The Quran, the Sunna, and the Five Pillars of Islam

The Quran is regarded by Muslims as the literal word of God revealed to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel, composed of 114 chapters called suras, classified as "Meccan," generally shorter and centered on monotheistic and eschatological themes, or "Medinan," generally longer and more concerned with law and social organization. During Muhammad's lifetime the text was transmitted mainly orally by memorizers known as huffaz, though written fragments already existed. After many memorizers died at the Battle of Yamama in 632, Caliph Abu Bakr ordered the first systematic written compilation, and the definitive, standardized version was produced under Caliph Uthman around 650-656, who ordered the destruction of other variant texts to leave a single canonical version known as the Uthmanic Quran.