The Qur'ān [1] (Arabic: القرآن
al-qurʼān, literally "the recitation"; also called al-qurʼān al-karīm
"The Noble Qur'an"; also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and
Al-Quran), is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe the Qur'an,
in its original Arabic, to be the literal word of God that was revealed to
Muhammad over a period of twenty-three years until his death. Muslims regard it
as God's final revelation to humankind and view it as the closest thing to a
part of God in the world.[2] Muslims also call the Qur'an the "Final
Testament", "The Book", "Book of God" or "The
Revelation."
The
meaning of the word "Qur'an" may either be connected to the word for
'collect'; or to the word for 'tie together'; or perhaps best to the most
commonly used word for "read" or "recite," which is an
important verb in the book itself.
Sacred
scripture of Islam, regarded by Muslims as the infallible word of God, revealed
to the Prophet Muhammad. The book, first compiled in its authoritative form in
the 7th century, consists of 114 chapters (surahs) of varying length, written
in Arabic. The earliest surahs call for moral and religious obedience in light
of the coming Day of Judgment; the ones written later provide directives for
the creation of a social structure that will support the moral life called for
by God. The Qur'an also provides detailed accounts of the joys of paradise and
the terrors of hell. Muslims believe that the God who spoke to Muhammad is the
God worshiped by Jews and Christians but that the revelations received by those
religions are incomplete. Emphasis on the stern justice of God is tempered by
frequent references to his mercy and compassion. The Qur'an demands absolute
submission (islam) to God and his word, and it serves as the primary source of
Islamic law. It is regarded as immutable in both form and content; traditionally
translation was forbidden. The translations available today are regarded as
paraphrases to facilitate understanding of the actual scripture.
The Qur'an
("Qor-Ann") is a Message from Allah to humanity. It was transmitted
to us in a chain starting from the Almighty Himself (swt) to the angel Gabriel
to the Prophet Muhammad (saas). This message was given to the Prophet (saas) in
pieces over a period spanning approximately 23 years (610 CE to 622 CE). The
Prophet (saas) was 40 years old when the Qur'an began to be revealed to him,
and he was 63 when the revelation was completed. The language of the original
message was Arabic, but it has been translated into many other languages. The Qur'an is one leg of two which form the basis of Islam. The second leg is
the Sunnah of the Prophet (saas). What makes the Qur'an different from the
Sunnah is primarily its form. Unlike the Sunnah, the Qur'an is quite literally
the Word of Allah, whereas the Sunnah was inspired by Allah but the wording and
actions are the Prophet's. The Qur'an has not been expressed using any human's
words. Its wording is letter for letter fixed by no one but Allah.Prophet Muhammad (saas) was the final Messenger of Allah to humanity, and
therefore the Qur'an is the last Message which Allah has sent to us. Its
predecessors such as the Torah, Psalms, and Gospels have all been superceded.
It is an obligation - and blessing - for all who hear of the Qur'an and Islam
to investigate it and evaluate it for themselves. Allah has guaranteed that He
will protect the Qur'an from human tampering, and today's readers can find
exact copies of it all over the world. The Qur'an of today is the same as the
Qur'an revealed to Muhammad (saas). my boyfriend is muslim and he is teachin me about this and is so intersting
good luck in ur life!!! this r not my words ok? but all i can say to u is that
allah is god and god is just one
The
Recitation. The guidance for muslims. And contrary to popular stereotype, it's
not all about terrorism. It's very similar to the bible, except that in the
Quran, women are actually seen as a blessing and have rights to be just as much
a part of society as men. They have the right to work and keep their money to
do with as they so choose. Men are responsible for the care and maintenance of
the family. I know it's not how they live, but that's what the book says anyway. I am a
muslim woman, and I left a "muslim" man who liked to use Islam only
when it was convenient for him. His brother was the same way. He would make
demands left and right of his poor much younger wife, not give her a break, and
neglect them, then turn around and scream at her she must be obedient or angels
would curse her. marriage is half of Islam, if you fail in it as most muslim
men do, then you fail in half of your religion. It's too bad.
