Other Witnesses?
According to the narration of Sahih Bukhari and Tirmidhi, when the Quran was being compiled under the reign of Abu Bakr, the only person to bear witness to the supposed verses of 9:128-129 was one single individual named Khuzaima.
Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me when the people of Yamama had been killed (i.e., a number of the Prophet’s Companions who fought against Musailima). (I went to him) and found Umar bin Al- Khattab sitting with him. Abu Bakr then said (to me), “Umar has come to me and said: “Casualties were heavy among the Qurra’ of the Qur’an (i.e. those who knew the Qur’an by heart) on the day of the Battle of Yamama, and I am afraid that more heavy casualties may take place among the Qurra’ on other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Qur’an may be lost. Therefore I suggest, you (Abu Bakr) order that the Qur’an be collected.” I said to Umar, “How can you do something which Allah’s Apostle did not do?” Umar said, “By Allah, that is a good project.” Umar kept on urging me to accept his proposal till Allah opened my chest for it and I began to realize the good in the idea which Umar had realized.” Then Abu Bakr said (to me). ‘You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). So you should search for (the fragmentary scripts of) the Qur’an and collect it in one book.” By Allah If they had ordered me to shift one of the mountains, it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur’an. Then I said to Abu Bakr, “How will you do something which Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) did not do?” Abu Bakr replied, “By Allah, it is a good project.” Abu Bakr kept on urging me to accept his idea until Allah opened my chest for what He had opened the chests of Abu Bakr and Umar. So I started looking for the Qur’an and collecting it from (what was written on) palme stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart, till I found the last Verse of Surat at-Tauba (Repentance) with Abi Khuzaima Al-Ansari, and I did not find it with anybody other than him. The Verse is: ‘Verily there has come unto you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty..(till the end of Surat-Baraa’ (at-Tauba) (9.128-129). Then the complete pages (suhuf) of the Qur’an remained with Abu Bakr till he died, then with Umar till the end of his life, and then with Hafsa, the daughter of `Umar.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مَقْتَلَ أَهْلِ الْيَمَامَةِ فَإِذَا عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ عِنْدَهُ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ إِنَّ عُمَرَ أَتَانِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْقَتْلَ قَدِ اسْتَحَرَّ يَوْمَ الْيَمَامَةِ بِقُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ وَإِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْتَحِرَّ الْقَتْلُ بِالْقُرَّاءِ بِالْمَوَاطِنِ، فَيَذْهَبَ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَأْمُرَ بِجَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ. قُلْتُ لِعُمَرَ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ عُمَرُ هَذَا وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ عُمَرُ يُرَاجِعُنِي حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِذَلِكَ، وَرَأَيْتُ فِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي رَأَى عُمَرُ. قَالَ زَيْدٌ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّكَ رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ عَاقِلٌ لاَ نَتَّهِمُكَ، وَقَدْ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ الْوَحْىَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَتَبَّعِ الْقُرْآنَ فَاجْمَعْهُ فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَلَّفُونِي نَقْلَ جَبَلٍ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ مَا كَانَ أَثْقَلَ عَلَىَّ مِمَّا أَمَرَنِي مِنْ جَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلُونَ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُرَاجِعُنِي حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ لَهُ صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ فَتَتَبَّعْتُ الْقُرْآنَ أَجْمَعُهُ مِنَ الْعُسُبِ وَاللِّخَافِ وَصُدُورِ الرِّجَالِ حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ التَّوْبَةِ مَعَ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ لَمْ أَجِدْهَا مَعَ أَحَدٍ غَيْرَهُ {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ} حَتَّى خَاتِمَةِ بَرَاءَةَ، فَكَانَتِ الصُّحُفُ عِنْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَتَّى تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ حَيَاتَهُ ثُمَّ عِنْدَ حَفْصَةَ بِنْتِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 4986 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4986 See also: Kitab Al Masahif Ibn Abu Dawud p. 28
Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: Abu Bakr sent for me and said, “You used to write the Divine Revelations for Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ): So you should search for (the Qur’an and collect) it.” I started searching for the Qur’an till I found the last two Verses of Surat at-Tauba with Abi Khuza`ima Al-Ansari and I could not find these Verses with anybody other than him. (They were): ‘Verily there has come unto you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty …’ (9.128-129)
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ ابْنَ السَّبَّاقِ، قَالَ إِنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ إِنَّكَ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ الْوَحْىَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاتَّبِعِ الْقُرْآنَ. فَتَتَبَّعْتُ حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ التَّوْبَةِ آيَتَيْنِ مَعَ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ لَمْ أَجِدْهُمَا مَعَ أَحَدٍ غَيْرَهُ {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ} إِلَى آخِرِهِ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 4989 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4989
Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: Abu Bakr sent for me owing to the large number of casualties in the battle of Al-Yamama, while Umar was sitting with him. Abu Bakr said (to me), Umar has come to my and said, ‘A great number of Qaris of the Holy Qur’an were killed on the day of the battle of Al-Yamama, and I am afraid that the casualties among the Qaris of the Qur’an may increase on other battle-fields whereby a large part of the Qur’an may be lost. Therefore I consider it advisable that you (Abu Bakr) should have the Qur’an collected.’ I said, ‘How dare I do something which Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) did not do?’ Umar said, By Allah, it is something beneficial.’ Umar kept on pressing me for that till Allah opened my chest for that for which He had opened the chest of Umar and I had in that matter, the same opinion as Umar had.” Abu Bakr then said to me (Zaid), “You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). So you should search for the fragmentary scripts of the Qur’an and collect it (in one Book).” Zaid further said: By Allah, if Abu Bakr had ordered me to shift a mountain among the mountains from one place to another it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur’an. Then I said (to Umar and Abu Bakr), “How can you do something which Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) did not do?” Abu Bakr said, “By Allah, it is something beneficial.” Zaid added: So he (Abu Bakr) kept on pressing me for that until Allah opened my chest for that for which He had opened the chests of Abu Bakr and Umar, and I had in that matter, the same opinion as theirs. So I started compiling the Qur’an by collecting it from the leafless stalks of the date-palm tree and from the pieces of leather and hides and from the stones, and from the chests of men (who had memorized the Qur’an). I found the last verses of Sirat-at-Tauba: (“Verily there has come unto you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves–‘ (9.128-129) ) from Khuzaima or Abi Khuzaima and I added to it the rest of the Sura. The pages (suhuf) of the Qur’an remained with Abu Bakr till Allah took him unto Him. Then it remained with Umar till Allah took him unto Him, and then with Hafsa bint Umar.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ أَبُو ثَابِتٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ بَعَثَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِمَقْتَلِ أَهْلِ الْيَمَامَةِ وَعِنْدَهُ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّ عُمَرَ أَتَانِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْقَتْلَ قَدِ اسْتَحَرَّ يَوْمَ الْيَمَامَةِ بِقُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ، وَإِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْتَحِرَّ الْقَتْلُ بِقُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ كُلِّهَا، فَيَذْهَبَ قُرْآنٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَأْمُرَ بِجَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ. قُلْتُ كَيْفَ أَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ عُمَرُ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ عُمَرُ يُرَاجِعُنِي فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ لَهُ صَدْرَ عُمَرَ، وَرَأَيْتُ فِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي رَأَى عُمَرُ. قَالَ زَيْدٌ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَإِنَّكَ رَجُلٌ شَابٌّ عَاقِلٌ لاَ نَتَّهِمُكَ، قَدْ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ الْوَحْىَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَتَبَّعِ الْقُرْآنَ فَاجْمَعْهُ. قَالَ زَيْدٌ فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَلَّفَنِي نَقْلَ جَبَلٍ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ مَا كَانَ بِأَثْقَلَ عَلَىَّ مِمَّا كَلَّفَنِي مِنْ جَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ. قُلْتُ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلاَنِ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَحُثُّ مُرَاجَعَتِي حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ اللَّهُ لَهُ صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، وَرَأَيْتُ فِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي رَأَيَا، فَتَتَبَّعْتُ الْقُرْآنَ أَجْمَعُهُ مِنَ الْعُسُبِ وَالرِّقَاعِ وَاللِّخَافِ وَصُدُورِ الرِّجَالِ، فَوَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ التَّوْبَةِ {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ} إِلَى آخِرِهَا مَعَ خُزَيْمَةَ أَوْ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ فَأَلْحَقْتُهَا فِي سُورَتِهَا، وَكَانَتِ الصُّحُفُ عِنْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَيَاتَهُ حَتَّى تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، ثُمَّ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ حَيَاتَهُ حَتَّى تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ عِنْدَ حَفْصَةَ بِنْتِ عُمَرَ. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ اللِّخَافُ يَعْنِي الْخَزَفَ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7191 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:7191
Narrated Zaid bin Thabit: Abu Bakr sent for me, so I collected the Qur’an till I found the last part of Surat-at-Tauba with Abi Khuza`ima Al-Ansari and did not find it with anybody else. (The Verses are): — ‘Verily, there has come to you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves..(till the end of Surat Bara’a) (i.e., at- Tauba).’ (9.128-129) Yunus also narrated as above.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ،. وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ، حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَتَتَبَّعْتُ الْقُرْآنَ حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ التَّوْبَةِ مَعَ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ لَمْ أَجِدْهَا مَعَ أَحَدٍ غَيْرِهِ {لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ} حَتَّى خَاتِمَةِ بَرَاءَةٌ. حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، بِهَذَا وَقَالَ مَعَ أَبِي خُزَيْمَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7425 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:7425
