INTRODUCTION TO THE QURAN 

By: DR. HUSSEIN M. NAGUIB

NOTES ON QURANIC STUDIES FOR YOUTH AND NEW MUSLIMS

DEFENITION AND MAIN THEME

The Quran is our holy book of Islam.  We believe that the Quran, in its original Arabic language, is the true words of God (Allah) as revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) over a period of 23 years (610-632 A.D.).

We believe that the Quran is God's (Allah) final revelations to humanity which started with the Torah and the Bible.

In Arabic Quran means "reading" (Qira'a) or "citation" (Telawa). It is often spelled in English as "Qur'an" or "Koran".

Other names of the Quran include the following:

• "Al-Furquan" which means the criterion (the standard, the benchmark or the reference point) by which one can judge clearly between the true and false, the right and the wrong, the good and the evil...etc (cf. Al-Furquan 25:1)
• "Al-Kitab" which means the written book (Cf. Al-Baqarah 2;2, Al-Imran 3:3 & 7)
• "Al-Dhikr" which means the reminder (Cf. Al-Amran  3:58, Al-Hijr 15:6)
• "Al-Tanzil" which means sent down or bestowed from high (Al-Shu'ra 26:192, Al-Ahzab 33:2)
• "Al-Quran Al-Kareem" which means the honorable Quran (Cf. Al- Waqi'ah 56:77)
• "Al-Quran Al-Majiid" which means the glorious Quran (Cf. Al-Buruj 85:21)"Al-Mus'haf" means collection of pages or scripture (This is a popular Arabic name which is not mentioned in the Quran).

Quran's Main Theme:

• Presents the existence of God as an absolute reality through many signs, attributes, proofs, arguments, and refutation of the atheists and idolaters' arguments.
• Invites man to the right path and clearly present to him the guidance which he has lost because of his negligence or wickedness.

FORM, STYLE AND MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE QURAN

The Quran is divided into 114 chapters; each chapter is called "Surah" (plural Suwar). However, the word chapter is inadequate translation of the word "Surah"; because a chapter is suppose to deal with a single topic. Most of the Suwar in the Quran are not confined to the discussion of a single idea. Furthermore the Arabic term Surah is only used to refer to parts of the Quran. No other book is divided into Suwar.

Each Surah in the Quran has a heading containing the following elements:

• A Title:  usually extracted from the Surah but does not indicate the full content or the subject of the Surah. (e.g. Surah Al-Baquara).
  
• Place of Revelation: an indication of whether the Surah was revealed in Mecca or Medina 
  
• Total Number of Verses (Ayaat) in the Surah
  
• The Besmellah: With the exception of one Surah (Al -Tawba(9)), each Surah in the Quran begins with the Besmellah (Bismi-l-lahi Al-Rahmani Al-Raheem), which means: "In the Name of Allah The Most Merciful The Most Compassionate"
• Some Suwar starts with one or more detached letters, e.g. Alif Lam Mim, Alif Lam Ra'a, Sad or Qaf..etc. The exact meaning of these letters is known to God.

A Quranic verse is called Ayah (plural Ayaat) which literally means a sign. A verse of revelation is a sign (indication) of God's ultimate wisdom, goodness and mercy on us, as much as His attributes and wonderful creations are signs (proofs) of His greatness and endless knowledge. Also, historical events mentioned in the Quran are signs (examples) to inform us, if we would understand and learn.

The longest Surah in the Quran is Surah Al-Baqarah (2) with 285 verses (ayaat). The shortest Surah is Al-Kawthar (108) with three verses (ayaat).

The total number of verses (ayaat) in the Quran is 6236 verses. The longest verse (ayah) is the one deal with debt contracts. This is verse 282 in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:282). The shortest verses are Ta'Ha (20:1) and Ya'Seen (36:1).

For the purpose of recitation during the month of Ramadan, the Quran is sub-divided into 30 parts one for each day of the month. Each part, called "Juz'u" (plural Ajza'a), is sub-divided into two parts, each part called ‘Hizbe". Each "Hizbe' consists of four quarters, each quarter called "Rub'a".

The order of the verses (Ayaat) in each chapter (Surah) were dictated by the Prophet himself as instructed to him by the Angel Gabriel under the guidance of God.

