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How the Koran was born

Compiled and Edited by Conrad David Brillantes

"Al Salam Alley Koum... Alah Ho Akbaar"

Muhammad, (A.D. 570?-632), was a prophet whose life and teachings form the basis of the Islamic religion.  The name Muhammad means Praised One.  Muslims believe Muhammad was the last messenger of God.  They believe he completed the sacred teachings of such earlier prophets as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.  Muslims respect Muhammad but do not worship him. 

Muhammad was one of the most influential men of all time.  He felt himself called to be God's prophet.  This belief gave him the strength to bring about many changes in Arabia.  When Muhammad began to preach in the 600's, Arabia was a wild, lawless land.  The fierce tribes of the deserts fought continual bloody wars. 

In Mecca, a city in southwestern Arabia, there was much suffering among the poor.  Most of the people worshiped many gods, and prayed to idols and spirits. 

Muhammad brought a new message to his people from God.  He taught that there is only one God, and that this God requires people to make Islam (submission) to Him.  Muhammad replaced the old loyalty to tribes with a new tie of equality and allegiance among all Muslims.  He also preached against the injustice of the wealthy classes in Mecca, and tried to help the poor. 

During his lifetime, Muhammad led his people to unite in a great religious movement.  Within a hundred years after his death, Muslims carried the teachings of Muhammad into other parts of the Middle East, into northern Africa, Europe, and Asia.  Today, there are Muslim communities throughout the world. 

Early life:  Muhammad was born in Mecca.  His father died before his birth, and his mother died when he was a child.  His grandfather, and later Abu Talib, his uncle, became his guardians.  For a time, Muhammad lived with a desert tribe.  He learned to tend sheep and camels.  According to tradition, he joined his uncle on caravan journeys through Arabia to Syria.  He probably attended assemblies and fairs in Mecca, where he may have heard people of different faiths express their ideas. 

At the age of 25, Muhammad entered the service of Khadija, a wealthy widow of about 40.  He later married her.  They had two sons and four daughters.  The sons died young.  One daughter, Fatima, married Ali, son of Abu Talib.  Many Muslims trace their descent from Muhammad through this couple. 

His religious life: The most sacred shrine in Mecca was the Kaaba.  It had a black stone, believed to be especially sacred, in one corner.  When Muhammad was 35, a flood damaged the Kaaba.  Because of his moral excellence, Muhammad was chosen to set the sacred stone back into place.  Later, when Muhammad was meditating alone in a cave on Mount Hira, a vision appeared to him.  Muslims believe the vision was of the angel Gabriel, who called Muhammad to serve as a prophet and proclaim God's message to his people. 

At first, Muhammad doubted that his vision had come from God.  But his wife Khadija reassured him.  She became his first disciple.  For a time, no more revelations came, and Muhammad grew discouraged.  Then Gabriel came again, and told him, "Arise and warn, magnify thy Lord ... wait patiently for Him."  At first, Muhammad may have told only relatives and friends of the revelations.  But soon he began to preach publicly.  Most people who heard him ridiculed him, but some believed.  Abu Bakr, a rich merchant, became a disciple.  Omar (Umar Ibn al-Khattab in Arabic), a Meccan leader, persecuted Muhammad at first, but later accepted him as a prophet. 

The Hegira:  Muhammad continued to preach in Mecca until several calamities took place.  First, both Khadija and Abu Talib died.  Also the people of Mecca began to hate Muhammad for his claims and his attacks on their way of life.  Finally, in A.D. 622, Muhammad fled north to the nearby city of Medina, then called Yathrib.  His immigration to Medina is called the Hegira.  It is considered so important that the Muslim calendar begins with the year of the Hegira.  The people of Medina welcomed Muhammad.  His preaching and statesmanship soon won most of them as followers. 

His teachings:  Muhammad was now the head of both a religion and a community, and he made his message law.  He abolished idol worship and the killing of unwanted baby girls.  He limited polygyny (marriage to more than one wife at a time) and restricted divorce.  He reformed inheritance laws, regulated slavery, and helped the poor.  He also banned war and violence except for self-defense and for the cause of Islam. 

Muhammad seems to have expected Jews and Christians to accept him as a prophet.  At first he was friendly toward them.  He chose Jerusalem as the direction to be faced in prayer, similar to the Jewish practice.  He also set aside Friday as a Muslim day of congregational prayer, perhaps because the Jews began their Sabbath preparations then.  But the Jews of Medina conspired against him with his enemies in Mecca.  Muhammad angrily drove them from the city and organized a purely Muslim society.  To symbolize the independence of the new religion, he ordered Muslims to face Mecca, instead of Jerusalem, when praying. 

The people of Mecca went to war against Muhammad and his followers.  They attacked Medina several times but were always driven back.  In 630, Muhammad entered Mecca in triumph.  He offered pardon to the people there, most of whom accepted him as the Prophet of God.  He destroyed the pagan idols in the Kaaba, prayed there, and made it a mosque (house of worship).  Muhammad died two years later in Medina.  His tomb is in the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.

