qur`an is recited. Like this there is another tradition, which is known as Shabeenah. In this the Hafiz sits and recites the Qur`an by heart aloud and the listeners open their Qur`ans and follow. Like this the whole Qur`an is recited. Subhanallah the Qur`an is the only book which can be memorized by heart. Today people memorize the Qur`an and they did from the beginning. When people memorized it in the prophet’s time they did not just memorize it but they also wrote it down. They were not just males but there were also females who memorized the Qur`an.
When there was English rule over India an English man came to Shah Waliullah Dehlvi. He spoke to Shah Waliullah Dehlvi about the Qur`an. The man said to him if we were to destroy all the copies of the Qur`an in India and in all other Muslim populated areas what will become of your religion? Shah Waliullah replied the first thing is that it is not possible that you do this because Allah has said that I will see that no harm comes to the Qur`an and you will not be able to collect the Qur`an anyway. Shah Waliullah then called a boy near who was sitting nearby. He said if it is possible than this 10 year old boy knows all the Qur`an by heart like many other millions. If you destroy these people will be able to rewrite the Qur`an.
Another interesting point is that people who memorize the Qur`an need the a written copy of the Qur`an so they may memorize each and every verse. Anyone who tries to memorize the Qur`an without a written copy or without a copy that is in order, will not be successful. It is another miracle of the Qur`an that thousands blind people have also memorized the Qur`an. A seeing person who is memorizing the Quran help a blind person along side himself. In this way the blind person can memorize the Qur`an within 4 or 5 years.
Most of the companions of the prophet had memorized the Qur`an. This was because they had the Qur`an written and in order.
List of the Huffaze Qur`an
[Names of the Hafize Qur`an in the prophets time]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani and Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayooti write the following names of the Hafize Qur`an in the prophets time:
Abdullah Bin Masood, Salum, Ma aaz, Ubay Bin Qaab, Zaid Bin Sabit, Abu Zaid, Abu Zarda, Abu Bakr, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Abdullah bin Umar, Ubadah bin Samid, Abu Ayyub Ansari, Uthman Ibn Affan, Tamim Dari, Mujammah bin Jariah, Saad bin Ubaid, Ubaid bin Muaaveyah, Umar Ibn Al Khattab, Saad, Huzaifah, Abu Hurairah, Abdullah bin Saad, Abdullah bin Zubair, Abdullah bin Abbas, Aisha, Hafsa, Umme Salma, Fadwalah bin Ubaid, Muslimah bin Mukhlid, Uqba bin Aamir, Abu Musashiri, Ubadullah, Kais bin Sasa, Saad bin Al Munzir, Amar ibn Aas, Abu Haleemah, Umme Warqah, Saad bin Ubadah,
Hazrat Abu Bakr had a very good voice. That is why the prophet asked him to lead the prayer near to the prophets death. This was because He had the best voice. Islam says that the person with the best voice should lead the prayer.
Abdullah bin Umar used to recite a whole Qur`an in one night. When the prophet found out he said that you should finish one Qur`an in one month.
All above mentioned are people who memorized the Qur`an. in the prophets time.
[Fathul Bari Al Itqaan Chap Qurrah wal Huffaz
by Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani and
Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayuti]
All above mentioned were Hafize Qur`an. These above mentioned
names are not just in Fathul Bari or Al Itqaan but they are in all the
book of Al Jarhu Watadeel [Biographies of Companions, Ta`bee,
Taba Ta`bee, and other Narrators of Hadeeth] mentioned as
Huffaz.
A lady Hafizah
In the prophets time and after the prophets time there were many Hafizah [women who had memorized the Qur`an]. One of them was Umme Warqah. She had a very interesting story that is why I am writing it.
Umme Warqah was one of the companions of the prophet. She was also a Hafizah. When the prophet set out for the war of Badr, Umme Warqah asked permission from the prophet to go to war so She may nurse the wounded or be martyred and have the status of a martyr. The prophet said if you stay home and you will have the status of a martyr. From then onwards she was known as shaheedah. When people went to visit her they used to say lets go and visit Mother Shaheedah. Time went by when the Khilafah of Umar came, his two slaves martyred Umme Warqah during the night, When people found out they said Subhanallah what the prophet said came true. Hazrat Umar killed both of them read their funeral and finally buried the slaves.
[Tabaqaat Ibn Saad, Usdul Ghabah, Al Asabah
by Imam Ibn Saad, Imam Ibn Atheer
and Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani
Biography of Umme Warqah.]
Compilers of the Qur`an
Imam Bukhari writes that Ans bin Malik reported that in the prophets time only 4 members of the Ansar helped compile the Qur`an. Their names are as follows:
Ubay bin Qaab, Ma Aaz bin Jabal, Zaid bin Sabit and Abu Zayd.
In another narration Abu Zardahs name is also mentioned.
[Bukhari Chap Qurrah By Imam Bukahri]
Imam Ibn Saad writes that Imam Aamir Shabi reports that the people who compiled the Qur`an in the prophets time names are as follows:
Ubay bin Qaab, Ma Aaz bin Jabal, Abu Zardah, Zaid bin Sabit, Abu Zaid, Saad bin Ubaid, Mujammah bin Jariah, Uthman Ibn Affan, Tamim Dari, Ubadah bin Sabit, Abu Ayyub Ansari.
[Tabaqaat Ibn Saad Chap Jam e Ane Qur`an]
The names that Imam Ibn Saad mentioned above are not only mentioned by Ibn saad but also mentioned by other scholars of Hadeeth in their biography. Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes in his book Al Asabah, Tahzeeb Atahzeeb and Fathul Bari. Imam Ibn Atheer writes in Usdul Ghabah. Imam Ibn Abdul Barr writes in Istiyaab. Imam Bukhari has mentioned in others in his Tareek ul Kabeer and Tareek Sagheer and Hafiz Jalaludeen Sayooti has mentioned all of the above names in his book Al Itqaan Fee Ulumil Qur`an chap Jam Ul Qur`an.
