Book Summary
Chapter 7 of Usool at Tafseer by Dr Bilal Philips
THE ERA OF THE Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم 609-632 CE
The Qur’aan was not revealed all at once in its complete form but in section throughout twenty-three years of the Prophethood. Jibreel is sent whenever the circumstances dictate such as when problem arose or whenever Allaah wanted to give the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم and his followers special advice.
Preservation of the Qur’aan
Initially the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم used to repeat word for word what Jibreel recites to him, until he was later told not to do so. Instead he was told to listen to it carefully and Allaah caused him to remember everything without any effort on his part.
“Do not move your tongue to hastily (learn) it. Surely I will collect and recite it. So, when I recite it, follow its recital.”[1]
Making sure that he would pass on all of the Qur’aan to his companions, he used a number of ways so that they memorize and record it exactly as he learned it.
1. He صل الله عليه وسلم recites prayers aloud in Salaah so that his followers would hear parts of Qur’aan. Umm Hishaam reported that she memorized Soorah Qaaf simply from hearing the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم recite it during the Khutbah on Fridays[2].
2. Every new Muslims were taught Qur’aan to be used in their daily prayers.
3. He encouraged his companions by saying, “The best among you are those who learn the Qur’aan and teach it to others.”
4. Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم asking Companions to write portions of the Qur’aan.
The Qur’aan was written on any material that was available such as on date palm leaves, flat stones, tree bark, wood, dried animal skins, and shoulder blades of camels. Thus the verses of the Qur’aan was preserved in the hearts of Muslims, as well as written down during the lifetime of the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم. All of the companions memorized portions of the Qur’aan but only a few memorized all of them during the Prophet’s lifetime. The Qur’aan was continued to be revealed up until before the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم death, so the companions were more concerned with recording and memorizing rather than putting it in one book.
THE ERA OF ABOO BAKR 632-634 CE/11-13 AH
Categories of Apostates whom Abu Bakr fought
1. Those who refuse to pay Zakaah thinking that it is only a tax impose by the conquerors (The Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم conquered them, after he died, they were no longer his subjects)
2. People who joined the first group to escape defeat. (thinking that the army against the Muslims will win)
3. The Dajaajeel (fals prophets): Musailamah al Kaddhab, al Aswad al Ansi, Sajaah.
Due to the war of Apostasy, many of those who memorized large portion of the Qur’aan were killed. So Umar ibn al Khattaab suggested to Abu Bakr to compile the Qur’aan. Although initially Abu Bakr refused, he eventually agreed and tasked Zaid ibn Thaabit (who also initially refused) to spearhead the compilation of the Qur’aan.
The First Writing
Reasons why Zaid ibn Thaabit was chosen to lead in Qur’aan’s compilation:
1. One of the best reciters of Qur’aan
2. Memorized whole Qur’aan
3. One of the scribes of Qur’aan
4. Present when the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم recited the whole Qur’aan in the last Ramadaan of his life.
The process was to collect all the written parchments of the Qur’aan in materials that are available to them at that time then they compared this with their memorization. If all agreed, he would then write it down on pages of leather. Once done, he turned it over to Caliph Abu Bakr who kept it until his death. Then it was given to Umar, being the next Caliph and stayed with him until he died. The Qur’aan was then turned to Hafsah who made it available to anyone who wish to check the accuracy of heir memorization.
THE ERA OF ‘UTHMAAN 644-656 CE/23-25 AH
Upon the death of Caliph Umar (634-644) CE/23-35 AH, the Islaamic state has already into Egypt, Syria and ‘Iraaq and in the time of ‘Uthmaan it reached Persia, India, Russia, China, Turkey and across North Africa where many non Arabic people accepted Islaam
The Second Writing
In the Muslim provinces, some Arabs began to boast that their dialect is superior to that of others and some new Muslims made mistakes in their Qur’aanic recitations that it was difficult to tell whether or not it was from the seven readings of the Qur’aan taught by the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم. These became a source of confusion in these areas outside of Arabia which was noticed by a Sahaabi Hudhayfah ibn al Yamaan who in turn told Caliph Uthmaan. Realizing the seriousness of the situation Caliph Uthmaan called the major Sahaabah to find a solution – the decision was to make official copies of the Qur’aan from the one compiled in the time of Abu Bakr and limit the people to its recitation. Again Zaid ibn Thaabit was tasked to head a committee of four Qur’aanic scholars who would make the official seven copies. They were sent to Makkah, Syria, Basrah, Koofah, Yemen, Bahrain and one kept in the capital Madeenah with their official reciters in order t clear up any problems which might later arise. Other unofficial copies were destroyed.
Where are the original Mus-hafs now?