Medina, is a city in western Saudi Arabia.  It lies on a fertile plain about 270 miles (434 kilometers) north of Mecca.  Medina and Mecca are the holiest cities in Islam, the Muslim religion, and only Muslims may enter them.  The Holy Mosque of the Islamic prophet Muhammad is located in Medina.  This mosque holds Muhammad's tomb.  Islam requires every Muslim to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca if possible.  Most pilgrims who visit Mecca also go to Medina. 

Farmers grow fruits and vegetables in the area around Medina.  Agriculture and money spent by pilgrims form the basis of Medina's economy.  The city is the home of the Islamic University.  Medina has kept much of its traditional appearance.  As Medina has grown, however, the walls of the old city have disappeared.  New suburbs have grown up, and wealthy residents live in these areas. 

No one knows when Medina was founded.  It was originally called Yathrib, and farmers settled there before 200 B.C. Medina received its present name, which means town or city, about A.D. 600.  Muhammad and his disciples found safety in Medina after they were forced to flee from Mecca in 622.  Medina became the center of the Muslim community, but its political importance fell as the Islamic empire grew.   

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Koran, pronounced kaw RAHN or pronounced koh RAHN, is the sacred book of the Muslims.  It is also spelled Qur'an.  Muslims believe the angel Gabriel revealed the book to the Prophet Muhammad.  The name Koran means a recitation or something to be recited, presumably in worship. 

Muslims believe the Angel Gabriel revealed the Koran to Muhammad a little at a time.  The revelations began about A.D. 610 and continued until Muhammad's death in 632.  Islamic tradition does not specify whether many of the ayas (verses) and suras (chapters) were written down during Muhammad's lifetime or after his death.  Muhammad's followers, who wrote down the revelations, collected them into the book that is now known as the Koran.  The standard text of the Koran was formed during the reign of Caliph Uthman, who ruled from 644 to 656.  Muslims consider the Koran to be the words of God Himself, and in no sense the composition of Muhammad.  They believe that the earthly book, bound between covers, is a copy of an eternal book that is kept in heaven. 

The Koran consists of verses grouped into 114 chapters.  The chapters vary in length from a few lines to over 200 verses.  Much of the Koran is written in rhymed Arabic prose.  Muslims believe that the rich, forceful language of the text is humanly unmatchable, and a miracle that confirms Muhammad's prophet hood. 

Teachings.  The central teaching of the Koran is that there is only one God.  The word for God in Arabic is Allah.  Allah is the creator of the universe and requires Islam (submission) to Himself.  Allah, in His mercy, sent the Koran as a guide for humanity.  

Another important teaching concerns the prophets who have been God's messengers to different peoples.  The Koran mentions the prophets Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and many others.  It describes Muhammad as the last of the prophets. 

The Koran speaks of a day of judgment when people shall stand before God to account for their lives.  It contains many specific teachings designed to regulate Muslim daily life.  It requires daily prayers, and stresses charity and brotherly love among Muslims.  The Koran teaches that one should be humble in spirit, temperate, brave, and just. 

The influence of the Koran is great.  It is one of the most widely read books in the world.  Its teachings formed the basis of the great Islamic civilization of the past, and it guides and inspires millions of Muslims.  The Koran is the final authority in matters of faith and practice for all Muslims.  It is also the highest authority for Islamic law. 

The Koran has been taught orally and is memorized, at least in part, by virtually all Muslims.  Thus, even illiterate Muslims possess and prize the text.  The reverence for the holy book is so great that many Muslims learn the entire work by heart.  The art of properly reciting the Koran has been preserved and passed on through the centuries, and has been enhanced by the modern technology of audio cassette recording. 

For hundreds of years, Muslims refused to translate the Koran into other languages.  They thought they should preserve the words of God in their original form.  But in the early 1900's, Muslims began to translate the Koran into Eastern and Western languages.

Africa, Spain, India, and Syria:  They transmitted much of the classical knowledge of the ancient world, and built such magnificent structures as the Alhambra in Spain and the Taj Mahal in India.  For a discussion of Muslim achievements and their influence, see MUSLIMS. 

The teachings of Islam 

The companions of Muhammad preserved the revelations that came to Muhammad by memorizing them or writing them down.  Muslim scholars believe Muhammad approved these teachings.  Later, the materials were combined to form the holy book of the Muslims.  It is called the Koran, from the Arabic word meaning recitation.  The caliph Uthman, who ruled from 644 to 656, ordered the first official edition of the Koran.  He sent a copy of the edition to the chief mosque in each of the capital cities of the Muslim provinces.  Muslims consider the Koran the words of God Himself, spoken to Muhammad by an angel. 

Parts of the Koran resemble the Bible, the Apocrypha, and the Talmud.  The Koran contains many stories about the prophets that appear in the Old Testament.  The Koran also has stories about Jesus, whom it calls the Word of God. 

