Neno “Qur’aan,” ambalo ni nomino ya kitendo, lina maana sawa na “qiraa’ah,” kwa kuwa yote mawili yanatokana na kitenzi “qara’a” ambacho maana yake ni “kusoma.” Yaani, Qur’aan kwa maana ya kileksia ni “usomaji au usomaji wa kurudiarudia.” 27 Hata hivyo, neno “Qur’aan” limetumika kihistoria hasa kurejelea kitabu kilichoteremshwa kwa Nabii Muhammad ﷺ. Neno “Qur’aan” limetajwa katika sehemu kadhaa ndani ya kitabu hicho likirejelea chenyewe. Kwa mfano:

The word “Qur’aan,” a verbal noun, is equivalent in meaning to “qiraa’ah,” as both come from the verb “qara’a” which means “to read.” That is, Qur’aan literally means “a reading or reciting.” 27 However, the term “Qur’aan” has been historically used specifically to refer to the book which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The term “Qur’aan” is mentioned in a number of places throughout the book in reference to itself. For example:

Jina Qur'aan linatumika kurejelea Qur'aan yote kwa ujumla, kama katika aya iliyonukuliwa hapo awali; pia linatumika kurejelea kila aya au kundi la aya, kama katika aya ifuatayo:

The name Qur’aan is used to refer to both the Qur’aan as a whole, as in the previously quoted verse; as well as to each verse or group of verses, as in the following verse:

Kitabu hiki pia kimetajwa kwa majina mengine; kwa mfano, Al-Furqaan (Utofautishaji):

The Book has also been referred to by other names; for example, the Furqaan (The Distinction):

na Dhikr, (Ukumbusho):

and the Thikr, (The Reminder):

Qur'ani inaweza kufafanuliwa kuwa ni maneno ya Allah ambayo yalishushwa kwa lugha ya Kiarabu kwa mpangilio wa kishairi kwa Nabii Muhammad ﷺ. Kusomwa kwake hutumika katika ibada, na sura yake ndogo kabisa ina asili ya kimuujiza.

The Qur’aan could be defined as Allaah’s words which were revealed in Arabic in a rhythmical form to Prophet Muhammad (r). Its recitation is used in acts of worship and its smallest chapter (soorah) is of a miraculous nature.

Kauli za Nabii zilizovuviwa na Mwenyezi Mungu, ambazo wafuasi wake waliziandika, kwa ujumla hujulikana kama hadithi. Kwa mfano, Sahaba wa Nabii ﷺ, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, alisimulia kwamba alisema mara moja:

The Prophet’s divinely inspired statements which were recorded by his followers are generally referred to as hadeeths. For example, the Prophet’s companion (sahaabee), ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, reported that he once said,

Hata hivyo, katika baadhi ya kauli zake, Mtume ﷺ alinasibisha alichosema kwa Allah; kwa mfano, sahaba mwingine, Abu Hurayrah, alipokea kwamba Mtume ﷺ alisema,

However, in some of his statements, the Prophet (r) attributed what he said to Allaah; for example, another sahaabee, Aboo Hurayrah, reported that the Prophet (r) said,

Ili kutofautisha aina hii ya hadithi na ile iliyotangulia, inaitwa hadithi qudsiyy (hadithi takatifu), na ile ya awali inaitwa hadithi nabawiyy (hadithi ya Mtume).

In order to distinguish this type of hadeeth from the previous type, it is referred to as hadeeth qudsee (sacred hadeeth) and the former referred to as hadeeth nabawee (prophetic hadeeth).

Qur'ani, hata hivyo, si sawa na hadithi qudsi kwa sababu kadhaa. Kwanza, Qur'ani inatoka kwa Allah, kwa maneno yake na kwa maana yake, wakati katika hadithi qudsi maana yake inatoka kwa Allah lakini maneno yake ni ya Mtume (ﷺ). Pili, Allah aliwapa changamoto Waarabu na wanadamu kwa ujumla kutoa hata sura moja sawa na mojawapo ya sura za Qur'ani, na kushindwa kwao kufanya hivyo kunathibitisha asili yake ya kimiujiza. Hali hii haipo kwa hadithi qudsi. Tatu, kisomo cha Qur'ani hutumika katika swala na chenyewe kinachukuliwa kuwa aina ya ibada. Mtume (ﷺ) amesema,

The Qur’aan, however, is not the same as hadeeth qudsee for a number of reasons. First, the Qur’aan is from Allaah both in its wording and in its meaning, while in the case of hadeeth qudsee, its meaning is from Allaah but its wording was the Prophet’s (ﷺ). Second, Allaah challenged the Arabs and mankind in general to produce even a chapter equivalent to one of the Qur’aan’s chapters, and their inability to do so proves its miraculous nature. This is not so in the case of hadeeth qudsee. Third, the recitation of the Qur’aan is used in salaah and is itself considered a form of worship. The Prophet (r) said,

Hata hivyo, usomaji wa hadithi qudsi hauna sifa hizi zoote.35

However, the recitation of hadeeth qudsee carries none of these properties.35