Lecture#1 Basic concepts of Quran By Ms.

Sara Batool
❑ Contents
⮚ Introduction

⮚ Literal meaning of the Quran

⮚ Terminological meaning of the Quran

⮚ Different names of the Holy Quran

⮚ The Qur'an: the Final Revelation

⮚ Division of Quran

⮚ Coherence in the Qur'an: Nadhm

⮚ What is the Qur'an about?

⮚ Scientific Miracles in the Qur’an

⮚ Conclusion
 ❑ Introduction:
❑ The Qur'an is the Arabic Speech of Allah which He revealed to Prophet
Muhammad (47:2) through Angel Jibril in its precise meaning and exact wording.
It is the literal, uncreated Word of Allah. The word 'Qur'an' is frequently
mentioned in the Glorious Book itself (2:185, 10:37, 10:61 and 17:106). The
Qur'an clearly states to whom, when, in what language, how and why it was
revealed: It was revealed in the month of Ramadan (2:185) on the Night of
Power or Decree 'Laylatul-Qadr' (97:1): 'We revealed it on a blessed Night: (44:3)
❑ It was revealed in the Arabic language: 'Surely, We have made it in the Arabic
language so that you may be able to understand it: (43:3). It was revealed in
portions, each of which was written and committed to memory as soon as it was
revealed, and its revelation was spread over twenty-three years of the Prophet's
life, during which time he was occupied solely with the spread of its message: "It
is a Qur'an which We have divided [into parts from time to time] so that you may
recite it to the people at intervals; and We have revealed it by stages." (17:106)
❑ Literal meaning of The Quran:
❑ The root word of Quran is “qara’a” whose literal meaning is to collect or to
compile.
❑ In this respect the Qur’an is a book which was collected and codified under the
divine protection of Allah (swt). When Angel Gibraeel (a.s) used to bring the
divine revelation of Allah (swt) to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) he had
already been instructed by God to reveal the exact placement of each ayah (in
the relevant Surah) as well as the arrangement of the Surah’s and their names.
❑ It was impossible for others to interfere in the Qur’an in any manner or form. It
will remain in its actual and original state until the Day of Judgement.
The Qur’an itself testifies to its divine protection:
“It is for us to collect and recite it” (75:17)
❑ In the context of the Qur’an, the word qara’a is also taken as being the book
which contains all knowledge of the universe.
❑ Terminological meaning of the Quran:
➢ Scholars define the Qur’an as this:
“The Arabic speech of Allah that was revealed to the Prophet ( PBUH ) both in
word and in meaning. It is collected between the two covers of the mushaaf,
was narrated in mutawaatir chains, and is a challenge to humankind”.
➢ We can learn five important things about the Qur’an from this definition.
✓ The Arabic speech of Allah:
The Qur’an is the speech of Allah, in Arabic.
✓ Revealed to the Prophet:
We know that Allah revealed many revelations– including the Injeel and the
Tawrah and the Zabur. Those are also revelation of Allah–but they’re not the
Qur’an. Only what Allah revealed to the Prophet (PBUH) is Qur’an.
✓ Revealed in Word and Meaning:
Not Only is the meaning of the Qur’an the same as what Allah meant; but the
words themselves are also from Allah. (Unlike Hadith Qudsi, where the meaning
is from Allah, and the words are from the Prophet (PBUH ).
✓ Collected between Two Covers:
Hadith Qudsi is also the speech of Allah, but it’s not Qur’an. Similarly, there are
verses that used to be in the Qur’an but aren’t anymore–even though they
were once! These are the abrogated verses, and they’re not considered
Qur'an anymore, even though we still know what some of those revelations
were.
✓ Mutawaatir:
The Qur'an was related in a Mutawaatir fashion- so many narrators narrated it,
at every single step in the chain of narration, that it's impossible that they all
lied or made a mistake.
✓ A challenge to Humankind:
The Qur'an is an ongoing challenge to humans ----- create a book, a Surah, a
verse like it; but we will never be able to. Allah himself says so
 ❑ Different names of The Holy Quran
⮚ According to Imam Soyuti and Imam Zarkashi Quran has 55 names.
These names are derived from the verses of the Holy Quran.
❑The Qur'an Is the Highest Form of Revelation:
❑ How did the Revelation come to the Prophet (PBUH) ?
❑ In a narration from 'Aa'ishah, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
was asked by Al-Haarith ibn Hishaam, "How does the revelation come to you, O
Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet replied, "Sometimes it comes to me like the
ringing of a bell, which is the hardest form of revelation for me. Then it stops,
and I understand what has been conveyed to me by the angel. Other times, the
angel comes to me in the form of a man and speaks to me directly, and I
understand his words.“ 'Aa'ishah added, "I saw the Prophet when revelation
came to him on a very cold day, and I noticed sweat dripping from his
forehead.” (Reported by al-Bulkhaaree)
 ❑ The Qur'an is Protected from Corruption :
• Previous scriptures were deliberately altered, but the Qur'an, which was
revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) over 1400 years ago, remains
unchanged in its current form.
• Islam teaches that Allah created the entire universe, including angels, jinn, and
humanity starting with Adam and Eve. Human history began with their
disobedience and expulsion from Paradise. However, Allah promised not to
abandon them and sent prophets to guide them.
