What is The Holy Quran?
The faith of Islam states that God revealed His Wisdom, Laws, and Instructions through his final Book, the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran says that in every age, a book is revealed. God has sent forth a number of books in the past; but the last and final revelation is the Glorious Quran, which was revealed to the latest and final Prophet, Muhammad peace be upon him.
All Revelations preceding the Holy Quran were sent only to a particular group of people and pertained to a specific period. The final and ultimate revelation, the Holy Qur’an, was not revealed for only a particular group of people — such as Muslims or Arabs — but for all of humanity, until the end of time. A Book of guidance intended not only for the people of his era but for all generations to come until the Last Day.
The Holy Qur’an, sometimes spelled Koran, is the verbatim word of God. Logically, the book embodies and represents God’s wishes to send a Message to all of humanity; one meant to be followed till the Day of Judgement and shielded from any changes, subtractions or additions.
Unlike other sacred scriptures like the Bible, the Quran has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning — and in a language that still exists today. Whereas Muslims believe that the original Gospel was sent from God to Prophet Jesus peace be upon him for the Israelites, Muslims, and Biblical scholars acknowledge that the Bible was not written by God or Jesus himself; instead written by individuals who lived after the departure of Jesus peace be upon him. Christian Scholars recognize that the Bible has been altered, distorted, and changed during the last centuries so it contains words of man and not the Divine Being. Since human hands altered the previous Scriptures, the Bible Gospel and the Torah of today, as they are published, do not comprise their exact original scriptures in their pure and unfettered form. God, the Almighty warns in the Holy Koran:
“So woe to those who write the ‘scripture’ with their own hands, then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn” (Quran 2:79)
Christian sects do not agree on what exactly qualifies as an ‘inspired book’ of God. The Protestants are taught that 66 truly inspired books make up the Bible, whereas the Catholics have been taught about the existence of 73 truly ‘inspired books.’ The first Christians for many generations followed neither the 66 books of the Protestants nor the 73 books of the Catholics.
Whereas the Holy Quran confirms the existence of the Scriptures that were sent before it, including the Jewish Torah and the Gospels of Jesus peace be upon him. The Holy Qur’an abrogates all previous scriptures and becomes the Book of guidance for all humankind.
The Quran was revealed to guide humanity through every aspect of their lives. The Quran is a guide, an instructional manual on how one’s life should be lived. The Quran is a personal guide that will navigate one throughout his or her daily struggles. Just as, when you buy a computer or any electronic device, it comes with an instructional manual dictating how the machine should be operated. One is advised to read the instructional manual of life, The Holy Quran, and live in how our Creator has decreed. How would man know his role and the purpose of his existence, unless he receives clear and practical instructions regarding what God wants from him? If one follows the guidelines carefully, then he shall be rewarded with a better life; here in this world, and the Hereafter. If you disobey God and go against His commands, then you will face the consequences in this world and the hereafter.
The Quran is the primary source of Islam for all Muslims. The Book is and always has been written in the Arabic language. The Quran is so unique in content and style that it cannot be translated; therefore, any translation is to be taken only as an interpretation of the meanings of the Quran.
Distinctions must be drawn between the Holy Quran and its translations. Any translations of the Quran are not the Quran in its true and pure form; it is merely a translation and explanation of the Original Masterwork authored by the Almighty. A translation of the Koran is not the word of God. Different translations of the Quran are intended to help non-Arabic speaking audiences comprehend its meaning; still and all, there is only One Quran. Since each translation of the Quran is not the original work and is only human-made in content, it is an imperfect translation bound to contain errors. Some translations may be superior to others in their linguistic style or their interpretations of the Quran. There remains Only One true version of this timeless Book as only the original Quran contains the exact Arabic words spoken by God; revealed to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him by the Angel Gabriel
If a Muslim in Asia reads a verse of the Koran, one can be sure another Muslim is reciting the same words in faraway Africa. No differences will exist between the two reciting. God has promised always to preserve the Quran, protecting His Book from anyone attempts to modify or change its Text or Message. This means that God will guard His Book against any human-made modifications, distortions, additions, subtractions, or tampering in any form. God states in the Quran:
“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an, and indeed, We will be its Guardian” (Quran 15:9)
The word ‘Quran’ linguistically translates to ‘recitation,’ meaning the recitation of the words of God the Glorious via the Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad. Then the Prophet peace be upon him recited these same words to the people. As mentioned earlier, Muslims also believe in the Gospel and the Torah; but the Holy Quran is the final Testament of God, the complete word of God, supplying Guidance for all people living now and going forward.
