ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of the Qur'an

The Quran is a religious book that Muslims believe is the word of God. The history of the Quran begins with the life of the prophet Muhammad. He was visited by an angel named Gabriel and received the first revelation from God. Muhammad then started preaching the message of Islam and teaching people about the Quran.

The Quran was not written down during Muhammad's lifetime. Instead, it was memorized by his followers and passed down orally from one generation to the next. This is called recitation, and it is still an important part of Islam today.

After Muhammad's death, his followers continued to memorize and recite the Quran. However, there were some variations in the way it was being recited, so a group of scholars came together to standardize the recitation. They came up with a system of diacritical marks and other symbols to help people recite the Quran correctly.

The Quran was eventually written down, and the first complete copy was made during the reign of the third Muslim caliph, Uthman. He ordered that multiple copies be made and sent to different parts of the Muslim world. This helped to standardize the text and ensure that it was being read and recited correctly.

Over time, the Quran has been translated into many different languages, but the original Arabic text is still considered the most important. Muslims believe that the Quran is the final and complete revelation from God, and it contains guidance for all aspects of life. They also believe that it is a miracle in itself, both in its content and its preservation over time.