• Adam was the first prophet. Some prophets received Sacred Books from Allah.
The most well-known are the Torah (given to Prophet Moses), the Psalms (given
to Prophet David), and the Gospel (given to Prophet Jesus). Over time, changes
were made to these books, but the Qur'an has remained unchanged.
Allah the Almighty has taken it upon Himself to protect it, as the Quran says,
“We have sent down the Reminder, and We will guard it [from corruption].”
(Surah al Hijr, 15:9)
• All the important teachings from the older scriptures that were meant to last
are included in the Qur'an. The Qur'an provides specific details about what the
earlier scriptures contained. The main message of all the prophets of Allah, and
therefore all the scriptures they brought, was the same message from Allah to
humanity.
Allah says in Holy Quran,
“And indeed, We raised a Messenger amongst every Community (saying):
‘(O people,) worship Allah and keep away from Taghut (i.e., Satan and idol
worship).” (An-Nahl, 16 : 36)
• Therefore, the Qur'an not only keeps the important teachings of the previous
revelations but also presents the eternal truth completely. It is a book that
perfectly preserves the essence of the messages given to the prophets.
• The Qur'an, therefore, calls itself a 'muhaymin' (guardian, watcher, trustworthy
in highness and a witness over the old scriptures). (Surah al-Maa'idah, 5:48)
• The adjective muhaymin literally means 'watching over 'controlling and
'dominating: In this context, the Qur'an serves as the final, judging revelation.
Thus, it is the determinant factor in deciding what is genuine and what is false in
the earlier scriptures.
• All the essential teachings are given to us in the Qur'an. Therefore, Muslims
consider the Qur'an the most sacred object on earth—Allah's greatest gift to
humanity. It is highly respected and is the basis for understanding the universe
and humanity's place in it.
“Say: ‘Should all men and jinn join in the attempt to produce (some other book)
the like of this Qur’an, (even) then they will not be able to produce the like
thereof, though they may become supporters to one another.” (Al-Isra’, 17 : 88)
• The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was given permission to challenge his critics and
opponents to create something like the Qur'an (Surah Yunus, 10:38). Several
skilled writers in Arabic literature tried to take on this challenge, but the outcome
was as expected. The unique style of the Qur'an is Allah's style, and this is what
makes the Qur'an miraculous.
❑ The Qur'an: the Final Revelation:
• Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the last messenger from Allah to humanity. He
brought the final revelation, the Qur'an, from Allah to people. Therefore, the
Qur'an is the last of the holy scriptures.
• The Beginning of Revelation:
The revelation of the Qur'an began on Laylat-ul-Qadr (the Night of Power)
during Ramadan (the twenty-seventh night or one of the odd nights in the last
ten days) after Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) turned forty. This happened while
he was in seclusion in the cave of Hira on a mountain near Makkah, in the year
610 CE.
The first revelation he received consists of the first five verses of Surah al-'Alaq
(the Clinging Clot).
“(O Beloved!) Read (commencing) with the Name of Allah, Who has created
(everything). He created man from a hanging mass (clinging) like a leech (to
the mother’s womb). Read, and your Lord is Most Generous, Who taught man
(reading and writing) by the pen, Who taught man which he did not know. Or
Who imparted to mankind the whole knowledge that he was not aware of
before.” (Surah al-'Alaq, 96:1-5)
• The Second Revelation:
The second part of the Glorious Qur'an revealed to Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) was the beginning of Surah Al-Muddaththir (74:1-5). The rest of the
surah was revealed later. This surah consists of 56 verses.
• The Last Revelation:
Many Muslim Scholars agree that the last revelation was verse 281 of Surah al
Baqarah: And fear the day when you shall be brought to Allah. Then each soul
shall be paid in full what it has earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly.
The Prophet PBUH passed away nine nights after the last revelation. Some
scholars, however, hold that the following verse was the last verse to be
revealed. This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor
upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. (Surah al-Ma'idah,
5:3) This opinion, however, is not sound according to many scholars who
argue that this verse was revealed during the Farewell Pilgrimage.
❑ Reasons why the Qur'an Was Revealed in Stages:
• The Gracious Qur'an was revealed in stages over 23 years, not all at once. There
are several important reasons for this:
➢ To strengthen the heart of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) from time to time and
whenever guidance was needed.
➢ To ease the difficulty of the revelation experience for the Messenger of Allah
(PBUH).
➢ To gradually implement Allah's commands.
➢ To make understanding, putting into action, and memorizing the revelation
easier for the believers.
• It is known that the entire Qur'an was memorized by the Companions of the
Prophet (PBUH) during his lifetime. This practice has continued after the
Prophet's death and among all generations of Muslims up to today.
 ❑ How was the Quran collected?
➢ Memorization of The Holy Quran
➢ Different Stages of compilation of the Holy Quran

