praj-17/QA-MCQ-Open-ended huggingface dataset:
Title: Quran
Context: In 2015, fragments of a very early Quran, dating back to 1370 years ago, were discovered in the library of the University of Birmingham, England. According to the tests carried out by Oxford University Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, "with a probability of more than 95%, the parchment was from between 568 and 645". The manuscript is written in Hijazi script, an early form of written Arabic. This is possibly the earliest extant exemplar of the Quran, but as the tests allow a range of possible dates, it cannot be said with certainty which of the existing versions is the oldest. Saudi scholar Saud al-Sarhan has expressed doubt over the age of the fragments as they contain dots and chapter separators that are believed to have originated later.

question: What script were the Birmingham Quran fragments written in? 

answer: Hijazi

question: Which modern script descends from the script on the Birmingham Quran fragments? 

answer: Arabic

question: What feature of the Birmingham Quran fragments' text make some doubt that it is older than other known versions of the Quran? 

answer: dots and chapter separators

question: How many years old were the Quran fragments discovered in Birmingham in 2015? 

answer: 1370
Title: Quran
Context: Respect for the written text of the Quran is an important element of religious faith by many Muslims, and the Quran is treated with reverence. Based on tradition and a literal interpretation of Quran 56:79 ("none shall touch but those who are clean"), some Muslims believe that they must perform a ritual cleansing with water before touching a copy of the Quran, although this view is not universal. Worn-out copies of the Quran are wrapped in a cloth and stored indefinitely in a safe place, buried in a mosque or a Muslim cemetery, or burned and the ashes buried or scattered over water.

question: Which section of the Quran inspires some Muslims to ritually wash themselves before touching their copy? 

answer: 56:79

question: What is done with the ashes of burned copies of the Quran? 

answer: buried or scattered over water

question: In what state are copies of the Quran sometime wrapped in cloth and buried? 

answer: Worn-out

question: Which are the safest places to inter an older copy of the Quran? 

answer: a mosque or a Muslim cemetery
Title: Quran
Context: Inimitability of the Quran (or "I'jaz") is the belief that no human speech can match the Quran in its content and form. The Quran is considered an inimitable miracle by Muslims, effective until the Day of Resurrection—and, thereby, the central proof granted to Muhammad in authentication of his prophetic status. The concept of inimitability originates in the Quran where in five different verses opponents are challenged to produce something like the Quran: "If men and sprites banded together to produce the like of this Quran they would never produce its like not though they backed one another." So the suggestion is that if there are doubts concerning the divine authorship of the Quran, come forward and create something like it. From the ninth century, numerous works appeared which studied the Quran and examined its style and content. Medieval Muslim scholars including al-Jurjani (d. 1078) and al-Baqillani (d. 1013) have written treatises on the subject, discussed its various aspects, and used linguistic approaches to study the Quran. Others argue that the Quran contains noble ideas, has inner meanings, maintained its freshness through the ages and has caused great transformations in individual level and in the history. Some scholars state that the Quran contains scientific information that agrees with modern science. The doctrine of miraculousness of the Quran is further emphasized by Muhammad's illiteracy since the unlettered prophet could not have been suspected of composing the Quran.

question: What term indicates that the contents of the Quran cannot be reproduced in speech? 

answer: I'jaz

question: Until what day is the Quran believed to be in effect? 

answer: Day of Resurrection

question: In which year did the Medieval Muslim scholar al-Baqillani die? 

answer: 1013

question: Which Muslim scholar studied the Quran's inimitability until his death in 1078? 

answer: al-Jurjani
Title: Quran
Context: The Quran consists of 114 chapters of varying lengths, each known as a sura. Suras are classified as Meccan or Medinan, depending on whether the verses were revealed before or after the migration of Muhammad to the city of Medina. However, a sura classified as Medinan may contain Meccan verses in it and vice versa. Sura titles are derived from a name or quality discussed in the text, or from the first letters or words of the sura. Suras are arranged roughly in order of decreasing size. The sura arrangement is thus not connected to the sequence of revelation. Each sura except the ninth starts with the Bismillah (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم), an Arabic phrase meaning "In the name of God". There are, however, still 114 occurrences of the Bismillah in the Quran, due to its presence in Quran 27:30 as the opening of Solomon's letter to the Queen of Sheba.

