Friday, 04 February 2011

Qur'an

, the first sura of the Qur'an.|right]]

The Qur’an ( ; , , literally “the recitation”) is the religious text of Islam, also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Kuran, Koran, Qur’ān, Coran or al-Qur’ān. It is widely regarded as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language. Muslims hold that the Qur’an is the verbal divine guidance and moral direction for mankind. Muslims also consider the original Arabic verbal text to be the final revelation of God.

Muslims believe that the Qur’an was repeatedly revealed from Allah to Muhammad verbally through the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) over a period of approximately twenty-three years, beginning in 610 CE, when he was forty, and concluding in 632 CE, the year of his death. Followers of Islam further believe that the Qur’an was memorized, recited and written down by Muhammad's companions after every revelation dictated by Muhammad. Most of Muhammad's tens of thousands of companions, called Sahabas, learned the Qur’an by heart, repeatedly recited in front of Muhammad for his approval or the approval of other Sahabas. Muhammad approved these recitations and also compiled the Qur'an in written form while he was alive. Muslim tradition agrees that although the Qur’an was authentically memorized completely by tens of thousands verbally, the Qur’an was still established textually into a single book form shortly after Muhammad's death by order of the first Caliph Abu Bakr suggested by his future successor Umar. The present form of the Qur’an text is accepted by most scholars as the original version compiled by Abu Bakr.

Muslims regard the Qur’an as the main miracle of Muhammad, as proof of his prophethood, and as the culmination of a series of divine messages. These started, according to Islamic belief, with the messages revealed to Adam, regarded in Islam as the first prophet, and continued with the Suhuf Ibrahim (Scrolls of Abraham), the Tawrat (Torah or Pentateuch) of Moses, the Zabur (Tehillim or Book of Psalms) of David, and the Injil (Gospel) of Jesus. The Qur'an assumes familiarity with major narratives recounted in Jewish and Christian scriptures, summarizing some, dwelling at length on others, and, in some cases, presenting alternative accounts and interpretations of events. The Qur'an describes itself as a book of guidance, sometimes offering detailed accounts of specific historical events, and often emphasizing the moral significance of an event over its narrative sequence.

Etymology and meaning

The word appears about 70 times in the Qur’an itself, assuming various meanings. It is a verbal noun () of the Arabic verb (Arabic: قرأ), meaning “he read” or “he recited.” The Syriac equivalent is , which refers to “scripture reading” or “lesson”. While most Western scholars consider the word to be derived from the Syriac, the majority of Muslim authorities hold the origin of the word is qara`a itself. In any case, it had become an Arabic term by Muhammad's lifetime.

In other verses, the word refers to “an individual passage recited [by Muhammad]”. In the large majority of contexts, usually with a definite article (al-), the word is referred to as the “revelation” (wahy), that which has been “sent down” (tanzīl) at intervals. Its liturgical context is seen in a number of passages, for example: "So when al-qur`ān is recited, listen to it and keep silent". The word may also assume the meaning of a codified scripture when mentioned with other scriptures such as the Torah and Gospel.

The term also has closely related synonyms that are employed throughout the Qur’an. Each synonym possesses its own distinct meaning, but its use may converge with that of qur`ān in certain contexts. Such terms include (“book”); (“sign”); and (“scripture”). The latter two terms also denote units of revelation. Other related words are: , meaning "remembrance," used to refer to the Qur’an in the sense of a reminder and warning; and , meaning “wisdom”, sometimes referring to the revelation or part of it.

The Qur’an has many other names. Among those found in the text itself are al-furqan (“discernment” or “criterion”), al-huda (“"the guide”), dhikrallah (“the remembrance of God”), al-hikmah (“the wisdom”), and kalamallah (“the word of God”). Another term is al-kitāb (“the book”), though it is also used in the Arabic language for other scriptures, such as the Torah and the Gospels. The term mus'haf ("written work") is often used to refer to particular Qur'anic manuscripts but is also used in the Qur’an to identify earlier revealed books.

Welch, a scholar of Islamic studies, states in the Encyclopaedia of Islam that he believes the graphic descriptions of Muhammad's condition at these moments may be regarded as genuine, because he was severely disturbed after these revelations. According to Welch, these seizures would have been seen by those around him as convincing evidence for the superhuman origin of Muhammad's inspirations. Muhammad's critics, however, accused him of being a possessed man, a soothsayer or a magician since his experiences were similar to those claimed by such figures well-known in ancient Arabia. Additionally, Welch states that it remains uncertain whether these experiences occurred before or after Muhammad began to see himself as a prophet.

The Qur’an states that Muhammad was ummi, interpreted as illiterate in Muslim tradition. According to Watt, the meaning of the Qur’anic term ummi is unscriptured rather than illiterate.

Compiling the Mus'haf

in the Hijazi script.]] According to Shias, Sufis and scarce Sunni scholars, Ali compiled a complete version of the Qur’an mus'haf

After seventy reciters were killed in the Battle of Yamama, the caliph Abu Bakr decided to collect the different chapters and verses into one volume. Thus, a group of reciters, including Zayd ibn Thabit, collected the chapters and verses and produced several hand-written copies of the complete book.

The Qur’an in its present form is generally considered by academic scholars to record the words spoken by Muhammad because the search for variants in Western academia has not yielded any differences of great significance and because, historically, controversy over the content of the Qur’an has never become a main point.

Significance in Islam

Muslims believe the Qur’an to be the book of divine guidance and direction for humanity and consider the text in its original Arabic to be the literal word of God, revealed to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of twenty-three years

The Qur'an frequently asserts in its text that it is divinely ordained, an assertion that Muslims believe. The Qur'an — often referring to its own textual nature and reflecting constantly on its divine origin — is the most meta-textual, self-referential religious text. The Qur'an refers to a written pre-text that records God's speech even before it was sent down.

The issue of whether the Qur'an is eternal or created was one of the crucial controversies among early Muslim theologians. Mu'tazilis believe it is created while the most widespread varieties of Muslim theologians consider the Qur'an to be eternal and uncreated. Sufi philosophers view the question as artificial or wrongly framed.

