Bhutta 1

Ali Rehman Bhutta

Aurangzeb Haneef

Islamic Studies, SS 101

April 7, 2020

Question 3(a)

Variant Codices

Even after the compilation of the Qur’an by Uthman, there were variants codices of Quran
written by different scholars such as Ibn Mas’ud, Ubayy b. Ka’b, Ibn Abbas etc. These codices were
mostly similar with each other however there were minor dissimilarities among those codices and the
Utthmanic version of the Quran. In Ibn Mas’ud Codex, for instance, there was different arrangement of
the chapter and chapter 1, 13, 14 were also missing. Similarly, there were variation in the codex of
Ubayy b. ka’b. It was of personal notebook style, had different arrangement of chapters, and had two
additional chapters and one additional verse as compared to the Uthmanic version of the Qur’an. So
these variant codices create complications to understand the standardization of the Qur’an as our
human instinct forces us to believe that if there are that many codices of Qur’an which should be
believed upon.

Shi’a view

Shi’a tradition holds the opinion that the copy of the Qur’an was first produced by Ali Ibn abi
Talib (A.S). Also, twenty traditions (who support Ali’s claim to the caliphate instead of Abu Bakr, Umer,
and Uthman) claim that the Uthmanic Codex of the Qur’an allegedly removed Ali’s legitimate claim to
the Prophet’s mantle. To support that claim they give reference of two traditions. One of them is:

Three [entities] will come complaining on the Day of Resurrection: the Book [Qur’an], the mosque [the
Sacred Mosque in Mecca] and the Family [of the Prophet]. The Book will say: “O Lord, they have altered
me and rented me.” The mosque will say, “O Lord they have abandoned and wasted me.” The Family
will say: “They killed, rejected and dispersed us.”

In the light of above tradition, they prove their point that they have altered the Qur’an. Now for us,
readers, it arises different questions regarding the credibility of Uthmanic version of Qur’an and the
version produced by Ali ibn abi Talib. This ultimately creates hinderance in the understanding of the
standardization of the Qur’an.
 Bhutta 2

Variant Readings

To clear the ambiguity regarding the variants of readings of the Qur’an, scholars hold the
opinion that the Qur’an was revealed in seven modes. This claim can be tracked down by various
traditions. As one of the traditions cited in Bukhari, narrated by Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas infers that,
“Gabriel recited Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad in seven different ways.” Those were mostly differ
on the basis of their recitation. However, the Sunni tradition never highlighted those modes and there is
lack of unanimity to explain the meaning of various modes of the Qur’an and their impact. This disparity
between these modes and the Uthmanic version of the Qur’an complicates the understanding of the
process of the standardization of the Qur’anic text.

(b)

Variant codices are the unauthorized copies of the Qur’an which were composed by different scholars of
that time. Although those copies were compiled, however they had dissimilarities as compared to the
Uthmanic Codex of the Qur’an. From instance, some of them had more or less chapters and verses as
compared to the Uthmanic codex. Also, variant readings mean there were various reading of the Qur’an
instead of single readings. There were changes in pronunciation, vowel, and consonant structure. In
term of similarities and dissimilarities, it can be implied that the variant codices were available and they
had further modes of readings and recitation.