What does the Koran mean? Listen to the statements of some famous philologists... Role in science

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and All-Merciful!

The Koran is the last divine message to humanity. It was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for 23 years and has “survived” for 14 centuries. The Koran is full of wisdom. It contains reminders of the mercy and miracles of Allah, of His mercy and justice. This is not a history book, not a scientific book, not a book of stories, although all this is in the Koran. This is the greatest gift to humanity, which has no equal in the world. The book about which the Almighty says: “This Scripture, in which there is no doubt, is a sure guide for the pious” (Surah al-Baqarah, “The Cow”, verse 2).

The Koran is the foundation of Islam. Without faith in him, a person cannot be considered a believer. “The Messenger and the believers believed in what was sent down to him from the Lord. They all believed in Allah, His angels, His Scriptures and His messengers. They say: “We make no distinction between His messengers.” They say: “We listen and obey! We ask for your forgiveness, our Lord, and we are about to come to you.” (Surah Al Baqarah, The Cow, verse 285).

The Qur'an and Sunnah are the two main guides for a Muslim. Allah Almighty says to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “We sent down the Book to you so that you could clarify for them what they differed about, and also as a guide to the straight path and mercy for the believers” (Surah al-Nakhl ", "Bees", verse 64).

Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was tasked with bringing the Qur'an to all mankind. It was not an easy mission. And even in his farewell sermon, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sought testimony that he had conveyed the message of the Almighty.

The Koran talks about the attributes and qualities of Allah Almighty, explains what is prohibited and what is approved, the foundations of high morality and morality, and the rules of worship. It contains the stories of the Prophets, peace be upon them, the righteous predecessors, and also describes Heaven and Hell. The Koran is addressed to all humanity.

It is so unique in content and style that translators fail to convey the fullness of its meaning. Therefore, translations of the Quran are interpretations of its verses.

Each prophet or messenger appeared before the people to whom he was sent with those miracles that were relevant specifically for this area. For example, during the time of the prophet Musa, peace be upon him, witchcraft was quite common, so Musa, peace be upon him, had the opportunity to demonstrate miracles that surpassed the abilities of sorcerers. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the Arabs were considered outstanding poets and writers, they were true masters of words. Having heard the verses of the Koran, they were amazed by its sublime tone and extraordinary beauty of words.

This was a miracle of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, granted to him by the Almighty. Since he could not write or read, the Arabs knew that he himself could not come up with such eloquent texts. Therefore, in the Quran, the Almighty calls on them to compose something similar to it, if they do not believe that this is the message of the Almighty: “If you doubt what We have revealed to Our servant, then compose one similar surah and call your witnesses besides Allah, if you speak the truth” (Surah al-Baqarah, “The Cow”, verse 23).

Of course, they couldn't come up with anything like that. Unlike those who doubted the origins of the Koran, many Arabs accepted Islam only after hearing it recited. They knew that such beauty of words could only come from the Almighty. To this day, reading the Holy Book brings tears to many Muslims. And some, without even understanding its meaning, are impressed by its beauty.

It is important to understand that even though it was revealed in the 7th century, the Qur'an remained unchanged for 14 centuries. The Mushaf held by an Arab is exactly the same in content as the one held by a Muslim anywhere in the world. There are no differences, except maybe the design of the book. Because the Almighty promised to protect and preserve His book:

“Verily, We have sent down a Reminder, and We protect it” (Sura al-Hijr, Migration, verse 9)

This means that this divine message has been and will be protected by the Creator from distortion.

Chapter 10

SACRED TEXTS OF ISLAM

(Study and translations of the Qur'an)

The Koran is the book of books of Islam. By sacred tradition, the original Koran, written in Arabic, is with Allah in heaven. Allah sent down the Koran to his Prophet Muhammad through the angel Jabrail (biblical Gabriel) The name "Koran" comes from the Arabic verb "kara "a", i.e. to read recitative. The book presents is a collection of sermons and teachings of Muhammad, with which he addressed his listeners on behalf of God for almost a quarter of a century (610-632).

The Koran was created in the living flow of life, under the influence and in relation to specific events. Hence the inimitable, free form of the monument. It is devoid of a single composition, a plot line, so characteristic of any literary work. Direct speech (the speech of Allah), addressed either directly to Muhammad himself or to the listeners, is replaced by a third-person narration. Brief rhythmic phrases, the rhyming of most verses (signs-revelations) create a complex example of artistic style and form.
poetic speech, very close to folklore.
During Muhammad's lifetime, the creed was created, updated and spread through oral tradition. The desire to preserve the Koran in written form arose soon after the death of the prophet. Already under the first caliph Adu-Bakr (632-634), work began on compiling a written text of Muhammad's sermons. By order of the third caliph Osman (644-654), a set of these sermons was written down, subsequently canonized and called “Ko-

Ran Osman." The process of improving writing continued for two seconds. more than centuries and was largely completed at the end of the 9th century.
The Qur'an consists of 14 sections, or chapters, called suras. Surahs, in turn, consist of verses, or verses. Based on their place of origin, suras are divided into Meccan and Medina. Within the boundaries of the Meccan cycle (610-622), three periods are distinguished. The earliest (610-616) is called poetic. It is represented by short suras, which often resemble peculiar hymns. They provide a concise and extremely figurative presentation of the dogma of monotheism, pictures of the Day of Judgment, and the hellish torment of sinners. The second period (617-619) was called the Rakhman, or teacher's period. Here the tonality of the suras is noticeably softened. They become more extensive, and the plots become more detailed. The first narrative texts—legends—appear. The third period (620-622) is prophetic. Narrative texts often contain retellings of biblical stories and legends of ancient prophets. They are distinguished by the sequence of presentation of events.
The second large cycle is a collection of Medina suras (623-632). They are characterized by a wide overlap with biblical stories. At the same time, the sermons are becoming more and more detailed. A significant place in them is occupied by rules and regulations governing the life of believers. Muhammad increasingly acts as a legislator and judge. Within the cycle, there are five periods associated with major events in the life of the religious community (military battles, etc.), which served as a kind of impulse for Muhammad’s religious creativity. If at the beginning of his work he acted mainly as a poet-prophet, then in subsequent periods he acted as a religious teacher, legislator, judge, and leader of a mass community.
The main idea of ​​the Koran is the overcoming of paganism and the establishment of monotheism. Allah, unlike the Christian three-hypostatic God, is consubstantial. Muhammad did not resurrect

Rice. The veil covering the entrance to the Kaaba sanctuary. Lines from the Koran are embroidered in gold

