1C-quran

Cards (12)

  • The Qur'an
    The word of God, the first source of authority in Islam
  • The Qur'an
    • The sacred words of God in classical Arabic, only these words are considered the authentic Qur'an
    • Presenting particular issues for Muslims today who need to understand the meaning of the text in modern Arabic and other languages in different parts of the world
  • Revelation of the Qur'an
    1. Starting on the Night of Power, and continuing over 23 years, the Qur'an was progressively revealed to Muhammad
    2. The first verses formed Sura 96
    3. One Islamic tradition suggests that Muhammad could not read or write, so the verses given to him were a miracle
  • The Qur'an
    • As the word of Allah, nothing can come above this
    • Earlier revelations were thought to have been corrupted; the Qur'an restored monotheism over idol worship and completed the revelations for all time
    • Nothing could come after it
  • Reverence for the Qur'an
    • Muslims wash before touching the Qur'an
    • They place it above other books and never on the floor, keep it clean and perform ablutions (wudu) before touching it
  • Recitation of the Qur'an
    1. The words themselves are recited during every prayer
    2. Some Muslims go on to learn the text in the original Arabic off by heart (hafiz), believing this grants them seven generations of paradise
    3. Special Taraweeh prayers in Ramadan commemorate its revelation
  • Translations of the Qur'an
    Considered interpretations, rather than direct translations, because the literal word of Allah cannot be changed in any way, and all translators add a degree of interpretation in their choice of words to reflect meaning
  • It is important for Muslims to understand the meaning of the Qur'an
  • In Islam, the intention behind any action is all-important; those who do things without meaning were criticised in Muhammad's time
  • The context of revelation is considered important for understanding the meaning and what other verses might be relevant
  • Scholars have written commentaries (tafsir) to help explain the verses for Muslims to follow
  • "For Muslims, the Quran is the Book of God. It is eternal and the literal word of God sent down from heaven, revealed one final time to the prophet Muhammad as a guide for humankind" - Esposito