First
Stage

Second
Fifth Stage
Stage

Fourth Third
Stage Stage
❑ Compilation of Holy Quran:
• The preservation of the Holy Quran in the early days of Islam was based on
committing it to the memory.
❑ Memorization of the Qur'an:
• This was the only protected and trustworthy method given the conditions of
that time. The reason is that the number of people who could read or write was
very limited in those days, but Allah had endowed the people of Arabia with
excellent memory that thousands of poetic lines would normally rest in the
memory of one person after another. Most of Arabs remembered their own
genealogies and those of their families even those of their horses. This power
of memory was well utilized for the conservation and protection of the noble
Qur'an, and it was through it that the verses and chapters of the noble Qur'an
reached all over the far corners of Arabia.
• The event of the martyrdom of seventy reciters in the battle of “biy’r ma’unah”
and after the death of prophet in the battle of “yamamah” there are 700
reciters were martyred.
• Such type of events have become the reason of preservation the Quran in
written form. However, the printing press and other means of publication were
unknown at that time. Therefore, in that situation, if writing was taken to be
sufficient, it would have neither been possible to spread out the Qur'an broadly
nor to protect it reliably.
❑ Different Stages of Compilation of Al- Quran:-
There are five stages of compilation of the Holy Quran.
❑ The First Stage:
During the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) besides having the Qur'an
committed to memory, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) made special arrangements
to have the Qur'an committed to writing as well. Siyanda Zaid ibn 'thabit (RA)
says:
“I used to write down the words of Wahy for him. There were forty writers of
the Holy Quran at that time.”
➢ Tablets of stone ( torah too)
➢ Parchments of leather ( animal skin)
➢ Branches of date-trees
➢ Pieces of bamboos
➢ Leaves of trees
➢ Animal bones
➢ Pieces of paper (at some time) because in Arabia paper was a scare or precious
thing.
❑ The Second Stage: In The Period Of Sayyidna Abu Bakr (Ra):-
During the caliphate of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (RA), many of the reciters of the
Qur'an were killed in the famous battle of Yamaamah. Umar ibn al-khattaab
(RA) then pointed out to Abu Bakr the need to compile a standard written
copy of the Qur'an so that no part of it would be lost, even if all the reciters
died.
✓ Collected and preserved the all-scattered portions of the al-Quran.
✓ Verification of its authenticity with very strict rules.
✓ The compilation has been made first time at the governmental level
otherwise other companions for example Hazrat Ali had also compiled
their individual copies.
❑ The Third Stage: In The Period Of Sayyidna 'Uthman (Ra):-
• In his period Islam had already spread to the far areas of byzantine and Iran.
People embraced Islam and used to learn the Quran from the Muslim soldiers
and traders.
• The Quran was revealed in “seven letters” and different companions had
learnt it from the Holy Prophet PBUH according to different recitals. But when
these variations reached far-out countries and those people did not know
about this fact, disputes among people started growing.
• As given in Hadith narrations, inform us that Sayyidna Hudhayfah ibn yaman
(Ra) was engaged in jihad on the Armenian Azerbaijan front. There he noticed