question: What is a chapter of the Quran called? 

answer: sura

question: How many suras are in the Quran? 

answer: 114

question: What two city-related categories divide the Quran's suras? 

answer: Meccan or Medinan

question: Which Arabic phrase opens almost all suras? 

answer: Bismillah

question: What determines the order in which suras are placed in the Quran? 

answer: size
Title: Quran
Context: In addition to and independent of the division into suras, there are various ways of dividing the Quran into parts of approximately equal length for convenience in reading. The 30 juz' (plural ajzāʼ) can be used to read through the entire Quran in a month. Some of these parts are known by names—which are the first few words by which the juzʼ starts. A juz' is sometimes further divided into two ḥizb (plural aḥzāb), and each hizb subdivided into four rubʻ al-ahzab. The Quran is also divided into seven approximately equal parts, manzil (plural manāzil), for it to be recited in a week.

question: What division of the Quran is used for a month-long reading? 

answer: juz'

question: How many ajzā cover the entire Quran? 

answer: 30

question: How many ahzab are in a juz'? 

answer: two

question: What is the term for a subdivision of a hizb? 

answer: rubʻ al-ahzab

question: What division is used for a week-long recital of the Quran? 

answer: manzil
Title: Quran
Context: The Quranic content is concerned with basic Islamic beliefs including the existence of God and the resurrection. Narratives of the early prophets, ethical and legal subjects, historical events of Muhammad's time, charity and prayer also appear in the Quran. The Quranic verses contain general exhortations regarding right and wrong and historical events are related to outline general moral lessons. Verses pertaining to natural phenomena have been interpreted by Muslims as an indication of the authenticity of the Quranic message.

question: Quranic verses concerning which phenomena are thought by Muslims to authenticate its contents? 

answer: natural

question: What types of events are related in the Quran in support of its moral teachings? 

answer: historical

question: Historical narratives from whose time period are unique to the Quran among holy books? 

answer: Muhammad's
Title: Quran
Context: The doctrine of the last day and eschatology (the final fate of the universe) may be reckoned as the second great doctrine of the Quran. It is estimated that approximately one-third of the Quran is eschatological, dealing with the afterlife in the next world and with the day of judgment at the end of time. There is a reference to the afterlife on most pages of the Quran and belief in the afterlife is often referred to in conjunction with belief in God as in the common expression: "Believe in God and the last day". A number of suras such as 44, 56, 75, 78, 81 and 101 are directly related to the afterlife and its preparations. Some suras indicate the closeness of the event and warn people to be prepared for the imminent day. For instance, the first verses of Sura 22, which deal with the mighty earthquake and the situations of people on that day, represent this style of divine address: "O People! Be respectful to your Lord. The earthquake of the Hour is a mighty thing."

question: What fraction of the Quran deals with eschatology? 

answer: one-third

question: What general topic is eschatology about? 

answer: the final fate of the universe

question: Which natural disaster features in Sura 22? 

answer: earthquake

question: What topic do suras 44, 56, 75, and 101 have in common? 

answer: afterlife
Title: Quran
Context: According to the Quran, God communicated with man and made his will known through signs and revelations. Prophets, or 'Messengers of God', received revelations and delivered them to humanity. The message has been identical and for all humankind. "Nothing is said to you that was not said to the messengers before you, that your lord has at his Command forgiveness as well as a most Grievous Penalty." The revelation does not come directly from God to the prophets. Angels acting as God's messengers deliver the divine revelation to them. This comes out in Quran 42:51, in which it is stated: "It is not for any mortal that God should speak to them, except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by his permission whatsoever He will."

question: In what form does the Quran say God sends his messages to people? 

