Despite the world, at our fingertips, one always feel dissatisfied. The new clothes one purchases lose their novelty, the money in accounts reaches zero, the new beautiful phases of one’s life fade away, the jubilation turns into despair and vanity lasts forever. The world is not a perfect place of satisfaction because a day will come when every worldly lavishness and attraction will perish into dust and ashes. We, humans, are in a whim that just one more day and we will be close to our happiness but the Islamic narratives have refuted this argument with the counter authentic rationale that states:

“Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you until you visit the graveyards.” (Quran 102: 1-2)

General Facts About Quran

The Quran revealed on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through the angel Jibril. The age of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was 40 at that time. The first verses of the Quran were revealed during the month of Ramadan, to the Prophet (PBUH) in the cave of Hira which lies in the outskirts of Makkah. The revelation of the Quran is spread over a period of 23 years during which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) migrated to Madina from Makkah with other Muslims.

“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.” (Quran 15:9)

There are 114 Surahs or Chapters in Quran out of which 86 were revealed in Makkah while 28 were revealed during Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stay in Madina. Surah al Baqarah is the longest chapter in the Quran, comprising 287 verses while Surah al Kauthar is the shortest surah. Quran is divided into 30 parts for the ease of compilation and recital.

The compilation of the Quran started soon after the death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with Him) to safeguard the holy scripture for the generations to come. Today, the Quran we recite is exactly the same as that which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The main reason behind the preservation of the Quran in its real form is that Allah Himself took the responsibility to safeguard the Quran from corruption and deletion

What is the Qur’an?

The Qur’an is the literal word of God, The Almighty (Allah in Arabic), revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the Angel Gabriel. According to the Qur’an, many prophets and messengers of God were sent throughout human history, before the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad, be peace upon him.

God alone is the Creator, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all beings – everyone else is God’s servant. God alone is worthy of worship. Each person will one day return to God to account for one’s performance in the present phase of life.

They all conveyed to their people essentially the same message: According to the Qur’an, many prophets and messengers of God were sent throughout human history, before the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad, be peace upon him. They all conveyed to their people essentially the same message:

“The revelation of The Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.” (Quran 39:1)

Guidance for Mankind

“guidance for mankind… and the distinction (between right and wrong).” (Quran 2:185)

It provides direction to help mankind judge between right and wrong, without which, man would surely be in loss. Among the four Heavenly Books, the Holy Quran holds the honour of the most Respectable Sacred Scripture as it was revealed on the Last Prophet ﷺ. It consists of teachings and instructions enough for the rest of the world, is written by Allah SWT and is also said to be in His Own Protection.

“And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?” (Quran, 54:17)

Allah has made the Quran very easy to understand and remember. This is, in fact, the only book on earth that can be memorized and is memorized by millions of Muslims around the world. It is Allah Who has made Quran learning easy that we can remember the Quran’s verses fluently even when Arabic is not our first language. Allah addresses this fact in the Quran too, in the following verse

The Final Revelation

The Qur’an is the last scripture revealed by Almighty Allah (God), confirming what little truth remains in parts of previous scriptures and refuting and correcting fabrications and additions which have crept into current-day versions of such scriptures.

“O you who have been given the Scripture! Believe in what We have revealed confirming what is (already) with you…” (Quran 4:47)

How was the Qur’an Revealed?

The Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and exists only in the language in which it was revealed – Arabic. However, the translation of the meaning of the Qur’an is available in many languages. The Qur’an was not sent down as a complete book in one revelation; rather, the revelation spanned over a period of 23 years. For this reason, it is essential to know in what circumstances the verses were revealed, in order to have a proper understanding of the Qur’an; otherwise, its teachings could be misunderstood.

