Introduction
The Qur’an is the most often book read, memorised and printed in the world and is no ordinary book of fact or fiction. It is a living communication to all humanity by our Creator, Allah Almighty, through the Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) intended as a guidance for life on earth, one can say its an 'instruction manual' of life. Whoever wonders about the purpose of life and their own existence will find it to be a guide par excellence. "Verily, this Qur'an guides to that which is most just and right." [The Holt Qur'an 17:9]
The word 'qur'an' means 'recitation', and the first verse of the Qur'an to be revealed during the 7th century by the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a command to "Read (or recite)! In the name of your Lord..." [The Holy Qur'an 96:1] The first revelation came to him when he was contemplating in the cave of Hire and suddenly Angel Gabriel appered and asked the Prophet to read.
This directed to a man who, like most people of the time, could neither read nor write, replied "I cannot read!" The Angel embraced him tighly and then released him saying "Read!" Again the Prophet (PBUH) said, "I cannot read!" Once again Angel Gabriel embraced him tightly and then released him sayin "Read in the Name of Lord Who created! He created man from a clot of blood. Read; and your Lord is the Most Bountiful. He Who has taught by the pen. Taught man what he knew not." [The Holy Qur'an 96:1-5] This marked the beginning of a new age in human communication, learning, and development.
We invite you to take a few minutes to learn something about a book that is the foundation of the world-view and culture of almost one-fourth of the people on this planet.
Uniquness of the Qur'an
Prior to the Qur'an, there were numerous revelations and fragments of those scriptures are still available today. These include the Psalms of David (the Zabur of Daud), the Torah of Moses (Taurat, the book given to Musa), and the original gospel of Jesus (the Injil of Isa). However, none of those were recorded in writing at the time of their revelation but usually long after the death of the religion's founder. And in the process of oral narration, codification and translation when passed down by elite circles of priests and scribes, they underwent alterations and large parts were lost forever.
The Qur'an is unique in being the only Scripture that is free of scientific inaccuracies, whose historical authenticity can be verified, and whose text has been so carefully preserved that just one authorised version exists. It was preserved from the beginning inwriting as and when it was revealed during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). As each revelation came through the Angel Gabriel, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) memorised it, who then dictated it to him companions. The preservation of the Qur'an was a community effort and the Prophet's companions and early followers eagerly memorised and recorded each new revelation as it was revealed. The complete Qur'an was revealed and recorded over a 23 year period (610 CE to 622 CE). The Prophet (PBUH) was 40 years old when the Qur'an began to be revealed to him, and he was 63 when the revelation was completed. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) reviewed the Qur'an with the Angel Gabriel once each year and twice in the last year of his life. By the time he (PBUH) passed away, thousands had memorised the entire Qur'an by heart. Within two years after the Prophet's death, the first caliph Abu Bakr requested the Prophet's secretary Zayd to collect all existing copies and fragments of the Qur'an in one place, in order to compile a standard edition. This manuscript became the basis for the authorised editions that were distributed to each Muslim province during the rule of 'Uthman, third caliph; remarkably, a few of those early manuscripts have been preserved and can still be viewed in museums today.
The Qur'an is in Arabic, a semitic language with an immaculately preserved syntactical structure, which has led many people to claim that it is not only the language of the people Muhammad (PBUH), but the original language of mankind. There are 114 Surah (chapters) in the Holy Qur'an of various lengths with each surah composed of ayah (verse, lieterally sign). The Qur'an is divided into 30 parts. This is to make it easy for people to recite one part a day, and finish it in a month. Recition of the Qur'an and remembering its surah and ayah by heart are good deeds for which a person will be rewarded. The Qur'an is also the only holy book that can be read and memorised in its entirety by people of all ages and intellectual abilities, including non-Arabic speakers which Muslims consider to be one of its miracles.
Challange Direct from God
Since the time of the Prophet (PBUH) muslims of every nationality have loving recited, memorised and implemended the words of the Qur'an. The classical arabic of the Qur’an is still easy to comprehend for a speaker of modern Arabic. The faithful are inspired, consoled often moved to tears by its eloquence and poetic imagery, especially when recited aloud. Because of the inimical style, which has undeniable poetic qualities, the Qur’an contains the challenge that nobody, even with the most advanced help systems available, can ever produce a single Surah like it. "Or do they say, He himself has composed this [message]? No, but they are not willing to believe! But then, [if they deem it the work of a mere mortal,] let them produce another discourse like it - if what they say be true! [Or do they deny the existence of God implicitly by denying the fact of His revelation?] Have they themselves been created without anything - or were they, perchance, their own creators? [The Holy Qur'an 52:33-35] First, Allah challenged them to produce ten chapters like the Quran "Or they may say, He forged it, Say, Bring ye then ten suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than God! - If you speak the truth! If then they answer not your (call), know you that this revelation is sent down with the knowledge of God, and that there is no god but He! Will you then submit (to Islam)?" The Holy Qur'an [11:13-14] However, when they were unable to meet the challenge of ten chapters, Allah reduced it to a single chapter "And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down on Our slave, then produce a surah thereof and call upon your witnesses other than God, if you should be truthful. But if you do not and you will never be able to then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers.[The Holy Qur'an 2:23-24] Finally, Allah foretold their eternal failure to meet the divine challenge. If all mankind and all jinn would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce its like even though they were to exert all their strength in aiding one another! [The Holy Qur'an 17:88]
Those who have tried have failed utterly for yet another reason: The Qur’an was not written, edited, and eventually published as is the case with other books. It was revealed by Allah Almighty in portions. Each sentence or passage related to a particular event at the time and made sense to the people who heard it for the first time. A deeper study of each ayah reveals several layers of meaning, so that the same sentence, whilst fitting well within its context, also imparts knowledge and information about numerous other issues. The verses were assigned a particular order by Muhammad (peace be upon him), following the instructions of the angel Gabriel, and this order is not chronological, yet anybody who reads the Qur’an today, with its verses in a totally different order than the one in which they were originally revealed, still finds that the sequence makes perfect sense.
Purpose of the Qur'an
The Qu'an is the principal source of every muslim's faith and practice of daily life. It deails with all subjects that concern us as humans, including wisdom, doctrine, worship and law; it provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a just society, proper human conduct, an equitable economic system, and so on. The Qur’an contains knowledge of the past and the future which was not available fourteen centuries ago at the time of its revelation. These facts have only been discovered or proven by scientists recently. This proves without a doubt that the Qur'an is the literal words of Allah revealed to mankind through Muhammad (PBUH). The core theme is of the Qur'an is to form a relationship between Allah and His creatures.
The Qur'an's main message is to call people to turn to the Source of all being and the Giver of life, and to serve Him with a pure heart, free of idolatry or superstition."A book which we have revealed to you (Muhammad) so that you may lead the people from out of the darknesses into the light by their Lord's leave to the path of the All-Mighty, the Praiseworthy." [The Holy Qur'an 14:1]
What does the Qur'an say...
Adapted from Islam: A brief Guide, Basic Principles of Islam, University of Southern California Compendium Muslim Texts (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA) & WAMY UK website (http://www.wamy.co.uk) and booklets. Any errors in the text is from myself and not Islam.
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