Muslims maintain the present wording of the Qur'anic text corresponds exactly to that revealed to Muhammad himself: as the words of God, said to be delivered to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. Muslims consider the Qur'an to be a guide, a sign of the prophethood of Muhammad and the truth of the religion. They argue it is not possible for a human to produce a book like the Qur'an, as the Qur'an itself maintains.

Therefore an Islamic philosopher introduces a prophetology to explain how the divine word passes into human expression. This leads to a kind of esoteric hermeneutics that seeks to comprehend the position of the prophet by mediating on the modality of his relationship not with his own time, but with the eternal source his message emanates from. This view contrasts with historical critique of western scholars who attempt to understand the prophet through his circumstances, education and type of genius.

Uniqueness

Muslims believe that the Qur'an is different from all other books in ways that are impossible for any other book to be, such that similar texts cannot be written by humans. These include both mundane and miraculous claims. The Qur’an itself challenges any who disagree with its divine origin to produce a text of a miraculous nature.

Scholars of Islam believe that its poetic form is unique and of a fashion that cannot be written by humans. They also claim it contains accurate prophecy and that no other book does.

Text

, the 96th chapter (surah) of the Qur'an.]] The text of the Qur’an consists of 114 chapters of varying lengths, each known as a sura. Chapters are classed as Meccan or Medinan, depending on when (before or after Hijra) the verses were revealed. Chapter titles are derived from a name or quality discussed in the text, or from the first letters or words of the sura. Muslims believe that Muhammad, on God's command, gave the chapters their names. an Arabic phrase meaning (“In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”). There are, however, still 114 occurrences of the basmala in the Qur’an, due to its presence in verse 27:30 as the opening of Solomon's letter to the Queen of Sheba.

Each sura is formed from several ayat (verses), which originally means a sign or portent sent by God. The number of verses differ from chapter to chapter. An individual verse may be just a few letters or several lines. The verses are unlike the highly refined poetry of the pre-Islamic Arabs in their content and distinctive rhymes and rhythms, being more akin to the prophetic utterances marked by inspired discontinuities found in the sacred scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. The actual number of ayat has been a controversial issue among Muslim scholars since Islam's inception, some recognizing 6,000, some 6,204, some 6,219, and some 6,236, although the words in all cases are the same. The most popular edition of the Qur’an, which is based on the Kufa school tradition, contains 6,236 ayat.

Fourteen different Arabic letters form 14 different sets of “Qur’anic Initials” (the "Muqatta'at", such as A.L.M. of 2:1) and prefix 29 suras in the Qur’an. The meaning and interpretation of these initials is considered unknown to most Muslims. In 1974, Egyptian biochemist Rashad Khalifa claimed to have discovered a mathematical code based on the number 19, which is mentioned in Sura 74:30 of the Qur’an.

Content

The Qur'anic verses contain general exhortations regarding right and wrong and the nature of revelation. Historical events are related to outline general moral lessons.

Literary structure

The Qur’an's message is conveyed with various literary structures and devices. In the original Arabic, the chapters and verses employ phonetic and thematic structures that assist the audience's efforts to recall the message of the text. There is consensus among Arab scholars to use the Qur’an as a standard by which other Arabic literature should be measured. Muslims assert (according to the Qur’an itself) that the Qur’anic content and style is inimitable.

Richard Gottheil and Siegmund Fränkel in the Jewish Encyclopedia write that the oldest portions of the Qur’an reflect significant excitement in their language, through short and abrupt sentences and sudden transitions. The Qur’an nonetheless carefully maintains the rhymed form, like the oracles. Some later portions also preserve this form but also in a style where the movement is calm and the style expository.

Michael Sells, citing the work of the critic Norman O. Brown, acknowledges Brown's observation that the seeming "disorganization" of Qur’anic literary expression — its "scattered or fragmented mode of composition," in Sells's phrase — is in fact a literary device capable of delivering "profound effects — as if the intensity of the prophetic message were shattering the vehicle of human language in which it was being communicated." Sells also addresses the much-discussed "repetitiveness" of the Qur’an, seeing this, too, as a literary device.

Interpretation and meanings

Tafsir

The Qur'an has sparked a huge body of commentary and explication (tafsir), aimed at explaining the "meanings of the Qur’anic verses, clarifying their import and finding out their significance."

Tafsir is one of the earliest academic activities of Muslims. According to the Qur’an, Muhammad was the first person who described the meanings of verses for early Muslims. Other early exegetes included a few Companions of Muhammad, like Ali ibn Abi Talib, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar and Ubayy ibn Kab. Exegesis in those days was confined to the explanation of literary aspects of the verse, the background of its revelation and, occasionally, interpretation of one verse with the help of the other. If the verse was about a historical event, then sometimes a few traditions (hadith) of Muhammad were narrated to make its meaning clear.

Because the Qur’an is spoken in classical Arabic, many of the later converts to Islam (mostly non-Arabs) did not always understand the Qur’anic Arabic, they did not catch allusions that were clear to early Muslims fluent in Arabic and they were concerned with reconciling apparent conflict of themes in the Qur’an. Commentators erudite in Arabic explained the allusions, and perhaps most importantly, explained which Qur’anic verses had been revealed early in Muhammad's prophetic career, as being appropriate to the very earliest Muslim community, and which had been revealed later, canceling out or "abrogating" (nāsikh) the earlier text (mansukh).

Ta'wil

Ja'far Kashfi defines ta'wil as 'to lead back or to bring something back to its origin or archetype'. It is a science whose pivot is a spiritual direction and a divine inspiration, while the tafsir is the literal exegesis of the letter; its pivot is the canonical Islamic sciences. Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei says that according to the popular explanation among the later exegetes, ta'wil indicates the particular meaning a verse is directed towards. The meaning of revelation (tanzil), as opposed to ta'wil, is clear in its accordance to the obvious meaning of the words as they were revealed. But this explanation has become so widespread that, at present, it has become the primary meaning of ta'wil, which originally meant "to return" or "the returning place". In Tabatabaei's view, what has been rightly called ta'wil, or hermeneutic interpretation of the Qur’an, is not concerned simply with the denotation of words. Rather, it is concerned with certain truths and realities that transcend the comprehension of the common run of men; yet it is from these truths and realities that the principles of doctrine and the practical injunctions of the Qur’an issue forth. Interpretation is not the meaning of the verse; rather it transpires through that meaning – a special sort of transpiration. There is a spiritual reality, which is the main objective of ordaining a law, or the basic aim in describing a divine attribute—and there is an actual significance a Qur’anic story refers to.