that differences were rising among people about readings of the noble Qur'an.
So, on his return to Madinah, he went straight to Sayyidna 'Uthman (Ra) and
once there, he pleaded: ‘Ya Amir al-Mu'minin! Before this ummah falls prey to
differences in the book of Allah like the jews and Christians, you should do
something about it.'
• Sayyidna 'Uthman asked: 'what is the matter?' In reply, Sayyidna Hudhayfah
(Ra) said: ‘I was on jihad mission fighting on the Armenian front. There I saw the
people of Syria following the reading of Ubayy ibn ka’b (Ra) which would not be
familiar to the people of ‘Iraq, and the people of Iran following the reading of
‘Abdullah ibn Masoud (Ra) which would not be familiar to the people of Syria.
As a result of this, they are charging each other of being kafirs.' Sayyidna
'Uthman (Ra) had himself sensed the danger much earlier. He was told that
there were cases right there in Madinah al-tayyibah itself. When Sayyidna
Hudhayfah ibn yaman (Ra) invited his attention to this danger, Sayyidna
'Uthman (Ra) convened a meeting of some highly-regarded companions and
sought their advice. He said: I have been informed that there are people who
say to each other things like "my reading is better than yours" and this could
touch the extreme limits of kufr. So, what is your opinion in this connection' the
companions themselves asked Sayyidna 'Uthman (Ra): 'what are your own
thoughts on this subject?'
• Sayyidna 'Uthman (ra) said: “I believe we should unite everyone on one book so
that we face. No difference or division.' The companions, approving of this
opinion, supported Sayyidna 'Uthman (ra).
• After having these several standard copies of the Qur'an prepared, sayyidna
'Uthman (ra) had all copies personally kept by different companions burnt so
that all copies of the Qur'an become uniform in terms of the script,
incorporation of accepted readings and the order of chapters, leaving no room
for any difference between them.
• Seven transcripts were appeared and sent to Makkah, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain,
Basra and Madinah.
❑ Fourth Stage:- Steps Taken To Facilitate Recitation To The Holy Quran.
• The copies of the noble Qur'an were still devoid of dots and vowel points or
desinential marks which made it difficult for non-Arabs to recite them freely. As
Islam spread out wide and deep in non-Arab countries, the need to add dots
and vowel points became acute, in order that people may be able to recite them
easily. Several steps were taken to achieve this purpose.
➢ Inclusion of dots
➢ Diacritical marks ( the Fatha, Kasara and Damma) and like wise Tanwin etc.
➢ Ahzab and Manazil:
It was the practice of companions and their successors that they would
complete the recital of the entire Qur'an once every week. For this purpose,
they had identified fixed portions for their daily recitation which is known as
‘Hizb' or 'manzil'. Thus, the entire Qur'an was divided over seven ‘Ahzab'
(plural of ‘Hizb') 'manazil‘ (plural of 'manzil').
➢ Ajza' or parts (30 parts)
➢ Akhmas and a'shar: the sets of fives and tens
➢ Ruku' or section
➢ Rumuz al-awqaf: signs to stop or pause ( ta, Jim, sad, mim and so on).
❑ Fifth Stage: Printing Of The Holy Qur'an:
• Before the invention of the printing press all copies were handwritten by pen
calligraphy introduced.
• First publication in 1113 Hijrah at Hamburg.
• The first time the Holy Quran was printed by lithography on stone slabs in
Tehran (Iran).
❖ Division of Quran
Duration
Approx.. 23 years

