A Brief Timeline on the Compilation of The Qur’ān

At the time of the Prophet’s ﷺ passing, the Qur’ān had not yet been compiled into a single bound volume. Instead, it existed primarily in two forms: memorisation (ḥifẓ) by a large number of Companions, and written fragments recorded on materials such as parchment, bones, leather, and palm leaves. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ himself supervised the recording of revelation through designated scribes, including Zayd ibn Thābit (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), but did not instruct that the Qur’ān be gathered into a single codex during his lifetime. (Usmani, 2003)

First stage: Compilation under Abū Bakr (632 to 634 CE)

The first major step toward compiling the Qur’ān into a unified manuscript occurred during the caliphate of Abū Bakr al Ṣiddīq (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh). This initiative was prompted by the Battle of Yamāmah (633 CE), in which a significant number of Qur’ān memorisers (ḥuffāẓ) were martyred. ʿUmar ibn al Khaṭṭāb (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), recognising the potential risk to the preservation of the Qur’ānic text, urged Abū Bakr (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) to initiate a formal compilation.

Initially hesitant, since the Prophet ﷺ had not explicitly undertaken such a task, Abū Bakr (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) eventually agreed, recognising its necessity as a means of preservation. Zayd ibn Thābit (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) was appointed to lead the compilation effort due to his role as a scribe of revelation and his reliability. The methodology employed was rigorous: verses were only accepted if they were corroborated by both written records and memorised testimony from Companions. (Usmani, 2003)

The outcome of this effort was a complete compilation of the Qur’ān into a single manuscript. This Muṣḥaf was then kept in the custody of Abū Bakr (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), and after his death, it passed to ʿUmar ibn al Khaṭṭāb (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), and subsequently to his daughter Ḥafṣah bint ʿUmar (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anhā).

Second stage: Standardisation under ʿUthmān (644 to 656 CE)

The next significant development occurred during the caliphate of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh). As Islām expanded into diverse regions such as Iraq, Syria, and Persia, differences in dialectical recitation (qirā’āt) began to cause concern among Muslims. Although these variations were within the permitted modes of recitation, disputes arose among new Muslims unfamiliar with these nuances.

Ḥudhayfah ibn al Yamān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), after witnessing such disagreements during military campaigns, urged ʿUthmān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) to standardise the Qur’ānic text to prevent division. In response, ʿUthmān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) formed a committee once again led by Zayd ibn Thābit (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), along with Qurayshī Companions.

Using the manuscript preserved with Ḥafṣah (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anhā) as the primary source, the committee produced a standardised version of the Qur’ān written in the Qurayshī dialect. Multiple copies of this standardised Muṣḥaf were then produced and distributed to key Islamic centres such as Kūfah, Baṣrah, Damascus, and Makkah. ʿUthmān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) also ordered that other personal or unofficial copies containing variant arrangements or dialects be withdrawn to maintain unity. (Kamali, 2008)

This standardised text, known as the “ʿUthmānic codex,” forms the basis of the Qur’ān as it exists in the present time.

Scholarly perspective on the compilation

Ḥanafī scholars have consistently affirmed that the compilation of the Qur’ān was conducted with the utmost care and represents a consensus (ijmāʿ) of the Companions. In classical Ḥanafī jurisprudential works, the preservation of the Holy Qur’ān is regarded as divinely protected, in line with the Qur’ānic promise: “Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its Guardian” (Qur’ān 15:9).

Scholars such as al Sarakhsī in al Mabsūṭ and al Marghīnānī in al Hidāyah emphasise the reliability of the transmission process and the integrity of the Companions involved. Later Ḥanafī authorities, including Shāh Walīullāh al Dihlawī, further elaborated on the wisdom behind the phased compilation, highlighting that the initial reliance on memorisation was gradually supplemented by written preservation as the Muslim community expanded. (Dihlawi, 1999)

Mufti Taqī ʿUthmānī, a contemporary Ḥanafī scholar, provides a detailed account of this process in his work An Approach to the Qur’ānic Sciences, explaining that the compilation under Abū Bakr (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) ensured preservation, while the standardisation under ʿUthmān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) ensured unity. (Usmani, 2003)

The compilation of the Qur’ān after the demise of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was not a single event but a carefully structured process carried out in two major stages. The first stage under Abū Bakr (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) focused on preservation in response to the loss of memorisers, while the second stage under ʿUthmān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh) addressed the need for standardisation amid a rapidly expanding Muslim world.

From a Ḥanafī perspective, this process reflects both divine guidance and human diligence. The Companions’ meticulous approach ensured that the Qur’ān was preserved accurately, both in written and oral forms. The resulting Muṣḥaf, standardised during the time of ʿUthmān (Raḍiyallāhu ‘anh), remains unchanged and universally accepted by Muslims to this day.

Abdurrahman | Sanatayn Student