AL – FURQAN
Al-Qur’an literally means “the recitation”. It is the final revelation, the exact words of the will of Almighty God to all of mankind, which was conveyed through the Angel Gabriel, in Arabic, to the Prophet Muhammad in its sounds, words and meanings. The Qur’an, sometimes spelled Koran, Coran, or Quran, was relayed to the Prophet’s companions and memorized verbatim, being publicly and continually recited by them and their successors until the present day.
In short, the Qur’an is the book of guidance from God par excellence. The Qur’an is still memorized and taught by millions of people. The language of the Qur’an, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of people, so unlike the scriptures of other religions, the Qur’an is still read in its original language by countless millions of people. The Quran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is known to be inimitable in its style, form, and spiritual impact. Almighty God’s final revelation to mankind, the Qur’an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Quran, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e., it wasn’t something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Quran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Quran was also completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Quran word-for-word as it was revealed. So, unlike other scriptures, the Quran was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be Almighty God’s word and due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved.
In regard to the teachings of the Quran – it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or “chosen people”. The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all the prophets – submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God’s revelation in the Quran focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Quran contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and “political correctness”, the Qur’anic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today.