Dr. Shehzad Saleem, years ago, produced an eight-part series on the questionable nature of the Hadith describing the supposed compilation of the Quran during the reign of Abu Bakr. The first part of the video series can be found below along with some highlights pointed out by Dr. Saleem.
Hadith Narration
For reference, here are the Hadith narrations regarding the questionable compilation that is being analyzed.
Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me when the people of Yamama had been killed (i.e., a number of the Prophet’s Companions who fought against Musailima). (I went to him) and found Umar bin Al- Khattab sitting with him. Abu Bakr then said (to me), “Umar has come to me and said: “Casualties were heavy among the Qurra’ of the Qur’an (i.e. those who knew the Qur’an by heart) on the day of the Battle of Yamama, and I am afraid that more heavy casualties may take place among the Qurra’ on other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Qur’an may be lost. Therefore I suggest, you (Abu Bakr) order that the Qur’an be collected.” I said to Umar, “How can you do something which Allah’s Apostle did not do?” Umar said, “By Allah, that is a good project.” Umar kept on urging me to accept his proposal till Allah opened my chest for it and I began to realize the good in the idea which Umar had realized.” Then Abu Bakr said (to me). ‘You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). So you should search for (the fragmentary scripts of) the Qur’an and collect it in one book.” By Allah If they had ordered me to shift one of the mountains, it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur’an. Then I said to Abu Bakr, “How will you do something which Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) did not do?” Abu Bakr replied, “By Allah, it is a good project.” Abu Bakr kept on urging me to accept his idea until Allah opened my chest for what He had opened the chests of Abu Bakr and Umar. So I started looking for the Qur’an and collecting it from (what was written on) palme stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart, till I found the last Verse of Surat at-Tauba (Repentance) with Abi Khuzaima Al-Ansari, and I did not find it with anybody other than him. The Verse is: ‘Verily there has come unto you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty..(till the end of Surat-Baraa’ (at-Tauba) (9.128-129). Then the complete manuscripts (copy) of the Qur’an remained with Abu Bakr till he died, then with Umar till the end of his life, and then with Hafsa, the daughter of `Umar.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مَقْتَلَ أَهْلِ الْيَمَامَةِ فَإِذَا عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ عِنْدَهُ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ إِنَّ عُمَرَ أَتَانِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْقَتْلَ قَدِ اسْتَحَرَّ يَوْمَ الْيَمَامَةِ بِقُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ وَإِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْتَحِرَّ الْقَتْلُ بِالْقُرَّاءِ بِالْمَوَاطِنِ، فَيَذْهَبَ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَأْمُرَ بِجَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ. قُلْتُ لِعُمَرَ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ عُمَرُ هَذَا وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ عُمَرُ يُرَاجِعُنِي حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِذَلِكَ، وَرَأَيْتُ فِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي رَأَى عُمَرُ. قَالَ زَيْدٌ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّكَ رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ عَاقِلٌ لاَ نَتَّهِمُكَ، وَقَدْ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ الْوَحْىَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَتَبَّعِ الْقُرْآنَ فَاجْمَعْهُ فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَلَّفُونِي نَقْلَ جَبَلٍ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ مَا كَانَ أَثْقَلَ عَلَىَّ مِمَّا أَمَرَنِي مِنْ جَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلُونَ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُرَاجِعُنِي حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ لَهُ صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ فَتَتَبَّعْتُ الْقُرْآنَ أَجْمَعُهُ مِنَ الْعُسُبِ وَاللِّخَافِ وَصُدُورِ الرِّجَالِ حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ التَّوْبَةِ مَعَ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ لَمْ أَجِدْهَا مَعَ أَحَدٍ غَيْرَهُ {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ} حَتَّى خَاتِمَةِ بَرَاءَةَ، فَكَانَتِ الصُّحُفُ عِنْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَتَّى تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ حَيَاتَهُ ثُمَّ عِنْدَ حَفْصَةَ بِنْتِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 4986
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4986
Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: Abu Bakr sent for me and said, “You used to write the Divine Revelations for Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ): So you should search for (the Qur’an and collect) it.” I started searching for the Qur’an till I found the last two Verses of Surat at-Tauba with Abi Khuza`ima Al-Ansari and I could not find these Verses with anybody other than him. (They were): ‘Verily there has come unto you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty …’ (9.128-129)
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ ابْنَ السَّبَّاقِ، قَالَ إِنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ إِنَّكَ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ الْوَحْىَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاتَّبِعِ الْقُرْآنَ. فَتَتَبَّعْتُ حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ التَّوْبَةِ آيَتَيْنِ مَعَ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ لَمْ أَجِدْهُمَا مَعَ أَحَدٍ غَيْرَهُ {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ} إِلَى آخِرِهِ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 4989