“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.” (Quran, 4:82)

There are countless facts about the Quran and its revelation some of which are shared over here:

1. The literal meaning of the Quran is “that which is being read”.
2. Quran has some other names too, which are: Al-Huda (The Guidance), Al-Dhikr (The Reminder), Al-Furqan (The Criterion-for judging right from wrong), Al-Shifa (The Healing), Al-Mau`iza (The Admonition), Al-Rahmah (The Mercy), Al-Nur (The Light), Al-Haqq (The Truth), and Al-Burhaan (The Clear Argument).
3. Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through the angel Jibril.
4. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was 40 years old when the first verse of the Quran was revealed to Him.
5. The revelation started in the Holy month of Ramadan.
6. The revelation of the Quran took place over a period of 23 years.
7. Quran was revealed in parts, verse by verse, to the Holy Prophet.
8. The period of the revelation of the Quran can be divided into 2 main parts which are Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s life in Makkah which is 13 years and after His (PBUH) migration to Madinah which is 10 years.
9. There are 114 Surahs in the Holy Quran. Each Surah follows a theme and gives a specific message about the fundamentals of faith and practising of belief.
10. The number of Surahs revealed in Makkah is 86, while 28 Surahs were revealed in Madinah.
11. To facilitate the recital of the Quran, it has been divided into 30 equal parts called the Juz or Siparah. The Surahs of Quran were arranged in the present order by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself though there was no compiled copy of the Quran during Prophet’s life and Sahaba memorized the verses of Quran by heart or scribed the verses on stones, animal skin or palm tree.
12. Angel Jibril used to bring the message of Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that was further shared by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with his companions.
13. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to revise the verses of the Quran with Angel Jibril every year. In the year before his death, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) revised the Quran with Jibril twice.
14. After the death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the caliph Abu Bakr sensed the need for a written Quran and so he appointed Sahaba to compile the scribes of verses of the Quran for the generations to come.

Some other facts about the Quran are:

1. The word Quran is used 70 times in the Holy Quran.
2. The longest Surah in the Quran is Surah Al-Baqrah which is the second Surah in order of compilation.
3. The shortest Surah is Surah Al-Kauthar.
4. The longest verse of the Quran appears in Surah Al-Baqarah verse number 282, also commonly known as Ayatul Kursi.
5. The first Surah in the Quran, Surah Al-Fatiha is known as the Mother of the Quran or Ummul Quran.
6. Surah Yaseen is called the heart of the Quran.
7. Quran has been translated into 103 languages in the world.
8. There are 10 rewards against reading a single letter from the Holy Quran.
9. The words Man and Woman appear an equal number of times in the Quran, which is 24.
10. The best drink mentioned in the Quran is Milk.
11. The best food to eat, mentioned in the Quran is Honey.
12. The best month of all months is mentioned as Ramadan in the Quran.
13. The best night mentioned in the Quran is Laylatul Qadr.
14. The name Muhammad is mentioned 4 times in the Holy Quran.
15. 6 Surahs or chapters in the Quran are named after Prophets who came before Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
16. 25 Prophets are mentioned in the Quran.
17. Friday is the only day of the week that is mentioned in the Quran.
18. There are specific mannerisms to follow during the recital of the Quran one of them being that the Holy Quran should be recited in slow rhythmic tones which Allah mentions in the Quran.
19. “Bismillah ir-Rahmaani ir-Raheem” appears 114 times in the Holy Quran.
20. “Bismillah” is written before each Surah in the Holy Quran except in Surah Tauba, but is also written twice in Surah Namal.
21. Three mosques are mentioned in the Quran: Masjid-ul-Haram (Makkah), Masjid-ul-Aqsa(Jerusalem), Masjid Qubaa (near Madinah).

When you open up the Quran and start reciting it, you’ll find many gems and inspirations that no one else could have found. It’s like being directly guided by a light source. The knowledge found in the Holy Quran is indisputable. The scientific facts revealed in the Quran have been proven true and no one can refute the divine wisdom behind the verses of the Quran. The stories of prior Prophets and religions have also been proven true.

How do I know that it is from God?

