WHATISTHEQURAAN?

By:MohammedZafarAhmed InthenameofAllah,theBeneficent,theMerciful Recently when I have been chatting on a social networking site, the person on other side, who was a stranger to me, asked me a question, What is Your Religion?Ireplied,TheIslamismyreligionandIamProudtobeaMuslim. ThenextquestionfromtheothersidewasIhavesomedoubtsrelatedtoyour religion,canyouclarifymydoubts?IrepliedItsthedutyofeveryMuslimto clarify the doubts of our Non Muslim friends. The person asked What is Quran?Whowrotethisbook?Whatisthesubjectmatterofthisbook?WhileI wasclarifyingthedoubts,thepersonaskedmemanyotherquestionsrelatedto Quran.Allthesequestionswerecommontome,manyNonMuslimfriendskeep asking me these questions. I feel there is a misconception among non Muslim Brothers and sisters about the Islam and the holy Quran. Generally the articles relatedtothesubjectarepublishedinUrduDailysbutnotallmynonMuslim friendscanunderstandthelanguage.Itismydistinguishedpleasuretoofferthe followinginformationabouttheheartandsoulofIslamTheHolyQuran WhatisQuraan? The Quraan (Quran / Koran) is the word of the Lord of the Worlds, which the Almightyrevealedto HisMessengerMuhammad(peaceandblessingsofAllah beuponhim),tobringmankindforthfromdarknessintolight,itisthechartof life for the mankind, and it is the constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. The Holy Quran is a law of guidance, it is a message of significant importance which has to be obeyed and followed by the entire mankind. Allah hastoldusintheQuraanthestoriesoftheearlierandlatergenerationsandthe creationoftheheavensandtheearth.TheAlmightyhasexplainedindetailwhat ishalaalandwhatisharaam,thebasicsofgoodmannersandmorals,therulings ofworshipanddealingswithothers,thelivesoftheProphetsandtherighteous, andtherewardandpunishmentofthebelieversanddisbelievers.TheAlmighty hasdescribedParadise,theabodeofthebelievers,anddescribedHell,theabode of the disbelievers. The Almighty made it (the Quraan) an explanation of all things.

DidntMuhammadmakeupandwritetheQuranhimself? No.Muhammad,peacebeuponhim,didnotwritetheQuran.Hewasnotable todoso,becausehewasilliterate.Hecouldneitherreadnorwriteandthereare manywhoattestedtothisfact. So,ifMuhammaddidnotwritetheQuran,thenWHODID? No person wrote the Quran. It would be illogical that anyone did WRITE Quran, because the word Quranactually means the Recitation (spoken words). How do you write sounds recited words? You actually only write what you hear.People can only wrote down what they have heard from the Quran (Recital)thatMuhammad,peacebeuponhim,recited. According to the Quransteachings, it came directly to Muhammad, peace be uponhim,fromtheangelGabriel(Ar.Jibril),whoreceiveditfromAlmightyGod (Allah)andthenherecitedittoMuhammad,peacebeuponhim,piecebypiece, sentence by sentence, revealing small and large portions of it over a period of 22years. The actual assembly and order of verses was never changed by Muhammad, peacebeuponhim.ItwasJibril,theAngel ofAllah,whoinstructedastowhat shouldgowhereeverytimemoreoftheQuranwasrevealed. IfMuhammaddidntknowtoread/write,thenhisfriendsneededtowrite Quran(liketheBible)right?Didtheyinterpretormodifyoraddordeleteany versesofQuran? NO!Again,theydidnotneedtowriteanythingdown,althoughtheydidwrite down what they had heard. They all memorized the Quran for themselves and passed it down the same way they got it. The mouth to ear method of memorizingisstillusedthesamewaytodayformodernMuslims. Iwouldliketostartwithclarificationofafewitems: 1standforemost,asmentionedabove,theprophet,peacebeuponhim,didnot read or write. Therefore, it was be impossible for him to write the Quran. The wordactuallyhasthemeaningofrecitationorrecitingsomething.Therefore, itdoesntmakesensetosay,Whowroteit.Itshouldbe,Whorecitedit?

