Features of Al-Quran
Al-Quran, القرآن, is from the root words ق رأ which the derivatives for قرأ ٬ يقرأ ٬ قرآنا. Linguistically, it means READ, قرأ and also GATHER, يقرأ .
Al-Quran is an object which is an action done to it which is to be read, and also a subject that is a doer of an action which is gathered.
- It’s has specific and unique features which is
- the Arabic Speech of Allah ﷻ that
- He revealed to the final Messenger, Muhammad (ﷺ),
- in wording and meaning upon seven (7) Ahruf (modes of recitation)
- via the trustworthy and able Angel, Jibreel عليه السلام,
- and it is preserved in the hearts of the believers before the Mushaf
- and transferred in verbatim across generations heart to heart since Revelation
- via authentic chains in a manner that is immune to doubt;
- and there is a challenge to mankind to produce something like it.
The Noble Quran is the Speech of Allah which is an eternal miracle revealed to His Messenger (ﷺ) in such a way that others are incapable of presenting such a discourse.
Allah ﷻ says in Surah At-Tawbah verses 6:
وَإِنۡ أَحَدٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ٱسۡتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرۡهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسۡمَعَ كَلَٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبۡلِغۡهُ مَأۡمَنَهُۥۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَوۡمٞ لَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ
If any of the polytheists asks you for protection, give it to him, so that he may hear the Word of Allah, then escort him to his place of safety; that is because they are a people who do not know. [QS 9:6]
In this ayah, the word of Allah, كَلَٰمَ ٱللَّهِ, refers to the Quran in clear Arabic tongue. Hence, translation of Al-Quran in any language is not Al-Quran, but only books translating the meaning of the Quran based on human tafseer (interpretation which are based on evidence).
Al-Quran is revealed in its original wordings and meanings upon seven (7) ahrufs (modes of recitations). The words and verses that were revealed have its meanings and mostly in connectivity to other words and verses in the Quran. The verses of the Quran are the containers, the change in the verses / words, is in tantamount to the containers being disturbed; and once it's been disturbed, there'll be an outflow - Allah won't allow that to happen!
Al-Quran is preserved in the hearts of the believers before the Mushaf. Allah promises to protect the [meaning of] the Quran. Alhamdulillah, Muslims are the only ones who can say that we have the Quran in the original language it was revealed and recite it how it has been recited across generations, unlike the Jews & the Christians. Its primary preservations are from an al-hafidz to another al-hafidz to another and another.....
Al-Quran is transferred verbatim across generations heart to heart since Revelation via authentic chains in a manner that is immune to doubt. All of the Quran is mutawaatir. Mutawaatir refers to a report that being mentioned and transmitted by so many people across generations who are unrelated, giving the impressions that there is no way that this could be a trick, which makes it so authentic in the mind of anyone who is balanced, and creates a circumstances which the report is immune from needing of investigation. It has been transmitted in such a way and by so many people that there is no possibility of them all having made the same mistakes or agreed upon some fabrications.
Al-Quran is 'mutawatir' via the chain that is immune to doubt. Al-Quran is 'mutawatir' through reality, via the chain that is immune to doubt. Even though we do not have documented chains of the Quran from the Prophet SAW, there's no reason for us to doubt that the reality of tawatur existed in many ways such as the adzan of the Mecca or the Madinian.
Yet, it is not the condition of the Quran to be mutawatir, it just needs to reach us through chains that are immune to doubt, and no one can deny this has happened. The idea of tawatur is IRRELEVANT, and what matters is its AUTHENTICITY as we believe that the Quran that all the Muslims are referring to reaches us in authentic manner, generation by generation.
Disclaimer: These are notes sharing from the Steps of Jannah classes online taught by Sheikh Dr Sajid Umar focusing on three subjects i.e. Ayatul Ahkam, Hadith 40 an-Nawawi and Al-Biri's the Ta'iyyah Poem. The classes are still ongoing, every Monday 8pm UK time. If you would like to join, please email stepstojannah12@gmail.com