He accepted neither the Jewish idea of ​​the Messiah nor the Christian idea of ​​the Savior. He was concerned not so much with the problem of posthumous retribution as with the creation of a just society on earth. Muhammad viewed Judaism and Christianity, we emphasize once again, as the result of people’s misunderstanding of the revelations of God and the teachings of the first prophets. He considered himself as the last prophet, who was called upon to correct the faith of people. That is why it is called the “seal of the prophets” in the Koran.
In a broad cultural and historical aspect, the Koran contains the ideals of social order as they were seen by Muhammad as an exponent of the progressive sentiments of a certain era. In this sense, the book reflects the entire spectrum social relations in Arab society at the turn of the VI-VII centuries. These are, first of all, relations of slavery, but specific, patriarchal (domestic) slavery, significantly softened in comparison with the slavery of the ancient world, as well as tribal relations. In particular, the customs of blood feud and mutual assistance are sanctified by the authority of Allah. However, they are interpreted as customs not of a tribal community, but of a religious community, i.e. community not by kinship, but by faith. Commodity-money relations are also reflected in the Koran. Many verses sound like codes of commercial honor, instructions for drawing up contracts. The book also touches on the forms of early feudal relations (tribute system, sharecropping).
In terms of their general humanistic origin, the new forms of human society, sanctified by Islam, were much higher than those inherent in paganism. For example, in comparison with previous norms of attitude towards women, the commandments of the Koran turned out to be more progressive. A man has the right to maintain no more than four wives, while previously this number was not limited. Rules have been introduced to limit the husband's willfulness. A woman's right to part of the property in the event of divorce or death of her husband is carefully regulated. However, in general, a Muslim woman occupies a purely subordinate position in society and in the home. Muhammad's democracy turned out to be, although superior to its time, still significantly limited from the point of view of historical progress.
The canonical texts of Islam are not limited to the Koran. The Sunnah is important. It is a collection of hadiths - stories, legends about what Muhammad said and how he acted in certain cases. The example of the life of the prophet thus serves as a model and guide for all Muslims. The emergence of the Sunnah was due to the fact that as society developed, questions increasingly arose that were not answered in the Quran. They used stories passed down orally by Muhammad's companions about his actions and sayings on various occasions. The result of recording and systematizing these stories was the Sunnah. There are different collections of hadiths between Sunnis and Shiites. Among Sunnis, the Sunnah includes six collections. The collections of the famous theologian are recognized as the most authoritative

Bukhari (810-870) and his student Muslim (817-875).
The Koran remains the main book of Islam today. It is taught and studied in various educational institutions Muslim countries. There are countless volumes of Quranic commentaries accumulated over more than thousand-year history Islam. Still alive today traditional profession- reciters (reciters) of the Koran. It is taught from a young age. It's really, great art, since we are talking not only about reading, but about chanting. The profession enjoys great honor and respect.
Ideas and images of the Koran are widely used in literature, and sonorous formulas and expressions are used in everyday speech. The texts of many verses still retain their significance as motifs for decorative elements in fine arts, architecture.

The Koran, according to Muslims, is a book inspired by God and cannot be translated into other languages. Therefore, true believers use the Koran only in Arabic. In Muslim countries there is a huge literature, mainly theological, devoted to the study and interpretation of the main book of Islam. However, the meaning of the Koran has long gone beyond just a religious source. As an outstanding historical and cultural monument of Arab civilization and humanity in general, it attracts great attention from scientists from the most various countries and ideological orientations. We will limit ourselves here only to Europe.
History of the study of Islam and the Koran in countries European civilization dramatic in its own way. For more than a millennium, Christian Europe did not recognize Islam as an independent religion equal in rank to Christianity. Starting with the Byzantine theologian John of Damascus (8th century) among ideologists christian church a tradition has developed to refute the basic tenets of Islam. In the minds of medieval Europeans, the image of Islam was formed as the devilish law of the Saracens, and Muhammad as a false prophet who perverted the biblical commandments and teachings. Only since the 19th century. The desire to objectively understand Islam is gradually taking shape and strengthening, mainly among the intellectual elite, by studying it for what it really is - an original phenomenon of religious life.
This general attitude towards Islam determines the rather late appearance of translations of the Koran into European languages. Modern Arabists usually trace the history of its translations back to the 12th century, when Europe was preparing for the Second Crusade.

I guess. Around 1142, on the personal initiative of Abbot Peter the Venerable (1092-1156), Latin translation Koran. However, by order of the Pope Alexandra III it was publicly burned as a heretical book.
Another early Latin translation was made at the beginning of the 13th century, but remained unpublished. These early translations were transpositions of the text of the Koran and were intended to prove the inconsistency of Muslim claims to possession of the holy scripture.
The first official publication of the Latin translation was carried out only in 1543 in Basel (Switzerland). It was followed by an Italian translation (1547), and a century later - a French translation (1649). But even then the Catholic Church did not change its attitude towards the main book of Islam. The Council of Roman Censors under Pope Alexander VII (1655-1667) banned its publication and translation.

Rice. Edition of the Koran in Russian. 1995

Nevertheless, interest in the Koran did not die, and the needs of the ideological struggle against Islam prompted its study. In 1698, a fundamental work, “Refutation of the Koran,” appeared in Padua. It contained an Arabic text, a Latin translation of the source, and carefully selected extracts from the works of Arab commentators and theologians. This publication greatly accelerated the emergence of new, more objective editions and translations of the Koran. During the XIII-XIX centuries. Several of its editions were published: in English (translated by J. Sale, 1734), German (translated by Fr. Baizen, 1773), French (translated by A. Kazimirsky, 1864). All of them, with the exception of the first, are usually classified as interlinear. But already in the 20th century. semantic translations have developed. According to experts, the best results in this regard were achieved by M. Ali, M. Assad, Maududi (in English), R. Blacher (in French). European scholars are credited with interpreting the Koran as the original work of Muhammad.
In Russia, the first written mentions of Islam date back to the 11th century, and they appear in translations of Greek chronicles and Christian polemical works. Needless to say, these ideas about Islam were anti-Muslim in nature. For many centuries, Russian Orthodoxy followed the footsteps of Byzantine theology.

The origins of the new and, so to speak, secular interest in Islam and the Koran go back to the era of Peter I. Back at the end of the 17th century. Essays on the Koran were prepared in Russian especially for princes Peter and Ivan. Russia wanted to turn not only to Europe, but also to the Muslim East. Peter put acquaintance with the Islamic East on a state basis. On his initiative, the study of oriental languages ​​began, a special institution was organized for collecting and storing monuments of written and material culture peoples of the East. Later, the Asian Museum arose on its basis. By order of Peter, the first Russian translation of the Koran was carried out (from French). It was published in 1716.
In 1787, the complete Arabic text of the Koran was published in Russia for the first time. For this purpose, an Arabic font was specially cast, reproducing the handwriting of one of the most famous Muslim calligraphers of that time. During the 17th century. book ran into five editions. In general, texts of the Koran translated from French and English were distributed in Russia. Translation by M.I. Verevkin, executed from French in 1790, inspired A. S. Pushkin for the famous poetic cycle “Imitation of the Koran”. With all their shortcomings, these translations stimulated the interest of Russian educated society in Islam and its main book. In this regard, it is impossible not to mention P.Ya. Chaadaeva. He showed a deep interest in Islam and considered it as one of the stages in the formation of the universal religion of Revelation.
In the 70s XIX century the beginning was laid for Russian translations of the Koran from Arabic. The first belonged to D. N. Boguslavsky (1828-1893), an educated Arabist, long time who served as a translator at the Russian embassy in Istanbul. He apparently expected to publish his work upon returning to Russia, but this did not happen, since by this time a similar translation had appeared in the country, completed by G. S. Sablukov.
G. S. Sablukov (1804-1880) - Kazan orientalist and missionary. His translation was published in 1877 and reprinted in 1894 and 1907. He also published “Appendices” (1879) - perhaps the best index to the Koran in Europe at that time. The translation by G. S. Sablukov was destined to have a long life. For almost a century, it satisfied the interests of science and the various needs of the Russian cultural society. It still retains its significance today, although it is partly outdated.
The period of the late 19th - early 20th centuries. is significant in that the foundations of Russian Islamic studies are laid as an independent scientific direction of national and world level. In 1896, a biography of Muhammad was published, written by the Russian philosopher and poet B. S. Solovyov (“Mohammed, his life and religious teachings”). This book, which transcends the traditions of anti-Muslim polemicism, is an example of sympathetic insight.

