Jam al-Quran al-Karim Hifzan wa Kitabatan
- Author died
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- Editions
- King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah
Jam al-Quran al-Karim Hifzan wa Kitabatan (The Compilation of the Noble Quran: Memorization and Inscription) is a concise treatise on Quranic sciences by the Saudi scholar Ali bin Sulayman al-Ubayd detailing the historical stages of the preservation and compilation of the Quran through oral retention and written record.
Background and Publication
The work was originally prepared as a research paper presented at the Symposium on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Care for the Quran and Its Sciences (ندوة عناية المملكة العربية السعودية بالقرآن وعلومه), convened in Rajab 1421 AH (c. October 2000 CE). It was published in a single volume comprising approximately 73 pages by the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran in Medina in its first edition in 1421 AH.
Contents and Structure
The book explores the linguistic and technical meanings of jam al-Quran (compilation of the Quran), noting that in Quranic sciences the term denotes both memorization by heart (al-hifz fi al-sudur) and textual inscription (al-kitabah fi al-sutur). The text is organized into an introduction and five thematic chapters (mabahith):
- The Concept of Compiling the Quran (Ma'na Jam al-Quran al-Karim): Covers the linguistic definitions of the root j-m-ʿ according to lexicographers such as al-Jawhari, al-Raghib al-Isfahani, and Ibn Manzur, as well as its technical application to both oral memorization and written documentation.
- The Preservation of the Quran (Hifz al-Quran al-Karim): Examines the protection of the Quran in heaven, during its transmission to earth, and upon earth.
- The Writing of the Quran in the Prophetic Era (Kitabat al-Quran fi Ahd al-Nabi): Addresses the scriptural and historical evidence for writing down the revelation during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the designated scribes of revelation (kuttab al-wahy), the physical writing materials utilized, the format of the written text, and the reasons it was not gathered into a single bound codex during his lifetime.
- The Compilation of the Quran in the Era of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq: Discusses the Companions' care for the Quran, Abu Bakr's initial hesitation regarding Umar ibn al-Khattab's proposal, the motivation behind compiling the text, the selection of Zayd ibn Thabit for the task, the methodology and duration of the compilation, the characteristics and naming of the resulting codex (mushaf), and its subsequent history.
- The Compilation of the Quran in the Era of Uthman ibn Affan: Details the inception and motives for the Uthmanic compilation, the methodology employed in producing the standard codices, their distribution across regional garrison cities (al-amsar), the burning of non-standard copies with the consensus and approval of the Companions, and the subsequent history of these master codices.
Reception
The treatise has been cited as a beneficial summary on the subject of Quranic transmission and compilation. Commentators have noted that while the author relied heavily on established historical accounts without introducing novel arguments, the work is distinguished by its concise structure, accessible style, and clarity of exposition across the three historical eras of compilation.
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