However Shia and Sufism (on the one hand) and Sunni (on the other) have completely different positions on the legitimacy of ta'wil. A verse in the Qur’an addresses this issue, but Shia and Sunni disagree on how it should be read. According to Shia, those who are firmly rooted in knowledge like the Prophet and the imams know the secrets of the Qur’an, while Sunnis believe that only God knows. According to Tabatabaei, the statement "none knows its interpretation except Allah" remains valid, without any opposing or qualifying clause. Therefore, so far as this verse is concerned, the knowledge of the Qur’an's interpretation is reserved for God. But Tabatabaei uses other verses and concludes that those who are purified by God know the interpretation of the Qur’an to a certain extent.

As Corbin narrates from Shia sources, Ali himself gives this testimony:

Not a single verse of the Qur’an descended upon (was revealed to) the Messenger of God, which he did not proceed to dictate to me and make me recite. I would write it with my own hand, and he would instruct me as to its tafsir (the literal explanation) and the ta'wil (the spiritual exegesis), the nasikh (the verse that abrogates) and the mansukh (the abrogated verse), the muhkam (without ambiguity) and the mutashabih (ambiguous), the particular and the general...

According to Tabatabaei, there are acceptable and unacceptable esoteric interpretations. Acceptable ta'wil refers to the meaning of a verse beyond its literal meaning; rather the implicit meaning, which ultimately is known only to God and can't be comprehended directly through human thought alone. The verses in question here refer to the human qualities of coming, going, sitting, satisfaction, anger, and sorrow, which are apparently attributed to God. Unacceptable ta'wil is where one "transfers" the apparent meaning of a verse to a different meaning by means of a proof; this method is not without obvious inconsistencies. Although this unacceptable ta'wil has gained considerable acceptance, it is incorrect and cannot be applied to the Qur’anic verses. The correct interpretation is that reality a verse refers to. It is found in all verses, the decisive and the ambiguous alike; it is not a sort of a meaning of the word; it is a fact that is too sublime for words. God has dressed them with words to bring them a bit nearer to our minds; in this respect they are like proverbs that are used to create a picture in the mind, and thus help the hearer to clearly grasp the intended idea.

Therefore Sufi spiritual interpretations are usually accepted by Islamic scholars as authentic, as long as certain conditions are met. In Sufi history, these interpretations were sometimes considered religious innovations (bid'ah), as Salafis believe today. However, ta'wil is extremely controversial even amongst Shia. For example, when Ayatollah Ruhallah Khomeini, the leader of Islamic revolution, gave some lectures about Sura al-Fatiha in December 1979 and January 1980, protests forced him to suspend them before he could continue beyond the first two verses of the surah.

Levels of meaning

Unlike the Salafis and Zahiri, Shias and Sufis as well as some Muslim philosophers believe the meaning of the Qur’an is not restricted to the literal aspect. For them, it is an essential idea that the Qur’an also has inward aspects. Henry Corbin narrates a hadith that goes back to Muhammad:

"The Qur'an possesses an external appearance and a hidden depth, an exoteric meaning and an esoteric meaning. This esoteric meaning in turn conceals an esoteric meaning (this depth possesses a depth, after the image of the celestial Spheres, which are enclosed within each other). So it goes on for seven esoteric meanings (seven depths of hidden depth)." Corbin considers the Qur’an to play a part in Islamic philosophy, because gnosiology itself goes hand in hand with prophetology.

Commentaries dealing with the zahir (outward aspects) of the text are called tafsir, and hermeneutic and esoteric commentaries dealing with the batin are called ta'wil (“interpretation” or “explanation”), which involves taking the text back to its beginning. Commentators with an esoteric slant believe that the ultimate meaning of the Qur’an is known only to God. Furthermore, an Arabic word may have a range of meanings depending on the context, making an accurate translation even more difficult.

The first complete translation of the Qur'an was completed in 884 CE in Alwar (Sindh, India now Pakistan) by the orders of Abdullah bin Umar bin Abdul Aziz on the request of the Hindu Raja Mehruk.

Nevertheless, the Qur’an has been translated into most African, Asian and European languages. The first complete translation of Qur'an was into Persian during the reign of Samanids in the 9th century. Islamic tradition holds that translations were made for Emperor Negus of Abyssinia and Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, as both received letters by Muhammad containing verses from the Qur’an.

Robert of Ketton's translation of the Qur'an, Lex Mahumet pseudoprophete, was the first into a Western language (Latin) for Peter the Venerable in 1143. Alexander Ross offered the first English version in 1649, from the French translation of L'Alcoran de Mahomet (1647) by Andre du Ryer. In 1734, George Sale produced the first scholarly translation of the Qur’an into English; another was produced by Richard Bell in 1937, and yet another by Arthur John Arberry in 1955. All these translators were non-Muslims. There have been numerous translations by Muslims.

The English translators have sometimes favored archaic English words and constructions over their more modern or conventional equivalents; for example, two widely read translators, A. Yusuf Ali and M. Marmaduke Pickthall, use the plural and singular "ye" and "thou" instead of the more common "you".

Literary usage
In addition to and largely independent of the division into suras, there are various ways of dividing the Qur’an into parts of approximately equal length for convenience in reading, recitation and memorization. The thirty ajza can be used to read through the entire Qur’an in a week or a month. Some of these parts are known by names and these names are the first few words by which the juz' starts. A juz' is sometimes further divided into two ahzab, and each hizb subdivided into four rub 'al-ahzab. A different structure is provided by the ruku'at, semantical units resembling paragraphs and comprising roughly ten ayat each. Some also divide the Qur’an into seven manazil to facilitate complete recitation in a week.