Niya of a person of a different culture in inner world founder of Islam.
At the beginning of the 20th century. In connection with the rapid development of science and technology, it becomes possible to become more familiar with the monuments of Islamic culture. At this time, printing houses for the publication of Muslim literature were operating in eight cities of Russia. They publish the Koran in the original language in large quantities. The first attempts are being made to translate it into the national languages ​​of Russia (a Tatar translation was published in 1914). Special periodicals for scientific and cultural purposes are beginning to be published regularly (the magazine "World of Islam", the almanac "Oriental Collection"). Samples of Muslim literature are included in various publications on the history of world literature.
Since October 1917, there has been a period in the history of Islamic studies new period. Not everything here contributed to progress. An objective study of Islam was complicated by political conflicts - the negative attitude of the clergy towards Soviet power, ideological intolerance of Bolshevism towards religion, political terror against the Church. However, the development of Islamic studies did not stop. V.V. Bartold's book "Islam", published in 1918, is to this day a profound scientific exposition of the history and essence of this religion.
In the 20s a new attempt to translate the Koran from Arabic into Russian is being made by I. Yu. Krachkovsky (1883-1951). He developed a new system for studying and translating this outstanding monument of world culture. The working translation was largely completed by 1931, but the scientist still for a long time continued to improve it, was engaged in literary processing, and drafting a commentary, but never managed to complete his work. The translation in the first edition was published in 1963, in the second - in 1986. This was the first scientific translation The Koran into Russian, and almost all modern editions of this monument are made mainly from it, for example, the chapter-by-chapter publication of the Koran with comments by M. Usmanov in the magazine "Star of the East" (1990-1991).
Of scientific and cultural interest is the translation of the Koran undertaken by N. Osmanov, which was published in the Pamir magazine in 1990-1992. Recently, V. Porokhova’s book “The Koran. Translations of Meanings” has become famous. Departing from scientific accuracy and often modernizing the meaning of the verses, the translator achieves a subtle reproduction of the poetic beauty of the Koran. Its translation enhances the philosophical and poetic sound of the monument [See: Islam. Historiographical essays. Section I. Koran and Koranic studies. - M., 1991].
The school of Russian and Soviet Arabists includes many major names. In addition to V.V. Bartold and I.Yu. Krachkovsky, one can name B.A. Belyaev, V.N. Vinnikov, A. E. Krymsky, K. S. Kashtalev, A. E. Schmidt, L. I. Klimovich, M. B. Piotrovsky, V. R. Rosen. In recent times, the publication of literature on Islam has noticeably

Increased. In 1991, the first created in our country was released encyclopedic Dictionary"Islam". Let us note the detailed and first biography of Muhammad in Soviet times, written in the style of the famous series “Life wonderful people"[Panova V.F., Bakhtin Yu.B. The Life of Muhammad. - M., 1990].
But in general, Islam and the Koran certainly deserve deeper study. In the West, for example, the multi-volume Encyclopedia of Islam has long existed. Our country has been and remains predominantly Christian-Muslim in its religious character. This unique feature cannot be ignored. The formation and development of a humane and democratic society, the creation of conditions for the free spiritual development of all citizens is unthinkable without mastering the thousand-year-old traditions of Christian and Islamic culture and its humanistic content.

Control questions

1. How was the Koran, the holy book of Muslims, created? What is it and what is its main purpose?
2. Tell us, what is the significance of the Sunnah for Muslims?
3. What was the attitude towards Islam in European countries in the Middle Ages?
4. When and for what reason in Western Europe Are you interested in the Muslim religion and the Koran?
5. In what direction has the attitude towards Islam as a religion evolved in the Russian state?
6. When was the complete Arabic text of the Koran published in Russia?
7. What influence did translations of the Koran have on spiritual development and the culture of Russian society?

Koran– The Holy Scripture, which was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) through the angel Jibril (peace be upon him) for twenty-three years. Koran is the eternal testimony of prophecy and the last heavenly Revelation, which confirmed the truth of the previous Holy Scriptures and established the last Law of God. Koran developed and perfected the monotheistic religion.

Holy Quran – main source Muslim doctrine, moral and ethical norms and law. The text of this Scripture is the uncreated Word of God in form and content. Each of his words in meaning corresponds to an entry in the Stored Tablet - the heavenly archetype of the Holy Scriptures, which stores information about everything that happens in the entire Universe. Allah invested Koran in the heart of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) through the angel Jibril (peace be upon him), and he remembered their sound and assimilated their deep meaning. Jibril (peace be upon him) sometimes appeared to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the form of a man. Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes witnessed this form of revelation. And sometimes the angel appeared in a disembodied form, accompanied by sound. This was the most difficult form of revelation, and at these moments the face of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became covered with sweat. There are other types of revelations sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Any claim that revelation (wahyu) is the result of the mental and mental activity of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), conditioned by social and cultural characteristics Arabian society, do not have any arguments in their favor.

Title of the Koran

Most scientists believe that the name "Koran" derived from the verb karaa - “to read”. It contains surahs consisting of verses, their truthful content and wise injunctions, and reading it is an amazing spiritual tranquility and purification.

IN Holy Quran Its other names are also mentioned, emphasizing its essence and reflecting its features. The most common among them is Kitab (Scripture).

Also found are the names Dhikr (Reminder); Furqan (Discrimination). This name is due to the fact that Scripture distinguishes between good and evil, truth and falsehood, permitted and forbidden.

Among other titles Koran, often used in Arabic, we can distinguish Tanzil (Senddown), Burhan (Proof), Haqq (Truth), Nur (Light) and others. All of the above epithets refer to the text of the Koran in Arabic. Regarding the book where the text is written Koran, then it is usually called mushaf (pl. masahif).

The place of the Koran in the life of Muslims

The main purpose of the sending Koran was to guide people on the path of moral purification and spiritual improvement, to which people naturally gravitate.

