ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًۭى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾
This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah -
Short answer
The Quran is the holy book of Islam. Muslims believe it is the word of God, revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through the angel Gabriel over about 23 years, and that it has been preserved without change in its original Arabic.
The fuller answer
The word Quran means recitation. It has 114 chapters called surahs, with more than six thousand verses, and is shorter than the New Testament. Muslims recite it in prayer, memorise it and live by it. Millions of people know the whole book by heart.
The Quran speaks about belief in one God, the prophets and their stories, worship, honesty, family, justice, the Day of Judgment and how to treat people. It says that it is guidance for those who are mindful of God. You can read it on this website in your language, with the Arabic and audio.
From the Quran
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ ﴿٩﴾
Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.
Please note
This answer follows the mainstream Sunni understanding and is general learning, not a fatwa. Where Muslims differ, the answer says so. Have a question of your own? Write to us.