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Islamiyat IGCSEPDF 91
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The Scribes of the Qur’an
1. Zayd ibn Thābit (RA)
Death and Legacy
Background and Early Life
Lessons for Muslims Today
Role as a Scribe of Revelation
Role After the Prophet’s Death
Sample Questions – Zayd ibn Thābit (RA)
10-mark: Describe the role of Zayd ibn Thābit in preserving the Qur’an.
4-mark: Why did Abū Bakr appoint Zayd to collect the Qur’an?
Zayd teaches the importance of knowledge, precision, and devotion. His efforts show that
safeguarding the Qur’an is the greatest trust.
Zayd became one of the principal scribes of revelation. Whenever the Prophet ﷺ received
Qur’ān, Zayd would write it down on materials such as parchment, bones, or palm leaves. He
memorised large portions of the Qur’ān, becoming one of the foremost ḥuffāẓ.
Later, during ʿUthmān’s Caliphate, Zayd again led the team to produce standard copies of the
Qur’an, ensuring uniform recitation. These copies were sent to different parts of the Muslim
world.
Zayd died in 665 CE. His contribution secured the preservation of the Qur’an, making him one
of the most important figures in Islamic history.
Zayd ibn Thābit (RA) was from the Khazraj tribe in Madinah. He was only 11 when the Prophet
asked him ﷺ migrated there, but his intelligence was noticed immediately. The Prophet ﷺ
to learn languages, and he mastered Hebrew and Syriac, becoming the Prophet’s interpreter for
foreign letters.
After the Battle of Yamāmah, where many Qur’an memorizers were martyred, ʿUmar advised
Abū Bakr to preserve the Qur’an in one collection. Abū Bakr appointed Zayd to lead the task. He
collected fragments from various companions, ensuring accuracy by requiring two witnesses for
every verse.