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The Qur’an consists of the rhythmic verses, phrases, sentences, and chapters relayed by the Prophet as they were revealed to him by God, and which he proclaimed as the everlasting miracle testifying to his Prophethood. He challenged the Arabs of his time who doubted its Divine origin, as well as all unbelieving Arabs and non-Arabs who would come later.

Earlier Divine Revelations and the Qur’an

Another essential of Islamic faith is believing in all the Divine Books God sent to His different Messengers throughout history. God revealed His Books to His Prophets before Prophet Muhammad in exactly the same way. God informs us in the Qur’an of some of them: the Pages of Abraham, the Torah, the Zabur (the Psalms), and the Injil (the Gospel). We do not know the names of the books given to other Prophets, and therefore cannot say with certainty whether they were originally revealed books or not.

These earlier Divine Books were sent down in now-dead languages that only a few people today claim to understand. Given this, even if these books still existed in their original and unadulterated form, it would be virtually impossible to understand them correctly and to interpret and implement their injunctions. Furthermore, as the original texts of most of these earlier Divine Books have been lost with the passage of time, only their translations exist today. The Qur’an, on the other hand, exists in its original language, which is still spoken and understood by millions of people.

Defining the Qur’an

The general definition of the Qur’an is as follows: The Qur’an is the miraculous Word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad, written down and transmitted to succeeding generations by many reliable channels, and whose recitation is an act of worship and obligatory in daily prayers.

The Qur’an has other titles, each of which describes one of its aspects and thus can be regarded as one of its attributes, such as: the Book, the Criterion, the Remembrance, the Advice, the Light, the Guidance, the Healer, the Noble, the Book in Pairs, the Mother of the Book, the Truth, the Admonishment, the Good Tiding, the Book Gradually Revealed, the Knowledge, and the Clear.

· When we study the Qur’an’s words, styles, and meanings even superficially, we notice immediately that it is unique. So, in rank and worth it is either below – even Satan cannot claim this, nor does he conceive of it – or above all other books. Since it is above, it must be the Word of God.

· The Qur’an declares: You (O Muhammad) were not a reader of any Scripture before it, nor did you write (such a Scripture) with your right hand, for then those who follow falsehood might (have a right) to doubt it (29:48). Moreover, it is undeniable that Prophet Muhammad was unlettered and that the Qur’an has presented an open-ended and eternal challenge to humanity: If you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down onto Our servant (Muhammad), produce a chapter of the like thereof, and call your witnesses, supporters, who are apart from God, if you are truthful (2:23). No one has ever met this challenge successfully.

· The Revelation spanned 23 years. How is it that such a book, which deals with Divine truth, metaphysics, religious beliefs and worship, prayer, law and morality, the afterlife, psychology, sociology, epistemology, history, scientific facts, and the principles of a happy life, never contradicts itself? In fact, it openly declares that it contains no contradictions and is therefore a Divine Book: Will they not then ponder on the Qur’an? If it had been from other than God they would have found therein much contradiction and incongruity (4:82).

· The Qur’an is a literary masterpiece that cannot be duplicated. Its styles and eloquence, even its actual sentences, words, and letters, form a miraculous harmony. With respect to rhythm, music, and even geometric proportions, mathematical measures, and repetition, each is in its exact place and then perfectly interwoven and interrelated with others.

· Eloquence, poetry, and oratory enjoyed great prestige in pre-Islamic Arabia. Poetry competitions were held regularly, and winning poems were written in gold and hung on the Ka‘ba’s walls. The unlettered Prophet had never been heard to say even a couple lines of poetry. However, the Qur’an he brought eventually forced all known experts to surrender.

· Even the unbelievers were captivated by it. Nevertheless, to stop Islam from spreading, they said it was magical and should not be listened to. But when poets such as Khansa and Labid converted and then abandoned poetry out of respect for and awe of the Qur’an’s styles and eloquence, the unbelievers had to confess: “If we call it a piece of poetry, it is not. If we designate it a piece of rhymed prose, it is not. If we describe it as the word of a soothsayer, it is not.” At times, they could not help listening to the Prophet’s recitation secretly at night, but they could not overcome their arrogance long enough to believe in its Divine origin.