Narrated Az-Zuhri: “From ‘Ubaid bin As-Sabbaq, that Zaid bin Thabit narrated to him, he said: ‘Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me – (regarding) those killed at Al-Yamamah – and ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab was with him. He (Abu Bakr) said: “‘Umar came to me and said: The fighting inflicted many casualties among the reciters of the Qur’an on the Day of Al-Yamamah, and I fear that there will be more casualties among the reciters in other parts of the land, such that much of the Qur’an may be lost. In my view, you should order that the Qur’an be collected.’” Abu Bakr said to ‘Umar: “How can I do something which was not done my the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?” ‘Umar said: ‘By Allah! It is something good.’ ‘Umar continued trying to convince me until Allah opened up my chest to that which He had opened the chest of ‘Umar, and I saw it as he saw it.” Zaid said: ‘Abu Bakr said: “You are a young wise man, and we have no suspicions of you. You used to write down the Revelation for the Messenger of Allah as the Qur’an was revealed.” He (Zaid) said: ‘By Allah! If they had ordered to move one of the mountains it would have been lighter on me than that.’ He said: ‘I said: “How will you do something which was not done by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?” Abu Bakr said: “By Allah! It is something good.” Abu Bakr and ‘Umar continued trying to convince me, until Allah opened up my chest for that, just as He had opened their chests, the chest of Abu Bakr and the chest of ‘Umar. So I began searching for Qur’anic material from parchments, leaf stalks of date-palms and Al-Likhaf – meaning stones – and the chests of men. I found the end of Surah Bara’ah with Khuzaimah bin Thabit: Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is eager for you; for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful. But if they turn away, say: “Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god but He, in Him I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne (9: 128 & 129).’”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ السَّبَّاقِ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ، حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ بَعَثَ إِلَىَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ مَقْتَلَ أَهْلِ الْيَمَامَةِ فَإِذَا عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ قَدْ أَتَانِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْقَتْلَ قَدِ اسْتَحَرَّ بِقُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ يَوْمَ الْيَمَامَةِ وَإِنِّي لأَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْتَحِرَّ الْقَتْلُ بِالْقُرَّاءِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ كُلِّهَا فَيَذْهَبَ قُرْآنٌ كَثِيرٌ وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَأْمُرَ بِجَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ . قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِعُمَرَ كَيْفَ أَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ عُمَرُ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُرَاجِعُنِي فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ لَهُ صَدْرَ عُمَرَ وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهِ الَّذِي رَأَى قَالَ زَيْدٌ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّكَ شَابٌّ عَاقِلٌ لاَ نَتَّهِمُكَ قَدْ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْوَحْىَ فَتَتَبَّعِ الْقُرْآنَ . قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَلَّفُونِي نَقْلَ جَبَلٍ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ مَا كَانَ أَثْقَلَ عَلَىَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلُونَ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ . فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُرَاجِعُنِي فِي ذَلِكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرِي لِلَّذِي شَرَحَ صَدْرَهُمَا صَدْرَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ فَتَتَبَّعْتُ الْقُرْآنَ أَجْمَعُهُ مِنَ الرِّقَاعِ وَالْعُسُبِ وَاللِّخَافِ يَعْنِي الْحِجَارَةَ الرِّقَاقَ وَصُدُورِ الرِّجَالِ فَوَجَدْتُ آخِرَ سُورَةِ بَرَاءَةَ مَعَ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ : ( قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ * فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ ) . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3103 https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:3103
This was clearly a problem because if we were to accept that verses 9:128 and 129 were only with Khuzeimah, this means that during the prophet’s life, not one of his companions could have honestly claimed to have memorized the whole Quran. This includes Abu Bakr (first caliph, d. 634), ‘Umar b. al-Khattab (second caliph, d. 656), ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan (third caliph, d. 656), ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (fourth caliph, d. 660), Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (d. 664), Zaid b. Thabit (d. 665), or the prophet's wives Aisha or Hafsa. Also, none of the dozens of scribes the prophet had at his disposal had these two written down anywhere. How is this possible with the supposed thousands of companions who memorized the Quran, that not a single one aside from Khuzeimah had these two verses written or memorized?
No other witness is cited in any of the six canonical compilations of Hadith (Kutub as-Sittah), nor in the Muwatta of Imam Malik. Clearly, the fact that these non-mutawatir verses could enter the Quran left many unsettled. Therefore some point to these other narrations as support to the claim that others knew these verses as well. However, as we will see, these narrations cause many other contradictions and only shed more doubt on the entire narrative regarding the addition of these verses in the Quran.
