When the codex was complete_d, it was brought to Uthman. He examined it and said, "You have done well and you have acted decently. I see minor grammatical mistakes the Arabs would correct with their tongues [i.e., through proper recitation]."

١٨. Ikrima related:

When Uthman was brought the [completed] codex, he noticed minor grammatical errors in it. So he said, "Had the one dictating been from the [tribe of] Hudhayl and the scribe from the [tribe of] Thaqif, such an error would not have crept into the text."

١٩. Ata related:

When Uthman b. Affan decided to copy the Quran into codices, he sent them to Ubayy b. Kab. Ubayy used to dictate to Zayd b. Thabit, who used to write, and with them was SaId b. al-A.
grammar]. This text was according to the reading of Ubayy and Zayd.

٢٠. Mujahid reported, "Uthman ordered Ubayy b. Kab to dictate, Zayd b. Thabit to write, [and] SaId b. al- A and Abd al-Ral:lman b. al-l:Iarith to vocalize [the Quran] in accordance with the rules of Arabic."

٢١. Zayd b. Thabit reported:

When we copied the codices, a verse was missing which I used to hear from the Mes‌ senger of God. I found it in possession of Khuzayma b. Thabit. [This was]: "Among the believers are persons who are truthful in what they promise to God ..." [Q. ٣٣:٢٣]. Khuzayma was nicknamed "He of the Two Testimonies" because the Messenger per‌ mitted his testimony to be equal to that of two persons.
٢٢. Ibn Ashatta reported the following tradition on the authority of al-Layth b. Sad: The first to collect the Quran was Abu Bakr, and it was written by Zayd. The people
used to bring whatthey had [of the Quran] to Zayd b. Thabit, who would not write a
verse without two righteous persons testifying [to its authenticity]. The last part of"Sarat al-Baraa" [sura ٩] was not found except in the keeping of Khuzayma b. Thabit. [Aba Bakr] said: "Write it down. The Messenger of God made Khuzaymas testimony equal to that of two witnesses. Thus, Zayd wrote it down. However, Umar brought the ston‌ ing verse, but we did not write it down because he was alone [in reporting it]."٣

These are the most significant traditions that have been related about the manner in which the Quran was collected. Quite aside from being reported by single narra‌ tions, and therefore inspiring no confidence, they also are defective in other aspects.

Inconsistency of the Traditions Regarding the Collection of the Quran

The traditions contradict each other and, therefore, it is not possible to trust anything in them. It is worth mentioning a number of these contradictions by raising certain questions and answering them.

a. When was the Quran collected into a single codex? The apparent sense oftradition
٢, [cited above], suggests that the collection was undertaken during the time of
Uthman (٦٤٤-٦٥٦). The clear statement of traditions ١, ٣, and ٤, and the apparent