Jam' al-Qur'an

Transmission of the Written Text

The Written Text at the Time of the Prophet Muhammad

What is meant by Jam' al-Qur'an?

The general meaning of jam' al-qur'an is to 'bring together the Qur'an'. This was done and has to be understood in two ways:

• Bringing together the Qur'an orally, or in one's mind (hifz).
• Bringing together the Qur'an in written form, or on sheets, or in a book.

Jam' al-qura'n therefore, in the classical literature, has various meanings:

• To learn the Qur'an by heart.
• To write down every revelation.
• To bring together those materials upon which the Qur'an has been written.
• To bring together the reports of people who have memorised the Qur'an.
• To bring together all such sources, both oral and written.

How was the Qur'an Collected?

In Suyuti’s Itqan it is said that the Qur'an had been written down in its entirety in the time of the Prophet but had not been brought together in one single place, and that therefore these written records or documents had not been arranged in order.' [Itqan, I, p. 41]

However, this statement does not preclude that the ordering of the Qur'an and the arrangement of the suras, was fixed by the Prophet himself and safeguarded through oral transmission.

Stages of Collection

As far as the written text is concerned, one may distinguish three stages:

• In the time of the Prophet:
• in the hearts of men (memorisation).
• on writing materials
• In the time of Abu Bakr.
• In the time of 'Uthman.

Why was no Book left by the Prophet?

The Prophet Muhammad did not present to his Companions the revelation collected and arranged in a single written volume. There are a number of good reasons for this:

• Because the revelation did not come down in one piece, but at intervals and was received continuously until the end of the Prophet's life.
• Because some verses were abrogated in the course of revelation, and therefore flexibility needed to be maintained.
• The ayat and suras were not always revealed in their final order, but were arranged later.
• The Prophet lived only nine days after the last revelation and was severely ill.
• There was no dispute or friction about the Qur'an during the time of the Prophet, as developed afterwards when he, as the final authority, was no longer available.

Writing down the Revelation

While writing was not widespread among the people in Arabia at the time of the Prophet there were persons of whom it is reported that they did write. It is said for example of Waraqa, Khadija's cousin, that he had been converted to Christianity in the pre-Islamic period 'and used to write Arabic and write of the Gospel in Arabic as much as Allah wished him to write'. [Bukhari. VI. No. 478.]

The Prophet himself did much to encourage the Muslims to learn to write. It is related that some of the Quraish, who were taken prisoners at the battle of Badr, regained their freedom after they had taught some of the Muslims the art of writing.' [Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd, II(2), p. 19] 

Did the Prophet himself write?

Although it is not clear whether the Prophet Muhammad knew how to write, there is unanimous agreement among scholars that Muhammad himself did not write down the revelation.