INTRODUCTION

In the previous chapter I discussed the revelation of the Qurʾān to the incipient Islamic community and then explored the multifarious ways in which that event had an impact on the course of Middle Eastern history and the development of the Islamic sciences. For the Muslim believer the Qurʾān is the primary source on matters theological and legal, but in addition to that it is a daily presence in the life of the community and its individual members. Beyond these aspects of its message, however, the recorded text of the Qurʾān is a work of sacred ‘scripture’, and the miraculous qualities attributed to its style (termed iʿjāz) have long been the object of scrutiny by the critical community.

The opening verses of Sūrat al-ʿalaq (Sūrah 96, The Blood-clot) are believed to represent the first of God's revelations to His messenger, the Prophet Muḥammad. Their structure and style serve as an excellent illustration of many of the features of Qurʾānic discourse.

This passage illustrates the primary mode of communication found in the Qurʾān: God, the speaker, addresses His messenger in the second person and instructs him to recite to his listeners, the initially small but ever-expanding community of Muslims.