Khatmul Qur`an
Imam Ibn Majah writes that Abdullah bin Amar said that I used to complete a whole Qur`an in one night. When the prophet found out he said you should at least take a week to finish the Qur`an.
[Ibn Majah chap Khatmul Qur`an,
Nisaee chap Khatmul Qur`an]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes in Fathul Bari that this narration is Authentic.
[Fathul Bari chap Qurrah wal Huffaz
by Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani]
Imam Ibn Majah writes that the prophet said whoever finishes the Qur`an in under three days he has not understood anything.
[Ibn Majah chap Khatmul Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari writes that the prophet said to Abdullah bin Amar don’t finish the Qur`an within one day, but finish one Qur`an in one month.
[Bukhari chap Khatmul Qur`an
by Imam Bukhari]
Imam Bukhari writes that Abdullah bin Amar said to the prophet you asked me to finish one Qur`an in one month, but I can read the Qur`an much faster. The prophet then replied then finish one in one week.
[Bukhari chap Kam Yukraul Qur`an]
This Hadeeth has also been mentioned by Abu Daood, Imam Ibn Majah and Imam Tirmidhi in chap Kam Yukraul Qur`an.
Imam Ibn Majah, Imam Tirmidhi and Abu Daood write that a companion named Aus reported that I came to the prophet with a delegation. My delegation was set at the house of Mugheera Bin Shobah. I waited there and after every Isha Salat the prophet would come and talk to us. One day the prophet came late, so I asked why had He come late? The prophet replied everyday I recite a part of the Qur`an, but today there was some extra. I felt it was not right if I did not complete it. Aus then asked other companions how do you finish the Qur`an? They replied we finish the Qur`an in 7 manzils.
[Ibn Majah Tirmidhi and Abu Daood
chap Kamyuk ra Ul Qur`an]
There are 7 manzils in the Qur`an. They begin from one Surah and finish at another. They are divided as:
1.Surah Bakarah-Surah An-nisa
2.Surah Al Maidah-Surah At Tawbah
3.Surah Yunas-Surah Nahal
4.Surah Bani Israeel-Surah Furqaan
5.Surah Shorah-Surah Yaseen
6.Surah Sifaat-Surah Hujraat
7.Surah Kahf-Wannas
Imam Abu Daood writes that the Qur`an has 7 Manzils. Like this the companions would finish the Qur`an in 7 days beginning from one manzils and finishing at another. This is known as Manzil meaning palce of pausing.
[Abu Daood Chap Kamyukra Ul Qur`an]
Imam Darmi writes that Abu Kulasa writes that the prophet said if anyone is present whilst the Qur`an is being started he is as if he is the victor of Jihad. If anyone is present whilst the Qur`an is being finished then he is as if he was there when the plundered belongings of the enemy are being given out.
[Darmi chap Katmul Qur`an]
Imam Darmi writes that the prophet was asked what is the best of deeds. The prophet replied the best of deeds is that to when you begin the Qur`an do not finish at the end but start to recite the Qur`an again from the beginning.
[Darmi Chap Khatmul Qur`an]
This narration has been mentioned by Imam Nabawi in Kitab Ul Azkaar, in Tufathul Ahweez by Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri and in Faziley Qur`an by Hafiz Ibn Katheer.
From all the above narrations it proves that that the Qur`an was memorized in the prophets time and it was written and the companions used to recite it from beginning to end as we recite it today and in the same order. If the Qur`an was not compiled during the time of the prophet then how can the companions come to the prophet and say that we finish the Qur`an in one day or in one week and how can the prophet tell them to finish it in one month or in one week. This proves that the Qur`an was compiled in the prophets time and that the companions used to recite it and also that the prophet had told them how to finish the Qur`an and in how much time. All above proves that the Qur`an was compiled, ordered in the prophets time.
There is another narration by Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari that the prophet said that the Qur`an should not be taken to the enemies territories.
[Muslim Bukhari Kitabul Jihad]
Imam Ibn Majah writes that the prophet said that when a person dies he leaves three things, which may be of benefit to him. Firstly his knowledge which he teaches and others pass on. Secondly his good son whom he leaves behind and thirdly the Qur`an, which he made somebody heir of looking after.
[Ibn Majah Chap Swaab Muallim Unnas]
This Hadeeth also proves that the person who leaves the Qur`an behind it will benefit him. Here the word heir has two meanings:
One that he left the Qur`an behind so his family or friends may inherit it and two that he taught the Qur`an to someone and the remembered it. If there was no copies of the Qur`an than how could the prophet have said this.
Proof from the name of the Surah that Qur`an was compiled in the prophets time.
The Qur`an was compiled in the prophets time and the Surahs were named and people knew the Surahs from their names. The prophet and his companions used to recite the Qur`an in the same order. The prophet also used to tell people the excellency of a particular Surah.
Imam Abu Daood writes that Abdullah Bin Masood reported that sometimes used to recite two different Surahs together in one Rakat.
e.g: Surah Annajm-Surah Ar Rahman
SurahAl Qamar-Surah Al Haaqah
Surah Toor-Surah Zaariyah
Surah Waqiyah-Surah Noon
Surah Al Maarij-Surah Naziaat
Surah Quwwerat-Surah Mutaffefeen
Surah Muddsser-Surah Addhar.
[Abu Daood Chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Abu Daood writes that Amar Ibn Aas reported that the prophet told me that the Qur`an has 15 Sadah in it.
