The Quran - Composition and Content - Term Paper Example

The Qur’an - Composition and Content Composition and compilation of the written Quran took several decades. According Muslim accounts, compilation and composition of the Quran began in 610 when Gabriel appeared to Mohammed in a cave near Mecca1. Gabriel recited to him the first verses of Sura Iqra and this marked the beginning of revelation of the Quran. The prophet continued having the revelations about the Quran throughout his life until his death in 632. In an journal, A theory of Semantics Based on Old Arabic, Adi notes that there are disagreements by the Muslims and non-Muslim scholars on whether Muhammad wrote the Quran during his lifetime or whether the compilation and composition of the holy book began with Abu Bark al-Siddiq, the first Caliph. After writing of the Quran, it was canonized by Uthman ibn Affan given unanimity of its sources2. This task looks at how Islamic traditions of the time of compilation and composition of the Quran explain the content and composition of the holy book. It explains the manner in which compositional characteristics as well as the content of the Quran suggest on the development of Islamic religion. The Umayyad Period that spanned between 44/661 and 132/750 marked the composition of the Hijazi script of the Quran. These were the earliest known manuscripts of the Quran3. The most fundamental reforms in the manuscripts took place under the rule of Abd al-Malik, the 5th Umayyad Caliph. The traditions and practices of the people and the ruling class of Umayyad at the time were evident in the version of the Quran. According to Kelsey’s Ethics of War in Asian Civilizations, Abu’l Aswad al Du’ali found the Arabic grammar and introduced the system of using large, colored dots to indicate the tashkil4. Umayyad governor, al-Hajjaj later enforced this system and it became a basic scheme for composition of the Quran. The codices found during this historical period were made of single volume. It was during this time that the codices went from vertical to horizontal, a system that is used in Qurans to date5. Additionally, the composition of the Quran at this time saw an introduction of bold and heavy looking scripts that made them different from Christian and Jewish scripts and emphasized on supremacy of the Quran. These developments matched the then prevailing Islam tradition of pride and air of religious supremacy6 in the Arabian region. According to Brinner & Stephen’s “Studies in Islamic and Judaic traditions: papers presented at the Institute for Islamic-Judaic Studies”, Abbasid style succeeded the manuscripts and composition styles that Umayyad Dynasty used. The Abbasid manuscripts were copied in several volumes, unlike the Umayyad that was often in a single volume. This was evident from the large scripts that it used and the smaller number of lines in each page. The main distinguishing factor of the Quran composition of the Abbasid tradition was the writing style of the scripts7. The letters in the Quran were horizontally elongated, relatively shorter and thicker than Umayyad style. Association of Muslim Social Scientists notes in their journal entitled "Islamic Traditions and Comparative Modernity” that Muslim tradition of the time advocated for orderliness. Given the fact that the holy book was revealed in disjointed chapters and verses, there was need to gather the portions into one coherent text. Historically, there is no conclusive evidence on the exact dates that marked the compilation of the Quran. This called for the need for canonization that saw the destruction of all Quran content that did not have the universal content envisioned by Uthman. Upon the mass burning of other Quran contents, the copy of the holy book that had been kept by Muhammad’s wife became the official scripture for Islamic community. Content of the Quran gives fascinating information concerning the spread and development of Islam. Its content as well as compositional history reveal the crucial steps the religion took as it spread across Asian and Arabian regions. From the development of codices to change of compositional styles, these historical revelations show that the religion was growing and capturing the attention of new faithful who introduced new concepts to it. The content of Quran reveals a change in attitude of the religious grouping as it grew. The strategies that the Quran advocated for the spread of Islam are manifestation of the size of congregation and the level of acceptance and popularity of the religion at different historical points. “Let there be no compulsion in religion” (2:256a) is a verse that the religious followers used to spread their agenda as a small, little-known group8. It advocated that people should not be converted by force. The followers used peaceful and negotiation rules to convert others. As the religion grew and spread its roots, the principle verse for conversion became the “Sword Verses” (9:5 and 9:29)9. Muhammad had gathered enough followers. It had by then become an army that could defend itself and attack. It abolished the initial peaceful strategy and advocated for jihad. People were converted with or without their will. This latter strategy saw the use of brutal force in which people either accepted to die or be converted. These contents of the Quran concerning the schemes of spreading Islam are perfect manifestation of the stage of development of the region. The “Sword Verses” became more superior and superseded the older, peaceful strategies. Bibliography Adi, Tom. 2007. "A theory of Semantics Based on Old Arabic". Association of Muslim Social Scientists. 2009. "Islamic traditions and comparative modernities". Brinner, William M., and Stephen David Ricks. 1986. "Studies in Islamic and Judaic traditions: papers presented at the Institute for Islamic-Judaic Studies, Center for Judaic Studies, University of Denver". Kelsay, John. 2006. "Islamic Tradition and the Justice of War". Ethics of War in Asian Civilisations : a Comparative Perspective. 81-110. Read More