1. Madeenah Mushaf – some report suggest that it was transferred to Istanbul during WWI.
2. Syrian Mushaf (destroyed during fire) – a handwritten copy transferred to Istanbul WWII.
3. An early manuscript in Egypt arguably the Mushaf which Uthmaan was reading when he was assassinated.
4. Manuscript in Tashkent – the Best candidate
Ancient manuscripts from all periods of Islaamic history found in the Library of Congress in Washington, the Chester Beatty Museum in Dublin, and at the London Museum was compared with those museums in Tashkent, Turkey and Egypt using same principle of analysis applied to the bible (which exposed its many flaws and changes). The result of the studies confirms that there has been not any change in the text from its original writing. After some fifty years of study with over 42,000 complete and incomplete copies of the Qur’aan, the Institute fur Koransfurshung in University of Munich (destroyed by American bombs in WWII) reported that there were no variants, except occasional mistakes of copyists which could easily be ascertained.
MEMORIZATION OF THE QUR’AAN
Memorized Qur’aan as reported by Anas bin Malik
1. Aboo ad Dardaa
2. Muaadh ibn Jabal
3. Zaid Ibn Thaabit
4. Aboo Zayd
Abu Ammaar’s book includes:
5. Abu Bakr
6. Umar
7. Uthmaan
8. Ali
Other Sahaabah who memorized whole Qur’aan
9. Aboo Moosa al Ash'ari
10. Ubay Ibn Ka’ab
11. Ibn Mas’ood
12. Saalim
13. Abdullaah ibn Aamir al Aas
From other Hadeeths: Seventy reciters who died fighting against the Apostates (All or most of Qur’aan memorized Qur'aan)
For the sake of argument, even if only a few Sahaabah memorized the whole Qur’aan in the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم lifetime hence making the Qur’aan not reaching Mutawaatir, many others had memorized substantial overlapping portions (and had memorized the whole of it after his death) and this [would still make the Qur’aan to the level of Mutawaatir]. In fact in every succeeding generation, the numbers of those who memorized all of the Qur’aan is progressively increasing that at present time there are literally hundreds of thousands of Muslims throughout the world who have done so.
The Qur’aan is the only book that has been memorized on this scale in history. Nothing remotely close can be said with the New Testament. If all the books in the world were to be burned, the only book that could be reproduced exactly as it was is the Qur’aan.
Orientalists
Kenneth Cragg: This phenomenon of Qur’aanic recital means that the text has traversed the centuries in an unbroken living sequence of devotion. It cannot therefore be handled as an antiquarian thing, nor as a historical document out of a distant past.[3]
William Graham: For countless millions of Muslims over more than fourteen centuries of Islamic history, ‘scripture’, al-kitab, has been a book learned, read and passed on by vocal repetition and memorisation. The written Qur’aan may ‘fix’ visible authoritative text of the Divine World in a way unknown in history, but the authoritativeness of the Qur’anic book is only realised in its fullness and perfection when it is correctly recited.[4]
John Burton: The method of transmitting the Qur’an from one generation to the next by having the young memorise the oral tradition of their elders had mitigated somewhat from the beginning worst perils of relying solely on written records.
…the text which has come down to us in the form I which it was organized and approved by the Prophet…What we have today in our hands is the mus-haf of Muhammad.[5]
Significance of the Preservation of the Qur’aan
1. Earlier books sent only to previous prophets’ own people hence there was no need to preserve it by Allaah. Preservation was left to them, and when people went astray, new prophets would be sent.
2. Prophet Muhammad صل الله عليه وسلم was the last prophet and he was sent to all mankind[6], thus the Qur’aan had to be specially preserved to all generations of man.
3. The Qur’aan was the main miracle and the main proof of Prophet Muhammad’s Prophethood. It has to be saved so that later generations will know that he was really the last Prophet of Allaah.
The significance of the preservation of the Qur’aan is to keep Islaamic teachings in its original purity. The preservation of the Qur’aan is the preservation of Islaam in its final form. The loss of Gospel of Jesus means one can never return to his true teachings except by accepting Islaam. Likewise, the loss of Torah by the destruction of Solomon’s temple means that Jews cannot return to pure teachings of Moses except by following Islaam. Islaam is the only religion that will be accepted by Allaah.[7]
Abu Khalid
[1] 75:16-8
[2] Muslim
[3] The Mind of the Qur’aan, p. 26. Usool at Tafseer p. 160
[4] Beyond the Written Word, p. 80. Usool at Tafseer p. 160
[5] The Collection of the Qur’aan p. 239-40. Usool at Tafseer p. 160
[6] 34:28
[7] 3:19
Chapter 7 of Usool at Tafseer by Dr Bilal Philips
THE ERA OF THE Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم 609-632 CE
The Qur’aan was not revealed all at once in its complete form but in section throughout twenty-three years of the Prophethood. Jibreel is sent whenever the circumstances dictate such as when problem arose or whenever Allaah wanted to give the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم and his followers special advice.