The Recitation of Quran was first heard by Muhammad, peace be upon him, from Allahs Angel, Jibril (Gabriel). Then Muhammad, peace be upon him, memorizeditandinturn,recitedittohiscompanionsandtheymemorizedand recitedittothenextgenerationandthatgenerationmemorizedandreciteditto thenextandsoon,untilthisveryday. 2nd Whenever the Prophet received a revelation, he would first memorize it himself and later declare the revelation and instruct his Companions (R.A. Radhi Allahu Taala Anhu) May Allah be pleased with them who would also memorizeit.TheProphetwouldimmediatelyaskthescribestowritedownthe revelation he had received, the companions wrote out their reciting on animal skins, bones of animals and large stones and even on wide palm leaves. These were written down by companions who had memorized the Quranfrom the recitation they had heard, recited to them and the Allahs apostle would reconfirmandrecheckithimself.ProphetMuhammad(peacebeuponhim)was an Ummi who could not read and write. Therefore, after receiving each revelation, he would repeat it to his Companions. They would write down the revelation,andhewouldrecheckbyaskingthemtoreadwhattheyhadwritten. Iftherewasanymistake,theProphetwouldimmediatelypointitoutandhaveit corrected and rechecked.Similarly he would even recheck and authenticate the portionsoftheQuranmemorizedbytheCompanions.Inthisway,thecomplete Quranwaswrittendownunderthepersonalsupervisionoftheprophet(pbuh). 3rdTheprophetMuhammad,peacebeuponhim,didaskaboutadozenorso ofthosewhomemorizedQuranfromhim,torecordit.Andasmentionedearlier, they did as instructed, writing on various mediums, including animal skins (leather),largerocks,barkandpalmleaves.

The complete Quran was revealed over a period of 22 years portion by

portion, as and when it was required. The Quran was not compiled by the Prophetinthechronologicalorderofrevelation.Theorderandsequenceofthe Quran too was divinely inspired and was instructed to the Prophet by Allahs Angel,Jibril(Gabriel).Wheneverarevelationwasconveyedtohiscompanions, the Prophet would also mention in which surah (chapter) and after which ayat (verse) this new revelation should fit. He then rehearsed it with themoverand overevenupuntilthetimeofhimpassingaway. ItisthereforeclearlyevidentthattheQuranwascompiledandauthenticatedby theProphethimselfduringhislifetime,bothinthewrittenformaswellasinthe memoryofseveralofhisCompanions.

4thThreeoftheoriginalQuranauthenticatedbytheProphetarepresenttothis day,oneatthemuseuminTashkentinerstwhileSovietUnionandtheotherat theTopkapiMuseuminIstanbul,Turkeyandthelastoneinamuseumin England. 5thIamhappytotellyou,theQuranwasrecordedintheheartsandmindsof more than 10,000 men and women while the prophet, was still alive. He rehearseditoverandoverwithhiscompanionsdayafterdayandinitsentirety from cover to cover, out loud, every Ramadhan (lunar month of Muslim calendar) all the portions of the Quran that had been revealed, including the orderoftheverses,wererevisedandreconfirmedbytheProphetwitharchangel Jibraeel. During the last Ramadhaan, before the demise of the Prophet, the Quranwasrecheckedandreconfirmedtwice 6thOnedonotneedtoworryabouthonestyandintegrityinnarrationofthose people who preserved the Quran in their hearts. Every one of them was very well known. The honesty and integrity of each and every single one of these people (called companions of the prophet) has been attested to by many authentic narrations and writings. All of them were known for their excellent memorizationandtheyrecitedandpassedontheQuranexactlythesameaseach other. These companions and their next generation memorized it the same as people do today. It was always from mouth to ear and in the exact manner of recitation.Thisisinitself,anamazingthing.Nootherbookonearthhaseverhad suchdistinctioninthisarea. 7th There is no other book on earth like the Quran. Its style and prose in the Arabic language is unmatched for 14 centuries. The prophecies, predictions, scientificevidences,easeofmemorizationandabilitytocomprehendarebeyond compare. And We have sent down to you the Book (the Quraan) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who havesubmittedthemselves(toAllahasMuslims)(SurahAnNahl:Verse89) 8thYoucansafelyputyourmindtorestonthissubjectofpreservationofthe Holy Quran, because of its presence with us even today, throughout the entire world. Today every single living Muslim (over 2 billion) has memorized some portionof theQuranintheoriginalArabiclanguagethatitcamein,justasthe peoplememorizeditover1,400yearsago.Andamazinglyenough,overtensof millionmen,womenandchildrenhavetheentireQuranintheirheartsandcan reciteitforyoufromcovertocover.

