THE QURANContextThe Quran is a highly revered book in Islam. It is not only appreciated for its content, but also more essentially for its status as a Revelation. For this reason, it is not common among Muslims to make significant reference to the history of the Quran. More appropriately, they refer to the story of the Revelation of the Quran. According to the Islamic narrative, Allah revealed the entire Quran to Muhammad on the Night of Majesty. Then it then descended to the Prophet Muhammad in stages over a period of 23 years. Because the prophet is considered illiterate, the great literary excellence of the book is considered a miracle and one of the greatest proofs of revelation. Contrary to what some believe, that the Quran is to Islam as the Bible is to Christians, the Quran is viewed with much higher respect. Generally, the Bible is read, studied, and appreciated as a record of God's revelation. Biblical hermeneutics requires the study of context and research into what the original recipients of the text might have understood in order to correctly apply its meaning to the current situation. The Quran, on the other hand, is not considered a simple story of revelation. Muslims consider it to be the direct speech of God. His revelation is not considered to have brought him into existence. They believe that it has always existed as part of a larger book, the umma al katib, the Mother of the Book, who is with God. Background The Quran was written in two main places. The previous sections of the book were written in Mecca, the birthplace and site of the prophet's early ministries. Later sections came from its final center in Medina. During the time of Muhammad in Mecca, the city was very... middle of paper......ND Corporation, 2004.Sawma, Gabriel. “Abrogation of Islam and persecution of Christians.” Assyrian International News Agency. January 18, 2011. www.aina.org/guesteds/20110118151407 (accessed November 20, 2011). Spencer, Robert. The truth about Muhammad: founder of the most intolerant religion in the world. Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, 2006. Wansbrough, John. Quranic studies: sources and methods of interpreting the Scriptures. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2004. Warraq, Ibn. Leave Islam. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2004. Global Islamic Front. “Statement by the World Islamic Front calling for Jihad against Jews and Crusaders.” Federation of American Scientists. February 23, 1998. http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/980223-fatwa.htm (accessed November 26, 2011). Zaidi, Manzar. “A Taxonomy of Jihad.” Quarterley of Arabic Studies 31, no. 3 (Summer 2009): 21-34.