Sahih al-Bukhari 4679

Hadith text

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit Al-Ansari:who was one of those who used to write the Divine Revelation: Abu Bakr sent for me after the (heavy) casualties among the warriors (of the battle) of Yamama (where a great number of Qurra' were killed). `Umar was present with Abu Bakr who said, `Umar has come to me and said, The people have suffered heavy casualties on the day of (the battle of) Yamama, and I am afraid that there will be more casualties among the Qurra' (those who know the Qur'an by heart) at other battle-fields, whereby a large part of the Qur'an may be lost, unless you collect it. And I am of the opinion that you should collect the Qur'an." Abu Bakr added, "I said to `Umar, 'How can I do something which Allah's Apostle has not done?' `Umar said (to me), 'By Allah, it is (really) a good thing.' So `Umar kept on pressing, trying to persuade me to accept his proposal, till Allah opened my bosom for it and I had the same opinion as `Umar." (Zaid bin Thabit added:) `Umar was sitting with him (Abu Bakr) and was not speaking to me. "You are a wise young man and we do not suspect you (of telling lies or of forgetfulness): and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). Therefore, look for the Qur'an and collect it (in one manuscript). " By Allah, if he (Abu Bakr) had ordered me to shift one of the mountains (from its place) it would not have been harder for me than what he had ordered me concerning the collection of the Qur'an. I said to both of them, "How dare you do a thing which the Prophet has not done?" Abu Bakr said, "By Allah, it is (really) a good thing. So I kept on arguing with him about it till Allah opened my bosom for that which He had opened the bosoms of Abu Bakr and `Umar. So I started locating Qur'anic material and collecting it from parchments, scapula, leaf-stalks of date palms and from the memories of men (who knew it by heart). I found with Khuza`ima two Verses of Surat-at-Tauba which I had not found with anybody else, (and they were):-- "Verily there has come to you an Apostle (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty He (Muhammad) is ardently anxious over you (to be rightly guided)" (9.128) The manuscript on which the Qur'an was collected, remained with Abu Bakr till Allah took him unto Him, and then with `Umar till Allah took him unto Him, and finally it remained with Hafsa, `Umar's daughter

Zaid bin Thabit Al-Ansari, jo Allah ki wahi likhne walon mein se the, bataate hain: Abu Bakr ne mujhe jang-e-Yamama mein hue bhaari nuqsaan (jismein bahut se Qurra shaheed hue the) ke baad bulaaya. Umar bhi Abu Bakr ke saath maujood the. Abu Bakr ne kaha, 'Umar mere paas aaye aur kaha, "Yamama ki jang mein bahut zyaada nuqsaan hua hai, aur mujhe dar hai ke aage bhi doosre maidan-e-jang mein Qurra shaheed hote rahenge, jiski wajah se Quran ka bada hissa zaaya ho sakta hai, jab tak aap ise jama na karein. Mera khayaal hai ke aapko Quran jama kar lena chahiye."' Abu Bakr ne aage kaha, 'Maine Umar se kaha, "Main wo kaam kaise karoon jo Allah ke Rasool (SAW) ne khud nahi kiya?" Umar ne kaha, "Allah ki qasam, ye ek achha kaam hai." Umar mujhe manaane ki koshish karte rahe yahaan tak ke Allah ne mera seena is kaam ke liye khol diya aur meri raay bhi Umar jaisi ho gayi."' (Zaid bin Thabit ne aage bataya:) Umar Abu Bakr ke saath baithe the aur mujhse kuch nahi keh rahe the. (Abu Bakr ne mujhse kaha:) 'Tum ek samajhdaar jawaan aadmi ho aur humein tum par (jhoot bolne ya bhool jaane ka) shak nahi hai, aur tum Allah ke Rasool (SAW) ke liye wahi likha karte the. Isliye Quran ko dhoondho aur ise (ek nuskhe mein) jama karo.' Allah ki qasam, agar Abu Bakr mujhe kisi pahaad ko uski jagah se hataane ka hukm dete, to wo mujhe Quran jama karne ke hukm se zyaada bhaari nahi lagta. Maine dono se kaha, 'Aap ye kaam kaise kar sakte hain jo Nabi (SAW) ne khud nahi kiya?' Abu Bakr ne kaha, 'Allah ki qasam, ye ek achha kaam hai.' To main unse behas karta raha yahaan tak ke Allah ne mera seena bhi usi tarah khol diya jaise usne Abu Bakr aur Umar ka khola tha. Phir maine Quran ka maadda dhoondhna aur jama karna shuru kiya - chamde ke tukdon, haddiyon, khajoor ke patton ki daalon aur un logon ki yaadasht se jo ise zabaani yaad rakhte the. Mujhe Khuzaima ke paas Surah At-Tauba ki do Aayaten milin jo mujhe kisi aur ke paas nahi milin: 'Beshak tumhaare paas tum mein se hi ek Rasool aaya hai, tumhaari takleef aur mushkilaat uspar bhaari guzarti hain, wo tumhaari hidaayat ke liye bahut fikramand hai...' (9:128) Wo nuskha jispar Quran jama kiya gaya tha, Abu Bakr ke paas raha yahaan tak ke Allah ne unhe apne paas bula liya, phir Umar ke paas raha yahaan tak ke Allah ne unhe bhi apne paas bula liya, aur aakhir mein wo Umar ki beti Hafsa ke paas raha.

Sahih al-Bukhari 4679 · Book 65, Hadith 201