When Was the Quran Written and Who Wrote It?
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Posted by
Mansab Awan
When Was the Quran Written and Who Wrote It?
The Quran is the holy book of Muslims and the final revelation from Allah to Hazrat Muhammad SAW. For over 1,400 years, Muslims have preserved their words with complete care and devotion.
Some of the people ask when exactly the Quran written. Who were the people who wrote it down? How did it become the book we see today? And how is it organized?
These are important questions. The answers show us the remarkable story of how Allah’s message was protected from the very first day.
In this article, you will discover the complete history of the Quran. You will learn when revelation began, who wrote it during the Prophet’s life, and how it was compiled into one book.
Basic Information About the Quran
The Holy Quran is not like other general books. Here are some key facts:
- The Quran has 114 chapters. These are called Surahs.
- It contains more than 6,000 verses (according to some sources, 6238). These are called Ayat.
- The Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) brought these revelations from Allah.
- The message has stayed unchanged from the first day until now.
The Quran was revealed over 23 years. It started in 610 CE and continued until the Prophet died in 632 CE.
History of the Quran
The revelation began in 610 CE in the city of Makkah (Mecca). Prophet Muhammad was 40 years old at that time. The first revelation came through Angel Gabriel in a place called the Cave of Hira. This cave is located on Mount Jabal al-Nour, about 4 kilometers from the Kaaba.
Prophet Muhammad used to go to this cave for meditation. He would spend many days there in solitude, thinking deeply about life and creation.
The First Revelation
One night during the month of Ramadan on the 27th night also called Lalatul Qadar, Angel Jibreel appeared to the Prophet in the cave. The angel said, “Read!”
The Prophet replied, “I cannot read.”
Angel Jibreel then embraced him tightly and repeated the command three times. Finally, the angel revealed the first verses of the Quran:
“Read in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught a man that which he knew not.”
(Surah Al-Alaq, 96:1-5)
These were the very first words of the Quran. They emphasize knowledge, learning, and the power of writing.
How Was the Quran Recorded During the Prophet's Life?
The book of the Quran you see and read nowadays was not like that in the Prophet SAW era. During the 23 years of revelation, the Quran was preserved in two ways:
Memorization
Many companions memorized the Quran word for word. Memorizing scripture was common in Arabian culture. People had strong memories because writing was not widespread.
Writing
The Prophet SAW had special scribes (Katib) who wrote down each revelation (wahi). They wrote on different materials:
- Animal bones (like the shoulder blades of camels)
- Leather
- Wood
- Flat stones
- Palm leaves
- Cloth
Prophet Muhammad supervised every written verse. He told the scribes exactly where each verse should be placed. This means the order of verses and chapters was decided during the Prophet’s lifetime.
The Prophet reviewed the entire Quran with Angel Jibreel every Ramadan. In the final year of his life, this review happened twice. This shows how carefully the Quran was preserved.
So, the Quran was both memorized and written while the Prophet was alive. This dual preservation system made it unique among other divine scriptures.
Who Wrote the Quran First and When?
The first people who wrote the Quran were the companions of Prophet Muhammad. They were known as “scribes of revelation” or Katib-al-Wahi.
These scribes had an important job. Whenever a new verse was revealed, they would write it down immediately under the Prophet’s SAW guidance.
Here are some famous scribes of Hazrat Muhammad SAW:
- Zaid ibn Sabit
- Ali ibn Abi Talib
- Ubayy ibn Ka’b
- Abdullah ibn Mas’ud
- Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan
These companions were chosen because they were literate, trustworthy, intelligent, and skilled in writing.
Who Compiled and Wrote the Quran into One Book?
When Prophet Muhammad passed away in 632 CE, the Quran existed in two forms:
- In the hearts of companions
- In written pieces (Scattered on various materials)
There was no single book. The need for compilation became urgent after the major battle of Yamama.
Compilation During Caliph Abu Bakr’s Time (633 CE)
After the Prophet’s death, a war broke out against apostates (people who left Islam). This is called the Wars of Apostasy or Ridda Wars. Also, In the Battle of Yamama, 70 companions who had memorized the Quran were martyred. Some reports say the number was even higher.
Umar ibn Al-Khattab became very worried. He feared that if more reciters died, parts of the Quran might be lost forever. He went to Abu Bakr (RA), the first caliph, and urged him to compile the Quran into one book.
At first, Abu Bakr hesitated. He said, “How can I do something the Messenger of Allah did not do?”
