Sahih al-Bukhari 6523

'Ubayd ibn as-Sabbaq related that Zayd ibn Thabit said, "After the slaughter in the war of Yamama, Abu Bakr sent for me while 'Umar was with him. Abu Bakr said, ''Umar has come to me and said, "Many Qur'an reciters were killed in the Battle of Yamama and I fear that many Qur'an reciters will be killed in other places and so much of the Qur'an will be lost. I think that you should collect the Qur'an together." I asked, "How can I do something which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not do?" 'Umar said, "By Allah, it is better." 'Umar kept at me about it until Allah opened my breast to what He had opened 'Umar's breast. I now think the same as 'Umar.'" Zayd said, "Abu Bakr said, 'You are an intelligent young man and we have no doubts about you. You used to write down the revelation for the Messenger of Allahmay Allah bless him and grant him peace. Therefore you are to search out the Qur'an and collect it." Zayd said, "By Allah, if he had obliged me to move one of the mountains, that would not have been weightier for me than what he commanded to do of collecting the Qur'an. I asked, 'How can the two of you do something which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not do?' Abu Bakr said, 'By Allah, it is better.' He continued to keep at me until Allah opened my breast to what Allah had opened the breasts of Abu Bakr and ''Umar and I thought the same as them. So I began to search out the Qur'an and collect it from palm stalks, bits of parchments, smooth stones, and the breasts of men until I found two ayats of Surat at-Tawba: 'A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering is distressing to him; he is deeply concerned for you...' (9:128) with Khuzayma or Abu Khuzayma. I added it to its sura. The pages remained with Abu Bakr while he was alive until Allah Almighty took him to Him, and after that with Hafsa bint 'Umar.'" Muhammad ibn 'Ubayd said that lakhaf mean khazaf (earthenware). XXXVIII. The writing of a ruler to his governors and the Qadi to his agents