Revelation of the Quran
Historical Context:
- The Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) over a period of approximately 23 years, starting in 610 CE.
- Muhammad was a merchant living in Mecca, a major trade center in Arabia.
- The society of Mecca at the time was largely polytheistic, with a variety of gods and idols being worshipped.
Initial Revelation:
- In 610 CE, Muhammad retreated to a cave on Mount Hira outside of Mecca for meditation.
- While in the cave, he received his first revelation from the angel Gabriel (Jibril).
- The revelation, known as Surah Al-Alaq, instructed Muhammad to "Recite in the name of thy Lord who created."
Subsequent Revelations:
- Muhammad continued to receive revelations from Gabriel over the next several years, mostly while he was in a state of trance or sleep.
- The revelations were transmitted orally to Muhammad's companions, who memorized them.
- Muhammad dictated the revelations to his companions, who wrote them down on various materials, such as parchment and palm leaves.
Compilation and Codification:
- After Muhammad's death in 632 CE, the Quran was still in scattered form.
- Caliph Uthman ibn Affan ordered the collection and compilation of all the verses of the Quran into a single, authoritative text.
- The process was completed around 650 CE, and the result is known as the Uthmanic Codex.
Structure and Organization:
- The Quran is divided into 114 chapters called surahs.
- The surahs are arranged from longest to shortest, with the exception of Surah Al-Fatihah (The Opening), which appears first.
- Each surah is further divided into verses called ayahs.
- The Quran contains a total of 6,236 ayahs.
Significance:
- The Quran is the holy book of Islam and the primary source of guidance for Muslims.
- It is believed to be the verbatim revelation of God, as dictated to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.
- The Quran contains teachings about God, creation, human nature, morality, and the afterlife.
- It also provides guidance on various aspects of life, such as prayer, fasting, and social interactions.