Examining the Modifications, Changes, Alterations and Editing of the Islamic Text
Continues from Part 2a
Conflicting Arrangement of the Qur’an
The Renowned Islamic expositor al-Qurtubi mentions several reports that show that the Muslims were confused and were not in agreement concerning the proper order of the Qur’anic surahs:
What has come about the order of the suras and ayats of the Qur'an, its vowelling and dots, its hizbs and tens, the number of its letters, juz's, words and ayats
Ibn at-Tayyib said, "Some say that the Salaf differed about the order of the suras of the Qur'an and some of them wrote the suras in the order that they were revealed and put the Makkan before the Madinan, and some put al-Hamd (Fatiha) at the beginning, and others put al-'Alaq at the beginning.' This was the case in the first copy of 'Ali. As for the copy of Ibn Mas'ud, it begins with 'Master of the Day of the Deen'' (1:4) and then al-Baqara, AND THEN an-Nisa' with a different order. The copy of Ubayy began with al-Hamd, then an-Nisa', then Al 'Imran, then al-An'am, then al-A'raf, then al-Ma'ida. There were SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES."
Ibn at-Tayyib's answer is that it is possible [sic] that the order of the suras as we have today in the Qur'an is by ijtihad on the part of the Companions. Makki mentioned this in the tafsir of
In the Jami', Ibn Wahb stated that Sulayman ibn Bilal heard Rabi'a being asked why al-Baqara and Al 'Imran were put first when there were about eighty suras revealed before them and they were revealed in Madina. Rabi'a said, "They were put first and the Qur'an was arranged according to the knowledge of those who arranged it and had knowledge of that. This is what we ended up with and we do not ask about it." It is reported from Qatada that Ibn Mas'ud said, "Whoever of you seeks a model, should model himself on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah. They have the best hearts of this community, the deepest knowledge, least artifice, straightest guidance and the best state. Allah chose them to be the Companions of His Prophet and to establish His deen. So acknowledge their excellence and follow in their footsteps. They followed straight guidance."
Some scholars say that the arrangement of the suras of the Qur'an which we find in our copies of the Qur'an was at the instruction of the Prophet [sic]. What is related about the differences between the copies of Ubayy, 'Ali and 'Abdullah was before the final presentation [sic]. The Messenger of Allah arranged those suras for them after they had done that. It is reported from Ibn Wahb that he heard Malik say, "The Qur'an was arranged according to what they heard from the Messenger of Allah." (Aisha Bewley, Selections from the Introduction of Tafsir al-Qurtubi: *)
The assertion that the conflicting order of surahs were before Muhammad presented the final arrangement to his companions makes no sense since the following narration proves that the Muslims continued to arrange their Qur’ans differently long after Muhammad’s death!
VI: The arrangement of the Qur'an
4707. It is related that Yusuf ibn Mahik said, "I was with 'A'isha, the Umm al-Mu'minin, when an Iraqi came and said, 'What kind of shroud is best?' She said, 'Bother you! How will it harm you?' He said, 'Umm al-Mu'minin, show me your copy of the Qur'an.' 'Why?' she asked. He said, 'In order that I might arrange the Qur'an according to it. It is recited out of its proper order.' 'A'isha said, 'What harm will there be to you whichever part you read first? The first to be revealed was a sura of the Mufassal in which the Garden and the Fire is mentioned.* When many people joined Islam, then the halal and haram were revealed. If the first thing to be revealed had been, 'Do not drink wine,' people would have said, 'We will never give up wine.' If it had been revealed. 'Do not fornicate,' they would have said, 'We will never give up fornication.' When I was still a young girl who played, it was revealed to Muhammad in Makka, "In fact the Hour is their promised appointment and the Hour is more disastrous and bitter!" (54:46)
[*i.e.
4708. It is said that Ibn Mas'ud was heard to say, "The suras Banu Isra'il, al-Kahf, Maryam, Taha and al-Anbiya' were among the first that I learned and they are part of the earliest Qur'an that I learned."
4709. It is related that al-Bara' said, "I learned 'Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High' (87) before the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came [to Madina]."
