The Qur’an means “the recitation.” It is the Muslim holy book and the
message of Islam. The Qur’an is the most recited book in the world. Millions of
Muslims read it as an act of worship. Muslims also memorize it, sometimes in
its entirety. Memorizing a few short passages of the Qur’an is required in
order to recite during daily prayers.
The Qur’an was revealed by Allah to the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) in the Arabic language through the angel Gabriel over a period of
twenty-three years. This started when Muhammad (peace be upon him) was 40 years
old, and ended with his demise. It was memorized by the prophet Muhammad,
precisely as it was revealed to him, and dictated to his companions, who also
memorized it by heart as well as writing it down. Two years after the demise of
the prophet, The Qur’an was written in the form of a book during the reign of
Abu Bakr, the first Caliph. Later, this first manuscript was duplicated and
sent to other provinces under the authority of the third caliph Umar. And this
is how Allah kept His promise in the Qur’an to be its Guardian. His original
Words have been preserved to this day.
The Quran is a Muslim’s main source of guidance in matters of faith and
practice. The oneness of Allah is emphasized throughout the Qur’an, as it is a
truly essential concept in Islam. Most of the content is related to stories of
previous prophets and their communities, as a reminder and a warning. It also
deals with a number of issues concerning human beings such as wisdom, religious
practices, doctrines, law and the relationship between Allah and His creation,
human conduct and social life.