The Quran in its form is a unique book based on the following:

• it has no subject organization
• it is not a biography of the Prophet
• it is not a chronological history of the prophet-hood
• each chapter or Surah is a separate unit but covers a variety of subjects
• it covers a broad number of subjects such as God, prophet-hood, history, natural science, social science, ethics, economics, law, politics,  ... etc but not in a conventional way
  

The Style of the Quran

• Is unique Arabic style, unsurpassed in purity and beauty
• Uses contrast pairs such as reward and punishment, good and evil, ...etc
• Uses many examples from historical events and from man's environment
  

The Main Characteristic Features:

• Inimitability
• Universality
• Comprehensiveness
• Well connected laws and ethics
• Continuous potential for new interpretations
• Reference to cosmic and human phenomena unknown at the time of the prophet

THE REVELATION PHENOMENA

Meaning of the Revelations:

Revelations, in Arabic "Wahi', means a spontaneous message made known through divine inspiration. It results in gaining knowledge which is conceived or even conceivable to the person who receives the message.

Modes of Revelations:

Prophets received God's messages through different modes of revelations:

• By divine inspirations: as in the case of Prophet Noah to build the Ark (Hood 11:36-37)
  
• In dreams: as in the case of the revelation to Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) to offer his son in sacrifice (Al-Saffat 37:102)
  
• Through messengers: who are angels appeared in the form of human being as in the case of Prophet Lut regarding the punishment of his corrupted village (Hood 11:77)
  
• Direct talk to God without being seen: Moses was the only prophet to receive the revelations this way.
  

The Quranic Revelations

Prophet Muhammad received the Quranic revelations through the Angel Gabriel in two ways:

• In the form of a strong voice that drew the attention of the Prophet (PBUH) and prepared him completely to receive, memorize and understand the message.
  
• The Angel Gabriel appeared in the form of a man who spoke and communicated the message to the Prophet.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was totally convinced that the knowledge revealed to him was impersonal and external to him. The Quran confirmed the Prophet's conviction in many verses (Ayaat) (e.g. Al-Imran 3:43 and Sad 38:67-70).

The Prophet (PBUH) had no control over when or where the revelations would take place. However, he was completely aware and clearly able to distinguish between the verses of the Quran and the Hadith (Prophet sayings). He used to order his companions to memorize and transcribe the verses of the Quran immediately. Meanwhile he asked them not to scribe the Hadith during his life.

STAGES OF THE QURANIC REVELATIONS

The Quran was not revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) all at once but sporadically over a period of 23 years. This was done for the following reasons (Cf. Surah Al-Furquan 25:32-33):

• To support the Prophet (PBUH) during his struggle in spreading the message of Islam
• To provide clear and accurate spiritual instructions which can be easily absorbed, memorized and understood by the Prophet and his followers.
• To provide answers and responses to those people who tried to deny the truth and challenge the message and the messenger.
• It is possible to categorize the stages of the Quranic revelations into three stages: two stages in Mecca (83 Surah) and one stage in Medina (31 Surah).

The First Stage of Revelations in Mecca:

• Started with the first revelation in cave Hira with the first five verses in Surah Al-Alaq (96:1-5), and continued in Mecca for a period of three to four years. During this early period, the Prophet (PBUH) was revealing the message of the Quran secretly to his close relatives, friends and trusted companions.
• Presented the basic knowledge of the message, included basic facts about God the creator, man's life, death and resurrection; the Day of Judgment, the reward for the believers and the punishment for the atheists and idolaters. The main purpose of these early revelations is to prepare the Prophet (PBUH) for spreading the message, which is the great and difficult task that God had entrusted on him.
• Characterized by short sentences, vivid expressions, and poetic force. Their excellent literary style was so appealing that it touched the very hearts of the people to whom they were first addressed.
• Examples of these early Mecca chapters (Suwar) are: Al-Alaq (96), Al-Mud'dath'thir (74), Al-Qalam (68), Al-Takwir (81), Al-Qader (97), Al-Takathur (102), Al-Tean (95), Al-Ma'un (107), Al-Kafirun (109), Al-Ikhlas (112), Al-Falaq (113), Al-Nas (114), , Al-A'La (87), Al-Layl (92), Al-Shams (91), Al-Buruj (85), Al-Fajr (89), Al-Najm (53). Al-Qamar (45), Al-Infitar (82) and Al-Inshiqaq (84).