· Despite the high level of poetry, Arabic’s vocabulary was too primitive to express metaphysical ideas or scientific, religious, and philosophical concepts adequately. Islam, using the words and expressions of a simple desert people, made Arabic so rich and complex that it became the language of the most magnificent civilization, one that made many entirely original contributions in scientific, religious, metaphysical, literary, economic, juridical, social, and political areas. How could an unlettered person launch a philological revolution that has no parallel in human history?

· Despite its apparent simplicity, the Qur’an has many levels of meaning. It illuminates the way for poets, musicians, and orators, as well as for sociologists, psychologists, scientists, economists, and jurists. Founders of true spiritual orders and schools of law and conduct found in it all the principles needed to guide their adherents. The Qur’an shows everyone how to solve their problems and fulfill their spiritual quests. Can any other book do this?

· However beautiful and interesting a book is, we read it at most two or three times and then put it aside forever. Billions of Muslims, on the other hand, have recited portions of the Qur’an during their five daily prayers for the last 14 centuries. Many have recited it completely once a year, and sometimes even once or twice a month. The more we recite it, the more we benefit from it and the more desire we feel to recite it. People never tire of its wording, meaning, and content, and it never loses any of its originality and freshness. As time passes, it breathes new truths and meanings into minds and souls, thereby increasing their activity and liveliness.

· The Qur’an describes all our physical and spiritual aspects, and contains principles to solve all social, economic, juridical, political, and administrative problems regardless of time or place. Furthermore, it satisfies the mind and spirit simultaneously, and guarantees happiness in both worlds.

· No one, regardless of intelligence, can establish rules to solve all potential problems. Even the best system must be revised at least every 50 years. More importantly, no system can promise eternal happiness, for its principles are restricted to this transient human life that is infinitely short when compared to the afterlife.

· In contrast, no Qur’anic principle has become obsolete or needs revision. For example, it states that wealth should not circulate only among the rich (59:7); that government offices should be entrusted to competent, qualified persons, and that absolute justice should be the rule in public administration and all disputes (4:58); that people can have only that for which they strive (53:39); and that whoever kills a person unjustly is the same as one who would kill all humanity (5:32). These and many other principles (e.g., prohibiting usury, gambling, alcohol, and extramarital sexual relations; enjoining prayer, fasting, alms-giving, and good conduct), are strengthened through love and awareness of God, the promise of an eternal happy life, and the fear of punishment in Hell.

· The Qur’an also unveils the mystery of humanity, creation, and the universe. The Qur’an, humanity, and the universe are the three “books” that make the Creator known to us, and are three expressions of the same truth. Therefore, the One Who created humanity and the universe also revealed the Qur’an.

· You cannot find people who do exactly what they ask others to do, or whose deeds reflect them exactly. However, the Qur’an is identical with Prophet Muhammad, and is the embodiment of him in words, just as he is the embodiment of the Qur’an in belief and conduct. They are two expressions of the same truth. When asked about her husband’s conduct, ‘A’isha replied: “Don’t you read the Qur’an? His conduct was the Qur’an.” This clearly shows that the Qur’an and Muhammad are the works of God Almighty.

· Authors are usually so influenced by their surroundings that it is almost impossible for them to become detached. By contrast, even though revealed in parts on certain occasions, the Qur’an is as equally universal and objective when dealing with particular issues as it is exact and precise when dealing with universal matters. It uses precise expressions even while describing the beginning of creation and the end of time, and humanity’s creation and life in the other world. Just as it sometimes draws universal conclusions from particular events, it sometimes goes from universal principles to particular events. This typical Qur’anic style cannot be found in any human work and is, therefore, another sign of its Divine origin.