God and humanity:  The Koran teaches the absolute unity and power of God, the creator of the whole universe.  It also teaches that God is just and merciful, and wishes people to repent and purify themselves so that they can attain Paradise after death.  Therefore, God sends prophets with sacred books to teach people their duty to God and humanity.  The Muslims believe Muhammad was the last of the prophets.  Jesus and the Old Testament prophets were among his predecessors. 

The Koran forbids the representation of human and animal figures, so orthodox Islamic art rarely pictures living beings.  The Koran also denounces usury, games of chance, and the consumption of pork and alcohol. 

Ethics and morals:  The Koran, like the Bible, forbids lying, stealing, adultery, and murder.  Punishment for some offenses, such as theft or adultery, can be severe.  But the Koran softened the ancient law of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" by permitting the payment of "blood money" and by urging forgiveness.  The Koran permits slavery under certain conditions, but urges that slaves be freed.  It permits a man to have as many as four wives under certain conditions. 

Virtue and justice:  The Koran teaches honor for parents, kindness to slaves, protection for orphans and widows, and charity to the poor.  It teaches the virtues of faith in God, kindness, honesty, industry, honor, courage, and generosity.  It condemns mistrust, impatience, and cruelty.  Heads of families must treat household members kindly and fairly.  A wife has rights against her husband to protect her from abuse.  It teaches that a person should not refuse requests for help even if they seem unnecessary.  God judges the dishonest petitioner and rewards the giver in this and the next world. 

Life and death: Islam teaches that life on earth is a period of testing and preparation for the life to come.  The angels in heaven record a person's good and bad deeds.  People should therefore try their best to be good and help others, and then trust in God's justice and mercy for their reward.  Death is the gate to eternal life.  Muslims believe in a last, or judgment, day when everyone will receive the record of his or her deeds on earth.  The record book is placed in the right hand of the good, who then go to heaven.  It is placed in the left hand of the wicked, who go to hell.  The sorrows and tortures of hell resemble those described in the Bible.  The Muslim heaven is a garden with flowing streams, luscious fruits, richly covered couches, and beautiful maidens.

Customs and ceremonies

Duties:  A Muslim's chief duties can be summarized in the Five Pillars of Faith.  They are (1) profession of the unity of God and the prophet-hood of Muhammad, (2) prayer, (3) almsgiving, (4) fasting, and (5) pilgrimage.  

Prayer, or Salat Muslims pray five times daily: at dawn, at noon, in the afternoon, in the evening, and at nightfall.  A crier, or muezzin (pronounced myoo EZ in), announces prayer time from the minaret (mosque tower).  Muslims ceremonially wash their faces, hands, and feet just before prayer.  On Friday, Muslims are expected to attend noon prayers at a mosque.  The prayer leader faces Mecca.  The men stand behind him, and the women stand behind the men.  Prayers consist of reciting passages from the Koran and other phrases of praise to God.  They include such movements as bowing from the hips and kneeling with the face to the ground.  Friday prayers are preceded by a sermon. 

Almsgiving may be required or free will.  Required almsgiving is called Zakat and the free will type is called Sadaqah.  Zakat is like the tithe mentioned in the Bible (see TITHE).  Muslims must give 21/2 percent of their wealth each year as a trust fund for the needy.  Islam does not limit free will charity, except that Muslims cannot deprive their own families of their fixed legal inheritance by giving all their wealth to charity. 

Fasting:  Ramadan, the ninth month in the Muslim year, is the holy month of fasting.  Muslims may not eat or drink from dawn to sunset.  Travelers, the sick, nursing mothers, and soldiers on the march are exempt, but must make up the days missed.  Muslims joyfully celebrate the end of the long fast in the three-day Festival of the Breaking of the Fast (Little Bairam). 

Pilgrimage, or the Hajj, to Mecca is commanded by the Koran.  All able Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage at least once.  Many ceremonies are required during the pilgrimage.  The most important ceremonies include walking seven times around the Kaaba and kissing the sacred Black Stone in its wall.  Most Muslims include a visit to the Mosque of Muhammad in Medina.  The pilgrimage is concluded with the Festival of Sacrifice, when the Muslims sacrifice a sheep, goat, or camel, and usually give the meat to the poor.  This is the Muslims' Great Festival, while Little Bairam is the Lesser Festival.  Muslims celebrate both of these festivals by visiting, wearing new clothes, and by exchanging gifts. 

Celebrations of many kinds take place throughout the Muslim world.  Public holidays include Muhammad's birthday, which is widely celebrated.  Members of the Shiah sect of Islam, called Shiites (pronounced SHEE eyets), have some additional festivals and ceremonies.  The most important ceremony observes mourning for the death of Husain, a grandson of Muhammad, in 661.  Shiites also celebrate the birthday of Fatima, Muhammad's daughter. 

