What is the purpose of collecting the Qur'an and placing it in the mushaf, and is the arrangement of the surahs in the mushaf divinely ordained or based on independent legal reasoning?

The questioner : I recall that our master 'Uthman collected the Qur'an, and the Qur'an was revealed approximately in multiple locations between Makkah and Madinah. It was first revealed in small surahs, among which were large surahs, and so on. What is the purpose of collecting the Qur'an and placing it in this mushaf in this form?

The Shaykh : What is the purpose of collecting the Qur'an and placing it in what?

The questioner : It was not placed according to the order of revelation, but according to the revelation itself. Why, for example, was the Qur'an not arranged according to the order of revelation, or why was it placed in this form?

The Shaykh : I do not know; I do not know. In this matter, it is said to be a matter of worship, because the arrangement of the Qur'an is not according to the chronology of revelation, which you are referring to. The scholars have differed on whether this is divinely ordained or based on independent legal reasoning, unlike when a verse is revealed and placed in a surah, which is certainly divinely ordained. As for the arrangement of the surahs, their advancement and delay, for example, read "In the Name of Your Lord," which, according to the question raised earlier, should be placed at the beginning of what was revealed, yet it is placed at the end of what was revealed. They differed on the arrangement of the surahs, not on the arrangement of the verses within the surahs. The arrangement of the verses within the surahs is divinely ordained without any hesitation. As for the arrangement of the surahs as it is now in the mushaf, they differed; some say this is also divinely ordained from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and some say no, it is by the independent legal reasoning of those who came after him. Personally, I do not have a definitive opinion on the matter, but I say if the stronger position is that it is divinely ordained, then here comes the answer to the previous question, Allah knows best. And if it is by the independent legal reasoning of those who collected the Qur'an after the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and classified it after them in this classification, then I did not know what the wisdom is; and therefore, knowledge belongs to its scholars.

The questioner : I mean, even if it is based on independent legal reasoning, there is no... if this surah were before that one, there is nothing... nothing major results, is that not so?

The Shaykh : No, there is an explanation of the chronological order, meaning.

The questioner : But.

The Shaykh : And I know that some scholars tried to arrange the surahs in chronological order, but there is no great benefit except knowing...

The questioner : And then it does not align, because within the single surah...?

The Shaykh : It contains Meccan verses and Medinan verses.

The questioner : Therefore, it does not align.

Another questioner : Allah knows best regarding the meaning. The interpretation of the verses within the surah is divinely ordained, so the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the one who said that this surah is here and this surah is here, not 'Uthman. So, some are Meccan and some are Medinan, this is within the surah, this is from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).

The questioner : For example, it is not permissible to read a surah in reverse order, meaning reading it backwards. This indicates that there is something. So, the arrangement of the surahs indicates that there was something in the first period?

The Shaykh : If you believed and were precise, but it does not benefit us in the matter, because you say it means there is something. This is correct, but the research into the overall arrangement, we have no answer for that.

The questioner : So what is the known thing, meaning, is it arranged?

The Shaykh : We have nothing explicit, meaning, for example, when we read the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, when he stood to pray behind the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he said he started with al-Baqarah, then followed with 'Ali 'Imran, then al-Ma'idah, then al-Nisa. He did not advance or delay here.

The questioner : Al-Nisa before 'Ali 'Imran.

The Shaykh : No, I believe al-Nisa before al-Ma'idah, yes. This suggests that there is some arrangement, but the claim of overall arrangement, Allah knows best.

The questioner : From Ibn 'Abbas or from Hudhayfah?

The Shaykh : Hudhayfah.