The Quran

The Quran (also spelled Qur’an) is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims regard it as the literal word of God (Allah), revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of approximately 23 years. It consists of 114 chapters (surahs) of varying lengths, written in classical Arabic, and covers themes of monotheism, moral guidance, law, stories of earlier prophets, and the afterlife. It is considered by Muslims to be the final and complete revelation, although it is commonly studied alongside other Islamic texts such as the Hadiths.

According to Islamic tradition, the revelations began around 610 CE in Mecca and continued until Muhammad’s death in 632 CE. The text was initially memorized and written on various materials by companions, then compiled into a standardized written form under the third caliph, Uthman, around 650–656 CE. Its primary original audience was the Arab tribes of the Arabian Peninsula—especially the people of Mecca and Medina—during a time of polytheism, tribal conflict, and social inequality. While primarily addressed to seventh-century Arabs, the Quran presents itself as a universal message for all of humanity.

The Quran incorporates and affirms many earlier Jewish traditions. It retells stories of biblical figures such as Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and others, often with details that parallel the Hebrew Bible or later Jewish traditions. It presents these stories as part of a continuous chain of revelation from the same God, positioning itself as confirming the original messages given to the Children of Israel — including the land of Israel itself. The Quran frequently addresses Jews directly, acknowledges the Torah as a divine scripture, and upholds core monotheistic principles shared with Judaism, such as the oneness of God, the rejection of idolatry, and the importance of ethical conduct and prophetic guidance.

Muhammad achieved a remarkable historical success in transforming the religious landscape of the Arabian Peninsula. Prior to his mission, the region was dominated by polytheism, with tribes worshiping a variety of local deities and idols (most notably those housed in the Kaaba in Mecca). Through a combination of preaching, community-building, political alliances, and military campaigns, Muhammad and his followers largely eliminated public polytheistic worship across Arabia by the time of his death in 632 CE and in the years immediately following. By this measure—successfully establishing monotheism and ending widespread idolatry in a previously polytheistic society—Muhammad can be regarded as a highly effective prophet of a single, monotheistic God.