The Holy Quran
The Quran is the Book of Allah. Each word of the Quran is the word of Allah. The Quran means collected together. It also means to read or to recite. It is so called because it is a collection of the teachings of Islam. It is a sacred book that is to be read again and again.
The first revelation of the Quran or Wahi came to the Holy Prophet(sal lal la hho alai he wasalam) when he was forty years old. It was brought to him by angel Jibrael when the Holy Prophet(sal lal la hho alai he wasalam) was in the cave of Hira. Thereafter, he continued to get revelations for a period of over twenty-three years.
The Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet(sal lal la hho alai he wasalam) in Makkah as well as in Madinah. Chapters that were revealed at Makkah are known as the Makki Surahs. They are ninety in number. Chapters that were revealed at Madinah are known as the Madani Surahs. They are twenty-four in number. As soon as the Holy Prophet(sal lal la hho alai he wasalam) got a revelation, he would recite the verse to his companions. Those who could read and write would write them down. Many of them learnt the verses by heart.
The Holy Quran has been preserved in its original form. Not a single word of it has been changed or lost. It is found today exactly as it was revealed to the Holy Prophet(sal lal la hho alai he wasalam). There has been no change in the Quran because Allah says that He has sent it and He shall protect it.
The Quran is the last and a wonderful book of guidance. It tells us how to serve and worship Allah. It tells us to lead a good life. It teaches us how to behave with other people. It tells us how to treat our parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, neighbours and strangers. The Holy Quran is a book for the young and the old, for men and women in all parts of the world and for all times.
We should always pray to Allah to guide us to the path of the Quran.
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