Historical Context of Qur'anic Compilation

This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari 4984 documents the critical moment when Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) commissioned the official compilation of the Qur'an into a unified manuscript (Mushaf). This occurred approximately 20 years after the Prophet's death, during a period of Islamic expansion where variations in recitation emerged among new Muslim communities.

Scholarly Committee Selection

Uthman carefully selected four eminent companions: Zaid bin Thabit (the primary scribe of revelation), Sa'id bin Al-As, Abdullah bin Az-Zubair, and Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Harith. These were among the most knowledgeable in Qur'anic preservation, having memorized it directly from the Prophet and participated in its documentation.

Zaid bin Thabit's leadership in this project reflects his unique status as the primary scribe to whom the Prophet dictated revelations. His expertise in both writing and memorization made him uniquely qualified for this sacred task.

The Quraish Dialect Principle

Uthman's instruction to use the Quraish dialect when disagreements arose establishes a crucial principle of Qur'anic standardization. The Qur'an was revealed in seven approved dialects (ahruf), with the Quraish dialect being the primary and most authentic.

This decision preserved the linguistic purity of the revelation while eliminating confusion. It demonstrates the companions' meticulous approach to preserving the exact wording as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, who was from the Quraish tribe.

Divine Preservation in Action

This event exemplifies Allah's promise to preserve the Qur'an. The companions' scholarly methodology—cross-verification, consultation, and adherence to primary sources—ensured the text remained unchanged from its original revelation.

The resulting Mushaf became the standard reference copy from which all subsequent Qur'ans were transcribed, maintaining textual integrity across the Muslim world to this day.