القرآن الكريم
Synopsis
The Quran is regarded by Muslims as the literal word of God, revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel in a series of revelations spanning roughly 23 years, from 610 CE until Muhammad's death in 632 CE. Tradition divides its 114 surahs into those revealed in Mecca, largely concerned with monotheism, moral conduct, and the Day of Judgment, and those revealed later in Medina, which address the organization of the early Muslim community and its laws.
The text was preserved during Muhammad's lifetime through both memorization and partial written record, and was compiled into the standardized written form still used today under the third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, around 650 CE — a version generally referred to as the Uthmanic codex. It comprises 6,236 verses across its 114 surahs, and continues to be memorized in full by millions of Muslims (huffaz) and recited in the five daily prayers.
Beyond its religious and legal authority, the Quran holds a central place in classical Arabic literature and is regarded within the Islamic tradition as inimitable in its language — a claim it makes of itself. It has generated an extensive body of exegesis (tafsir) and legal scholarship across the history of Islamic thought.
Genres
Frequently asked questions
Is there a required order for reading the chapters?
The text does not mandate a specific sequence for reading, and readers are not required to follow the arrangement of the chapters as they appear in the compiled volume.
How does the experience of reading differ from other books?
The title itself signifies a recitation, reflecting its origins as an oral message delivered over two decades rather than a text originally composed as a written book.