answer: signs and revelations

question: Who intermediates between God and prophets? 

answer: Angels

question: Which part of the Quran describes God's use of intermediaries between himself and his prophets? 

answer: 42:51

question: Which humans are the messengers of God? 

answer: Prophets

question: How does the Quran describe the similarity of messages God has delivered throughout human history? 

answer: identical
Title: Quran
Context: Belief is a fundamental aspect of morality in the Quran, and scholars have tried to determine the semantic contents of "belief" and "believer" in the Quran. The ethico-legal concepts and exhortations dealing with righteous conduct are linked to a profound awareness of God, thereby emphasizing the importance of faith, accountability, and the belief in each human's ultimate encounter with God. People are invited to perform acts of charity, especially for the needy. Believers who "spend of their wealth by night and by day, in secret and in public" are promised that they "shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve". It also affirms family life by legislating on matters of marriage, divorce, and inheritance. A number of practices, such as usury and gambling, are prohibited. The Quran is one of the fundamental sources of Islamic law (sharia). Some formal religious practices receive significant attention in the Quran including the formal prayers (salat) and fasting in the month of Ramadan. As for the manner in which the prayer is to be conducted, the Quran refers to prostration. The term for charity, zakat, literally means purification. Charity, according to the Quran, is a means of self-purification.

question: What mental state is the foundation of morality as described by the Quran? 

answer: Belief

question: What finance-related acts are forbidden by the Quran? 

answer: usury and gambling

question: What is the name of the formal prayer proscribed by the Quran? 

answer: salat

question: Which month is designated for fasting in the Quran? 

answer: Ramadan

question: The Quran uses a term that also means purification for what social act? 

answer: charity
Title: Quran
Context: The astrophysicist Nidhal Guessoum while being highly critical of pseudo-scientific claims made about the Quran, has highlighted the encouragement for sciences that the Quran provides by developing "the concept of knowledge.". He writes: "The Qur'an draws attention to the danger of conjecturing without evidence (And follow not that of which you have not the (certain) knowledge of... 17:36) and in several different verses asks Muslims to require proofs (Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful 2:111), both in matters of theological belief and in natural science." Guessoum cites Ghaleb Hasan on the definition of "proof" according the Quran being "clear and strong... convincing evidence or argument." Also, such a proof cannot rely on an argument from authority, citing verse 5:104. Lastly, both assertions and rejections require a proof, according to verse 4:174. Ismail al-Faruqi and Taha Jabir Alalwani are of the view that any reawakening of the Muslim civilization must start with the Quran; however, the biggest obstacle on this route is the "centuries old heritage of tafseer (exegesis) and other classical disciplines" which inhibit a "universal, epidemiological and systematic conception" of the Quran's message. The philosopher Muhammad Iqbal, considered the Quran's methodology and epistemology to be empirical and rational.

question: Which astrophysicist has written about the ways the Quran encourages scientific thinking? 

answer: Nidhal Guessoum

question: Verse 2:111 of the Quran supports which aspect of scientific thought and practice? 

answer: proof

question: Whose scholarship on the concept of proof in the Quran does Guessoum cite? 

answer: Ghaleb Hasan

question: Which philosopher believed the Quran had a rational and empirical basis like science? 

answer: Muhammad Iqbal
Title: Quran
Context: It's generally accepted that there are around 750 verses in the Quran dealing with natural phenomenon. In many of these verses the study of nature is "encouraged and highly recommended," and historical Islamic scientists like Al-Biruni and Al-Battani derived their inspiration from verses of the Quran. Mohammad Hashim Kamali has the stated that "scientific observation, experimental knowledge and rationality" are the primary tools with which humanity can achieve the goals laid out for it in the Quran. Ziauddin Sardar built a case for Muslims having developed the foundations of modern science, by highlighting the repeated calls of the Quran to observe and reflect upon natural phenomenon. "The 'scientific method,' as it is understood today, was first developed by Muslim scientists" like Ibn al-Haytham and Al-Biruni, along with numerous other Muslim scientists.