· No author has ever written a book in his or her field that is as accurate as the Qur’an is in such varied fields as religion and law, sociology and psychology, eschatology and morality, history and literature, and so on. The Qur’an also contains at least the principles of all branches of knowledge, either in summary or in detail, and not even one piece of this knowledge has ever been contradicted. What more is needed to prove its Divine origin?

· Can any author claim that his or her work is absolutely correct and will remain so forever? Scientific conclusions change constantly. The Torah and Gospels undergo continuous alteration. Even a superficial study of Bibles published in different times and languages shows these alterations. Yet the Qur’an’s truths retain their freshness or, in the words of Said Nursi, “as time grows older, the Qur’an grows ever younger.” No mistake or contradiction has ever been found in it, and ever since the beginning of its revelation it has remained unchanged and displayed its uniqueness. It continues, even now, to conquer new hearts and reveal its hidden unlimited treasures, to bloom like a heavenly rose with countless petals.

· Based on your knowledge and reputation for honesty, can you speak on behalf of the president, the prime minister, and all other ministers; of associations for writers, lawyers, and workers; and of the board of university lecturers and scientists? If you can, can you claim to represent them as perfectly as each would want you to? If you can, can you legislate for all the affairs of the country? This is just what the Prophet, achieved through the Qur’an. How can you claim that an unlettered person, who was totally apolitical until he was 40, could achieve such results without Divine inspiration and support?

· The Prophet is admonished in the Qur’an. If he were its author, would he give such a noticeable place to the grave slander against his wife? Would he not hide the revelation ordering him to marry Zaynab, rather than publicize it, if it did not come from God? ‘A’isha said later that if the Prophet could have concealed any part of the Qur’an, he would have concealed this. (Bukhari, “Tawhid,” 22; Muslim, “Iman,” 288.)

· His uncle Abu Talib, who had raised him since he was 8 and protected him for 10 years after his declaration of Prophethood, never embraced Islam. The Prophet loved his uncle deeply and desired his conversion, but was told that: You guide not whom you love, but God guides whom He wills. He is best aware of those who are guided (28:56). If he were the Qur’an’s author, he could have claimed that Abu Talib had embraced Islam.

· Many verses begin with “They ask you” and continue with “Say (in answer).” These were revealed to answer questions asked by Muslims and non-Muslims, especially the Jews of Madina, about allowed or prohibited matters, the distribution of war spoils, (astrological) mansions of the moon, Judgment Day, Dhu’l-Qarnayn (an ancient believing king who made great conquests in Asia and Africa), the spirit, and so on. One without an all-encompassing knowledge cannot answer such questions. But his answers satisfied everybody. This shows that he was taught by God, the All-Knowing.

· The Prophet was very austere and shunned worldly gain, fame, rulership, wealth, and beautiful women. Also, he endured great hardship and persecution. To claim that he invented the Qur’an means that Muhammad the Trustworthy, as he was commonly known, was the greatest liar and cheat history has ever known. Why would he falsely claim Prophethood and expose himself and his family to severe deprivation and persecution? Such an accusation, as well as that of saying that he wrote the Qur’an, are totally groundless and lacking in evidence.

· The Jews and Christians were very strong opponents. Eventually, he had to fight the Jews of Madina several times and expel them. Despite this, the Qur’an mentions Prophet Moses about 50 times and Jesus many times; it mentions Muhammad’s name only four times. Why should a person who falsely claims Prophethood mention the Prophets of his opponents? Can there be any reasons other than jealousy, prejudice, selfishness, and other negative emotions for denying Muhammad’s Prophethood?

· The Qur’an also refers to certain facts of creation only recently established by modern scientific methods. How, except for Divine authorship, could the Qur’an be literally true on matters of which the people listening to it being revealed had no idea? For example, if the Qur’an were a regular book, could it have contained: Do not the unbelievers realize that the heavens and Earth were one unit of creation before we split them asunder? (21:30).

