Koran

A copy of the Koran (the sacred book of Islam) from Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. The Koran was revealed to Muhammad in separate revelations during the prophet's life at Mecca and Medina; the revelations are divided into 114 suras (chapters).

The sacred book of Islam, written in Arabic. It is said to have been divinely revealed through the angel Jibra'el (Gabriel) to the prophet Muhammad between about AD 610 and 632. The Koran is the prime source of all Islamic ethical and legal doctrines.

The Koran is divided into 114 suwar (chapters, singular sura), some very long, others consisting of only a few words. It includes many events also described in the Hebrew Bible but narrated from a different viewpoint. Other issues are also discussed, giving injunctions relevant to situations that needed alteration or clarification and addressing problems that the Muslims faced at the time it was written.

It is a prescription of Islam that every believer should learn at least 12 verses by heart. The text itself is regarded as divine, and Islamic law forbids touching the book without ritual cleansing.