The Views of Some Orientalists on the Compilation and Codification of the Qur’an after the Demise of the Prophet (PBUH)

Abstract

Orientalism, as understood by Islamic scholars within its specific and general definitions, refers to the study of Islam from the perspective of non-Muslims. The primary purpose of examining the subject of this article—which adopts a descriptive–analytical approach and employs library-based research methods to explore and investigate the issue—is to elucidate the points of convergence and divergence between the views of Orientalists and Islamic scholars regarding the compilation and codification of the Qur’an after the demise of the Prophet (PBUH). Following an exploration of scholarly sources, the present study arrived at the following findings: (1) an analysis of the views of scholars and Orientalists concerning the optimization and conceptual clarification of Qur’anic notions; (2) the neglect by Orientalists of what historians have documented and recorded regarding the compilation of the Qur’an; (3) biased interpretations by opponents of the Qur’an that have led to divergent understandings of the process of Qur’anic compilation and codification; and (4) based on transmitted (naqlī) and rational (ʿaqlī) evidence, the compilation and codification of the Qur’an took place during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH). The four aspects addressed in this article are achievements, innovations, and the results derived from the investigation.