Koran teaches you to distinguish good from evil. His truths are supported by convincing arguments and irrefutable evidence. They refute the rule “don’t test, but believe,” proclaiming a new life credo - “test and believe.” IN Koran said (meaning): “We sent down the Scripture to you so that you could clarify to them what they differed about in the injunctions of religion, and also as a guide to the straight path and mercy for the believing people.” (Surah An-Nahl, verse 64).

Koran sent down in clear Arabic and is characterized by amazing euphony, purity of syllable, compositional harmony and correctness of grammatical structures.

IN Koran there is nothing superfluous or accidental, and reflecting on its meaning is considered one of the most worthy activities. Reflection on the truths of the Koran opens the soul and amazes the believer with its deep meaning. Koran teaches us to think about the signs that surround us in this wonderful world and appreciate its beauty. The Scripture says (meaning): “We have sent down the Scripture to you so that you would lead people, with the permission of their Lord, from unbelief to faith - to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” (Surah Ibrahim, verse 1).

Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) explained that the best of his followers is the one who studies Koran and teaches it to others.

Features of the Quran

The Holy Quran is a unique Scripture addressed to all humanity. The path of spiritual liberation and moral purification outlined in it is so perfect that Koran has not lost its relevance to this day and will not lose it until the End of the World. This is why Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was commanded to say (meaning): “This Quran was given to me as a Revelation, so that through it I may warn you and those to whom it reaches.” (Ura Al-An'am, verse 19). Muslim scholars point out some features of this Scripture that allow us to judge its uniqueness.

Koran will never be distorted and will remain in the form in which it was revealed, for Allah Almighty says (meaning): “Verily, We (Allah) have revealed the Quran, and We will surely preserve it.” (Surah Al-Hijr, verse 9).

Completing the glorious series of heavenly revelations, Koran testifies to the previous Scriptures and confirms that they were all revealed by Allah. It says (meaning): “This Scripture which We have revealed is blessed and confirms the truth of what was revealed before it.” (Surah Al-An'am, verse 92).

Koran inimitable, and no one has ever managed or will ever be able to compose something similar - neither in form nor in content - even the shortest surah. Its truths are confirmed by modern scientific discoveries.

Quranic surahs are easy to remember even for those who do not speak Arabic. Koran conveys the essence of the previous scriptures.

One more important feature Koran is the revelation of suras and verses - in parts - regarding certain events in the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions. They brought them peace and gave them confidence.

The revelation, collection and structure of the Qur'an

Written fixation of the Qur'an

Sacred Koran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in parts. Having received another revelation, he ordered to immediately write it down. Even at the most difficult moments, during the migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina and during military campaigns, one of the scribes was always with him, ready to record the text of the revealed verses.

First to record Koran in Mecca, there was Abdullah bin Saad. In Medina, Ubayy bin Ka'b was awarded this honor. Among those who recorded the revelations were Abu Bakr, Umar bin al-Khattab, Uthman bin Affan, Ali bin Abu Talib, Zubair bin al-Awwam, Hanzala bin ar-Rabi, Shurahbil bin Hasana, Abdallah bin Rawaha and others (yes Allah will be pleased with them all). In total Koran recorded from the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about forty companions.

During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) verses Koran written on date palm leaves, flat stones, pieces of leather, camel shoulder blades, etc. The ink was made from soot and soot. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained in which sura and where exactly the revealed verses should be entered. Having written down the Revelation, the scribe read it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and, under his guidance, corrected mistakes, if any.

To ensure safety Koran The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged his companions to memorize it. Many Muslims knew everything by heart Koran.

Koran was written down in full during the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is evidenced by many hadiths. For example, a hadith reported by Muslim states: "Don't travel with Koran in my hands, for I fear that my enemies will take possession of it.". The famous message of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to Amr ibn Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "To Koran no one touched except the one who performed religious purification"(Malik, Nasai). These and similar stories confirm that the Companions during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had a written record Koran in many copies. Thanks to this, in the era of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Koran was awarded complete preservation in both senses: preservation in the hearts and preservation in writing.

However, it has not yet been collected into a single book. This was not done due to many circumstances.

Firstly, in the era of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in recording Koran on sheets or collecting it in one set there was no need that arose during the reign of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and forced it to be written down on scrolls. And also there was no need that arose during the reign of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), and he collected Koran into a single book and compiled copies of it. In addition, the Muslim community at that time was experiencing better times. Readers Koran there was plenty then, and among the Arabs the reliance on memorization surpassed the reliance on writing.

Secondly, Koran was not sent down entirely at once; on the contrary, the sending of revelations continued for 23 years.

Thirdly, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) faced the possibility of sending down a new Revelation, canceling what Allah wills from the verse or verses revealed before, since between the last revelation of the verses from Koran and the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was only nine days, etc.

Collecting the Koran into a single set

After the departure of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) into another world, it became clear that over time the number of experts Koran will decrease and there will be a danger of partial loss of its text. Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) convinced Caliph Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) of the need to compile a single list approved by all experts Koran. Having supported Umar's initiative, the Caliph instructed Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) to collect the records Koran among all the companions who lived in Medina, arrange the verses and suras in the order in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) read them, and agree on the list with other scholars. This took about a year, after which the agreed text was presented to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). It was decided to destroy the remaining manuscripts so that later no one could say that he had a passage Koran, not included in the list of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). After the death of the caliph text Koran passed to Caliph Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and then, according to his will, to his daughter, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), mother of the faithful Hafsa bint Umar (may Allah be pleased with her).

According to historians, under Caliph Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), four copies of the same updated list were compiled Koran. The first of the lists, called Mushaf-Imam, was left in Medina, and the rest were sent to Kufa, Basra and Sham.

According to a number of researchers, a specimen Koran, left in Medina, was taken from there to Andalusia. Subsequently he was transported to Morocco, and in 1485 he ended up in Samarkand. In 1869, Russian researchers took it to St. Petersburg, where it remained until 1917. Under Soviet rule, the manuscript was returned and in 1924 it ended up in Tashkent.

First lists Koran were written down with the utmost care, but did not have diacritics and vowels (signs indicating vowel sounds).

At the first stage in the text Koran vowels were placed. By order of the governor of Basra, Ziyad bin Sumeya (d. 672), this work was carried out by a group of thirty scribes under the leadership of the famous Arabic scholar Abu al-Aswad al-Duali (d. 688). Modern look vocalizations were acquired during the time of al-Khalil bin Ahmad (d. 791), who also developed a number of additional signs (hamza, tashdid and others).

At the second stage in the text Koran diacritics were placed and notations for long and short vowels were developed. By order of the governor of Iraq, al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf (d. 714), Nasr bin Asim (d. 707) and Yahya bin Ya'amur (d. 746) completed this task. At the same time, signs were introduced to separate the text Koran into 30 parts (juz). This division was dictated by practical expediency and made it easier to read. Koran during night prayers in Ramadan. In modern publications, every juz Koran It is customary to divide it into two parts (two hizb), and each hizb into four quarters (rub).