Understanding the Qur’an

The Qur’an is the book that Prophet Muhammad conveyed to humanity as God’s Word and that testifies to his Prophethood. Being his greatest miracle, it challenged the Arabs of that time and all people to come until the Last Day to produce even a single chapter like it. The Qur’an is unparalleled among Divine Scriptures as regards its preservation and transmittal to later generations without the slightest alteration. There is no difference among the copies of the Qur’an that have circulated throughout the world since its first revelation.

The first step to understanding the Qur’an is to understand Arabic, the language in which it was revealed, for language has the same meaning for a text as bodily features have for a person. The essential existence of a text lies in its meaning, just as a person’s essential existence lies in his or her spirit. Bodily features are the externalized form assumed by the spirit, and therefore serve as a mirror in which to see into his or her character. In the same way, the Qur’an’s language and styles are the form of its meaning and cannot be separated from it.

The second step is to penetrate its meaning, which requires living it. Although its language constitutes its outer form and structure, and therefore is very important in penetrating its meaning, restricting its understanding to linguistic understanding means restricting oneself to form or formalism. One can penetrate the Qur’an’s meaning, in which its essential existence lies, through purifying the “heart” (the spirit’s seat) by avoiding sin and evil, performing the necessary acts of worship, and living a pious life.

The Qur’an is “like a rose that continuously grows petals in the womb of time.” As science develops and contributes to penetrating its depths of meaning, the Qur’an blooms to an even greater extent and grows younger and fresher. Thus, having sufficient knowledge of such topics as the abrogation of laws, laws and principles dependent upon certain conditions, and unconditioned, general, and particular rules and the occasions on which the verses were revealed is not enough; the general principles of natural science also must be known. Since Prophet Muhammad received the Qur’an and taught and practiced it in his daily life as an infallible authority, knowledge of his Sunna, his practice of the Qur’an, and his example of living Islam also are indispensable to understanding the Qur’an.

The Qur’an is not a book of science, history, or morality. Nor is it a book in the literal sense of the word. It is a book to be practiced, for it came to guide people to truth, to educate them intellectually and spiritually, and to govern their individual and social life. Therefore, it can be understood only through daily practice. Remember that the Qur’an was not revealed all at once, but over a 23-year period on many diverse occasions. Separating the Qur’an and practical life means reducing it to the status of an ordinary book to be read. It does not unfold itself to any significant degree to those who consider it to be no more than this.

Moreover, the Qur’an is a medium-sized book that, at first glance, contains repetition. However, it declares that everything wet or dry is in a Manifest Book (itself) (6:59). A Prophetic hadith states that it contains the history of previous peoples, tidings of those to come after its revelation, and solutions to disagreements among people (Tirmidhi, “Fadail al-Qur’an,” 14). It addresses and satisfies all levels of understanding and knowledge, regardless of time and place.

Hundreds of interpreters have written commentaries on it during the 14 centuries of its existence, and none have claimed to understand all of its various aspects and meanings. Thousands of jurists have inferred laws from it and based their reasoning upon it, but none have asserted that they have inferred all of the laws contained therein or understood all of the reasons behind its injunctions and prohibitions. All pure and exacting scholars who “marry” mind and heart, all revivers (the greatest, saintly scholars who come when needed to revive and restore Islam) find their ways in it, all saints derive their sources of inspiration and ways of purification from it, and all authentic Sufi paths depend upon it. And yet, like a source of water that increases as it flows, it remains as if untouched.

The Qur’an’s miraculous eloquence gives it this depth and richness of meaning. Its creative and artistically rich style is only one element upon which its eloquence is based. It frequently speaks in parables and adopts a figurative, symbolic rhetoric using metaphors and similes. This is natural, for the Qur’an contains knowledge of all things and addresses all levels of understanding and knowledge.

