Since the Revelation of the Qur'an, the world has studied this book. Those unconvinced by its claims and those who hang on every word and proclaim it to be the Speech of Allah have spent precious moments of their lives pouring over the contents of the Book, scrutinising every verse, paragraph, surah and sometimes even querying the origin of certain non-Arabic words in the text.

 

The Encyclopedia Americana proclaims, "…there is no other book that has been so studied." 1 Upon the completion of the Qur'an in the year AD 632, study of it by detractors and proponents did not stop, but accelerated.

 

The most important aspects used by scholars in the study of the Qur'an were five in number:

 

1) THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE QUR'AN

 

The Qur'an's revelation was between the years AD 610-632. 86 portions or "surahs" were given in Makkah - a place of persecution and bitterness - while the remaining 28 were in Al-Madinah - the city where Islam became the predominant religion and clandestine efforts for proselytising were well underway.2

 

Much of the application of the Qur'an is connected to what was revealed but also where it was revealed. If this beginning principle is not adhered to, the other four principles below are without meaning.

 

2) THE LANGUAGE OF THE QUR'AN

 

The language of the Qur'an is indeed Arabic.

 

Indeed We sent down a Qur’an in Arabic so that you might think.3

 

And likewise, we sent down an Arabic Qur'an and explained in detail some warning therein so that they might have fear of Him or that it might cause them to remember. 4

 

It is in a clear Arabic tongue. 5

 

This is an Arabic Qur'an without any crookedness therein so that they might have fear of Him. 6

 

It is an Arabic Qur'an, in which its verses are explained in detail for a people who know. 7

 

And likewise, we revealed to you an Arabic Qur'an so that you might warn the Mother of the Cities and whoever is around it. 8

 

We made it an Arabic Qur'an so that you might think. 9