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I. INTRODUCTION
Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. For Muslims it is the very word of Allah, the absolute God of
Islamic faith, and was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. The angel Gabriel is said to have spoken
Allah's words into the Prophet's ear. According to Muslim tradition, after this ecstatic experience
Muhammad was able to recite exactly what he had been told. The term Qur'an, which means "recitation,"
occurs several times in the text itself; the term refers either to a fragment of the revelation or to
the entire collection of revelations that are known as the Qur'an.
Oral recitation of the Qur'an is believed by Muslims to be the believer's most direct contact with the word of God.
The art
of recitation, known as tajwid or tartil, is consequently highly valued among Muslims. Heard day and night on the
streets, in mosques (Muslim houses of worship), in homes, in taxis, and in shops, the sound of the Qur'an being
recited is far more than the pervasive background music of daily life in the Islamic world. Recitation of the Qur'an
is the core of religious devotion. The sound of voices reciting the holy book inspires much of Muslim religious and
social life. Participation in recitation, whether as reciter or listener, is itself an act of worship, for both acts
are basic to a Muslim's religion and invoke a tradition beginning with Muhammad that transcends the particular occasion.
II. THE TEACHINGS OF THE QUR'AN
The main topic of the Qur'an is God's relationship with
humanity. The Qur'an summons humans to acknowledge God's sovereignty over their lives and invites them to submit to his
will. The chief doctrines laid down in the Qur'an are that only one God and one true religion exist; that all people
will undergo a final judgment, with the just being rewarded with eternal bliss and the sinners being punished; and
that when humankind turned from truth, God sent prophets to lead the way back. The greatest of these prophets were
Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad.
According to this sacred scripture, humankind's fundamental role in this world is one of moral struggle. Each person will be held
accountable for this struggle at the end of time. God sent the prophet Muhammad and the Qur'an to instruct humanity in how to lead a
moral life. The teachings of the Qur'an are dispersed and repeated throughout the holy book rather than being organized as topics.
The subjects of these teachings include God and creation, prophets and messengers from Adam to Jesus, Muhammad as a preacher and as
a ruler, Islam as a faith and as a code of life, disbelief, human responsibility and judgment, and society and law. On many specific
questions the Qur'an is silent, and so the life and sayings of Muhammad collected in the hadiths were necessary for the development
of Islamic laws and most religious practices.
While the Qur'an itself does not instruct about the nature of humanity's moral struggle in detail, the significance of this responsibility
is emphasized by the portrayal of the Day of Judgment in some of the most powerful passages of the Qur'an. Muslims believe that on that
day the world will come to an end, the dead will be resurrected, and a judgment will be pronounced on every person in accordance with
his or her acts. The Qur'an vividly depicts the torment of Hell and the bliss of Paradise, the two realms to which people will be sent
once judgment has been pronounced. In chapter 100, the Day of Judgment is described:
The Clatterer! What is the Clatterer?
And what shall teach thee what is the Clatterer?
The day that men shall be like scattered moths,
And the mountains shall be like plucked wool-tufts.
Then he whose deeds weigh heavy in the Balance
Shall inherit a pleasing life,
But he whose deeds weigh light in the Balance
Shall plunge in the womb of the Pit.
And what shall teach thee what is the Pit?
A blazing Fire!
Although the Qur'an accepts the miracles of earlier prophets, including the prophets of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles (Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and others), it declares their teachings outdated. The central miracle of Muhammad's life is the receiving of the Qur'an itself, the like of which no human can produce.
III. THE PLACE OF THE QUR'AN IN MUSLIM LIFE
For Muslims, the Qur'an teaches the meaning of life. Consequently, it holds a pride of place at the very center of
Muslim religious life and practice. There is no more eloquent testimony to the place accorded the Qur'an in a Muslim's
life than the effort that many pious individuals make to internalize the scripture by memorizing it in its entirety.
A person who has thus memorized the complete text is known as a hafiz, one who keeps the Qur'an in his or her heart.
Parts of the Qur'an are recited on many different occasions. A Muslim who observes the five daily prayers will recite several short
chapters from the Qur'an each day. Passages are recited at birth to the newborn and at death to the dying. All the great events of life
and the rites of passage in the Muslim world are marked by recitation of the Qur'an. Parts of the holy book are incorporated into the
rites of marriages and funerals. A new venture of any kind, whether in public or private life, is inaugurated by the recitation of
blessings from the Qur'an. In many Muslim countries every public meeting starts with the recitation of Qur'anic verses. It is a special
mark of devotion to recite the whole of the Qur'an at least once during Ramadan, the month of fasting.
Evidence of the reverence Muslims have for the written text of the Qur'an is also apparent in the ornate design given to the text by
calligraphers, illuminators, and bookbinders. The art of the calligrapher has been beautifully demonstrated in the decoration of Qur'anic
text. Qur'anic verses also appear as architectural decoration on mosques, mausoleums, and other public buildings. Along with the practice
of recitation, the abiding presence of the written text reflects the Muslim faith in the presence of God's word in their lives. Muslims
observe rituals for approaching and handling the sacred text. Before touching the holy book, Muslims follow rituals for purification
including washing and preparing the mind, body, and spirit. Care must be taken that the Qur'an does not come into contact with any
unclean substance, and it is never to be laid upon the ground.
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