The Second Stage of Revelations in Mecca:

The invitation to Islam was made secret until God commanded the Prophet (PBUH) to declare Islam in public (Al-Shua'ra 26:214). This ignited the second stage of the Islamic movement. A fierce struggle had begun with the existing corrupt system in Mecca which continued for nine years.

The purposed of the revelations in the second stage was the following;

• Instruct the new Muslims in their primary duties; ingrain into them the spirit of loyalty and devotion to the Muslim community, and to train them to be the true missionaries of Islam. In addition the revelations encouraged the new Muslims to sacrifice (their time, wealth, power, prestige, and ultimately their life) for the sake of God, and motivated them to face the fierce opposition and the hardship conditions imposed by the unbelievers.
  
  
• Warn those who associated others with God and did not accept the truth. The revelation cited examples from history of previous nations and how they suffered, and some were completely destroyed because of their disbelieved in the Prophets. Also, the revelations presented many signs on the existence of one God which are evident through His attributes and wonderful creations on the heavens and on the earth.
• 
  Address the People of the Books  (Ahl Al-Kitab) (these are the Christian and the Jews  who deviated from the right path and altered the message of God. The revelations invited them to believe in the message of Muhammad (PBUH) as being the same original message that was received by  previous Prophets but either changed, or forgotten by the people.

Examples of these early Mecca chapters (Suwar) are: Al-Duha (93), Al-Sharh (94), Al-Naba (78), Al-Quiyamah (75), Al-Tarek (84), Al-Jinn (72), Al-Ma'arij (70), Al-Furqan (25), Al-Qasas (28), Yunis (10), Hood (11), Yousuf (12), Luqman (31), Ibrahim (14), Al-Kahf (18), Maryam (19), Noah (71), Ta'Ha (20). Ya'Seen (36), Al-A'raf (7) and Al-An;am (6), Al-Nahl (16), Al-Naml (27), Al-Mu'minun (28) and Al-Sajdah (32).

The Third Stage of Revelations in Medina

This stage of revelations started after the migration of the Prophet (PBUH) from Mecca to Medina and the establishment of the first Islamic State. It continued in Medina for 10 years and ended with the victorious return of the Prophet (PBUH) to Mecca. The revelations after the return to Mecca and until the Prophet death were still considered as Medina revelations.

The purpose of the revelations in this period was to create the Muslim society, establish the Islamic government and pave the road for building the Muslim nation. To achieve these noble objectives, the revelations in this period covered the following aspects:

• God's ordinance in marriage, divorce, heritages, business deals and proper manner and behavior.
• Continuous guidance and motivations to the believers to fight and sacrifice for the sake of God until achieving the final victory over the enemies of the Islamic movement for the establishment of Muslim nation.
• Guidelines for the relationship of the Muslim and Non-Muslims. This included the hypocrites who outwardly professed their adherence to Islam while remaining inwardly not convinced. These guidelines were giving to prepare the Muslim community for the establishment of the Muslim nation.
• Examples of Suwar revealed in the Medina period included: Al-Baqarah (2), Al-Imran (3), Al-Nisa'a (4), Al-Ma'ida (5), Al-Anfal (8), Al-Tawba (9), Al-Ra'd (13), Al-Hajj (22), Al-Noor (27), Al-Azab (33), al Fat'h (78), Al-Talaq (65), and Al-Hujuraat (49).
• The Quranic revelations ended with these words: "Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My blessing upon you, and approved Islam as a religion for you" (Al-Ma'ida 5:4). This verse was part of the sermon to the multitudes delivered during the "farewell Pilgrimage" (Hijjat Al-Wada'a) in 10 A.H. (March 632 A.D.), a few months before the Prophet's death on June 8^th, 632 A.D.

THE COMPILATION OF THE QURAN

During the life-time of the Prophet (609-632 A.D.)

• Many people memorized the words of the Quran by heart.
• Some people recorded the revelations on pieces of papers, stones, palm leaves, shoulder blades, ribs and bits of leather.
• In addition to Quranic recitation in each prayer, the Prophet (PBUH) used to recite the whole Quran each year in the month of Ramadan. In the last year before his death, he recited the whole Quran twice to emphasize the sequence of the Suwar and the order of the Ayaat in each Surah as instructed to him by the Angel Gabriel.
• The Quran had not been compiled into the form of a book during the life of the Prophet.