question: Nature and its phenomena are mentioned in approximately how many of the Quran's verses? 

answer: 750

question: Al-Battani is an example of a Muslim scientist who drew inspiration from which text? 

answer: Quran

question: Who recommended science as a way to achieve the goals of the Quran? 

answer: Mohammad Hashim Kamali

question: Who argued that the Quran inspired the first practitioners of the scientific method we use today? 

answer: Ziauddin Sardar

question: Al-Biruni is a example of a scientists of which religion? 

answer: Muslim
Title: Quran
Context: The physicist Abdus Salam, in his Nobel Prize banquet address, quoted a well known verse from the Quran (67:3-4) and then stated: "This in effect is the faith of all physicists: the deeper we seek, the more is our wonder excited, the more is the dazzlement of our gaze". One of Salam's core beliefs was that there is no contradiction between Islam and the discoveries that science allows humanity to make about nature and the universe. Salam also held the opinion that the Quran and the Islamic spirit of study and rational reflection was the source of extraordinary civilizational development. Salam highlights, in particular, the work of Ibn al-Haytham and Al-Biruni as the pioneers of empiricism who introduced the experimental approach, breaking way from Aristotle's influence, and thus giving birth to modern science. Salam was also careful to differentiate between metaphysics and physics, and advised against empirically probing certain matters on which "physics is silent and will remain so," such as the doctrine of "creation from nothing" which in Salam's view is outside the limits of science and thus "gives way" to religious considerations.

question: Which physicist quoted the Quran in his address after receiving the Nobel Prize? 

answer: Abdus Salam

question: Which verse from the Quran did Abdus Salam quote at his Nobel banquet? 

answer: 67:3-4

question: Which two Muslim scientists did Salam celebrate as inventors of empirical methods? 

answer: Ibn al-Haytham and Al-Biruni

question: Salam suggests physics and science be kept separate from which topics which are more suited to religion? 

answer: metaphysics
Title: Quran
Context: The language of the Quran has been described as "rhymed prose" as it partakes of both poetry and prose; however, this description runs the risk of failing to convey the rhythmic quality of Quranic language, which is more poetic in some parts and more prose-like in others. Rhyme, while found throughout the Quran, is conspicuous in many of the earlier Meccan suras, in which relatively short verses throw the rhyming words into prominence. The effectiveness of such a form is evident for instance in Sura 81, and there can be no doubt that these passages impressed the conscience of the hearers. Frequently a change of rhyme from one set of verses to another signals a change in the subject of discussion. Later sections also preserve this form but the style is more expository.

question: What description of the writing in the Quran highlights its poetic aspect? 

answer: rhymed prose

question: Which suras in the Quran are particularly rhythmic? 

answer: earlier Meccan suras

question: What often changes along with the rhyming of Quranic verses? 

answer: subject of discussion

question: Which parts of the Quran are the least poetic? 

answer: Later
Title: Quran
Context: The Quranic text seems to have no beginning, middle, or end, its nonlinear structure being akin to a web or net. The textual arrangement is sometimes considered to exhibit lack of continuity, absence of any chronological or thematic order and repetitiousness. Michael Sells, citing the work of the critic Norman O. Brown, acknowledges Brown's observation that the seeming disorganization of Quranic literary expression – its scattered or fragmented mode of composition in Sells's phrase – is in fact a literary device capable of delivering profound effects as if the intensity of the prophetic message were shattering the vehicle of human language in which it was being communicated. Sells also addresses the much-discussed repetitiveness of the Quran, seeing this, too, as a literary device.

question: What is lacking in the arrangement of the Quranic text? 

answer: continuity

question: To which critic does Michael Sells refer on the subject of the Quran's disorganization? 

answer: Norman O. Brown

question: How does Sells describe the Quran's repetitiveness? 

answer: a literary device

question: Which scholar believes the Quran's fragmentary writing style is an effective literary device for a prophetic message? 

