The Final
Revealed Text from God
The Holy Quraan is the
eternal word of God. Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wasallam
received these divine revelations (The Holy Quraan) over a period of 23 years in
the seventh century of the Common Era (C.E.). Each revelation was written down
by the Prophet's scribes according to the Prophet's instructions. The current
order and organization into the 114 chapters (Surahs)
of the entire revelations were therefore given to us by the Prophet Sallallahu
alaihi wasallam himself. Additionally, the Prophet
and many companions (Sahabah) had committed the
entire Quraan to memory. The practice of memorizing the whole Quraan continued
throughout the centuries. There are thousands of such Muslims, known as Huffaz, usually one for each Mosque in Muslim countries.
In order to gain a proper understanding of
many verses in the Holy Quraan, it is important to understand and know the
historic context of the revelations. So many revelations in the Holy Quraan
came down to provide guidance to Prophet Muhammad and the fellow Muslims based
on what they were confronting at that time.
الٓمٓ (١)
ذَٲلِكَ
ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ
لَا رَيۡبَۛ
فِيهِۛ
هُدً۬ى
لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ
(٢)
ٱلَّذِينَ
يُؤۡمِنُونَ
بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ
وَيُقِيمُونَ
ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
وَمِمَّا
رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ
يُنفِقُونَ (٣)
وَٱلَّذِينَ
يُؤۡمِنُونَ
بِمَآ
أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ
وَمَآ
أُنزِلَ مِن
قَبۡلِكَ وَبِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ
هُمۡ
يُوقِنُونَ (٤)
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ
عَلَىٰ
هُدً۬ى مِّن
رَّبِّهِمۡۖ
وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ
هُمُ
ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ
(٥)
إِنَّ
ٱلَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ
سَوَآءٌ
عَلَيۡهِمۡ
ءَأَنذَرۡتَهُمۡ
أَمۡ لَمۡ
تُنذِرۡهُمۡ
لَا
يُؤۡمِنُونَ (٦)(البقرة)
"Alif, Lam, Meem. This
is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off
(evil). Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We
have bestowed upon them; And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee
(Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the
Hereafter. These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the
successful. As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn
them not it is all one for them; they believe not. Allah hath sealed
their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs
will be an awful doom." (Surah Al-Baqarah, Chapter 2)
Calling the Quraan amazing is not
something done only by Muslims, who have an appreciation for the book and who
are pleased with it; it has been labeled amazing by non-Muslims as well. In
fact, even people who hate Islam very much have still called it amazing. One
thing which surprises non-muslims who are examining the book very closely is
that the Qur'aan does not appear to them to be what they expected.
The
original text of the Quraan, in Arabic, is widely available throughout the
world. The Holy Quraan is the only revealed text still extant today in its
original language and form.