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4989
Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: Abu Bakr sent for me owing to the large number of casualties in the battle of Al-Yamama, while Umar was sitting with him. Abu Bakr said (to me), Umar has come to my and said, ‘A great number of Qaris of the Holy Qur’an were killed on the day of the battle of Al-Yamama, and I am afraid that the casualties among the Qaris of the Qur’an may increase on other battle-fields whereby a large part of the Qur’an may be lost. Therefore I consider it advisable that you (Abu Bakr) should have the Qur’an collected.’ I said, ‘How dare I do something which Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) did not do?’ Umar said, By Allah, it is something beneficial.’ Umar kept on pressing me for that till Allah opened my chest for that for which He had opened the chest of Umar and I had in that matter, the same opinion as Umar had.” Abu Bakr then said to me (Zaid), “You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). So you should search for the fragmentary scripts of the Qur’an and collect it (in one Book).” Zaid further said: By Allah, if Abu Bakr had ordered me to shift a mountain among the mountains from one place to another it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur’an. Then I said (to Umar and Abu Bakr), “How can you do something which Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) did not do?” Abu Bakr said, “By Allah, it is something beneficial.” Zaid added: So he (Abu Bakr) kept on pressing me for that until Allah opened my chest for that for which He had opened the chests of Abu Bakr and Umar, and I had in that matter, the same opinion as theirs. So I started compiling the Qur’an by collecting it from the leafless stalks of the date-palm tree and from the pieces of leather and hides and from the stones, and from the chests of men (who had memorized the Qur’an). I found the last verses of Sirat-at-Tauba: (“Verily there has come unto you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves–‘ (9.128-129) ) from Khuzaima or Abi Khuzaima and I added to it the rest of the Sura. The manuscripts of the Qur’an remained with Abu Bakr till Allah took him unto Him. Then it remained with Umar till Allah took him unto Him, and then with Hafsa bint Umar.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ أَبُو ثَابِتٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ بَعَثَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِمَقْتَلِ أَهْلِ الْيَمَامَةِ وَعِنْدَهُ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّ عُمَرَ أَتَانِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْقَتْلَ قَدِ اسْتَحَرَّ يَوْمَ الْيَمَامَةِ بِقُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ، وَإِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْتَحِرَّ الْقَتْلُ بِقُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ كُلِّهَا، فَيَذْهَبَ قُرْآنٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَأْمُرَ بِجَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ. قُلْتُ كَيْفَ أَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ عُمَرُ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ عُمَرُ يُرَاجِعُنِي فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ لَهُ صَدْرَ عُمَرَ، وَرَأَيْتُ فِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي رَأَى عُمَرُ. قَالَ زَيْدٌ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَإِنَّكَ رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ عَاقِلٌ لاَ نَتَّهِمُكَ، قَدْ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ الْوَحْىَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَتَبَّعِ الْقُرْآنَ فَاجْمَعْهُ. قَالَ زَيْدٌ فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَلَّفَنِي نَقْلَ جَبَلٍ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ مَا كَانَ بِأَثْقَلَ عَلَىَّ مِمَّا كَلَّفَنِي مِنْ جَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ. قُلْتُ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلاَنِ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَحُثُّ مُرَاجَعَتِي حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ اللَّهُ لَهُ صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، وَرَأَيْتُ فِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي رَأَيَا، فَتَتَبَّعْتُ الْقُرْآنَ أَجْمَعُهُ مِنَ الْعُسُبِ وَالرِّقَاعِ وَاللِّخَافِ وَصُدُورِ الرِّجَالِ، فَوَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ التَّوْبَةِ {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ} إِلَى آخِرِهَا مَعَ خُزَيْمَةَ أَوْ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ فَأَلْحَقْتُهَا فِي سُورَتِهَا، وَكَانَتِ الصُّحُفُ عِنْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَيَاتَهُ حَتَّى تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، ثُمَّ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ حَيَاتَهُ حَتَّى تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ عِنْدَ حَفْصَةَ بِنْتِ عُمَرَ. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ اللِّخَافُ يَعْنِي الْخَزَفَ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7191
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:7191
Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: Abu Bakr sent for me, so I collected the Qur’an till I found the last part of Surat-at-Tauba with Abi Khuza`ima Al-Ansari and did not find it with anybody else. (The Verses are): — ‘Verily, there has come to you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves..(till the end of Surat Bara’a) (i.e., at- Tauba).’ (9.128-129) Yunus also narrated as above.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ،. وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ، حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَتَتَبَّعْتُ الْقُرْآنَ حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ التَّوْبَةِ مَعَ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ لَمْ أَجِدْهَا مَعَ أَحَدٍ غَيْرِهِ {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ} حَتَّى خَاتِمَةِ بَرَاءَةٌ. حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، بِهَذَا وَقَالَ مَعَ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7425