This
is a smart question! Not many people think of this. I believe it has to do with
the origin of the verb to 'read' which was also the first 'imperative' and word
in the Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad to indicate the importance of
reading, knowledge and learning.
Quran come
from Qraa means in english (Read - Readen) then Quran means (the book have been
readen) Quraan is the pastpartesible of Qraa .... and the first verse in Quraan
is ..."In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful"[96.1] Proclaim! (or Read!) In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created,[96.2] Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood:[96.3] Proclaim! and thy Lord is Most Bountiful,[96.4] He Who taught (the use of) the Pen,[96.5] Taught man that which he knew not.[96.6] Nay, but man doth transgress all bounds,[96.7] In that he looketh upon himself as self-sufficient.[96.8] Verily, to thy Lord is the return (of all).
The
Quran is the Muslims Holy Book.
The Qur'an does not claim to be the words of men (or a man), whether inspired
or not. It claims to be the literal, word for word speech of God Himself, and
offers evidence for it's claims. Secondly, it is perfectly preserved, through
massive parallel chains of memorization passed on from generation to generation
(a practice alive and well today - with tens or hundreds of thousands of
Muslims around the world who have memorized the entire book), and in writing,
since the time it was revealed.Even Christian and Jewish orientalists admit
that it is uncorrupted.
Those who doubt the Qur'an claim it was written by Muhammad, but it is well
known that he was illiterate, like the vast majority of people of Arabia at
that time. What we do know about him is that he was known for his honesty and
good conduct, to the extent that he was nicknamed 'Al-Amin' - the trustworthy,
and called upon to arbitrate in the bitter disputes between the Arabs. A person
does not spend the first forty years of his life gaining a reputation as an
honest man, then suddenly begin to perpetrate the biggest lie in the history of
mankind. We know that he kept away from idolatry, adultery and all the other
evils of his time, and chose to worship only the God of Abraham, his
forefather. Besides, how does an illiterate man compose what is acknowledged as
the most beautiful work ever produced in the Arabic language ? Actually it goes
further - the Qur'an challenges anyone to produce a chapter like it. The Arabs
were excellent poets and knew how to use their language well, but none were
able to match the depth, power and beauty of the Qur'an. This is not a
subjective evaluation. Arabic is divided into 16 forms (called
"bihar") - one for speech, one for poetry, and so on. The Qur'an fit
into none of these forms. In other words, it was a completely new pattern, it
defied linguistic classification, and at the same time moved men to tears, and
sometimes to embrace Islam, merely upon hearing it's sublime words. This is
just one aspect of the miracle of the Qur'an. It also contains explicit,
precise prophecies which have come to pass, and information about scientific
and natural phenomena, such as the development of the human embryo, which have
only recently come to be known in the light of modern instrumentation and
techniques.
Answer:
Among all different names given to this Holy Scripture, `the Quran`
(al-Quran) is the most common and famous one. This is a name that the Almighty
Allah has given to the Book. From the first years of the revelation to Prophet
Muhammad (P) was called `the Quran` by the revelation itself. The term is
repeated 68 times in the Quran, and except on two occasions (17:78), it means
the Holy Quran or part of it.
In English it is written `the Koran` or `the Quran`.
About the meaning of the term `Quran`, there are two famous opinions:
1) it is driven from al-Qar` meaning `to collect`.
2) It is driven from `Qara` (to recite).
Thus, it is called `the Quran` for it is a Book
to be recited
(73:4), or because the revelation began by `Read` (96:1). The second opinion
(driven from the root ‘to recite’) seems more accurate.
Sheikh Mansour Leghaei
The Arabic word qur'an is a form of the
infinitive meaning to read. This term is used as an infinitive in the
two following verses:
(Surely on Us (devolves) the
collecting of it and the reading of it. Therefore, when We have read it, follow
its reading.) (Al-Qiyamah
75:17–18)
The term has later come
to acquire a new sense denoting the Glorious Book revealed by Almighty Allah.