9thAllahHimself,haspromisedtopreservetheQuranuntiltheLastDays.And He has. Consider this statement It is the only book on earth that if you destroyedeverybookonearthwewouldbeabletobringitback,exactlyasit was,everysingleletterfromcovertocover(bythepermissionofAllah) Verily,We,itisWeWhohavesentdowntheQuraanandsurely,Wewillguard it(fromcorruption)[SurahAlHijr:Verse9] So,thesearefactsabouttheQuranandhowitwasandis,preservedjustasAllah hassaid,intheQuranThatHewillpreserveitandmakeiteasytomemorize. 10th You can prove it for yourself, if you doubt. The Quran of today can be easilycheckedbyMuslimsanywhereontheearth.Andtherecanbenodoubtin themindofanyMuslimwhetherornotwhatisbeingrecitedhereinIndiaisthe sameaswhatisbeingrecitedinArabiaorAfricaorintheUSAforthatmatter. WhywastheQuranrevealed? SurahLuqman:Verse3answersthisquestionbysayingthattheQuranis: Aguidanceandamercyuntotherighteousones. ThisverseclearlytellsusthattheQuranismeanttobeguidancefortheentire humanrace,butitisamercyonlytotherighteousones.Whoarethe righteousones?ThisisansweredinSurahBaqrah:verses3and4: Thosewhoguardagainstevil,believeintheunseen,aresteadfastintheir prayers,spendoutofwhatwehaveprovidedforthemandwhobelieveinthat whichwasrevealeduntotheeandthatwhichwasrevealedbeforethee,andare certainofthehereafter. WhatdoestheQuraancontains? TheQuraancontainseverythingamanneedtoknow.TheHolyQuranisalaw ofguidance,itisamessageofsignificantimportancewhichhastobeobeyedand followed by the entire mankind. The religion of Islam is superior that it guaranteeshappinessinamanslifehereafter,ifhe/sheabidesbytheuniversal lawsetintheHolyQuran.ForMuslims,Islamisabeliefsystemwithmoraland practicallawsthatareinculcatedintheQuranforallhumanbeings.

IndeedthisQuranguidestothepathwhichisclearerandstraighterthan anyother.(SurahBaniIsrael) Mostsurelythisversestrengthensthefactthatmankindisinalossifhe/shedoes notheedtheadvisegiventousintheHolyQuran. .......Wehaverevealedtoyouthebookwhichclarifieseverymatter.....(16:89) TheUniversalMessagetoeveryHumanbeing. TheQuranisnotonlytalkingtotheMuslimsortoaparticularsectofMuslim. TheQuranisalsotalkingtoNonIslamicsocietiesaswellastheMuslimnation asawhole.TheQurancallseachgrouptoIslambyprovidingproofsandnever stipulates that they be of Arab stock. The universal message is clear in its complexityforitdevelopstheideathatIslamandQuranisthemessageforall human beings. The Quran uses the word people to address the universal message of Islam. There are 513 times that the Quran uses the word people in various verses. The terminology that the Quran uses clearly indicates that the QuranisnotforMuslimsbuttothewholemankind. Nowhereisyourchancetoverifytheseclaims,astheQuranmakestheseclaims withinitselfaboutitsownauthenticity: *ThisistheBook(Quran)whereinthereisnodoubt *HavenottheunbelieversconsideredthatifitwerefromotherthanAllah,itwould containmanycontradictions? *AllahshallshowthemtheSignswithinthemselvesandonthefarthesthorizons. *Ifyouareindoubtaboutit,bringabooklikeit. To date, none have been able to produce anything even close to the Quran in beauty,style,meaningandprophecies.Thescientificproofsandevidencesmake theQuranthemosttalkedaboutbookintheintellectualworldtoday. MohammedZafarAhmed Zaheerabad sowanzafar@gmail.com. Mob:9948462163