3.2 Preservation of the Qur’an

Divine Promise of Preservation

Allah Himself promised to preserve the Qur’an. This promise is the heart of the subject of preservation. It explains why Muslims believe with certainty that the Qur’an today is the same revelation given to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Allah says:

“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will surely be its guardian.”
Qur’an 15:9

In this verse, Allah attributes both the revelation and its protection to Himself. The Qur’an calls itself “the Reminder,” and Allah declares that He will guard it. This is not left to human effort alone. Human actions serve as a means, but the guarantee comes from Allah.

Another verse affirms that no one can ever bring a scripture like the Qur’an, which also hints at its protection from alteration:

“Say, ‘If mankind and jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants.’”
Qur’an 17:88

The divine challenge includes the text itself and its miraculous nature. Any corruption of the Qur’an would weaken that challenge, so its preservation is part of its ongoing miracle.

The Qur’an also states that falsehood cannot penetrate it:

“Falsehood cannot approach it, from before it or from behind it. [It is] a revelation from [He who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.”
Qur’an 41:42

This means no falsehood can precede it to replace it, and no falsehood can follow it to corrupt it. This promise covers both the time of revelation and all generations afterward.

For a beginner, it is enough to understand that Muslims do not simply claim preservation as an idea. They base it on explicit verses like these, which show that Allah guaranteed to protect His final revelation, unlike previous scriptures that were altered by people over time.

Preservation Through Generation After Generation

The divine promise became a visible reality through the way the Muslim community treated the Qur’an from the very beginning. Preservation is not just a historical theory. It is something Muslims still live every day.

Allah describes the Qur’an as protected and honored in its heavenly origin:

“Indeed, it is a noble Qur’an, in a Register well-guarded, which none touch except the purified, [it is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds.”
Qur’an 56:77–80

From the preserved tablet in the unseen realm, to the heart of the Prophet ﷺ, to the hearts and pages in this world, the Qur’an passed through a chain of protection. The Qur’an itself says that it was firmly placed in the heart of the Messenger:

“And indeed, it is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down upon your heart, [O Muhammad], that you may be of the warners.”
Qur’an 26:192–194

The Prophet ﷺ would then recite it to the people, and they would memorize and write it. Thus preservation happened by two main means that worked together: memorization and writing. Other chapters in this section will explain these two in more detail, but here it is important to see how both means fulfilled the divine promise in practice.

The Prophet ﷺ was reassured that he would not forget the revelation. Allah told him:

“We will make you recite, so you will not forget, except what Allah wills.”
Qur’an 87:6–7

This guarantee for the Prophet ﷺ is the starting point of preservation in this world. Then his companions learned from him and transmitted it to the next generation, and that continued until today. This is why the Qur’an was not left to one person or a small group. It was carried by entire communities across lands and centuries.

The Qur’an also describes itself as easy to remember:

“And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?”
Qur’an 54:17

This ease is itself part of preservation. Since people of different ages and backgrounds can memorize the Qur’an, it becomes far more difficult for anyone to change it. If a single word were altered, countless memorisers would notice immediately. In every generation, there were many people whose main concern was to recite and preserve exactly what they learned from their teachers, all the way back to the Prophet ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ explained that part of the mission of this community is to protect the Book of Allah, so that it is not misinterpreted or distorted. He said:

“This knowledge will be carried by the trustworthy of every generation. They will remove from it the distortions of the extremists, the lies of the falsifiers, and the misinterpretations of the ignorant.”
Reported by al-Khatib al-Baghdadi in Sharaf Aṣḥāb al-Ḥadīth; authenticated by scholars

Although this hadith speaks about religious knowledge in general, it definitely includes the Qur’an as the core of that knowledge. The “trustworthy of every generation” are a living means by which the divine promise of preservation is fulfilled on earth.

Multiple Paths of Preservation Working Together

One of the unique features of the Qur’an’s preservation is that it was never dependent on a single path. Instead, several strong and independent lines of protection work together. This makes alteration virtually impossible.

First, the Qur’an was memorized in full by many of the Prophet’s companions. Among them were well known reciters whose names appear in authentic reports. The Prophet ﷺ said about some of them:

“Take the Qur’an from four: from Ibn Mas‘ūd, Sālim the freed slave of Abū Ḥudhayfah, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī

These companions learned directly from the Prophet ﷺ. Many others did as well, but these four are mentioned here as examples to show that memorization was organized and intentional. It was not something random.

Second, the Qur’an was written during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ by dedicated scribes of revelation. They wrote on whatever materials were available at the time. They did not write from memory alone, but directly from the Prophet’s recitation, which he himself received from Jibrīl عليه السلام. About Jibrīl, Allah says:

“Say, ‘Whoever is an enemy to Jibrīl, [it is none but] he who has brought the Qur’an down upon your heart, by permission of Allah, confirming that which was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the believers.’”
Qur’an 2:97

Thus, the written copies and the memorized recitation both trace back to the same origin. Later chapters will describe how this writing was gathered together in one official copy during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and then standardized during the caliphate of Uthman. For now, it is enough to recognize that memorization and writing supported and verified each other.

