By Dr. Muhammad Akram Chaudhry
Arthur Jeffery was an Australian-born American orientalist who conducted detailed studies on various aspects of the Qur’an, particularly the Qira’at (recitations). His most notable work is Materials for the History of the Text of the Quran, published in 1937 by E.J. Brill (Leiden), in which he edited Ibn Abi Dawud’s book Kitab al-Masahif. He also authored several other writings on the compilation and recitations of the Qur’an, including Muqaddamatan fi Ulum al-Qur’an.
Arthur Jeffery explored several aspects of the Qur’an, such as:
◈ Variations in Qira’at
◈ Non-Arabic words in the Qur’an
◈ Compilation of the Qur’an
◈ Alleged Jewish and Christian sources of the Qur’an
He claimed that the current recitation of the Qur’an is not the original arrangement of the Prophet ﷺ’s words, but rather, it was altered by later Muslims to suit their needs. He also presented self-styled translations of Qur’anic surahs and proposed new arrangements, aiming to prove that there was an evolution in the thought of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Arthur Jeffery compiled various recitations of the Qur’an, many of which he took from Ibn Abi Dawud’s Kitab al-Masahif. He identified about 15 “primary versions” and 13 “secondary versions” attributed to different Companions and Followers (Tabi‘in), including:
Primary Versions:
‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, Zaid ibn Thabit, ‘Umar ibn Khattab, ‘A’isha رضي الله عنهم, etc.
Secondary Versions:
Alqamah, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, ‘Ikrimah, ‘Ata ibn Abi Rabah, etc.
Jeffery claimed these Companions possessed copies of the Qur’an that differed from the Mushaf of Uthman رضي الله عنه.
➤ Discrepancies Against the Uthmani Mushaf
Jeffery argued that during the compilation under Uthman رضي الله عنه, many versions were disregarded and certain verses were added, which he considered to have questionable authenticity.
➤ Objections Based on Qira’at
Jeffery labeled the script of the Uthmani Mushaf as full of “errors.” For example:
Surah al-Fatihah:
➊ “Mālik” was read as “Malik” or “Malīk.”
➋ “Iyyāka” was read as “Iyā.”
➌ “Ṣirāṭ” was read as “Sirāṭ” or “Zirāṭ.”
➤ Criticism of the Uthmani Script
Jeffery claimed that the Uthmani script included non-standard spellings, such as:
◈ Addition of “waw” in “Ṣalāh” (صلوٰۃ).
◈ Writing “Raḥmah” as “ت” instead of “ة.”
➤ Jewish and Christian Sources
Jeffery compared the Qur’an with the Bible and tried to prove that much of the Qur’anic content was derived from Jewish and Christian traditions.
➤ Denial of Historical Facts
Jeffery ignored the historical consensus (ijma‘) on the Mushaf of Uthman رضي الله عنه and the reality that thousands of Qur’an memorizers (huffaz) affirmed it exactly as recited by the Prophet ﷺ.
➤ Unreliable Chains of Transmission
Jeffery relied on weak, broken, or unverified reports and did not present any robust, mutawatir evidence.
➤ Preservation of the Qur’an’s Text
Contrary to Jeffery’s claims of textual corruption, the Qur’an has been preserved word-for-word through memorization and Qira’at transmission across generations. While minor scribal errors may exist in copies, there is no difference in the text itself.
The Qur’an Institute in Munich reviewed 42,000 copies of the Qur’an and found no textual discrepancies, refuting Jeffery’s claims.
◈ Jeffery presented differences in Qira’at as if they were textual differences, even though they were variations in pronunciation and dialects permitted by the Prophet ﷺ to ease recitation for different Arab tribes.
◈ He ignored the Sab‘at Ahruf (seven modes of recitation) tradition, which clarifies that the Qur’an was revealed in seven forms and the Prophet ﷺ himself approved these variations.
◈ Jeffery claimed some verses in the Uthmani Mushaf were questionable but failed to provide any reliable evidence.
Arthur Jeffery claimed to adhere to the highest principles of textual criticism, yet he did not follow these principles himself. His theories are largely based on speculation and weak references. In contrast, the Qur’an’s text has been preserved in its original form, supported by the consensus of the Ummah and mass transmission through generations.
This is why Muslims have meticulously preserved even minor differences in script and pronunciation to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the Qur’an remains intact.