[Abu Daood Chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write that the prophet said that recite Surah Al Bakarah and Sural Aale Imran. These two Surahs will intercede on you behalf on the day of judgement.
[Muslim chap Faziley Qiraat ul Qur`an
Bukhari chap Faziley Surah Al Bakarah]
Imam Muslim writes that whosoever recites the first ten verses of the Qur`an he shall be saved from the trouble of the Dajjaal.
[Muslim Faziley Surah Al Qahf]
Imam Muslim writes that Umar Ibn Al Khattab reported that I went to the Mosque and there I saw Hasham bin Hakam was reciting Surah Furqaan.
[Bukhari Musim chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Muslim writes that Ukbah bin Aamir reported that the prophet said tonight Surahs of high excellency have been revealed to me which have never been revealed before. They are Surah Al Falaq and Surah Naas
[Muslim Chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari writes that Aisha said that the prophet once fell ill and recited Surah Al Falaq and Surah Anaas
[Bukhari Chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari write that Abdullah bin Masood reported that the prophet asked me to recite a part of the Qur`an. So I recited Surah Nisa.
[Muslim Chap Faziley Qur`an Bukhari
Chap Buka Indal Qiraat ul Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write that Ans reported that the prophet said to Ubay bin Qaab Allah has commanded me to recite Surah Lam Yaku to you. Ubay Bin Qaab asked the prophet has Allah mentioned my name. The prophet replied yes. Hearing this Ubay Bin Qaab began to cry.
[Muslim chap Faziley Qur`an
Bukhari chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari writes that Umar Ibn Al Khataab reported that when Surah Fatah was revealed the prophet said this Surah is more beloved to me more than the whole world.
[Bukhari chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Waliudeen Tabrezi writes that the prophet said every thing has a heart. The heart of the Qur`an is Surah Yaseen. They Angels said how blessed would those people who shall be able to recite Surah Taa Haa and Surah Yaseen. The prophet said that whosoever recites Surah Duhaan 70, 000 Angels will pray for him and the prophet said that whoever recites Surah Mulk will save a person from the punishment of Allah. The prophet said that whoever recites the last verses of Surah Hashar Angels will pray for him.
The prophet said to Uqbah bin Aamir that in place of Surah Yusaf or Hud you may recite Surah Al Falaq Surah Annas. The prophet also said that everything has its own beauty.
The beauty of The Qur`an is Surah Arahman. Whoever reads Surah Waqiyah he will never feel any weakness.
[Miskat chap Faziley Qur`an]
Imam Muslim writes that Abu Saeed reported that prophet that used to spend so much time in the first Rakahs of Asar and Zuhr. It was equivalent to the time of reading Surah Sajdah. The prophet used to read long Qiraat in prayer and recited different Surah sometimes Surah Mumenoon or sometimes Surah Kahf, Surah Salat, Surah Layl, Surah Aalaa, Surah Toor or Surah Washams.
[Muslim chap Qiraat Fis Salat]
Imam Bukhari that Umme Fazal reported that I heared the prophet recite Surah Mursalaat in the Maghrib Prayer.
[Bukari chap Qiraat]
Imam Bukhari writes that the prophet used to recite Surah Toor in the Maghrib prayer and in the Isha prayer they would recite Surah Mushaqqat or another Surah Teen. In Fajr prayer they would recite Surah Toor. They would do long recitation in the morning prayer, sometimes they would recite half Surah Al Bakarah or sometimes Surah Yusaf, Surah Yunas, Surah Kahf or Surah Anhal.
[Bukhari chap Qiraat fis Salaat]
All above Hadeeth proves that the Surahs of the Qur`an had been given their order in the prophets time and they were named and the prophet told each Surahs excellency and the prophet and the Companions used to recite the Surahs as we do today.
Reciting the Qur`an whilst looking.
Imam Waliudeen Tabrezi writes that Uthman Bin Affan reported that the prophet said that anyone who recite the Qur`an by heart will receive 1000 good deeds and whoever recites the Qur`an with looking will receive 2000 good deeds.
[Miskaat Faale Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write that Aisha reported that the prophet said that anyone who is an expert on the Qur`an or anyone who has memorized the Qur`an keeps company with the Angels which have the highest status. Any person who has difficulty reading the Qur`an will receive two Ajars.
[Bukhari chap Tawheed
Muslim chap Fazeelat Hafize Qur`an]
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes that in the above narration the word expert means he knows the Qur`an very well by heart.
[Fathul Bari chap At Tawheed]
From the above two narrations it comes to be known that the prophet used to encourage the reading of the Qur`an and they also encouraged them to read with looking. If there was no Qur`an in the prophets time then why would the prophet encourage them to read the Qur`an?
NOTE:
Jam Ul Qur`an and Hifz Ul Quran
People say that the word Jam ul Qur`an does not mean to compile the Qur`an but it means that to memorize the Qur`an by heart. Jam Ul Qur`an means to compile the Qur`an and Hifz Ul Qur`an means to memorize the Qur`an by heart. Then a question raises that the Hadeeth Imam Bukhari has narrated says that Abu Bakr Compiled the Qur`an using the word Jam Ul Qur`an but if the meaning is to memorize it then that means that Abu Bakr and Zaid bin Sabit also memorized it and they did not compile it. Therefore if Abu Bar did not compile it or the prophet did not compile it then that means the Qur`an disappeared Na oozubillah min Zalik. May Allah protect us from such thoughts! We say again that Jam Ul Qur`an means to compile the Qur`an and Hifz Ul Qur`an means to Memorize the Qur`an by heart.
Tawatur
The Qur`an reached us through Tawatur. The definition of Mutawatur is continually. If so many people give evidence of a certain subject to call that subject wrong would be impossible. For example The Ka`bah is in Makkah, The prophets resting place is in Madina and the dome of the rock is in Jerusalem.