Private ceremonies in a Muslim's life occur at birth, circumcision, and weddings.  The event that Muslims take most pride in is a child's memorizing of the entire Koran.  Then the child's family holds a party for the student and the teacher, and both receive gifts.

The structure of Islam

The mosque, or Muslim place of worship, is the most important building for Muslims.  Mosque comes from the Arabic masjid, which means a place of kneeling.  A typical mosque has a mihrab (niche) that points to Mecca.  It also contains a pulpit for the preacher and a lectern for the Koran.  Most mosques have at least one minaret from which the muezzin chants the call to prayer.  A court and a water fountain are generally provided for the ceremonial washing before prayer.  The mosque is often decorated with colorful arabesques and Koranic verses. 

Many mosques have a religious elementary school where young scholars learn to read and memorize the Koran.  Some mosques, especially in Muslim countries, also have a madrasah (religious college) where students may complete their religious education.  Madrasah graduates, sometimes called mullahs, may teach in a mosque school or a madrasah, or they may preach in a mosque.  See MOSQUE. 

The Imam, or leader, is the chief officer in the mosque.  The Imam's main duty is to lead the people in prayer.  The Prophet Muhammad led prayers in his mosque in Medina and in the mosque surrounding the Kaaba in Mecca.  The caliphs led the people in all religious and political matters, so they were the chief Imams.  On special occasions, a distinguished visitor or religious teacher may lead the public prayers. 

Islam does not have an organized priesthood.  Any virtuous and able Muslim can lead prayers in most mosques.  However, it is usually the Imam, a person chosen for piety or scholarship, who handles the services of the mosque. 

Sects:  Like all religions, Islam has its sects.  In the 600's, the Muslim world split into two great divisions, Sunni and Shiah.  Most Muslims are Sunnites.  They believe that Muslim leadership after the death of Muhammad passed to caliphs elected from Muhammad's tribe.  The Shiites believe that leadership was restricted to descendants of Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law.  Shiites form the largest minority.  Members of this Islamic group live scattered throughout Asia and Africa and, more recently, in Europe and America. 

There have also been a number of smaller sects.  In the early years, a group called the Kharijites broke away from the Muslim community and formed a more puritanical and democratic sect.  The Kharijites have disappeared as an active group.  Another prominent sect, the Wahhabis, or Ikhwan, also form a puritanical group.  They are dominant in Saudi Arabia.  The Baha'i faith grew out of the Shiite group. 

Aga Khan IV is the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Khoja Muslims, a sect that has been in existence almost from the beginning of Islam.  Members of this Islamic group, numbering about 10 million, live scattered throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. 

Until recently, Islam had no organized missionary movement.  But today al-Azhar University of Cairo, the intellectual center of Islam, trains students for missionary work.  Several Islamic sects, especially the Ahmadiyya of Pakistan, work as missionaries throughout Europe, America, Asia, and Africa.

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The Koran in English....Those who wanted to read and learn from this holy book, reserve a copy by sending money order check for US$50 per copy, postage included, payable to  The Traders Point, P.O. Box 91, Station B, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3B 3J5.

Bismillahirrohmanirrohim
Assalamu'alaikum warohmatullahi wabarokatuh (Bahasa Indonesia)

Compiled & Edited by Conrad David Brillantes for The Philippines My Philippines

Please see Mohammad, the last Prophet….Mecca, Medina , and how the Koran came to being. Complete introduction to Islam, and the Muslim religion.

Islam Info

Year 630 AD. Muhammad lead the invasion of Mecca , Ali his successor son-in-law was with him.

Year 62 AD, Muhamed Died, Abubakar, succeeded him instead of Ali

Year 7-8th Century AD Papou, Medina was occupied by the Sasanian Empire of Iran

Muhammad, pronounced “moo HAM uhd” (A.D. 570?-632), was a prophet whose life and  teachings form the basis of the Islamic religion.  The name Muhammad means Praised One.  There are several common spellings of the name, including Mohammad, Mohammed, and Mahomet.  Muslims believe Muhammad was the last messenger of God.  They believe he completed the sacred teachings of such earlier prophets as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.  Muslims respect Muhammad but do not worship him. 

Muhammad was one of the most influential men of all time.  He felt himself called to be God's prophet.  This belief gave him the strength to bring about many changes in Arabia .  When Muhammad began to preach in the 600's, Arabia was a wild, lawless land.  The fierce tribes of the deserts fought continual bloody wars. 

In Mecca , a city in South-Western Arabia, there was much suffering among the poor.  Most of the people worshiped many gods, and prayed to idols and spirits. 

Muhammad brought a new message to his people from God.  He taught that there is only one God, and that this God requires people to make Islam (submission) to Him.  Muhammad replaced the old loyalty to tribes with a new tie of equality and allegiance among all Muslims.  He also preached against the injustice of the wealthy classes in Mecca , and tried to help the poor.

During his lifetime, Muhammad led his people to unite in a great religious movement.  Within a hundred years after his death, Muslims carried the teachings of Muhammad into other parts of the Middle East , into northern Africa , Europe , and Asia .  Today, there are Muslim communities throughout the world. 