EXAMPLE #1
Narrated to us, Ibn Wahb said: Omar bin Talha al-Laithi informed me that Muhammad bin Amr bin Alqama reported from Yahya bin Abdul Rahman bin Hatib who said: Uthman bin Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, stood up and said, “Whoever has any portion of the Quran with him, let him come to us with it.” And he did not accept anything from that until two witnesses testified to it. Then Khuzaimah bin Thabit came and said, “I have seen that you have left out two verses from the Quran that you did not write.” Uthman asked him, “What are they?” Khuzaimah replied, “I received them from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They are from Surah Al-Tawba, from verse 128 to the end of the Surah.” Uthman said, “I bear witness that they are from Allah. Where do you suggest we place them?” Khuzaimah said, “Include them in the end.” Uthman included them at the end. Abu Salama bin Abdul Rahman said, “Uthman ordered some young men from the Arabs to write the Quran and Zaid bin Thabit dictated it to them. When they reached the verse that referred to a ‘Tabut’ (box), Zaid bin Thabit said, ‘Write it as Tabaqa’. But they said, ‘No, we will write it as Tabut’. So, they informed Uthman of this and he said, ‘Write it as Tabut. Verily, it was revealed on a man from among us, in clear Arabic language.'”
حَدَّثَنَا قَالَ ابْنُ وَهْبٍ , أَخْبَرَنِي عُمَرُ بْنُ طَلْحَةَ اللَّيْثِيُّ ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَلْقَمَةَ ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ حَاطِبٍ ، قَالَ : قَامَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، فَقَالَ : ” مَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ شَيْءٌ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِهِ ” ، وَكَانَ لا يَقْبَلُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا حَتَّى يَشْهَدَ عَلَيْهِ شَاهِدَانِ ، فَجَاءَ خُزَيْمَةُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ ، فَقَالَ : إِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُكُمْ تَرَكْتُمْ آيَتَيْنِ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ لَمْ تَكْتُبُوهُمَا ، قَالَ : وَمَا هُمَا ؟ قَالَ : تَلَقَّيْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ سورة التوبة آية 128 إِلَى آخِرِ السُّورَةِ ، قَالَ عُثْمَانُ : ” وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمَا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ ، فَأَيْنَ تَرَى أَنْ نَجْعَلَهُمَا ؟ ” قَالَ : اخْتِمْ بِهِمَا ، قَالَ : فَخَتَمَ بِهِمَا ، قَالَ : وَقَالَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ : أَمَرَ عُثْمَانُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِتْيَانًا مِنَ الْعَرَبِ أَنْ يَكْتُبُوا الْقُرْآنَ وَيُمْلِيَ عَلَيْهِمْ زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغُوا التَّابُوتَ ، قَالَ زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ : اكْتُبُوهَا التَّابُوهُ ، وَقَالُوا : لا نَكْتُبُ إِلا التَّابُوتَ ، فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِعُثْمَانَ ، فَقَالَ : ” اكْتُبُوا التَّابُوتَ ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنْزَلَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنَّا بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُبِينٍ “
According to this narration, it was Uthman who was collecting the Quran. This would imply that this was done during the second compilation during Uthman’s reign when he compiled and attempted to standardize the rasm and recitation of the Quran because there were disputes in its recitation throughout the Muslim empire, rather than the first compilation carried out during the reign of Abu Bakr as is claimed in the ahadith from Bukhari and Tirmidhi.
This also corresponds with the later compilation under Uthman as opposed to the first compilation under Abu Bakr. In this later compilation, Khuzaimah bin Thabit supposedly provided the missing page of Sura 33:23 during the compilation of Uthman.
Narrated Kharija bin Zaid: Zaid bin Thabit said, “When the Qur’an was compiled from various written manuscripts, one of the Verses of Surat Al-Ahzab was missing which I used to hear Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) reciting. I could not find it except with Khuza`ima bin Thabit Al-Ansari, whose witness Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) regarded as equal to the witness of two men. And the Verse was: — “Among the believers are men who have been true to what they covenanted with Allah.” (33.23)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنِي إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَخِي، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، أُرَاهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَتِيقٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ خَارِجَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ نَسَخْتُ الصُّحُفَ فِي الْمَصَاحِفِ، فَفَقَدْتُ آيَةً مِنْ سُورَةِ الأَحْزَابِ، كُنْتُ أَسْمَعُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ بِهَا، فَلَمْ أَجِدْهَا إِلاَّ مَعَ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ الَّذِي جَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَهَادَتَهُ شَهَادَةَ رَجُلَيْنِ، وَهْوَ قَوْلُهُ {مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ}
Sahih al-Bukhari 2807 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2807
This later compilation was also when the discussion regarding the spelling of Tabut ( التَّابُوتَ ) was had according to the narrations from Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3104.
