What is the Qur'an?

“Alif Lam Mim. This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God.” Qur'an 2/1-2)

The Qur'an is the sacred book of Islam and is regarded by all Muslims as the spoken word of God Almighty (Allah) that was revealed by Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ . Unchanged since its revelation in the 7th century CE the Qur'an is unquestionably one of the worlds most important and influential texts providing a source of guidance and inspiration to over a billion Muslims around the world today. For more than 1,400 years, the Qur'an has functioned as a principal catalyst in the transformation of capricious societies towards stability and progression. The Qur'an is a distinctive book that remains exclusive in its explanation of the meaning of creation and the purpose of life.

In the Islamic faith, the Qur'an commands the most authoritative rank and status providing the primary source of Islamic creed and doctrine. The name 'al Qur'an', is not a name that was introduced by Muslims, rather it is the very name that Allah chose to refer to this Book. The word 'Al Qur'an' is a verbal noun in the Arabic language that literally translates to mean 'the reading'. Historically, however, the Qur'an has always specifically been used to refer to the Book that was revealed by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for all of humankind.

The Qur'an has traditionally been recited aloud but its preservation and transmission over the centuries have been both orally through memorisation and by writing. From the very beginning of its divine revelation, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was caused to memorise it as it was being revealed over a period of 23 years. Initially, the verses were committed to memory and transmitted from believer to believer. Later on, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would have one of his many scribes write down the revelation and give instructions as to where the verse should be placed. The result was that by the time the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away the Qur'an had been completely memorised by numerous companions in the order that it exists today and moreover it had also been written down on various materials such as scapula bone, vellum and fragments of parchment.

All of these factors were vital to the collection of a master Qur'an volume that would occur later. The Arab people during the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ were largely nomadic with only a few tribes living in cities. Family feuds and tribal wars that could last generations were the norms. Women were considered no better than domestic animals, slavery was commonplace and the poor and helpless in society were treated harshly. Some desert Arab tribes also engaged in the horrible ritual of burying alive their unwanted female children. The religion of the Arabs was a curious mixture of polytheism and a belief in Allah. The Kabah had been built generations earlier by the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them) and was now home to some 360 idols. The great tribe of Quraish inhabited Makkah and maintained a position of honour amongst all Arabs because of its responsibility for the Kaabah.

There were also certain virtuous qualities in the Arab character such as courage, hospitality, and a sense of personal and tribal honour that would be enviable even today. The spoken word as a means of communication was given precedence over the written in which poetry was considered a highly valued art form. Tribes would compete against each other to see who could produce the most skilled and eloquent poets. During the annual fair of Ukaadh in Makkah, poets from many parts of Arabia would compete for the honour of having their poem posted on the door of the Kabah for the whole year. It was against this background that Allah revealed the Qur'an in an Arabic language that was so emotive and eloquent that the Arabs could clearly see that this was inimitable; and a miracle from their Lord. Allah also challenged people at the time to bring forth something similar to the Qur'an. "And if you are in doubt as to what We have sent down to Our servant, then produce a chapter similar to it, if you are truthful. But if you do not do it, and of a surety, you cannot do it - then fear the fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers."

Muslims regard the (Qur'an as a unique BOOK beyond one limits of human capability, with a supreme author and an eternal and universal message. Its contents are not confined to a particular theme or style but contain the foundations for an entire system of life. The subject matter ranges from very specific articles of faith and commandments to more general moral teachings. It also prescribes certain rights and obligations and rules on crime and punishment, private and public law.

The Qur'an is rich both in its diverse subject matter and literary style. A message may be in the form of a direct stipulation, a reminder of Allah's favours on Flis creation, an admonition or a rebuke. Stories of past communities are narrated, followed by the lessons to be learnt from their actions and subsequent fates. The Qur'an contains a complete code which provides guidance in all areas of life, whether spiritual, intellectual, political, social or economic. It is a code which is not limited to time, place or nation. There are four possibilities regarding the authorship of the Qur'an; non-Arabs; pagan Arabs; the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); the Almighty Creator, Allah.

Did non-Arabs write the Qur'an?

The Arabic language was at its peak in expression, vocabulary, aesthetic and poetic value during the 7th century when the Qur'an was written. Anyone who is able to speak the classical Arabic of the Qur'an would argue that a non-Arab could not possibly have written such an extensive and brilliant piece of Arabic literature.

Did the pagan Arabs write the Qur'an?

What the Qur'an teaches goes directly against the pagan Arab culture, religion and gods, that existed during the 6th and 7th centuries. The Qur'an condemns idol worship, whilst the pagan Arabs loved their idol gods. The Qur'an raised the status of women whilst the pagan Arabs treated women as animals. And whereas the Qur'an condemns and prohibits taking interest on money, the Arabs freely charged interest freely.

Did the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ write the Qur'an?

Many Western historians today still hold the view that only Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) could have been the author of the Qur'an. In refutation of this assertion, firstly Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had no personal reason to write the Qur'an, causing the entire Makkan society to become his enemy. Why would he write something that vehemently opposed all of the norms of society and thereby lose his family, relatives and friends? He had to endure years of persecution, hostility and even attempts on his life in Makkah and face many invasions in Madinah in order to deliver the universal message of Islam.

It is also widely acknowledged that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ could not read nor write. He had received no formal education and he never went to school. In fact, he had no teacher of any kind in any subject. Yet the Qur'an contains information on a huge range of subjects. Moreover, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not regarded as a poet, he could not possibly have produced a piece of literature so perfect which, exceeded the best styles of Arabic poetry of all time. Furthermore, the personal sayings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are meticulously recorded in books of hadith. If we examine the Arabic style of the hadith and compare it to the style of the Qur'an, we can see that they are clearly distinguishable.

The Qur'an was also revealed over a period of 23 years. It would have been impossible for anyone to retain the exact same style of Arabic in the Qur'an over such a long period of time, regardless of ever-changing personal circumstances. Human authors tend to gradually change their writing style and also their views and thoughts. Yet the style and message of the Qur'an remain consistent from beginning to end.

The Qur'an honours Mary, the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them). In fact, there is a whole chapter of the Qur'an named after her. However, the Qur'an does not contain a single chapter named after the wives, mother or daughters of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as might be expected by people if he had been the author of the Qur'an. Furthermore, there is even a verse rebuking Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for ignoring a blind person, whilst he was in the midst of important discussions with tribal leaders. All of these facts show that it is nonsensical to suggest that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the author of the Qur'an.

The Direct Word of Allah

A human writer is usually very knowledgeable about a specific subject, or a few related subjects. However, even a casual reader will realise that the Qur'an discusses a vast array of diverse subjects with equal command of the language and depth of knowledge. No human being in history has written such a comprehensive book with such absolute perfection. The only proposition remaining is that the Qur'an was divinely revealed by the Creator.