4710. It is related that Shaqiq said, "'Abdullah said, 'I learned the Naza'ir which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to recite in pairs in each rak'at.' Then 'Abdullah got up and 'Alqama went in with him. When 'Alqama came out, we questioned him and he said, 'They [the Naza'ir] are twenty suras from the beginning of the Mufassal, according to the order of Ibn Mas'ud, and they end with the suras starting with Ha Mim: "HaMim the Smoke" (44) and "About what are they asking one another?" (78:1)'" (Bewley, The Sahih Collection of Al-Bukhari, Chapter 69. Book of the Virtues of the Qur'an)
See Khan's version of Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 61, Numbers 515 and 518.
In fact, copies of Abdallah ibn Masud’s Qur’an with its conflicting arrangement of surahs were still circulating in the tenth century!
Subdivision concerning the Arrangement of the Qur'an in the Manuscript of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud
Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan said, "I found in a manuscript of ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud the compilation of the surahs of the Qur'an in accordance with the following sequence:
| Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | 2 |
| Al-Nisa (The Women) | 4 |
| Al ‘Imran (The Family of Imran) | 3 |
| Alif(A) Lam(L) Mim(M) Sad(S) | 7 |
| Al-An'am (The Cattle) | 6 |
| Al-Ma'idah (The Dining Table) | 5 |
| Yunus (Jonah) | 10 |
| Al-Nahl (The Bee) | 16 |
| Hud | 11 |
| Yusuf (Joseph) | 12 |
| Bani Isra'il (Children of Israel) | 17 |
| Al-Anbiya (The Prophets) | 21 |
| Al-Mu'minun (The Believers) | 23 |
| Al-Shu'ara (The Poets) | 26 |
| Al-Saffat (Those Who Rank Themselves) | 37 |
| Al-Ahzab (The Confederates) | 33 |
| Al-Qasas (The Story) | 28 |
| Al-Nur (The Light) | 24 |
| Al-Anfal (The Spoils) | 8 |
| Maryam (Mary) | 19 |
| Al-‘Ankabut (The Spider) | 29 |
| Al-Rum (The Byzantines) | 30 |
| Ya(Y) Sin(S) | 36 |
| Al-Furqan (The Test of Truth) | 25 |
| Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) | 22 |
| Al-Ra‘d | 13 |
| Saba | 34 |
| Al-Mala'ikah (The Angels) | 35 |
| Ibrahim (Abraham) | 14 |
| Sad(S) | 38 |
| Those who disbelieve | 47 |
| Al-Qamar (The Moon) | 31 |
| Al-Zumar (The Troops) | 39 |
| | |
| The Praise-Giving Ha(H) Mim(M) Surahs: | |
| Ha(H)Mim(M): Al-Mu'min (The Believer) | 40 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Zukhruf (The Ornaments) | 43 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Sajdah (The Worship) | 41 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Ahqaf (The Sandhills) | 46 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Jathiyah (The Kneeling) | 45 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Dukhan (The Smoke) | 44 |
| | |
| Lo, We have given thee a victory | 48 |
| Al-Hadid (The Iron) | 57 |
| Sabbah: Al-Hashr (Praise: The Assembling) | 59 |
| Tanzil: Al-Sajdah (Revelation: Worship) | 32 |
| Qaf(Q) | 50 |
| Al-Talaq (The Divorce) | 65 |
| Al-Hujurat (The Private Apartments) | 49 |
| Blessed is he in whose hand is the sovereignty | 67 |
| Al-Taghabun (Disillusion) | 64 |
| Al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites) | 63 |
| Al-Jumu'ah (The Congregation) | 62 |
| Al-Hawariyun (The Disciples) | 61 |
| Say: It has been revealed to me | 72 |
| Lo, We sent Nuh (Noah) | 71 |
| Al-Mujadilah (She Who Pleads) | 58 |
| Al-Mumtahanah (She Who Is Examined) | 60 |
| Oh, Prophet, wherefore dost forbid | 66 |
| Al-Rahman (The Compassionate) | 55 |
| Al-Najm (The Star) | 53 |
| Al-Dhariyat (Those Scattering) | 51 |
| Al-Tur (The Mountain) | 52 |
| The hour draw nigh | 54 |
| Al-Haqqah (The Infallible) | 69 |
| When there happens | 56 |
