Qurʾān

Introduction
Form and content
Origin and compilation
Basic ideas
Interpretation

Quotes References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

A young Muslim girl wearing a white hijab reads the Qur'an, following the Arabic text with her finger.

Two gloved hands hold open a protective folder displaying ancient Quran manuscript fragments with Arabic script on aged parchment.

Kūfic script. Double page opening of a Qurʾān from Syria, 9th century ad. In the collection of R. Pinder-Wilson.

At a Glance

Qurʾān summary

Quizzes

Islam

Related Questions

How are the surahs of the Qurʾān generally arranged?
How did Qurʾānic teachings contribute to the development of sharia?
How did the Hijrah affect the themes of Qurʾānic revelations?
How did the Qurʾān change the role of Muhammad from warner to community leader?
How do Hadith differ from the Qurʾān as sources of Islamic law?
How do Qurʾānic stories differ from detailed biblical narratives?
How do the 99 beautiful names describe God in the Qurʾān?
How does the Qurʾān connect its message with earlier Jewish and Christian traditions?
How does the Qurʾān describe God’s justice and mercy?
How does the Qurʾān describe the final judgment of human deeds?
How does the Qurʾān portray Jesus and Mary?
How does the Qurʾān use first-person speech to present divine messages?
How does the Qurʾān use the order of nature as evidence of God’s power?
How is Qurʾānic verse different from classical Arabic poetry?
How is the Qurʾān divided into 30 sections for monthly reading?
How many surahs are in the Qurʾān?
How many verses are traditionally counted in the Qurʾān?
In which language was the Qurʾān originally revealed?
What does the Qurʾān say about fasting during Ramadan?
What does the Qurʾān teach about prophets such as Abraham, Noah, Moses, and Jesus?
What does the Qurʾān teach about resurrection and the Day of Judgment?
What does the Qurʾān teach about the oneness of God?
What is the difference between Meccan and Medinan surahs?
What is the role of Al-Fātiḥah in the five daily prayers?
What lessons does the Qurʾān draw from the stories of destroyed peoples such as ʿĀd and Thamūd?
When was the Qurʾān revealed to the Prophet Muhammad?
Where did the revelations of the Qurʾān take place?
Which parts of life are addressed by Qurʾānic legal teachings?
Which surah is the longest in the Qurʾān?
Why are Muhammad’s statements in the Qurʾān often introduced with the command “Say”?
Why did Caliph ʿUthmān standardize copies of the Qurʾān?
Why do Meccan surahs often focus on judgment and monotheism?
Why do Medinan surahs include more social and legal regulations?
Why do Muslims regard the language of the Qurʾān as miraculous?
Why do Qurʾānic verses have different lengths?
Why do surah names not always describe a surah’s main subject?
Why does the Qurʾān reject idolatry and associationism?
Why does the Qurʾān retell stories about biblical figures?
Why does the word Qurʾān emphasize recitation?
Why is the story of Joseph especially important in the Qurʾān?
What does John 3:16 mean?
Who is speaking in John 3:16?
Why is John 3:16 used in popular culture?
Who was Nicodemus?
Why is the Bible important?
What language was the Bible originally written in?
How is the Bible organized?
When was the Bible written?
What does the Bible say?
What is the Bhagavadgita?

Philosophy & Religion Scriptures

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External Websites

Humanities LibreTexts - The Quran
National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - The criterion of human dignity in the Quran
World History Encyclopedia - Quran
Smarthistory - The Quran

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Koran - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Koran - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Qurʾān

sacred text

Also known as: Koran, Quran

Written by

Helmer Ringgren

Emeritus Professor of Old Testament Exegesis, University of Uppsala, Sweden. Author of Israelite Religion; Messiah in the Old Testament; and various articles on theological concepts in the Qur'ān.

Helmer RinggrenAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

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Last updated

Nov. 11, 2026 •History

Qurʾān, the sacred scripture of Islam. According to conventional Islamic belief, the Qurʾān was revealed by the angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad in the West Arabian towns Mecca and Medina beginning in 610 and ending with Muhammad’s death in 632 ce. The word qurʾān, which occurs already within the Islamic scripture itself (e.g., 9:111 and 75:17–18), is derived from the verb qaraʾa—“to read,” “to recite”—but there is probably also some connection with the Syriac...

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