Note:
Ummey
Did the prophet know how to read or write?
Reference from the scholars such as Kurtabi or Alusi and from Tafseer e Namoonah that the Qur`an was gathered in the prophets time
Proof that the Qur`an was compiled with evidence from various scholars.
First of all we will write some references of Shi`a scholars that the Qur`an was compiled, ordered by Surahs and verses and also that today we have the same Qur`an in the same form as it was in the prophets Time.
Ayatullah Makkarin Shirazi writes that as it is famous that the Qur`an was not compiled in the prophets time and was later compled in the Khalifat times is a misunderstanding. The real fact is that the Qur`an was compiled in the prophet time and we have the same copy of the Qur`an as them. The first Surah in the Qur`an wa Surah Fatihah. The reason for this being the first Surah is not that it was revealed first but there are many evidences that the Qur`an was compiled in the prophets time and it is in the same form as we have it today.
The first evidence is that Jafar Sadiq reported that the prophet told Ali to write the Qur`an on a parchment.
The second evidence is that the famous Sunni scholar Aalim Kharzini writes in Kitab Ul Manakib that Ali bin Rawah narrates that Ali and Ubay bin Qaab collected the Qur`an in the prophets time.
Third evidence is that Ahle Sunnahs famous scholar Imam Hakim Naishapuri writes in his book Mustadarak from a narration from Zaid Bin Sabit that we sat by the prophet and wrote the Qur`an on a parchment and then we would show it to the prophet and we wrote each verse in its own place and the prophet would also check it. It was all written on a parchment and Ali ordered it.
The famous Shi`a scholar Sayyed Murtaza says that the form of the Qur`an we have today is the same a it was in the prophets time. Imam Tibarani, Imam Ibn Asakir narrate from Shabi that in the prophets time there were six people who collected the Qur`an and Qattada also narrates that I asked Ans who collected the Qur`an in the prophets time? They replied four companions, they were all from the tribe of Anaar. They are as follows:
Ubay bin Qaab, Zaid bin Sabit, Maaz and Abu Zaid.
If anyone raises a doubt that who collected the Qur`an after the prophet, they might says this because it says in above narration that Ali did and other companions also did. The answer is that Ali did not only collect it but also interpreted it. They also wrote where each verse was revealed and also wrote footnotes. Uthman changed all the different Qiraats into one same Qiraat and added punctuation because before there was no punctuation in the Qur`an. To say that the prophet did not compile the Qur`an is incorrect.
[Tafsir Namoonah chap Jamul Qur`an vol 1
Ayatullah Makarin Shiraz]
Printed Dar Ul Kutb Islamiyah, Iran 1360 Hijra
Another famous scholar Sheilk Abu Ali Fazal bin Hasan Tabresi writes that that the Qur`an was in the same form in the prophets time as it is today. The companions memorized the Qur`an by heart, wrote it and there was a large group companions who had memorized the Qur`an The companions who memorized the Qur`an used to recite the Qur`an the prophet Himself. There was also a group of companions who kept their own copies of the Qur`an. Abdullah bin Masood, Ubay bin Qaab and other companions finished reciting the whole of the Qur`an by heart to the prophet. They also wrote the Qur`an, compiled it and it was compiled in the same order as it is today. People who say that the Qur`an was not compiled in the prophets time and also give narrations are wrong and their narrations are incorrect. The Qur`an reached us through Tawatur. If so many people give evidence of a certain subject to call that subject wrong would be impossible. The Qur`ans Tuwatur is the same as the Tawatur of the cities of the world. It is one of the miracles of the prophet and the Muslims took so much care of the Qur`an even more than their own life. They added covers to the Qur`an and kept the many ways of reciting the Qur`an. They also kept it from being changed by anyone or anything.
[Tafsir Majmaul Bayaan chap Jam Ul Qur`an
By Sheilk Abu Ali Fazal bin Hasan Tabresi]
We have deliberately wrote these Shi`a scholars references because sometimes people say that Shi`a scholars believe that the Qur`an was changed and its order was altered with and also the Qur`an was not the same then as it is now. Sheilk Tabresi is the most famous and is the main scholar of Shi`a people. Ayatullah Makarin Shiraz is also very famous and quite popular scholar of the Shi`a. His Tafseer is a very authentic Tafseer. The Shi`a Scholars agree the Qur`an is the same today as it was then in the prophets time.
Now we shall look at what the Sunni scholars opinion.
Proof from the Sunni Scholars that the Qur`an was compiled in the prophets Time.
Allamah Alusi writes that the Qur`an is in the same order as it was in the prophet time. It was also recited and memorized in the same way as today. People used to recite the Qur`an to the prophet in the same order as we do. There was a group of companions who used to recite the Qur`an. Abdullah bin Masood used to recite the Qur`an to the prophet, Ubay bin Qaab had recited the Qur`an many times to the prophet. It is clearly proved above that the Qur`an was recited in the prophets time and was also compiled. It is a misunderstanding of some people who say that one part of the Qur`an was written somewhere and another part was written somewhere else. The Qur`an was compiled in the Prophets time and was also ordered in the prophets time.
[Tafseer Rooh Ul Mani chap Jam Ul Qur`an
by Allama Alusi Al Hanafee Al Baghdadee]
Imam Jalaludeen Sayooti writes that Imam Malik said that as Allah revealed the Qur`an to the prophet it was written down as it was revealed.
Imam Baghavi says that the Qur`an Allah revealed to the prophet, the companions wrote it as it was revealed, just as the prophet told them. The verses were not altered with and neither was the order altered with. The Qur`an with us today is the same as in the prophets time and was the same as the companions compiled it as they were told by the prophet. Allah told the order of the verses and Surah through Jibraeel to the prophet, and also where each should be and where the Surah should be put. The prophet would tell his writers where to put each Surah. Therefore the prophet would tell his writers where to write it. The Qur`an is in the same order as it was in the prophets time and the companions used to recite it.