| Nun(N) and the Pen | 68 |
| Al-Nazi‘at (Those Who Drag Forth) | 79 |
| A questioner questioned | 70 |
| Al-Muddaththir (The Cloaked) | 74 |
| Al-Muzzammil (The Wrapped-Up) | 73 |
| Al-Mutiffifin (Giver of Short Measure) | 83 |
| He frowned | 80 |
| Has there come upon man? | 76 |
| Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection) | 75 |
| Al-Mursalat (Those Sent Forth) | 77 |
| Wherefore do they question? | 78 |
| When the sun is covered | 81 |
| When the heavens are cleft | 82 |
| Has there not come to you an account of the overwhelming? | 88 |
| Glorify the name of your Lord the Most High | 87 |
| And the night when it enshrouds | 92 |
| Al-Fajr (The Dawn) | 89 |
| Al-Buruj (The Stars of the Zodiac) | 85 |
| Al-Inshiqaq (Rent Asunder) | 84 |
| Recite in the name of your Lord | 96 |
| Verily, I swear by this city | 90 |
| Wa-al Duha (And the Morning Light) | 93 |
| Have We not expanded for you | 94 |
| And the heavens and the night comer | 86 |
| Al-‘Adiyat (The Runners) | 100 |
| Have you seen someone? | 107 |
| Al-Qari‘ah (The Calamity) | 101 |
| Those of the People of the Book who were unbelievers were not | 98 |
| The sun and morning light | 91 |
| And the fig | 95 |
| Woe to every slanderer | 104 |
| Al-Fil (The Elephant) | 105 |
| For uniting the Quraysh | 106 |
| Al-Takathur (Rivalry for Wealth) | 102 |
| Verily, We revealed it And the afternoon. We have created man for loss [of God's favor] in which he will remain until the end of time, except for those who believe, enjoining one another to piety and committing each other to endurance.26 | |
| When the help of Allah cometh | 110 |
| Verily, We have given you | 108 |
| Say: Oh, you who disbelieved, I do not worship what you worship | 109 |
| The hands of Abu Lahab have perished and he as perished. His wealth will not be enough for him, nor his gains. His wife, moreover, is the bearer of wood.27 | 111 |
| Allah is one, eternal | 112 |
THESE ARE ONE HUNDRED AND TEN SURAHS. (Ibid. pp. 53-57)
The translator's notes 26 and 27 are quite interesting:
26. The author has evidently quoted these sentences to show how different they are from the authorized version of the Qur'an. Cf. Surah 103 of the authorized version. (Ibid., p. 57)
27. Here are again the verses are quoted, as they are a variation. The authorized version makes it clear that the wife of Abu Lahab is carrying fuel to feed the flames with which her husband is being burned in Hell. For the surah which follows, the authorized version has, "Say, Allah is one, Allah the Eternal." (Ibid.)
It gets worse for the Muslims. This same 10th century Muslim work goes on to mention Ubayy ibn Kab’s Qur’an:
According to another tradition, "Al-Tur" [Surah 52] comes before "Al-Dhariyat" [Surah 51].
Ibn Shadhan stated that Ibn Sirin said ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud did not transcribe into his manuscript either "Al-Mu'awwidhatan [Surahs 113-114]" or the opening of the Book. Moreover, al-Fadl [Ibn Shadhan] quoted in sequence from al-A'mash, saying that in the reading of 'Abd Allah [ibn Mas'ud] there was Ha(H) Mim(M) Sin(S) Qaf(Q) [This refers to Q. 42 and it reads, Ha(H) Mim(M) ‘Ayn(‘) Sin(S) Qaf(Q)]."
Thus saith Muhammad ibn Ishaq [al-Nadim]: I have seen a number of Qur’anic manuscripts, which the transcribers recorded as manuscripts from Ibn Mas‘ud. NO TWO QUR'ANIC COPIES WERE IN AGREEMENT and most of them were on badly effaced parchment. I also saw a Qur'anic manuscript transcribed about two hundred years ago which included the opening of the Book. As al-Fadl ibn Shadhan was one of the leading authorities on the Qur'an and the Hadith, I have mentioned what he said, in addition to what we ourselves have witnessed.
