Your information is incorrect.
I am repeating the same information many, many times. If you could read and reflect on my comments ---perhaps we would not need to keep repeating the same things over and over and over again.!!!!
The term "Preserve/Preservation" = to protect in its original form.
Original =1. present or existing from the beginning; first or earliest.
2. created directly and personally by a particular artist; not a copy or imitation.
3. something serving as a model or basis for imitations or copies.
In the case of the Quran---"original" would mean the Quran recited by the Prophet (pbuh) and approved by him.
The "revelation" was more or less public. The Prophet had scribes write it down when he was reciting and these scribes would read it back to him to ensure its accuracy. There were many "witnesses" who heard and saw this process (it was public) Sometimes questions would be asked by the audience or the verses/revelation would be debated among the people.
The primary initial method of preservation of the Quran is/was memorization. The Community memorized the Quran and the written Quran served as a tool for memorization which is why it was not in "Book" form as we know it today. After the death of the Prophet (buh) with the death of many Muslims, it was decided that apart from memorization (which is still a major method of preservation today) it would be preserved in text form as well.
So---here one could ask---why was it not in book form from the beginning?
The reason is that the verses were not revealed sequentially (one after the other). Upon revelation, the Prophet would explain where in the already revealed Quran the verses fit. That is why some Surahs can be predominantly revealed later (Medina) but have chunks of verses that were revealed earlier (Mecca)....etc. This meant it could not be a book form unless it was completed first. (that is, until revelation fully stopped)
(Its also why Muslims do not approve of the "Chronological Quran" method of reading/teaching used in some Western Academies as this distorts the Quran)
This process (of compiling in text form) under the leadership of Caliph Abu Bakr, was detailed and thorough. Each piece of the Quran that was collected had to meet the criterion that it was written in front of the Prophet and that there were 2 witnesses that can attest to that and verify the verses. The final product, apparently, was recited in front of the whole community for their approval.
What is called the "Uthmani Codex" used this (1st) compilation as well as redoing the process---that of verification and witness as explained above---It gave preference to the Quraishi dialect as the standard. (The Prophet was from the Quraishi tribe and spoke in that dialect). By this time, Islam was expanding outside of the Arabic speaking areas/territories and thus the preservation of the "original" Quran became an important issue.
So why did Muslim "history" follow this trajectory in the preservation of the "original" Quran? (when Christians did not?)
Its because of the concept of "Khalifa" (Trusteeship). In this conception, Humanity are not passive recipients of God's will, but active participants in God's plans. That is why we are endowed with creativity, intelligence, and free-will. This characteristic is known as Ijtihad = the use of ones reason and intelligence to find creative solutions to problems.
From the Muslim perspective, the "Uthmani Codex" IS the original preserved Quran. When I, as a Muslim, memorize the Quran---I too am "preserving" it. Do I need a special sanction from God to memorize the Quran ? ---NO. Its simply understood as a right and a duty. For 1400+ years, Muslims have passed on the Quran from one generation to the next---does each generation require an Angel to approve? No. Each one of us (humanity) is responsible for the choices we make in how to use or disregard the wisdom we have received.
If Islamic history had followed a different trajectory---one where a text form was not compiled---would the Quran still be preserved today? ---Probably---though one can never know, only speculate.
Instead of the text being sent---human reciters could have been sent to the various locations to teach the original Quran and eventually it would have been recorded. (...by the 13th century, inventors had created "automata" (robots)...and other devices...)
I am repeating the same information many, many times. If you could read and reflect on my comments ---perhaps we would not need to keep repeating the same things over and over and over again.!!!!
The term "Preserve/Preservation" = to protect in its original form.
Original =1. present or existing from the beginning; first or earliest.
2. created directly and personally by a particular artist; not a copy or imitation.
3. something serving as a model or basis for imitations or copies.
In the case of the Quran---"original" would mean the Quran recited by the Prophet (pbuh) and approved by him.
The "revelation" was more or less public. The Prophet had scribes write it down when he was reciting and these scribes would read it back to him to ensure its accuracy. There were many "witnesses" who heard and saw this process (it was public) Sometimes questions would be asked by the audience or the verses/revelation would be debated among the people.
The primary initial method of preservation of the Quran is/was memorization. The Community memorized the Quran and the written Quran served as a tool for memorization which is why it was not in "Book" form as we know it today. After the death of the Prophet (buh) with the death of many Muslims, it was decided that apart from memorization (which is still a major method of preservation today) it would be preserved in text form as well.
So---here one could ask---why was it not in book form from the beginning?
The reason is that the verses were not revealed sequentially (one after the other). Upon revelation, the Prophet would explain where in the already revealed Quran the verses fit. That is why some Surahs can be predominantly revealed later (Medina) but have chunks of verses that were revealed earlier (Mecca)....etc. This meant it could not be a book form unless it was completed first. (that is, until revelation fully stopped)
(Its also why Muslims do not approve of the "Chronological Quran" method of reading/teaching used in some Western Academies as this distorts the Quran)
This process (of compiling in text form) under the leadership of Caliph Abu Bakr, was detailed and thorough. Each piece of the Quran that was collected had to meet the criterion that it was written in front of the Prophet and that there were 2 witnesses that can attest to that and verify the verses. The final product, apparently, was recited in front of the whole community for their approval.
What is called the "Uthmani Codex" used this (1st) compilation as well as redoing the process---that of verification and witness as explained above---It gave preference to the Quraishi dialect as the standard. (The Prophet was from the Quraishi tribe and spoke in that dialect). By this time, Islam was expanding outside of the Arabic speaking areas/territories and thus the preservation of the "original" Quran became an important issue.
So why did Muslim "history" follow this trajectory in the preservation of the "original" Quran? (when Christians did not?)
Its because of the concept of "Khalifa" (Trusteeship). In this conception, Humanity are not passive recipients of God's will, but active participants in God's plans. That is why we are endowed with creativity, intelligence, and free-will. This characteristic is known as Ijtihad = the use of ones reason and intelligence to find creative solutions to problems.
From the Muslim perspective, the "Uthmani Codex" IS the original preserved Quran. When I, as a Muslim, memorize the Quran---I too am "preserving" it. Do I need a special sanction from God to memorize the Quran ? ---NO. Its simply understood as a right and a duty. For 1400+ years, Muslims have passed on the Quran from one generation to the next---does each generation require an Angel to approve? No. Each one of us (humanity) is responsible for the choices we make in how to use or disregard the wisdom we have received.
If Islamic history had followed a different trajectory---one where a text form was not compiled---would the Quran still be preserved today? ---Probably---though one can never know, only speculate.
Instead of the text being sent---human reciters could have been sent to the various locations to teach the original Quran and eventually it would have been recorded. (...by the 13th century, inventors had created "automata" (robots)...and other devices...)
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