That aside, If this narration is true, this would mean that a person by the name of Khuzaimah already pushed to insert these verses in the first compilation during the compilation under the reign of Abu Bakr and was repeating this task again in the second compilation under the supervision of Uthman. So by this time, it wouldn’t be a surprise that Uthman would have already accepted Khuzaimah’s testimony regarding these two verses and could say he bore witness to these verses because it was already accepted in the first compilation despite having a single witness because they claimed that Khuzaimah’s testimony is worth that of two men.
If we look at the supposed hadith where it is shown that Khuzaimah’s testimony is worth that of two men, we see the absurdity of this narration because it claims that since Khuzaimah was willing to bear false witness in favor of the prophet declared that from then on Khuzaimah’s testimony would be that of two men. For reference, below is the Hadith:
Narrated Uncle of Umarah ibn Khuzaymah: The Prophet bought a horse from a Bedouin. The Prophet took him with him to pay him the price of his horse. The Messenger of Allah walked quickly, and the Bedouin walked slowly. The people stopped the Bedouin and began to bargain with him for the horse as, and they did not know that the Prophet had bought it. The Bedouin called the Messenger of Allah saying: If you want this horse, (then buy it), otherwise I shall sell it. The Prophet stopped when he heard the call of the Bedouin, and said: Have I not bought it from you? The Bedouin said: I swear by Allah, I have not sold it to you. The Prophet said: Yes, I have bought it from you. The Bedouin began to say: Bring a witness. Khuzaymah ibn Thabit then said: I bear witness that you have bought it. The Prophet turned to Khuzaymah and said: On what (grounds) do you bear witness? He said: By considering you trustworthy, Messenger of Allah! The Prophet made the witness of Khuzaymah equivalent to the witness of two people.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ فَارِسٍ، أَنَّ الْحَكَمَ بْنَ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَهُمْ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ خُزَيْمَةَ، أَنَّ عَمَّهُ، حَدَّثَهُ وَهُوَ، مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ابْتَاعَ فَرَسًا مِنْ أَعْرَابِيٍّ فَاسْتَتْبَعَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِيَقْضِيَهُ ثَمَنَ فَرَسِهِ فَأَسْرَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَشْىَ وَأَبْطَأَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ فَطَفِقَ رِجَالٌ يَعْتَرِضُونَ الأَعْرَابِيَّ فَيُسَاوِمُونَهُ بِالْفَرَسِ وَلاَ يَشْعُرُونَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ابْتَاعَهُ فَنَادَى الأَعْرَابِيُّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ مُبْتَاعًا هَذَا الْفَرَسَ وَإِلاَّ بِعْتُهُ . فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ سَمِعَ نِدَاءَ الأَعْرَابِيِّ فَقَالَ ” أَوَلَيْسَ قَدِ ابْتَعْتُهُ مِنْكَ ” . فَقَالَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ لاَ وَاللَّهِ مَا بِعْتُكَهُ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” بَلَى قَدِ ابْتَعْتُهُ مِنْكَ ” . فَطَفِقَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ يَقُولُ هَلُمَّ شَهِيدًا . فَقَالَ خُزَيْمَةُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ أَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ قَدْ بَايَعْتَهُ . فَأَقْبَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى خُزَيْمَةَ فَقَالَ ” بِمَ تَشْهَدُ ” . فَقَالَ بِتَصْدِيقِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَهَادَةَ خُزَيْمَةَ بِشَهَادَةِ رَجُلَيْنِ .
Sunan Abi Dawud 3607 https://sunnah.com/abudawud:3607
Another peculiarity in this first example is that Utham bore witness to the verse along with Khuzaimah, except Uthamn was unclear where the two verses supposedly belonged. So he asked Khuzaimah to tell him where he shall place the verses even though he had already stated that they were verse 128 of Sura al-Tawba. Not only does this not make sense, but even if we entertain this narration’s apparent contradiction, it means that not even Uthman remembered or knew where these two verses supposedly belonged. So we are to believe that the Khuzaimah was authorized to dictate where to place verses.
Additionally, it is well established in Hadith corpus that Sura 9, Ultimatum (Barã’ah / سورة بَرَاءَةٌ ) was sent in a single revelation.