Early life.  Muhammad was born in Mecca .  His father died before his birth, and his mother died when he was a child.  His grandfather, and later Abu Talib, his uncle, became his guardians.  For a time, Muhammad lived with a desert tribe.  He learned to tend sheep and camels.  According to tradition, he joined his uncle on caravan journeys through Arabia to Syria .  He probably attended assemblies and fairs in Mecca , where he may have heard people of different faiths express their ideas. 

At the age of 25, Muhammad entered the service of Khadija, a wealthy widow of about 40.  He later married her.  They had two sons and four daughters.  The sons died young.  One daughter, Fatima, married Ali, son of Abu Talib.  Many Muslims trace their descent from Muhammad through this couple (see FATIMID DYNASTY). 

His religious life.  The most sacred shrine in Mecca was the Kaaba.  It had a black stone, believed to be especially sacred, in one corner.  When Muhammad was 35, a flood damaged the Kaaba.  Because of his moral excellence, Muhammad was chosen to set the sacred stone back into place (see KAABA).  Later, when Muhammad was meditating alone in a cave on Mount Hira , a vision appeared to him.  Muslims believe the vision was of the angel Gabriel, who called Muhammad to serve as a prophet and proclaim God's message to his people. 

At first, Muhammad doubted that his vision had come from God.  But his wife Khadija reassured him.  She became his first disciple.  For a time, no more revelations came, and Muhammad grew discouraged.  Then Gabriel came again, and told him, "Arise and warn, magnify thy Lord ... wait patiently for Him."  At first, Muhammad may have told only relatives and friends of the revelations.  But soon he began to preach publicly.  Most people who heard him ridiculed him, but some believed.  Abu Bakr, a rich merchant, became a disciple.  Omar (Umar Ibn al-Khattab in Arabic), a Meccan leader, persecuted Muhammad at first, but later accepted him as a prophet. 

The Hegira.  Muhammad continued to preach in Mecca until several calamities took place.  First, both Khadija and Abu Talib died.  Also the people of Mecca began to hate Muhammad for his claims and his attacks on their way of life.  Finally, in A.D. 622, Muhammad fled north to the nearby city of Medina , then called Yathrib.  His emigration to Medina is called the Hegira.  It is considered so important that the Muslim calendar begins with the year of the Hegira.  The people of Medina welcomed Muhammad.  His preaching and statesmanship soon won most of them as followers. 

His teachings.  Muhammad was now the head of both a religion and a community, and he made his message law.  He abolished idol worship and the killing of unwanted baby girls.  He limited polygyny (marriage to more than one wife at a time) and restricted divorce.  He reformed inheritance laws, regulated slavery, and helped the poor.  He also banned war and violence except for self-defense and for the cause of Islam. 

Muhammad seems to have expected Jews and Christians to accept him as a prophet.  At first he was friendly toward them.  He chose Jerusalem as the direction to be faced in prayer, similar to the Jewish practice.  He also set aside Friday as a Muslim day of congregational prayer, perhaps because the Jews began their Sabbath preparations then.  But the Jews of Medina conspired against him with his enemies in Mecca .  Muhammad angrily drove them from the city and organized a purely Muslim society.  To symbolize the independence of the new religion, he ordered Muslims to face Mecca , instead of Jerusalem , when praying. 

The Meccans went to war against Muhammad and his followers.  They attacked Medina several times but were always driven back.  In 630, Muhammad entered Mecca in triumph.  He offered pardon to the people there, most of whom accepted him as the Prophet of God.  He destroyed the pagan idols in the Kaaba, prayed there, and made it a mosque (house of worship).  Muhammad died two years later in Medina .  His tomb is in the Prophet's Mosque in Medina (see MEDINA ). 

Medina , pronounced muh DEE nuh (pop. 198,186), is a city in western Saudi Arabia .  It lies on a fertile plain about 270 miles (434 kilometers) north of Mecca .  Medina and Mecca are the holiest cities in Islam, the Muslim religion, and only Muslims may enter them.  The Holy Mosque of the Islamic prophet Muhammad is located in Medina .  This mosque holds Muhammad's tomb.  Islam requires every Muslim to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca if possible.  Most pilgrims who visit Mecca also go to Medina. 

Farmers grow fruits and vegetables in the area around Medina.  Agriculture and money spent by pilgrims form the basis of Medina's economy.  The city is the home of the Islamic University.  Medina has kept much of its traditional appearance.  As Medina has grown, however, the walls of the old city have disappeared.  New suburbs have grown up, and wealthy residents live in these areas. 

No one knows when Medina was founded.  It was originally called Yathrib, and farmers settled there before 200 B.C. Medina received its present name, which means town or city, about A.D. 600.  Muhammad and his disciples found safety in Medina after they were forced to flee from Mecca in 622.  Medina became the center of the Muslim community, but its political importance fell as the Islamic empire grew. 

