The Qur’an is the central sacred text of Islam. Muslims regard it as the literal word of God (Allah), revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over about twenty-three years, from around 610 CE until his death in 632. It is arranged in 114 chapters, called suras, of very uneven length, ordered broadly from longest to shortest rather than by chronology. The suras address the oneness of God, earlier prophets, the Day of Judgement, law, and guidance for daily life, and are recited in Arabic in daily prayer.
The text represented and quoted on this page is M. A. S. Abdel Haleem’s English translation, first published by Oxford University Press in 2004 and widely used for its plain, readable prose. The Qur’an’s authoritative form is the Arabic; Muslims treat translations as interpretations rather than the Qur’an itself. The standard written text was gathered into a single authorised version under the third caliph, Uthman, around 650 CE. It has been rendered into many languages and is among the most widely read and recited books in the world.
There is no compulsion in religion.
Sura 2, The Cow (Al-Baqara) 2:256 — Abdel Haleem translation
First lines
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy. (Sura 1, The Opening / Al-Fatiha 1:1, Abdel Haleem translation)
Contents
Sura 1 — Al-Fatiha (The Opening)
Suras 2–9 — the long suras, including Al-Baqara (The Cow)
The Meccan suras — earlier revelations on faith and the Day of Judgement
The Medinan suras — later revelations on community and law
Sura 112 — Al-Ikhlas (Purity of Faith)
Suras 113–114 — Al-Falaq and An-Nas (the closing suras of refuge)
Reception
The Qur’an is the foundational text of Islam and one of the most influential books in history, shaping the law, language, literature, and art of the societies that received it; classical Arabic grammar and rhetoric were in large part codified around it. Muslims hold it to be divinely revealed and inimitable, and its recitation is a developed art. Outside Islam it is studied as a central religious and literary text, and modern academic scholarship examines its compilation, textual history, and historical context — work that is sometimes contested within faith communities. Among English versions, Abdel Haleem’s 2004 Oxford translation is often recommended for clarity, while readers also use Yusuf Ali, Pickthall, and Sahih International; none is regarded as carrying the authority of the Arabic original.
Frequently asked
What is the Qur’an?
It is the central sacred text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the word of God revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad over about twenty-three years. It is organised into 114 chapters called suras and is recited in Arabic in daily prayer.
Is an English translation the same as the Qur’an?
For Muslims, no. The Qur’an’s authoritative form is the original Arabic; English versions, including Abdel Haleem’s, are regarded as interpretations or renderings rather than the Qur’an itself. This page represents Abdel Haleem’s 2004 Oxford translation.
How is the Qur’an arranged?
It has 114 suras of uneven length, ordered broadly from longest to shortest after the short opening sura (Al-Fatiha), not in the order of revelation. Suras are traditionally classified as Meccan or Medinan according to when they were revealed.