Narrated Al-Bara: The last Sura which was revealed in full was Baraa (i.e. Sura-at-Tauba), and the last Sura (i.e. part of a Sura) which was revealed was the last Verses of Sura-an-Nisa’: — “They ask you for a legal decision. Say: Allah directs (thus) About those who have No descendants or ascendants As heirs.” (4.177)
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ رَجَاءٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ آخِرُ سُورَةٍ نَزَلَتْ كَامِلَةً بَرَاءَةٌ، وَآخِرُ سُورَةٍ نَزَلَتْ خَاتِمَةُ سُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ {يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِي الْكَلاَلَةِ}
Sahih al-Bukhari 4364 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4364
Abu Ishaq said that he heard al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib (Allah be pleased with him) say: The last complete sura revealed (in the Holy Qur’an) is Sura Tauba (i e. al-Bara’at, ix.), and the last verse revealed is that pertaining to Kalala.
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى، – وَهُوَ ابْنُ يُونُسَ – حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ، أَنَّ آخِرَ، سُورَةٍ أُنْزِلَتْ تَامَّةً سُورَةُ التَّوْبَةِ وَأَنَّ آخِرَ آيَةٍ أُنْزِلَتْ آيَةُ الْكَلاَلَةِ .
Sahih Muslim 1618c https://sunnah.com/muslim:1618c
It is even understood that these two verses are not part of Sura 9's revelation, as Sura 9 was revealed in Mecca, but these two supposed verses were revealed in Medina. Nowhere else in the Quran do we have a Medinan sura that ends with Meccan verses.
This shows that these two verses were not part of Sura 9 and, therefore, not part of the original Quran but were added later arbitrarily to the end of Sura 9.
EXAMPLE #2
And Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Shukr al-Tamimi, from Isfahan, informed us that Abul Khair Muhammad ibn Raja ibn Ibrahim ibn Umar ibn Al-Hassan ibn Yunus had told them, reciting to them: “I am Ahmad ibn Abdul Rahman al-Zakwani, Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Musa ibn Marduwaih, Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ziyad, Al-Hasan ibn Al-Abbas al-Razi, and Abu Yahya al-Za’farani. They said, “Ahmad ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Abdullah ibn Sa’d al-Dashtaki informed us, and Abdullah ibn Abi Ja’far al-Razi said, “My father told me that Al-Rabi’ reported from Abu Al-Ala’ia who reported from Ubay ibn Ka’b that they collected the Qur’an in Mus’hafs (codices) during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. Some men used to write and recite to them, and Ubay ibn Ka’b was one of them. When they reached the verse in Surat Al-Barah, “Then Allah turned their hearts after that,” they thought that it was the last verse that was revealed from the Qur’an. Ubay ibn Ka’b said to them, “Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) recited two more verses after it: “Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (the Messenger of Allah) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allah, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the believers he is full of pity, kind, and merciful. Then, if they turn away, say: “Allah is sufficient for me. La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), in Him I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.” (Quran, 9: 128-129)
وَأَخْبَرَنَا وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي شُكْرٍ التَّمِيمِيُّ ، بِأَصْبَهَانَ ، أَنَّ أَبَا الْخَيْرِ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ رَجَاءِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ يُونُسَ أَخْبَرَهُمْ ، قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ ، أنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الذَّكْوَانِيُّ ، أنا أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ مَرْدُوَيْهِ ، نا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ ، نا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْعَبَّاسِ الرَّازِيُّ ، وَأَبُو يَحْيَى الزَّعْفَرَانِيُّ ، قَالا : نا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ الدَّشْتَكِيُّ ، نا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الرَّازِيُّ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي ، عَنِ الرَّبِيعِ ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَةِ ، عَنْ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ : أَنَّهُمْ جَمَعُوا الْقُرْآنَ فِي مَصَاحِفَ فِي خِلافَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ، فَكَانَ رِجَالٌ يَكْتُبُونَ وَيُمْلِي عَلَيْهِمْ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ ، فَلَمَّا انْتَهَوْا إِلَى هَذِهِ الآيَةِ مِنْ سُورَةِ بَرَاءَةَ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفُوا صَرَفَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لا يَفْقَهُونَ سورة التوبة آية 127 فَظَنُّوا أَنَّ هَذَا آخِرُ مَا أُنْزِلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ : إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَدْ أَقْرَأَنِي بَعْدَهَا آيَتَيْنِ لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ { 128 } فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ { 129 } سورة التوبة آية 128-129 ، قَالَ : فَهَذَا آخِرُ مَا نُزِّلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ، قَالَ : فَخَتَمَ الأَمْرَ بِمَا فَتَحَ بِهِ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ سورة الصافات آية 35 يَقُولُ اللَّهُ : وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ سورة الأنبياء آية 25
According to this narration, the compilation was not done by Zaid ibn Thabit but by Ubay ibn Ka’b instead. This narration also uses the term “mus’haf” ( مَصَاحِف ) rather than “suhuf” ( صُّحُف ) in regard to the manuscript. It is well established that the mus’haf was compiled during the reign of Uthman and not Abu Bakr, as this Hadith claims.
