Lost Verses
Islamic tradition records numerous instances where verses or entire sections of the Quran were recited during the time of Muhammad but were subsequently lost, forgotten, or consumed. These reports highlight that the standard Uthmanic text does not represent the entirety of what was originally recited as Quran.
Competing Codices
Before Uthman standardized the Quranic text and destroyed dissenting manuscripts, several prominent companions—some of whom Muhammad explicitly commanded Muslims to learn the Quran from—maintained their own personal codices. These codices often varied significantly in structure, surah count, and textual content.
Variant Readings (Qiraat) – By Change Effect
Due to the inherent ambiguity of the early Arabic consonantal script (<em>rasm</em>)—which lacked diacritical dots (<em>i'jam</em>) and vowel markers (<em>harakat</em>)—early reciters supplied their own vocalizations and consonant choices. This resulted in thousands of officially recognized variants that alter the semantic meaning or grammatical structure of the text.
Variant Readings (Qiraat) – By Change Category
The Qiraat variants can also be categorized by their specific textual mechanism, such as vowel shifts, dotting variations, or the addition/omission of letters. These variations demonstrate the fluidity of the early oral and written transmission of the Quran.