Subdivision concerning the Arrangement of the Qur'an in the Manuscript of Ubayy ibn Ka'b
Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan said:
One of OUR RELIABLE FRIENDS has informed us, saying that the composition of the surahs according to the reading of Ubayy ibn Ka'b is in a village called Qariyat al-Ansar, two passages parasangs from al-Basrah, where in his home Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik al-Ansari showed us a Qur'anic manuscript, saying, "This is the copy of Ubayy which we have, handed down from our fathers." I looked into it and ascertained the headings of the surahs, the endings of the revelations, and the number of verses.
| Fatihat al-Kitab (Opening of the Book) - was the first | 1 |
| Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | 2 |
| Al-Nisa (The Women) | 4 |
| Al-Imran (The Family of 'Imran) | 3 |
| Al-An'am (The Cattle) | 6 |
| Al-A'raf (The Heights) | 7 |
| Al-Ma'idah (The Table) | 5 |
| Alif(A) Lam(L) Dhal(Dh) Ya(Y) - about which I was confused, but it is "Yunus" (Jonah).36 | 10 |
| Al-Anfal (The Spoils) | 8 |
| Al-Tawbah (Repentance) | 9 |
| Hud | 11 |
| Maryam (Mary) | 19 |
| Al-Shu'ara (The Poets) | 26 |
| Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) | 22 |
| Yusuf (Joseph) | 12 |
| Al-Kahf (The Cave) | 18 |
| Al-Nahl (The Bee) | 16 |
| Al-Ahzab (The Confederates) | 33 |
| Bani Isra'il (The Children of | 17 |
| Al-Zumar (The Troops) | 39 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M): Tanzil (Revelation) | 45 |
| Ta(T) Ha(H) | 20 |
| Al-Anbiya (The Prophets) | 21 |
| Al-Nur (The Light) | 24 |
| Al-Mu'minun (The Believers) | 23 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Mu'min (The Believer) | 40 |
| Al-Ra'd (The Thunder) | 13 |
| Ta(T) Sin(S) Mim(M): Al-Qasa (The Story) | 28 |
| Ta(T) Sin(S): Sulayman (Solomon) | 27 |
| Al-Saffat (Those Who Rank Themselves) | 37 |
| Da'ud: Surah Sad(S) (David) | 38 |
| Ya(Y) Sin(S) | 36 |
| Ashab al-Hijr (The Inhabitants of the | 15 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M) 'Ayn(A) Sin(S) Qaff(Q) | 42 |
| Al-Rum (The Byzantines) | 30 |
| Al-Zukhruf (The Ornaments) | 43 |
| Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Sajdah (The Worship) | 41 |
| Surah of Ibrahim (Abraham) | 14 |
| Al-Mala'ikah (The Angels) | 35 |
| Al-Fath (The Victory) | 48 |
| Muhammad, may Allah bless him and give him peace | 47 |
| Al-Hadid (The Iron) | 57 |
| Al-Tur (The Mountain) | 52 |
| Tabarak: Al-Furqan (Blessed: The Test of Truth) | 25 |
| Alif(A) Lam(L) Mim(M): Tanzil (Revelation) | 32 |
| Nuh (Noah) | 71 |
| Al-Ahqaf (The Sandhills) | 46 |
| Qaf(Q) | 50 |
| Al-Rahman (The Compassionate) | 55 |
| Al-Waqi'ah (The Event) | 56 |
| Al-Jinn | 72 |
| Al-Najm (The Star) | 53 |
| Nun(N) | 68 |
| Al-Haqqah (The Infallible) | 69 |
| Al-Hashr (The Assembling) | 59 |
| Al-Mumtahanah (She Who Is Examined) | 60 |
| Al-Mursalat (Those Sent Forth) | 77 |
| Whereof do they question? | 78 |
| Al-Insan (The Man) | 76 |
| Verily I swear | 75 |
| Covered | 81 |
| Al-Nazi'at (Those Who Drag Forth) | 79 |
| 'Abas[a] (He Frowned) | 80 |
| Al-Mutiffifin (Those Who Give Short Measure) | 83 |
| When the heavens are split | 84 |
| Al-Tin (The Fig) | 95 |
| Recite in the name of your Lord | 96 |
| Al-Hujurat (The Private Apartments) | 49 |
| Al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites) | 63 |
| Al-Jumu'ah (The Congregation) | 62 |
| Al-Nabi, for whom be peace | 66 |
| Al-Fajr (The Dawn) | 89 |
| Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty) | 67 |
| The night when it enshrouds | 92 |
| When the heavens are cleft | 82 |
| And the sun with its morning light | 91 |
| And the heavens with the stars | 85 |
| Al-Tariq (The Night Comer) | 86 |
| Glorify the name of your Lord the Most High | 87 |
| Al-Ghashiyah (The Overshadowing) | 88 |
| 'Abas[a] (He Frowned)42 | 74? |
| He was not the first those who disbelieved | 98? |
| Al-Saff (The Ranks) | 61 |
| Al-Duha (The Morning Light) | 93 |
| Have we not expanded your | 94 |
| Al-Qari'ah (The Calamity) | 101 |
