Divine Preservation of the Qurʾān: A Historical Account and Scholarly Reflection

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A Report from Yaḥyá ibn Aktham (d. 242 AH / 857 CE)

Yaḥyá ibn Aktham (d. 242 AH / 857 CE) reported:

“At a time when al-Maʾmūn ibn Hārūn al-Rashīd (r. 198–218 AH / 813–833 CE) was still a prince, a Jewish man entered one of his gatherings. He was well dressed, handsome in appearance, and exuded a pleasant fragrance. When he spoke, he did so with remarkable eloquence.

When the gathering concluded, al-Maʾmūn summoned him and asked, ‘Are you Jewish?’

He replied, ‘Yes.’

Al-Maʾmūn said, ‘Accept Islam, and I shall bestow favours upon you and reward you.’

He responded, ‘This is my religion and the religion of my forefathers,’ and then departed.

The following year, he returned as a Muslim and joined one of al-Maʾmūn’s gatherings, engaging in discussion on matters of fiqh. His speech was flawless. When the gathering ended, al-Maʾmūn called him and said, ‘Are you not our companion from last year?’

He replied, ‘Indeed.’

Al-Maʾmūn then asked, ‘What caused you to embrace Islam?’

He responded, ‘I left your gathering intending to test the religions. As you can see, I possess fine handwriting. I copied the Torah three times, deliberately adding to and omitting from it. I took these copies to the synagogue, and they purchased them from me.

Then I copied the Gospel three times, again adding and removing portions, and took them to the church, where they were likewise purchased.

Thereafter, I copied the Qurʾān three times, adding and omitting material, and presented them to the Muslim copyists and bookbinders. They examined them, and when they realised that they contained alterations and omissions, they discarded them and refused to purchase them.

From this, I came to know that this Book is divinely protected, and this was the reason for my acceptance of Islam.’”

Encounter with Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah (d. 198 AH / 814 CE)

Yaḥyá ibn Aktham continued:

“I performed Ḥajj in the same year and met Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah (d. 198 AH / 814 CE). I related this account to him, and he said, ‘This is affirmed in the Book of Allah ﷻ.’

I asked, ‘Where is this found?’

He replied, ‘In the statement of Allah ﷻ concerning the Torah and the Gospel.’”

Allah ﷻ says:

ۚ إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ ۚ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِن كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ ۞
فَلَا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ ۞

“Verily, We did send down the Torah [to Mūsá (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah’s Will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged for the Jews by the Torah after those Prophets], for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah’s Book, and they were witnesses thereto. Therefore fear not men but fear Me (O Jews), and sell not My Verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the Kāfirūn (i.e. disbelievers of a lesser degree, as they do not act on Allah’s Laws).” (Sūrat al-Māʾidah 5:44)

Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah stated that Allah ﷻ entrusted them with safeguarding their scripture, yet its protection was lost.

The Divine Preservation of the Qurʾān

Allah ﷻ also says:

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ ۞

“Verily, We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qurʾān), and surely We will guard it (from corruption).”
(Sūrat al-Ḥijr 15:9)

Thus, Allah ﷻ has preserved the Qurʾān for this Ummah, and it has not been lost.

Statement of Imām al-Bayhaqī (d. 458 AH / 1066 CE)

Imām Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn al-Bayhaqī (d. 458 AH / 1066 CE) stated:

“In the Qurʾān, and in the statements of the Salaf, there is evidence demonstrating that when previous nations altered something of their religion, they first altered their scriptures. Thereafter, they came to believe in these alterations within their hearts, and subsequently their desires, statements, and speech conformed to them.

As for this Ummah, Allah ﷻ has preserved His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ, and He has made them firm within the belief of the Muslims, such that they do not alter anything from it, even though some people may fall into error due to desire or heedlessness.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah ﷻ for preserving our religion, and all praise is due to Him for guiding us to it. We ask Him for steadfastness until death and forgiveness on the Day of Gathering.”

Reference

Al-Bayhaqī, Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn (d. 458 AH / 1066 CE). Al-Madkhal ilá al-Sunan al-Kubrā. Edited by Muḥammad Ḍiyāʾ al-Raḥmān al-Aʿẓamī. 2nd edn. Riyadh: Dār al-Khāniqī, 1990, vol. 1, pp. 235–237.

The Qurʾān. Translation of the Meanings by Muḥammad Taqī al-Dīn al-Hilālī and Muḥammad Muḥsin Khān. Madinah: King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qurʾān, 1417 AH / 1996 CE.

Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī (d. 852 AH / 1449 CE). Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb. Beirut: Dār al-Fikr, 1984, vol. 11, pp. 214–216.