Koran, pronounced kaw RAHN or pronounced koh RAHN, is the sacred book of the Muslims.  It is also spelled Qur'an.  Muslims believe the angel Gabriel revealed the book to the Prophet Muhammad.  The name Koran means a recitation or something to be recited, presumably in worship. 

Muslims believe the angel Gabriel revealed the Koran to Muhammad a little at a time.  The revelations began about A.D. 610 and continued until Muhammad's death in 632.  Islamic tradition does not specify whether many of the ayas (verses) and suras (chapters) were written down during Muhammad's lifetime or after his death.  Muhammad's followers, who wrote down the revelations, collected them into the book that is now known as the Koran.  The standard text of the Koran was formed during the reign of Caliph Uthman, who ruled from 644 to 656.  Muslims consider the Koran to be the words of God Himself, and in no sense the composition of Muhammad.  They believe that the earthly book, bound between covers, is a copy of an eternal book that is kept in heaven. 

The Koran consists of verses grouped into 114 chapters.  The chapters vary in length from a few lines to over 200 verses.  Much of the Koran is written in rhymed Arabic prose.  Muslims believe that the rich, forceful language of the text is humanly unmatchable, and a miracle that confirms Muhammad's prophethood. 

Teachings.  The central teaching of the Koran is that there is only one God.  The word for God in Arabic is Allah.  Allah is the creator of the universe and requires Islam (submission) to Himself.  Allah, in His mercy, sent the Koran as a guide for humanity. 

Another important teaching concerns the prophets who have been God's messengers to different peoples.  The Koran mentions the prophets Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and many others.  It describes Muhammad as the last of the prophets. 

The Koran speaks of a day of judgment when people shall stand before God to account for their lives.  It contains many specific teachings designed to regulate Muslim daily life.  It requires daily prayers, and stresses charity and brotherly love among Muslims.  The Koran teaches that one should be humble in spirit, temperate, brave, and just. 

The influence of the Koran is great.  It is one of the most widely read books in the world.  Its teachings formed the basis of the great Islamic civilization of the past, and it guides and inspires millions of Muslims.  The Koran is the final authority in matters of faith and practice for all Muslims.  It is also the highest authority for Islamic law. 

The Koran has been taught orally and is memorized, at least in part, by virtually all Muslims.  Thus, even illiterate Muslims possess and prize the text.  The reverence for the holy book is so great that many Muslims learn the entire work by heart.  The art of properly reciting the Koran has been preserved and passed on through the centuries, and has been enhanced by the modern technology of audio cassette recording. 

For hundreds of years, Muslims refused to translate the Koran into other languages.  They thought they should preserve the words of God in their original form.  But in the early 1900's, Muslims began to translate the Koran into Eastern and Western languages. 

Africa, Spain, India, and Syria.  They transmitted much of the classical knowledge of the ancient world, and built such magnificent structures as the Alhambra in Spain and the Taj Mahal in India.  For a discussion of Muslim achievements and their influence, see MUSLIMS.   

The teachings of Islam

The companions of Muhammad preserved the revelations that came to Muhammad by memorizing them or writing them down.  Muslim scholars believe Muhammad approved these teachings.  Later, the materials were combined to form the holy book of the Muslims.  It is called the Koran, from the Arabic word meaning recitation.  The caliph Uthman, who ruled from 644 to 656, ordered the first official edition of the Koran.  He sent a copy of the edition to the chief mosque in each of the capital cities of the Muslim provinces.  Muslims consider the Koran the words of God Himself, spoken to Muhammad by an angel. 

Parts of the Koran resemble the Bible, the Apocrypha, and the Talmud.  The Koran contains many stories about the prophets that appear in the Old Testament.  The Koran also has stories about Jesus, whom it calls the Word of God. 

God and humanity.  The Koran teaches the absolute unity and power of God, the creator of the whole universe.  It also teaches that God is just and merciful, and wishes people to repent and purify themselves so that they can attain Paradise after death.  Therefore, God sends prophets with sacred books to teach people their duty to God and humanity.  The Muslims believe Muhammad was the last of the prophets.  Jesus and the Old Testament prophets were among his predecessors. 

The Koran forbids the representation of human and animal figures, so orthodox Islamic art rarely pictures living beings.  The Koran also denounces usury, games of chance, and the consumption of pork and alcohol. 

Ethics and morals.  The Koran, like the Bible, forbids lying, stealing, adultery, and murder.  Punishment for some offenses, such as theft or adultery, can be severe.  But the Koran softened the ancient law of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" by permitting the payment of "blood money" and by urging forgiveness.  The Koran permits slavery under certain conditions, but urges that slaves be freed.  It permits a man to have as many as four wives under certain conditions. 