First Verse; Al-Alaq Total Surah: 114

30 Paras

Maki Surah: 86 Madni Surah: 28 Prostrate: 14 540 Rukku's

❑ Division of Quran:-
• The Qur'an is divided into 114 surahs. The term "surah" (plural: suwar,
generally written as surahs here) literally means an enclosure or fencing, like
. the walls around a city. It can also refer to an elevated plain. When applied to
the Qur'an, it signifies a specific group of verses arranged in a specific way. In
technical terms, a surah is a chapter-wise division of the Qur'anic text—a
chapter or part set apart from the preceding and following text.
• The Qur'an consists of 114 surahs of unequal length, the shortest having three
verses and the longest having 286 verses, or Ayat. The Arabic word "ayah"
(plural: Ayat) means sign. It is the smallest division of the Qur'anic text, a phrase
or sentence.
• All surahs, except Surah 9, begin with the words "Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim"
(In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful). All 114 surahs in
the Qur'an have names that serve as headings. Both the arrangement of the
surahs and the order of the Ayat within each surah were determined by the
Prophet (PBUH) under the guidance of Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) (AS).
• The Qur'an is divided into 30 portions of approximately equal length for easy
recitation during the thirty days of a month. Each of these portions is called a
juz' (plural: ajzaa'). Juz' literally means 'part' or 'portion.'
• Some copies of the Qur'an have the surahs divided into rukoo' (sections or
paragraphs). The rukoo is usually accompanied by three numbers. The top
number denotes the number of the rukoo' with respect to that surah, the
middle number indicates the number of verses in that rukoo', and the bottom
number indicates the number of the rukoo' with respect to the juz' in which it
occurs.
• Copies of the Qur'an printed in Arab countries often have each 'juz' subdivided
into four hizb (singular: hizb), indicated by the word hizb printed in Arabic. Each
hizb is subdivided into four quarters called 'rub'.
• The Qur'anic text is also divided into seven parts of approximately equal length,
each called a manzil, so that if a person wishes to complete the recitation of the
Qur'an in one week, they may do so by reciting one manzil a day.
❑ Makkan and Madinan Surahs:
• An important division of the Qur'an is into Makkan and Madinan surahs. After
receiving the first revelation, the Prophet (PBUH) spent thirteen years in
Makkah and then emigrated to Madinah, where he spent the last ten years of
his life. Therefore, the surahs of the Qur'an are classified based on their origin
into Makkan and Madinan surahs.
• A surah is considered Makkan if its beginning was revealed during the Makkan
period, even if it contains verses from Madinah. Similarly, a surah is considered
Madinan if its beginning was revealed during the Madinan period, even if it
includes verses from the Makkan period.
• Out of the total 114 surahs in the Qur'an, scholars say 86 are of Makkan origin.
The Madinan surahs are longer than the Makkan ones and, therefore, make up
a larger part of the Qur'an.
❑ Coherence in the Qur'an: Nadhm
• Coherence (nadhm) means that ideas, arguments, and sentences are logically
connected to form a complete and unified whole. Every surah in the Qur'an is a
perfect unit with a central theme around which it revolves. This central theme
acts as a unifying "thread" for the surah.
• While each surah is a complete unit on its own, there is also a logical
connection between all the surahs as they follow one another. There is a sense
of unity and coherence between different surahs.
• With a few exceptions, most surahs in the Qur'an are found in pairs that
complement each other.
• The idea of pairing surahs is a concept introduced by Amin Ahsan Islahi (1904-
1997). According to Islahi, the surahs in the Qur'an are arranged in pairs. Each
surah is an individual, distinct unit, but on a larger scale, surahs are organized
into pairs, with each pair consisting of two surahs that are closely related and
different from other pairs.
❑ Major Themes of the Glorious Qur'an:
