Stories from Early Islam — Page 33
The Word of God The word ‘Qur’an’ literally means that which is recited, announced or proclaimed. It is the collection of the verbal rev- elations bestowed upon the Prophet saw during a period of about 23 years and is the actual word of God. The first revelation com- prising only a few verses, was revealed to the Holy Prophet saw on the mountain of Hira. Thereafter, revelation continued until his death. Whenever any por tion of the Qur’an was revealed to him, he committed it to memory. Many of his followers did the same as they heard it. Some of them even wrote the verses on anything available like pieces of leather, bark of trees or stones. In order to safeguard it, the Prophet saw had also appointed sev- eral persons who recorded it in writing whenever a revelation was received.