Quran Issues: Perfect Preservation - Breastfeeding & Marriage

Question: Has the Quran been perfectly preserved?

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Overview

Muslims often claim (usually in contrast to the Bible) that the Quran has been perfectly preserved from the time it was revealed to Muhammad. This means that nothing has been altered or lost and the same Quran that Muslims read and recite today is exactly what Muhammad received and recited fourteen-hundred years ago. However, Islamic sources state the opposite.

According to Sahih Muslim (1452a & 1452b), Aisha said that it was revealed in the Quran that ten occasions of breastfeeding between two individuals makes marriage unlawful. This stipulation was later abrogated to five occasions of breastfeeding. Nevertheless, no mention of these stipulations can be found in modern editions of the Quran. Sunan Ibn Majah (1944 - Graded: Hasan) narrates Aisha's report that the manuscript containing the verses on stoning and breastfeeding an adult was eaten by a sheep shortly after Muhammad's death. This may explain why the abrogated passages on breastfeeding and marriage are missing in modern editions of the Quran.

Hadith Narrations

Sahih Muslim, 1452a

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with, her) reported that it had been revealed in the Holy Qur'an that ten clear sucklings make the marriage unlawful, then it was abrogated (and substituted) by five sucklings and Allah's Apostle died and it was before that time (found) in the Holy Qur'an (and recited by the Muslims).

Sahih Muslim, 1452b

'Amra reported that she heard 'A'isha (Allah he pleased with her) discussing fosterage which (makes marriage) unlawful; and she ('A'isha) said: There was revealed in the Holy Qur'an ten clear sucklings, and then five clear (sucklings).

Sunan Ibn Majah, 1944 (Graded: Hasan)

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: “The Verse of stoning and of breastfeeding an adult ten times was revealed, and the paper was with me under my pillow. When the Messenger of Allah died, we were preoccupied with his death, and a tame sheep came in and ate it.”