Cause:
During Uthman's reign (25 AH), Islam spread widely and differences in recitation arose among armies in distant regions, threatening discord. Hudhaifa ibn al-Yaman urged Uthman to standardize the copies.
Steps Taken:
- Retrieved the sheets from Hafsa and appointed a committee led by Zaid ibn Thabit.
- Copied the Quran in a script capable of representing the accepted variant readings.
- Sent an official copy to each major city with a teacher.
- Ordered all other unofficial sheets burned.
Result: The entire Muslim community unified around one Mushaf in script and surah order — the very Mushaf in circulation today.
Question: What is the difference between Abu Bakr's and Uthman's compilations?
Answer: Abu Bakr: transferring written materials to one codex to prevent loss. Uthman: unifying the Ummah on one script to prevent disagreement.