The Quran was dictated by the Prophet

The Quran was not only written down by those Companions who did so on their own initiative. Indeed, the Prophet, when a revelation came, called for the scribe and dictated to him. The Prophet while in Madinah had several such scribes, among whom Zaid bin Thabit was very prominent. (M. M. A`zami, in his book Kuttab An-Nabi (Beirut, 1393/1974) mentions 48 scribes who used to write for the Prophet.) Narrated Al-Bara’:

There was revealed {Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah} (An-Nisaa’ 4: 95). The Prophet said:

“Call Zaid for me and let him bring the board, the ink pot and the scapula bone (or the scapula bone and the ink pot).”

Then he said: “Write: Not equal are those believers…” (Bukhari)

It is also reported that material upon which the revelation had been written down was kept in the house of the Prophet. (As-Suyuti, Al-Itqan, I, p. 58)

Another report informs us that when people came to Madinah to learn about Islam, they were provided with ‘copies of the chapters of the Quran, to read and learn them by heart’. (Hamidullah, Sahifa Hammam ibn Munabbih, Paris, 1979, p. 64)

Further evidence for the existence of the Quran as a written document during the lifetime of the Prophet comes from the following account:

`Abdullah ibn Abu Bakr ibn Hazm reported: The book written by the Messenger of Allah for `Amr ibn Hazm contained that no one should touch the Quran without being in the state of purity (tahir) (Malik, Muwatta’)

Malik said, “And no one should carry the mushaf by its strap, nor on a pillow, unless he is clean… in honor to the Quran and respect to it.” (Muwatta’, Arabic, p. 204)

How the Qur’an Was Compiled After the Prophet

The commentary to the Muwatta’ explains that the book referred to as written by the Prophet (which means of course written upon his instruction) was sent with some Muslims for instruction in Islam of the people of Yemen.

In fact the Quranic verse Al-Waqi`ah 56: 79, read in context, clearly explains that the Quran is available to those who receive instruction by revelation, in the form of a book or a piece of writing:

{… this is indeed a Quran most honorable, in a book (kitab) well guarded, which none shall touch but those who are clean: a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.} (Al-Waqi`ah 56: 77-80)

The same fact, i.e. that the Quran did exist as a written document in the lifetime of the Prophet is proved by the following hadith:

Ibn `Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not take the Quran on a journey with you lest it should fall into the hands of the enemy“. (Bukhari and Muslim)

The correctness of the assumption that the reference is to a written document is supported by one of the transmitters: Ayub (i.e. one of the narrators in the chain of transmission of this report) said: The enemy may seize it and may quarrel with you over it. (Muslim)

Furthermore, the chapter-heading used by Bukhari for the section, (which usually contains additional information,) explains:

Ibn `Umar said, “No doubt the Prophet and his Companions travelled in the land of the enemy and they knew the Quran then, i.e. they knew that the Quran was carried – as a scripture – by the Muslims.” (Al-Bukhari)