Structure of the Koran. The text of the Koran is divided into suras and verses.

Ayat – fragment (verse) Koran, consisting of one or more phrases. The longest verse of the Koran is the 282nd verse of Surah 2 Al-Baqarah. The most valuable verse is considered to be the 255th verse of the same surah, which is called “Al-Kursiy”. It explains the foundations of the tradition of monotheism, as well as the greatness and limitlessness of the Divine qualities.

In the first lists Koran The verses were not separated from each other by symbols, as is the case today, and therefore some disagreements arose among scholars regarding the number of verses in the Scripture. They all agreed that there are over 6,200 verses in it. In more accurate calculations there was no unity between them, but these figures are not of fundamental importance, because they do not concern the text of revelations, but only how it should be divided into verses. In modern editions Koran(Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran) highlight 6236 verses, which corresponds to the Kufi tradition, dating back to Ali bin Abu Talib. There is no disagreement among theologians about the fact that the verses are located in the suras in the sequence that was dictated by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Sura is a chapter of the Koran that unites a group of verses. This Arabic word means “high place” (from Arabic sur - wall, fence). This name is explained by the fact that the words in the Quranic chapters, like bricks, lie on top of each other until they reach the quantity that Allah pleases. According to another interpretation, this name emphasizes the greatness and harmony of the meaning embedded in the Quranic revelations.

Text Koran consists of 114 suras, which are conventionally divided into Meccan and Medina. According to most scholars, the Meccan revelations include everything that was revealed before the Hijra, and the Medinan revelations include everything that was sent down after the Hijra, even if it happened in Mecca itself, for example, during the farewell pilgrimage. The verses revealed during the migration to Medina are considered Meccan.

The order of the surahs in Koran was determined by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). According to Ibn Abbas, they say that every time any sura was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he called one of the scribes and told them: “Place this sura where such and such is mentioned.” this and that." It is also reported that Zayd bin Thabit said: “We were next to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and made Koran on pieces of leather." By this compilation we mean arranging the verses in accordance with the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) adopted this order from the angel Jibril (peace be upon him), for the hadith says that Jibril (peace be upon him) said: “Place such and such a verse in such and such a place”. And there is no doubt that Jibril (peace be upon him) said this at the behest of Allah Almighty.

Surahs in Koran are not located in the order of revelation. The first to be placed is Surah Al-Fatihah, revealed in Mecca. The seven verses of this surah cover the basic principles of Islamic faith, for which it received the name “Mother of Scripture.” It is followed by long suras revealed in Medina and explaining the laws of Sharia. The short suras revealed in Mecca and Medina are at the end Koran. They consist of short verses and are usually recited during religious rituals.

As for the names of the suras, they were given later, but Muslim scholars, referring to certain places in Koran, they use the names of the suras (not numbers). Most suras are named after unique words: for example, the only place in Koran, where we are talking about bees - verses 68-69 of sura 16 “An-Nakhl”, the only mention of poets is verses 224-227 of sura 26 “Ash-Shu’ara”, etc.

The best reciter of the Koran visited the editorial office of the Islam.ru website

The Koran (in Arabic: أَلْقُرآن‎‎ - al-Qur’ān) is a religious book sacred to adherents of all Islamic schools. It serves as the basis of Muslim legislation, both religious and civil.

Take it to yourself:

Etymology of the word Koran

There are several points of view regarding the etymology of the word Koran:

1. The word "Quran" is a common Arabic verbal noun, that is, masdar, from the verb "qara'" - "to read."
2. According to other scholars, this word comes from the verb “karana” - “to bind, connect” and is also a masdar from this verb. According to Islamic theologians, the verses and suras of the Koran are interconnected and the text of the Koran itself is presented in a rhymed poetic syllable.
3. According to modern researchers, the word “Quran” comes from the Syriac “keryan”, which means “reading, lesson of the Scriptures”. Syriac, like Arabic, belongs to the Semitic group of languages.

Origin of the Quran

• In secular sources, the authorship of the Koran is attributed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), or to Muhammad and a group of people who codified the Koran.
• In the Islamic tradition, these revelations are perceived as the speech of Allah himself, who chose Muhammad for the prophetic mission.

Compilation of the Qur'an

The Koran as a single book was compiled after the death of Muhammad; before that, it existed in the form of separate suras, both written on paper and memorized by the companions.

By decision of the first caliph Abu Bakr, all the records, all the verses of the Koran, were collected, but in the form of separate records.

Sources from this period state that twelve years after the death of Muhammad, when Othman became caliph, various parts of the Koran were in use, made by famous companions of the prophet, in particular Abdallah ibn Masud and Ubayyah ibn Ka'b. Seven years after Othman became caliph, he ordered the Qur'an to be systematized, relying primarily on the writings of Zayd, the companion of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them). In the order in which the Prophet Muhammad himself bequeathed.

Collected together, compiled into one list, during the reign of Caliph Osman (644-656), these revelations constituted the canonical text of the Koran, which has survived to this day unchanged. The first complete such list dates back to the year 651. Many attempts over the course of one and a half thousand years to make changes to the sacred text of the Koran have failed. The first Koran is kept in Tashkent, in its original form, which is proven by DNA blood on the Koran left by Caliph Osman, who was killed while reading the Koran.

Seven ways of reading the canonical text of the Koran were established by Abu Bakr.

The Koran consists of 114 surahs - chapters (see list of surahs of the Koran) and about 6500 verses. In turn, each sura is divided into individual statements- verses.

All suras of the Koran, except the ninth, begin with the words: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful...” (in Arabic: “بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم (Bismi-Llahi-R-rahmani-R-rahim...)”).

According to the generally accepted Islamic view, based on the “authentic” hadith, that is, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad himself and his companions, the Koran was revealed to Muhammad over a 23-year period. The first revelation came when he was 40 years old, and the last in the year of his death, at 63 years old. Surahs were revealed in different places, in different situations and in different time.

There are a total of 77,934 words in the Quran. The longest sura, 2nd, has 286 verses, the shortest - 103, 108 and 110th - 3 verses. The verses have from 1 to 68 words.

The longest verse is verse 282 of the 2nd sura (Ayat about debt).

The Koran retells the stories of the main characters and some events of Christian and Jewish religious books (Bible, Torah), although the details often differ. Such famous biblical figures as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus are mentioned in the Koran as Prophets of Monotheism (Islam).

The outstanding artistic merits of the Koran are recognized by all experts in Arabic literature. However, many of them are lost in literal translation.

In addition to the Koran, Muslims also recognize other scriptures, however, it is traditionally believed that they were distorted in the course of history and also lost their role after the beginning of the revelation of the Qur'an, which is the last of the Scriptures and will be the last Scripture until the Day of Judgment.

