The Development of Qur’anic Text: Compilation, Writing, and Preservation

Abstract

This study explores the development of the Qur’anic text from the initial revelation to its compilation, writing, and final preservation. It examines both, the historical and scholarly perspectives, how the Qur’an was transmitted orally and in written form during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammadﷺ, and the formalization of these processes under the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Usman. The study highlights the strategies to ensure textual accuracy, including memorization, cross-verification among companions, and the standardization of the Qur’anic manuscript. It also addresses issues of variant readings (qirā’āt), the role of scribes, and the evolution of Arabic script.