Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Visualising the Quran

Visualising the Quran

The Quran is the central religious text in Islam and is believed by Muslims to be the word of God as guidance for humanity.

The Quran is the central religious text in Islam. Muslims believe the Quran was verbally revealed by God, through the angel Gabriel, to the Prophet Muhammad over the course of 23 years.

The Quran was revealed in Arabic and it comprises: 30 sections, 114 chapters, 6,236 verses and 77,432 words.

The first verse of the Quran translates to: “Read, in the Name of your Lord Who created ...” [Al-’Alaq: 1]

Muslims are encouraged to continually read and memorise the Quran which has been preserved – to the letter – in its original form since it was revealed more than 1,400 years ago.

Among the oldest Quranic manuscripts in existence are the Sanaa Quran and Birmingham University Quran, both of which date back to the 7th century.



The Quran was first revealed during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and the month of fasting and reflection.

Ramadan lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Laylat al-Qadr, or the night of power, is considered by Muslims to be the holiest night of the year. It is the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad inside the Cave of Hira - located in a mountain outside the city of Mecca.

While the exact date of Laylat al-Qadr is unspecified, it is believed to occur on one of the odd-numbered nights during the final 10 days of Ramadan.

Praying on that night is believed to be better than a thousand months of worship and devotion. For this reason, millions of Muslims head towards mosques to attend congregational prayers during this time.


Fasting during the month of Ramadan, from dawn to dusk, is required of adult Muslims who are physically able to. The fast entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations to achieve greater “taqwa”, or consciousness of God.

At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr. In Arabic, it means “festival of breaking the fast”.



The Quran is meant as guidance for humanity and covers various topics from the oneness of God (Allah), moral behaviour, social conduct and stories of the prophets.

In many Muslim-majority countries, Quranic recitations, which Muslims recite during prayer, echo on the streets outside for everyone to hear.

The repetition of words and symmetry appears frequently in the Quran. For example, life and death are both mentioned 145 times throughout the Quran. Angels and devils are mentioned 88 times each, while man and woman are each mentioned 24 times.

The word “day” is repeated 365 times in the Quran - which some scholars have connected to the number of days in a year. The word “month” is repeated 12 times in the Quran - like the number of months in a year. “Days”, in the plural form, is repeated 30 times - like the number of days in a month.

“Establish prayer” is repeated five times in the Quran, the same number of times of mandatory prayers per day.


The names of Allah mentioned in the Quran


Of the 99 names of God (Allah), 56 begin with "Al" or "The one". These are specifically mentioned in the Quran. Other names are mentioned in the hadith, or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.

The most frequently mentioned name of God is Al-Aziz (The Almighty) with 60 mentions, followed by Ar-Rahmaan (The Beneficent) 48 times and Al-Hakeem (The All Wise) with 38 mentions.

Many Muslim names and surnames are prefixed by “Abd al” or Abdul, meaning the “servant of”, followed by any one of the 99 names such as Abdulrahmaan or Abd Al-Aziz.


The 25 prophets mentioned in the Quran


Muslims believe that all prophets were sent to preach the message of God - from the first, Prophet Adam, to the last, Prophet Muhammad. More than a quarter (26 percent) of the words of the Quran are stories of the prophets which are meant to serve as historical lessons for people.

The prophets most mentioned by name in the Quran are Prophet Moses (136 times), followed by Prophet Abraham (54 times) and Prophet Noah (50 times). Prophet Adam and Prophet Jesus are mentioned 25 times each.

The Prophet Muhammad is mentioned in the most number of chapters in the Quran, appearing 47 times.



There are some two billion Muslims around the world - about 25 percent of the world’s population. While Muslims recite verses of the Quran in Arabic during prayer, there are a number of interpretations in almost every language around the world.

Muslims are taught to handle the Quran with utmost respect and care. To express their admiration, Quran covers are often decorated with Arabic calligraphy and geometric patterns.

The graphic below shows the covers of translations of the Quran in some of the world’s most spoken languages.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Reports in Gaza: 5 dead from the impact of aid packages dropped by the USA
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
China Criticizes US for Vetoing UN Ceasefire Resolution in Gaza
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
The U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, instead proposing its own six-week ceasefire plan contingent upon the release of all hostages held by Hamas
Prince William Urges End to Gaza Conflict
Saudi Arabia ranks first in UN index for e-government services in MENA
Israel has gone ‘beyond self-defence’ in Gaza, says Labour’s Streeting
EU Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Conflict
Israel Records 20% Drop In GDP, War In Gaza Is The Reason
Saudi Arabia's FDI Inflows Grow with New International Standards
Venture Capitals Power Up Across MENA Region
Saudi Arabia Introduces Terms for 30-Year Income Tax Exemption for Multinational Companies
Saudi FM: Establishing Palestinian state is only pathway for Mideast stability
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
Elon Musk's Starlink Gets License For Israel, Parts Of Gaza
Influencers Exploit X Platform for Profit Amidst Israel-Gaza Conflict
PM Modi Announces Opening Of New CBSE Office In Dubai
International Criminal Court's Chief "Deeply Concerned" By Rafah Bombing
January Funding for MENA Startups Totals $86.5 Million
Saudi Arabia accelerates digital economy growth through Nvidia partnership
Indian female military officers commend Saudi Arabia's progress and women's empowerment
Israel unveils tunnels underneath Gaza City headquarters of UN agency for Palestinian refugees
Israel deploys new military AI in Gaza war
Egypt threatens to suspend key peace treaty if Israel pushes into Gaza border town, officials say
Israel Utilizes AI Military Technology in Gaza Conflict
Saudi Arabia Warns Of A "Humanitarian Catastrophe" If Israel Moves On Rafah
China Warns Iran to Halt Houthi Attacks or Damage Trade Ties
US University To Shut Qatar Campus Due To "Heightened Mideast Instability"
Iran-backed hackers interrupt UAE TV streaming services with deepfake news
Facebook and Instagram Ban Iran's Supreme Leader
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken: The Israelis underwent dehumanization on 7.10, this does not give them the right to do this to others.
Defense Technology Showcase Held in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rise 2.5% to $6bn in November 2023: GASTAT
UK Bans Misleading "Zero Emissions" Claims for Electric Cars
Gaza's Teen Inventor Sparks Light in Displacement
Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Proposal, Insists On Total Victory Over Hamas
Guterres appoints independent UNRWA review panel
Private Sector Employment Hits Record High with Over 11 Million Employees in January
Rolls-Royce Executive Encourages Saudi Women to Tap into Their Inner 'Superhero' for Success in Defense Industry
Saudi Arabia launches National Academy of Vehicles and Cars
Saudi Tourism Minister Reveals Plan for 250,000 New Hotel Rooms by 2030
SAR to more than double eastern network passenger capacity with new trains deal
Saudi Arabia Enhances National Defense with New Partnerships
Saudi Aramco Maintains Arab Light Crude Pricing to Asia for March
NEOM Establishes New York Office to Support Investors
Saudi Wealth Fund Draws in Over $25 Billion Worth of Investments in Three Years, Al-Rumayyan Reveals
ZATCA Cautions Against Scammer Schemes
INTRA Defense Technologies inaugurates drone factory in Riyadh
×