As the Qur’an deals with all issues of theological value and surpasses all scriptural records of pre- or post-Islamic ages in the abundant variety of its contents, its approach, presentation, and solution are unique. Rather than dealing with a topic in the usual systematic manner employed by theologians or apostolic writers, it expressly says that it has its own special manifold method: tasrifi. In other words, it shows variety, changes topics, shifts between subjects, reverts to the previous one, and deliberately and purposefully repeats the same subject in unique rhythmic and recitative forms to facilitate understanding, learning, and memorization: See how We display the revelations and signs so that they may understand and discern (6:65).

The Qur’an shows the universe’s order. As almost all types or varieties of existing things present themselves to us side by side or mingled, the Qur’an displays varieties linked together with a specific rhythm to show the signs of God’s Unity, even while acknowledging that such a style will cause some opponents to doubt its Divine authorship (6:106). It also explains why it does this: to encourage the human intellect to reflect upon unity in variety and harmony in diversity. In fact, each chapter deals with numerous topics in various ways, a characteristic that only adds to its unique beauty and matchless eloquence. An attentive reciter or intelligent audience can enjoy such rhythmical pitches to the extent that the Qur’an itself declares:

In addition, the Qur’an’s verses and chapters are not arranged chronologically. Some verses revealed and placed together are preceded and followed by other verses. Some chapters and verses are lengthy; others are short. This arrangement is an aspect of its miraculousness and also one of the most important reasons why many Orientalists and their Muslim imitators criticize it.

The Qur’an exhibits the universe’s order. Just as there is both a whole-part and holistic-partial (or universal-particular) relation among its contents, the same relation is found in the Qur’an. In other words, a body is a whole consisting of parts (e.g., the head, arms, legs, and other organs). Any part cannot wholly represent the body, although each part is a whole in itself, because the whole body cannot be found in any of its parts. Humanity and all species are holistic or universal, for each species is composed of the members, each of which contains all features of the species and therefore represents the species. Each person is an exact specimen of humanity in structure.

In the same way, each Qur’anic verse is a whole in itself and has an independent existence. It can be located anywhere in the Qur’an without harming either the composition or the meaning. In addition, there is an intrinsic relation among all verses or between one verse and all the others. Bediüzzaman Said Nursi writes that:

At first glance, this unique tasrifi style sometimes seems to produce contradictory verses. But this is not the case, for the Qur’an is like an organism having all of its parts interlinked. As a result of this whole-part arrangement and the holistic-partial relationship among verses, a correct understanding of a verse sometimes depends upon a complete understanding of the Qur’an. This is another unique characteristic, another aspect of its miraculousness, and another sign of its Divine authorship.

This characteristic is very important in Qur’anic interpretation, for the Qur’an is the written counterpart of the universe and humanity. In addition, the Qur’an, the universe, and humanity are three “copies” of the same book, the first being the “revealed and written universe and humanity,” and the second and third each being a “created Qur’an.” Given this, the Qur’an also teaches us how to view humanity and the universe. Therefore, any apparent contradiction among its verses is really due to the reader’s misunderstanding. One whose being is unified with the Qur’an sees no contradiction, as he or she is free of all contradictions. If people view the Qur’an in light of their particular worlds, which are full of contradictions, of course they will see contradictions. This is why those who seek to approach the Qur’an first have to be free of all contradictions.

Arabic, the language of revelation, is the Qur’an’s outer body. Religion does not consist only of philosophy or theology, but is a method of unifying all dimensions of our being. Therefore, Arabic is an essential, inseparable element of the Qur’an. It was chosen as the language of revelation not only so that the Arabs of that time would understand it, but because a universal religion requires a universal language.

The Qur’an views the world as the cradle of brotherhood and sisterhood. It seeks to unite all races, colors, and beliefs as brothers and sisters and servants of the One God. Its language is a basic factor that helps people ponder religious realities and unite all dimensions of their being according to Divine standards. Translations cannot be recited in prescribed prayers, for no translation is identical with the original Arabic. Without Arabic, one can be a good Muslim but can understand only a little of the Qur’an.

