The meaning of the word: “AL-`QUR’AAN”

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

One must differentiate between “Qiraa’ah” (reading), which is an act of the reader, and the thing Maqroo’ (that which is read), which is the Speech of the Creator. You will certainly be misled if you do not differentiate between these two. If a person finds written on a parchment…

* ألا كل شيء ما خلا الله باطل *

“Know that everything other than Allaah is to perish”

…(but) in the handwriting of (another) known scribe, he can literally (differentiate and) say that this is a line of poetry by Labeed (the poet) and this handwriting is of such-and-such scribe. Both these statements are literally correct and the soundness and literal meaning of each are not to be confused with the soundness and literal meaning of the other.

Grammatically, “al-Qur’aan” is a verbal noun. (And it has two meanings):

1. Al-Qur’aan: (the verb): “the recitation, the reading”.

It may mean the act of reciting, as in the verse:

﴿وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا﴾

{and recite (the Qur’aan) in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of (the Qur’aan) in the early dawn is ever witnessed} [Surah al-Israa’ (17): 78]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

زَيِّنُوا الْقُرْآنَ بِأَصْوَاتِكُمْ

“Beautify the Qur’aan* with your voices.” [Sunan Abu Dawood (1468), Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (1015, 1016) and Sunan Ibn Maajah (1342) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee.]

*Meaning: its recitation.

2. Al-Qur’aan: (the noun): “what is being read”.

And sometimes it is used to mean what is being read. Allaah تعالى says:

﴿فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّـهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ﴾

{So when you want to recite the Qur’aan, seek refuge with Allaah from Shaitaan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one).} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 98]

And

﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾

{So, when the Qur’aan is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive mercy.} [Surah al-A`raaf (7): 204]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

إِنَّ هَذَا القُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ

“Indeed, this Qur’aan has been revealed in seven different dialects.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2419, 4992, 5041, 6936, 7550) and Saheeh Muslim (1782)]

[Another Hadeeth: `Abdullaah bin `Umar رضي الله عنهما that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to forbid that one should travel to the land of the enemy taking the Qur’aan (with him) lest the enemy gets hold of it. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2990) Saheeh Muslim (4607, 4608) and the wordings are his.]]

Many more verses and Ahaadeeth can be cited for these two usages. Things exist at different levels: actual existence in reality, in the mind, in the speech and in writing. A thing that exists in reality is comprehended as an idea, then expressed in words, and then recorded. Therefore, it being written in a book is its fourth level of being.

[al-Aqeedah al-Tahaawiyyah with the explanation of Ibn Abee al-`Izz al-Hanafee]