❖ Introduction to Arthur Jeffery
Arthur Jeffery was an Australian-born American orientalist who conducted detailed studies on various aspects of the Qur’an, particularly the Qira’at (recitations). His most notable work is Materials for the History of the Text of the Quran, published in 1937 by E.J. Brill (Leiden), in which he edited Ibn Abi Dawud’s book Kitab al-Masahif. He also authored several other writings on the compilation and recitations of the Qur’an, including Muqaddamatan fi Ulum al-Qur’an.
✿ Jeffery’s Views and Research
Arthur Jeffery explored several aspects of the Qur’an, such as:
◈ Variations in Qira’at
◈ Non-Arabic words in the Qur’an
◈ Compilation of the Qur’an
◈ Alleged Jewish and Christian sources of the Qur’an
He claimed that the current recitation of the Qur’an is not the original arrangement of the Prophet ﷺ’s words, but rather, it was altered by later Muslims to suit their needs. He also presented self-styled translations of Qur’anic surahs and proposed new arrangements, aiming to prove that there was an evolution in the thought of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
✿ Work on Differences in Qira’at
Arthur Jeffery compiled various recitations of the Qur’an, many of which he took from Ibn Abi Dawud’s Kitab al-Masahif. He identified about 15 “primary versions” and 13 “secondary versions” attributed to different Companions and Followers (Tabi‘in), including:
Primary Versions:
‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, Zaid ibn Thabit, ‘Umar ibn Khattab, ‘A’isha رضي الله عنهم, etc.
Secondary Versions:
Alqamah, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, ‘Ikrimah, ‘Ata ibn Abi Rabah, etc.
Jeffery claimed these Companions possessed copies of the Qur’an that differed from the Mushaf of Uthman رضي الله عنه.
❖ Jeffery’s Main Claims
➤ Discrepancies Against the Uthmani Mushaf
Jeffery argued that during the compilation under Uthman رضي الله عنه, many versions were disregarded and certain verses were added, which he considered to have questionable authenticity.
➤ Objections Based on Qira’at
Jeffery labeled the script of the Uthmani Mushaf as full of “errors.” For example:
Surah al-Fatihah:
➊ “Mālik” was read as “Malik” or “Malīk.”
➋ “Iyyāka” was read as “Iyā.”
➌ “Ṣirāṭ” was read as “Sirāṭ” or “Zirāṭ.”
➤ Criticism of the Uthmani Script
Jeffery claimed that the Uthmani script included non-standard spellings, such as:
◈ Addition of “waw” in “Ṣalāh” (صلوٰۃ).
◈ Writing “Raḥmah” as “ت” instead of “ة.”
➤ Jewish and Christian Sources
Jeffery compared the Qur’an with the Bible and tried to prove that much of the Qur’anic content was derived from Jewish and Christian traditions.
✿ Critical Evaluation of Jeffery’s Work
➤ Denial of Historical Facts
Jeffery ignored the historical consensus (ijma‘) on the Mushaf of Uthman رضي الله عنه and the reality that thousands of Qur’an memorizers (huffaz) affirmed it exactly as recited by the Prophet ﷺ.
➤ Unreliable Chains of Transmission
Jeffery relied on weak, broken, or unverified reports and did not present any robust, mutawatir evidence.
➤ Preservation of the Qur’an’s Text
Contrary to Jeffery’s claims of textual corruption, the Qur’an has been preserved word-for-word through memorization and Qira’at transmission across generations. While minor scribal errors may exist in copies, there is no difference in the text itself.
✿ Research by Prof. Burgstresser and Dr. Otto Pretzl
The Qur’an Institute in Munich reviewed 42,000 copies of the Qur’an and found no textual discrepancies, refuting Jeffery’s claims.
✔ Flaws in Jeffery’s Theories
◈ Jeffery presented differences in Qira’at as if they were textual differences, even though they were variations in pronunciation and dialects permitted by the Prophet ﷺ to ease recitation for different Arab tribes.
◈ He ignored the Sab‘at Ahruf (seven modes of recitation) tradition, which clarifies that the Qur’an was revealed in seven forms and the Prophet ﷺ himself approved these variations.
◈ Jeffery claimed some verses in the Uthmani Mushaf were questionable but failed to provide any reliable evidence.
❖ Conclusion
Arthur Jeffery claimed to adhere to the highest principles of textual criticism, yet he did not follow these principles himself. His theories are largely based on speculation and weak references. In contrast, the Qur’an’s text has been preserved in its original form, supported by the consensus of the Ummah and mass transmission through generations.
This is why Muslims have meticulously preserved even minor differences in script and pronunciation to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the Qur’an remains intact.
