I am sure you know a good deal about Jubra'eel. He is the great angel who brought the Message from Allah to the Prophets. Jubra'eel delivered the Message to every Prophet —from Adam to Muhammad (pbuh).
 
Angel Jubra'eel would appear like a handsome man, with shining light, usually with wings.  The Prophets would be delighted upon seeing the friendly Jubra'eel.  They would learn from him what Allah wanted them to know.  This is what we call a

Revelation.  A Revelation is when a Prophet sees Angel Jubra'eel who has a Message from Allah.  Each Prophet had many Revelations.  The Prophets, after learning the Revelation, would deliver it to their people.  They would explain and teach the new Revelation to the people.  At times, those Revelations were written down after they were received.  Five Prophets had their Revelations written.  In the case of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), every single Revelation was written down by several people.  Gradually, all the Revelations were compiled in the

form of a book.  The book is called the Holy Quran.  The Holy Quran is our Book of Guidance.

HOW MANY HOLY BOOKS ARE THERE? 

As we have just said, the Holy Quran is our Holy Book.  It was revealed to Muhammad (pbuh) while he was a Prophet.  It took a period of twenty‑three years for the Prophet to receive the complete Message.  The Holy Quran names the five Prophets and their Books as follows: 

1. Prophet Ibrahim had scrolls (which have been lost).

2. Prophet Musa (Moses) had the Towraat (Torah).

3. Prophet Dawood (David) had the Zaboor (Psalms).

4. Prophet Isa (Jesus) had the Injeel (Gospel).

5. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had the Holy Quran.

ARE OTHER HOLY BOOKS THE SAME AS THE QURAN? 

Whenever Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had a Revelation, that Revelation was memorized by many and it was also written down right away.  This was usually done by many companions of the Prophet (Scribes of the Holy Quran).  This means that the Holy Quran, which we have today is the exact and complete records of the Revelations from Allah to Muhammad (pbuh).

You should also know that Muhammad (pbuh) never learned to read or write.  He was Ummii, meaning an unlettered man.

The Gospel, the Torah and the Psalms, were not written the same way as the Holy Quran.  They were written a good many years following the life of that particular Prophet.  The people who wrote them could not write all the Revelations accurately because of the passage of time.  Actually, some of the teachings were forgotten or lost to those people.  There were also many changes and many additions made in the writing.  We don't know which part of the Gospel is the truth and which part is not.  The same is true with the Torah and the Psalms.

The Holy Quran is the only Holy Book that remains the unchanged word of God Almighty  —in its original form.  It is the only book where all the words of Allah (God) were written down as they were being revealed, without any changes whatsoever.

It is good to know that we, as Muslims, do believe in all the Holy Books but only as they were originally revealed.  We do believe that only part of the present "Holy Books", other than the Holy Quran, contain the truth from Allah.  That is because they have been changed, intentionally or unintentionally, by the people writing them down.  We still respect them, though not to the same extent as the Quran, because some of what they contain is the original Revelation from Allah.

HOW DID THEY RECORD THE HOLY QURAN? 

When Muhammad (pbuh) was forty years old Angel Jubra'eel appeared with the first Revelation of the Holy Quran.  When Muhammad (pbuh) had his first Revelation, he was very frightened, since this was his first experience.

Jubra'eel came many, many times after that.  Upon seeing Jubra'eel, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would have a feeling of great delight.  He would absorb and understand what the Angel had to tell him.

On seeing Jub­ra'eel, Muhammad (pbuh) would suddenly and involuntarily: 

1. become motionless,

2. have his eyes fixed in one direction,

3. break into sweat, and

4. breathe heavily.

 When Jubra'eel would leave the Prophet (pbuh) would become his usual self.  This was a most unique phenomenon that science has never been able to explain!

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would immediately repeat what he had just learned from Angel Jubra'eel to the people around (Companions of the Prophet).  No one else could see Angel Jubra'eel except Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  The Companions would memorize the Revelation immediately.  The revelation would be written down right away on paper parchment, leather, bark and even bones.  Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) could not write the Revelation himself.

Angel Jubra'eel continued to appear at different times over a period of twenty-three years.  All the Revelations to Muhammad (pbuh) were collected together in the exact way it was revealed to become a book called the Holy Quran.  It is the complete and exact Message of Allah to Muhammad (pbuh).  Every word in it is the direct word of Allah.  It is the miracle of all miracles.

IS THE QURAN THE MIRACLE OF ALL MIRACLES? 

The Holy Quran was revealed in a unique Arabic style, a high style of its own.  Nothing like it can ever be produced, not then nor now.  As you know, Muhammad (pbuh) was Arab and he spoke the Arabic language.  But the extreme depth of meaning of the Holy Quran is so mystifyingly outstanding that no one has ever been able to write anything similar to it, or even to a part of it.  It has been 1400 years since the Holy Quran was revealed.  It still challenges the imagination and the genius of all men to this day.  Many have tried to write something as beautiful or as deep as the Quran but everyone agrees that nothing has come near to matching it.  Its Message is infinite in wisdom and eternal for all times.  This is why it is the continuous miracle.  It is the miracle that everyone can admire through the ages.  The Holy Quran will always remain as it is, and as it was.  It proves itself to its reader no matter how many times a person reads it.  It proves itself to you.  It opens your eyes and heart.  It guides you and it convinces you sometimes gently, sometimes powerfully.