answer: Michael Sells
Title: Quran
Context: A text is self-referential when it speaks about itself and makes reference to itself. According to Stefan Wild, the Quran demonstrates this metatextuality by explaining, classifying, interpreting and justifying the words to be transmitted. Self-referentiality is evident in those passages where the Quran refers to itself as revelation (tanzil), remembrance (dhikr), news (naba'), criterion (furqan) in a self-designating manner (explicitly asserting its Divinity, "And this is a blessed Remembrance that We have sent down; so are you now denying it?"), or in the frequent appearance of the "Say" tags, when Muhammad is commanded to speak (e.g., "Say: 'God's guidance is the true guidance' ", "Say: 'Would you then dispute with us concerning God?' "). According to Wild the Quran is highly self-referential. The feature is more evident in early Meccan suras.

question: What metatextual character does Stefan Wild focus on in his discussion of the Quran? 

answer: Self-referentiality

question: What quality does the Quran claim in the different ways in which it refers to itself? 

answer: Divinity

question: Which term that the Quran uses for itself means "news"? 

answer: naba'

question: The Quran is more self-referential in which of its suras? 

answer: early Meccan suras
Title: Quran
Context: Tafsir is one of the earliest academic activities of Muslims. According to the Quran, Muhammad was the first person who described the meanings of verses for early Muslims. Other early exegetes included a few Companions of Muhammad, like ʻAli ibn Abi Talib, ʻAbdullah ibn Abbas, ʻAbdullah ibn Umar and Ubayy ibn Kaʻb. Exegesis in those days was confined to the explanation of literary aspects of the verse, the background of its revelation and, occasionally, interpretation of one verse with the help of the other. If the verse was about a historical event, then sometimes a few traditions (hadith) of Muhammad were narrated to make its meaning clear.

question: What is the name of the activity of explaining what Quranic verses mean? 

answer: Tafsir

question: Who was the first practitioner of Tafsir? 

answer: Muhammad

question: What is the Arabic term for Quranic exegesis? 

answer: Tafsir

question: Who were 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas? 

answer: Companions of Muhammad
Title: Quran
Context: Because the Quran is spoken in classical Arabic, many of the later converts to Islam (mostly non-Arabs) did not always understand the Quranic Arabic, they did not catch allusions that were clear to early Muslims fluent in Arabic and they were concerned with reconciling apparent conflict of themes in the Quran. Commentators erudite in Arabic explained the allusions, and perhaps most importantly, explained which Quranic verses had been revealed early in Muhammad's prophetic career, as being appropriate to the very earliest Muslim community, and which had been revealed later, canceling out or "abrogating" (nāsikh) the earlier text (mansūkh). Other scholars, however, maintain that no abrogation has taken place in the Quran. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has published a ten-volume Urdu commentary on the Quran, with the name Tafseer e Kabir.

question: In which language is the Quran recited? 

answer: classical Arabic

question: What is the Arabic term for the cancellation of one part of the Quran by another? 

answer: nāsikh

question: What is the name of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community's published Quran commentary? 

answer: Tafseer e Kabir

question: What is the term for earlier portions of the Quran that may have been superseded by later parts? 

answer: mansūkh

question: In which language is the Tafseer e Kabir written? 

answer: Urdu
Title: Quran
Context: Esoteric or Sufi interpretation attempts to unveil the inner meanings of the Quran. Sufism moves beyond the apparent (zahir) point of the verses and instead relates Quranic verses to the inner or esoteric (batin) and metaphysical dimensions of consciousness and existence. According to Sands, esoteric interpretations are more suggestive than declarative, they are allusions (isharat) rather than explanations (tafsir). They indicate possibilities as much as they demonstrate the insights of each writer.

question: What is another term for Sufi Quranic interpretation? 

answer: Esoteric

question: What Arabic word describes the aspects of Quranic verses that Sufism tries to push beyond? 

answer: zahir

question: What is an Arabic term for allusions? 

answer: isharat

question: Sands says Sufi interpretations tend to use which literary device rather than direct explanation? 

answer: allusions