Recitation
}} One meaning of Qur’an is "recitation", the Qur’an itself outlining the general method of how it is to be recited: slowly and in rhythmic tones. Tajwid is the term for techniques of recitation, and assessed in terms of how accessible the recitation is to those intent on concentrating on the words.

To perform salat (prayer), a mandatory obligation in Islam, a Muslim is required to learn at least some sura of the Qur’an (typically starting with the first one, al-Fatiha, known as the "seven oft-repeated verses," and then moving on to the shorter ones at the end). Until one has learned al-Fatiha, a Muslim can only say phrases like "praise be to God" during the salat.

A person whose recital repertoire encompasses the whole Qur’an is called a qari', whereas a memoriser of the Qur’an is called a hafiz (fem. Hafaz) (which translate as "reciter" or "protector," respectively). Muhammad is regarded as the first qari' since he was the first to recite it. Recitation (tilawa تلاوة) of the Qur’an is a fine art in the Muslim world.

Schools of recitation
: 73]] There are several schools of Qur’anic recitation, all of which teach possible pronunciations of the Uthmanic rasm: Seven reliable, three permissible and (at least) four uncanonical – in 8 sub-traditions each – making for 80 recitation variants altogether. A canonical recitation must satisfy three conditions:

# It must match the rasm, letter for letter. # It must conform with the syntactic rules of the Arabic language. # It must have a continuous isnad to Muhammad through tawatur, meaning that it has to be related by a large group of people to another down the isnad chain.

These recitations differ in the vocalization (tashkil) of a few words, which in turn gives a complementary meaning to the word in question according to the rules of Arabic grammar. For example, the vocalization of a verb can change its active and passive voice. It can also change its stem formation, implying intensity for example. Vowels may be elongated or shortened, and glottal stops (hamzas) may be added or dropped, according to the respective rules of the particular recitation. For example, the name of archangel Gabriel is pronounced differently in different recitations: Jibrīl, Jabrīl, Jibra'īl, and Jibra'il.

The more widely used narrations are those of Hafss (حفص عن عاصم), Warsh (ورش عن نافع), Qaloon (قالون عن نافع) and Al-Duri according to Abu `Amr (الدوري عن أبي عمرو). Muslims firmly believe that all canonical recitations were recited by Muhammad himself, citing the respective isnad chain of narration, and accept them as valid for worshipping and as a reference for rules of Sharia. The uncanonical recitations are called "explanatory" for their role in giving a different perspective for a given verse or ayah. Today several dozen persons hold the title "Memorizer of the Ten Recitations."

The presence of these different recitations is attributed to many hadith. Malik Ibn Anas has reported: :Abd al-Rahman Ibn Abd al-Qari narrated: "Umar Ibn Khattab said before me: I heard Hisham Ibn Hakim Ibn Hizam reading Surah Furqan in a different way from the one I used to read it, and the Prophet (sws) himself had read out this surah to me. Consequently, as soon as I heard him, I wanted to get hold of him. However, I gave him respite until he had finished the prayer. Then I got hold of his cloak and dragged him to the Prophet (sws). I said to him: "I have heard this person [Hisham Ibn Hakim Ibn Hizam] reading Surah Furqan in a different way from the one you had read it out to me." The Prophet (sws) said: "Leave him alone [O 'Umar]." Then he said to Hisham: "Read [it]." [Umar said:] "He read it out in the same way as he had done before me." [At this,] the Prophet (sws) said: "It was revealed thus." Then the Prophet (sws) asked me to read it out. So I read it out. [At this], he said: "It was revealed thus; this Qur’an has been revealed in Seven Ahruf. You can read it in any of them you find easy from among them.

Suyuti, a famous 15th century Islamic theologian, writes after interpreting above hadith in 40 different ways: :"And to me the best opinion in this regard is that of the people who say that this hadith is from among matters of mutashabihat, the meaning of which cannot be understood."

Many reports contradict the presence of variant readings: Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami reports, "the reading of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Zayd ibn Thabit and that of all the Muhajirun and the Ansar was the same. They read the Qur’an according to the Qira'at al-'ammah. This is the same reading the Prophet (sws) read twice to Gabriel in the year of his death. Zayd ibn Thabit was also present in this reading [called] the 'Ardah-i akhirah. It was this very reading that he taught the Qur’an to people till his death". Ibn Sirin writes, "the reading on which the Qur’an was read out to the prophet in the year of his death is the same according to which people are reading the Qur’an today".

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi also purports that there is only one recitation of Qur’an, which is called Qira'at of Hafss or in classical scholarship, it is called Qira'at al-'ammah. The Qur'an has also specified that it was revealed in the language of Muhammad's tribe: the Quraysh.)

Writing and printing

, Afghanistan, Timurid dynasty, circa 1400. Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper Muqaqqaq script. 170 x 109cm (66 15/16 x 42 15/16in). Historical region: Uzbekistan.]]

Most Muslims today use printed editions of the Qur’an. There are many editions, large and small, elaborate or plain, expensive or inexpensive. Bilingual forms with the Arabic on one side and a gloss into a more familiar language on the other are very popular.

Qur’ans are produced in many different sizes. Most are of a reasonable book size, but there exist extremely large Qur’ans (usually for display purposes) and very small Qur’ans (sometimes given as gifts).

Before printing was widely adopted in the 19th century, the Qur’an was transmitted in manuscript books made by copyists and calligraphers. Short extracts from the Qur’an were printed in the medieval period from carved wooden blocks, one block per page; a technique already widely used in China. However there are no records of complete Qur'ans produced in this way, which would have involved a very large investment. Mass-produced less expensive versions of the Qur’an were produced from the 19th century by lithography, which allowed reproduction of the fine calligraphy of hand-made versions.

The oldest surviving Qur’an printed with movable type was produced in Venice in 1537/1538. It seems to have been prepared for sale in the Ottoman empire, where all movable type printing using Arabic characters had been forbidden in 1485. This decree was reversed in 1588, but there remained strong resistance to adopting movable type printing for any subjects, let alone the Qur'an, until the late 19th century. This seems to have been partly from opposition by the large profession of copyists, and for aesthetic reasons, and fear of mistakes in the text. Catherine the Great of Russia sponsored a printing of the Qur’an in 1787. This was followed by editions from Kazan (1828), Persia (1833) and Istanbul (1877).

