At a glance
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Global / Diaspora
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Summary
Muhammad Mutawalli al-Sha'rawi notes that "Quran" is a verbal noun from the root qara'a (to read), so the name points to recitation, while God calls it a Book, which points to writing. The Quran therefore has two modes of preservation and recitation: it is kept in hearts and recorded in lines. 1
Author's view
This linguistic distinction is Sha'rawi's, attributed to him here. He draws no legal ruling from it, and it has not yet been compared with the lexical views in other works of Quranic sciences.
Opinions on the question
The question: What does the name Quran signify, and how is it kept and recited?
First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference
The name points to recitation and the word Book points to writing
Held by: Muhammad Mutawalli al-Sha'rawi
Sources
- Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.14
- Sha'rawi's Tafsir (al-Khawatir), scanned copy
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The name Quran and its two modes: memory and writing”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/quran-name-and-modes/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.