At the Time of The First Khalifa Abou Bakr Al-Sideeq (632-634 A.D.)

• Large number of Muslims who memorized the Quran by heart was killed during the battle of Yamamah.
• Abou Bakr, under a suggestion from Umar ibn Al-Khat'tab, asked Zayed ibn Thabit Al-Ansary to collect the revelations from all available resources. Then, with the collaboration of the Prophet companions, all written pieces were compared with each other for verification.
• One complete copy of the Quran was compiled by Zayed and kept with Hafsah, Umar's daughter and one of the Prophet wives. It was proclaimed that any one might make a copy of it or compare it with the copy that he already possessed.

At the Time of The Third Khalifa Osman ibn Affan (644-665 A.D.)

Islam expanded to too many new territories and copies of the Quran were widely distributed to Arab and non Arab Muslims. Differences in recitations began to arise and caused dispute among Muslims.

Osman decided that the authenticated copy of the Quran compiled by the order of Abou Bakr, and kept at Hifsa, to be the only copy used in the whole Muslim world. Accordingly, this copy was meticulously reviewed and checked by a committee of four scribers of revelations including Zayed ibn Thabit Al-Ansary. A standard authoritative text of the Quran was produced which is now known as the "Osmanic Recension". The standard copy was to be recited according to the accent and dialect of Quraysh, which is the same as Prophet Muhammad  (PBUH) himself.

Copies of the new standardized version were sent to Mecca and Medina. Other copies were sent to the new administration centers of Basra and Kufa in Iraq. In addition, an expert in the Quranic recitation was sent with each copy to teach the people the accurate pronunciation and the correct reading of the Quran.

The early copies of the Quran did not include dots and signs on the letters. These were added at the end of the first century A.C. by Abou Al-Assad Al-Doukaley. Other improvements with signs and punctuations marks have been added subsequently. These additions facilitate the reading and beautify the text but without any change in the original letters, words or order of Ayaat or Suwar of the Osmanic version.

The invention of printing by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440-50 A.D. played an important role in the production and distribution of the Glorious Quran. A brief historical summary is given below:

• The Quran was first printed in Arabic at Rome by Pagninus Brixiensis in 1530 A.D. This edition has never been circulated and some references claimed that it has been burned by orders from the church.
• A. Hinckelmann published an Arabic text at Hamburg in 1694 A.D. Since then several European editions have appeared; the most popular one was that printed by G. Flugel at Leis-burg in 1834 A.D.
• The first printed version of the Quran prepared entirely by Muslims appeared in San Butros, Russia in 1787 A.D. and a similar copy appeared in Kazan. Also, two editions were printed in Iran; one at Tehran in 1828 A.D. and the other in Tapreeze in 1833 A.D. Since 1877 A.D. the Turks took care about the printing of the Quran in Istanbul.
• In 1927 A.D. an accurate and beautifully printed copy of he Quran was produced in Cairo, Egypt under the supervision of a committee from Al-Azhar. This copy was widely accepted in the Islamic world and it became an international reference copy.
• Original hand written copies of the Quran can be found in museums around the world as in the Islamic museum in Cairo, and the Topkapi museum in Istanbul Turkey.

INTRPRETATION (Tafsir) OF THE QURAN

"Tafsir", is a verbal noun from "fas'sar" which means to explain, to clarify or to elucidate. Therefore Tafsir means explaining the meaning of the Quranic verse, clarifying its import and finding out its significance. It can also be translated as exegesis which means an extensive and critical interpretation and analysis of a holy scripture.

Science of Tafsir or Quranic exegesis require the following knowledge base:

• Science of Logha (language) which is the study of the meaning of individual words based on their location in various sentences.
• 
  Science of Nahw (Syntax) which is the study of the rules, or patterned relations, that govern the way words combine to form phrases, and phrases to sentences.
• 
  Science of  Sarf  (Morphology) which is the study of the structure and form of words in the language, including inflection, derivation, and the formation of compounds
• 
  Science of Balagha (Rhetoric) which is the science dealing with the eloquence of the
  
  Arabic language and how to convey proper meaning according to the situation.
• 
  Science of Qira'at (readings) which deals with the different ways to pronounce words in the Quranic verses
   
• Knowledge of Asbab Al Nuzul (occasions of revelations) which are the circumstances under which the Quranic verses were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
  
• Knowledge of Al-Nasikh wal Mansukh (the abrogating and abrogated (verses)) which involve the replacement (ibdal) of an earlier verse/tradition (and thus its embodied ruling) with a chronologically successive one.
  