It is extremely difficult to render the full Qur’an, with all the points, in computer code, such as Unicode. The Internet Sacred Text Archive makes computer files of the Qur’an freely available both as images and in a temporary Unicode version. Various designers and software firms have attempted to develop computer fonts that can adequately render the Qur’an.

Since Muslim tradition felt that directly portraying sacred figures and events might lead to idolatry, it was considered wrong to decorate the Qur’an with pictures (as was often done for Christian texts, for example). Muslims instead lavished love and care upon the sacred text itself. Arabic is written in many scripts, some of which are complex and beautiful. Arabic calligraphy is a highly honored art, much like Chinese calligraphy. Muslims also decorated their Qur’ans with abstract figures (arabesques), colored inks, and gold leaf. Pages from some of these antique Qur’ans are displayed throughout this article.

Relationship with other literature

Torah, Hebrew Bible and New Testament

}} The Qur'an speaks well of the relationship it has with former books (the Torah and the Gospel) and attributes their similarities to their unique origin and saying all of them have been revealed by the one God.

According to Sahih Bukhari, the Quran was recited among Levantines and Iraqis, and discussed by Christians and Jews before it was standardized. Its language was similar to the Syriac language. The Qur'an recounts stories of many of the people and events recounted in Jewish and Christian sacred books (Tanakh, Bible) and devotional literature (Apocrypha, Midrash), although it differs in many details. Adam, Enoch, Noah, Eber, Shelah, Abraham, Lot, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Jethro, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Jonah, Aaron, Moses, Zechariah, John the Baptist, and Jesus are mentioned in the Qur’an as prophets of God (see Prophets of Islam). Muslims believe the common elements or resemblances between the Bible and other Jewish and Christian writings and Islamic dispensations is due to their common divine source, and that the original Christian or Jewish texts were authentic divine revelations given to prophets.

Muslims believe that those texts were neglected, corrupted (tahrif) or altered in time by the Jews and Christians and have been replaced by God's final and perfect revelation, which is the Qur'an.

Influence of Christian apocrypha‎

The Diatessaron, Protoevangelium of James, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and the Arabic Infancy Gospel are all suggested to have been sources that the author/authors drew on when creating the Qur'an. The Diatessaron, as a gospel harmony, especially may have led to the misconception in the Qur'an that the Christian Gospel is one text.

Arab writing

After the Qur’an, and the general rise of Islam, the Arabic alphabet developed rapidly into an art form. Wadad Kadi, Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at University of Chicago and Mustansir Mir, Professor of Islamic studies at Youngstown State University state that:

Although Arabic, as a language and a literary tradition, was quite well developed by the time of Muhammad's prophetic activity, it was only after the emergence of Islam, with its founding scripture in Arabic, that the language reached its utmost capacity of expression, and the literature its highest point of complexity and sophistication. Indeed, it probably is no exaggeration to say that the Qur’an was one of the most conspicuous forces in the making of classical and post-classical Arabic literature.

The main areas in which the Qur’an exerted noticeable influence on Arabic literature are diction and themes; other areas are related to the literary aspects of the Qur’an particularly oaths (q.v.), metaphors, motifs, and symbols. As far as diction is concerned, one could say that Qur’anic words, idioms, and expressions, especially "loaded" and formulaic phrases, appear in practically all genres of literature and in such abundance that it is simply impossible to compile a full record of them. For not only did the Qur’an create an entirely new linguistic corpus to express its message, it also endowed old, pre-Islamic words with new meanings and it is these meanings that took root in the language and subsequently in the literature...

Culture

translation.]] Most Muslims treat paper copies of the Qur’an with veneration, ritually washing before reading the Qur’an. Worn out, torn, or errant (for example, pages out of order) Qur’ans are not discarded as wastepaper, but rather are left free to flow in a river, kept somewhere safe, burned, or buried in a remote location. Many Muslims memorize at least some portion of the Qur’an in the original Arabic, usually at least the verses needed to perform the prayers. Those who have memorized the entire Qur’an earn the right to the title of Hafiz.

Era.]]

Based on tradition and a literal interpretation of sura 56:77–79: "That this is indeed a Qur’an Most Honourable, In a Book well-guarded, Which none shall touch but those who are clean.", many scholars believe that a Muslim must perform a ritual cleansing with water (wudu) before touching a copy of the Qur’an, or mus'haf although this view is ubiquitous.

Qur'an desecration means mishandling the Qur’an by defiling or dismembering it. Muslims believe they should always treat the book with reverence, and are forbidden, for instance, to pulp, recycle, or simply discard worn-out copies of the text. Respect for the written text of the Qur’an is an important element of religious faith by many Muslims. They believe that intentionally insulting the Qur’an is a form of blasphemy.

The text of the Quran has become readily accessible over the internet, in Arabic as well as numerous translations in other languages. It can be downloaded and searched both word-by-word and with Boolean algebra. Photos of ancient manuscripts and illustrations of Quranic art can be witnessed. However, there are still limits to searching the Arabic text of the Quran.

Notes

References

External links

Online Quran Project includes over 100+ translation in over 20 different languages.

Tanzil::Holy Quran Project text and translations (in 34 languages, some with multiple translation editions); two classic Arabic interpretations; audio streaming of recitations by multiple classic readers; with synchronized verse auto-highlighting (in Arabic and translation); continuous synchronized audio and text streaming; display options; integrated user interface.

zekr quran study program available for different platforms.