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:7425
Narrated Az-Zuhri: “From ‘Ubaid bin As-Sabbaq, that Zaid bin Thabit narrated to him, he said: ‘Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me – (regarding) those killed at Al-Yamamah – and ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab was with him. He (Abu Bakr) said: “‘Umar came to me and said: The fighting inflicted many casualties among the reciters of the Qur’an on the Day of Al-Yamamah, and I fear that there will be more casualties among the reciters in other parts of the land, such that much of the Qur’an may be lost. In my view, you should order that the Qur’an be collected.'” Abu Bakr said to ‘Umar: “How can I do something which was not done my the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?” ‘Umar said: ‘By Allah! It is something good.’ ‘Umar continued trying to convince me until Allah opened up my chest to that which He had opened the chest of ‘Umar, and I saw it as he saw it.” Zaid said: ‘Abu Bakr said: “You are a young wise man, and we have no suspicions of you. You used to write down the Revelation for the Messenger of Allah as the Qur’an was revealed.” He (Zaid) said: ‘By Allah! If they had ordered to move one of the mountains it would have been lighter on me than that.’ He said: ‘I said: “How will you do something which was not done by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?” Abu Bakr said: “By Allah! It is something good.” Abu Bakr and ‘Umar continued trying to convince me, until Allah opened up my chest for that, just as He had opened their chests, the chest of Abu Bakr and the chest of ‘Umar. So I began searching for Qur’anic material from parchments, leaf stalks of date-palms and Al-Likhaf – meaning stones – and the chests of men. I found the end of Surah Bara’ah with Khuzaimah bin Thabit: Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is eager for you; for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful. But if they turn away, say: “Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god but He, in Him I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne (9: 128 & 129).'”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ، حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ بَعَثَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ مَقْتَلَ أَهْلِ الْيَمَامَةِ فَإِذَا عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ قَدْ أَتَانِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْقَتْلَ قَدِ اسْتَحَرَّ بِقُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ يَوْمَ الْيَمَامَةِ وَإِنِّي لأَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْتَحِرَّ الْقَتْلُ بِالْقُرَّاءِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ كُلِّهَا فَيَذْهَبَ قُرْآنٌ كَثِيرٌ وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَأْمُرَ بِجَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ . قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِعُمَرَ كَيْفَ أَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ عُمَرُ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُرَاجِعُنِي فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ لَهُ صَدْرَ عُمَرَ وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهِ الَّذِي رَأَى قَالَ زَيْدٌ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّكَ شَابٌّ عَاقِلٌ لاَ نَتَّهِمُكَ قَدْ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْوَحْىَ فَتَتَبَّعِ الْقُرْآنَ . قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَلَّفُونِي نَقْلَ جَبَلٍ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ مَا كَانَ أَثْقَلَ عَلَىَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلُونَ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ . فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُرَاجِعُنِي فِي ذَلِكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ صَدْرَهُمَا صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ فَتَتَبَّعْتُ الْقُرْآنَ أَجْمَعُهُ مِنَ الرِّقَاعِ وَالْعُسُبِ وَاللِّخَافِ يَعْنِي الْحِجَارَةَ الرِّقَاقَ وَصُدُورِ الرِّجَالِ فَوَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ بَرَاءَةَ مَعَ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ : ( قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ * فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ ) . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3103
https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:3103
Feeble Transmission
For such a supposed monumental event and task, it is strange that this Hadith has been narrated by only a single individual. One would assume that based on the gravitas of what is being reported that if such an event took place, there would have been many more corroborating testimonies to the event. Not only is this event recorded by a single individual (Zayd ibn Thabit d. 45 AH / 53 AH), but so are the next two individuals in the chain of transmission (‘Ubayd ibn al-Sabbaq (d. 90 AH) and Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (d. 124 AH). Part1/8 @ ~10min
It is additionally strange that according to historical sources, Zayd ibn Thabit had over forty students in Medina, and only a single person narrated this account on his behalf (‘Ubayd ibn al-Sabbaq (d. 90 AH). It is worth mentioning that some of these other students were notable individuals as well. Part 1/8 @ ~14min
Lack of Mention in Early Hadith
Part 1/8 @ ~17min 40sec, Another peculiarity of this narration is that it is absent from the earliest history books and only found in Bukhari and a single narration from at-Tirmidhi among the Hadith compilations.
