Write about the role of Umar and 'Uthman in preserving the Qur'an.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. A detailed account of the role played by 'Umar and 'Uthman in the preservation of the Qur'an needs to be given in response to the question.
2. After the Battle of Yamama was fought in the caliphate of Abu Bakr, in which many `huffaz` were martyred, 'Umar was concerned that if the Qur'an was not compiled and preserved in writing, it would risk being lost or forgotten, as many `huffaz` were dying in battles or in time would die of old age.
3. He persuaded Abu Bakr to compile and preserve the Qur'an and a committee headed by Zayd ibn Thabit was set up for this task. Umar himself a `hafiz` helped in authenticating the verses collected by Zayd's team.
4. In the caliphate of 'Uthman, it could be said that with the expansion of the Muslim empire there appeared a difference in the pronunciation in the recitation of the Qur'an. In 645, on returning from battles in Azerbaijan, Huzayfa bin al Yaman alerted 'Uthman about how he had heard soldiers from different parts of Syria and Iraq meeting together and differing in their reading of the Qur'an and how each thought his reading to be correct.
5. 'Uthman after consulting with the other senior Companions appointed an editorial committee to make a copy of the Qur'an from the one which was in the custody of Hafsah.
6. The committee was headed by Zayd ibn Thabit and he was assisted by Abdullah ibn Zubayr, Sa'ad ibn al-Aas, ‘Abdul Rahman ibn al Harith, and others.
7. Zayd requested Hafsah for her copy, which was carefully copied. Over the course of four months, four other copies of the Qur'an were made from the copy made from Hafsah's `mushaf`, one for each point of the compass. All unofficial copies of the Qur'an were burnt to avoid disunity.
8. Candidates who agree with the statement that the compilation of the Qur'an both in the time of Abu Bakr and 'Uthman was equally important could say that had it not been preserved in Abu Bakr's time there was a danger of it being lost or forgotten as were the earlier books.
9. Qur'an's preservation in 'Uthman's time was equally important as it resulted in the unity of the `umma` in reciting the Qur'an in one way and all generations of Muslims agreeing on its wording.
10. If the candidates disagree with the statement, they will need to support their view with sound reasons.