Koran leaf dated 1106, Center for Digital Initiatives, University of Vermont Libraries

Category:7th-century books Category:Islamic theology Category:Islam Category:Islamic texts Category:Medieval literature Category:Religious texts

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Surah Rahman - Beautiful and Heart trembling Quran recitation by Syed Sadaqat Ali

Order: Reorder
Duration: 22:15
Published: 2006-12-23
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: lostprophet786

Download the video from here: www.al-masumeen.com THE RECITOR IS SADAQAT ALI Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: 'Everything has a bride, and the bride of the Qur'an is Surrah Al Rahman' The Holy Prophet has also said: "Whoever reads it, Allah will have mercy on his weakness and be regarded as having thanked Allah for it" Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (as) has said: "Allah will brighten the face of everyone who recites it often on the day of Judgement" Sura Rahman is often regarded as "THE BEAUTY OF THE QURAN" This is the only Surah of the Quran in which besides men the jinn also, who are the other creation of the earth endowed with freedom of will and action, have been directly addressed, and both men and jinn have been made to realize the wonders of Allah's power, His countless blessings, their own helplessness and accountability before Him, and have been warned of the evil consequences of His disobedience and made aware of the best results of His obedience. Although at several other places in the Quran there are clear pointers to show that like the men the jinn too are a creation who have been endowed with freedom of will and action and are accountable, who have been granted the freedom of belief and unbelief, of obedience and disobedience, and among them too there are the believers and the unbelievers, the obedient and the rebellious, as among human beings, and among them too there exist such groups as have believed in the Prophets sent by God and in the Divine Books, this Surah ...

Amazing recitation of the Qur'an by a young child!

Order: Reorder
Duration: 2:30
Published: 2006-10-16
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: ShootingGower

Absolutely amazing recitation of the Holy Qur'an by a young boy. It left me speechless. Can't get enough of this recitation. He is blessed with a beautiful voice. His name is Hasan bin Abdullah Al Awadh.

The Most Gracious - Qur'an Recitation - Ar-Rahman

Order: Reorder
Duration: 8:49
Published: 2007-02-12
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: QDJMan

Chapter 55 of the Holy Qur'an, entitled "The Most Gracious", "Ar-Rahman" in transliterated Arabic, and "الرَّحْمَنُ" in Arabic. The recitation is by Kamal Uddin. Download the audio at this link: www.turntoislam.com Check out this website for more information on the Qur'an: www.usc.edu

Beautiful Quran recitation in Mosque , Kuwait.

Order: Reorder
Duration: 10:18
Published: 2006-07-19
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: biqas

Prayers in Kuwait Mosque. www.turntoislam.com Sheikh al-'Afasy

QURAN BY ALAFASY

Order: Reorder
Duration: 8:40
Published: 2006-09-19
Uploaded: 2011-01-30
Author: ahssays

beautiful recitation by Mishary Rashed Alafasy reciting sura QAF.

Beautiful Qur'an recitation

Order: Reorder
Duration: 9:24
Published: 2007-09-05
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: ShootingGower

Beautiful Qur'an recitation of Surah A'raaf by Tawfeeg As Sayegh.

World's Best Quran Recitation

Order: Reorder
Duration: 7:12
Published: 2007-04-01
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: salmansali

Performed by Mr.Amin Pouya, Iran at the International Quran Competitions(First Prize) held at Calicut, India; Aug 2006. I hope this recitation to be one of the best recitations, if not the best, that you might ever watch... (in particular, watch out the period from 04:30 to 05:00) Two other videos of Amin pouya are also uploaded... Please check the video responses.. www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

Decoding the Past - Secrets of the Quran (Part 1/2)

Order: Reorder
Duration: 22:00
Published: 2008-05-09
Uploaded: 2011-01-30
Author: sdlhsn

An immaculate documentary by History Channel. Must Watch

beautiful and Amazing recitation of the Qur'an by a young child! :: With the translation

Order: Reorder
Duration: 2:28
Published: 2009-08-22
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: kasthaleeb

for more just enter www.quranrabbi.com ... 24 Hrs Quran

Quran Recitation Fahd Al-Kanderi/Kandari- surat at-tawbah

Order: Reorder
Duration: 10:58
Published: 2006-09-25
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: EgyptianGumbo

www.egyptiangumbo.com This is a video that was taped during Ramadan 1426, It is recitation of Sheikh Fahd Al Kanderi, reciting ayat 112-129 of Surat At-tawbah. to read english "translation" while listening to it, visit www.searchtruth.com

Quran Video - Abd Al Basit Abd As Samad - Surah Dhuha

Order: Reorder
Duration: 6:07
Published: 2006-12-27
Uploaded: 2011-02-01
Author: Truepath1290

Quran Abdul Basit Surah Duha

* [Holy] Quran : Top Scientists Comments on Scientific Miracles in the Quran * # Faith and Science #

Order: Reorder
Duration: 8:58
Published: 2008-07-16
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: OurBestLife

my response to "the Massive Islam Campaign - 2008" Compagne scienceislam.com * Quran : Top Scientists Comments on Scientific Miracles in the Quran * download the holy quran: www.islamway.com The Qur'an contains many references to astronomy. "The heavens and the earth were ordered rightly, and were made subservient to man, including the sun, the moon, the stars, and day and night. Every heavenly body moves in an orbit assigned to it by God and never digresses, making the universe an orderly cosmos whose life and existence, diminution and expansion, are totally determined by the Creator." [Qur'an 30:22] These references, and the injunctions to learn, inspired the early Muslim scholars to study the heavens. They integrated the earlier works of the Indians, Persians and Greeks into a new synthesis. Ptolemy's Almagest (the title as we know it today is actually Arabic) was translated, studied and criticized. Many new stars were discovered, as we see in their Arabic names - Algol, Deneb, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Aldebaran. Astronomical tables were compiled, among them the Toledan tables, which were used by Copernicus, Tycho Brahe and Kepler. Also compiled were almanacs - another Arabic term. Other terms from Arabic are zenith, nadir, Aledo, azimuth. Muslim astronomers were the first to establish observatories, like the one built at Mugharah by Hulagu, the son of Genghis Khan, in Persia, and they invented instruments such as the quadrant and astrolabe, which led to advances not only in ...

[English Trans!]-Khatmul Quran Duaa-Sheikh Sudais (2008)

Order: Reorder
Duration: 27:00
Published: 2008-10-07
Uploaded: 2011-02-01
Author: shaykha

Bismillah Asalaamu ALaaikum wa Rahmatullah Alhamdulilah...after many hours of hard work of translation (by good sister al-Kawthaar with help from brother BeMyBro) and editing, this video is done! :) May Allah reward all who helped in making this upload possible, ameen. Sheikh AbdurRahman as-Sudais made (recited) this most beautiful duaa on the 29th night of Ramadan 1429H/2008, may Allah accept his duaas, and all of ours, ameen, May Allah accept our siyam, qiyam, dua, ruku and sujood, ameeen! ---------------------------

Dude, you have no Quran!