HAS THE QURAN BEEN TRANSLATED INTO OTHER LANGUAGES? 

The Holy Quran had been translated into just about every language in the world.  However, once the Holy Quran is translat­ed into another language, it loses its magnificent style and the remarkable depth of its meaning.

There are many English translations of the Holy Quran.  When you read the translations, you will not feel the same way as when you read the Arabic text.  This is actually part of the Quran's miracle: that no one in any language can ever translate it equal to its beauty and meaning.  Because of the precise language of the Quran, a good portion of the meaning of the Message is lost during translation.  Those who translated the Quran were scholarly people.  They tried very hard to do a superior job.  The result, however, is disappointing, and the translations never equal the original.

Every Muslim should do his best to understand the Holy Quran.  Even though the original was written in a different language than yours, you should try to study the Holy Book and its meaning.

Above all, you should try to put the Quran's guidance into practice and when you do that, you are on the path of becoming a truly good Muslim.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE HOLY QURAN 

The Holy Quran is divided into thirty divisions, each of which is called Juzu.  The Holy Quran is also divided into one hundred and fourteen (114) chapters, each of which is called Surah.  Each Surah consists of a number of verses.  Each verse if called Ayah.

Almost three‑fourths of the Surahs were revealed in Mecca, while about one‑fourth were revealed in Medina.  These were the two cities the Prophet (pbuh) lived in during his life.

WHAT DOES THE QURAN TELL US? 

The Holy Quran is the supreme book of guidance in the world.  It is the most important Book to all of us.  It tells us about:

1. Almighty Allah,

2. the basic beliefs (the Iman or the Creed in Islam)

3. the Ibadat (acts of worship)

4. guidance for our daily lives,

5. It shows us how to live decently as individuals and in relation with others,

6. about the Prophets and their struggle and among other things it tells us:

7. about the Shari'ah, the Islamic Law.

WHAT ARE THE BASIC BELIEFS?

What you have been learning already comes from the Holy Quran.  So far, you have learned about Allah, the Prophets, the Angels, and the Holy Books.  Next you will learn about the resurrection and the Hereafter.  This is the Iman or basic beliefs of Islam.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY IBADAT? 

The Holy Quran tells us about how to worship and pray to the Almighty.  It tells us about the Salat and its different aspects.  It tells us about the Saum or fasting during the month of Ramadhan.  It also tells us about the Zakat or Poor's due, and about the Haj or Pilgrimage.

The Holy Quran also tells us about the Prophets, the difficulties they had with their people, all the hard work they had to do, their miracles, and their Holy Books.

WHAT IS THE ISLAMIC WAY OF LIVING?

The Holy Quran tells us in some detail about how to be a decent human being.  It tells us how to be kind, considerate and sympathetic and to have good manners.  It tells us about what pleases Allah and what displeases Him.  It tells us about how to conduct ourselves in our family and how to deal with other people.  It writes about the Islamic Law.

In short, the Holy Quran tells us how to be good and how to follow the Religion of Allah.  By following the Holy Quran and the Religion of Allah, we will be rewarded in this world and, more importantly, in the Hereafter.

Let us quote one Hadith (Saying of Muhammad (pbuh):

The best of you, O Believers, is the person who learns the Quran and teaches it to others.

QUESTIONS 

1. What is a Revelation?

2. How many Holy Books are there?

3. Name the Holy Books.

4. Give the name of a Prophet and Holy Book revealed to him.

5. Which Holy Book is the complete word of Allah?    Why?

6. Which Holy Book is the exact word of Allah?         Why?

7. How was the Holy Quran recorded?

8. Did Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) write down his Revelations?        Why?

9. Which Holy Book is the miracle of all miracles?

10. Why is the Holy Quran the miracle of miracles?

11. Has the Holy Quran been translated into many languages?

12. What is a Surah?    How many are there?

13. What is an Ayah?

14. What is a Juzu?       How many are there?

15. What does the Holy Quran tell us?

16. What are the basic beliefs in Islam?

17. What are the basic points in Ibadat?

18. Which is the Holy Book of Islam?

19. Did Angel Jibreel reveal all the Holy Books?

20. What is a Revelation?

21. Did many Revelations form a Holy Book?

22. What Holy Book did Prophet Ibrahim come out with?

23. What Holy Book did Prophet Isa come out with?

24. Name the Holy Book Prophet Musa came out with.

25. Name the Holy Book Prophet Dawood came out with.

26. Why is the Quran the most complete Holy Book?

27. Which Holy Book remains unchanged?

28. In what language was the Holy Quran revealed?

29. What happens to its depth of meaning when the Holy Quran is translated to other languages?

30. How long did the Holy Quran take to become completed?

31. Does the Holy Quran tell us about the Islamic law?

32. Does the Holy Quran tell us about the Hereafter?

33. Does the Holy Quran tell us about the experience of the Prophets?

34. Are we to learn history or wisdom from the stories of the Prophets?

35. What is the Islamic way of life?