• Science of Hadith (Prophet's traditions) which include the authentic sayings of the Prophet that dealt with explaining and elaborating obscure verses.

The Prophet (PBUH) said: Who speaks about the Quran without knowledge, he will receive his seat in Hellfire.

The need to explain the verses of the Quran arose quite early even before the whole Quran was revealed. People used to ask the Prophet (PBUH) questions regarding the meaning of certain words in the verses, or their bearing on problems as they arose, or detail of certain historical or spiritual matters. The Prophet's answers were understood and memorized by his companions (Al-Sahaba).  Among the known commentators from the Prophet's companions were Abou Bakr Al-Sideek, Omar ibn Al-Khatab, Osman ibn Affan, Al ibn abi Talib, ibn Ab'bass, ibn Masoud, Abi ibn Ka'b, Abed Allah ibn Omar, Zayed ibn Thabet, Abou Mousa Al-Ashary, Abdel Allah ibn Al-Zoubair, and Anas ibn Malik. None of these Quranic commentaries were written by the companions.

The next generation of Muslims, called "Al-Tabi'in" or the followers, did not personally conversed with the Prophet (PBUH) but had conversed with the Prophet's companions and learned from them orally. In Mecca, the school of ibn Ab'bass emerged and among his students were Saiid ibn Jaber, Mugahed & Akrama ibn Ab'bass, Tawous ibn Kisan Al-Yamani, and Ata'a ibn Ribah. In Medina, Abi ibn Ka'b was known for his Quranic commentaries than others. Among his followers were Zayed ibn Aslam, Abou Al-Aaliah, and Muhammad ibn Ka'b Al-Kurtuzi.

Subsequent generations always went back to establish a chain of evidence from the followers (Al-Tabi'in) and the companions (Al-Sahaba) and through them grew the science of "Hadith" or traditions. The Hadith literature dealt with multidiscipline subjects including theology, ethics, and Quranic exegesis (critical interpretation of the text). Exegesis soon became an independent science by itself and was called "Tafsir".

A monument of traditional commentary based on reports from earlier generations was compiled by Abou Ja'far Muhammad Al-Tabari (224 -310 A.H.). His commentary covered 30 large volumes and entitled "Jami Al-Bayan fi Tafsir Al Quran" (The Comprehensive Explanation of Quranic Exegesis). A hand written copy of his book was found in Saudi Arabia at the possession of one of the Princes of Najed. This copy provided the older and the only written encyclopedic collection of the first three centuries of Quranic exegesis. The size of this work and the independence of judgment in it seem to have prevented it from having a large circulation, but scholars such as Suyuti and Ibn Kathie used it largely.

Other well known classical commentaries included:

• Al Zamakh'shari (467-538 A.H.), "Al Kash'shaf Ann Haqa'iq Al Tanzeel" (Unveiling the Truths of Revelations).
• Al Fakhr Al Razi (543-606 A.H.), "Mafateeh Al Ghayib" (Keys of the Unseen). It consists of 30 large volumes; each volume has more than 300 pages.
• Al Baydawi (685 A.H.), "Anwar Al Tafaseer wa Asrar Al Ta'weel" (The Light of Revelations and the Secrets of interpretations)
• Ibn Katheer (705-774 A.H.), "Tafsir Al Quran Al Azeem" (Exegesis of the Great Quran). It is considered to be a summary of the earlier Tafsir by Tabari. It is especially popular because it uses "Hadith" to explain each verse and chapter of the Qur'an.
• Jalal Al Din al Suyuti and Jalal Al Din Al Mahali (864 A.H.), "Tafsir Al Jala'lain" (Exegesis of the Two Jalal). It is recognized as one of the most popular exegeses of the Qur'an today, due to its simple style and its conciseness: It is only one volume in length.

TRANSLATION OF THE QURAN

The Arabic word for translation is "Tarjamah".

For Muslims, the divine book assumed a specific, Arabic form, and that form is as essential as the meaning that the words convey. Hence only the Arabic Quran is the Quran, and translations are simply interpretations.  

