The correct answer is Hazrat Zaid bin Sabit (R.A). The formation of a formal board to prepare standardized copies of the Holy Quran was the crowning achievement of the Caliphate of Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (R.A). While the first compilation had... Read More
The correct answer is Hazrat Zaid bin Sabit (R.A). The formation of a formal board to prepare standardized copies of the Holy Quran was the crowning achievement of the Caliphate of Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (R.A). While the first compilation had taken place under Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A), it was during the reign of the third Caliph that the need for multiple, identical copies became a matter of urgent geopolitical and religious importance. At the heart of this monumental project was Hazrat Zaid bin Sabit (R.A), who was appointed as the head of the four-member commission.
By the year 25 A.H., the Islamic empire had expanded rapidly, reaching the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. This expansion brought together Muslims from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman (R.A), a prominent companion and general, noticed with great concern that soldiers from different regions were disputing over the correct pronunciation and dialect (Qira'at) of the Quranic verses. Fearing that these internal disagreements would lead to permanent sectarian divisions, he rushed back to Madinah and urged Hazrat Uthman (R.A) to "save this Ummah before they differ about the Book."
Hazrat Uthman (R.A) acted immediately. He convened a council of the most learned Sahaba and decided to produce a standardized version based on the Quraishi dialect—the dialect in which the Quran was originally revealed. To lead this task, he chose Hazrat Zaid bin Sabit (R.A). Zaid was the logical choice for the chairmanship because he had been the primary scribe for the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and had also led the first compilation under Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A).
To assist Zaid, the Caliph appointed three other distinguished members from the Quraish tribe: Abdullah bin Zubair (R.A), Sa'id bin al-Aas (R.A), and Abdur Rahman bin al-Harith (R.A). This committee was tasked with transcribing the Quran with absolute precision, ensuring that the script remained faithful to the original revelation while resolving any dialectal variations.
The work began with a formal request to Hazrat Hafsa (R.A) to provide the original manuscript (Suhuf) that had been prepared during the era of the first Caliph. Under Zaid bin Sabit’s leadership, the board meticulously copied the text. Hazrat Uthman (R.A) gave the board a specific instruction: "If you and Zaid bin Sabit differ on any point of the Quran, write it in the dialect of the Quraish, for it was revealed in their tongue."
This process was not merely a mechanical transcription. It involved a collective verification by the Sahaba residing in Madinah. The board ensured that the final copies, known as the Mushaf-e-Uthmani, included all the verses that were confirmed in the final recitation of the Prophet (P.B.U.H).
Discussion
Leave a Comment