Order: Reorder
Duration: 1:50
Published: 2010-09-13
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: o1dh4k

Jacob Isom rescues a Qu'ran before it can be burned Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Young boy Umit Hussein Nejad reciting Quran like Qari Abdul Basit - Mashallah

Order: Reorder
Duration: 5:41
Published: 2007-01-06
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: lostprophet786

Download this video from: www.al-masumeen.com Name of child: UMIT HUSSEIN NEJAD A recitation in Pakistan by an Iranian young boy The boy recites Surah 93 of the Quran, known as Ad-Dhuha (The Morning Hours) from 00:20 to 4:20 Then from 4:25 to the end he recited Surah Al-Kauther (Abundance).

Quran recitation

Order: Reorder
Duration: 4:44
Published: 2006-09-05
Uploaded: 2011-01-31
Author: ghqader

Quran recited by Abdul Basit with English subtitles.

Quran Recitation - Child

Order: Reorder
Duration: 3:07
Published: 2007-04-03
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: awfarhan

Quran Recitation - part or surah ambiya

Beautiful recitation of Holy Quran with english subtitles

Order: Reorder
Duration: 23:34
Published: 2006-11-23
Uploaded: 2011-01-29
Author: peaceeverywhere

[English Subtitles] Holy Quran - free download at: www.islamtomorrow.com

Quran recitation by Ahmed Saud [english translation]

Order: Reorder
Duration: 9:16
Published: 2006-12-11
Uploaded: 2011-01-27
Author: ahssays

This is Ahmad Saud, the other child is Hasan bin Abdullah Al Awadh who read surat yaseen..... May Allah bless both of their families. surat Al-tur[52]

Quran Recitation Really Beautiful - Translation to English of Word Meaning ++ Quran Surah Yasin ++

Order: Reorder
Duration: 2:30
Published: 2007-03-09
Uploaded: 2011-02-02
Author: htomyy

Beautiful Voice Reciting The Quran - Translation to English of Word Meaning ++ Surah Yasin ++ view more than mallion An 8 year old kid reciting some verses of Sura Yasin from the Holy Quran .. Look how beautiful his voice is . Very nice Recitation of Quran . Oh My GOD He Is Amazing ,, One Of The Best Voices And Readings I Have Ever Heard .. May GOD Protect Him And Make Him Even Better .. I Have Never Seen A Kid With Such Voice .. Ma Shaa ALLAH .. Absolutely amazing recitation of the Holy Qur'an by a young boy. It left me speechless. Can't get enough of this recitation. He is blessed with a beautiful voice. Tags:Qur'an Quran Yaseen Yasin Amazing Recitation Young Boy Child Surah Islam Muslim Qiraat Beautiful Reciting Little Kid A cute kid with an amazing voice (ما شاء الله) reciting verses from the Holy Quran (Surat Yasin). Footage taken during a Quran recital/memorising competition held in Saudia Arabia. طفل يرتل آيات سورة يـ~ـس تر A cute kid with an amazing voice (ما شاء الله) reciting verses from the Holy Quran (Surat Yasin). Footage taken during a Quran recital/memorising competition held in Saudia Arabia. The most beautiful sound from an islamic cute kid ... May Allah protect Him ... " Quran Recitation Really Beautiful " quran recitation with english translation

Quran Recitation Really beautiful amazing crying

Order: Reorder
Duration: 10:18
Published: 2006-06-01
Uploaded: 2011-02-01
Author: turntoislam

www.turntoislam.com -This is a beautiful recitation of Quran that brings shivers to mankind. visit keywords islam, muslim, sunni, shia, iran, iraq, afghanistan, religion, faith, spirit, jinn, quran dvd, spirituality, war, peace, satan, angel, heaven, hell, new world order, illuminati, revolution, secrecy, 911, world trade center,palestine, depression, psychology Dua, Afghan, Hafiz, islamchannel, tv all,

Dude You Have No Quran AUTOTUNE REMIX

Order: Reorder
Duration: 1:52
Published: 2010-09-15
Uploaded: 2011-02-01
Author: BartBaKer

See more hilarious vids here www.rkshorts.com Jacob Isom rescues a Quran before it can be burned. Dude, you have no Quran! BUY THE T-SHIRT HERE http If you have not seen the original check it out here - www.youtube.com Track produced by Bart Baker

Dude, You Have No Quran

Order: Reorder
Duration: 2:41
Published: 2010-09-16
Uploaded: 2011-01-20
Author: DrRonPaul2012

safetyjoe-infobomb.blogspot.com Ron Paul Friends blogs.myspace.com Ron Paul Video Playlist www.youtube.com Rand Paul Videos www.youtube.com Peter Schiff Friends blogs.myspace.com Peter Schiff Video Playlist www.youtube.com Jesse Ventura Video Playlist www.youtube.com Freedom Watch Video Playlist www.youtube.com Gerald Celente Friends blogs.myspace.com Max Keiser Friends blogs.myspace.com Marc Faber Friends blogs.myspace.com Alex Jones Friends blogs.myspace.com Jason Bermas Friends blogs.myspace.com FAIRUSE NOTICE: This video may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes only. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 USC section 107 of the US Copyright Law. Dude You Have No Quran, Dude You Have No Koran, Stolen Quran, Jacob Isom,

The Qur'an and the Bible in the Light of Science? ( Dr. Zakir's OP ST - 2 of 4 )

Order: Reorder
Duration: 65:33
Published: 2007-02-25
Uploaded: 2011-01-31
Author: MuslimByChoice

How does the Qur'an and the Bibleapproach to science? Is there a conflict between Islam and science? Is there a conflict between Christianity and science? What should Muslim and Christian attitude be toward science and technology? Unique and Victorious Debate in Chicago!! Dr. Zakir Naik had a unique public debate with Dr. William Campbell on the topic "The Qur'an and the Bible in the light of Science" on April 1, 2000 in Chicago, United States of America. Dr. William Campbell, a medical doctor and a Christian Missionary, is the author of the book "The Qu'ran and the Bible in the light of history and science" which is a reply to the famous book " The Bible, the Qu'ran and Science" by Dr. Maurice Bucaille. Dr. William Campbell in his book, which is also on the internet, had pointed out several "scientific errors" in the Qu'ran. His book and his contentions were unanswered for several years, and were used by Christian Missionaries to harass the Muslims.Alhamdulillah, the debate proved to be victorious event from the Islamic perspective. Dr. Zakir Naik gave logical and convincing replies to each and every of the alleged scientific error in the Qu'ran pointed out by Dr. William Campbell. This historic event organised by the 'Islamic Circle of North America', USA, had Dr. William Campbell conceding that he had difficulties in replying to many of the scientific errors in the Bible pointed out by Dr. Zakir Naik. Video cassettes of this debate were released on September 3, 2000 ...

