DATES (AD)

EVENTS

~610

First revelation of Quran happened to the prophet Mohammed (SAW = Peace be upon him) in the cave of Hira. The scripture was transmitted to him orally.

610-632

The Qur'an was transmitted orally to the prophet (SAW) who in turn memorized it and had his sahaba (companions) memorize it and the literates among them write it down on various material.

During this period, Qur'an was revealed in bits and pieces to reflect the evolution of the islamic faith and prepare muslims for the bright future as a great nation.

632

The prophet (SAW) died. He received the last revelation few days earlier.

632-634

Abu Bakr was the khalifa. In 633, after the battle of Yamama, he instructs Zaid b. Thabit to bring together whatever was memorized and written down and compile it in a set of manuscripts (Sohoof). No memorized piece nor a written one was accepted unless there were two witnesses to attest to its accuracy and truthfulness. The Sohoof were to remain in the custody of Abu Bakr who passed them on to Umar after him.

634-644

Umar Ibn Al-Khattab was the khalifa. He held on to the Sohoof until his death. His daughter Hafsa (Um Al-Mu'mineen) became the custodian of the Sohoof.

644-656

Uthman Ibn Affaan was the khalifa during this period. The rapid expansion of Islam led to the inclusion of many non-arabs in the islamic nation; they did not know the proper way of reciting Qur'an. To make sure that muslims would not differ in their ways of reciting Qur'an; Uthman, in 653, borrowed the Sohoof from Hafsa and instructed Zaid and three other sahaba to compile the Sohoof into one single book (Qur'an). He asked them to make six copies of it; one would be kept with him and five others will be sent to each one of the major provinces of the muslim world at that time.

685-705

Abd Al-Malik was the khalifa (5th Umayyad Caliphate). Diacritical points were added to the Qur'anic script.

1694

The first Qur'an printed using movable type was published in Hamburg (Germany). In 1787, the Mulay Usman (Turkey) edition was printed; it was the first muslim printed copy of the Qur'an.