Compilation of the Quran

Revelation, Hermeneutics, Pluralism and Practice - RHPP

Module Leader: Dr. Marodsilton Muborakshoeva Salima Gulamali
Short Essay:
Critically analyse the early debates around compilation of the Qur’an as a book

Word count: 1493

Master of Teaching (MTeach) / MA Education (Muslim Societies and Civilizations) Institute of Education, University of London

February 2013

S GULAMALI 2 Introduction Muslims believe that the Quran, considered to be a reference for secular and spiritual life, contains the foundations of religious beliefs, such as laws, rituals, advices and guidance. (Watt & Bell, 1997; Lapidus, 2002). There are however some controversies about the compilation of the text. The traditional Islamic view can be summarized as follows. During the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad the so called “recorders of the revelation” (kuttab al‐waly), would write the verses after the revelation in primitive materials such as palm trees, stones, and animal skin. (Gilliot, 2006; Aslan 2005; Modaressi, 1993). The first collection of these verses took place during the time of the first Caliph, Abu Bakr. The second collection is the standard codex that is followed today, which comes from the compilation made by Uthman the third caliph, and is therefore known as the Uthmanic codex (Gilliot, 2006). Although there are some variations about the details this account is not in dispute within the Muslim world. Early efforts by Muslim scholars to establish the sequence of the revelation, particularly the verses revealed at Makkah and those revealed at Madinah, were emulated by Western scholars, who focused on similar problems, though drawing different conclusions from the narratives mentioned above. For the purpose of this paper, I will be critically analyzing and discussing the controversies around the compilation of the Quran

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