Quran

The Quran occupies a foundational position within Islam as its central revealed text. Regarded by Muslims as the direct and unaltered speech of God, it is recited, studied, and revered across the Islamic world. The scripture plays a pivotal role in shaping Islamic belief, law, spirituality, and culture, and it continues to inspire a vast field of scholarship extending from classical exegesis to modern Quranic studies.
The text is composed in Classical Arabic and consists of 114 chapters, each made up of individual verses. Beyond its religious significance, the Quran is esteemed as one of the finest works of Arabic literature. Its language and style have influenced the evolution of Arabic writing, rhetoric, and poetics for over fourteen centuries.

Pronunciation, Romanisation, and Terminology

The pronunciation of Qurʾān in Modern Standard Arabic varies regionally. Differences occur in the quality of the vowels, with variations in both the first and second vowel sounds across the Arabic-speaking world. These phonological details are preserved in tashkīl, the system of diacritical marks used to indicate short vowels and other phonetic features in Classical Arabic.
In European languages, the scripture has been rendered in several transliterations. Historically, the form Koran dominated English usage from the eighteenth century until the late twentieth century, after which Qur’an or Quran became the preferred spellings. Other historical forms include Coran, al-Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’an. Adjectival forms such as Qur’anic and Koranic also appear, sometimes in lower case.

Religious Significance and Structure

Muslims believe that the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel over a period of approximately twenty-three years. This process began with the first revelation during the Night of Power in 610 CE, when Muhammad was around forty years old, and concluded in 632, the year of his death. The Quran is viewed as the final and most complete message in a long sequence of divine revelations that includes the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel.
The scripture is understood to provide a comprehensive guide for human conduct, covering matters of faith, morality, law, and personal behaviour. It is also considered the Prophet Muhammad’s greatest miracle and the chief proof of his prophethood. Within Islamic theology, debates have historically centred on whether the Quran is eternal and uncreated or created at a particular moment in time, a dispute that shaped intellectual developments across several theological schools.

Compilation and Codification

Although the revelations were recited orally during Muhammad’s lifetime, they were also recorded by his Companions on materials such as bone fragments, parchment, and palm fronds. After Muhammad’s death, concerns arose regarding the preservation of the text, especially following the loss of many memorizers in early battles. At the instruction of the first caliph, Abu Bakr, a compilation effort began among those who had memorised or written parts of the scripture.
During the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan, a standard written version was prepared to ensure textual uniformity across the expanding Muslim world. This canonical edition, known as the Uthmanic codex, forms the basis of all widely used Qur’anic manuscripts today. Alongside this established version, recognised qirāʾāt, or canonical readings, preserve slight differences in pronunciation, diacritics, and inflection that do not compromise the overall meaning.

The Quran in Worship and Recitation

Recitation has always been integral to the Quran’s role in Muslim life. It is recited exclusively in Arabic during ritual prayer, and proficiency in correct recitation is supported by a detailed system of rules known as tajwīd, which governs rhythm, intonation, and articulation. Individuals who memorise the entire scripture earn the title ḥāfiẓ and hold an esteemed position within many Muslim communities.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims typically aim to complete a full recitation of the Quran, often during the nightly tarāwīḥ prayers. The act of reciting the scripture is considered a devotional practice, and numerous traditions emphasise the spiritual merit of its recitation and memorisation.

Exegesis and Interpretation

Understanding the Quran relies on tafsīr, the scholarly discipline of exegesis. This field combines linguistic analysis, contextual study, and reference to prophetic traditions to explain the meanings of verses. Because the Quran is regarded as the literal word of God, translations are considered interpretations of its meaning rather than equivalents of the original text. As such, translations serve as aids for non-Arabic speakers, but liturgical usage remains tied to the Arabic text.
The Quran frequently addresses or alludes to narratives found in earlier scriptures. It summarises some accounts, expands on others, and sometimes offers alternative interpretations. Its aim is often to emphasise moral or theological lessons rather than to provide detailed chronological narratives. The scripture describes itself using a variety of terms, including al-kitāb (the Book), al-dhikr (the remembrance), al-furqān (the discernment), and al-ḥikmah (the wisdom). Each term conveys a particular aspect of the text’s function as guidance, revelation, or instruction.

Etymology and Semantic Range

The word Qurʾān appears repeatedly within the text itself and carries several related meanings. As a verbal noun of the Arabic verb qaraʾa (“to read” or “to recite”), it denotes both the act of recitation and the content recited. Related Syriac terms meaning “scripture reading” have prompted scholarly discussion, though traditional Muslim scholarship generally ascribes the origin directly to Arabic usage.
In early Islamic passages, the term refers not only to the complete scripture but also to specific segments or individual revelations. The Quran also uses synonyms such as āyah (sign), kitāb (book), and suhuf (scripture), all of which relate to units or forms of divine communication.

Historical Context of Revelation

Accounts in early Islamic sources describe the Prophet Muhammad’s first encounter with revelation as a profound and intense experience. His earliest revelations occurred during solitary retreats, and contemporary reports describe physical manifestations that accompanied these moments. Such depictions were taken by his followers as evidence of the divine origin of the messages, although critics in pre-Islamic Arabia interpreted them differently.
The Quran refers to the Prophet as al-ummī, a term traditionally interpreted to mean “unlettered”. Classical commentators, including al-Ṭabarī, proposed interpretations ranging from literal illiteracy to unfamiliarity with earlier revealed scriptures. Regardless of its precise meaning, the term underscores the belief that the Quran’s eloquence and coherence could not have been produced through human literary skill alone.
As the Muslim community grew, the Quran served not only as a spiritual message but also as a source of legal and ethical instruction. Muhammad encouraged his Companions to memorise and teach the revelations, contributing to the emergence of a group of early reciters who preserved the text through both oral and written traditions.