The Qur’an is the source of all knowledge in Islam, be it religious, spiritual, social, scientific, moral, legal, or philosophical. As the guide to all truth, it has four main purposes: to show God’s Existence and Unity, establish Prophethood and the afterlife, promulgate the worship of God, and set forth the essentials of justice. Its verses mainly dwell upon these purposes, and thus contain creedal principles, rules governing human life, detailed information on the Resurrection and the afterlife, how to worship God, morality, direct or indirect information on some scientific facts, principles of civilizational formation and decay, historical outlines of previous civilizations, and so on.

The Qur’an is a source of healing, as applying it in daily life cures almost all psychological and social illnesses, as well as a cosmology, epistemology, ontology, sociology, psychology, and law revealed to regulate human life for all people, regardless of time or place. In fact, the Prophet declares: “The Qur’an is more lovable to God than the heavens and Earth and those in them.” (Darimi, Sunan, 2:533.)

God Almighty has sent more than 124,000 Prophets to humanity. Islam defines Prophets as those who came with important tidings (“the tidings of religion”) concerning belief in God’s Existence and Unity, angels, Prophethood’s mission and Prophets, Revelation and Divine Scriptures, the Resurrection and afterlife, and Divine Destiny (including human free will). The tidings also include offering a life based upon this belief, promises related to accepting belief, and warnings related to rejecting it. The frequent corruption of religion by various communities has caused Prophets to be sent to revive and restore it, and also to amend some rules or bring new laws concerning daily life. Such Prophets usually were given a Book and are known as Messengers, the greatest of whom are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (42:13).

The name of the religion that God Almighty revealed through all Messengers is Islam. Just as the laws ordering and operating the universe remain the same and constant, and just as all people have the same basic characteristics, essential needs, and final destination regardless of when and where they live, it is natural for religion to be based upon the same essentials of belief, worship, and morality.

Muhammad was sent as the last Messenger and with the perfected form of the Divine religion (Islam). God protects this final and perfected religion by promising to preserve the Qur’an: Without doubt, We sent down the Message and We will preserve it (15:9). People who followed the messages brought by Moses and by Jesus later on called them Judaism and Christianity, respectively, whereas Islam has retained its original and God-given name.

In this world, as God Almighty acts behind natural or material causes, He also uses causes or means to preserve the Qur’an. One of these is having the Qur’an written down during the Prophet’s lifetime and under his direct supervision so that nothing could be deleted, added, or changed. All copies of the Qur’an in existence during the 14 centuries of Islam are exactly the same. Unlike other earlier Scriptures, the Qur’an has been preserved in its original form or text and in the language in which it was revealed. [4] Thus the following points are of considerable significance:

The Qur’an was revealed in parts. God Almighty undertook its preservation, due recitation, and its part’s arrangement. He revealed to His Messenger where each revealed verse and chapter was to be placed:

The Almighty emphasizes that no falsehood can touch the Qur’an or cast doubt upon its authenticity:

Once a year, the Messenger reviewed all that had been revealed up to that point with Archangel Gabriel. In his last year, after the Revelation was completed, Gabriel came twice for this purpose. The Messenger concluded from this that he would die soon. [5]

From the very beginning, the Companions paid the utmost attention to the Qur’an and tried their best to understand, memorize, and learn it. In fact, the Qur’an ordered them to do so: When the Qur’an is recited, give ear to it and pay heed, that you may obtain mercy (7:204).

Only a few people could read and write when the Revelation began. After the Battle of Badr (624), the first military encounter between the Muslims and the Makkan polytheists, Makkan prisoners of war were freed only after they taught 10 Madinan Muslims how to read and write. The beneficiaries of this policy then tried to memorize the Qur’an for several reasons: reciting some verses is obligatory during the prescribed prayers; the Qur’an was very original for them; it purified their minds of prejudice and wrong assertions, their hearts of sins, and illuminated them; and it built a society out of illuminated minds and purified hearts.

