In the beginning was the Qur'an, the first book of Islam and also the firstbook of Arabic literature. Occasioned by the need to understand andinterpret the word of God, and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, Muslims made an inventory and study of their tradition. This involved thecollection, transmission and instruction of the sacred text, of the words anddeeds of Muhammad, and also of poetry, from both before and after the rise of Islam - indeed...