The Quran first was revealed in the Holy Month of Ramadan — which is the 9th month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. The remainder of its Message was revealed bit by bit for the next 23 years. Each passage was revealed in the wake of a significant event in the life of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Finally, it was then put together as a whole in his lifetime.
The Quran is a widely known and memorized Document. The Quran is the only book that is memorized by millions of people of all ages around the world, of all languages and backgrounds, from one end to the other. The Quran is the most widely and frequently read Book in the world, both today and over the last millennium. Even without the benefit of a photographic memory, children and adults in Asia, Africa, Europe, and across the globe, have memorized this Book which contains over 600 pages word for word. Almost every Muslim has memorized some portion of the Holy Quran to read in his/her prayers. This is due to Allah’s kept promise regarding the Quran’s content it was created and designed to be easy to understand and memorize.
“And in truth, We have made the Quran easy to remember; who, then, is willing to take it to heart?” (Quran 54:17)
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was commanded by God to convey the contents of the Holy Quran to the people. This was a tremendous responsibility that weighed heavily upon him.
“And We have not revealed to you the Book, [O Muhammad], except for you to make clear to them that wherein they have differed and as guidance and mercy for a people who believe” (Quran 16:64)
The Quran deals with all subjects which concern human beings, such as doctrine, wisdom, worship, law, transactions, and more. Its central theme is the relationship between God and His creation. The Quran teaches the art of living. The Quran contains guidelines and teachings, for both individuals and society. The Quran also provides guidelines and instructions for proper human conduct, a fair economic system, ritual worship, ethics and moral behavior, business, government, and more.
The Quran contains signs of God’s Greatness: miracles, parables, and lessons. The Quran explains the concept of God, His Names, and Attributes. It details what is permissible and what is forbidden; it teaches the basics of good manners and morals and contains rulings and guidelines about how to worship God and live. The Quran also describes the appearance and characteristics of Paradise and Hell. The Quran tells stories of past nations and their mistakes, not to incite hate but to teach lessons that will educate us against making the same mistakes they did. The purpose and aim of these stories are that we learn from the excellent role models and bad examples found in our past. The Quran calls upon humanity to believe in God, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, in fate and the divine decree.
The Quran is like no other book, because it serves as an infinite source of intellectual wisdom and spiritual elevation. It cleanses the heart. The Holy Quran teaches that one should be truthful and never to lie or cheat. The Quran teaches us to give charity to the poor and to be kind to our parents, neighbors, family, and friends.
Despite what you may have heard of the Quran, the Holy Book does not teach hate, violence, or killing. The Quran is a book based on love, compassion, faith, and goodwill. The Quran calls it:
“…The ways of peace” (Quran 5:16)
and describes:
“…reconciliation as the best policy” (Quran 4:128)
The Quran states that:
“…God abhors any disturbance of peace” (Quran 2:205)
There are many verses throughout the Quran the demonstrate God’s love for peace and good, and he commands humanity to:
“Speak kindly” (Quran 2:83)
“Speak Politely” (Quran 17:53)
“Speak Justice” (Quran 6:152)
“Speak the truth” (Quran 3:17)
“Speak no lie” (Quran 22:30)
“Speak not in vain” (Quran 22:30)
“Speak graciously” (Quran 17:23)
“Speak fairly” (Quran 17:28)
God reminds us of His love, compassion, and mercy in introducing 113 out of his 114 chapters in His Holy Book with the statement, ‘In the name of God, the Most Gracious/Loving, the most Merciful.’ If you go through the pages of the Quran, you will see endless examples of God’s love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and justice for all of his creations. The Quran is also a Book of hope. God reminds humankind not to give in to despair. No matter what sins one may have committed, those who turn to God with regret seeking forgiveness will be forgiven, and his salvation assured.