Third, the Qur’an was reviewed and checked during the life of the Prophet ﷺ himself. Every year in Ramadan, Jibrīl would review the Qur’an with him. In the year of his death, this review happened twice. Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما said:

“The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of people, and he was even more generous in Ramadan when Jibrīl met him. Jibrīl used to meet him every night of Ramadan to study the Qur’an with him.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī

In another narration, it is mentioned that this review was done twice in the final year. This double review fixed the order and final form of the Qur’an and also served as a confirmation for the companions who heard it from him.

Later, the science of recitation (tajwīd and qirā’āt) developed to preserve the exact pronunciation and established modes of reading that were all traced through trustworthy chains back to the Prophet ﷺ. These chains, known as isnād, are a central feature of Islamic scholarship and serve as a living record of preservation.

The Qur’an as a Living Text in the Muslim Community

Preservation of the Qur’an is not only a matter of old manuscripts or historical records. For Muslims, the Qur’an is a living text. It is recited every day in prayer, studied, taught, and memorized in every part of the world.

Allah instructs believers to recite and listen carefully:

“So when the Qur’an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.”
Qur’an 7:204

This command made recitation a regular practice in the life of every Muslim. In the five daily prayers alone, Muslims across the world recite the opening chapter, Al-Fātiḥah, and then other parts of the Qur’an. This constant practice means that the Qur’an is always on the tongues of millions. Any attempt to change a verse would immediately be noticed.

The Qur’an also describes itself as something to be recited with care:

“And recite the Qur’an with measured recitation.”
Qur’an 73:4

This careful recitation led to a precise knowledge of each letter and each sound. The science of tajwīd developed to preserve how the Prophet ﷺ himself recited. Teachers and students engaged in this transmission with a sense of trust and responsibility.

The Prophet ﷺ said that one of the best people in the community is the one who engages with the Qur’an:

“The best of you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī

Because of this teaching and learning, the Qur’an is not locked away in libraries. Children and adults, males and females, Arabs and non-Arabs all participate in its preservation through memorization and recitation. In many places, people complete the entire memorization of the Qur’an, known as ḥifẓ, often at a young age.

The Qur’an is also described as a clarity for all people, which implies its accessibility across generations:

“The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was revealed, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.”
Qur’an 2:185

If the Qur’an were lost or corrupted, it could not serve as clear guidance for all people until the end of time. Its continued clarity is a sign of its preservation.

The Unchanged Message Until the Last Day

Because the Qur’an is the final revelation, its preservation is directly linked to the finality of prophethood. There will be no new prophet and no new scripture after Muhammad ﷺ, so this last scripture must remain intact until the end of time.

Allah says:

“Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.”
Qur’an 33:40

If he is the final prophet, the revelation he brought must remain available and authentic for all who come after him. Otherwise, future generations would be left without a reliable guide. The preservation of the Qur’an therefore supports the finality of prophethood.

The Qur’an also describes itself as a clear scripture that confirms and protects what came before:

“And We have revealed to you the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it.”
Qur’an 5:48

As a criterion, the Qur’an judges the changes that people introduced into earlier scriptures. It corrects those changes and restores the original message of pure monotheism. For it to serve that role, it must itself be safe from alteration.

The Prophet ﷺ informed his community that they would never go astray if they held firmly to the Qur’an. In one narration he said:

“I have left among you two things. You will never go astray as long as you hold fast to them: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah.”
Reported by Mālik in al-Muwaṭṭa’ and others

If the Book of Allah could be lost or changed, this promise would not be reliable. The fact that holding to the Qur’an protects from misguidance is another proof that it is preserved in its guidance and wording.

For beginners, it is important to see that preservation is not only about text. It is about an unchanged message. The call to worship Allah alone, the stories of the prophets, the laws, the ethics, and the warnings and glad tidings all remain the same as they were revealed. The message that reached the companions is the same message available to any person who opens a copy of the Qur’an today.

Preservation as a Sign of Allah’s Wisdom and Mercy

The preservation of the Qur’an is closely linked to Allah’s wisdom and mercy toward humanity. A wise and merciful Lord does not leave people without clear guidance. He also does not send guidance that becomes lost or corrupted so that people can no longer distinguish truth from falsehood.

Allah says:

“Does man think that he will be left neglected?”
Qur’an 75:36

Part of not being left neglected is having access to preserved revelation. The Qur’an repeatedly describes itself as mercy and light. For example:

“O mankind, there has come to you a conclusive proof from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a clear light.”
Qur’an 4:174

And:

“This [Qur’an] is enlightenment for mankind and guidance and mercy for a people who are certain.”
Qur’an 45:20

A mercy that disappears is not a lasting mercy. A light that can be turned into darkness by human hands is not a secure light. Allah, in His wisdom, chose to make this final book protected so that His mercy and guidance remain available to all who seek them.

The Prophet ﷺ described the Qur’an as an intercessor on the Day of Judgment:

“Recite the Qur’an, for it will come on the Day of Resurrection as an intercessor for its companions.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

For the Qur’an to intercede for a person, it must remain as it was revealed. The believer recites the same words that were recited by the Prophet ﷺ, hoping that these words will speak in his favor when he stands before Allah. Preservation is therefore not only a matter of history. It is directly connected to a believer’s hope for mercy in the hereafter.

In this way, preservation of the Qur’an is part of Allah’s care for His creation. He did not simply create, then leave people to themselves. He sent guidance and then preserved that guidance so that anyone, in any place and time, can turn to it with confidence.