The Quran is the oldest and, to this day, the most perfect work of classical Arabic prose. For Muslims, it is the infallible word of God, a copy of God's Book, which exists in heaven and was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the Spirit of God, that is, the archangel Gabriel.
The revelations of the Quran were initially merely imprinted in the memory of those to whom Muhammad narrated them, while some verses were written on palm leaves, stones, and any other material that could be used; these materials were placed in a special basket, which was entrusted to one of the Prophet's wives, Hafsa.
Only after the Prophet's death did Abu Bakr, the first caliph (successor of Muhammad), undertake the organization and compilation of the revelations. The collection of the fragments was completed during the time of the second caliph, Umar, and the volume that was composed was copied and numerous copies circulated in the Muslim world. However, so many errors and interpolations crept in, creating contradictions, that Uthman or Osman, the third caliph, during his reign (644-656) gathered all these copies and, after deciding himself what the true Quran was, ordered the rest to be burned.
To this day, this edition remains the official word of God.