The Untold Story of How the Holy Quran Got Its Name
UNTOLD STORY HOW HOLY QURAN GOT NAME: Uncover the lesser-known history of the Holy Quran’s name. This article explores the evidence that the Quran had multiple titles in early Islam and investigates the scholarly debate on when it was formally canonized as “Al-Quran.”
UNTOLD STORY HOW HOLY QURAN GOT NAME
For more than 2 billion Muslims around the world, the holy message given to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has only one name: Al-Quran, which means “The Recitation.” People who follow the religion are deeply aware of this title, which appears in both the text and daily prayers. However, a more in-depth look at early Islamic history and textual analysis shows a more complicated picture. There are more and more academic studies that show the scripture had more than one name during the Prophet’s lifetime. The official name “Al-Quran” may have become the only one used during the decades after he died, as it became more holy.
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A lot of names are given in the text itself as proof.
The most convincing proof that the revelation has more than one face comes from the Quran itself. Even though the word “Quran” is used a lot, it is not the only one. God calls the revelation by a number of strong names, each of which emphasizes a different element of what it is:
Al-Kitab (The Book):
Over 200 times, the name Al-Kitab, which means “The Book,” has been used. It means that the scripture is a written, authoritative, and instructive book. It places it in the lineage of other revealed “Books” like the Torah and the Gospel. Many verses start with “This is the Book…” (for example, 2:2), which makes it clear that it is a written guide.
Al-Furqan (The Criterion):
People often call Surah 25 QAl-Furqan, which means “The Criterion.” This verse says that the Quran is the best way to know what is right and wrong, true and false. “Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant…” (25:1).
Al-Dhikr (The Remembrance):
“The Remembrance,” which is what the name of the Quran means, is what it is called. The name of the book shows that it is meant to remember and warn everyone.”Indeed, it is We who sent down the Dhikr, and indeed, We will be its guardian.” (15:9)
Al-Tanzil (The Revelation):
This term literally means “the sent down,” directly referring to its divine origin from God to the Prophet through the Angel Gabriel.
Al-Huda (The Guidance):
Al-Huda and Al-Rahmah (The Mercy): are other common appellations that describe its function and impact on believers.
This plurality within the text itself indicates that the early Muslim community understood the revelation through these various lenses. It was not exclusively “The Recitation” but also “The Book,” “The Criterion,” and “The Remembrance.”
The Historical Context: How Was the Revelation Referenced?
During the 23 years of revelation in Mecca and Medina, the companions of the Prophet would have encountered these different names regularly. When speaking about the revelation, they might have used context-specific terms. In a legal setting, they might say “the ruling in Al-Kitab,” but in a spiritual setting, they might talk about “the blessings of Al-Dhikr.”
This was also helped by the fact that the discovery was real. The Quran wasn’t revealed as a single written book. Instead, it was revealed in parts, with verses (Ayahs) and chapters (Surahs) appearing in response to different events and needs. People learned these truths by heart and wrote them down on things like bones, parchment, and palm stalks. There was no such thing as a single, bound “mushaf” (codex) during the Prophet’s lifetime. So, calling the whole corpus by a single, fixed name might not have been as important as getting to know its unique messages and decisions.
The Scholarly Debate: When Did “Quran” Become Canonical?
That’s where the main argument about history lies. Some Western and revisionist scholars, such as John Wansbrough, have argued that the canonization of the Quran as a fixed text and the standardization of its name occurred much later, perhaps in the 8th or 9th centuries, as part of the development of Islamic theological and legal identity.
While the majority of Muslim and non-Muslim scholars today reject such a late date for the text’s compilation, the question of the title’s formalization remains a point of discussion. The point of the argument is that the word “Quran” was used, but it took a long time to become the only recognized name.
Under the first Caliph, Abu Bakr, the Quran was put together in a single book called Mushaf. Under the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, it was made more uniform. A group of well-known companions of Uthman made official copies and sent them to major Islamic cities. At the same time, they told people to destroy any personal copies that were different. This was a very important step in making the writing consistent. It seems very likely that the process of making this official codex official also solidified the name by which it would be known.
The Role of Imam Ali and Early Codices
It’s very interesting that Imam Ali (AS) is mentioned in this situation. According to historical sources like those by Al-Mas’udi, Imam Ali put together his own personal codex (Mushaf) in the exact order of revelation and gave it to the community after the Prophet died. This codex was an important piece of research, even though it wasn’t made the official one.