Virtue and justice.  The Koran teaches honor for parents, kindness to slaves, protection for orphans and widows, and charity to the poor.  It teaches the virtues of faith in God, kindness, honesty, industry, honor, courage, and generosity.  It condemns mistrust, impatience, and cruelty.  Heads of families must treat household members kindly and fairly.  A wife has rights against her husband to protect her from abuse.  It teaches that a person should not refuse requests for help even if they seem unnecessary.  God judges the dishonest petitioner and rewards the giver in this and the next world. 

Life and death.  Islam teaches that life on earth is a period of testing and preparation for the life to come.  The angels in heaven record a person's good and bad deeds.  People should therefore try their best to be good and help others, and then trust in God's justice and mercy for their reward.  Death is the gate to eternal life.  Muslims believe in a last, or judgment, day when everyone will receive the record of his or her deeds on earth.  The record book is placed in the right hand of the good, who then go to heaven.  It is placed in the left hand of the wicked, who go to hell.  The sorrows and tortures of hell resemble those described in the Bible.  The Muslim heaven is a garden with flowing streams, luscious fruits, richly covered couches, and beautiful maidens.

Customs and ceremonies

Duties.  A Muslim's chief duties can be summarized in the Five Pillars of Faith.  They are (1) profession of the unity of God and the prophethood of Muhammad, (2) prayer, (3) almsgiving, (4) fasting, and (5) pilgrimage.  

Prayer, or Salat.  Muslims pray five times daily: at dawn, at noon, in the afternoon, in the evening, and at nightfall.  A crier, or muezzin (pronounced myoo EZ in), announces prayer time from the minaret (mosque tower).  Muslims ceremonially wash their faces, hands, and feet just before prayer.  On Friday, Muslims are expected to attend noon prayers at a mosque.  The prayer leader faces Mecca.  The men stand behind him, and the women stand behind the men.  Prayers consist of reciting passages from the Koran and other phrases of praise to God.  They include such movements as bowing from the hips and kneeling with the face to the ground.  Friday prayers are preceded by a sermon. 

Almsgiving may be required or free will.  Required almsgiving is called Zakat and the free will type is called Sadaqah.  Zakat is like the tithe mentioned in the Bible (see TITHE).  Muslims must give 2 1/2 percent of their wealth each year as a trust fund for the needy.  Islam does not limit free will charity, except that Muslims cannot deprive their own families of their fixed legal inheritance by giving all their wealth to charity. 

Fasting.  Ramadan, the ninth month in the Muslim year, is the holy month of fasting.  Muslims may not eat or drink from dawn to sunset.  Travelers, the sick, nursing mothers, and soldiers on the march are exempt, but must make up the days missed.  Muslims joyfully celebrate the end of the long fast in the three-day Festival of the Breaking of the Fast (Little Bairam). 

Pilgrimage, or the Hajj, to Mecca is commanded by the Koran.  All able Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage at least once.  Many ceremonies are required during the pilgrimage.  The most important ceremonies include walking seven times around the Kaaba and kissing the sacred Black Stone in its wall.  Most Muslims include a visit to the Mosque of Muhammad in Medina.  The pilgrimage is concluded with the Festival of Sacrifice, when the Muslims sacrifice a sheep, goat, or camel, and usually give the meat to the poor.  This is the Muslims' Great Festival, while Little Bairam is the Lesser Festival.  Muslims celebrate both of these festivals by visiting, wearing new clothes, and by exchanging gifts. 

Celebrations of many kinds take place throughout the Muslim world.  Public holidays include Muhammad's birthday, which is widely celebrated.  Members of the Shiah sect of Islam, called Shiites (pronounced SHEE eyets), have some additional festivals and ceremonies.  The most important ceremony observes mourning for the death of Husain, a grandson of Muhammad, in 661.  Shiites also celebrate the birthday of Fatima, Muhammad's daughter. 

Private ceremonies in a Muslim's life occur at birth, circumcision, and weddings.  The event that Muslims take most pride in is a child's memorizing of the entire Koran.  Then the child's family holds a party for the student and the teacher, and both receive gifts.

The structure of Islam

The mosque, or Muslim place of worship, is the most important building for Muslims.  Mosque comes from the Arabic masjid, which means a place of kneeling.  A typical mosque has a mihrab (niche) that points to Mecca.  It also contains a pulpit for the preacher and a lectern for the Koran.  Most mosques have at least one minaret from which the muezzin chants the call to prayer.  A court and a water fountain are generally provided for the ceremonial washing before prayer.  The mosque is often decorated with colorful arabesques and Koranic verses. 

Many mosques have a religious elementary school where young scholars learn to read and memorize the Koran.  Some mosques, especially in Muslim countries, also have a madrasah (religious college) where students may complete their religious education.  Madrasah graduates, sometimes called mullahs, may teach in a mosque school or a madrasah, or they may preach in a mosque.  See MOSQUE. 

The Imam, or leader, is the chief officer in the mosque.  The Imam's main duty is to lead the people in prayer.  The Prophet Muhammad led prayers in his mosque in Medina and in the mosque surrounding the Kaaba in Mecca.  The caliphs led the people in all religious and political matters, so they were the chief Imams.  On special occasions, a distinguished visitor or religious teacher may lead the public prayers.  