Preservation of the Qur’aan
Initially the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم used to repeat word for word what Jibreel recites to him, until he was later told not to do so. Instead he was told to listen to it carefully and Allaah caused him to remember everything without any effort on his part.
“Do not move your tongue to hastily (learn) it. Surely I will collect and recite it. So, when I recite it, follow its recital.”[1]
Making sure that he would pass on all of the Qur’aan to his companions, he used a number of ways so that they memorize and record it exactly as he learned it.
1. He صل الله عليه وسلم recites prayers aloud in Salaah so that his followers would hear parts of Qur’aan. Umm Hishaam reported that she memorized Soorah Qaaf simply from hearing the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم recite it during the Khutbah on Fridays[2].
2. Every new Muslims were taught Qur’aan to be used in their daily prayers.
3. He encouraged his companions by saying, “The best among you are those who learn the Qur’aan and teach it to others.”
4. Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم asking Companions to write portions of the Qur’aan.
The Qur’aan was written on any material that was available such as on date palm leaves, flat stones, tree bark, wood, dried animal skins, and shoulder blades of camels. Thus the verses of the Qur’aan was preserved in the hearts of Muslims, as well as written down during the lifetime of the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم. All of the companions memorized portions of the Qur’aan but only a few memorized all of them during the Prophet’s lifetime. The Qur’aan was continued to be revealed up until before the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم death, so the companions were more concerned with recording and memorizing rather than putting it in one book.
THE ERA OF ABOO BAKR 632-634 CE/11-13 AH
Categories of Apostates whom Abu Bakr fought
1. Those who refuse to pay Zakaah thinking that it is only a tax impose by the conquerors (The Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم conquered them, after he died, they were no longer his subjects)
2. People who joined the first group to escape defeat. (thinking that the army against the Muslims will win)
3. The Dajaajeel (fals prophets): Musailamah al Kaddhab, al Aswad al Ansi, Sajaah.
Due to the war of Apostasy, many of those who memorized large portion of the Qur’aan were killed. So Umar ibn al Khattaab suggested to Abu Bakr to compile the Qur’aan. Although initially Abu Bakr refused, he eventually agreed and tasked Zaid ibn Thaabit (who also initially refused) to spearhead the compilation of the Qur’aan.
The First Writing
Reasons why Zaid ibn Thaabit was chosen to lead in Qur’aan’s compilation:
1. One of the best reciters of Qur’aan
2. Memorized whole Qur’aan
3. One of the scribes of Qur’aan
4. Present when the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم recited the whole Qur’aan in the last Ramadaan of his life.
The process was to collect all the written parchments of the Qur’aan in materials that are available to them at that time then they compared this with their memorization. If all agreed, he would then write it down on pages of leather. Once done, he turned it over to Caliph Abu Bakr who kept it until his death. Then it was given to Umar, being the next Caliph and stayed with him until he died. The Qur’aan was then turned to Hafsah who made it available to anyone who wish to check the accuracy of heir memorization.
THE ERA OF ‘UTHMAAN 644-656 CE/23-25 AH
Upon the death of Caliph Umar (634-644) CE/23-35 AH, the Islaamic state has already into Egypt, Syria and ‘Iraaq and in the time of ‘Uthmaan it reached Persia, India, Russia, China, Turkey and across North Africa where many non Arabic people accepted Islaam
The Second Writing
In the Muslim provinces, some Arabs began to boast that their dialect is superior to that of others and some new Muslims made mistakes in their Qur’aanic recitations that it was difficult to tell whether or not it was from the seven readings of the Qur’aan taught by the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم. These became a source of confusion in these areas outside of Arabia which was noticed by a Sahaabi Hudhayfah ibn al Yamaan who in turn told Caliph Uthmaan. Realizing the seriousness of the situation Caliph Uthmaan called the major Sahaabah to find a solution – the decision was to make official copies of the Qur’aan from the one compiled in the time of Abu Bakr and limit the people to its recitation. Again Zaid ibn Thaabit was tasked to head a committee of four Qur’aanic scholars who would make the official seven copies. They were sent to Makkah, Syria, Basrah, Koofah, Yemen, Bahrain and one kept in the capital Madeenah with their official reciters in order t clear up any problems which might later arise. Other unofficial copies were destroyed.
Where are the original Mus-hafs now?
