I bet the first thing you thought when you read the title of this blog post was ‘what is a Quran?‘. Well, let me tell you a little background knowledge before I start.
The Quran is the Holy book in Islam, which Muslims believe to be divinely revealed. The Quran is the world’s most famous book. It is the best-selling nonfiction book ever written, at least in my opinion.
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Top ten pieces of information about The Quran (The Holy Book of Islam)
1. The word “Quran” means “recitation.”
2. The language of the Quran is Arabic, but not everyone who reads it understands Arabic. This has led to translations of the Quran being made all over the world – like this one .
3. There are 114 chapters (or suras) in the Quran; each chapter consists of multiple verses (or ayats). Each verse can range from 3 words to 1000 words or more. Some examples of verses are: “You are our Protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.” – Al Imran 3, The House of ‘Imran , Verse 150. “On that Day neither wealth will be of any use nor this world’s life, but only he who comes to Allah with a pure heart.” – Sad 38, Sad , Verse 26-27
4. Arabic is written from right to left horizontally . It has no capital letters or spaces between words.
5. Muhammad (pbuh) was an orphan and married a rich widow named Khadija when he was 25 years old. He became known as al-Amin (the trustworthy one). After his marriage, Muhammad received his first revelation from God through the angel Gabriel in 610 AD, the first year of the Islamic calendar.
6. The Quran gives guidelines about family life and moral issues , including women’s rights . For example: “Show forgiveness, speak for justice and avoid the ignorant.” – Al-A’raf, Verse 199. “O you who believe! It is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will…” – An-Nisa’, Verse 19.
7. Muhammad founded Islam in Mecca, but then fled with his followers to Medina because he was afraid that his enemies were going to kill him. In Medina, a treaty was made between the Muslims and their enemies. This treaty is known as Hudaibiya . After living peacefully in Medina for a few years, Muhammad eventually went back to Mecca and conquered it in 630 AD. The people of Mecca decided to accept Islam because they did not want to fight against Muhammad again.
8. In 632 AD, when Muhammad was at a mosque in Medina, he fell ill and died . Before this happened, Muhammad told his followers that he would be replaced by others , so no one should fight over who should be the next leader of Islam after him.
9. There are five pillars in Islam: 1) Shahadah – Confessing that there is only one God (Allah), and that Muhammad is His prophet 2) Salat – Praying 5 times a day 3) Sawm – Fasting during Ramadan 4) Zakat – Giving alms to help the poor 5) Hajj – A pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime.
10. The Quran is used for guidance by Muslims, just as the Torah and the Gospel are used for guidance by Jews and Christians respectively . It tells Muslims what they should believe , how they should act, and its rules on morality. Although, some people believe it also tells Muslims what to do if someone attacks them or their country , which means some terrorist groups might claim that their violence is allowed according to the Quran. Just like any other Holy Book, the Qur’an has both good advice and bad advice .
The Quran (The Holy Book of Islam), was written 1400 years ago, so people born then could not have known everything about modern things like wars, drones, etc.
I hope you enjoyed this, and I hope it made you want to read the Quran! Allahu Akbar (God is Great)
Frequently Asked Questions on The Quran
Who wrote The Quran
The Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (saw) more than 1400 years ago for us to learn and live by.
What language is The Quran written in?
The Quran is written in Arabic, which is the language that the Prophet Muhammad spoke. There are also translations of the Quran into other languages, but it is important to know that these translations might not be completely accurate.
What is the Importance of reading The Quran?
It is important to read the Quran because it has teachings to live by. It also provides knowledge about the lessons Allah wants us to learn. Reading the Quran will also provide knowledge about what type of person one should be in order to reach Allah’s love.
What The Quran says about Jesus Christ
The Quran gives the story of Jesus Christ as one of God’s many prophets, and says that he will return to Earth to bring justice and peace as the king. The Qur’an also talks about Jesus as a child (Mary), rabbi, teacher, healer, and just person.
Difference between The Quran and The Bible
One of the major differences between the Quran and the Bible is that the Quran is believed to be inerrant or has no errors, whereas the Bible contains both truth and error. Another difference is that Muslims believe that the Quran was revealed in its complete form by God in Arabic to Muhammad in response to his prayers.
Muhammad is said to be the first person to understand it. Christians, on the other hand, believe that portions of the Bible were written by God through prophets inspired by God and other portions are merely historical accounts. Moreover, even though some parts of the Quran have been lost over time, its contents are regarded as wholly true because what remains is believed to be inerrant.