The Perfect Word of 'Allah' or That of Man 'Perfected: The Making of the Koran

Jan 18, 2025

People are often told that the Koran contains the unaltered words of ‘Allah,’ delivered through the angel Gabriel and uttered by Mohammed, Allah’s ‘messenger,’ and that it has been perfectly preserved. However, someone recently asked me if this is true after seeing a short video that suggested otherwise [1].

Yes, there are variations and corrections — not just different translations. This is well know amongst Islamic academics but rarely acknowledged [2]. The word ‘Qur’an’ is derived from words meaning to ‘recite’ and ‘gathered together’ and it is uniquely applied to those words ‘revealed’ to Mohammed and recorded in the Koran. Notice that Arabic spelling is not standardized — Koran and Qur’an are both correct.

The Koran was initially compiled into a single collection by Abu Bakr, the first caliph — the first compilation. This is because many of those who had memorized Mohammed’s ‘revelations’ were being killed in battle so there was fear of losing the Koran. Recitations were written on a variety of medium including palm stalks, bones and stones. The third caliph, Uthman, realized that there were discrepancies so he ordered that a standard version be compiled, organized and written as a book. The rest were burned. Manuscripts comprised of this second compilation were then distributed [3]. However, part of those ‘perfectly preserved’ recitations were stored under Aisha’s bed and eaten by a sheep:

`Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur’anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt. (Bukhari 4987)
“It was narrated that ‘Aishah said: “The Verse of stoning and of breastfeeding an adult ten times was revealed1, and the paper was with me under my pillow. When the Messenger of Allah died, we were preoccupied with his death, and a tame sheep came in and ate it.” (Ibn Majah 1944)
Koran 15:9 ‘Indeed, it is We [Allah] who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.’

But instead of abolishing the additional readings, ‘by the second century of Islam the variant readings of the Qur’an were more in number than before ‘Uthman’s attempt to unify the text.’ There is much more to be said about these compilations — that Uthman himself kept a copy of Hafsa’s codex and other followers also owned their own special codices. The new Uthman version was not dotted (diacritical marks on consonants) and for that reason required prior knowledge to interpret. Also, the Shiites accused Abu Bakr and Uthman of tampering with the Koran [4].

Owing to numerous variations discovered in the Koranic texts used in state schools, the Egyptian government issued it’s own. The 1924 Royal Cairo edition standardized Koran was approved by the Al Azhar committee and many pre-1924 Korans dumped in the Nile [5]. This is the most widely used version globally today, especially by Sunni Muslims.

There are 10 recognized variant readings of the Koran — Warsh and Hafs (Cairo edition) are the two most widely recognized. Variations can include word choice, use of ‘diacritical marks’, syntax, grammar and punctuation. At the time of transmission Aramaic was the ‘uniting language’ — classical Arabic language did not exist. People spoke Aramaic and local dialects.

Semitic script originally consisted of only consonants and lacked the diacritical marks needed to clarify pronunciation and meaning. Consequently, the ‘beautiful, translucent, perpetual virgins of Paradise’ (houris) Koran 44:54 promises to those who die in the “cause of Allah” could be interpreted either as “We will wed them [the believers] to houris with big eyes” or “We will provide them with jewel-like grapes [6].

Part of the Koran recitations were uttered in Mecca, and others after the migration to Medina — there are disputes over whether some verses were revealed in Mecca or Medina because the Koran is not presented in chronological order. There are alternative arrangements of the Koran and there are different lengths. The Cairo edition has 114 chapters (Sura), the Codex of Ibn Mas’ud dropped K118 and K114 — however, he doesn’t include K1 so the total number is 111. Conversely, the Codex of Ubayy Ibn Ka’b added 2 Sura but combined two so they number 115 [7].

The order of revelations is important because the later verses are considered better or stronger than the earlier verses. In Mecca, Mohammed was intolerant of other beliefs but not violent — after the migration, Mohammed adopted jihad as a tactic and the verses reflect this. The Koran is therefore dualistic and it is the corrected chronological order of the Koran that determines this with precedence given to later, more militant verses.

Koran 109:6 ‘To you be your religion, and to me my religion’ (Mecca — weak)
Koran 9:29 ‘Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful’ (Medina — strong)

Earlier verses are sometimes referred to as ‘abrogated’ or superseded by later verses but can be utilized when they are useful because all are considered the unaltered perfect word of Allah. There are many examples of this. Consequently, peaceful verses can be used to portray Islam as a religion of peace in a weak position, only to have militant verses justifying jihad when it is strong — this is an important shift from a spiritual focus to one that is military and political.

Koran 2:217 ‘…”Fighting therein [the holy months] is a great (transgression)…’

Has been ABROGATED by:

Koran 2:216 ‘…Jihad (holy fighting in Allah’s cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know. (Khan translation)

An excellent book by Daniel Brubaker titled ‘Corrections in Early Qur’an manuscripts — 20 Examples’ — very tactfully presents 20 examples with photos. Mr. Brubaker has examined thousands of pages of Koranic manuscripts and personally inspected original velum manuscripts showing script without punctuation, words inserted, removed, written over or in the margin etc. and notes frequent “omission” of the word “Allah” in the lower text. Corrections that he writes might be ‘a pious enhancement of the Qur’an’s textual history. Hagiography, the enhancement of a history in order to elevate its subject.’