1. Madeenah Mushaf – some report suggest that it was transferred to Istanbul during WWI.
2. Syrian Mushaf (destroyed during fire) – a handwritten copy transferred to Istanbul WWII.
3. An early manuscript in Egypt arguably the Mushaf which Uthmaan was reading when he was assassinated.
4. Manuscript in Tashkent – the Best candidate
Ancient manuscripts from all periods of Islaamic history found in the Library of Congress in Washington, the Chester Beatty Museum in Dublin, and at the London Museum was compared with those museums in Tashkent, Turkey and Egypt using same principle of analysis applied to the bible (which exposed its many flaws and changes). The result of the studies confirms that there has been not any change in the text from its original writing. After some fifty years of study with over 42,000 complete and incomplete copies of the Qur’aan, the Institute fur Koransfurshung in University of Munich (destroyed by American bombs in WWII) reported that there were no variants, except occasional mistakes of copyists which could easily be ascertained.
MEMORIZATION OF THE QUR’AAN
Memorized Qur’aan as reported by Anas bin Malik
1. Aboo ad Dardaa
2. Muaadh ibn Jabal
3. Zaid Ibn Thaabit
4. Aboo Zayd
Abu Ammaar’s book includes:
5. Abu Bakr
6. Umar
7. Uthmaan
8. Ali
Other Sahaabah who memorized whole Qur’aan
9. Aboo Moosa al Ash'ari
10. Ubay Ibn Ka’ab
11. Ibn Mas’ood
12. Saalim
13. Abdullaah ibn Aamir al Aas
From other Hadeeths: Seventy reciters who died fighting against the Apostates (All or most of Qur’aan memorized Qur'aan)
For the sake of argument, even if only a few Sahaabah memorized the whole Qur’aan in the Prophet صل الله عليه وسلم lifetime hence making the Qur’aan not reaching Mutawaatir, many others had memorized substantial overlapping portions (and had memorized the whole of it after his death) and this [would still make the Qur’aan to the level of Mutawaatir]. In fact in every succeeding generation, the numbers of those who memorized all of the Qur’aan is progressively increasing that at present time there are literally hundreds of thousands of Muslims throughout the world who have done so.
The Qur’aan is the only book that has been memorized on this scale in history. Nothing remotely close can be said with the New Testament. If all the books in the world were to be burned, the only book that could be reproduced exactly as it was is the Qur’aan.
Orientalists
Kenneth Cragg: This phenomenon of Qur’aanic recital means that the text has traversed the centuries in an unbroken living sequence of devotion. It cannot therefore be handled as an antiquarian thing, nor as a historical document out of a distant past.[3]
William Graham: For countless millions of Muslims over more than fourteen centuries of Islamic history, ‘scripture’, al-kitab, has been a book learned, read and passed on by vocal repetition and memorisation. The written Qur’aan may ‘fix’ visible authoritative text of the Divine World in a way unknown in history, but the authoritativeness of the Qur’anic book is only realised in its fullness and perfection when it is correctly recited.[4]
John Burton: The method of transmitting the Qur’an from one generation to the next by having the young memorise the oral tradition of their elders had mitigated somewhat from the beginning worst perils of relying solely on written records.
…the text which has come down to us in the form I which it was organized and approved by the Prophet…What we have today in our hands is the mus-haf of Muhammad.[5]
Significance of the Preservation of the Qur’aan
1. Earlier books sent only to previous prophets’ own people hence there was no need to preserve it by Allaah. Preservation was left to them, and when people went astray, new prophets would be sent.
2. Prophet Muhammad صل الله عليه وسلم was the last prophet and he was sent to all mankind[6], thus the Qur’aan had to be specially preserved to all generations of man.
3. The Qur’aan was the main miracle and the main proof of Prophet Muhammad’s Prophethood. It has to be saved so that later generations will know that he was really the last Prophet of Allaah.
The significance of the preservation of the Qur’aan is to keep Islaamic teachings in its original purity. The preservation of the Qur’aan is the preservation of Islaam in its final form. The loss of Gospel of Jesus means one can never return to his true teachings except by accepting Islaam. Likewise, the loss of Torah by the destruction of Solomon’s temple means that Jews cannot return to pure teachings of Moses except by following Islaam. Islaam is the only religion that will be accepted by Allaah.[7]
Abu Khalid
[1] 75:16-8
[2] Muslim
[3] The Mind of the Qur’aan, p. 26. Usool at Tafseer p. 160
[4] Beyond the Written Word, p. 80. Usool at Tafseer p. 160
[5] The Collection of the Qur’aan p. 239-40. Usool at Tafseer p. 160
[6] 34:28
[7] 3:19
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