Also, note that according to the scribes, they thought that verse 127 was the end of the Sura. This is further evidence that this was not a verse that was known by the very people that one would expect to have memorized the entire Quran. Also, this poses another major red flag. If apparently, after 9:127, there were two more verses, how is it possible that this was not more well-known? If it was truly the last verses revealed in the Quran, then one would expect that these verses and this fact would have made these supposed two verses more famous rather than being unknown by the masses.
Another red flag is that according to the isnad in the source link for this Hadith, the Muhammad bin Rajaa Al-Asbhani ( محمد بن رجاء الأصبهاني ) is considered “anonymous” ( مجهول الحال ).
EXAMPLE #3
Ali ibn Bahar narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Salama narrated to us from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, from Yahya ibn Abbād, from his father Abbād ibn Abdullāh ibn Zubayr who said: Harith ibn Khazima came to us with these two verses from the end of Surat al-Tawbah, (verse 128), until he reached the part about Umar ibn al-Khattab. Umar asked, “Who was with you when you heard this?” Harith replied, “I don’t know, but I testify that I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and I understood and memorized it.” Umar then said, “I also testify that I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). If it were three verses, I would have made it a separate chapter. Look for a chapter of the Quran and place it in it.” So I placed it at the end of Surat al-Tawbah.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ بَحْرٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبَّادٍ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ ، قَالَ : أَتَى الْحَارِثُ بْنُ خَزَمَةَ بِهَاتَيْنِ الْآيَتَيْنِ مِنْ آخِرِ بَرَاءَةَ : ” لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ سورة التوبة آية 128 إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ، فَقَالَ : مَنْ مَعَكَ عَلَى هَذَا ؟ قَالَ : لَا أَدْرِي وَاللَّهِ إِلَّا ، أني أَشْهَدُ لَسَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَوَعَيْتُهَا وَحَفِظْتُهَا ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ : وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ لَسَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : لَوْ كَانَتْ ثَلَاثَ آيَاتٍ ، لَجَعَلْتُهَا سُورَةً عَلَى حِدَةٍ ، فَانْظُرُوا سُورَةً مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ، فَضَعُوهَا فِيهَا ، فَوَضَعْتُهَا فِي آخِرِ بَرَاءَةَ ” .
موسوعة الحديث : مسند أحمد بن حنبل : 1647 See also: Kitab Al Masahif Ibn Abu Dawud p. 38
In this narration, the verse was introduced by Harith ibn Khazima and, this time, presented to Umar. Despite Umar supposedly also claiming to testify to hearing it from the Messenger of Allah, from the narration, it is clear they didn’t know where it belonged and even considered making it its own Sura if there were three verses. This narration is a major insult to the authenticity of the compilation of the Quran. If Umar was arbitrarily adding verses to Suras or deciding to make certain verses of three or more into its own Sura, what would this say regarding the rest of the compilation if this was true?
This narration contradicts all the other narrations on this topic as it is the only one that mentions Harith ibn Khazima or Umar as involved in this compilation. Also, this narration has the same red flag as previously stated, i.e., Sura 9 coming down in a single revelation, the laissez-faire attitude to which Sura they should amend these verses on top of, and that they even considered making it its own sura.
EXAMPLE #4
Abu Ahmad Abdullah bin Ahmad Al-Harbi informed us in Al-Harbiyah that Hibatullah Al-Lah informed them that Al-Hassan bin Ali, Ahmad bin Ja’far, and Abdullah bin Ahmad said: “Ruha bin Abdul-Mu’min narrated to us that Umar bin Shaqeeq narrated to us that Abu Ja’far Al-Razi narrated to us that Al-Rabi’ bin Anas reported from Abu Al-Ala’ that they collected the Qur’an in manuscripts (mus’hafs) during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and there were people who wrote and dictated to them, including Ubay bin Ka’b. When they finished reciting this verse from Surat Al-Tawbah (9:127) “Then Allah turned their hearts after that because they were a people who did not understand,” their hearts were saddened because they thought this was the end of the Qur’an’s revelation. Ubay bin Ka’b then told them that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had recited two more verses after this, “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful. But if they turn away, [O Muhammad], say, ‘Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him…” (9:128-129), and he said, “This is the end of what was revealed from the Qur’an,” and he sealed it with “Allah, there is no deity except Him” (Taha 20:98), which is the saying of Allah, blessed and exalted, “And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him…”
أَخْبَرَنَا أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ الْحَرْبِيُّ ، بِالْحَرْبِيَّةِ ، أَنَّ هِبَةَ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَهُمْ ، قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ ، أنا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ، أنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ ، نا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ ، حَدَّثَنِي رَوْحُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُؤْمِنِ ، نا عُمَرُ بْنُ شَقِيقٍ ، نا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الرَّازِيُّ ، نا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَةِ ، عَنْ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ : أَنَّهُمْ جَمَعُوا الْقُرْآنَ فِي مَصَاحِفَ فِي خِلافَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، وَكَانَ رِجَالٌ يَكْتُبُونَ وَيُمْلِي عَلَيْهِمْ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ ، فَلَمَّا انْتَهَوْا إِلَى هَذِهِ الآيَةِ مِنْ سُورَةِ بَرَاءَةَ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفُوا صَرَفَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لا يَفْقَهُونَ سورة التوبة آية 127 فَظَنُّوا أَنَّ هَذَا آخِرُ مَا أُنْزِلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ : إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، أَقْرَأَنِي بَعْدَهَا آيَتَيْنِ : لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ إِلَى وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ سورة التوبة آية 128ـ129 . قَالَ : هَذَا آخِرُ مَا أُنْزِلَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ، قَالَ : فَخَتَمَ مَا فَتَحَ بِهِ بِ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ سورة طه آية 98 وَهُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ ، تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ سورة الأنبياء آية 25 .