Imam Nabavi writes that the Qur`an was in the same order as it was in the prophets time.
[Al Itqaan chap Jam Ul Qur`an
By Imam Jalaudeen Sayuti]
Refute of the evidence which shows that the Qur`an as not assembled in the prophets time
The main evidence people have for saying that the Qur`an was not assembled in the prophets time is:
Imam Bukhari writes that I heard from Musa bin Ismaeel he heard from Ibraheem bin Saad he heard form Ibn Shuhaab Zuhri he heared from Ubayd bin Sabbaq he reported from Zaid bin Thabit that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me when the people! of Yamama had been killed [i.e., a number of the Prophet's Companions who fought against Musailama]. [I went to him] and found `Umar bin Al-Khattab sitting with him. Abu Bakr then said [to me], "`Umar has come to me and said: "Casualties were heavy among the Qurra' of the! Qur'an [i.e. those who knew the Qur'an by heart] on the day of the Battle of Yalmama, and I am afraid that more heavy casualties may take place among the Qurra' on other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Qur'an may be lost. Therefore I suggest, you [Abu Bakr] order that the Qur'an be collected." I said to `Umar, "How can you do something which Allah's Apostle did not do?" `Umar said, "By Allah, that is a good project. "`Umar kept on urging me to accept his proposal till Allah opened my chest for it and I began to realize the good in the idea which `Umar had realized." Then Abu Bakr said [to me]. 'You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah's Apostle. So you should search for [the fragmentary scripts of] the Qur'an and collect it in one book]." By Allah If they had ordered me to shift one of the mountains, it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur'an. Then I said to Abu Bakr, "How will you do something which Allah's Apostle did not do?" Abu Bakr replied, "By Allah, it is a good project." Abu Bakr kept on urging me to accept his idea until Allah opened my chest for what He had opened the chests of Abu Bakr and `Umar. So I started looking for the Qur'an and collecting it from [what was written on] palmed stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart, till I found the last Verse of Surat at-Tauba [Repentance] with Abi Khuza`ima Al-Ansari, and I did not find it with anybody other than him. The Verse is:
'Verily there has come unto you an Apostle [Muhammad] from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty..[till the end of Surat-Baraa' [at-Tauba] [9.128-129] Then the complete manuscripts [copy] of the Qur'an remained with Abu Bakr till he died, then with `Umar till the end of his life, and then with Hafsa, the daughter of `Umar.
[Bukhari chap Jam Ul Quran by Imam Bukhari]
Examination of the above Narration
It proves from the narration that the Qur`an was not assembled in the prophets time and nobody had a copy of the Qur`an in the form of a book until the khilafah of Uthman. This was because that Abu Bakr did not distribute any copies of the Qur`an in his Khilafah. This clearly proves that nobody completely recited the Qur`an from the prophets time until almost half of khilafah of Uthman, because no one had a copy of the Qur`an. This narration also shows that the Verses and the Surah of the Qur`an were not ordered in the prophets time. This means that no one even knew the Qur`an by heart because if the Qur`an was not in order then how could someone memorize the Qur`an. It cannot be accepted that no one had memorized or even recited the Qur`an from the prophets time until half the Khilafah of Uthman. This narration is against all the narrations that the Qur`an was compiled in the Qur`an and also thousands of people memorized the Qur`an in the prophets time. Not only males but also females had memorized the Qur`an. We have mentioned above some of their names. Here there are two options. One to accept this narration and ignore all the other narrations and two to accept the above narrations and reject this one. Most sensible people would accept the above narrations. The narration above is of a single chain. Zaid bin Sabit alone narrated this narration and from Zaid bin Sabit Ubayd bin Sabbaq narrated this narration and then Imam Zuhri. Other narrations are mutawatur. Who can deny the Mutawatur narration and accept the above single narration. The narration says that Abu Bakr asked Zaid bin Sabit alone to assemble the Qur`an. Why did Abu Bakr only ask Zaid bin Sabit and not ask an earlier or more senior companion such as Abdullah bin Masood, Abu Bakr Himself, Umar, Uthman, Ali? Why did Abu Bakr not ask any other companions to assist Zaid bin Sabit? How is it possible that Zaid alone assembled the Qur`an in such a short time. The copy that Zaid bin Sabit assembled was not checked. This narration also proves that the Qur`an we have today is the copy which Zaid bin Sabit assembled, even though the Qur`an is Mutawatur and is not narrated from one person.
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr writes about the above narration that this narration says Zaid bin Sabit gathered the Qur`an from palmed stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart. Zaid bin Sabit knew the Qur`an by heart, so why did he not write it from his memory rather than collecting the Qur`an from palmed stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart. Also why did Zaid make an excuse by saying that this job is too great for me. Al Istiyaab
[Biography of Zaid bin Sabit by Imam Ibn Abdul Barr]
From this it proves that even Imam Ibn Abdul Barr is not satisfied with this narration.
Lets look at the Narrators of this Narration
Hafiz Asqalani writes that this narration the narration of Zaid bin Sabit is really the narration of Ubayd bin Sabbat. Imam Bukhari writes this narration in chap Jam Ul Qur`an, chap Tafseer and chap Ahkam wat Tawheed. In some places all the narration is written and in some places only part of the narration is written. Imam Bukhari has only taken one narration from Ubayd bin Sabbaq.
