01 · Beginning
What is the Quran?
The Quran is the word of Allah, revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the Angel Gabriel over approximately 23 years. It is the final divine scripture and a source of guidance for all humanity.
Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will be its guardian.
Al-Hijr 15:9
02 · Revelation
Revelation and descent
Revelation began in 610 CE, thirteen years before the Hijrah, during Ramadan in the Cave of Hira near Mecca. The first verses revealed were the opening verses of Surah Al-Alaq: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.”
Revelation continued for approximately 23 years—13 years in Mecca and 10 years in Medina. The Quran was revealed gradually, in response to events and circumstances. The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed the scribes of revelation to write each verse down as it was revealed.
- 610First revelation
- 13 yearsMecca
- 10 yearsMedina
03 · Collection
The collection and compilation of the Quran
- 01
During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ
The Quran was written on parchment, bones, and palm branches, and memorized by many Companions. Every Ramadan, Gabriel reviewed the entire Quran with the Prophet; in his final year, this review took place twice.
- 02
During the caliphate of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)
After many memorizers of the Quran were martyred in the Battle of Yamama in 12 AH, Umar proposed that Abu Bakr collect the Quran into one codex. This task was entrusted to Zayd ibn Thabit.
- 03
During the caliphate of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)
Around 25 AH, as Islamic lands expanded and differences in recitation appeared, Uthman ordered the Quran to be standardized according to the Quraysh dialect. Copies were sent to major cities—Mecca, Medina, Damascus, Basra, and Kufa—and other copies were burned. This Uthmanic codex remains the basis used today.
04 · Structure
The structure of the Quran
Surahs
114 surahs114 surahs—86 Meccan and 28 Medinan. The longest surah is Al-Baqarah with 286 verses; the shortest is Al-Kawthar with 3 verses.
Verses
6,236 versesAccording to the most widely accepted count, there are 6,236 verses. Verses vary in length from a single word to a full paragraph.
Juz and hizb
30 juz · 60 hizbThe Quran is divided into 30 juz, 60 hizb, and 240 rub' to make recitation and memorization easier.
Arrangement
Tawqifi orderThe order of surahs in the mushaf is tawqifi, established by the instruction of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and differs from the order of revelation.
05 · Recitations
Quranic recitations
Qira'at are differences in the pronunciation, vocalization, and other linguistic features of the wording of Quranic revelation. They are the discipline of knowing how Quranic words are pronounced and performed, transmitted through an uninterrupted chain for every valid mode.
This discipline arose from the Prophet teaching the Companions the Quran in different modes, all of which are revelation from Allah. Authentic hadith confirms that the Quran was revealed upon seven ahruf. Scholars later documented these recitations through uninterrupted chains reaching the Prophet.
The seven recitations were compiled by Imam Abu Bakr ibn Mujahid, who died in 324 AH, in his work Al-Sab'a. Imam Ibn al-Jazari, who died in 833 AH, later added three more recitations in Al-Nashr fi al-Qira'at al-Ashr, establishing the ten mutawatir recitations.
06 · The reciters
The ten qurras and their narrators
Nāfiʿ al-Madanī
Ibn Kathīr al-Makkī
Abū ʿAmr al-Baṣrī
Ibn ʿĀmir ash-Shāmī
ʿĀṣim al-Kūfī
Ḥamzah az-Zayyāt
Al-Kisāʾī
Abū Jaʿfar al-Madanī
Yaʿqūb al-Ḥaḍramī
Khalaf al-Bazzār
07 · Authenticity
Conditions for an authentic qira'a
Scholars have established three conditions for a recitation to be accepted:
Conformity with Arabic linguistic rules
It must be valid, even if only according to one recognized interpretation.
Conformity with the Uthmanic mushaf
It must be possible within the Uthmanic script, since early writing lacked dots and vowel marks.
An authentic chain of transmission (isnad)
An uninterrupted chain reaching the Prophet (peace be upon him).
A recitation that fulfills these three conditions is accepted as Quran and may be recited in prayer. A recitation that does not fulfill any condition is classified as shadhdh, or irregular, and is not used in worship.
08 · Transmission
Chain and transmission
Quranic recitations are transmitted through an uninterrupted teacher chain known as sanad or isnad. This chain has several levels:
- Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
- Companions (for example Ibn Mas'ud, Ubayy ibn Ka'b, Zayd ibn Thabit)
- Successors (for example Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami)
- The ten qurras (Nafi, Ibn Kathir, Abu Amr...)
- Narrators (Hafs, Warsh, Qalun...)
- Turuq—authors of relied-upon transmission texts
- Scholars and reciters through to the present day
09 · Classical texts
Classical texts of tajwid and qira'at
Mutun, singular matn, are didactic poems written by scholars to make the rules of tajwid and qira'at easier to memorize. For centuries they have formed the backbone of Quranic education in study circles and madrasas, and are still taught around the world.
Tuhfetü'l-Etfâl
Beginnerel-Mukaddime el-Cezeriyye
IntermediateHirzü'l-Emânî (eş-Şâtıbiyye)
Advanceded-Dürre el-Mudıyye
AdvancedTayyibetü'n-Neşr fi'l-Kıraati'l-Aşr
ExpertAlongside classical texts, modern didactic works have emerged to simplify tajwid rules. Many commentaries and abridgements of the classical mutun have also been written to make them more accessible to contemporary students.
- 1Beginner
- 2Intermediate
- 3Advanced
- 4Advanced
- 5Expert
10 · Sources
Core sources
- 01Al-Nashr fi al-Qira'at al-AshrIbn al-Jazari (d. 833 AH)
- 02Tayyibat al-Nashr fi al-Qira'at al-AshrIbn al-Jazari
- 03Al-Sab'a fi al-Qira'atIbn Mujahid (d. 324 AH)
- 04Al-Shatibiyyah (Hirz al-Amani)Imam al-Shatibi (d. 590 AH)
- 05Al-Durrah al-MudiyyahIbn al-Jazari (three additional recitations)
- 06Al-Itqan fi Ulum al-QuranAl-Suyuti (d. 911 AH)
Note: This list is a general guide for readers who want to study the subject further.