This narration has the same challenges as mentioned in the previous examples. For example, it uses the term mus’haf rather than suhuf, implying that this was not a single compilation and therefore alluding that this was regarding the compilation associated with Uthman rather than Abu Bakr, like the Hadith claims. This is further corroborated since it claims that Ubay bin Ka’b did the compilation, not Zaid bin Thabit. Also, this narration again states that the scribes thought verse 127 was the last verse of Sura 9. Additionally, according to the source linked above, one of the narrators in the chain, Al-Hassan bin Ali Al-Tamimi. is considered weak in the isnad.
CONCLUSION
As shown, these Hadith do not help support the case for 9:128 and 129 but only cause more confusion and disarray to the entire history regarding how these verses were added to the Quran and shed more doubt on the authenticity of these verses. Most of these examples appear to conflate the compilation under the reign of Uthman in the creation of the mus’hafs with the compilation described in Bukhari's Hadith of the compilation of the su’huf under the reign of Abu Bakr. Indication of this, in addition to the usage of mus’haf as opposed to su’huf is further reinforced with the names used and the context described, e.g., the spelling of Tabut.
Another glaring weakness in these four examples is that these supposed narrations are from third parties attesting to something that happened to the people they are describing. Yet, the narrations from Bukhari are supposedly from Zaid bin Thabit himself, narrating the event that happened to him in the first person.
Furthermore, even if we accept these to be more sound than the Hadith cited by Bukhari, this just shows that the scribes were not even aware of these verses, the compilers in their respective Hadith were unsure where to put these verses, and that this addition happened later in the history of the Quran than described in Bukhari. All this compounds the problem with the history of these verses and the lack of witnesses to the authenticity of these verses as part of the Quran.
Source | Narrator | Collector | Witness | Calipha | Suhuf or Mushaf | Notes |
Zaid bin Thabit | Zaid bin Thabit | Abi Khuzaima Al-Ansari | Abu Bakr | Suhuf | Only witness Abi Khuzaima Al-Ansari | |
Zaid bin Thabit | Zaid bin Thabit | Abi Khuzaima Al-Ansari | Abu Bakr | – | Only witness Abi Khuzaima Al-Ansari | |
Zaid bin Thabit | Zaid bin Thabit | Khuzaima or Abi Khuzaima | Abu Bakr | Suhuf | Only witness Khuzaima or Abi Khuzaima | |
Zaid bin Thabit | Zaid bin Thabit | Abi Khuza`ima Al-Ansari | Abu Bakr | – | Only witness Abi Khuzaima Al-Ansari | |
Az-Zuhri | Zaid bin Thabit | Khuzaimah bin Thabit | Abu Bakr | – | Only witness Khuzaimah bin Thabit | |
Ibn Wahb | Uthman | Khuzaimah bin Thabit | Uthman | Mushaf | Uthman didn’t realize he missed the vereses, then he didn’t know where to place the verses, then he bore witness to the verses | |
Ubay ibn Ka’b | Ubay ibn Ka’b | Ubay ibn Ka’b | Abu Bakr | Mushaf | All scribes thought 9:127 was the last verse, and Ubay ibn Ka’b informed them that there was 9:128-129 | |
Abbād ibn Abdullāh ibn Zubayr | Umar | Harith ibn Khazima & Umar | Umar | – | Umar said, “If it were three verses, I would have made it a separate chapter. Look for a chapter of the Quran and place it in it.” So I placed it at the end of Surat al-Tawbah. | |
Abu Al-Ala’ | Ubay ibn Ka’b | Ubay ibn Ka’b | Abu Bakr | Mushaf | All scribes thought 9:127 was the last verse, and Ubay ibn Ka’b informed them that there was 9:128-129 |
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