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The Qur'an
As the Word of God for Muslims, the Qur'an is first and foremost an oral tradition. It was revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad through the Archangel Gabriel from about 610 until the Prophet's death in 632. The Qur'an embodies the totality of the Revelation, and it has not changed to this day.
Several important characteristics distinguish the Qur'an from other monotheistic scriptures. For one, the text does not represent a sequential coherent whole but consists of 114 independent chapters (suras). These units are generally arranged according to length, with the longer chapters at the beginning and the shorter ones at the end of the text. Rather than offering overarching narratives, the Qur'an combines stories, teachings, and warnings. These messages are repeated intermittently throughout the text, each time from a slightly different perspective, as a way to amplify and reinforce the underlying message.
A unique characteristic of the Qur'an is its self-referential nature. With God at its center, the Divine Message explicates its truthfulness, purity, and role in guiding humankind. While regarded as an oral revelation, the Qur'an also persistently presents itself as a book (kitab), emphasizing its dual nature. It also self-consciously defines its position in relation to earlier Abrahamic traditions as the final Revelation and as "a Scripture making things clear" (sura 5:15). |