Contrary to popular belief, the Quran forces no one to turn to Islam against their will. It compels no one to live by Islamic morals. While the conveying and teaching of God and the morals of the Qur’an to others is a duty of Muslims, they call people to the path of God only with kindness and love and never force them to anything. God states in His book:
“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So, whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it, And Allah is Hearing and Knowing” (Quran 2:256)
The values of the Qur’an hold a Muslim responsible for treating all people, whether or not Muslim, fairly, kindly and justly. The Quran teaches the impaortance of protecting and taking care of the needy, the orphans, and the innocent. The Quran prevents and warns about the spreading of mischief, unlawful killing, fraud, envy, intoxicants, and the mistreatment of humans, animals, and plants. God states:
“And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption” (Quran 2:205)
Islam has two primary sources, the Holy Quran and the authentic traditions/sayings of the final Prophet, Muhammad peace be upon him, which explain and sometimes expand upon the concepts presented in the Quran.
The Quran is meant to be read aloud and in a reverent and melodious tone. The Quran is composed of 114 units or chapters, called a surah in Arabic, and each sentence or phrase of the Quran is called an ‘Aaya,’ which translates to mean a ‘Sign’; as it is a sign that God exists. The word ‘Aaya’ also has the associative meanings of ‘miracles’ or ‘proof,’ that describes the Verses in the Quran. The Quran was not meant to tell a chronological story, and thus should not be viewed as a sequential narrative like the Book of Genesis.
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him did not author this Book. The Quran was sent down to a Prophet that was unlettered, that did not read, write or calculate, and that had no education; these characteristics serving as sufficient proof he did not author the Holy Text. The Quran challenges anyone who doubts the Book’s Divine origins to produce another sacred text equal in merit. Any document that claims to include the word of God bears a heavy burden. Without clear evidence or with the presence of one contradiction found within the Book, the apparent word of God would be proven false. The Quran is devoid of contradictions, nor does it contain any information confirmed to be false.
The Quran is a living miracle of the Arabic language; it is inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. The Quran is miraculous because it achieves linguistic perfection in the Arabic language. For instance, the Quran explains complicated legal matters like inheritance with the use of simple speech and imagery in the Arabic language. The Quran has its unique rhythm, style, rhyme, and genre, and is like no other book. The fact that the Quran uses futuristic terminology and descriptions, reaching far beyond the knowledge and comprehension of a 7th-century person living in the desert, is a miracle.
The Quran is a miracle as it contains hundreds of scientific facts later confirmed to be accurate, years after the book was revealed. The Quran is a miracle because of the power and effect it wields for human beings all over the world. It changes millions of people’s lives and views. It transforms people into better human beings. The Quran is a miracle because of its incredible spiritual power and psychological effects. The Quran is a miracle because of how it changed and impacted human history in so many ways throughout the years.
Whereas the Quran contains accounts of hundreds of scientific miracles, the Quran is not a book of science — nor is it a book of engineering or medicine. The Quran is a book of guidance and signs that prove its divinity. As the faith of Islam continued to grow century after century, we evolved into the age of modern science. In this era, many scientific discoveries began to confirm many related verses of the Quran.
The Quran is the greatest miracle of God. The Quran is proof of the truthfulness of Islam. The Quran is the standing and ever-lasting wonder and miracle. The Quran is such a significant miracle that all others are considered trivial compared to the Quran. The Quran is a document that contains thousands of miracles to prove its Godly origins. It includes accounts of miracles as they occur and expand from one dimension to another.
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