The Qur'an in 99 questions

Introduction

Chapter 1. What Is the Qur'an?

1. How can the Qur'an be defined?

2. What are the names of the Glorious Qur'an?

3. Though the Qur'an was revealed in parts, why does it refer to itself as the Book from the very first revelation, from a time before it was bound between covers?

Chapter 2. What Is the Revelation?

4. What does Revelation (wahy) mean?

5. Is there any Revelation other than the Qur'an?

6. How was the Revelation conveyed to the Prophet?

7. Why could other people who were in close vicinity to the Prophet not see Archangel Gabriel when he was delivering the Revelation to the Prophet?

8. Can we understand the true nature of Revelation?

9. Why was the Qur'an revealed to Prophet Muhammad but not to people who were better-known or better-off?

10. What is the significance of the Qur'an descending on the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr)?

11. How long did it take for the Qur'an to descend to the Prophet?

12. What would you say to the allegation that the Qur'an was taught to the Prophet by a priest or by other people?

13. Did the Prophet write the Qur'an himself?

14. Which angel delivered the Qur'an to the Prophet?

Chapter 3. Verses of the Qur'an

15. What does the word ayat (verse) mean?

16. How were the Qur'anic verses gathered?

17. Why are there different figures mentioned with respect to the total number of verses and what is the actual number?

18. What were the first and last verses or chapters to be revealed in the Qur'an?

19. Was each and every verse or chapter of the Qur'an revealed in connection with a certain occasion?

20. How are the circumstances of the revelation of the verses to be understood?

21. Is the basmala a verse and why is written at the start of every chapter?

22. Qur'anic verses are divided into two groups, known as muhkam or mutashahih. What is the difference?

23. What is the reason for the mutashahih verses in the Qur'an?

Chapter 4. Chapters of the Qur'an

24. What does the word sura mean?

25. Where do the names of the Qur'anic chapters come from?

26. Why is the Qur'an divided into chapters?

27. Who gave the chapters their names?

28. Why is the story of Prophet Joseph in Sura Yusuf, which is named after him, called "the best of stories"?

29. Certain chapters and verses are said to be more virtuous than others. What does this mean, as all are divine words?

30. Why is there no basmala at the beginning of Sura Tawba while there is one at the beginning of every other chapter?

Chapter 5. Compilation and Duplication of the Qur'an

31. How was the compilation of the Qur'an realized during the time of Caliph Abu Bakr?

32. How was the duplication of the Qur'an realized during the time of Caliph Uthman?

33. How and when were the diacritical marks and vowel symbols introduced in the Qur'an?

Chapter 6. Language of the Qur'an and Characteristics of Its Style

34. What are the stylistic characteristics of the Qur'an?

35. What is the divine wisdom behind the frequent repetitions in the Qur'an?

36. Oaths are sworn upon different things in the Qur'an. What is the divine wisdom of such oaths?

37. Is an accurate translation of the Qur'an possible?

38. Is it possible to use the translations of the Qur'an during the recitation of the daily prayers?

39. Why is the Qur'an in Arabic? How can the Qur'an have a universal nature if it was revealed in Arabic?

40. Are there words of the Prophet or other people in the Qur'an?

41. Why is the same event mentioned differently in different chapters of the Qur'an?

42. God is described as "the Lord of the two easts and the Lord of the two wests" in the Qur'an. What does this mean?

43. Why is the masculine form of address used in the Qur'an?

44. Why is Paradise used in a plural form in the Qur'an and sometimes referred to by different names?

45. What is the divine wisdom in God's referring to Himself sometimes as "I" and sometimes as "We" in the Qur'an?

Chapter 7. The Miraculousness of the Qur'an

46. Why was the Qur'an revealed at different intervals and not as a whole?

47. What is meant by the Qur'anic letters (huruf al-muqatta'at) and why are they used at the beginning of certain chapters?