He sent down to you the Scripture with the truth to confirm what was before Him. He sent down the Taurat (Torah) and the Injil (Gospel), (Quran, 3:3)

Say: “If people and jinn gather to create something similar to this Qur’an, then they will not create anything similar to it, even if some of them help the other” (Quran. Sura “al-Isra’” 17: 88)

This Qur'an cannot be the composition of anyone other than Allah. He is a confirmation of what came before him, and an explanation of the Scripture from the Lord of the worlds, of which there is no doubt. (Quran, 10:37)

The Koran contains information that has not been described in the books of any religion. The details of the rituals of worship (fasting, zakat and hajj) and the methods of performing them, according to some apologists of Islam, have no analogues in previous religions. However, the hadiths provide clear evidence of the ceremonies of the pre-Islamic period, which then became part of the sacred practice of Muslims.

The most important surahs and verses of the Koran

• Sura 1. “Fatihah” (“Opening the Book”)

The most famous surah, “Fatihah” (“Opening the Book”), also called the “Mother of the Quran,” is repeatedly read by Muslims in each of the 5 obligatory daily prayers, as well as in all optional ones. This surah is believed to include the meaning of the entire Qur'an.

• Sura 2, verse 255, called "Verses on the Throne".

One of the most striking statements about the universal dominion of Allah over everything that he created. And although Surah Fatiha is highly valued by Muslims, it is this verse, according to Muhammad, that comes first in the Koran:

Kill b. Ka'b said: "The Messenger of Allah (may he rest in peace) said: 'Abu-l-Mundhir, which verse from the book of Allah do you consider the greatest?' I replied: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “Abu-l-Munzir, which verse from the book of Allah do you consider the greatest?” I said: “Allah - there is no deity except Him, living and self-existent from eternity.” Then he hit me on the chest and said: “May knowledge be joyful for you, Abu-l-Munzir.”

• Sura 24, verse 35, “Verses about Light”

A mystical verse describing the glory of God, which was highly valued by the Sufis.

Allah is the light of heaven and earth. His light is like a niche; there is a lamp in it; lamp in glass; the glass is like a pearly star. It is lit from the blessed tree - the olive tree, neither eastern nor western. Its oil is ready to ignite, even if it is not touched by fire. Light on the light! Allah guides whomever He wills to His light, and Allah gives parables for people. Allah is knowledgeable of all things!

• Sura 36. "Ya-Sin".

Its name is made up of two letters (ya and sin), which are not explained in any way. In calligraphy, the first verses of this surah are drawn with special artistic skill. In the teachings of Islam, this surah is the “heart of the Koran,” and everyone who read it has read the Koran ten times. "Ya-Sin" is included in Muslim prayer books, and is often printed as a separate prayer.

• Sura 112. The very short chapter “Ikhlas” is a kind of “creed” of Islam.

Its name means “Pure Confession.”

In the name of Allah, the merciful, the merciful! Say: “He - Allah - is one, Allah, eternal; He did not give birth and was not begotten, and no one was equal to Him!”

Muhammad said that this surah is equivalent to one third of the entire Koran. Therefore, Muslims read it regularly. One day the prophet asked his followers whether at least one of them could read a third of the Book in one night, and after they expressed bewilderment, he repeated once again that this surah was “equivalent to one third of the entire Qur’an.”

• Surahs 113 and 114.

Surahs are spells, by pronouncing which Muslims seek the protection of Allah. Sura 113 “Falyak” appeals to the Lord of the Dawn from sorcerers and envious people. Sura 114 (“People”), seeks refuge with Allah as the Lord of People, from the evil of jinn (demons) and people.

Aisha, one of Muhammad’s wives, said that every night after reading these two surahs, he folded his hands in the form of a bowl and, blowing over them, rubbed his hands three times with all parts of the body that he could reach, from top to bottom. When he was ill, he read these suras again and blew on his body, and Aisha, also repeating the suras, rubbed his body with her hands, hoping for a blessing.

Responsibilities of a Muslim before the Koran

For more than a billion Muslims, the Koran is a sacred book that requires special treatment: any conversations while reading it are condemned.

According to Sharia, a Muslim has the following obligations to the Koran:

1. Believe that the Noble Quran is the Word of Allah Almighty and learn to read it in accordance with the rules of pronunciation (tajweed).
2. Take the Koran in your hands only in a state of ablution and before reading, say: “A’uzu bi-l-Lahi min ash-shaitani-r-rajim!” (“I resort to the protection of Allah from the evil emanating from Satan, driven by stones”), “Bi-smi l-Lahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim!” (“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!”) When reading the Koran, one should, if possible, turn towards the Kaaba and show utmost respect both when reading and when listening to its texts.
3. The Qur'an must be read in clean places. You should not read the Qur'an near people engaged in other activities or near passers-by.
4. Keep the Quran on high (shelves) and clean places. The Quran should not be kept on low shelves and should not be placed on the floor.
5. Strictly follow (to the best of your ability) all the Precepts specified in the Koran. Build your entire life in accordance with the moral principles of the Holy Quran.

Take it to yourself:

Quran and science

Some Islamic researchers claim that they have noticed the correspondence of the Qur'an with the data obtained modern science. The Koran contains information that was inaccessible to people of that time.

There is an opinion that many scientists of the 20th century converted to Islam after, having made their next discovery, they saw that this was reflected in the Koran 14 centuries ago.

Koran(ar. القرآن [al-Qur'an]‎) - Holy Scripture of Muslims, revelation ( wahy) of Allah, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ between 610 and 632 years through the angel Jibril (Gabriel) [; …] . The Qur'an consists of 114 chapters (suras), each of which consists of verses (ayat).

Etymology

Word kur'an in modern Arabic means “reading”, “that which is spoken, read and repeated.”

Lexical meaning of the word kur'an comes from the Arabic verb kara'a(Ar. ﻗﺭﺃ), which means “to add”, “to attach”. The noun comes from this verb kira'a(Ar. ﻗﺭﺍﺀﺓ), which means “addition”, “attaching letters and words to each other” (that is, “reading”).

Earliest attested use of the term Qur'an found in the Koran itself, in which it is mentioned about 70 times per different meanings. Word al-qur'an(Ar. ﺍﻠﻗﺭﺁﻥ) can be used both to refer to the Scripture itself, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and a passage from Scripture.

The Qur'an has various names for this Holy Scripture: al-Kitab("Book") ; at-Tanzil(“Sent Down”); az-Zikr("Reminder") ; al-Furqan("Discrimination"); al-Huda(“Guide”), etc. The Koran is also denoted by the word Mushaf(“scroll”) and a number of other terms that are not found in the text of the Koran.

Sura al-Fatiha(“Opening”).

Structure of the Quran

The Koran consists of 114 chapters, called suras, which consist of a different number (from 3 to 286) of rhythmic and semantic units - ayats (Ar. آية - ayat).

The suras in the Holy Book are not arranged according to their content or according to the time of their appearance. Basically, the suras in the Qur'an are arranged depending on the number of verses in them, starting from the longest to the shortest. The first surah of the Quran is al-Fatiha(“Opening”), and the last one is an-Nas(“People”)

Longest surah al-Baqarah(“Cow”) contains 286 verses, and the shortest are surahs, which have only three verses. The longest verse has 128 words (with prepositions and particles - about 162), and the surah al-Kawsar(“Abundant”) only 10 words (with prepositions and particles - 13). In total, according to different calculation methods, the Quran contains from 6,204 to 6,236 verses (Cairo edition), from 76,440 to 77,934 words and from 300,690 to 325,072 letters.