[Fathul Bari chap Jam ul Qur`an]
Imam Bukhari wrote the Zaid bin Thabits narration with a different chain from Imam Zuhri but all chains have a weak narrator
First Narrator of Jam Ul Qur`an Zaid bin Thabit
Zaid bin Thabit was a faous companion of the prophet. According to Ubayd bin Sabbaq Zaid bin Thabit is ony the narrator of this narration. When Zaid bin Thabit assembled the Qur`an obviously all of Madina knew that Zaid bin Thabit has done this. Why has not any other companion reported about this event.
Second Narrator of Jam Ul Qur`an Ubayd bin Sabbaq
Hafiz Asqalani writes Ubay bin Sabbaq used to live in Madina he narrated Hadeeth form Zaid bin Thabit and Imam Zhuri was his student
[Tahzeeb ut Thazeeb biography ubayd bin Sabbaq]
I Abu Ammar say that Imam Bukhari, Imam Ibn Abi Hatim, Hafiz Dhabi and Hafiz Asqalani all write a very short biography of Ubay bin Sabbaq but nobody mentioned about his birth or death. There is no evidence that he saw Zaid bin Thabit and narrated any narrations from him. This narration cannot become strong until there is any proof that there was a meeting of the two; Zaid bin Thabit and Ubayd bin Sabbaq. If Zuhri did not take this narration from Ubayd bin Sabbaq would be unknown
Third Narrator of Jam Ul Qur`an Imam Zhuri
Imam Dhahabee writes that Imam Zuhree’s full name was Muhammad bin Muslim bin Abdullah, bin Shuhaab, az-zuhree. But, he is famous as ibn Shuhaab-uz-zuhree. He was born in the 50th year of Hijrah in Madeenah. He saw only a few companions of the Prophet [SAW]. He was such a great a scholar that many scholars of his time used to praise him, even Abdullah bin Umar [RA].[Tadhkarat-ul-huffaz, Tahdheeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Imam Zuhree]
Apology
We feel sad to highlight weaknesses in Imam Zuhree, but we have just quoted what other scholars of Hadeeth have said about him. We also respect Imam Zuhree greatly as a muhaddith, but he was a man like us and had weaknesses.
Another fact is that Imam Zuhree has narrated Hadeeth [which have been collected by Muslim and Bukhari] which show that the family of the Prophet [SAW] and the companions did not get on well with each other [Saheeh Muslim and Saheeh Bukhari, bab-ul-fayy]
The fact is that the Prophet’s [SAW] family and the companions did get on well with each other.
Hafid Asqalanee wrote:
It was a habit of Imam Zuhree to do tadlees and attribute the narrations to people like Abdur-rahmaan bin azhar, ibn k’ab, abbaan, ibn uthmaan, ibn hakm, ibn us-saalimee, abdullah bin ja’far, ubaada bin saamid, raafi’, umm abdullah, abu hurairah, and abdullah bin Umar. Concerning Abdullah bin Umar, the scholars of hadeeth are split as to whether Imam Zuhree actually saw him or not. In the same way, there is no proof that Imam Zuhree did take narrations from ‘Urwa bin zubair. But, the scholars of Hadeeth accept these narrations which Imam Zuhree allegedly took from Urwa. For us, this is evidence and we should therefore believe that Imam Zuhree heard something from Urwa. Imam Zuhree was from a group of scholars of hadeeth who used to ‘grab’ hadeeth when they heard them. [Tahdheeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Imam Zuhree]
Tadlees – What is it?
Hafid Asqalaani writes:
The literal meaning of the arabic word ,tadlees, is “hiding”. Technically, it means to hide a hadeeth narrator. If a muhaddith did tadlees, he would use a narrator’s name but it would be a name by which he wasn’t commonly known. Thus, the identity of the weak narrator was hidden. The stronger narrators in the chain would be emphasized so that the attention of the hearer of the hadeeth would be diverted.
[An-nukhbah, chap. on tadlees, by hafid asqalaani]
Imam Dhahabee and Hafid Asqalaani write:
Imam Zuhree narrated 2200 hadeeth, of which about a half have a chain leading to the prophet [SAW]. He used to do tadlees even though is was a small amount. Imam Zuhree’s marasee ahadeeth used to be weaker than other peoples [A tabi’i would claim a hadeeth directly from the prophet [saw] without mentioning a companion’s name] [Tadhkarat-ul-hufaaz, Tahdheeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Imam Zuhree].
Imam Dhahabee writes that Imam Shubah waastee wites:
“I would rather fall from the skies and be broken to pieces, than to do tadlees”
[Tadhkarat-ul-huffaz, biography of Imam Shubah waastee]
Hafid Asqalaani writes:
Yazeed bin zurayy was asked, “What is the legal ruling regarding tadleees?” To this, he replied “It is an absolute lie.”
[Tahdheeb-ut-tahdheeb, biography of Yazeed bin Zurayy]
Imam Dhahabe writes:
Sulaimaan bin harb said that Imam Jareer ‘azdee was asked about tadlees. The Imam said, “I reject it. A mudallis shows that which he has not heard.”[Tadhkarat-ul-huffaaz, biography of Imaam Jareer bin haazin azdee]
Hafid ibn katheer writes:
Imam shaafi’ee rejects all the narrations of any muhaddith who did tadlees, but other scholars say that if a mudallis identified who he took narrations from and if that was a reliable source, that particular narration would be accepted.[Ikhtisaar uloom-ul-hadeeth, chap. on tadlees, by hafid ibn katheer]
Hafid Asqalaanee writes:
If a mudallis uses the words “Qaala”, so-and-so said, or “’And”, from so-and-so, in a narration, the hadeeth will be rejected. But, the mudallis uses a word implying that he directly heard the narration e.g.”sami’tu” - I heard, the mudallis would be lying. The rule concerning such people is that even if the mudallis was truthful, the hadeeth would not be accepted.[SharH nukhbah, chap. hadeeth mu’dal]
Idraaj and Imam Zuhree
Imam Zuhree used to do idraaj, so it was difficult for people to understand his narrated hadeeth.
