The History of the Quran - From Revelation to the Compilation of the Quranic Text
A Study Comparing the Old and New Testaments
By Muhammad Mustafa Al-Azami
Muslims consider the Quran to be the unadulterated word of God. But how exactly was it revealed, preserved, and ultimately recorded in written form? Is there historical evidence for the authenticity of the text? And how do its transmission paths differ from those of the biblical writings?
In "The History of the Quran - From Revelation to the Compilation of the Quranic Text," the renowned Islamic scholar and hadith expert Muhammad Mustafa Al-Azami addresses these fundamental questions with scholarly precision. He examines the history of the Quran's transmission in detail and places it in a comparative context with the history of the Old and New Testaments.
The book offers a comprehensive analysis of the central aspects of the Quranic transmission:
The Revelation of the Quran: How did the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) receive the divine words? What role did the angel Jibril play?
Oral and Written Preservation: What methods were used by the Prophet's Companions to preserve the Quran?
Written Composition: Was the Quran already written down during the Prophet's lifetime? When and how was it systematically collected?
Standardization under Uthman Ibn Affan: Why were alternative readings excluded? What significance did this measure have for textual fidelity?
The Development of Arabic Paleography: What role did Arabic script play in ensuring accurate transmission?
Comparison with the Bible: How does the transmission history of the Quran differ from that of the Old and New Testaments? Why have biblical texts been revised multiple times, while the Quran remains unchanged to this day?
Critical Discussion of Orientalist Research: How have Western Islamic scholars interpreted the history of the Quran, and what errors have they made in doing so?
With his work, Al-Azami refutes many popular assumptions among Orientalists and shows that the Quran possesses a unique system of textual preservation—a system that remains unsurpassed to this day.
Why read this book?
Sound scholarship – Based on decades of research, this book offers a precise analysis of the history of the Quran.
Comparative perspective – The author demonstrates how the transmission of the Quran differs from the textual traditions of the Bible.
Response to Orientalist criticism – A well-founded refutation of common theories regarding the "alteration" or "construction" of the Quran.
Clearly written – Although this is an academic work, it is also accessible to interested laypeople.
About the author
Muhammad Mustafa Al-Azami (1930–2017) was one of the most important hadith scholars and Islamic scholars of the modern era. He received his doctorate from the University of Cambridge and has taught at prestigious institutions around the world, including Oxford University, Princeton University, and King Saud University in Riyadh. He was awarded the International King Faisal Prize for Islamic Studies for his outstanding contributions to Islamic studies.
- Author: Muhammad Mustafa Al-Azami
- Number of pages: 520
- Hardcover
- 1st edition
Publisher: Ilm Verlag