48. How can we explain the harmony in both the wording and meaning of the Qur'anic verses?

49. How does the Qur'an take the psychology of human beings into consideration while addressing them?

50. What is the significance of the linguistic miraculousness of the Qur'an?

51. Can the compilation of the Qur'an explain its miraculousness?

52. It is said that the Qur'an is inimitable (that no one can produce the like). What does this mean?

53. How should we understand the verse, "Had the Qur'an been from any other than God, they would surely have found in it much incoherence or inconsistency"?

54. It is said that five things that only God can know are mentioned in the Qur'an. What are they?

55. What does the statement the Qur'an guides people to the truest path mean?

56. How does the Qur'an inform us of the Unseen?

Chapter 8. Preservation of the Qur'an

57. Other Holy Books have been altered over time; is this the case for the Qur'an?

58. Is it possible that the Qur'an is the word of the Prophet?

59. Is it possible that the Prophet was taught the Qur'an by others?

60. It has been narrated that the Prophet had met with certain individuals from the People of the Book. What is the significance of this?

61. During the time of the Prophet was the Qur'an committed to memory and writing down?

62. Is there any naskh (abrogation) in the Qur'an?

63. What is the divine wisdom behind abrogation?

64. What is the divine wisdom for the letter alif not being used in the basmala?

65. Has there been any external interference in the Revelation?

66. What evidence is there that the Qur'an is the Word of God?

67. What does the divine guardianship of the Qur'an mean?

68. What is the evidence that the Qur'an has remained exactly the same, without even the smallest change?

Chapter 9. Themes and Basic Purposes of the Qur'an

69. Does the Qur'an contain knowledge pertaining to different branches of science?

70. What are the main purposes of the Qur'an?

71. Who are the Prophets whose names are mentioned in the Qur'an? Are there Prophets who are not mentioned?

72. Why are the narratives of bygone nations mentioned in detail in the Qur'an?

73. Does the Qur'an clearly mention the five daily prayers and how to perform them?

74. How does the Qur'an prescribe the behavior of believers in the context of inter-personal relations?

75. Why is the Prophet's wedding to Zaynab mentioned in the Qur'an?

76. Why does the Qur'an mention personalities like Abu Lahab?

77. How should we understand and interpret the Qur'anic verse that refers to the permission to beat one's wife?

78. In the Qur'an it is stated that heavenly rewards and blessings are greater for men. Is this true?

79. Why is the testimony of a woman not regarded as being equal to that of a man?

80. In the Qur'an are there any differences between the rights of man and woman?

81. In different places in the Qur'an there are different statements about what human beings have been created from; is this not contradictory?

82. Why is Virgin Mary mentioned in the Qur'an as Prophet Aaron's sister?

83. Does the Qur'an openly state when the end of the world will come?

84. What is the accursed zaqqum tree?

85. Why are there different injunctions in the Qur'an with respect to intoxicants?

86. Does the Qur'an mention faith in destiny?

Chapter 10. The Universality of the Qur'an

87. It is claimed that the Qur'anic principle of retaliation is incompatible with modernity? Are Qur'anic jurisdictions always valid?

88. Is it mandatory that we accept all that which is mentioned in the Qur'an as the truth?

89. Is the claim that the Qur'anic prohibitions limit human freedom valid?

90. What is meant when it is said that the Qur'an is universal?

Chapter 11. Interpretation and Exposition of the Qur'an

91. Is it enough to read translations of the Qur'an to truly comprehend it?

92. Were there any Qur'anic commentaries during the time of the Prophet?

93. Can anyone interpret the Qur'an?

94. Did the Prophet interpret the entire Qur'an?

Chapter 12. The Etiquette of Recitation

95. Is it difficult to learn how to recite the Qur'an?

96. What should one pay attention to while reciting the Qur'an?

97. How can one best show respect to the Qur'an?

98. Is a reading of the commentary and translation of the Qur'an the same as a khatma, a complete recitation of the Qur'an?

99. Can the Qur'an be read or touched without ablution?

Endnotes

Bibliography

Index