Hafid Asqalaanee writes:
Idraaj literally means “Inserting something”. Its technical meaning is to insert one’s own words into the text of a narration. Sometimes the text could be added at the start or, at the end. To find the actual hadeeth text from a mudrij was very difficult. Either the hadeeth was analyzed be someone who had very deep knowledge, or the mudrij showed which words he inserted into the hadeeth text. [SharHan-nukhbah, chap. hadeeth mudrij]
Imam Bukhari writes:
It was reported by Imam malik that the famous scholar of hadeeth rabee’ut-turaayy used to advise Imam Zuhree to show clearly in his narrations, which were his own words and which were those of the Prophet [SAW] [Taareekh-ul-kabeer, biography of Rabee’utturaayy].
Muslim and Bukhari contain ahadeeth in which Imam Zuhree has inserted his own words. Scholars of hadeeth have refuted these words. An example is given below:
Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari write:
When Hadrat abu bakr [RA] became the khaleefah, hadrat Ali [RA] did not give bayah [Pledge of allegiance] to him nor did the tribe of banu hashim. But, after six months when hadrat Faatima [RA] passed away they all gave bayah to him.[Bukhari, chap. on khaybar. Muslim chap. bab-ul-fayy]
Hafid Asqalaanee writes:
Imam ibn habbaan, Imaam baihaqqee, and other scholars of hadeeth say that this narration contains some of Imam Zuhree’s own words. Somebody said to Imam Zuhree, that when abu bakr [RA] became the khaleefah, hadrat Ali [RA] did not give bayah for six months. Imam Zuhree said, not only Ali, but the whole of the tribe of banoo Haashim did not give bayah to abu bakr until hadrat faatimah [RA] passed away. The fact is that Imaam Zuhree’s words are wrong, and also that Hadrat Ali [RA] gave bayah to Hadrat Abu bakr on the first day he was appointed khaleefah [FatH-ul-baari, end of Chap. on Khaybar].
Hafid Qastalani also writes the same as above.
Hafid ibn katheer writes that the narrations which say that Ali [RA] gave bayah to Abu bakr [RA] on the first day he was appointed khaleefah are more authentic than those which do not support this. The reason for this is that Ali [RA] used to pray behind Abu Bakr [RA] and stayed with him all the time[Taareekh ibn katheer, chap. yaum-us-saqeefah].
The references prove that Imam Zuhree used to do tadlees and Idraaj. The scholars have pointed out that his narrations are not reliable.
Ijazah and Imam Zuhree
Eejaazah literally means “giving permission”. Its technical meaning is for a muhaddith to give permission to his students to narrate his hadeeth, or any book of hadeeth which he has knowledge of [SharH-ul-nukhbah, by Hafid Aasqalaanee, chap. Eejaazah].
This was the correct way to give Eejaazah, but Imam Zuhree’s way to give Eejaazah was very strange.
Imam Dhahabee writes that Ubaidullah reported:
I saw that the students of Imam Zuhree used to bring books to the Imam and ask him for permission to narrate from it using the Imam’s name. The Imam used to allow them without knowing what was in those books. This was because neither the Imam used to read the ahadeeth, nor did the students read the hadeeth to him [Tadhkarat-ul-Huffaaz, biography of Imam Zuhree].
Shiekh Saalih najdi writes:
Imam ibn Hazm said that if a scholar of hadeeth gives permission to his students to narrate a book of hadeeth using his name, and the Scholar has not read the narrations, nor has anyone read them to him then, this is a bid’ah and not permissible. Other scholars of hadeeth have been more strict in this respect and have said that the scholars of hadeeth who used to do this, in effect, gave permission to their students to attribute lies to them.[uloom-ul-hadeeth, chap. on tadlees]
From the above, it is evident that the authenticity of Imam Zuhree’s narrations are in question. It could be the case that one of the students of the Imam used to narrate non-authentic hadeeth and use the Imam’s name, as he had given him permission to do so without checking the hadeeth.
Our sheikh Shah Abul-Hasan zaid faarooqee writes:
Hafid ibn-ul-qayyim writes in his book, Alaam-ul-muwakki’een Vol. 3 p85, that Imam Malik wrote a letter to his colleague Imam layth bin sa’ad, whose knowledge was greater than Imam Malik’s. When Imam lays replied to the letter, he wrote a few things about Imam Zuhree. He wrote:
There is no doubt that our teacher, Imam Zuhree was a great scholar, but we have to accept that some of Imam Zuhree’s verbal and written statements used to contradict one other. When we used to ask him something, sometimes the written answer would be different from the answer he used to give us verbally. Even some of his written statements used to contradict one other. The Imam did not realize what he had said before and what he was now writing. These are the reasons, why I have left him [Sawaanee Hayaat Imaam abu Haneefah, biography Imam Lays].
This statement provides for us that Imam Zuhree’s narrations are not necessarily authentic. For this reason, we cannot use a single narration from Imam Zuhree as being more authentic than the practice of the companions, the Taabi’een, the Tab’a taabi’een and of a great group of scholars. The single narration of zaid bin sabit is only taken from Imam Zuhree. His students made the narration famous after this.
Lets See the Narrators after Imam Zhuri
The narration of Jam Ul Qur`an after Imam Zhuri are Ismaeel bin Awais. Imam Zhabi and Hafiz Asqalqani writes that Imam Nisa`ee was a weak narrator, his narrations should not be accepted, he was a liar, and used to make fabricated hadeeth. Dar Qutni said that if I needed a authentic Hadeeth I would not go to Ismaeel bin Awais.