| Al-Takathur (Rivalry for Wealth) | 102 |
| Al-Khal' (Divorce), three verses44 | 65? |
| Al-Jid (The Neck), six verses45 Oh, Allah, Thee do we worship-the last of which is-with the unbelievers. It is appended to "Al-Lumazah."46 | 104 |
| When it quakes | 99 |
| Al-Adiyat (The Runners) | 100 |
| Ashab al-Fil (Owners of the Elephant) | 105 |
| Al-Tin (The Fig)47 | ? |
| Al-Kawthar (Abundance) | 108 |
| Al-Qadr (The Power) | 97 |
| Al-Kafirun (The Unbelievers) | 109 |
| Al-Nasr (Help) | 110 |
| Abi Lahab | 111 |
| Quraysh | 106 |
| Al-Samad (The Eternal) | 112 |
| Al-Falaq (The Dawn) | 113 |
| Al-Nas (Mankind) | 114 |
THIS IS ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN SURAHS. (Ibid., pp. 57-61)
Here are the translator's comments in the footnotes that appear in the above chart which further highlight the differences that existed between Ubayy's codex and the present day Qur’anic text:
42. 'Abas[a] has already been mentioned as Surah 80. As the word appears in Surah 74, V. 22, this may refer to that surah, which is not mentioned elsewhere in this list. (p. 61)
44. This surah is probably meant as Surah 65, which deals with the subject of divorce. On the other hand, Surah 65 has many verses, so that "Al-Khal" may be a garbled title for Surah 103, which has three verses…
45. Al-jid ("neck") is mentioned at the end of Surah 111, but this surah is included as "Abi Lahab." Perhaps the word is meant to beal-hamd, the opening word of Surah 34, not mentioned elsewhere in this list…
46. "Al-Lumazah" almost certainly refers to Surah 104, but the words appended are not in the authorized version…
47. This is a mistake, as the surah has already been mentioned and the name does not resemble titles of surahs not elsewhere mentioned. (Ibid. p. 58)
Hence, not only were there copies of Ubayy’s and ibn Masud’s Qur’ans still circulating centuries after their deaths that did not follow the same order, but these codices didn’t even have the same number of surahs! Ibn Masud’s had only 110 surahs where as Ubayy’s had a total of 116, two more than the 114 chapters of the present day Qur’an! Even more troubling is the fact that, according to the above source, no two copies of ibn Masud’s Qur’ans were identical with each other, obviously due to the mistakes of the scribes and copyists!
With the foregoing in perspective we need to ask the following questions. What are the names of these twenty surahs which start from the beginning of Al-Mufassal and those that start with Ha Mim? Which of the Ha Mim surahs go first? And is this the arrangement of the Qur’an today? No. For instance, there are seven suras which begin with the letters Ha Mim, namely surahs 40-46. Yet how does any Muslim know that this is the right order? How do they know that Q. 46 isn't actually first in the series, or 43, 42, 45 etc.? Take for instance the order of the Ha Mim surahs found in Ibn Masud's codex:
The Praise-Giving Ha(H) Mim(M) Surahs:
Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Mu'min (The Believer) 40
Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Zukhruf (The Ornaments) 43
Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Sajdah (The Worship) 41
Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Ahqaf (The Sandhills) 46
Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Jathiyah (The Kneeling) 45
Ha(H) Mim(M): Al-Dukhan (The Smoke) 44
With such mass confusion surrounding the preservation how can any Muslim know definitely that what they possess today is exactly the same Qur’an that Muhammad recited, especially in the order which he gave it? The sad fact for Muslims is they do not know with absolute certainty.
We are not done just yet. In our final section we are going to provide additional examples of missing or additional verses, many of which were come from codices compiled by Muhammad’s close companions such as ibn Masud which are not included in the present day Qur’an!
Continues on Part 3a
Source: http://answering-islam.org/authors/shamoun/anonymousQur’an2.html
IHS
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