The ultimate manifestation of God’s grace for man, the ultimate wisdom,
and the ultimate beauty of expression: in short, the word of God. This is
how the German scholar, Muhammad Asad, once described the Qur’an.

If one were to ask any Muslim to depict it, most likely they would offer
similar words. The Qur’an, to the Muslim, is the irrefutable, inimitable
Word of God. It was revealed by God Almighty, through the instrument of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) himself had no role in
authoring the Qur’an, he was merely a human secretary, repeating the
dictates of the Divine Creator:

“He (Muhammad) does not speak of his own desire. It is no less
than an Inspiration sent down to him.” [53:3-4]

The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), over a
period of twenty-three years. It is composed in a style so unique, that it
cannot be deemed either poetry or prose, but somehow a mixture of both.
The Qur’an is imimitable; it cannot be simulated or copied, and God
Almighty challenges mankind to pursue such an endeavor if he thinks he
can:
“Or do they say he forged it? Say: Bring then a chapter like unto
it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, beside God, if it be
you speak the truth.” [10:38].

The Qur’an’s language is indeed sublime, its recitation moving, as one non-
Muslim scholar noted, it was like other cadence of my heartbeat. Due to its
unique style of language, the Qur’an is not only highly readable, but also
relatively easy to remember. This latter aspect has played an important role
not only in the Qur’an’s preservation, but in the spiritual life of Muslims as
well. God Himself declares,

“And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and
remember; then is there anyone that will receive admonition?”
[54:17]

One of the most important characteristics of the Qur’an is that it remains
today, the only holy book which has never changed; it has remained free
from any and all adulterations. Sir William Muir noted, “There is probably
in the world no other book which has remained (fourteen) centuries with
so pure a text.” The Qur’an was written down during the lifetime and
under the supervision of the Prophet, who himself was illiterate, and it was
canonized shortly after his death by a rigorous method which scrutinized
both written and oral traditions. Thus its authenticity is unblemished, and is
its preservation is seen as the fulfillment of God’s promise:

“We have, without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will
assuredly guard it from corruption.” [15:9]

The Qur’an is a book which provides the human being the spiritual and
intellectual nourishment he/she craves. Its major themes include the oneness
of God, the purpose of human existence, faith and God-consciousness, the
Hereafter and its significance. The Qur’an also lays a heavy emphasis upon
reason and understanding. In these spheres of human understanding, the
Qur’an goes beyond just satisfying the human intellect; it causes one to
reflect on implications.

There are Qur’anic challenges and prophecies. One
of the most exciting fields in recent years has been the discovery that, of
the significant amount of scientific information in the Qur’an, including the
event of the Big Bang, embryological data, and other information
concerning astronomy biology, etc., there is not a single statement that has
not been borne out by modern discoveries In short, the Qur’an fulfills the
heart, the soul, and the mind.

Perhaps the best description of the Qur’an was given by Ali, the cousin of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he expounded upon it as,

“The Book of God. In it is the record of what was before you, the
judgment of what is among you, and the prophecies of what will
come after you. It is decisive, not a case for levity. Whoever is
a tryant and ignores the Qur’an will be destroyed by God. Whoever
seeks guidance from other than it will be misguided. The Qur’an is
the unbreakable bond of connection with God; it is the remembrance
full of wisdom and the straight path. The Qur’an does not become
distorted by tongues. nor can it be deviated by caprices; it never
dulls from repeated study; scholars will always want more of it.
The wonders of the Qur’an are never ending. Whoever speaks from
it will speak the truth, whoever rules with it will be just, and
whoever holds fast to it will be guided to the straight path.”
[Al-Tirmidhi]