Mr. Brubaker documented 800 such corrections for his original dissertation but has now noted thousands ‘with no end in site [8].’

Koran 6:115 “The words of the Lord are perfect in truth and justice; there is NONE who can change His words
Koran 2:106 ‘Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, WE BRING A BETTER ONE or similar to it. Know you not that Allah is able to do all things?’

In addition, there are 29 ‘Stand-alone Letters’ at the beginning of several Sura that no one has been able to make any sense of. And yet the Koran claims it has perfect clarity, (Koran 12:1, 41:3) and is so beautifully written that no writing could compare with it even though it’s grammar, repetitiveness, contradictions and lack of coherence undermine this claim [9]. For example, these stand alone letters are sometimes combined and counted as a verse — indeed, A.L.M. is counted as the first verse of Sura 2.

Koran 2:1 “Alif-Lam-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings].” (Khan translation)
Koran 17:88 ‘If the whole of mankind and jinn were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.’
Koran 10:38 ‘Or do they say, ‘He invented it?’ Say, ‘Then bring forth a surah like it and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be truthful’

Even at the time of Mohammed his revelations were questioned. For example, his scribe ‘Abdullah b. Sa’d’ was ordered killed when Mohammed returned to conquer Mecca. Bin Sa’d had questioned the validity of the revelations saying that he had the ability to alter them with Mohammed’s consent, leading him to apostatize and return to Mecca. [10, 11]

“Among them was ‘Abdullah b. Sa’d, brother of the B. ‘Amir b. Lu’ayy. The reason he ordered him to be killed was that he had been a Muslim and used to write down revelation; then he apostatized and returned to Quraysh”

During the life of Mohammed reciters would argue over which recitation was correct and ask Mohammed to decide:

Mohammed said, “Gabriel recited the Qur’an to me in one way. Then I requested him (to read it in another way), and continued asking him to recite it in other ways, and he recited it in several ways till he ultimately recited it in seven different ways.” (Bukhari 4991)

The foregoing is more than enough reason to question the reliability and veracity of the Koran — yet this is a doctrine followed by over 2 billion people. And it is surprising and concerning that authorities in non-Islamic countries make decisions based on advice from those who follow it.

While Islamic scholars argue over minutia, real world consequences carry on: young girls and women are at risk of assault for lack of a veil (Koran 33:59), apostates from Islam are killed (Koran 4:89), English boys who slightly damage a Koran are threatened with death, and women in Afghanistan aren’t even allowed to speak in public (Koran 33:32) [12, 13]. It seem that fourteen centuries of debate hasn’t helped anyone except perhaps the scholars.

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, check out the books listed in the references below.

SOURCES:

[1] Video: Shamoun, Sam ‘Muslim Thought the Quran is a Miracle’

[2] Video: Yasir Qadhi: Problems with the Preservation of the Quran

[3] ‘Qur’an The Dilemma, Former Muslims Analyze Islam’s Holiest Book Volume 1.’ ISBN 978–193557703–4 2011.

[4] ibid.

[5] Reynolds, GS Introduction: Qur’anic studies and its controversies p.3 Routledge 2008 https://www.eurasia.org.uk/docs/academic/quran-studies/The_Quran_in_its_Historical_Context_Re.pdf

[6] Pressburg, Norbert G. (citing Luxenberg) ‘What The Modern Martyr Should Know’ p.16–17 Original Title: ‘Das neue Bild des Islam’ 2012, BoD Publishers, Germany.

[7] ‘Qur’an The Dilemma, Former Muslims Analyze Islam’s Holiest Book Volume 1.’ ISBN 978–193557703–4 2011

[8] Brubaker, Daniel A. ‘ Corrections in Early Qur’an Manuscripts — Twenty Examples’, Think and Tell Press, 2019

[9] Pressburg, Norbert G. (citing Luxenberg) ‘What The Modern Martyr Should Know’ p.16–17 Original Title: ‘Das neue Bild des Islam’ 2012, BoD Publishers, Germany.

[10] Ibn Ishaq’s “The Life of Muhammad” (Guillaume translation) p. 550, Oxford University Press 2020

[11] The History of Al Tabari Volume 8, ‘The Victory of Islam’ [1639] State of New York Press 1997

[12] https://humanists.uk/2023/02/27/shock-as-religious-groups-pressure-school-into-suspending-pupils-for-minor-damage-to-quran/

[13] Nordin, Osman ‘Is a Woman’s Voice Awrah?’ https://en.islamonweb.net/is-a-womans-voice-awrah

Photo Credit (books): Pir Sumeyra

Photo Credit (grapes): Henri Guerin