The Holy Quran
The Holy Quran is the word of Allah. It is the book of guidance for mankind.
It is a book which was revealed in stages over a period of 23 years, by Allah to his messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) via the angel Gibraeel (Gabriel).
The Holy Quran is a miracle in itself. The fact that it was relayed to us via an illiterate man (Muhammad (pbuh)) in the deserts of Arabia, some 1430 years ago, revealing things about the past and things unknown, is something to think about closely.
Most of the Quran relays stories about the prophets that came before and their struggle to teach Islam to the people.
The other parts of the Quran give us guidance and rules which we need to abide by.
Many times, the Quran does not go into detail about various rules or commands. These commands are further expanded upon in the ahaadeeth (sayings of the Holy Prophet).
There is no book in existence like the Holy Quran. It’s eloquence and deep meaning convey a truly wonderful experience for the reader.
Although the Quran was revealed in the Arabic language, it has been translated into many different languages for the benefit of mankind.
If you are thinking of Islam with an open heart and mind, you MUST read the Quran.
It is a book which words cannot describe. Only by reading it will you gain an understanding of its magnificence and you will realize that no man could have written this. It is truly the word of God.
Thousands upon thousands have converted to Islam after reading the Quran. It is no ordinary book. You will actually be reading the words of Allah himself.
You will not find any changes in the Quran since the day it was revealed. Man has no say in the words of the Quran. It will remain as it is, in its perfect form, until the day of judgment.
The Quran can never be changed. It is safe guarded by Allah himself (as mentioned in the Quran).
The entire Quran (over 800 pages) is preserved in the hearts of thousands of Muslims across the world.
The message of the Quran is clear. The warnings for disbelief are within it and the rewards for belief and good deeds are also mentioned .
One cannot help but wonder why people disbelieve after reading the words of Allah. It gives clear signs and I personally find it incredulous that some people (with closed minds and hearts) still refuse to believe after reading the truth and realizing that its is indeed the truth.
In the Quran, you will find verses which rebuke the holy Prophet for certain actions. If this was a book from Muhammad (pbuh) himself, these verses would not have been mentioned. However, Muhammad (pbuh) was a messenger and he conveyed every single verse to the world.
When reading the Quran, you will come across some verses which you may not understand as these were referring to certain events which occurred during the life of the prophet. These verses will become clear after you study the life of the prophet.
However, the lessons are still there for us to learn from and obey.
There are also verses which were abrogated by verses which came at a later stage. These verses can be pointed out by a scholar of the Quran.
As Muhammad (pbuh) received the revelation of the Quran, he relayed it to his companions who wrote each and every word down.
Muhammad was not a learned man. He was illiterate. He didn’t know how to read or write. This is why the Holy Quran is a miracle given the context in which it was revealed.
After the death of the prophet, his third successor (Uthman) compiled the entire Quran from all the different materials it was written on so to make it easier for anyone wishing to read the Holy Quran.
There is so much in the Quran that we can talk about but that would take volumes and volumes to cover. Instead, I have focused on this brief overview.
If you wish to read the Quran, I would strongly urge you to pick up a translation of the Holy Quran from an Islamic bookshop and read it when you are not disturbed by family or friends.
It contains a serious message and it requires due attention when reading.
Although a hard copy is best, I have included a downloadable version of the Holy Quran on the sidebar of this site.
Read it when you can devote your attention to it.
Since the Quran is expanded upon by the sayings and traditions of the Holy Prophet, we will talk about the ‘Ahaadeeth’ next.
