Meaning & use
Quran
Last updated
Meaning
proper nounproper
The holy book of Islam, which Muslims believe contains the words of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
Grammar: Used with the definite article: the Quran. It is a proper noun, so it is capitalized.
Patterns
- the Quran
- read the Quran
- recite the Quran
- verses from the Quran
She reads a few pages of the Quran every morning before breakfast.
The call to prayer often includes verses from the Quran.
Many Muslims try to memorize the entire Quran.
Common combinations
- the holy Quran
- The holy Quran is treated with great respect.
- recite the Quran
- Children learn to recite the Quran at an early age.
- memorize the Quran
- It took him several years to memorize the Quran.
- a verse from the Quran
- He quoted a verse from the Quran during his speech.
- the teachings of the Quran
- The teachings of the Quran emphasize compassion and justice.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Koran
- An older English spelling; some people still use it, but Quran is now preferred because it is closer to the Arabic pronunciation.
- Qur'an
- A spelling with an apostrophe that shows the Arabic glottal stop; it is also acceptable, especially in academic writing.
Practice
Which sentence uses the correct article with 'Quran'?
Choose one answer.
The Quran is a proper noun and is normally used with the definite article 'the' to refer to the specific holy book. 'A Quran' or 'an Quran' would suggest one copy among many, which is not the usual meaning, and 'Quran' without an article is not standard in English.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Quran”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.