MCQ Detailed View

During the caliphate of Usman ibn Affan (RA), the third Caliph of Islam, multiple authenticated copies of the Holy Qur’an were prepared to ensure that the divine message was preserved in its original form without alteration. This was done to standardize the recitation and prevent variations as Islam spread rapidly to different regions.

Historical records state that seven standard copies (Mushafs) were made and distributed to key Islamic centers such as Makkah, Madinah, Kufa, Basra, Damascus, Yemen, and Bahrain. Over time, most of these copies were either lost, destroyed, or worn out due to age and handling.

Today, two original copies from that compilation era are still preserved:

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   One copy is in the Topkapi Palace Museum (Istanbul, Turkey).

   
   


2. 
   

   Another copy is in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), known as the Samarkand Mushaf.

   
   

These manuscripts are among the oldest Qur’ans in existence and are treasured as sacred relics of early Islamic history, reflecting the accuracy and preservation of the Qur’an since its revelation.

Key Facts:

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  Caliph Usman (RA): Ordered the compilation of the Qur’an into one standardized Mushaf around 25 AH / 646 AD.

  
  


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  Total copies produced: Approximately seven distributed across Islamic regions.

  
  


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  Existing today: Two main copies – Istanbul and Tashkent.

  
  


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  Purpose: To preserve the Qur’an exactly as revealed, preventing disputes over pronunciation or recitation.

  
  


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  This effort ensured the perfect preservation of the Qur’an, unchanged for over 1400 years.