There are more than 120 translations of the Quran in 35 languages.

The most popular translations are in English, French, German and Italian.

Other translations included: Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Bengali, Pashto (for Afghans), Malay, Spanish and Dutch.

The first translator of the Quran was Salman Al Farisi (the Persian). He was one of Prophet Muhammad companions. At the request of some people of Persia, Salman wrote to them the Fatiha (the first surah) in Persian.

The first translation of the Quran in a European language was made in Latin by Robert of Ketton at the monastery of Clungny in 1143 A.D.; but not published until 1543 A.D.

The first English translation was made by Alexander Ross and published in 1650 A.D. It was based on the first French translation made by Du Ryer, published in 1647 A.D.

The most popular English translation in the 18^th and 19^th century was made by George Sale. It was first published in 1734 A.D.; it was republished 34 times.

Sale's translation was based on the Latin translation by A. D. Maracci published in 1689 A.D. Maracci's work was dedicated to the Holy Roman Emperor Leopoldi and its objective was to discredit Islam in the eyes of the Europeans. The introduction of his translation was entitled "Refutation of the Quran". Sale's translation was a continuation of Maracci's message.

Other English translations produced by Richard Bell in 1937 A.D. and by John Arberry in 1955 A.D. All these translators were non Muslims.

The first English translation of the Quran by a Muslim was made by Dr. Muhammad Abdel Hakim Khan of Patiala in 1905 A.D.

The most popular English Translations available today by Muslims are the followings:

• Abdulah Yusuf Ali, "The Holy Quran", First Published in 1935- Published in USA by The Muslim Students' Association of the United States and Canada (1975), and Amana Publications, Beltsville, Maryland (1989)
• Muhammad Asad, "The Message of the Quran", Published by Dar Al-Andalus, Gibraltar (1980)
• Sayed Qutb, "Fi Zilal Al Quran" in Arabic, translated to English "In The Shade of the Quran" by Adil Salahi & Ashur Shanis, Published by The Islamic Foundation, Leicester, U.K. (2000)
• Sayed Abdul A'la Mawdudi, "Tafhim al-Quran" in Urdu, Translated to English "Towards Understanding the Quran" by Zafar Ishaq Ansari, Published by The Islamic Foundation, Leicester, U.K. (1988)
• Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Muhammad Mohsin Khan, "Translation of the Meanings of The Nobel Quran in The English Language", Published by King Fahd Complex for the printing of the Holy Quran, Medina Saudi Arabia (1417 A.H.)

FREE QURANS

A free copy of the Quran can be obtained from the Islamic Affairs Division of the Saudi Arabian Embassy. In the box that says select the requested item, click and hold down the arrowhead on the right and choose Qur'an-with English Translation: Youssef Ali.

REFERECES

1. Abdulah Yusuf Ali, "The Holy Quran", Published in USA by The Muslim Students' Association of the United States and Canada (1975), and Amana Publications, Beltsville, Maryland, USA (1989)
2. Sayed Abdul A'la Mawdudi, "Tafhim al-Quran" in Urdu, Translated to English "Towards Understanding the Quran" by Zafar Ishaq Ansari, Published by The Islamic Foundation, Leicester, U.K. (1988)
3. Muhammad Ibrahim El-Hifnawi, "Dirasatte Fi Al-Quran Al-Kareem" (Studies in the Noble Quran), Published by Dar El-Hadeeth, Cairo, Egypt
4. Manna'a Al-Qatan, "Mabahith Fi Uloom Al-Quran" (Researches in the sciences of the Quran), 12^th Edition, Published by Muasa'satte Al-Risalah, Beirut, Lebanon  (1403 A.H. /1983 A.D.)
5. Muhammad Salem Mohsen, "Tareekh Al-Quran Al-Kareem" (History of the Noble Quran), 2^nd Edition Published by Rabitatte Al-Alam Al-Islami, Mecca, Saudi Arabia (1402 A.H.)
6. Ali Hassan Al-Areedh, "Tareekh Alem Al-Tafsir" (History of Tafsir), Published by Dar Ali-Atisam, Cairo, Egypt (1980 A.D.)
7. Qur'an - From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/.
8. Tafsir - From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/
9. http://www.altafsir.com/
10. Sayed Abdul A'la Mawdudi, History of the Quran, http://www.witness-pioneer.org/.