27 August 2010 / ,
According to Islamic teachings, the Quran is the exact word of God; its authenticity, originality and totality are intact.
The word “Quran” -- literally meaning a reading or reciting -- comes from the Arabic verb “qara’a” which means to read. Reciting the Quran on a daily basis is the duty of every good Muslim. The text of the Quran is separated into 30 even parts (juz, pl. ajza) and contains 114 surahs (chapters) of varying lengths. Each surah is formed by several ayahs (verses) -- a word that originally means a sign or portent sent by God. The shortest surah (Al-Kawthar) has only three ayahs, while the longest (Al-Baqara) contains 286 ayahs. The Quran provides Muslims with both spiritual and intellectual nourishment. Its major themes include the oneness of God, the purpose of human existence, faith and God-consciousness, the Hereafter and its significance. One of the most exciting fields in recent years has been the discovery of a great amount of scientific information in the Quran, including embryological data and other information concerning astronomy, biology, etc.
