Common Misconception
"The Quran was written or edited by Muhammad ﷺ and has been changed over time"
The Truth
The Quran was memorized by thousands during the Prophet's ﷺ lifetime, written down in his presence, and compiled under Caliph Abu Bakr. It is the most memorized and authenticated text in human history — unchanged in 1,400 years.
Quran References
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the message, and indeed, We will be its guardian."
لَّا يَأْتِيهِ ٱلْبَٰطِلُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ
"Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it."
Hadith References
"Zaid ibn Thabit said: Abu Bakr sent for me regarding those killed at Yamama... 'You are a wise young man, and we do not suspect you. You used to write the revelation for Allah's Messenger.'"
Detailed Explanation
Today there are millions of huffaz (people who have memorized the entire Quran) across the world. Manuscripts from the 7th century — including the Birmingham Quran manuscript (radiocarbon dated to 568–645 CE) — match the Quran read today letter for letter. No other ancient text has this level of preservation. The Orientalist scholar William Muir wrote: 'There is probably in the world no other book which has remained twelve centuries with so pure a text.'
Where This Misconception Came From
Stems from comparing the Quran to the Bible's transmission history, which did involve different authors, translations, and editorial changes over centuries. The Quran's transmission history is fundamentally different.