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Overview
The Quran stands as the central religious text of Islam, a work Muslims believe was revealed directly by God to the prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over twenty-three years. This divine speech unfolds across 114 chapters known as surahs, which contain individual verses called ayahs. While its primary role is spiritual guidance, scholars and poets alike recognize it as a masterpiece of Arabic literature that shaped the language itself. The revelations began in 610 CE during the holy night of Laylat al-Qadr and concluded in 632 CE with the death of Muhammad. Early followers served as scribes to record these words, leading to a standardized compilation under Caliph Uthman that remains the basis for the text used today.