The Quran consists of 114 chapters called surats. The chapters are not arranged in the order in which they were first recited by Muhammad, but rather are ordered by size from longest to shortest. For example, chapter 2 consists of 286 verses, while chapter 73 consists of 7 verses only. This can be confusing if you’re new to Islam and wondering why certain surahs are shorter than others, but it turns out there’s a pretty good reason for it—one that we’ll explore below.
When did the revelations start?
The Quran was revealed over a period of 22 years, between 610 and 632 CE. It all started with revelations at Mecca when Muhammad was 40 years old. Learn Quran He had been meditating in a cave called Hira on Mount Jabal an-Nour, above Mecca, for several weeks when he felt himself overpowered by what he described as being carried away by Gabriel (Jibril) to Heaven on a flying horse. He related his experience to his wife Khadija and others and received comforting words from them before continuing with his work as usual.
When did Abu Bakr collect it?
Abu Bakr, one of Muhammad’s closest friends and a future caliph, had memorized many parts of it. After Muhammad’s death, Abu Bakr became convinced that Muhammad wanted Muslims to collect and preserve his words. He gathered those parts he could find in written form. According to Muslim tradition, he sent instructions to his supporters around Arabia on how to obtain and copy those portions of it from people who had memorized it.
When was it sent out?
The surahs in Qur’an were not sent out to specific people at a certain time, but rather every verse is for all times. However, for some surahs, we know when they were revealed and who it was revealed to. For example Surah Taha was sent down to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). Allah says: Then We sent following their footsteps Our messengers and followed [them] with Jesus and gave him the Gospel. [Al-Qur’an 43:45] (Source)
Who collected the Qur’an and where?
Compilation of Islamic scriptures was a task to which many early Muslims contributed. Even before it was collected and codified, though, some surahs (chapters) were considered more important than others. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, one of Muhammad’s earliest companions and an important figure in Quranic studies, compiled his own version of what is now surah 9.
How to find an authentic copy?
When choosing a copy of The Holy Quran, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, most religions put their highest authority in a single holy book. Islam is no different. There are two very important copies of The Holy Quran and these two books will represent any other book which purports to be a copy of The Holy Book. One such copy is kept at Al-Masjid Al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque) in Mecca and another at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Are there variants between different Qurans today?
A new study by a Stanford researcher found that there are significant differences between different Qurans out there today. There are some substantial variations in both word choice and ordering of suras within certain translations of Islam’s holy book. The version studied, translated by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, is one of nine used for common prayer among Sunni Muslims, but it differs from other versions—and even from itself at times—in terms of sentence structure and vocabulary choices.
Where can I read this online?
You can find translations of The Holy Qur’an on Google Books, Wikipedia and other Islamic websites. You can also buy a physical copy of The Holy Qur’an to read offline. Quran Memorization Make sure you are reading a translation that is accurate and faithful to how Muslims interpret it today.
