The principles and ordinances of Islam are drawn from our Holy Book Al-Quran. Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar in his treatise The Religion of Islam says,: General sources are said to be four, the Holy Quran, Sunnah (Hadith) being called alaadilaat-al- or absolutely sure arguments, while a unanimous agreement of the Muslim command Qiyas or reasoning are called at 'addilalaat-al-...hidiyyah .Ijma and Qiyas are admittedly based on Holy Quran and Hadith, the later being only manifestation of the Holy Quran itself. The Holy Quran is actually therefore the real foundation on which the whole superstructure of Islam rests....The name Quran is mentioned in the Book itself at several places. The Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) in over a period of 23 years, but it did not remain in a fragmentary condition for very long. Therefore the testimony to the Divine arrangements of the Quran - And those who disbelieve say: why the Holy Quran been revealed to him all at thus, that we may establish they heart by it, and have rehearsed it to thee in slow - well are stages, gradually (XXV:32) Abdullah Yusuf Ali interprets the above verse by following three reasons for the gradual revelation of Holy Quran: (i) To strengthen thy heart: the tremendous winning the Arab nation and the whole world to Islam, required super human patience, constancy and firmness and these qualities were strengthened by the gradual promulgation of solutions to each problems. (ii) Slow, well arranged stages; the stages were gradual, in the course of twenty three years the whole emerged, when completed, as a well arranged scheme of spiritual instructions. (iii) Questions put and answers given: Divine knowledge is a fathomless ocean. Seekers of truth as questions and answers are furnished to them in grades, so that they may apprehend the truth. And this is the usual way of instruction in the Holy Quran. All parts conform to each other. There is no contradiction or inconsistency anywhere. Allah has revealed (from time to time) the most beautiful message, in the form of a Book, consistent with itself...(XXXIX:23). The Holy Quran thus existed in a complete and arranged form in the memories of men in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (SAW), but no written copy existed. Hadhrat Abu Bakar (RA) had a standard copy written, several copies of which were ordered by Hadhrat Uthman (RA) and sent to different Islamic centres, for standardisation of all existing manuscripts. Thus, there was no change, in words, verses, chapters or their arrangement. Among those whom the Holy Prophet (SAW) used to summon to write down portions of the Holy Quran immediately after revelation are mentioned the names of Zaid Ibn Thabit, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Zubair Ubaayy, Hanzala, Abdullah Ibn Saad, Adb-Allah Ibn Arqam, Abd-Allah ibnRawaha, Sharhubail, Khalid and Aban, sons of Said and Muaiqab. For recitational purpose the Holy Quran is divided into thirty parts, each of which is called a Juz. Every part being again sub-divided into four equal parts. The chapters are of varying length, the longest comprising one-twelfth of the entire book. All the chapters with the exception of the last thirty five are divided into sections (Ruku), each section dealing generally with one subject and the different sections being inter-related. Another division of the Holy Quran is into seven Manzils or portions, which is designed to facilitate recital in seven days. The following broad features of the Holy Quran are: - The Holy Quran was revealed over a span of 23 years 5 months and 14 days. - There are 105684 punctuations in it. - There are 558 Ruku - According to Iteqqan there are 6,616 Ayahs (verses), 77,934 words and 323,760 alphabets. - There are 114 chapters (Surahs) - There are seven (Manzil), 14 Ayat-e-Sajida (Prostration) and 30 portions (Para). - In the Quran the word Allah appears 2698 times, the attribute Rehman (Benevolent) 57 times and the attribute Rahim (Merciful) 14 times (other than in Bismillah......). - The Holy Quran refers to 25 Prophets by their names and there are 6 Surahs titled with their names. These Surahs are as under: Surah Ibrahim, Surah Yusuf, Surah Mohammed, Surah Nuh, Surah Hood and Surah Younus (Jonah). - The Prophets are: Adam, Idris, Nuh (Noah), Saleh, Hud, Lut (Lot), Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail, Ishaq (Issac), Yacoob (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Shuaib, Ayub (Job), Zulkifil (Ezikel), Musa (Moses), Haroon (Aaron), Daud (David), Sulaiman (Solomon)< Ilyas (Elijah), Elias (Elisha), Yunus (Jonas), Zakariyah, Yahya (John, the Baptist), Issa (Jesus) and Prophet Muhammad. - The longest Surah is Al Baqarah (the cow) and the shortest Surah is Al Kausar - The longest Ayah (Verse) is Ayat-el-Kursi is it is also referred to as the Pinnacle of all Ayahs. - In the Holy Quran there are 4 places commanding Pause (Sakta) and at 86 places there is Commandment for compulsory small Pauses. - The Holy Quran has fourteen letters, which occur in various combinations, as prefix to certain Surahs. These prefixed initials are also called abbreviated letters. - Three of these letters occurs alone, prefixed each to one Surah alone. The letters and Surahs are: S.XXXVIII(Suad), s.1.(Qaaf) and S.IXVIII (Noon) The combination of two letters occur in ten Surahs. Three of them occur only once each, but the fourth (Hamim) occurs in the following seven consecutive Surahs: Surah Ahqaff (the sand dunes), Surah Dhukhan (smoke), Surah Momin (the believers), Surah Hamim Sajdah (distinguished), Surah Sajdah (prostration), Surah Al-Shura (counsel), Surah Zaqraf (ornaments) and Surah Al-Jasiah (hobbling). - Hadhrat Mariam (Marry) is the only woman mentioned by name in the Holy Quran and has a Surah named after Surah Mariam. - Hadhrat Zaid Bin Harris (May Allah be pleased with him) is that blessed companion of the Prophet whose name is mentioned in surah Al Ahzab (The Confederates). - Surah Taubah (Repentance) does not begin with the opening Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem. - While in Surah Naml (ant) Bismillah...... is mentioned twice. - The Holy Quran referes to 4 mosques and these are: Masjid-el-Haram, Masjid Al Aqsa, Masjid-e-Zarar and Masjid-e-Quba. - Hajab bin Yusuf placed the punctuations in the Holy Quran while Abulala Saud distinguished and separated the Ayahs (Verses) introduced and placed the Circle (O). - In order of revelation, the first Surah to be revealed was surah Alaq (The Blood Clot) and the last was surah Alnasr (Help). - There 99 Ayats (Verses) that either testify or indicate towards the 'finality of Prophethood of Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). - Surah Yasin is referred to as the Heart of the Holy Quran and Surah Rahman is the most magnificent. - Surah Al-Baqarah (the cow) ends in a supplication (Dua) while Surah Fatiha (The Opening) is entirely a Supplication. - The most oft-repeated verse in the Holy Quran is Fabiayyi-ala-i-Rabbikumatukazhd-hiban (Surah Rahman) and it is repeated 31 times. - Quran-e-Karim mentions six angles: Jabrael, Mikael, Israil, Raad, Haaravat and Maarovat - The Book also refers to seven infidels: Satan, Samri, Abu Lahab, Aazor, Firaoon, (Pharaoh), Hamman (Haman) and Qaroon (Koran). - The literal meaning of the word Quran is that which is recited. Our Holy Quran is the Holiest of all Books and is the most read book of all times.