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In this way Zaid Ibn Thaabit's personality became brighter and occupied a high position in the
newly built society and became subject to Muslims' respect and honor.
Ash- Sha'biy reported: Zaid Ibn Thaabit set out to ride, so Ibn Abbaas held the bridle. Zaid said to
him, "O cousin of the Prophet (PBUH), let me pass." Ibn `Abbaas replied, "No, it's the way we treat our
`Ulamaa (scholars)."
Qabaisah reported: Zaid was Al-Madiinah's most superior one in the field of judgment,
jurisprudence, reciting, and the knowledge of obligatory duties.
Thaabit Ibn `Ubaid reported, "I've never seen a more cheerful man at home and a more respectable
one at his assembly than Zaid." Ibn `Abbaas said, "The tutors of Qur'aanic recitation among the
Companions of the Prophet knew that Zaid was one of those deeply rooted in knowledge."
All these qualities by which Zaid was described by the Prophet's Companions make us more
acquainted with the person. Destiny would endow him with the honor of the assignment considered to be
one of the most noble tasks in the entire Islamic history, the task of compiling the Qur'aan.
Since the divine revelation began to be revealed upon the Prophet's heart, he would be one of the
warners! The message of the Qur'aan and the call to Allah started with these manificent verses: "Read: In
the Name of your Lord Who created - created mankind from something which clings; Read ! And your
Lord is the Most Noble; Who taught by the pen, Taught mankind what he did not know" (96: 1 -5)
Since the time the revelation started, the Prophet (PBUH) turned his face towards Allah, asking for
his further enlightenment and guidance.
During all the years of the Islamic revelation, when the Prophet ended a battle to begin another one;
and when he foiled his enemies' conspiracies and plans only to encounter a new foe and another and then
another; when he was seriously building a new world, with all that seriousness means, the Qur'aan was
sent down and the Prophet (PBUH) recited and proclaimed it. While there was a small blessed group
moved by its keen interest in the Qur'aan from the very first day, some of them set out to learn what they
could by heart, and others, who were talented in writing, set out to preserve the written verses.
During the course of almost 23 years the Qur'aan was sent down verse by verse, or some verses
following other verses, responding to various circumstances and instances, while those reciters and
scribes went on fulfilling their task with great success. The Qur'aan was not sent down as a whole; thus it
was not a composed book nor an invented one. It is rather a guide for a new nation built in reality, step
by step, day after day. Its faith is promoted and its heart, mind, and determination are shaped according
to a divine will, a will not imposed from above, but rather by means of a total conviction in this divine
will. That is how the human conduct of this nation is going to be guided.
Therefore, the revelation of the Qur'aan had to be piecemeal, in order to follow up the growth and
advancement of such conduct and its ever changing situations and challenging difficulties. 1
Reciters as well as scribes competed and turned to recite the Qur'aan and to write it down. Leading
them were `Aliy Ibn Abi Taalib, Ubaiy Ibn K'ab, `Abd Allah Ibn Mas'uud, `Abd Allah Ibn `Abbaas, and
the honorable Companion we are talking about right now, Zaid Ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with
them all).
After it had been completely revealed and during the last period of revelation, the Prophet (PBUH)
recited it to the Muslims with its chapters and verses put in order.
After the Prophet's death (PBUH) the Muslims were busy with the apostate battles.