Qur’an

The Qur’an or Koran is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe it is a revelation from God.

It has 114 chapters (surah) which in turn are made of verses (ayat). The Qur’an contains information about laws, codes for behaviour, and historical stories.

Muslims believe that the Qur’an was spoken by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Jibril, over a period of 23 years. They regard the Qur’an as Muhammad’s most important miracle and a proof of his prophethood. They see it as the last of a series of messages from Allah, the first of which were given to the first Islamic prophet Adam.

The Qur’an is believed by Muslims to be not simply divinely inspired, but the literal words of Allah. It offers guidance in every aspect of life. It is written in an early form of Classical Arabic.

Besides its religious significance, it is seen as the finest work in Arabic literature. It has also greatly influenced the Arabic language. Translations of the Qur’an into other languages are not treated as the Qur’an itself. Instead, they are seen as interpretations of the book’s message.