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CONGRUITIES AND INCONGRUITIES BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN |
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During the lifetime of Muhammad, the revelations had been memorized and written on skins and stones, etc. but had not been compiled into a book. After Muhammad's decease, during the Yamanah battle, waged under Abu Bakr, 70 hafizs (those who knew the Quran by heart) fell; this induced the concerned to collect the verses and arrange them in book form. To this end a commission was formed headed by Zayd b. Sabit, a young hafiz who had memorized the entire Qur'an during the prophet's lifetime. The commission formed six months after Muhammad's decease adopted the following principles: 1) No verse shall be transcribed directly from oral tradition. 2) A written record must exist to corroborate the revelation. 3) Testimony must be produced by two witnesses to the effect that the verse in question had been dictated by the Prophet himself.
The copy obtained in this fashion was presented to the scrutiny of the public and no adverse reaction or objection took place. The Qur'an in book form called the 'Main Text' was given to the custody of the second Caliph Omar. Following his decease, it was entrusted with Hafsa, Omar's daughter and the Prophet's wife. Under the Caliphate of Uthman, the State of Islam had expanded its borders and territories were occupied where people spoke different languages. The reproduction of the Main Text had become obligatory. Thus, the Main Text which had been compiled into a book form six months after Muhammad's decease, began to be reproduced twelve years later under Uthman who had formed a commission, headed by Zayd b. Sabit. The Main Text in the custody of Hafsa was submitted to the Commission. The said Commission reproduced it in five copies. These manuscripts were sent to Mecca, Kufe, Basra and Damascus and the fifth was kept in Madinah. The existing copies were to be copied in due time to be distributed around the world.
No alterations have been made to this day in these copies by God's grace and protection. The only thing that has changed was the style of the script. We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). (See: Elma'lı Hamdi Yazır, Hak Dini Kur'an Dili, Cilt 1. S.39)
JEWS AND CHRISTIANS IN THE QUR'AN