While there is no direct historical evidence to suggest that Imam Ali “finalized” the name “Quran,” his deep involvement in the early compilation places him at the heart of the conversation about the scripture’s physical and nominal identity. His codex would have had a title, and it is almost certain that “Quran” or one of its synonymous names would have been used. The formalization of the Uthmanic codex, which gained universal acceptance, ultimately standardized both the text and its universally accepted name.
Conclusion: UNTOLD STORY HOW HOLY QURAN GOT NAME
This phrase is used more than 70 times in the Quran to clearly describe both reading and revelation.
A tamer and more historically sound result is this: The text shows that the holy message given to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was known by more than one name from the start. “Al-Quran” was the most important of them, but there were also “Al-Kitab,” “Al-Furqan,” and others. After the Prophet died, the revelation was put together into a single, authoritative book. This naturally led to the unification of its official title. The Uthmanic codex, which was the actual form of the revelation, made both the consonantal text and the name “Al-Quran” official.
This means that the Quran’s name is not going through a trip of invention, but of improvement. The story is about a living discovery that came to be known by its most important qualities and was eventually given the name that best describes it: The Recitation. It is a divine message that should be read, heard, and lived forever.
FAQ: UNTOLD STORY HOW HOLY QURAN GOT NAME
Q1. Just what does the word “Quran” mean?
Arabs call it “Al-Quran.” The word “Quran” comes from the word “Qara’a,” which means “to read” or “to recite.” The main sense of this word is “The Recitation” or “The Reading.” This name draws attention to the fact that the discovery was meant to be spoken out loud and recited.
Q2. If the name of the book is “Quran,” then why does it use other names, such as “Al-Kitab”?
This is one of the main points of the debate. The discovery goes by many names, and each one shows a different part of what it is and why it exists:
Al-Kitab, which means “The Book,” stresses that it is a written, fixed, and authoritative text.
Al-Furqan, also known as “The Criterion,” emphasizes its function as a way to tell the difference between truth and lies.
Al-Dhikr, which means “The Remembrance,” says that it is meant to serve as a lesson and warning to all people.
Imagine someone who is a “doctor,” a “parent,” and a “mentor.” Each title is correct, but it is used in a different way to describe a different job. In the same way, the Quran is The Recitation, The Book, and The Standard all at the same time.
Q3. Is it true that the Quran wasn’t called the “Quran” when Prophet Muhammad was alive?
There are more than 70 uses of the name “Quran” in the revelation itself, which shows that people knew and used it during the Prophet’s lifetime. Scholars aren’t arguing about whether or not the name exists. They are arguing about how it came to be the official name instead of other names that are just as true, such as Al-Kitab.
Q4. What did people in the early Muslim society call the Quran?
From what we can tell from the texts, the early partners probably used the different names in different situations. When talking about law or academics, they might have said “the ruling in Al-Kitab (The Book).” They may have talked about the benefits of Al-Dhikr (The Remembrance) in spiritual talks. The physical reveal wasn’t yet in a single, bound form because it was written on different pieces of paper. This may have made it possible for names to change easily.
Q5. What part did Caliph Uthman play in making the name stand out?
Caliph Uthman ibn Affan’s main job was to make sure that the writing was all the same. He got rid of textual differences by making an official, unified codex (Mushaf) and sending it all over the Muslim kingdom. This act of physical canonization naturally included who it was. Once there was a single formal “book,” everyone became familiar with the same name for it. According to everyone, the Uthmanic codex made “Al-Quran” the official name for this collection.
Q6. What did Imam Ali have to do with putting together the Quran? What was his name?
According to historical records, Imam Ali (AS) put together his own personal codex (Mushaf) in the order of revelation soon after the Prophet died. Even though his collection wasn’t made public, it shows how involved he was in the early development of the scripture. He may not have “finalized” the name, but his codex would have used one of the well-known names, such as “Quran” or “Kitab.” His work is an important piece of scholarship in the early discussion about the physical and symbolic identity of the Quran.
Q7. Was the name “Quran” given by God or picked by scholars later on?
There is a lot of proof to suggest that the name was given by God. Its regular use in the Quran itself proves that it came from God. After the revelation, experts and leaders did not choose a new name. Instead, they made “Al-Quran” the official name for the collected revelation, setting it apart from the other names that were also revealed. Improvements were made, not new things were made.