Islam does not have an organized priesthood.  Any virtuous and able Muslim can lead prayers in most mosques.  However, it is usually the Imam, a person chosen for piety or scholarship, who handles the services of the mosque. 

Sects.  Like all religions, Islam has its sects.  In the 600's, the Muslim world split into two great divisions, Sunni and Shiah.  Most Muslims are Sunnites.  They believe that Muslim leadership after the death of Muhammad passed to caliphs elected from Muhammad's tribe.  The Shiites believe that leadership was restricted to descendants of Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law.  Shiites form the largest minority.  Members of this Islamic group live scattered throughout Asia and Africa and, more recently, in Europe and America. 

There have also been a number of smaller sects.  In the early years, a group called the Kharijites broke away from the Muslim community and formed a more puritanical and democratic sect.  The Kharijites have disappeared as an active group.  Another prominent sect, the Wahhabis, or Ikhwan, also form a puritanical group.  They are dominant in Saudi Arabia.  The Baha'i faith grew out of the Shiite group (see BAHA'IS). 

Aga Khan IV is the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Khoja Muslims, a sect that has been in existence almost from the beginning of Islam.  Members of this Islamic group, numbering about 10 million, live scattered throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. 

Until recently, Islam had no organized missionary movement.  But today al-Azhar University of Cairo, the intellectual center of Islam, trains students for missionary work.  Several Islamic sects, especially the Ahmadiyya of Pakistan, work as missionaries throughout Europe, America, Asia, and Africa.   

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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful!!!

The Holy Koran (Qur’an)

(In English)

1. The Opening (Al-Fátíha)

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

001.002 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,

001.003 The Beneficent, the Merciful.

001.004 Master of the Day of Judgment,

001.005 Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help.

001.006 Show us the straight path,

001.007 The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.

2. The Cow (Al-Baqarah)

002.001 Alif. Lam. Mim.

002.002 This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil).

002.003 Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them;

002.004 And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter.

002.005 These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful.

002.006 As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not.

002.007 Allah hath sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be an awful doom.

002.008 And of mankind are some who say: We believe in Allah and the Last Day, when they believe not.

002.009 They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.

002.010 In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie.

002.011 And when it is said unto them: Make not mischief in the earth, they say: We are peacemakers only.

002.012 Are not they indeed the mischief-makers ? But they perceive not.

002.013 And when it is said unto them: believe as the people believe, they say: shall we believe as the foolish believe? are not they indeed the foolish ? But they know not.

002.014 And when they fall in with those who believe, they say: We believe; but when they go apart to their devils they declare: Lo! we are with you; verily we did but mock.

002.015 Allah (Himself) doth mock them, leaving them to wander blindly on in their contumacy.

002.016 These are they who purchase error at the price of guidance, so their commerce doth not prosper, neither are they guided.

002.017 Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see,

002.018 Deaf, dumb and blind; and they return not.

002.019 Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder and the flash of lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears by reason of the thunder-claps, for fear of death, Allah encompasseth the disbelievers (in His guidance, His omniscience and His omnipotence).

002.020 The lightning almost snatcheth away their sight from them. As often as it flasheth forth for them they walk therein, and when it darkeneth against them they stand still. If Allah willed, He could destroy their hearing and their sight. Lo! Allah is able to do all things.

002.021 O mankind! worship your Lord, Who hath created you and those before you, so that ye may ward off (evil).

002.022 Who hath appointed the earth a resting-place for you, and the sky a canopy; and causeth water to pour down from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you. And do not set up rivals to Allah when ye know (better).

002.023 And if ye are in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a surah of the like thereof, and call your witness beside Allah if ye are truthful.

002.024 And if ye do it not - and ye can never do it - then guard yourselves against the Fire prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is of men and stones.

002.025 And give glad tidings (O Muhammad) unto those who believe and do good works; that theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow; as often as they are regaled with food of the fruit thereof, they say: this is what was given us aforetime; and it is given to them in resemblance. There for them are pure companions; there for ever they abide.

002.026 Lo! Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude even of a gnat. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord; but those who disbelieve say: What doth Allah wish (to teach) by such a similitude ? He misleadeth many thereby, and He guideth many thereby; and He misleadeth thereby only miscreants;

002.027 Those who break the covenant of Allah after ratifying it, and sever that which Allah ordered to be joined, and (who) make mischief in the earth: Those are they who are the losers.

002.028 How disbelieve ye in Allah when ye were dead and He gave life to you! Then He will give you death, then life again, and then unto Him ye will return.

002.029 He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things.

002.030 And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee ? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.

002.031 And He taught Adam all the names, then showed them to the angels, saying: Inform Me of the names of these, if ye are truthful.

002.032 They said: Be glorified! We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower, the Wise.

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