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The ''Qur'ān'' (القرآن) is the central religious text of Islam and is held to be the final and perfect guidance for all of mankind.<ref>[{{Quran-url-only|33|40}} Qur'an, Chapter 33, Verse 40]</ref><ref>Watton, Victor, (1993), ''A student's approach to world religions:Islam'', Hodder & Stoughton, pg 1. ISBN 0-340-58795-4</ref> The text in its original Arabic is believed to be the literal word of Allah<ref>[{{Quran-url-only|2|23}} Qur'ān, Chapter 2, Verses 23-24]</ref> revealed by the angel [[Jibreel (Angel Gabriel)|Jibreel (Gabriel)]] to Prophet Muhammad over a period of twenty-three years.<ref>''Living Religions: An Encyclopaedia of the World's Faiths,'' Mary Pat Fisher, 1997, page 338,  I.B. Tauris Publishers, </ref><ref>[{{Quran-url-only|17|106}} Qur'an, Chapter 17, Verse 106]</ref>
The ''Qur'ān'' (القرآن) is the central religious text of Islam and is held to be the final and perfect guidance for all of mankind.<ref>[{{Quran-url-only|33|40}} Qur'an, Chapter 33, Verse 40]</ref><ref>Watton, Victor, (1993), ''A student's approach to world religions:Islam'', Hodder & Stoughton, pg 1. ISBN 0-340-58795-4</ref> The text in its original Arabic is believed to be the literal word of Allah<ref>[{{Quran-url-only|2|23}} Qur'ān, Chapter 2, Verses 23-24]</ref> revealed by the angel [[Jibreel (Angel Gabriel)|Jibreel (Gabriel)]] to Prophet Muhammad over a period of twenty-three years.<ref>''Living Religions: An Encyclopaedia of the World's Faiths,'' Mary Pat Fisher, 1997, page 338,  I.B. Tauris Publishers, </ref><ref>[{{Quran-url-only|17|106}} Qur'an, Chapter 17, Verse 106]</ref>


=== Textual history of the Quran ===
===Textual history of the Quran===
{{Main|Textual History of the Qur'an}}
{{Main|Textual History of the Qur'an}}


The textual integrity of scripture is an important topic in Muslim circles and will be brought up by both Islamic scholars and non-scholars alike. Many claim the text of the Qur'an today is identical to that received by Muhammad, and present this preservation as being of the foremost miracles and proofs of Islam. This article looks at the criticisms of and problems inherent in this position, especially as modern scholarship has revealed previously unknown or popularly ignored or sidelined facts of early Islamic history (particularly regarding the compilation and preservation of the Qur'an).
The textual integrity of scripture is an important topic in Islamic circles that has been subject to ongoing debate among scholars in both religious and academic circles. Western research on the textual history of the Quran, conducted in the recent past, has reinvigorated these debates and shed unwelcome light on some of the problems inherent in traditional accounts of the Quran's early compilation by bringing details generally ignored by traditional, religious scholarship to the forefront.


====Diacritical Marks====
====Diacritical marks====
{{Main|Diacritical Marks of the Qur'an}}
{{Main|Diacritical Marks of the Qur'an}}


The Arabic writing system was still in development during the time of Muhammad, so the Qur'an was originally written without today's diacritical marks. These were added years after the final Qur'anic revelation and Muhammad's death. The problem with this is the addition or subtraction of diacritical marks radically alter the meaning of Arabic text, thereby potentially altering Allah’s book. In this article we examine the use of diacritical marks and the problems they posed when they were added to (and, today, removed from) the Qur'an.
As Arabic writing system was still in development during the time of Muhammad, the Qur'an was originally written without the diacritical and phonetic marks that today appear in virtually all printed versions of the scripture. These markings were added years after 'the final Qur'anic revelation' and Muhammad's death. Historians and critics have continually noted that the late addition of these markings is problematic for a traditional narrative which argues for the preservation of the Quran, since various sets and arrangements of diacritical markings can and do significantly impact the meaning of the Arabic text.


====Organization====
====Organization====
{{Main|Organization of the Quran|l1=Organization of the Qur'an}}
{{Main|Organization of the Quran|l1=Organization of the Qur'an}}


Except for the first surah, Al-Fatiha, the Qur'an is broadly describable as being organized by descending length of the sura. That is, the longest sura is Sura 2 and the (second) shortest is Sura 114. While standard prints of the Qur'an make no distinction between passages revealed to the prophet in Mecca or Medina, Islamic scholarship and scholars generally agree that a part of the Qur'an was revealed before and a part after the prophet's hijra, or flight, from Mecca to Medina.  
Excepting the first surah, [[Al-Fatiha|''al-Fatiha'']] ("The Opener"), the [[Surah|surahs (chapters)]] contained in the Quran are, broadly speaking, arranged in order of diminishing length. The longest sura is surah 2 (''al-Baqarah'', "The Cow") and the (second) shortest is surah 114 (al-Nas, "The People"). While standard prints of the Qur'an make no distinction between passages revealed to the prophet in [[Mecca]] or [[Medina]], Islamic scholarship and professional historians generally agree that a part of the Qur'an was revealed before and a part after the prophet's hijra, or flight, from Mecca to Medina.  


