As mentioned above,
one cannot begin to understand Islam without coming to grips
with the Quran and the Muslim's attitude toward the Quran.
The development of
the Quran as the repository of the divine revelations from Allah
to Muhammad is a fundamental factor in the foundation and spread
of Islam, and a controlling force in the life of Islam.
The
Qur'an, which is the Holy Scripture of Islam, is believed by
Muslims to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the
7th. century CE.
It
is considered to be authentic only in its original Arabic text.
The
Qur’an is believed by Muslims to contain God's guidance in
teachings and commandments which are valid for all times and
places, and which encompass all spheres of human life.
The
Qur’an was not written down by Muhammad, but after his death
his disciples recollected the revelations Muhammad said he
received from God, and wrote them into the Qur’an.
Young
boys under the age of 13 memorize the Qur’an in Mosques all
over the world today.
The
word qur'an is derived from the verb qara'a "to
read," "to recite," but there is probably also
some connection with Syriac qeryana, "reading," used
for the scriptural lessons in the Syrian Christian Church.
In
the Qur'an itself the word qur’an is not used with
reference to the book as a whole but only as a term for separate
revelations or for the divine revelation in general.
The
Qur'an is held in high esteem as the ultimate authority in all
matters legal and religious and is generally regarded as
infallible in all respects. The Arabic in the Quran is thought
to be unsurpassed in purity and beauty and to represent the
highest ideal of style.
To imitate
the style of the Qur'an is a sacrilege.
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