The Quran: The eternal Miracle & The Last Well- Preserved Revelation

 

Quran is Allah’s speech revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Arabic with definite purposes and transmitted to us through

continuous testimony (Tawatur), which  is collectively written in chapters

consisting of 114 Surahs beginning with Surah al-Faatiha and ending with Surah al-Nas,

and whose recitation is accepted as worship?

“

وَأَنزَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ وَمُهَيۡمِنًا عَلَيۡهِ‌ۖ فَٱحۡڪُم بَيۡنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ أَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۚ لِكُلٍّ۬ جَعَلۡنَا

مِنكُمۡ شِرۡعَةً۬ وَمِنۡهَاجً۬ا‌ۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَڪُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَٲحِدَةً۬ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ فِى مَآ ءَاتَٮٰكُمۡ‌ۖ فَٱسۡتَبِقُواْ

ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِ‌ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرۡجِعُڪُمۡ جَمِيعً۬ا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ فِيهِ تَخۡتَلِفُونَ (٤٨) سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة

-The Translation of the verse:

And unto thee have We revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming

whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed, and follow not

their desires away from the truth which hath come unto thee. For each, We

have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way.

Had Allah willed He could have made you one community.

But that He may try you by that which He

hath given you (He hath made you as ye are). So vie one with another

in good works. Unto Allah, ye will all return,

and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ.

(48)Repast Chapter

”

The Quran in this verse is described as muhaymen which means that the Quran upholds, safeguards, or

preserves, watches over, and stands witness to the

teachings of previous prophets. It watches over the revelations that God sent before by explaining their

true meanings to negate any confusion, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation that has arisen throughout

history. It stands witness because it bears witness to the word of God contained in those previous

scriptures and helps sort it out from interpretations and commentaries that were later added to them.

All of these definitions apply to the Quran in its relationship to previous scriptures. 

Syed Abul A’la Maududi’s Commentary in his book Tafheem-ul-Quran

Some Names of the Holy Quran. 

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There are many names in the Holy Quran. Muslim scholars found in the Quran over 90 names

and descriptions of it. The most commonly mentioned names are:

Quran (recited), 

Al-Kitaab (the Book)

Al-Furqan (something that differentiates between right and wrong)

Al-Huda (guidance to the path of truth)

Adh-Dhikr (a reminder, worship)

Al-Rooh  (The Spirit of Allah’s Command)

Let's contemplate this name, Adh-Dhikr (a reminder, worship).

 The Quran is an authentic religious text. 

It is the last well-preserved revelation, the actual revealed words of God, and the only Arabic version

that translations of its meanings only assist non-Arabic speakers to understand it. It has been preserved unchanged in its original Arabic text since the time of revelation, as God had

promised within it.

 ﴿إِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ ۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ﴾   (15:9)

Two translations of the verse:

 Lo! We, even We, reveal the Reminder, and lo! We verily are its Guardian. (15:9)

We, Ourselves, have sent down the Dhikr (the Qur’an), and We are there to protect it. (15:9)

History witnessed the fulfillment of that promise, for the Book of God remains to date exactly as it

was revealed to the Prophet Mohammad and recited by him. Immediately memorized and recorded by

large numbers of his companions, it was passed on in exactly the same form by thousands of Muslims

generation after generation up till the present day. The Qur’an of today is literally the same scripture

as was revealed to Prophet Mohammad. It has been memorized and recited precisely and accurately,

word for word, letter for a letter by Muslims all over the world. This in itself is a miracle. 

The word We

The Themes of The Holy Quran

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The Holy Quran is a continuing miracle containing pieces of evidence to be uncovered gradually as

humans

increase in knowledge of their universe. It does not only contain God’s final message to humanity

and legislation encompassing all spheres of human life, it also contains other important aspects such as: 

God's existence and His uniqueness and absolute perfection, 

answers to the questions related to the purpose of creation and the life hereafter, 

the creation of the universe and its components and phenomena—the earth, sun, moon, stars,

mountains,

wind, rivers, seas, plants, animals, and successive stages of human development.

It outlines the practical methods of earning the approval of God and obtaining peace, happiness,

and contentment in the permanent existence to come.

The Quran & Oral Tradition (Sunnah)

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The Quran was given to the Prophet Mohammad in pieces over a period spanning approximately

23 years (610 CE to 632 CE). The Prophet was 40- year- old when the Qur'an began to be revealed to

him, and he was 63 when the revelation was completed.  The Qur'an has not been expressed using any

human words. Its wording is a letter for letter fixed by no one but Allah. The Qur'an consists of 114

chapters, or Surahs. It begins with the first Surah,  Al-Fatiha (The Opening), and ends with the last

Surah,  An-Nas (The Mankind). Surahs are divided into verses or ayat. These Surahs are grouped into

30 sections (juz). Each section is divided into 4 factions (Hezib). 

The primary sources of Islamic law are:

The Holy Book (The Quran), The Sunnah (the traditions or known practices of the

Prophet Muhammad ), Ijma' (Consensus), and Qiyas (Analogy). The second source is

the oral traditions or known practices of the prophet Muhammad (The Sunnah). What makes

the Qur'an different from the Sunnah is primarily its form. Unlike the Sunnah, the Qur'an is literally

the Word of Allah, whereas the Sunnah was inspired by Allah but the wording and actions are the

Prophet's oral traditions or known practices. These traditions are found in six canonical books.

Ḥadīth, the general term for these traditions contains news or narratives, sayings or actions

of the prophet Muḥammad or his early companions handed down by a chain of competent relators.

These traditions contain legal, ritual, religious, or moral matters. 

For good translation of the meanings of the Quran, you can browse:

Quran Explore

or

KSU-Quran.