• The Oneness of Allah, or Tawheed, is the foundation of the Qur'an. The main
purpose of the Qur'an is to teach people about Allah, His Oneness, and His
Attributes. The Qur'an tells us about our Creator and answers basic human
questions like: Who is my Creator and God? What is my relationship with Him?
Why did He create me? In short, Allah introduces Himself to people so they can
get closer to Him, increase their love for Him, and worship Him alone.
• The Qur'an addresses the past, the present, and the future. It also speaks about
the unseen. The verses of the Qur'an can be classified into three main
categories:
✓ Stories of the Prophets and Past Communities: These verses tell the stories of
past prophets and the communities they lived in.
✓ Commands and Prohibitions: These verses include the rules and guidelines for
what is allowed and what is forbidden.
✓ Allah’s Names and Attributes: These verses describe Allah and His Beautiful
Names and Lofty Attributes.
• The Qur'an shows people the way of life that pleases Allah. It teaches what
actions we should do to make Allah happy and what actions to avoid to prevent
His displeasure. Thus, the Qur'an helps people grow morally and spiritually.
• Some major themes in the Qur'an include: Prophethood and revelation, Satan
and evil, individuals and society, the emergence of the Muslim community, the
People of the Book, life after death, resurrection, and Paradise and Hell. The
Qur'an also tells stories of several prophets. These stories contain important
lessons. For example, after the story of Joseph (Yusuf) and his brothers, Allah
says: "Indeed, in their stories there is a lesson for men of understanding" (Surah
Yusuf, 12:111).
• The Qur'an guides us in every part of our lives. It is one of the greatest blessings
that Allah has given us. One of the most important things the Qur'an teaches us
is how to have good character and behave properly.
Allah's Messenger PBUH once said, “I have only been sent to perfect good
morals.”
When 'Aisha (RA) was asked about the character of the Messenger of Allah
(PBUH), she replied, "His character was the Qur'an." (Muslim)
• The Qur'an's verses explain various meanings and cover many subjects. They
talk about Allah’s Attributes, His mercy, His wisdom, the wonders of creation
like the heavens, the earth, the stars, the alternation of day and night, and the
creation of humans and animals, among many other topics. Some verses give
commandments for the heart, while others instruct actions. Some contain
promises, while others have warnings.
• Some describe the ranks in Paradise, while others mention the levels in Hellfire.
Some offer admonitions, while others help improve morals and spiritual
growth. Some talk about the history of past nations, while others tell stories of
ancient peoples. In short, there is no book in human hands that deals with so
many subjects and themes and is as varied in its content as the Qur’an.
❑ Scientific Miracles in the Qur'an:
• The Qur'an is not a book of science or technology. It is a book of guidance that
aims to guide people to the true God, Allah, and helps them establish
righteousness and create a virtuous society. The Qur'an is the Word of Allah. Its
unique style and deep wisdom are some of its definite proofs. Furthermore, its
miraculous attributes also prove that it is a revelation from Allah. One of these
attributes is that many scientific facts, discovered in recent years with the help
of modern technology, were stated in the Qur'an over 1400 years ago.
• This provides further evidence that the Qur'an is the Word of Allah and proves
Islam's authenticity. In fact, many Western scientists have embraced Islam after
learning about these scientific facts in the Qur'an.
➢ These scientific miracles relate to various matters, including
the following:
✓ Embryology and human creation
✓ Sensation of pain in the skin
✓ Recent scientific discoveries concerning the intestines
✓ The significance of the sense of hearing compared with sight
✓ The origin of creation
✓ The miraculous nature of fingerprints
✓ The miraculous healing properties of honey
✓ The harmful effects of carrion, blood, and pork
✓ Health benefits of ablution, prayer, and fasting
✓ The Qur'an as a healing and mercy