The Presentation of 26 Different Arabic Qur'ans at Speakers' Corner

Challenging the Claim of a Single, Unchanged Qur'an

Key Event and Findings

Discovery and Presentation:

• Hatun Tash, through her extensive research and travels, collected 26 different Arabic Qur'ans over several years.

• In 2016, she, along with Jay Smith and other colleagues, presented these Qur'ans at Speakers' Corner in London, publicly demonstrating the variations among them.

Types of Differences Observed

1. Extra Words:

   • Some Qur'ans include additional words or phrases not found in others.

   • Example: Variations in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:184).

2. Graphical/Basic Letter Differences:

   • Differences in the basic letters of words, altering their form and meaning.

   • Example: Surah Al-Imran (3:146) differences in Hafs and Warsh recitations.

3. Diacritical Differences:

   • Variations in diacritical marks, affecting pronunciation and meaning.

   • Example: Surah Al-Fatiha (1:6) has different diacritical marks in Hafs and Warsh.

4. Vowel Differences:

   • Differences in vowel markings, leading to changes in pronunciation and grammar.

   • Example: Surah Al-Baqarah (2:58) with different vowel marks in Hafs and Warsh.

5. Basmalah Differences:

   • Inclusion or exclusion of the Basmalah at the beginning of surahs.

   • This affects the numbering and recitation of verses.

Scholarly Perspectives

1. Arthur Jeffery:

   • Documented extensive textual variations in early Quranic manuscripts.

   • Source: Jeffery, Arthur. "Materials for the History of the Text of the Qur'an: The Old Codices." Brill, 1937.

2. Gerd Puin:

   • Analyzed early Quranic manuscripts, revealing substantial textual variations.

   • Source: Puin, Gerd. "Observations on Early Qur'an Manuscripts in San'a." In Stefan Wild (ed.), "The Qur'an as Text," Brill, 1996.

3. Cyril Glasse:

   • Explained the formal recognition of different qira'at and their variations.

   • Source: Glasse, Cyril. "The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam," 4th ed. 2013.

Conclusion

The evidence presented by Hatun Tash and her colleagues at Speakers' Corner in 2016, showing 26 different Arabic Qur'ans, challenges the traditional Islamic claim that there is only one, unchanged Qur'an. The significant textual variations among these versions confirm the existence of multiple distinct Qur'ans. This directly refutes the assertion that the Qur'an has remained a singular, uniform text throughout its history.

References

1. Arthur Jeffery, "Materials for the History of the Text of the Qur'an: The Old Codices": Brill, 1937.

2. Gerd Puin, "Observations on Early Qur'an Manuscripts in San'a": In Stefan Wild (ed.), "The Qur'an as Text," Brill, 1996.

3. Cyril Glasse, "The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam": 4th ed. 2013.