The Quran is the religious text for almost 2 billion believers of Islam. Let’s explore its history and teachings with these fun facts about the Quran!
Considered by Muslims to be the holiest book on Earth, the Quran is believed to be a direct revelation from God (Allah) to the Prophet Muhammad, and it is meant to be recited and read aloud.
No matter your belief system, studying the practices and traditions of other religions offers an informative and fascinating look into spiritual life. And the Quran is no different to that.
With these facts about the Quran, we’ll take a journey through the fascinating history of Islam’s holy book.
We’ll uncover the rules for reading the Quran, discover the oldest Quran, and marvel at some bang-on scientific predictions well before their time.
Here’s a few bonus facts before we dive specifically into the Quran.
Did you know that Islam is the newest of all the major religions? And did you know that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world with almost 2 billion adherents, making up 25% of the world’s population?
That’s all the more reason to gain a better understanding of the religious beliefs of Islam and the contents of the Quran. But don’t worry, that’s what this article is all about.
Are you thirsty for some Quran knowledge? Or do you think you’re an expert already? We guarantee that some of these Quran facts will surprise you!
Contents:
21 Fun Facts About The Quran
1. A messenger sent by Allah
Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad received the words of the Quran directly from Allah through an angel named Gabriel.
These revelatory meetings between Muhammad and Gabriel took place over 23 years until Muhammad’s death in 632 CE.
2. The holy language
Since the first Quran was dictated in Arabic and transcribed in Arabic, there is immense value placed on the Quran’s written in this language.
In fact, translations of the Quran in other languages are not considered authentic. However, the Quran has been translated into 130 different languages worldwide.
3. Quran house rules
If you have a Quran in your house there are a few customs that should be followed out of respect. For starters, the Quran should occupy the highest bookshelf.
Other Quran rules include no wet fingers, no resting the Quran on your lap, and no leaving it open when you put it down.
4. A well-known verse
The Throne Verse is probably the most commonly known verse in the Quran. The verse states that nothing or no-one is comparable to Allah.
Its first line is translated as: “Allah! There is no God but he, the living, the self-subsisting eternal.” Reciting the verse after prayer is thought to permit entry into paradise.
5. Quick Quran facts
The Quran is made up of 30 equal parts, divided as such so the 30 parts can be read one each day during the month of Ramadan.
There are 114 chapters known as surahs. 6,236 verses known as ayahs. And a total of 99,464 words.
6. Got milk?
According to the Quran the best drink out there is milk. Allah even describes seas of milk in heaven that never spoil or change flavor. Other heavenly seas mentioned in the Quran include unaltered water, purified honey, and wine.
What do you get to drink in hell? According to the Quran, scalding water that’ll rupture the intestines.
7. Animals in the Quran
One of the fun facts about Quran you may have not been expecting is about the creatures mentioned in the holy book. The most mentioned animal is a cattle/calf mentioned 43 times.
Next are birds mentioned 18 times. Horses, moths, and elephants made it into scripture as well. In total, 31 animals are mentioned in the Quran.
8. The science of water
Even though humankind didn’t discover that water is essential for all living things until the invention of the microscope, a curious passage from the Quran shows either incredible scientific foresight or a God-given fact.
The verse is as follows: “We made every living thing from water. Will they not believe?”
9. 8-million dollar Quran
On June 25th, 2020 the Timurid Quran manuscript sold for $8,656,000 in a Christie’s auction breaking the record for the most expensive Quran ever. The Timurid Quran originated in Iran in the 15th century and was printed on paper manufactured in the Ming Dynasty.
10. The longest Quran
The record for the longest handwritten Quran is a seriously competitive pursuit! In 2017, Egyptian artist Saad Mohammed of Egypt created a 700-meter long Quran after three years of work.
However, other Quran enthusiasts including an Indian calligrapher and a Russian teenager lay claim to the record as well.
11. Magnificent mosques
As you probably know, mosques are the most holy buildings in Islam. The Quran mentions three important and ancient mosques.
They are Masjid-Al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque) in Mecca, Masjid-ul-Aqsa (The Noble Sanctuary) in Jerusalem, and Masjid Qubaa in Medina.
12. Not quite a spelling bee
The Dubai National Quran Awards have a contest where men under 25 must recite memorized lines from the Quran to win a huge cash prize. The competition is so intense that close to 20 million people watch the TV broadcast each year!
13. Religious freedom in America
It’s an American tradition for new members elected to Congress to be sworn in with a hand on the bible. However, in 2006, Keith Ellison became the first Muslim to enter congress.
He chose to swear in with the Quran under his hand. This is the first time in American history this has happened.
14. Check your spelling
Here’s one of the Quran facts that really surprised us. Did you know the misprinting of the Quran brought down the entire government of Kuwait?
In 1999, the 120,000 state-issued Quran’s distributed by the Kuwaiti government were misprinted leading to conspiracy theories, blame-throwing, and the eventual dissolution of the parliament and a new election.
15. Reading out loud
There are a few reasons why the Quran is meant to be read aloud instead of read silently like other holy books.
The most important to Muslims is the fact that the prophet Muhammad was illiterate and recited the words to his followers. Another is for aid in memorization.
16. A true bestseller
It is estimated that over 800 million copies of the Quran have been printed. Before the printing press was invented the Quran had to be written out by hand.
In fact, today writing out the entire Quran by hand is seen as a rite of passage for many young Muslims.
17. Quran heist
In 2000, three Turkish men were arrested for trying to smuggle a rare gold-embroidered Quran out of Cyprus.
The handwritten 11th century Quran had been stolen from the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul and was said to be worth over $50,000 on the black market.
18. Where the Quran is law
A couple of countries rely on the Quran to shape the entirety of their legal system. These countries include Iran and Afghanistan. When the Quran is interpreted as law it is known as Sharia law.
19. A bloody ordeal
In the 1990s, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein commissioned a Quran to be written in his own blood. It’s said Hussein donated 27 liters of blood over a 2-year period. We feel lightheaded just thinking about that!
20. Banned and burned
While the Quran is considered a holy book to almost 2 billion people, it has been banned and burned during different moments in history.
The Soviet Union banned the Quran from 1926 to 1957. And more recently, in 2023, a Swedish far-right politician burned the Quran in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.
21. Quran Guinness records
The world’s smallest Quran published in Cairo, Egypt in 1982, measures 1.7 cm (0.66 in) long, 1.28 cm (0.5 in) wide, and 0.72 cm (0.28 in) thick.
The oldest Quran is the Holy Quran Mushaf of Othman written in the early 7th century CE. It is located today in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Who wants more fun facts?
If you’re looking for some recommendations, these are a few of our favorite fact books to buy. We use these when planning fun trivia nights with family and friends!
We really hope you enjoyed all our fun facts about the Quran! Did you learn something new?
If there’s any we missed, you can let us know in the comments below and we’ll add them to this article!