[Mizaan Ul Itidaa Tahzeeb ut Thazeeb biography Ismaeel bin Awais by Imam Zhabi and Hafiz Asqalani]
Another narrator of this narration is Ibraheem bin Saad.
Hafiz Asqalani writes that Imam Jazra said that Imam Ibraheem bin Saad heard narrations of hadeeth from Imam Zhuri when he was very young. That is why his narration of Zhuri are not very strong. Imam Ahmad said he was weak in Hadeeth. He was reliable in knowledge of hadeeth.
[Tahzeeb Ut Thzeeb biohraphy of Ibn Saad by Hafiz Asqalani]
These are the kind of narrators of Jam ul Qur`an. It will not be right to accept this narration and ignore all the other that prove that the Qur`an was Assembled in the Qur`an. From this it proves that the narrators are not satisfactory.
Two false narrations which make doubt on the Qur`an
Imam Ibn Majh writes that Aisha said that the stoning [if a married man and woman comit adultery their punishment is to be stoned to death] and breastfeeding verses of the Qur`an were revealed and were written on a paper beside my bed. On the day of the death of the prophet we became engaged with the funeral services. Whilst doing this a goat came into our house and ate.
[Ibn Majah chap Rada Al Kabeer and Musnad Ahmad Marwiaate Aisha by Imam Ibn Majah by Imam Ibn Majah and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hambal]
This narration clearly shows that it is against the Qur`an, but Allah says that I will look after the Qur`an. If this narration is true this means Allah has failed to look after the Qur`an. Secondly reached us through mutawatur. This narration is the only narration against Mutawatur. Thirdly the narrator of this narration. The narrator of this narration is Muhammad bin Ishaq. We will look at the authenticity of Muhammad bin Ishaq.
The other narrator of this narration is Muhammad bin Ishaaq, who was very knowledgeable in Islamic history but very weak in narration of Hadeeth.
Imaam Dhahabi and Hafiz Asqalani write [that]:
The scholars of Hadeeth have different opinions about Muhammad bin Ishaaq. Yahya bin Mo’een says that he is authentic, but his narration of Hadeeth is not good. Ali Ibn Madiny says his two narrations are unknown. Nasai said that he is not strong in the knowledge of Hadeeth. Imaam Dar Qutni said that his Hadeeth cannot be used as evidence. Imaam Abu Ba’oo said that Naf’e was Qadri. Imaam Hashaam and Imaam Salaiman said that he was a liar. Imaam Malik said that he is a liar and is a Dajjaal. Abdullah bin Mubarak said, “I saw Muhammad bin Ishaaq in Masjid ul Haif. I did not go near him because people might have said that I have wrong beliefs like him.” Imaam Ahmad said “When he narrates Hadeeth, he narrates Hadeeth from those people whom he never met. Imaam Yahya bin Saeed says “I witness that Muhammad bin Ishaaq is a liar. He has narrated one thousand Hadeeth’s which no one else has narrated.” Imaam Bukhari never wrote any Hadeeth that was narrated by Muhammad bin Ishaaq. No one can use his narration of Hadeeth as evidence for halaal and haraam. But there are a few people who praised him like Imaam Shoba.
[Mizan ul I’tidaal, Tahzeeb ut Tahzeeb, Tazkarat ul Huffaaz, biography of Muhammad bin Ishaaq]
We cannot accept any narrations form this kind of narrator which may doubt the Qur`an.
Another False Narration
Imam Ahmad reported Abdullah bin Masood refused to believe that Surah Falaq and Surah Naas are part of the Qur`an.
[Musnad Ahmad narration of Zirr bin Hubaish by Imam Ahmad Ibn Hambal]
This narration also has been written by Imam Tabrani and also by Imam Bukhari but has not written clearly that Abdullah bin Masood refused to believe that Surah Falaq and Surah Naas are part of the Qur`an but has a similar meaning. The narrators of this narration are not reliable. They will be discussed further in the Article Inshalla
Hafiz Asqalani writes all the Muslims agree that Surah Falaq and Surah Naas are part of the Qur`an. If someone says that these surahs are not part of the Qur`an is a kafir. Any narrations that prove Abdullah bin Masood refused to believe that Surah Falaq and Surah Naas are part of the Qur`an are wrong and scholar of Hadeeth refuse to accept those narration which say the above. Ibn Hazam and Imam Razi and other scholars said that these narrations which are about the above are lies.
[Fath ul Bar chap Fazaile Qur`an]
Let us look at the Narrators of this Hadeeth.
The first narrator of this Hadeeth Sufyaan bin Uyainah. Imam Dhabi write that he was a mudalleth and in his final age he used to mix the text of different Hadeeth.
[Mizaan Ul Itidaal Tahzeeb ut Tahzeeb biography of Sufyaan bin Uyainah by Imam Dhabi and Hafiz Asqalani]
The other narrators of this narration Asim bin Bahdalah. Imam Dhabi and Hafiz Asqalani write that Imam Ibn Saad said that when he narrated a hadeeth he used to make many mistakes. Imam Uqylee said that he had a bad memory. Imam Hammad bin Salma said that he used to mix text of different hadeeth. Dar Qutni said his memori was really bad. Abu Bakr Bazaar said he was not a proper scholar of hadeeth. Imam Yahyah Qattan said that most Asim named narrators had a bad memory. Imam Nisaee said he was not a properscholar of hadeeth. Imam Shobah said his narrations are not satisfactory. Imam Abu Hatim said he was not reliable.
[Mizaan ul Itidaal Tahzeen ut Tahzeeb biography Asim bin Bahdalah by Hafiz Dhabe and Hafiz Asqalani]
It will only be fair to ignore Asim bin Bahdalahs narration and say that the narration concerning Abdullah bin masood is a great lie.