====Chronological Order====
====Chronological order====
{{Main|Chronological Order of the Qur'an}}
This page lists the chronological (or revelational) order of the Qur'an. Whereas the earlier Meccan verses of the Qur'an focus on matters of belief and general behavior, the later, Medinan verses of the Qur'an, revealed during the prophets political and military campaign in and reign over Arabia, focus a great deal more on matters of Islamic law and jihad. In this order, over time, the revelations also shifted from a poetic and morally exhortative style in Mecca to a more prosaic and often aggressive style in the later years in Medina.


:''Main Article:'' ''[[Chronological Order of the Qur'an]], See also: [[Qur'an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Jihad#The_Chronological_Shift_from_Pacifism_to_Jihad|The Chronological Shift from Pacifism to Jihad]]''
====Abrogation====
 
This page lists the chronological (or revelational) order of the Qur'an. It is clear that whereas the earlier Meccan verses of the Qur'an focus on matters of belief and general behavior, the later, Medinan verses of the Qur'an, revealed during the prophets political and military reign in Arabia, focus a great deal more on matters of Islamic law and jihad. In this order, it is also clear that, over time, the revelations changed from a poetic and morally exhortative style in Mecca to a more straight-forward and often aggressive style in the later years in Medina.
 
====Abrogations====


:''Main Article:'' ''[[Abrogation (Naskh)]] and [[List of Abrogations in the Qur'an]]''
:''Main Article:'' ''[[Abrogation (Naskh)]] and [[List of Abrogations in the Qur'an]]''
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The messages of later Medinan Qur'anic revelations changed and contradicted earlier Meccan ones. So the Qur'an, read superficially, in its non-chronological organization, can support any number of views on several subjects. However, in Islam there is a method in sorting through the various verses; this is known as the doctrine of ''abrogation'' (Naskh). Some apologists will say that this doctrine does not exist or is not a part of mainstream Islam. However, when you view the chronological order of the revelations, it is difficult and perhaps impossible to avoid (for instance, some verses in the Qur'an describe wine-vineyards in a noble light, whereas others describe [[alcohol]] as among the works of the devil - this, and numerous other examples, are only comprehensible in light of the doctrine of abrogation).
The messages of later Medinan Qur'anic revelations changed and contradicted earlier Meccan ones. So the Qur'an, read superficially, in its non-chronological organization, can support any number of views on several subjects. However, in Islam there is a method in sorting through the various verses; this is known as the doctrine of ''abrogation'' (Naskh). Some apologists will say that this doctrine does not exist or is not a part of mainstream Islam. However, when you view the chronological order of the revelations, it is difficult and perhaps impossible to avoid (for instance, some verses in the Qur'an describe wine-vineyards in a noble light, whereas others describe [[alcohol]] as among the works of the devil - this, and numerous other examples, are only comprehensible in light of the doctrine of abrogation).


====Revelational Circumstances====
====Revelational circumstances====
{{Main|Revelational Circumstances of the Quran|l1=Revelational Circumstances of the Qur'an}}
 
:''Main Article:'' ''[[Asbab al-Nuzul (Revelational Circumstances of the Quran)]]; See also: [[Convenient Revelations]]''


When discussing the applicability of the commands of the Qur'an in modern times, some argue that less agreeable verses apply only to its original revalational circumstance. However, such ideas regarding the evolution and changing of Islamic law are considered heresy in orthodox Islam. This article reviews those verses which are most frequently dismissed or historicized as only being applicable in the time & place of revelation, and considers the plausibility of these claims in relation to how Islamic law was understood for more than a thousand years (and how it remains understood, in this way, by the overwhelming majority of Islamic scholars today).
When discussing the applicability of the commands of the Qur'an in modern times, some argue that less agreeable verses apply only to its original revalational circumstance. However, such ideas regarding the evolution and changing of Islamic law are considered heresy in orthodox Islam. This article reviews those verses which are most frequently dismissed or historicized as only being applicable in the time & place of revelation, and considers the plausibility of these claims in relation to how Islamic law was understood for more than a thousand years (and how it remains understood, in this way, by the overwhelming majority of Islamic scholars today).


====Parallelism====
====Parallelism with the Bible====
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}
{{Main|Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures}}


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Furthermore, the claim that the Quran describes the Judeo-Christians scriptures as "corrupted" [[Corruption of Previous Scriptures (Qur'an 2:79)|has been substantially critiqued, and is most probably untrue]].
Furthermore, the claim that the Quran describes the Judeo-Christians scriptures as "corrupted" [[Corruption of Previous Scriptures (Qur'an 2:79)|has been substantially critiqued, and is most probably untrue]].


=== Contents of the Quran ===
===Contents of the Quran===


====Al-Fatiha====
====Al-Fatiha====
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====Child marriage====
====Child marriage====
{{Main|Pedophilia in the Qur'an}}
{{Main|Child Marriage in the Qur'an}}
The Qur'an permits pedophilia. The following Qur'anic verse allows sex with pre-pubescent girls who have not yet menstruated.
The Qur'an permits pedophilia. The following Qur'anic verse allows sex with pre-pubescent girls who have not yet menstruated.


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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Core Articles]]
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Hadith]]
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[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Qur'anic textual history]]
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