Koran
The Koran, also called the Qur'an (القرآن in Arabic) is the sacred scripture of Islam. It is analogous to the Bible for Christians.
The Qur'ān [1] (Arabic: القرآن al-Qur’ān, literally "the recitation"; also called القرآن الكريم al-Qur’ān al-Karīm "The Noble Qur'ān"; also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe the Qur'an to be the book of Divine guidance and direction for Mankind.
Muslims believe the Qur'ān, in its original Arabic, to be the literal word of God[2] that was revealed to Muhammad over a period of several years[3] until his death, and believe it to be God's final revelation to humanity[4][5]. Muslims regard the Qur'ān as a continuation of other divine messages that started with those revealed to Adam — the first prophet — and including the Suhuf-i-Ibrahim (Scrolls of Abraham/Ibrahim)[6], the Tawrat (Torah)[7][8], the Zabur (Psalms)[9][10], and the Injil (Gospel)[11][12][13], in between. The aforementioned books are recognized in the Qur'ān. [14][15]Muslims are directed to follow the Qurʾān — the last and final, completely untainted (with God promising to protect it: "Indeed : It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr [the Qur'ān] and surely, We will guard it [from corruption]" [16][17]) message from God.
The Qur'ānic verses were originally memorized by Muhammad's companions as Muhammad recited them, with some being written down by one or more companions on whatever was at hand, from stones to pieces of bark. The collection of the Qur'ān compilation took place under the Caliph Abu Bakr (less than 10 years after Muhammad's death), this task being led by Zayd ibn Thabit Al-Ansari. "The manuscript on which the Quran was collected, remained with Abu Bakr till he passed away, and then with 'Umar (the second Caliph) until he passed away, and finally it remained with Hafsa bint Umar (Umar's daughter)."
Sources
Scolars and theologians have identified six main sources for the contents of the Qur'an. The Catholic Bible states: "The sources of the Koran be reduced to -
- The Old Testament (canonical and apocryphal) and the hybrid Judaism of the late rabbinical schools. During Mohammed's time the Jews were numerous in many parts of Arabia, especially around Medina. Familiarity with them is undoubtly responsible for many Old Testament stories alluded to in Koran. Later Judaism and Rabbinism are equally well represented (Geiger, "Was hat Mohammed aus dem Judenthum aufgenommen?", Wiesbaden, 1833; tr. "Judaism and Islam", Madras, 1898).
- The New Testament (canonical and apocryphal) and various heretical doctrines. On his journeys between Syria, Hijaz, and Yemen, Mohammed had every opportunity to come in close touch with Yemenite, Abyssinian, Ghassanite, and Syrian Christians, especially heretic. Hence, while the influence of orthodox Christianity upon the Koran has been slight, apocryphal and heretical Christian legends, on the other hand, are one of the original sources of Koranic faith. (See Muir, op. cit. infra, 66-239; Tisdall, "The Original Sources of the Qur'an", London, 1905, 55-211.)
- Sabaism, a combination of Judaism, Manicheism, and old disfigured Babylonian heathenism.
- Zoroastrianism. On account of Persia's political influence in the north-eastern part of Arabia, it is natural to find Zoroastrian elements in the Koran.
- Hanifism, the adherents of which, called Hanifs, must have been considerable in number and influence, as it is known from contemporary Arabian sources that twelve of Mohammed's followers were members of this sect.
- Native ancient and contemporary Arabian heathen beliefs and practices. Wellhausen has collected in his "Reste des arabischen Heidentums" (Berlin, 1897) all that is known of pre-Islamic Arabian heathen belief, traditions, customs, and superstitions, many of which are either alluded to or accepted and incorporated in the Koran. From the various sects and creeds, and Abul-Fida, the well-known historian and geographer of the twelfth century, it is clear that religious beliefs and practices of the Arabs of Mohammed's day form one of the many sources of Islam. From this heathen source Islam derived the practices of polygamy and slavery, which Mohammed sanctioned by adopting them."[1]