2015 questions

Q         What was the significance of the Prophet being given the revelation by word

rather than in writing?      [4-J-15/2058-11]

The Prophet (sw) received revelations verbally rather than in writing. It is significant in many ways. The Prophet (sw) could not read or write. Therefore if the revelations had come in writing, he could not read it. When it was coming in words, the Prophet could understand it and he could also remember it. When we have something in writing, we do not need to rember it by heart but when we hear something and we need to remember it, then we put effort to remember it. It was also not easy for the Prophet to keep the record in writing. Quran is a huge book and it was not easy to maintain writing in a proper order. Since Muslims remembered the entire Quran by heart, it was easy to read it and remember it. Since Mohammad (sw) was not formally literate, the pagans could blame him easily that the Quran was written by someone else and it was not the word of God.

Quran came to the Prophet (sw) on different situations and events which the Prophet (sw) encountered both in Makkah and Madina. In writing, it would have been very difficult to relate these events with revelations. In words, it was much easier to convey the message to the other people.