Preservation: The Qur’an is the only religious sacred text that has been in circulation for a lengthy period and yet remains as pure as the day it was revealed. It is the great miracle of this Hallowed Manuscript that unlike previous Divine Volumes of the Almighty Lord [Tawrat (Torah) of Hazrat Musa A.S (Moses), Zabur (the Book of Psalms) of Hazrat Dawud A.S (David), Injeel (Gospel) of Hazrat Isa A.S (Jesus)], there has not been any kind of alteration in the Sacred Book of Quran even after 1400 years as it is under the Safety of the Exalted One Himself.

“We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will certainly guard it (from corruption).” (Qur’an 15:09)

Not only has the Qur’an been preserved in written form, but also in the hearts of men, children, and women. Today, millions of people have memorized the Qur’an from cover to cover. Humans keep their happiness at stake befalling in the delusion that worldly opulent will soothe their heart but at the end of the day for them, there lies no flickering light at the end of the tunnel. Only the devoted people, having firm faith in Allah and are cognizant of God’s mercy can attain the level of peace and inner satisfaction.

“And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.” (Quran 7:200)

Scientific Miracles: The Qur’an does not contradict modern science but rather, supports it. One of the most remarkable aspects of the Qur’an is that it contains many verses which accurately describe a natural phenomenon in various fields such as embryology, meteorology, astronomy, geology, and oceanography. Scientists have found its descriptions incredibly accurate for a book dating back to the 7th century.

“We shall show them Our Signs in the Universe and within their own selves until it becomes clear to them that this is the Truth.” (Qur’an 41:53)

In fact, many of the scientific miracles mentioned in the Qur’an have been discovered only recently, through the modern advancement of technological equipment. Consider the following:

• The Qur’an gives a detailed description of the development of the human embryo. These details were unknown to the scientific community until recent times.
• The Qur’an states that the astronomical objects (stars, planets, moons, etc…) were all formed from clouds of dust. Previously unknown, this fact has now become an undisputed principle of modern cosmology.
• Modern science has discovered the existence of barriers that allow two seas to meet yet maintain their own temperature, density, and salinity.

These signs of God were clearly stated in the Qur’an more than 1400 years ago.

“Recite in the name of your Lord who created – the Created man from a clinging substance. Recite and your Lord is the Most Generous – Who taught by the pen – Taught a man that which he knew not.” (Quran, 96: 1-5)

Uniqueness: Ever since its revelation, no person has been able to produce a single chapter like that of the Qur’an in its beauty, eloquence, splendour, wisdom, prophecies, and other perfect attributes. Quran emphasizes the acceptance of Allah Almighty in the hearts of Muslims to attain the level of wealth. The wealth is not in sense of money but the wealth of heart satisfaction. The inner peace is accepting Islam in hearts that eventually will lead to the submissiveness of the world for the believer.

“And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful.” (Qur’an 2:23)

The people that rejected Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) failed this challenge, even though they were extremely eloquent in the language of the Qur’an. This challenge remains unanswered to this very day.

No Contradictions: When people write, they are bound to make mistakes such as spelling and grammar, contradictory statements, incorrect facts, the omission of information, and other various errors.“Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely, have found in it (the Qur’an) many contradictions.”Qur’an 4:82 The Qur’an has no contradictions whatsoever – be it in scientific explanations of the water cycle, embryology, geology, and cosmology; historical facts and events; or prophecies.

Couldn’t Muhammad have authored it?: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was known in history to be illiterate; he could not read nor write. He was not educated in any field that could account for neither the scientific and historical accuracy nor the literary beauty of this magnificent Book. The precision of historical recounts of previous peoples and civilizations mentioned in the Qur’an is also too great to be authored by any man.

“And this Qur’an is not such as could ever be produced by other than Allah.” (Qur’an 10:37)

Purpose of Revelation: Since the start of Adam creation, Satan is man’s worst enemy and always keeps on devising schemes to keep a man astray by portraying this temporary world into an alluring and charming place. Quran the book of absolute guidance has also warned the people that Satan is feeble and holds no authority in distracting the people as narrated:

“Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of Taghut. So fight against the allies of Satan. Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak.” (Quran 4:76)

The heartily comfort lies in nothing but in Allah’s dhikar as the more one remembers Allah, the more his heart soothes and the more vigorously his relation strengthens with the Lord of the universe. Allah has enlisted almost everything in Quran that is why it was entitled with the sole satisfier and guider.

