The commodification of the muṣḥaf in the early centuries of Islam

In this paper I will attempt to retrace the history of the process of commodification of the muṣḥaf in the first two centuries of Islam by analysing the theological and legal debates regarding the various forms of trading that grew around the ḳur’ānic codex. I will base myself primarily on Traditions attributed to Companions and Successors of the Prophet Muḥammad, mostly collected in 3rd/9th century books extolling the excellence of the Ḳur’ān (faḍā’il al-Ḳur’ān). While recording contrasting voices on the acceptability of selling, buying, pawning, inheriting and exchanging the muṣḥaf, this material also reveals the varied types of commodification that surrounded the early production and distribution of the ḳur’ānic codex, aspects of the organisation of labour for its production and the role that early traders of maṣāḥif played in shaping the social history of the holy book. Finally I will use my findings to suggest how economic factors and considerations might have impacted on stylistic choices in the making of the early maṣāḥif.

Investigations in Islamic text and script in honour of Dr Januarius Justus Witkam, Professor of Codicology and Palaeography of the Islamic World at Leyden University.