To understand the extent of their effort and the number of those who did so, 70 Companions who had memorized it were martyred at Bi’r al-Ma’una (625). During the Prophet’s lifetime, another 70 or so were martyred. When the Prophet died, many Companions knew the Qur’an by heart, among them ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, Hudayfa ibn al-Yaman, Salim, Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, Abu al-Darda, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and ‘A’isha and Umm Salama (two of the Prophet’s wives). New converts or immigrants to Madina were sent to Companions to learn the Qur’an. As the subsequent reciting raised a humming noise, the Prophet asked them to lower their voices so that they would not confuse each other. [6]

The Qur’an was revealed piecemeal and mostly on certain occasions. Whenever a verse, chapter, or group of verses was revealed, it was memorized by many Companions and written down by scribes chosen by the Prophet specifically for that purpose. The Messenger also told them where to place it in the Qur’an. Known as the Scribes of the Revelation, these 40 or so Companions also copied the pieces for themselves and preserved them. [7]

At the time of the Messenger’s death, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, Abu al-Darda, Ubayy ibn al-Ka‘b, and many other Companions already had assembled these portions in book form. ‘Ali, the 4^th Caliph arranged them chronologically. [8] After the Battle of Yamama (633), during which around 70 memorizers were martyred, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab asked Caliph Abu Bakr about compiling an “official” version. Zayd ibn Thabit, a leading scholar and memorizer, was chosen for the task. After a meticulous work, he prepared the official collection (mushaf). [9]

The Almighty declares: It is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it (75:17). The Qur’an’s verses and chapters were arranged and collected according to the Prophet’s instructions [while he was still alive], which were guided by the Revelation. The official version was formed after the Battle of Yamama. When a disagreement appeared over the pronunciation of certain words, the formal version was copied and sent to important centers during the reign of Caliph ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (644-56). [10]

One of the foremost reasons for the Qur’an’s continued incorruptability is that it has been preserved in its original language. No one in the Muslim world has ever thought to supersede it with a translation, and so it was never exposed to imprecise or mistaken translations, or to additions or deletions.

In conclusion, the Qur’an that we hold in our hands today is the same Qur’an that the Prophet received from God. Its authenticity and genuineness cannot be contested. No Muslim scholar of any standard has ever doubted this, and none have questioned that the Prophet spoke every word that we find in the Qur’an today.

The Qur’an’s verses, linked with rhythm and symmetry of form to show the signs of Divine Unity, stir our emotions and intellect to reflect upon unity in variety and harmony in diversity. Each chapter has a particular rhythm and presents several topics in various ways. Such a style discloses a unique beauty with matchless eloquence. Attentive reciters and intelligent listeners experience what the Qur’an describes:

Although the Arabs of the Prophet’s time were highly intelligent and well-versed in poetry and eloquence, they could not produce anything like the Qur’an. Likewise, none of the countless literary figures who have lived since then has duplicated it. In fact, the Prophet challenged his contemporaries and humanity at large, regardless of time or place, to create even one chapter like those of the Qur’an. That they have failed to do so is a proof of the Qur’an’s Divine origin.

No one has produced a composition that can equal a chapter of the Qur’an, even the smallest one (Surat al-Kawthar), and no one will ever be able to do so. Those who oppose Islam always have taken up arms. But their attempts have come to naught, with the sole exception of Andalusia (Islamic Spain). As one Muslim scholar points out, if people could defeat the Qur’an or Islam through argument, science, or eloquence, they would not have to resort to arms. The Qur’an becomes younger and fresher as time passes, for this process allows its hidden unlimited treasures to be disclosed one by one. Today, Islam is the only way of life that offers us any hope.

As almost every verse has an independent existence, it also has intrinsic relations with every other verse and with the Qur’an as a whole. Given this, understanding and interpreting a verse requires a complete and holistic knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an. This is why Muslims say that the Qur’an’s main interpreter is the Qur’an itself.

Said Nursi frequently draws our attention to the miraculous depths of meaning contained in the Qur’an’s wording. For example, Arabic’s definite particle al adds inclusiveness to the word, and so he interprets al-hamdu (the praise) at the beginning of Surat al-Fatiha as: “All praise and thanks that everyone has given and will give until the Last Day to others since the beginning of human life on Earth, for any reason and on any occasion, are for God.”

