A Critical Analysis of the Orientalist Claude Gilliot's Viewpoint on the Compilation of the Qur'an and the Appearance of its Readings (Case Study of the Article: "Origins of the Qur'anic Text and its Fixation")

The issue of compiling the Qur'an and the origin of the Qur'anic readings and the history of these readings is one of the most important issues that has caused many problems in the field of Qur'anic studies, and from this point of view, some challenges have been raised by Orientalists, and on its basis the critics have raised doubts about the Qur'an's being revelatory and the soundness of its text. Since the answer to these doubts seems very essential and important, we decided to examine and analyze the viewpoints of the contemporary Orientalist, "Claude Gilliot" in this field, relying on his article entitled, "The Origins of the Qur'anic Text and its Fixation". In this research, which was carried out with the approach of critical analysis, we have achieved the following results: 1. His viewpoint about the method of compilation of the Qur'an according to Islamic sources is completely incorrect and has used false and unreliable traditions in proving the compilation of the Qur'an after the era of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) by the Companions (ṣaḥāba). 2. His point of view about the changes made in the text is completely incorrect and he has attained this notion through false narrations and traditions, which is refutable. 3. Also, the fact that he argued that the copies of the Qur'an (muṣḥafs) of the Companions and the differences in the Qur'anic readings show that there was no single text until after the era of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), is completely incorrect and violable. 4. His statement regarding the criticisms of Muslims regarding the common manuscript of the Qur'an in the era of Uthman is completely incorrect and the Islamic community has had a consensus on this unique version.