Reasons why the Qur’ān was sent down in Stages
The Qur’ān was revealed in stages over a period of 23 years, and not as a complete book in one single act of revelation, There are a number of reasons for this; most important are the following:
— To strengthen the heart of the Prophet by addressing him continuously and whenever the need for guidance arose.
— Out of consideration for the Prophet since revelation was a very difficult experience for him.
— To gradually implement the laws of God.
— To make understanding, application and memorisation of the revelation easier for the believers,
Transmission of the Qur’ānic Revelation
The revelation contained in the Qur’ān has been transmitted to us by numerous persons in two ways: orally and in written form.
MEMORISATION AND ORAL TRANSMISSION
Memorisation by the Prophet
Oral transmission of the revelation was based on ḥifẓ or memorisation and the Prophet Muḥammad himself was the first to commit a revelation to memory after the Angel Gabriel had brought it to him:
‘Move not thy tongue concerning the (Qur’ān) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and promulgate it; but when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital’ (75: 16-19).
‘ … an apostle from God, rehearsing scriptures, kept pure and holy .. .’ (98: 2).
Memorisation by the Companions
The Prophet then declared the revelation and instructed his Companions to memorise it. The case of Ibn Mas‘ūd, who was the first man to publicly recite the Qur’ān in Makka, shows that even in the very early phase of the Islamic umma recital of the revelation from memory was practised by the Companions:
‘… the first man to speak the Qur’ān loudly in Makka after the apostle was ‘Abdullāh bin Mas’ūd. The Prophet’s Companions came together and mentioned that the Quraish had never heard the Qur’ān distinctly read to them… When (Ibn Mas’ūd) arrived at the maqām, he read “In the name of God the Compassionate the Merciful”, raising his voice as he did so. “The Compassionate who taught the Qur’ān…” (55: 1) …They got up and began to hit him in the face; but he continued to read so far as God willed that he should read .. .’1
It is also reported that Abū Bakr used to recite the Qur’ān publicly in front of his house in Makka.2
The Prophet encourages Memorisation
There are numerous ahādīth, giving account of various efforts made and measures taken by the Prophet to ensure that the revelation was preserved in the memory of his Companions. The following is perhaps the most clear:
‘Narrated ‘Uthmān bin ‘Affān: ‘The Prophet said: “The most superior among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Qur’ān and teach it”.’3
It is also well known that the recital ofthe Qur’ān during the daily prayers is required and hence many Companions heard repeatedly passages from the revelation, memorised them and used them in prayer.
The Prophet also listened to the recitation of the Qur’ān by the Companions:
‘Narrated ‘Abdullāh (b. Mas‘ud): ‘Allah’s Apostle said to me: “Recite (of the Qur’ān) for me”. I said: “Shall I recite it to you although it had been revealed to you?!” He said: “I like to hear (the Qur’ān) from others”. So I recited Sūrat-an-Nisā’ till I reached: “How (will it be) then when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muḥammad) as a witness against these people?” (4:41). Then he said: “Stop!” Behold, his eyes were shedding tears then.’4
The Prophet sent Teachers
The Prophet sent teachers to communities in other places so that they might receive instruction in Islam and the Qur’ān.
The case of Muṣ‘ab bin ‘Umair illustrates that this was so even before the hijra:
‘When these men (of the first pledge of ‘Aqaba) left (for Madina) the apostle sent with them Muṣ‘ab bin ‘Umair … and instructed him to read the Qur’ān to them and to teach them Islam and to give them instruction about religion. In Madina Mus‘ab was called “the reader”.’5
Another well-known case concerns Mu‘ādh bin Jabal who was sent to Yemen to instruct the people there.
Qur’ān Readers among the Companions
Suyūtī’6 mentions more than twenty well-known persons who memorised the revelation, among them were Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān, ‘Alī, Ibn Mas‘ūd, Abū Huraira, ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Abbās, ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Amr bin al-‘Ās, ‘Ā’isha, Ḥafṣa, and Umm Salama.
From among these, the Prophet himself recommended especially the following:
‘Narrated Masrūq: ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Amr mentioned ‘Abdullāh bin Mas‘ūd and said: I shall ever love that man for I heard the Prophet saying: Take (learn) the Qur’ān from four: ‘Abdullāh bin Mas‘ūd, Sālim, Mu‘ādh and Ubay bin Ka‘b’.7
Another ḥadīth informs us about those Companions who had memorised the Qur’ān in its entirety and gone over it with the Prophet before his death:
‘Narrated Qatāda: I asked Anas bin Mālik: Who collected the Qur’ān at the time of the Prophet? He replied, Four, all of whom were from the Anṣār: Ubay bin Ka‘b, Mu‘ādh bin Jabal, Zaid bin Thābit and Abū Zaid.’8
The fact that some of the earliest historical reports make special mention in the accounts of the battles that were fought, of Muslims killed who knew (something of) the Qur’ān by heart, gives a clear indication that memorisation of the revelation was considered important and widely practised from the earliest times.9
The Qur’ān Memorised in the Prophet’s Lifetime
It is therefore certain that the Qur’ān had been memorised by the Companions of the Prophet during his lifetime. This tradition continued among the Companions after the Prophet’s death and, later, among the tābi‘ūn and all generations of Muslims that have followed, until today.
TRANSMISSION OF THE WRITTEN TEXT
The Written Text at the Time of the Prophet Muḥammad
What is meant by Jam‘ al-Qur’ān?
The general meaning of jam‘ al-qur’ān is to ‘bring together the Qur’ān’. This was done and has to be understood in two ways:
— Bringing together the Qur’ān orally, or in one’s mind (ḥifẓ).
— Bringing together the Qur’ān in written form, or on sheets, or in a book.
Jam‘al-qur’ān