Today, this is the most common usage of the word. The term with its new sense
occurs in another Qur'anic verse in which Allah says:
(Surely this Qur'an guides
to that which is most upright.) (Al-Israa'
17:9)
In fact, Allah's Book is
called the Qur'an because it is read by the tongue. It is called the Book
because it was written down with pens. Both names are derived from what
actually takes place with regard to a book. The fact that these two
descriptions have come to be treated as names of the Divine Book emphasizes
that this Book should be treated rightfully. It should be kept and preserved in
two places rather than one: people's memory and the pages of the Book.
Thus, should an error
find its way into one place, the other place will correct it. One cannot trust
what a reciter learned by heart, unless it is confirmed by the written text
unanimously approved by the Prophet's Companions. It is the text that reached
us through the generations in its original form. Likewise, one cannot trust the
writing of a scribe unless it is confirmed by what scholars of the Qur'an have
shown to be the correct version supported by uninterrupted chains of
transmission.
This double protection
provided by Almighty Allah imparts to the Muslim community a keen desire to
keep the Qur'an intact by consciously following the guidance of Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, this exceptional protection
has always ensured the unassailableness of the Qur'an with regard to its
accuracy and purity from all distortion. This is a practical aspect of the
fulfillment of Allah's promise to preserve the Qur'an in its original form.
Almighty Allah says:
(Surely We have revealed the
Reminder and We will assuredly be its guardian[against all corruption]. )(Al-Hijr
15:9)
Hence, the Qur'an
remained free from all forms of distortion, corruption, and interruption of
transmission that had befallen earlier scriptures. Almighty Allah did not
undertake to preserve these earlier scriptures. Rather, He left them to people
to guard and keep; He says:
(It was We who revealed the
Torah (to Moses): Therein was guidance and light. By its standard have been
judged the Jews by the Prophets who surrendered (as in Islam) to Allah's will
and by the rabbis and the doctors of law, as to them was entrusted the
protection of Allah's book and they were witnesses thereto. )(Al-Ma'idah
5:44)
This distinction has a
reason and a wisdom: All former divine revelations were meant for a certain
period of time, not for eternity. The Qur'an, on the other hand, was sent down
by Almighty Allah to confirm the truth of what was revealed earlier and to
supersede the previous scriptures. Thus, it contains all what the earlier
scriptures established of true facts, adding whatever Almighty Allah willed.
The Qur'an takes over
the role of old scriptures, and none of them can play its role. It is the will
of Almighty Allah that the Qur'an will remain the final arbiter until the Day
of Judgment. When Allah wills something, He, All-Wise, All-Knowing, brings
about what guarantees that His will is going to be done exactly as He pleased.
In this accurate sense, the Qur'an may be described as particular and true, as
may be said in logic. Hence, it is difficult to define it by any standard
logical definition that speaks of kinds, parts, and characteristics.
Almighty Allah challenged the humankind
and jinn to match the superior style of it.
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This also applies to all
that is true and particular: They cannot be defined in this manner because each
part of a logical definition is universal in itself, and what is universal
cannot, conceptually, be exactly like what is particular. This is because what
is universal applies to all what is mentally considered identical to it in that
sense, even though it may not exist in reality. Thus, it does not distinguish
it from everything else. As such, it does not become a truly definitive
description.
A particular object is
defined by reference to it when it is physically present or familiar to one's
mind. Thus, if one wants a definitive description of the Qur'an, one has no way
of doing so unless by referring to it in its written form (the book) or its
spoken form (recitation). One can then say, "It is what is contained
between this front cover and this back cover." Or one can say, "It is
the following text [and then one reads the Qur'an, starting from the first word
in Surat Al-Fatihah and ending with the last word in Surat An-Nas]."
The definitions used by
scholars in terms of kinds and parts, which are normally used to define
universal facts, are mainly intended to make these definitions easier to
understand and to distinguish them from what may be given a similar name, even
falsely. All what is revealed by Almighty Allah, the qudsi hadiths
(Arabic for: Divine Hadiths), and authentic Prophetic hadiths are, like the
Qur'an, divine revelations. Based upon this fact, someone may say that these
may also be called the same — Qur'an. For this reason, the scholars try
to explain that the name exclusively applies to the Qur'an by highlighting its
qualities and characteristics that distinguish it from all other texts. Some
scholars define the Qur'an as follows:
The Word of Almighty Allah that He sent down to His
Prophet Muhammad and whose recitation is a form of worship.