Also, from the characteristics of the words used and their order in: Out of what We have provided for them they give as livelihood (2:3) he infers the following rules or conditions of giving alms:

· In order to make their alms-giving acceptable to God, believers must give out of their livelihood a certain amount that will not make it necessary for them to receive alms. Out of in out of what expresses this condition.

· Believers must not transfer another person’s goods to the needy, but must give from their own belongings. The phrase what We have provided for them points to this condition. The meaning is: They give (to maintain life) out of what We have provided for you (to maintain your life).

· Believers must not remind those who receive their alms of the kindness they have received. We in We have provided indicates this condition, for it means: “I have provided for you the livelihood out of which you give to the poor. Therefore, you cannot put any of My servants under obligation, for you are giving out of My property.”

· Believers must not fear that they may become poor through giving to others. We in We have provided points to this. Since God provides for us and commands us to give others, He will not cause us to become poor by giving to others.

· Believers must give to those who will spend it for their livelihood, and not to those who will waste it. They give as livelihood points to this condition.

· Believers must give for God’s sake. We have provided for them states this condition. It means: “Essentially, you give out of My property and so you must give in My Name.”

· What in out of what signifies that whatever God provides for a person is included in the meaning of provision. Therefore, believers must give out of their goods and also out of whatever they have, such as a good word, an act of help, a piece of advice, and teaching. All of these are included in the meaning of rizq (provision) and giving others as livelihood.

Along with these conditions, the meaning of the original three-word expression becomes: “Out of whatever We have provided for them as goods, money, power, knowledge, and intelligence, etc., believing that it is We Who provide and therefore without feeling any fear that they may become poor because of giving and putting under obligation those to whom they give, they give to the needy who are sensible enough not to waste what is given to them, such amount that they themselves will not be reduced to needing to receive alms themselves.” [11]

This is just one of the thousands of examples of the Qur’anic expressions’ miraculous profundity and meaning.

[1] Summarized mostly from M. Fethullah Gülen, Essentials of the Islamic Faith (trans.), and Said Nursi, The Words 2, “The 25th Word.”

[2] Said Nursi, The Words (trans.), Kaynak, İzmir, 1997, 2:2-4.

[3] Said Nursi, The Words (trans.), Kaynak, Izmir, 1997, 2:10-11, 44.

[4] Some may ask why the Almighty did not preserve other Scriptures. First, He has preknowledge of everything and thus knew and predetermined that human well-being and happiness would require a final Prophet. He chose Prophet Muhammad for this position. Through him, He perfected Islam so that it would address all levels of knowledge of understanding and solve all human problems until the Last Day. As this would obviate the need for another Prophet to revive or restore the religion, He preserved the Qur’an. Second, it is not a sign of God’s favor to Muslims to preserve the Qur’an. Rather, as His predetermination includes human free will, He knew that Muslims would be devoted to their Book more than any other people would be devoted to their own. He has preserved the Qur’an by creating the means for its preservation.

[5] Prof. Suat Yildirim, Kur’an-i Kerim ve Kur’an Ilimlerine Giris ([The Holy Qur’an and An Introduction to the Qur’anic Sciences] Istanbul: 1983, 43, 62-63.

[6] Suphi al-Salih, Kur’an Ilimleri (trans.), Konya, 57.

[8] M. M. Puye, Genuineness of the Holy Qur’an, Karachi, 1974, 95-98 (reporting from al-Suyuti’s Al-Itqan, and from Tabarani and Ibn al-Asakir).

[9] Yildirim, ibid., 62-66; al-Salih, ibid., 62-65.

[10] Yildirim, ibid., 66-70; al-Salih, ibid., 65-73.

[11] Isaharat al-I'jaz (Signs of the Qur’an’s Miraculousness), Istanbul, 9.