The Holy Quran is called (Book) because it is written down on paper, but the way the Holy Quran is received is through reading. Thereby, the only way to learn how to read the Holy Quran is by studying it under a reciter. Our Prophet (saws) was illiterate, so when Angel Gabriel (PBUH) said to him (saws):

اقْرَأْ

(Recite) (Al-Alaq: 1)

The Prophet (saws) answered him with:

“I am not lettered”

Angel Gabriel repeated his request three times, and each time the Prophet (saws) answered back with:

“I am not lettered”[1]

Usually, a person would recite out of a book that is open in front of him, or from his memory. But the Prophet (saws) recited what he heard from Angel Gabriel (PBUH).

Surah Al-Baqara begins with (Alif, Lam, Meem), which is written in Arabic exactly the same way as the first word in Surah Al-Fil and Al-Sharh in the last Juz’ of the Holy Quran:

 أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ

(Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?) (Al-Fil: 1)

 أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ

(Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?)

(Ash-Sharh: 1)

Prophet Mohammad (saws) heard the way (Alif, Lam, Meem) is pronounced from Angel Gabriel (PBUH) and that the two other words in the other Surahs are read differently. Moreover, there is a connected chain of transmission of the Holy Quran based on how it was originally heard from the Prophet (saws).

( كِتَابٌ ) ([This is] a Book): It is written down on paper after it was recited and memorized in the hearts.

( أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ) (revealed to you): If these were the words of a human, it would have said: (revealed upon you) instead. But since it says: (revealed to you): It means that the content of this Book is sent to people, for the better good of mankind because it takes them out of darkness and into the light of guidance.

( فَلَا يَكُن فِي صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ) (so let there not be in your breast distress therefrom): (Distress) indicates anxiety in the chest. Some asked: “Was there any distress in the chest of the Prophet (saws)”? We should be aware that when Allah (swt) tells His Messenger: (so let there not be in your breast distress therefrom), it is an order from the Creator (swt) to distress not to befall the heart of the Prophet (swt). It was a time where people had grown used to worshiping idols and statues and following their desires, and so taking them out of their habitual ways and into the vastness of righteousness and straight path means to endure a lot of harm from them. Indeed, the lives of Prophets (PBUT) is full of difficulties. That is why Allah (swt) says:

  وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ (97) فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ (98)

((97) And We already know that your breast is constrained by what they say. (98) So exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him].) (Al-Hijr: 97-98)

So that, the command is meant for the distress not to befall the heart of the Prophet (saws), but even when the Prophet (saws) felt anxiety, it was out of feelings of sorrow and sadness towards the state of his people:

“O Allah! Forgive my nation, for they have no knowledge.”[2]

Had the Prophet (saws) wanted, he could have asked Allah (swt) to curse them. The sadness and tightness of the Prophet’s (saws) chest is different from ours, it is rather the distress out of the mercy and kindness he has towards people, for he (saws) wishes that all people were guided without an exception.

( لِتُنذِرَ بِهِ) (that you may warn thereby): The warning is made through the Holy Quran and not by means of murder, violence, extremism, harshness, nor violence.  Allah (swt) does not want prostrating molds; rather, He (swt) wants humbled hearts. Had Allah (swt) willed, all people on earth would have believed. Allah (swt) says:

 وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ 

(And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed – all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?) (Yunus: 99)

Allah (swt) orders us to say kind words. He (swt) says:

 وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ

(And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.) (Fussilat: 34)

One may say: “I repel by which is better, but I find that the enmity still grows stronger”. We answer that the reason is because you did not do the better for the sake of Allah but because you were seeking intimateness. However, only by abiding to Allah’s (swt) orders would hatred turn into friendship.

( وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ) (and as a reminder to the believers): What would the believers in the early ages have to remember? It is out of Allah’s Mercy that He (swt) sent the Messengers and the Books with them to warn people. Allah (swt) says:

 ذَٰلِكَ أَن لَّمْ يَكُن رَّبُّكَ مُهْلِكَ الْقُرَىٰ بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا غَافِلُونَ

(That is because your Lord would not destroy the cities for wrongdoing while their people were unaware.) (Al-An’aam: 131)

Allah (swt) sent Messengers although He (swt) made faith as something innate in the nature of human beings. Allah (swt) says:

  وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَٰذَا غَافِلِينَ

(And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam – from their loins – their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have testified.” [This] – lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, “Indeed, we were of this unaware.”) (Al-A’raaf: 172)

We have early believed when we were in the world of souls and thus it is a reminder for those who testified faith.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari, chapter of the Beginning of the Revelation, hadith No. 3

[2] Jami’ Al-Ahadith, the Hamza letter, hadith No. 7015.