Essential Information about Quran.

When it is said “Revealed to Mohammed sallallahu alaihi wasallam”- it means these aren’t papers that revealed to prophets Isa, Musa or the others.

Written in Mushafs-  While Quran was revealed, it was put into paper by the presence of Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam.

Reached to us by the way of “tewatur”- The word “Tewatur” in the dictionary means “consistency and continuity”.  As a term means it is impossible to make consensus over a lie and that means too many people share the same opinion. Thus, it is impossible so many people to tell a lie.

“Being prayer with the recitation "- the term appears to be inherent in Quran. For instance, to read Kelam of Allah which is taught by Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam as Qudsi hadith but not mentioned in Koran as ayah (verses) is not considered invoke.

Quran consists of surahs, surahs consist of ayahs and ayahs in its turn consists of letters.

Surahs are separated sections of Quran. There are 114 surahs in Quran. The first revealed surah is surah “Al-Alaq” within 5 ayahs.

ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾ خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾ ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٣﴾ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾ عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿٥﴾

1. Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created-

2. Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood:

3. Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,-

4. He Who taught (the use of) the pen,-

5. Taught man that which he didn’t know.

 The longest surah in Quran is Al-Baqarah. It consists of 286 ayah. The smallest surah is Al-Kovsar which contains 3 ayahs.

 

Surahs are divided into 2 parts: “Makki” (revealed in Makkah) and “ Madani” (revealed in Madeenah). Makki surahs are the ones that were revealed within 13 years in Makkah-the place where noble dawah started. Madani surahs are the ones that revealed in Madeenah after Prophet’s Hijrah (migration to Madeenah) and are about 28 surahs.

"آية" The word Ayah means evidence in Arabic language. As a terms Ayah is words and sentences that are embraced in Quran. Total surahs are 6236. The longest ayah in Quran is ayah 282 of Al-Baqarah. This is also known as ayah of debts. The smallest ayahs consist of only letters called Muqattah of which meanings are still mystery.

Revelation of Quran

If we look through Quran, we can observe that Quran was revealed to Prophet-Sallallahu alaihi wasallam in the month of Ramadan, on the night of Qadr.

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

“Indeed We have revealed (Quran) in the Night of Glory” (Surah Qadr).

In Another ayah Allah Subhanahu wa Taala says:

فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ

“Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn (mankind). On that night is made every precise matter”. (Surah Dukhan 3-4) 

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ

Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). (Quran, Al-Baqara,185)

Names of Quran:

The Holy Quran is known with several names. Mostly spread and used name is “Quran”.

“Al-Kitab (The Book)- is mentioned 230 times in Quran. It is also used for other divine (monotheistic) books.

Ummul-Kitab- This name which means “The Mother Book” is also used for Lovhul-Mahfuz and surah Al-Fatiha. 

Furqan- Means Separating Wrong and Right. The name “Furqan” is used in 6 ayahs.

Zikr – Means to do zikr and remembrance.

      Besides these,  Quran has the names as Tanzil, Haqq, Ruh, Burhan, Aziz, Shipha, Hikmat, Muhaymin, Hablullah, Phasl, Bayan and etc.

The recitation of Quran.

    Tajweed refers to the rules governing pronunciation during recitation of the Qur'an. The term is derived from the trilateral root j-w-d meaning "to make well, make better, improve”.

     Learning tajweed means learning how to pronounce the letters in the words correctly, which covers matters like when a consonant is silent or not and how long a vowel is kept. It is only meant for reciting the Quran however, and does not apply to enunciating (classical) Arabic. Applying tajweed when reciting Quran is considered to be fard ain; a must for all those who recite Quran. See the following ayah.

وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا

"Or add to it, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation." (Muzzamil 73:4)

       In the interpretation of this ayah, Islamic scientists interpreted the word “recite” as “recite with Tajweed” using the method of Tartill.

     Hafiz (Arabic: حافظ‎), literally meaning "guardian or memorizer, depending on the context," is a term used by Muslims for someone who has completely memorized the Qur'an. The people who are ahead are the ones having Mutqin memory. Today there are millions of people who memorized Quran completely.  

         No other book has ever been memorized so much. This is the proof of the high value of Allah’s Words and obvious example of the book that keeps its marvelousness.

        Quran is the Book of Allah that is protected until the time of Resurrection. Our Lord promised us to protect His book and says:

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ

“We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). (Hijr,15:9)

        Despite the promise of our Lord, some misguided sects claim that the Noble Quran has been distorted. However, they don’t have any slightest evidence to prove these claims. Islamic scholars had ruled that he/she would be an infidel who rejects any literal In the Qur'an.

        The Quran is the book of life. It is the book explaining the cause of the man's life and how to live. The Holy Quran is a source that regulates a Muslim's life, regulates relations with the Lord, as well as with others.

       To recite Quran not to livings but to deads is not realizing the true essence of the book. However, in Qur'an especially in the Surah Yasin, our Lord says that this book is not for dead, but for the living ones:

وَمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنبَغِي لَهُ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْآنٌ مُّبِينٌ

لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ

“We have not instructed the (Prophet) in Poetry, nor is it meet for him: this is no less than a Message and a Qur'an making things clear: That it may give admonition to any (who are) alive, and that the charge may be proved against those who reject (Truth)”. (Yasin, 69-70)

         Also in other verses  Allah expresses the cause of revealing of Quran to bring people to the light of faith from the darkness of polytheism, as well as a book that brings humanity prosper in both this world and hereafter that is forever. Almighty Allah says:

الٓر ,  كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ ٱلنَّاسَ مِنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ

A. L. R. A Book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that thou mightiest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light - by the leave of their Lord - to the Way of (Him) the Exalted in power, worthy of all praise! (Abraham, 14:1)

May Lord make us those Muslims who understand and apply Quran to all areas of life. Amen!