One of the most frequently heard phrases by Muslims during Ramadan is that this is "the month of the Quran." Perhaps the most important and accurate statement about Ramadan is precisely this.
To speak of Ramadan is to speak of the Quran. Islamic scholars constantly emphasize this connection; recitations of the Quran are held in mosques and homes, and with Ramadan, the Quran is once again revealed, illuminating Muslim cities. The connection between Ramadan and the Quran stems from the revelation sent down this month. “The Night of Power” (“Laylat al-Qadr”), the night when the Quran’s first verses were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, is also within this month. What we hear about the relationship between Ramadan and the Quran is true: the real issue is fulfilling its requirements.
The Quran is divine speech. Muslims know that when they read their holy book, they are not reading just any ordinary words; they do not see it as just another book. A particular line of reasoning defines the framework of Muslims’ relationship with the Quran: God is the ultimate reality, and one aspect of His being the ultimate reality is that His words are eternal. Therefore, His speech is not something acquired or learned — it is primordial.
We can consider three fundamental aspects of how reading the Quran directly affects our lives.
First, the Holy Quran is not confined to any particular time. To think of it as limited to a specific time is to misunderstand divine speech completely. It is a timeless book; its truth is always relevant and binding. When it was revealed, that moment did not become just another moment in history — it became the essence of time itself. The first principle we should derive from this is: "The Quran at all times." Thus, when we say, "Ramadan is the month of the Quran," we mean that Ramadan is the time when we should deeply contemplate the Quran’s timeless nature and its encompassing presence in all moments.
Second, the Quran is not confined to a specific place or geography. Although it was revealed in a particular location, its eternal nature prevents it from being restricted to that place. When divine revelation reaches a place, that place comes to represent and encompass all places. At the moment of revelation, the Hijaz was not just a region of the world — it was the whole world. The fact that the Quran was revealed to the Arabs or in the Hijaz does not make that place exclusive, nor does it mean the Quran belongs solely to that land. The Quran is a book for all geographies. The second principle to be drawn here is: "The Quran everywhere!"
Third, Islam’s holy book addresses all of humanity. As an eternal book, it does not prioritize one group over another. For instance, it does not place men above women or disregard women. To claim that Islam differentiates between social classes, categorizes people based on intelligence or abilities, or was revealed to suit the understanding of a particular group is utterly nonsensical. Islam, without making distinctions between men and women, gathers all of humanity under one fundamental principle: human dignity. Its prophet who received the revelation was not just an individual; he embodied all of humanity — we were all there, potentially, in that moment. The divisions and separations that arise due to our different roles and abilities in the world are united under the umbrella of the divine book, forming the true community of humanity. Thus, "The Quran for everyone!"
Simply, the universality of Islam means the Quran at all times, everywhere, and for everyone.
When criticizing Muslims' relationship with the divine book, philosopher Muhammad Iqbal gives the following example: "When Christopher Columbus discovered America, he was filled with immense excitement about everything he encountered. The natives, however, having lived there all their lives, had lost all sense of wonder and merely watched Columbus in astonishment at his amazement. Today, we see that Muslims look at the Quran in the same way the natives looked at America. Unless we approach the Quran with the same enthusiasm and longing as Columbus in America, we do not truly acknowledge it."
During Ramadan, we need this kind of awareness and excitement — to look at the eternal book with fresh eyes, as if hearing revelation for the first time.
