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XI
THE QURAN
the sacred law of Islam. This law is comprehensive and governs
all the individual Muslim's actions. But in spite of the religious
nature of this law, it can be said to be most humanistic. It
recognizes the failures of the human being and hence it is
supposed not to lay undue burdens on him. One Quranic verse
reads: 'Allah does not charge a soul with more than it can bear.'
(Verse 286, Sura 2).
While the Quran was being revealed piecemeal, the Prophet used
to recite the revealed portions to his followers, who would
commit them to memory or record them. During his lifetime,
therefore, the need was not felt for collecting the recorded parts
in one volume. But following his death, the first Caliph, Abu
Bakr (632 - 634 A. D.) ordered that the recorded portions be
collected and arranged in the way set by the Prophet himself.
Thus a manuscript of the Book was provided containing the
complete version of the Quran. Under Uthman, the fourth Caliph,
the collected portions were arranged in the present form. This
explains why the Quran is known as Mushaf Uthman. It must
here be mentioned that credit goes to those Caliphs and other
contemporary companions of the Prophet for safeguarding the
Quran from alteration and corruption which have plagued other
sacred Books.
3. Muhammad the Apostle of Allah
The two main sources of Islam are the Quran and the Sunna or
way of the Prophet, which includes his sayings, actions and tacit
approval of things said and done in his presence. The acceptance
and understanding of the Prophet's legacy is essential in Islam,