But Umar convinced him that it was necessary to protect the Quran. Then, Abu Bakr chose Zaid ibn Sabit to lead the project.
Why Zaid?
Abu Bakr said: “You are a wise young man, we have no suspicion against you, and you used to write the revelation for the Messenger of Allah”.
Zaid was about 22 years old. He had four main qualities:
- He was young and had energy.
- He was intelligent and careful.
- He was trustworthy and honest.
- He had been the Prophet’s main scribe in Madinah.
Zaid was also one of those who had memorized the entire Quran.
When Abu Bakr gave him this task, Zaid said:
“By Allah, if he had asked me to move a mountain, it would not have been harder than compiling the Quran.” But he accepted the responsibility.
How Did Zaid Compile the Quran?
Zaid collected the Quran from parchments, palm leaves, flat stones, and from the memories of men who knew it by heart.
He used a very strict method:
- He would only accept a verse if two witnesses confirmed it.
- The verse had to be written in the presence of the Prophet.
- The verse also had to match what the reciters had memorized.
This careful process ensured complete accuracy. Nothing was included without proof.
After months of hard work, Zaid completed the task. He prepared a complete written book called Suhuf (sheets or pages).
This copy was kept with Caliph Abu Bakr. When he died, it passed to Umar, the second caliph. When Umar died, it was given to his daughter Hafsa RA, who was also the wife of the Prophet Muhammad SAW.
Hafsa was one of the few literate women in early Islamic society. She was known for her knowledge of the Quran.
Standardization During Uthman's Time (650 CE)
Islam spread very quickly after the Prophet’s death. Within 20 years, it had reached Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Persia.
Different regions had Muslims from different tribes. Each tribe had a slightly different Arabic accent or dialect.
These differences in pronunciation began to confuse. People argued about which way was correct.
A companion named Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman was stationed in Iraq. He noticed these disputes. He became worried and rushed to Madinah.
He went to Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, the third caliph, and said:
“Save this community before they differ about the Quran like Jews and Christians differed about their scriptures!”
Caliph Uthman's Solution for Quran Preservation
Uthman acted quickly. He borrowed the original manuscript from Hafsa. He then appointed a committee to prepare a standard master copy.
The committee had four main members:
- Zaid ibn Thabit (leader again)
- Abdullah ibn al-Zubair
- Sa’id ibn al-Aas
- Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith
More members joined later, making the total around 12 people.
Uthman gave them clear instructions:
- If there is any disagreement on spelling or dialect, use the dialect of the Quraysh tribe. This was the Prophet’s tribe and the dialect of Makkah.
- Make several identical copies.
The committee worked carefully. They produced several master copies of the Quran. Hazrat Uthman RA kept one copy in Madinah and sent copies to Kufa, Basra, Damascus, and possibly Makkah.
This was done to prevent confusion. There were no differences in the content, only in dialect and script style. The standardization ensured unity.
Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph, supported this decision. He said that Uthman did this with the approval of all senior companions.
Which Is Older: The Bible or the Quran?
Many people ask this question. Let’s look at the facts:
Age
The Bible is much older as a collection. Its parts were written over many centuries:
- The Old Testament was written between roughly 1200 BCE and 165 BCE.
- The New Testament was written between 50 CE and 100 CE.
The Quran was revealed between 610 CE and 632 CE. So yes, the Bible’s parts are older.
Preservation Differences
However, there are major differences in how they were preserved:
The Bible:
- Written by many different human authors over 1,000+ years
- Has changed over time through translations and editions
- Exists in many different versions (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, etc.)
- The original manuscripts no longer exist
- Different Christian groups have different books in their Bibles
The Quran:
- Has only one author: Allah
- The text has never been changed
- The same text exists in every country
- Muslims memorized it from day one
- It was written and memorized together during the Revelation
This makes the Quran unique in preservation. While it is younger in age, its text has remained exactly the same since the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
Your Journey with the Quran Starts Today
The Quran is not just a book to read about. It is a book to read, understand, and memorize. It is a guide for your life, a source of peace for your heart, and the path to success in this world and the Hereafter.
The companions memorized the Quran with devotion. Today, millions continue this blessed tradition. You can be one of them.
CTA: Start Learning the Quran Today
Whether you’re a beginner or want to improve your recitation, our online Quran course is here for you.
We offer courses:
- Flexible online Quran classes
Don’t wait. Every moment is precious. Start your Quran journey now and earn the reward that lasts forever.
Join our Quran Academy today and become part of the beautiful chain of Quran preservation that started over 1,400 years ago.