To Believe in One True God: A firm belief in Allah’s commandments and acceptance is another distinction between the apostles of Islam and idolaters of Shariah. Satisfaction intertwining with the cascade of heart and the positive vibes that a human body reflects is the result of reviving and accepting the principles of Islam.

“And your god is One God. There is no god but He, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.” (Qur’an 2:163)

The most important topic mentioned throughout the Qur’an is the belief in the One, True God. God informs us that He has no partner, no son, no equal and that none has the right to be worshipped except Him alone. Nothing is comparable to God and none of His creation resembles Him. The Qur’an also rejects the notion of attributing human qualities and limitations to God.

To Reject All False Gods; The speech and tone of the Quran are soothing enough that it alleviates anxiety and calms the rhythm of the heart by imparting true satisfaction. Handing one’s ordeals in the hands of the Lord and making one’s self ready for the unseen assuages stress and makes one fearless. The illness of the mind can be explicit or implicit, in either case, the source of remedy for mental health is the Quran, Allah’s teachings and Islamic dogmas.

“And worship Allah and associate none with Him.” (Qur’an 4:36)

Since Allah alone is the only One worthy of worship, false deities and false gods must be rejected. The Qur’an also rejects the notion of attributing divine qualities to anyone or anything other than Allah. Quran reading helps in deflecting the impurity of mind and guides the person on the righteous path of the Lord deemed of high appreciation.

To Narrate the Stories from the Past: The Qur’an contains many narratives with beneficial lessons, including the true stories of previous Prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jesus, and Moses. Of these stories, Allah says,

“Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding.” (Qur’an 12:111)

There is a number of anecdotes that Allah has illustrated in the Quran which are signs for the believers. The true followers of Deen when went astray or were in trials they used to call Allah by consulting Quran for their help because Allah’s Help and supplication are the means of redemption from wordy calamities awarding eternal satisfaction.

To remind us of the Day of Judgement: This Noble Book reminds us that everyone will taste death and will be held accountable for all their actions and sayings:

“We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least…” (Quran 21:47)

To Fulfil the Intended Way of Life: Importantly, the Qur’an teaches that the purpose of life is to worship God alone and live one’s life according to the way of life prescribed by Him. In Islam, worship is a comprehensive term that includes all actions and sayings (whether private or public) that Allah loves and is pleased with.

“Verily, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book for mankind in truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only for his own loss.” (Quran 39:41)

Therefore, by doing what Allah commands, a Muslim is worshipping God and fulfilling his purpose in life.

The following are examples of worship from the Qur’an:

• To pray: “O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves and worship your Lord, that you may succeed.” (Quran 22:77)
• To give charity: “…And spend, it is better for your souls; and whoever is saved from the greediness of his soul, these it is that are successful.” (Quran 64:16)
• To be honest: “Cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when you know (what it is).” (Qur’an 2:42)
• To be modest: “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty.” (Quran 24:30-31)
• To be thankful: “And Allah has brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers– you did not know anything– and He gave you hearing and sight and hearts that you may give thanks.” (Quran 16:78)
• To be just: “O you who believe! Stand firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor…” (Quran 4:135)
• To be patient: “And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.” (Quran 11:115)
• To do good: “Allah has promised to those who believe and do good deeds (that) they shall have forgiveness and a mighty reward.” (Quran 5:9)

The Qur’an teaches mankind how to worship the One True God, hence fulfilling their true purpose in life, and attaining success in both this world and the next. Allah creates the hearts of a human and He sent down the Quran comprising His world hence only the speech of Allah can comfort hearts. In the study of the Quran will further prove many facts and unearth hidden secrets in this Holy Scripture from Allah. We must try to recite Quran daily and look over the meanings to completely understand the message of Allah.