By analyzing this
definition, we find that the term word refers to all speech. However,
when it is attributed to Allah, it excludes the speech of humankind, jinn, and
angels. That this word of Allah was "sent down" excludes all other
words of Allah that He kept for Himself or addressed to the angels for
implementation without imparting it to any human being. Not every word said by
Almighty Allah was revealed or sent down. Indeed, what was sent down is only a
small portion. This fact is confirmed in the following Qur'anic verses:
(Say,
"If the sea were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner
would the sea be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if We added
another sea like it for its aid." )(Al-Kahf
18:109)
(And were every tree that is
in the earth (made into) pens and the sea (to supply it with ink), with seven
more seas to increase it, the words of Allah would not come to an end; surely
Allah is Mighty, Wise.) (Luqman
31:27 (
The definition says,
"Sent down to Prophet Muhammad." It therefore excludes all what was
sent down to earlier Prophets, such as the Torah revealed to Prophet Moses, the
Gospel to Prophet Jesus, the Psalms Prophet David, and the Scrolls to Prophet
Abraham (peace be upon them all(.This last exclusion is indicated by the phrase
that describes recitation of the Qur'an as a form of worship.
This means that the
Qur'an includes only the part of revelation that we are ordered to read in
Prayer and at other times as part of our worship. Thus, everything that we are
not required to recite is excluded, such as the methods of recitation
transmitted by single reporters at a time, unlike the methods of recitation
transmitted by large numbers of reporters in every generation. Also excluded
are the qudsi hadiths (Divine Hadiths) quoting Almighty Allah Himself,
if one is of the view that the wording itself was revealed by Him.
As for the ordinary
Prophetic hadiths, they may be divided into two categories according to their
meanings: The first category is deduced hadiths. It includes those
hadiths that Prophet Muhammad stated on the basis of his understanding of the
Qur'an or his contemplation of the universe. Certainly, the hadiths falling
under this category are not part of the Word of Allah — the Qur'an.
The second category is received
hadiths. The import of the hadiths belonging to this category was given to
the Prophet through revelation. In turn, he taught them to humankind in his own
words. Hence, the meaning and content of such hadiths are attributed to Allah
and the wording is attributed to the Prophet.
Normally, speech is
attributed to the speakers who construct it in their style, even though the
meaning may be one that is very familiar and is transmitted from one person to
another. Thus, the two categories of hadiths are excluded from the definition
because the first characteristic in the definition of the Qur'an is that it
should be the literal Word of Allah.
Similarly, excluded are
the Divine Hadiths if one is of the view that they were revealed in meaning, a
view that is predominant in our judgment. Had they been revealed in wording as
well, they would have had the same sanctity as the Qur'an, and there would be
no grounds for distinguishing two types of revealed speech that is attributed
to Allah.
If this is the case
(that Divine Hadiths were revealed by Allah in terms of both wording and
meaning), it would have been imperative to preserve them intact. It would have
been impermissible to quote them using their meanings alone. Moreover, the
reader would not have been allowed to handle the sheets containing them without
performing ablution first. But, in fact, no scholar has ever claimed that.
Besides applying the
teachings revealed in it, the Qur'an was revealed for other purposes: Almighty
Allah challenged the humankind and jinn to match the superior style of it.
Also, reciting the verses of the Qur'an is an act of worship. Hence, the Qur'an
was revealed word for word and letter for letter.
However, Divine Hadiths
have no such additional purposes. They were revealed simply for their messages.
So, understanding the message is sufficient. For example, when one explains an
Arabic line of poetry, one says, "the poet says so and so," and when
one explains in his or her own words a verse from the Qur'an, one says,
"Almighty Allah tells us this and that." In the same way, Allah tells
us what Moses, Pharaoh, and others said, stating the import of what they
actually uttered and expressing it in words and styles other than those used by
any of them. Nevertheless, He, Almighty, attributes those words to them.