For instance, the Muwatta by Imam Malik (d. 179 AH) is completely void of this narrative. This is particularly perplexing because Imam Malik resided in Medina and would have certainly heard this narration had it been true and included in his work, but it is nowhere to be found. Not only that, but Imam Malik was a student of Shihab al-Zuhri and one that he records from in his compilation. Additionally, we find a mursal narrative in it which has a chain of narration which includes ‘Ubayd ibn al-Sabbaq from whom Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri reports. Also, Malik’s Muwatta even has a section on narratives about the Quran, which would be a well-suited place to include such a narration.
Part 1/8 @ ~21min, this narrative is also absent from the Hadith compilation of Sahih Muslim (d. 261 AH), who was a student of Imam al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH). Muslim also sourced narratives from Shihab al-Zuhri and has sections in his compilation that would be suitable for such topics.
Lack of Mention in Earliest HISTORY BOOKS
Part 1/8 ~27min. Additionally, this history is not present in the works of the early historians of Islam, including al-Tabari (d. 310 AH), Ibn Sa’d (d. 230 AH), and Ibn Qutaybah (d. 276 AH). The lack of mention of the narrative in al-Tabari is very strange as he narrates the history of the Battle of Yamama that supposedly sparked this effort, but no mention of this narration of compilation. The lack of mention in Ibn Sa’d’s al-Tabaqat and in Ibn Qutaybah’s al-Ma’arif is also very consequential. Both these works contain extremely detailed biographical accounts of all people who appear in the narrative: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, Zayd ibn Thabit, and Hafsa bint Umar. None of these accounts even hint at any collection of the Quran in spite of the fact that they depict some very minor details of the lives of these people.
Open Unanswered Questions About the Narration
Part 2 of the series poses the following open questions regarding the narrative of the compilation.
- If this collection was an official collection, then why wasn’t this version used throughout the conquered lands by Umar?
- Why weren’t copies made and distributed?
- Why was it passed to Hafsa by ‘Umar instead of being passed to the third caliph, Uthman?
- Why was it returned to Hafsa after Uthman’s compilation?
- Why was Hafsa reluctant to give the copy to Uthman when he was supposedly compiling his mus’haf?
- Why was there no consultation (shurah) for this compilation among the notable scribes and memorizers of the Quran?
Criticism of Chain of Transmission
In Part 3 of the series, Dr. Saleem points out some of the criticism towards the isnad of the narration, showing that it is claimed that the chain is broken because ‘Ubayd ibn al-Sabbaq never met Zayd ibn Thabit according to ‘Imadi’. While referring to al-Bukhari’s Tarikh al-kabir, he says that ‘Ubayd ibn al-Sabbaq died in 118 AH at the age of 68. He says that these details have been written by a famous commentator of Sunan Abu Da’ud, Shams al-Haq Muhaddith ‘Azimabadi, on the margins of Ibn Hajar’s Fath al-Bari.
He then refers to Ibn Hajar, according to whom Zayd died in 45 AH. He says that other authorities place his death in 48 AH, 51 AH, and 54 AH. Although these views, according to ‘Imadi, are weak, he says that even if the weakest of these (54 AH) is taken, the age of ‘Ubayd turns out to be 4 at the death of Zayd. ‘Imadi has also pointed out that Ibn Sa’d has not mentioned Zayd as a teacher of ‘Ubayd.
Additionally, none of the early rijal works gives us any information on the birth, death, and age of ‘Ubayd ibn al-Sabbaq. Al-Safadi (d. 643 AH) in his al-Wafi bi al-wafayat gives ‘Ubayd’s year of death as 90 AH and gives no information about his age or year of birth.
Criticism of al-Zuhri
In Part 3, at around 12 min, Dr. Saleem cites criticisms that are known regarding al-Zuhri, that he was known for narrating Tadlis, Isnads that someone narrates what he has not heard from a person whom he has bet giving the impression that he has heard it from him; or narrates from someone who is contemporary but he has not met him giving the impression that he has met him or has heard from him. Moreover, at times there is no one person, and at times more between this narrator and from the ones he narrates.
Additionally, in Part 3 @ 18min, al-Zuhri is accused of Idraj. With idraj, what is inserted in the Hadith of God’s Messenger from the words of a narrator such that a companion or a narrator after the companion mentions some words from himself after he narrates the Hadith and a narrator after him joins these words with the Hadith without mentioning the two separately by stating its narrator. This causes ambiguity in the discourse on the person who does not know the reality, and he thinks that all of it is from God’s messenger.
More discussion on these accusations towards al-Zhuri can be found in the below video.
Quran Talk Blog 