Traditional Muslim chronology divides the suras into “Meccan” (revealed in Mecca in 610-622) and “Medina” (revealed in Medina in 622-632), which are mostly longer than the “Meccan” ones. There is no exact data on which surahs are Meccan and which are Medina. The Cairo edition of the Qur'an contains 90 Meccan and 24 Medinan suras.

Meccan suras tend to be more poetic; they are dominated by doctrinal themes (monotheism, eschatology); more attention is paid to the idea of ​​the omnipotence of One Allah and the fear of the Day of Judgment.

The Medina suras are dominated by legal issues, reflect polemics with Jews and Christians, and set out the duties of Muslims. Most suras are compiled from fragments of various revelations ( hand'), which are loosely related to each other thematically and are spoken at different times.

Other divisions of its text into approximately equal parts correspond to the needs of recitation of the Koran: into 7 Manzilev(for reading during the week) or 30 juzov(to be read within a month). Further each juz divisible by two Hizba(“parties”), which, in turn, are divided into quarters ( rub') .

First 5 verses of the sura al-‘Alaq(“Clot”).

Revelation of the Qur'an

The sending of the first revelations began when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was 40 years old and continued until his death. The sending of revelations began with a good vision in a dream. After 6 months, the angel Jibril brought the first five verses of the sura al-‘Alaq(“Clot”).

The Quran descended from Allah to the near sky in its entirety on the Night of al-Qadr, and then gradually, in the wisdom of Allah, was transmitted to the Prophet ﷺ in parts. The place in the near sky to which the Koran descended is called Bayt al-'izza("House of Greatness") In the month of Ramadan, the angel Jibril read to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ all the verses of the Koran that were revealed over the past year. Then the Prophet ﷺ read them, and Jibril listened to him, after which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ read these verses in the mosque to the companions, who in turn memorized them. This process was called ‘arda(Ar. عرضة). In the last Ramadan of the life of the Prophet ﷺ this process was performed twice.

Ancient Quran manuscript

Recording of the Quran

During the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Quranic revelations were transmitted mainly orally, from memory. Experts in individual passages of the Koran were called “guardians” (hafiz). In Mecca, revelations were written down on the initiative of the companions themselves, and in Medina - most often at the direction of the Prophet ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ announced which surah and in what order these verses should be written. For this purpose, at different times he had about 40 clerk-secretaries with him. According to Zayd ibn Thabit, after the secretary wrote down the revelation, the Prophet ﷺ forced him to read the revealed verses again. If he noticed errors in the scribe’s pronunciation, he immediately demanded that they be corrected in the text, and only after that did he allow his companions to read Divine revelations. Due to the fact that during the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ paper was not widespread, the revelations received by the Prophet ﷺ were written down on date leaves, pieces of flat stone, animal skin, etc. At the same time, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was not content with writing down the Koran and insisted on the companions memorizing the revelations by heart.

Some revelations were temporary and were later canceled by Allah. Collections of hadiths contain stories about how, by order of the Prophet ﷺ, changes were made to the text of the Koran and some verses of the Koran were replaced by others. The Koran reports that the changes made in it were carried out by order of Allah [; ; ] . Some records of verses of the Qur'an lacked the consistency that is inherent in modern editions. In order to move from fragmentation to systematicity, the companions, in the presence of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, sequentially arranged the verses in the suras of the Koran. This sequence was dictated by Divine command by the angel Jibril. For this reason, it is forbidden to read the verses of the Quran in a sequence other than that indicated by the Prophet ﷺ (for example, from the end to the beginning of the sura).

Most medieval Muslim scholars believed that the language in which the Quran was revealed was spoken language Quraish, as well as the language of poetry of the “classical Arabic language”. It was assumed that the Quraish and pre-Islamic poets preserved the pure language of the Bedouins ( al-a'rab). Western Koranic scholars (Nöldeke, Schwalli) argued that the language of the Koran was not the oral language of any tribe, but was to some extent an artificial “standard language” (German. Hochsprache), which was understood throughout the Hijaz. In the late 1940s, three European researchers H. Fleisch, R. Blacher and K. Rabin came to the conclusion that the Qur'anic language was far from the spoken dialect of the Quraish or the "standard language" of the Hijaz, but was simply the "poetic koine" of classical Arabic poetry, with some adaptation to the speech of the Meccans. This view has been accepted by most Western Arabists.

For a more accurate understanding of the Quran by non-Quraysh, some verses of the Quran were revealed in other dialects of Arabic. Abu Bakr's Mushaf contained various versions of the Qur'anic verses. However, in the process of compiling the Qur'an into a single book, on the orders of 'Uthman, only verses written in the Quraish dialect were included.

The language of the Koran is full of epithets and extended comparisons with a relatively small number of metaphors, metonymies, etc. A significant part of the text of the Koran, especially the early suras, is rhymed prose (Ar. سـجـع [saj‘]‎). The syntax of the Quran is determined by the form of dialogue in which the presentation is carried out, and which is characterized by the absence of introductory sentences and descriptive phrases.

Most of The Koran is a polemic in the form of a dialogue between Allah (speaking sometimes in the first, sometimes in the third person, sometimes through intermediaries) and opponents of the Prophet ﷺ, or Allah’s appeal to Muslims with exhortations and instructions. Central theme The Qur'an is a statement of Islamic principles concerning the duties of believers towards God. Ideas about the Universe, Earth, flora and fauna occupy a certain place. Some anthropological ideas are also reflected, a brief history of humanity and prophecies about its future are given (resurrection of the dead, Last Judgment, etc.). The Koran contains sermons of an eschatological nature, ideas about Hell and Paradise. It also reflects issues such as social justice, economics, international and family relations, moral values, etc.

During the Meccan period main goal the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was attracted to Islam as much as possible more pagans. For this reason, the Meccan suras place great emphasis on the doctrines of prophecy, eschatology, spirituality, as well as ethical issues. In Meccan suras a large number of dramatic scenes, usually involving death, Last Judgment, the joys of Paradise and the torments of hell. The dramatic scenes are never fully or systematically explained. Most of the Meccan suras deal with theological topics: signs of God, messages of earlier prophets, etc. These suras can be classified as sermons.

During the Medina period, Islam became the state religion, and therefore in the Medina suras, greater importance is given to social, legal issues, problems of war and peace, economic issues, family relations etc. That is, the verses of the Koran were revealed taking into account the situation that existed at that time in which the Prophet ﷺ and his companions were located. The early Medina suras are often addressed to the Jews, both the "children of Israel" and the "people of the Book." In the later Medina suras, the appeal “O believers” is more common, but sometimes “O children of Adam” or “O people.”

