In order to understand and comprehend a religion, it is necessary to grasp and understand the written text of that religion thoroughly. When the religion and its Holy book Qur’an are in question, it is necessary to understand the language, meaning integrity and historical background.

The book will focus on an analysis of the first Qur’anic verses from the perspectives of language and meaning. Over time, as with any historical text, interpretations of verses in the Qur’an have varied, sometimes radically, beginning with the word Iqra’, the very first word of what is generally believed to be the first verses revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, that is, the first five verses of the 96^th Surah in the Qur’an. This study will analyze changes in these initial verses, especially the words Iqra’ (read, recite, proclaim), Qalam (pen), and Alaq [a clot (of concealed blood) or the early stage of the embryo]. The contested meanings of these verses are significant for their contribution to the construction of theories of Islamic knowledge and science. For this reason, an exploration of the factors -- linguistic, theological, social, political, and scientific -- contributing to differing interpretations can help modern scholarship better understand the interpretation of the Qur’an as a response to existing pressures, especially that of the West and of science in modern times.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION   

Topic   

Thesis Statement and Primary Discussion   

Goals of the Study   

Key Issues, Terms and Methodology   

Preface and Discussion  

Literature Review   

CHAPTER II: PRE-ISLAMIC ARABIA   

Section I: Historical Background of Pre-Islamic Arabia   

Section II: Definition and the Concept of the Term “Jahilliyya” (State of Ignorance, Pre-Islamic Paganism), and the Religious Situation of That Time   

Section III: The Anticipation of A Divine Revelation With A Special Regard to Hanifs  

Section IV: A Short Biography of Prophet Muhammad as A Hanif  

Section V: The Prophet and His Encounter with the Rahib (Monk) Bahira 

CHAPTER III: ISLAMIC DISCOURSE ON WAHY (REVELATION)   

Section I: Revelation: General Outlook   

Section II: The Definition and Concept of Revelation (Wahy) in Islam  

Section III: The Meaning of Wahy according to the Recipients   

Section IV: Ways of coming of Revelation: How did the Prophet Perceive Revelation?  

1) Ways of Delivery of Third Party Mediated Revelation To The Prophet  

a) Sound   

b) Wahy by the angel Gabriel   

c) The angel Gabriel places wahy into the heart of the Prophet on two occasions   

d) Revelation to the Prophet while sleeping   

2) Ways of Revelation Coming Directly From God to the Heart of the Prophet, Without Any Third Party Interference   

a) Revelation as clear vision (Ru’ya Sadiqa)   

b) Revelation that came to the Prophet behind the curtain   

Section V: Responses to the Revelations to the Prophet   

CHAPTER IV: DEFINING THE FIRST VERSES: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION  

Section I: The First Verses of the Qur’an: Opinions from Hadith Literature and Commentaries on the Qur’an   

Opinion One: The first five verses of Surat al-ʻAlaq   

Opinion Two: The first verses of Surat al-Muddaththir   

Opinion Three: Surat al-Fatiha   

Opinion Four: Surat al-Anʻam   

Opinion Five: Basmala   

Section II: A Debate on Whether it Was Allah or the Angel Gabriel Who Appeared During the Revelation of the First Verses as it is Mentioned in Surat Al-Najm   

Section III: The Western Approach to Prophet Muhammad and his Claim of Prophethood   

Section IV: The First Verses of Surat al-ʻAlaq: the First Verses Revealed to the Prophet, and the Remaining Verses in the Sura  

CHAPTER V: ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST VERSES OF THE REVELATION  

Section I: A Linguistic Analysis of Iqra’   

Section II: Literacy or Illiteracy of the Prophet Muhammad (Ummiyyat al-Rasul)  

Section III: ʻAlaq, Its Definition and Discussion   

Section IV: Qalam   

CONCLUSIONS   

BIBLIOGRAPHY