How is the qur'an different from other holy books?

It is the holy book of Islam; no other book can claim that.

ANSWER

The Qur'an is indeed special in that it is the only holy book of Islam. Unlike other holy books eg. the Christian Bible, the verses of the Qur'an are believed to have been dictated directly to The Prophet Mohammed during his lifetime, by the Angel Gabriel. The Qur'an contains writings which cover every aspect of life which an Islamist may encounter and how they should react in any situation. The Qur'an is believed to have been completed during The Prophet's lifetime, although some Islamic scholars suggest that many of the verses were also transmitted orally. Islamic scholars agree that the Qur'an was committed to written form shortly after The Prophet's death in 623 AD.

By comparison, the Christian Bible is comprised of two testaments (the old and the new). Unlike the Qur'an, The Bible, apart from being presented in two testaments, is comprised of many books. The Old Testament contains books of Jewish law, history and prophecies. The New Testament also contains many books all of which were written after the death of Jesus.