Preservation

Preservation


Detailed Lesson Notes:

Manuscripts of the Quran mentioned in the lecture

  1. The Birmingham Manuscript – radiocarbon dated to ~56BH – 25AH with 95.4% probability.
  2. This manuscript has been radiocarbon dated to around 31BH – 22AH with 95.4% probability. This manuscript is Surah Ibrahim v. 19-44. Both of these manuscripts are in the Hijazi script – the type of handwriting style common in the region of Makkah and Madinah.
  3. This manuscript is the earliest available in the Kufic script (from Iraq). This manuscript has been radiocarbon dated to around 37AH – 71AH.
  4. This manuscript has been claimed to be one of the 7 official mushafs ordered to be sent around the Muslim world by Uthman (rad). There is a 95% chance of it being between 27BH – 241AH, and a 68% chance of it being from between 19AH – 148AH. It is also in the Kufic script

For a comprehensive list of Quranic manuscripts dated to the first century Hijri, see here.

Recommended Reading:

History of the Quranic Text by Dr. Muhammad Mustapha al-Azami