3.6.Quran Preservation?

 Chapter 3.6.Quran Preservation

1. A CLOSER LOOK INTO THE PRESERVATION OF THE QURAN.

1. The Standard Islamic Narrative (orthodox position) about the Quran

Almost without exceptions Muslims consider that the Quran they now possess goes back in its text and in the number and order of the chapters to the work of the commission that ‘Uthman appointed.

Is that so?

The Question is: If the Quran was so perfectly preserved?

Modern Muslim orthodoxy holds fast on the narrative that ‘Uthman’s Quran contains all of the revelation delivered to the community faithfully preserved without change or variation of any kind and that the acceptance of the ‘Uthmanic Quran was all but universal from the day of its distribution.

When speaking to Muslims one realizes that many have no clue about their Quran and its origin. They just repeat the typical Muslims tradition as they were taught.

Very few ever questioned it or do some research wider than their tradition.

Charles Adams stated that the orthodox position is motivated by dogmatic factors; it cannot be supported by the historical evidence.

2. What did Muslim scholars of the early years of Islam said?

-        While modern Muslims may be committed to an impossibly conservative position, Muslim scholars of the early years of Islam were far more flexible, realizing that parts of the Koran were lost, perverted, and that there were many thousand variants which made it impossible to talk of the Koran.

-        For example, As-Suyuti (died 1505), one of the most famous and revered of the commentators of the Koran, quotes Ibn ‘Umar al Khattab as saying:

-        "Let no one of you say that he has acquired the entire Quran, for how does he know that it is all? Much of the Quran has been lost, thus let him say, ‘I have acquired of it what is available’” (As-Suyuti, Itqan, part 3, page 72)

-        A’isha, the favorite wife of the Prophet, says, also according to a tradition recounted by as-Suynti, "During the time of the Prophet, the chapter of the Parties used to be two hundred verses when read. When ‘Uthman edited the copies of the Quran, only the current (verses) were recorded" (As-Suyuti, page 73).

-        As-Suyuti also tells this story about Uba ibn Ka’b, one of the great companions of Muhammad:

     

This famous companion asked one of the Muslims, "How many verses in the chapter of the Parties?" He said, "Seventy-three verses." He (Uba) told him, "It used to be almost equal to the chapter of the Cow (about 286 verses) and included the verse of the stoning".

-        The man asked, "What is the verse of the stoning?" He (Uba) said, "If an old man or woman committed adultery, stone them to death."

Muslims, is it not time that you again ask true questions about the Origin and preservation of the Quran. 

To ask yourself…? What can I really believe? 

Is it not time to do some fresh research about your Religion? 

Google, read, ask! Until you get true answers that give you peace.

TO CONTINUE READING THE NEXT CHAPTER

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