What is the Quran?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
What is the The Qur'an is the last word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, through Angel Qur'an? Gabriel. It is the primary source of Islamic teachings and laws. It deals with the whole of human life including the basic beliefs of Islam, morality, worship, knowledge, wisdom, God and-man relationship and relations with one another. Comprehensive teachings on which sound systems of social justice, politics, economics, legislation, jurisprudence, law and international relations can be built form an important part of the Holy Qur'an. The Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, from God gradually on various occasions over a 23 year period to answer certain questions, solve certain problems, settle certain disputes, and to be man's best guide to the truth of God and eternal happiness. Every letter in the Qur'an is the word of God. Revealed in Arabic, it is still and will remain in its original and complete Arabic version, because God has made it His concern to preserve the Qur'an, to make it always the best guide for man, and to safeguard it against corruption. The Qur'an has 114 chapters called Sürahs, with over 6,000 verses.
In testimony to God's conservation, the Qur'an is the only Scripture in human history that has been preserved in its complete and original version without the slightest change in style or even punctuation. The history of recording the Qur'an, compiling its chapters and conserving its text is beyond any doubt. Of all religious books, the Qur'an alone has remained unaltered, unedited and unchanged. Whether or not non-Muslim scholars accept the Qur'an as the word of God, they are unanimous in the view that its language and its wording have remained in their original form. This is unique to Islam. All other divine books have been edited, rehashed and revised by their votaries with the passage of time. As a matter of fact, it is such a standing miracle bestowed on Muhammad, peace be upon him, that if the whole of mankind were to work together they could not produce the like of one Qur'anic chapter.
The Holy Qur'an is neither only a book of law (though it contains the principles of the laws necessary for the guidance of mankind), nor merely a book of sacred history (though it contains the necessary sacred history). It is pre- eminently a book that manifests the glory, greatness, grandeur, goodness, love, purity, power and knowledge of God, the Supreme Being. This is the only book that is memorized by hundreds of thousands of Muslims. It is a living miracle that the whole book can be memorized word for word with punctuation.
The original and complete text of the Qur'an in Arabic and translations of its meaning in most known languages are available in major libraries, Islamic centers and bookstores.
Within a short period of twenty-three years its injunctions swept away the deep-rooted evils, like idolatry, drinking, gambling, adultery, fornication, child abuse, etc., from Arabia and anywhere Islam spread. It erased all traces of vices in the Arabian society and transformed ignorant people into the foremost torchbearers of knowledge and science. Every word of this Book gives expression to the
Divine Majesty and Glory, and Power in a manner which is not approached by any other religious book. The Holy Qur'an has challenged everyone, who has a doubt in its revelation from God, to produce one chapter like any chapter of this Holy Book. No one has been able do it.