What is Quran - Quran Academy

In a number of cases, Divine commands were sent down gradually, from easier forms to more complex ones. In accordance with real circumstances, Allah could send down one revelation, which was temporary, and then cancel it and replace it with a new one. The revelation of the Qur'an gradually, in parts, also contributed to its better perception by the people.

The Koran tells about such ancient prophets as Adam, Lut (Lot), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), 'Isa (Jesus), etc., gives information about various events from their lives, sometimes different from what is written in the Bible. At the same time, it also tells about events that should happen in the future. The Koran tells about the problems of the origin and essence of being, various forms of life, cosmology and cosmogony [; ; ]. It contains general principles of all aspects of individual and social existence, as well as Divine commands regarding service ( 'ibadah), various public transactions ( muamalyat) and penalties for offenses ( ‘ukubat) . The Qur'an does not contain a complete code of conduct or list of duties for Muslims; each legal status treated separately, usually in several different places in the Qur'an.

All suras except at-Tawba(“Repentance”), begin with basmala In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful!. In the 29 suras after the basmala one can find the so-called “scattered letters” ( Khuruf mukata'a), which are written together but read separately. The meaning of these letter beginnings is unclear and is the subject of research by many scientists. Most Muslim scholars believe that the scattered letters at the beginning of the suras refer to unclear, difficult to understand verses of the Koran ( mutashabihat) and are a secret that Allah hid from people.

Muslims usually refer to suras by their names rather than by numbers. Since the names of the suras were not established during the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and did not come to be considered as part of the text, most suras became known by several names. The Egyptian Standard Edition of the Qur'an had a significant impact on the uniformity of surah titles, and most of the alternative titles are no longer in use. Most surah names are taken from a key term or headword that would identify the suras to those memorizing them. This suggests that the names of the suras arose in an oral rather than a written tradition.

The place of the Koran in Islam

For Muslims, the Koran is more than Scripture or sacred literature in the usual sense in the Western world. The Koran occupied and occupies an important place in the religious and socio-political life of the Arab-Muslim world. It is the foundation of Islam and the primary source in matters of Islamic law ( fiqh) and beliefs ( ‘aqidah). The “book-centrism” of Islam is expressed in the fundamental meaning of the Koran both in Muslim theology and in Everyday life Muslims, law, cult, social and ethical doctrine. The Qur'an was also central to the theological debates of the early centuries; All directions of Arab-Muslim philosophy are based on his theological provisions. In some countries, the state and legislative structure, way of life public life strictly consistent with Qur'anic principles and norms.

According to Islamic doctrine, the Quran is the last Holy Scripture revealed by Allah; the uncreated Word of Allah, existing from eternity, before the beginning of time. In the 9th century, disputes arose about the historicity (“eternity” or “creation in time”) of the Koran, which resulted in the “Inquisition” carried out in the Caliphate ( mikhna). The dispute ended with the triumph of the position about the eternity of the Koran as the embodiment of the divine Word (Logos), about its heavenly archetype, written on the “Blessed Tablet” ( al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) .

Faith in the Quran, along with faith in all the Holy Scriptures, is one of the six pillars of Iman (faith) [ ; …] . Reading the Qur'an is worship ( 'ibadah). Ayats and surahs of the Koran are used by Muslims in prayers (namaz) and in supplication ( du'a) .

According to Islamic dogma, the peculiarity of the Koran is its miraculousness and inimitability ( i'jazz) in form and content. The concept of i'jaz arose during the prophetic activity of Muhammad ﷺ. During the Meccan period, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called on his opponents to create “something like” the Quran [; ...], however, the Arabs, despite their eloquence, were unable to cite even one sura similar to the Koran. In the 8th-9th centuries, the theme of the inimitability of the Koran was at the center of not only intra-Islamic polemics, but also polemics with Judaism and Christianity. During it, Muslim theologians developed the idea of ​​“miracles” and “signs” perceived by the senses ( hissiya) and comprehended by reason ( ‘akliya). Among the arguments for the miraculousness of the Koran were “messages about the unseen” ( akhbar al-ghayb). The development of jazz theory took place during active interaction with philological disciplines. By the beginning of the 11th century, a synthesis of the doctrine of the inimitability of the Koran and the theory of the doctrine of figures and specific techniques for constructing speech was determined ( badi‘). The concept of i'jaz is associated with the doctrine of the untranslatability of the Qur'an. However, Muslim theologians accepted translations of the Koran in the meaning of “commentary” ( tafsir) provided that the translation does not replace the original text.

The grammar of the Quran became the standard for classical Arabic, which replaced other languages ​​in the Middle East and North Africa. The Arabic script, with some modifications, was adopted by Persian, Turkish (until 1928), Urdu and other languages. The Koran significantly influenced the art of Arabic calligraphy, becoming one of the main decorative motifs of Islamic religious art and architecture. Mosques, madrasah schools and other public buildings are decorated with quotes from the Koran. Muslims wear quotations from the Koran as amulets, and in their homes they hang them on the walls or place them in a place of honor.

In Islam, “etiquette” has been developed in detail ( adab) in relation to the Koran. Before touching the Holy Book, a Muslim must perform a ritual ablution. When reading the Koran, it is advisable to: read it expressively according to the rules of Tajweed, cover the awrah, turn your face to the Qiblah, etc. The Koran should be kept above other books, foreign objects should not be placed on it, or taken into dirty places (toilet, bathhouse, etc. .), treat it carelessly, etc. Unsuitable for reading, non-canonical copies of the Koran are buried in the ground or burned.

Decorating the interior of a mosque with quotes from the Koran

Qur'anic sciences

Islamic culture developed such disciplines studying the Koran as: interpretation, chronology, history of the text, sound structure, stylistics, “cancelling and abrogating verses” ( nasikh va mansukh), “circumstances of sending down” ( asbab al-nuzul), "the inimitability of the Koran" ( i'jazz) etc., known as the "sciences of the Qur'an" ( ‘ulum al-Qur’an)

Interpretation of the Koran ( tafsir) is one of important areas"sciences of the Koran" ( ‘ulum al-Qur’an). Works of this genre played a vital role in the formation, development and spread of Islam. The genre of tafsir began to emerge during the formation of the sunnah and developed for a long time within the framework of works devoted to the biography of the Prophet ﷺ. Over time, special commentaries began to appear devoted to the interpretation of the Koran, inheriting the already developed research procedure and the existing thesaurus. Since its inception, tafsir also began to serve as an ideological weapon in the political struggle between various Islamic movements. This struggle led to the split of the Islamic community into supporters of the literal ( zakhir) and “hidden” ( batin) understanding the Quranic text. In the context of this controversy, disputes flared up about the methods of interpreting the Koran, about the boundaries of what is permissible when searching for the “hidden” meaning. In the context of the ban on translations of the Qur'an, detailed commentaries in different languages ​​played an important role in familiarizing Muslims who do not speak Arabic with the Qur'an.

The Islamic commentary tradition has studied the Qur'an from philological, legal, philosophical, theological and mystical points of view. The most famous and authoritative tafsirs are the works