“Windows To Spirituality”
The Qur’an (القرآن, literally “the recitation”; Quran or Koran; The Holy Qur’an) is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be a revelation from God (Allah). The Quran is the most sacred text, as it is believed to be the literal word of God (Allah) as revealed to Muhammad. The Holy Quran is divided into chapters (سورة sūrah), which are subdivided into verses (آية āyāh).
The Qur’an is the Divine Word or Speech sent down to humanity, the best pattern of creation that is uniquely qualified to receive it.
In accordance with humanity‘s worth and value, and considering the human heart, spirit, mind, and physical being, the Qur’an descended from the Highest of the High. Containing the most perfect messages, it is a collection of Divine Laws.
Tanwir al-Miqbas Tanwir al-Miqbas or Tanwīr al-Miqbās min Tafsīr ibn ʿAbbās (تنوير المقباس من تفسير بن عباس) is a tafsir, attributed to Abd-Allah ibn Abbas, but which contains much atypical content for a tafsir of the sahabah. It is said to have been collected by Abu Tahir Muhammad ibn Yaqub al-Fayruz Aabadi (1329–1414)....
Anwar Ul Bayan Tafsir Anwar Ul Bayan is a five-volume commentary (exegesis) on the Quran that was written by Ashiq Elahi Bulandshahri. It was written in Urdu. Major features of this Tafsir are that it provides: simple and easy-to-understand language, complete explanation including virtues of each surah, the theme of the surah,...
Maariful Quran Maariful Quran or Ma’ariful Qur’an (معارف القرآن) is an eight-volume tafsir (exegesis) of the Quran written by Islamic scholar Mufti Muhammad Shafi (1897–1976). Originally written in Urdu, it is the most prominent work of its author. Background About the background and start of the Ma’ariful Qur’an, Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani has written in the foreword of the English...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim (تفسير القرآن العظيم, lit. ‘Exegesis of the Great Qur’an’), also known as Tafsir Ibn Kathir, is a tafsir by the 14th-century Islamic scholar, exegete, muhaddith, historian Abu al-Fiḍā ‘Imād Ad-Din Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Umar ibn Kathīr al-Qurashī Al-Damishqī, known as Ibn Kathir. Background Tafsir Ibn Kathir references other verses of...
1. Surah Al Fatihah (The Opening) Name This Surah Al-Fatihah is named because of its subject-matter. Fatihah is that which opens a subject or a book or any other thing. In other words, Al-Fatihah is a sort of preface. Period of Revelation It is one of the very earliest Revelations...
Qur’an On Non-Muslims This article covers verses from the Qur’an on non-Muslims. The Qur’an has many verses on Kafir or “those who reject faith”. One Arabic language analog to the infidel, referring to non-Muslims, is kafir (“kaafir”, “kufr” or “kuffar”) from the root K-F-R, which connotes covering or concealing. The term KFR may...
Abul A’la Al-Maududi Abul A’la Al-Maududi (ابو الاعلی مودودی, Abul Alā Al-Mawdūdī – alternative spellings of last name Maudoodi, Mawdudi; 25 September 1903 – 22 September 1979) was an Islamic scholar, Islamist ideologue, Muslim philosopher, jurist, historian, journalist, activist, and scholar active in British India and later, following the partition, in Pakistan. Described by Wilfred Cantwell...
Ali Ünal Ali Ünal is a renowned scholar, Muslim philosopher, journalist, and prolific translator of works with an Islamic theme into English. He has written for many periodicals and is a columnist for Zaman daily newspaper. His published books include Living in the Shade of Islam, Islamic Perspectives on Science,...
The Qur’an With Annotated Interpretation The Qur’an with Annotated Interpretation in Modern English is an English translation of the meanings of Qur’an written by Turkish Sunni Muslim scholar Ali Ünal. First published in 2006. The translation comes with interpretation and exposition on the meaning of Qur’anic verses in conjunction with Asbab al-Nuzul (the reasons for revelation or the circumstances of revelation)...
1. Al-Fatiha (The Opening) It is commonly accepted that this sūrah was revealed during the Makkah period of Muhammad’s Prophethood. Some Traditions say that it was also revealed on a second occasion in Madīnah. The majority of scholars hold that the verses first in order of revelation are the initial...
3. Al-‘Imran (The Family of Imran) This sūrah takes its name from the family of Mary (Al-‘Imran). It was revealed in Madīnah and consists of 200 verses. It deals with many matters concerning the relations of the Muslims with the People of the Book, in particular, the Christians. It clarifies...
2. Al-Baqarah (The Cow) This sūrah of 286 verses is the longest in the Qur’ān and may be regarded as a detailed summary of it. The sūrah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) began to be revealed just after the Emigration (Hijrah) to Madīnah and continued to be revealed over almost ten years until...
4. An-Nisa (The Women) This sūrah, which has 176 verses, was revealed around the sixth year of the Hijrah. Sūrah An-Nisa (The Women) is the first of two sūrahs that begin with the phrase, “O humankind!” When the Qur’ān is divided into two equal parts, it is the fourth sūrah of the...
5. Al-Ma’idah (The Table) This sūrah was one of the last chapters of the Qur’ān to be revealed. It consists of 120 verses, and takes its name from Al-Ma’idah (The Table, verse 112) which Jesus’ disciples asked God to send them from heaven. In addition to several other topics, it...
6. Al-An’am (The Cattle) Sūrat Al-An’am (The Cattle) was revealed in its entirety during the final year of the Makkah period of Islam. Coming in order in the Qur’ān after al–Baqarah, Āl ‘Imrān, an–Nisā’, and al-Mā’idah, all of which were revealed in Madīnah, this sūrah dwells on such themes as...
8. Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War) This sūrah was revealed during the Madīnah period of Islam, just after the Battle of Badr, the first major confrontation between the Muslims of Madīnah and the polytheists of Makkah. It takes its name from the word al-anfāl found in the first verse. Al-Anfal...
7. Al-A’raf (The Heights) Sūrat Al-A‘rāf was revealed in Makkah and consists of 206 verses. It takes its title from the word al- a‘rāf, which occurs in verses 46 and 48. Al-A‘raf (The Heights or The Elevated Places) is the heights between Paradise and Hell. Following Sūrat al-An‘ām, which discusses...
9. At-Tawbah (The Repentance) According to the majority of scholars, this sūrah was revealed in Madīnah in the 9th year of the Hijrah. At-Tawbah deals with almost the same topics as those dealt with in Sūrat al-Anfāl. It is the only sūrah in the Qur’ān which does not begin with...
10. Yunus (Jonah) This sūrah was revealed in Makkah and consists of 109 verses. It takes its name from verse 98, where an incident related to Yunus (Jonah)’s people is recounted. The sūrah as a whole deals with the essentials of faith – in particular, the Divine origin of the...
11. Hud (Hūd) This sūrah was revealed in Makkah, and it consists of 123 verses. It takes its name from the story of the Prophet Hūd (Hud, The Holy Prophet), upon him be peace, and it has special importance here due to the topics dealt with. Like Sūrah Yūnus, this...