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photo: AP / Hasan Jamali

File - Britain's Prince Charles gestures as he views pictures of Quranic verse Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007, in Manama, Bahrain, while touring Beit al-Quran

photo: AP / Karim Kadim

People hold copies of the Quran, Muslims holy book, outside Abu Hanifa mosque during a protest in reaction to a small American church's plan to burn copies of the Quran, in the Azamiyah neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Sept. 10, 2010.

photo: AP / Rebecca Blackwell

A young Quranic student sits by a street stall as he begs for his daily quota of money and food in Kaolack, Senegal, Thursday, July 17, 2008. Abuse inside Senegal's hundreds of Quranic schools is rampant. Although the country has passed laws to protect children, the courts have so far remained timid, condemning only a handful of Quranic teachers and quickly caving in the face of powerful cleric

photo: AP / Saurabh Das

Policemen charge a handful of protesters after a protest against alleged burning of Quran turned violent in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010. Protests were held in different parts of city after reports of the desecration of a Quran in the United States.

photo: AP / Sue Ogrocki

A copy of the Quran, similar to the ones to be distributed to Oklahoma legislators

photo: AP Photo

Quran - A 400-year-old handwritten Quran is kept under glass at the entrance of Wali Mohammed´s network of tunnels dug in a moutainside west Quetta, Pakistan, Thursday, Sept 27, 2001. Mohammed, 65, who believed all Qurans should be preserved, start

photo: AP / Saurabh Das

Protesters gather around after once being dispersed since a protest against alleged burning of Quran turned violent in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010.

photo: WN / azza

A picture contain some versus of quran . 3rd march 2009 , Egypt , Cairo

photo: Creative Commons File / crystalina

Front of the Quran

photo: WN

Al-Quran, Muslim faith.

photo: Creative Commons / TheEgyptian

Quran-Mus'haf Al Tajweed

photo: Creative Commons / Váradi Zsolt

The Holy Quran in the old Ottoman mosque

photo: Public Domain / Wayiran

A modern Arabic Quran with Persian translation in Persia.

photo: WN / Trashton Porter

Florida Pastor to burn the Quran

photo: AP Photo / Fred Ernst

A protester stands between signs against racism, during a Quran film protest at the Dam square in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, March 22, 2008.

photo: AP / Hasan Sarbakhshian

Holding Iran's national flag and a copy of the Quran, Iranian Ali Nassiri, wears a head band reading " Muhammad is his prophet" as he leaves after registering as a presidential candidate nominee on the first day of registration for the Iranian presidential elections, at the Interior Ministry in Tehran, Tuesday May 5, 2009. Quotes from the Quran's are seen on his clothes.

photo: AP / Fred Ernst

An unidentified man carries a sign which reads, "Wilder's Western Not Wanted" during a Quran film protest at the Dam square in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, March 22, 2008. The protest, called "Netherlands Shows Its Colors," is primarily a pre-reaction to the short film, anti-immigration lawmaker Geert Wilders says he will release later this month criticizing the Quran as a "fascist" book.

photo: AP / Pavel Rahman

Bangladeshi women read the Quran, Islam's holy book during Ramadan

photo: AP /

Afghans participants are seen during a gathering to condemn the reprinting of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) cartoons and an upcoming Dutch film criticizing the Quran at the main shrin in the city of Mazar-i- Sharif, north Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday, March 2, 2008.

photo: AP / Enric Marti

An unidentified man reads the Quran as he attends the traditional Friday prayers

photo: AP Photo

Quran -An Afghan woman uses a rose to help her read the Quran at a madrassa, or Islamic school, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Kabul, Afghanistan, Oct. 22, 2004. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) hf1

photo: AP / Dar Yasin

A Kashmiri Muslim woman recites Quran, or Muslim holy book

photo: AP / K.M. Chaudary

An undated photo of Pakistani children studying the Quran at a religious school in Lahore

photo: AP Photo

Pakistani girls study the Quran at the Madrassa Anwar-ul-Uloom Taleemul Al-Quran religious school in Karachi, Pakistan, Tuesday, July 19, 2005. Pakistan´s religious schools, or madrassas, face renewed scrutiny following the recent London bombings,

photo: AP / Ashraf amra

A Palestinian boy holds up a copy of the Muslim Holy book, the Quran during a rally organized by Islamic Hamas group in Gaza City, Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010.

photo: IRIN News / : Liban A. Warsame

Somali pupils: The school in Jazeera was initiated by the local community and is run by volunteer teachers of the Quran, English, mathematics, music, geography and Kiswahili - file photo

photo: IRIN News / Annasofie Flamand

Women protesters hold up copies of the Quran outside parliament in Sanaa while stating that a proposed law banning marriages under the age of 17 in Yemen is un-Islamic

photo: AP / Hassan Ammar

A Muslim pilgrim carries a copy of the Muslim holy book Quran as heads to Arafat from Mina near Mecca, Saudi Arabia

photo: WN / Imran Nissar

A Kashmiri Muslim woman read holy quran at shrine of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, a Sufi saint, during a religious festival in Srinagar December 5, 2008.

photo: AP / K.M.Chaudary

Members of a Pakistani Christian community rally to condemn the intention of a small American church to burn copies of the Quran, in Lahore, Pakistan on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010.