Sura

A sura (also spelled surah, ) is a chapter of the Qur'an. Of the 114 sura in the Qur'an, 86 are classified as Makkan while 28 are Madinian- this classification is only approximate as regards location of Revelation - in actual fact, any Surah revealed post-Hijrah is termed as Medinan and any revealed before that event is termed as Meccan. The Makkan Surahs generally deal with faith and scenes of the Hereafter, while the Madinian surahs are more concerned with organizing the social life of the (then) nascent Muslim community. The shortest surah (Al-Kawthar) has only three ayat (verses) while the longest (Al-Baqara) contains 286 ayat.

Significance

According to the theory of Nazm-e-Quran promulgated by the Farahi school, each Surah has a central theme (umud) around which the ayahs of the Surah revolve. Notable scholars like Irfan Ahmad Khan and Shaykh Ghazali have also supported this view.

Ayat and Surah are both believed to be Divinely determined in the text of the Qur'an, and hence carry special meaning. Ruku (division of Surah comprising of several Ayah) is a later arrangement created for the ease of readability of later generations of Muslims.

List of all sura in the Qur'an

Surahs in the Qur'an are not arranged in the chronological order of Revelation. Amin Ahsan Islahi says that the order of Revelation has no significance for the present times, and the present arrangement is Divinely ordained. . Regarding the names of various Surah, it is widely believed that this naming scheme is meant for the purpose of identifying different Surah. {| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;" |+ Sura ! # ! Name ! class="unsortable" | Meaning ! Ayat ! Ruku' ! Revealed |- | 1 || Al-Fatiha || The Opening || 7 || 1 || Meccan |- | 2 || Al-Baqara || The Heifer, The Calf || 286 || 40 || Medinan |- | 3 || Al-i-Imran || The Family of Imran || 200 || 20 || Medinan |- | 4 || An-Nisa || The Women || 176 || 24 || Medinan |- | 5 || Al-Ma'ida || The Table Spread, The Table || 120 || 16 || Medinan |- | 6 || Al-An'am || The Cattle || 165 || 20 || Meccan |- | 7 || Al-A'raf || The Heights || 206 || 24 || Meccan |- | 8 || Al-Anfal || The Spoils of War || 75 || 10 || Medinan |- | 9 || At-Tawba || The Repentance || 129 || 16 || Medinan |- | 10 || Yunus || Junus or Jonah || 109 || 11 || Meccan |- | 11 || Hud || Hud, sometimes thought to be Eber || 123 || 10 || Meccan |- | 12 || Yusuf || Yousef or Joseph || 111 || 12 || Meccan |- | 13 || Ar-Ra'd || The Thunder || 43 || 6 || Medinan |- | 14 || Ibrahim || Ibrahim or Abraham || 52 || 7 || Meccan |- | 15 || Al-Hijr || The Rocky Tract, Al-Hijr, The Stoneland, The Rock City || 99 || 6 || Meccan |- | 16 || An-Nahl || The Honey Bees || 128 || 16 || Meccan |- | 17 || Al-Isra || Isra, The Night Journey or The Children of Israel || 111 || 12 || Meccan |- | 18 || Al-Kahf || The Cave || 110 || 12 || Meccan |- | 19 || Maryam || Maryam or Mary || 98 || 6 || Meccan |- | 20 || Ta-Ha || Ta-Ha || 135 || 8 || Meccan |- | 21 || Al-Anbiya || The Prophets || 112 || 7 || Meccan |- | 22 || Al-Hajj || The Pilgrimage, The Hajj || 78 || 10 || Medinan |- | 23 || Al-Mu’minoon || The Believers || 118 || 6 || Meccan |- | 24 || An-Nur || The Light || 64 || 9 || Medinan |- | 25 || Al-Furqan || The Criterion, The Standard, 1 sujud || 77 || 6 || Meccan |- | 26 || Ash-Shu'ara || The Poets || 227 || 11 || Meccan |- | 27 || An-Naml || The Ant, The Ants || 93 || 7 || Meccan |- | 28 || Al-Qasas || The Narrations, The Stories || 88 || 9 || Meccan |- | 29 || Al-Ankabut || The Spider || 69 || 7 || Meccan |- | 30 || Ar-Rum || The Romans || 60 || 6 || Meccan |- | 31 || Luqman || Luqman || 34 || 4 || Meccan |- | 32 || As-Sajda || The Prostration, Worship, Adoration || 30 || 3 || Meccan |- | 33 || Al-Ahzab || The Clans, The Confederates, The Combined Forces || 73 || 9 || Medinan |- | 34 || Saba || Sheba || 54 || 6 || Meccan |- | 35 || Fatir (Al-Mala'ikah) || The Originator (The Angels) || 45 || 5 || Meccan |- | 36 || Ya Sin || Ya-seen || 83 || 5 || Meccan |- | 37 || As-Saaffat || Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn Up In Ranks || 182 || 5 || Meccan |- | 38 || Sad || The Letter Sad of Ali Baltali || 88 || 5 || Meccan |- | 39 || Az-Zumar || The Crowds, The Troops, Throngs || 75 || 8 || Meccan |- | 40 || Ghafir (Al Mu'min) || The Forgiver (God), The Believer (Names of God in Islam) || 85 || 9 || Meccan |- | 41 || Fussilat || Expounded, Explained In Detail || 54 || 6 || Meccan |- | 42 || Ash-Shura || The Consultation || 53 || 5 || Meccan |- | 43 || Az-Zukhruf || The Gold Adornments, The Ornaments of Gold, Luxury || 89 || 7 || Meccan |- | 44 || Ad-Dukhan || The Smoke || 59 || 3 || Meccan |- | 45 || Al-Jathiya || The Kneeling Down, Crouching || 37 || 4 || Meccan |- | 46 || Al-Ahqaf || Winding Sand-tracts, The Wind-curved Sandhills, The Dunes || 35 || 4 || Meccan |- | 47 || Muhammad || Muhammad || 38 || 4 || Medinan |- | 48 || Al-Fath || The Victory, Conquest || 29 || 4 || Medinan |- | 49 || Al-Hujurat || The Private Apartments, The Inner Apartments || 18 || 2 || Medinan |- | 50 || Qaf || The Letter Qaf || 45 || 3 || Meccan |- | 51 || Adh-Dhariyat || The Wind That Scatter, The Winnowing Winds || 60 || 3 || Meccan |- | 52 || At-Tur || The Mount || 49 || 2 || Meccan |- | 53 || An-Najm || The Star || 62 || 3 || Meccan |- | 54 || Al-Qamar || The Moon || 55 || 3 || Meccan |- | 55 || Ar-Rahman || The Most Gracious, The Beneficent, The Mercy Giving || 78 || 3 || Medinan |- | 56 || Al-Waqi'a || The Inevitable, The Event || 96 || 3 || Meccan |- | 57 || Al-Hadid || The Iron || 29 || 4 || Medinan |- | 58 || Al-Mujadila || The Pleading, She That Disputeth, The Pleading Woman || 22 || 3 || Medinan |- | 59 || Al-Hashr || The Mustering, The Gathering, Exile, Banishment || 24 || 3 || Medinan |- | 60 || Al-Mumtahina || The Examined One, She That Is To Be Examined, Examining Her || 13 || 2 || Medinan |- | 61 || As-Saff || The Ranks, Battle Array || 14 || 2 || Medinan |- | 62 || Al-Jumuah || The Congregation, Friday || 11 || 2 || Medinan |- | 63 || Al-Munafiqun || The Hypocrites || 11 || 2 || Medinan |- | 64 || At-Taghabun || The Cheating, The Mutual Loss and Gain, The Mutual Disillusion, Haggling || 18 || 2 || Medinan |- | 65 || At-Talaq || Divorce || 12 || 2 || Medinan |- | 66 || At-Tahrim || The Prohibition || 12 || 2 || Medinan |- | 67 || Al-Mulk || The Dominion, Sovereignty, Control || 30 || 2 || Meccan |- | 68 || Al-Qalam || The Pen || 52 || 2 || Meccan |- | 69 || Al-Haaqqa || The Sure Reality || 52 || 2 || Meccan |- | 70 || Al-Maarij || The Ways of Ascent, The Ascending Stairways || 44 || 2 || Meccan |- | 71 || Nuh || Nuh or Noah || 28 || 2 || Meccan |- | 72 || Al-Jinn || The Spirits, The Jinn, The Demons || 28 || 2 || Meccan |- | 73 || Al-Muzzammil || The Enfolded One, The Enshrouded One, Bundled Up || 20 || 2 || Meccan |- | 74 || Al-Muddathir || The One Wrapped Up, The Cloaked One, The Man Wearing A Cloak || 56 || 2 || Meccan |- | 75 || Al-Qiyama || The Day of Resurrection, Rising Of The Dead || 40 || 2 || Meccan |- | 76 || Al-Insan || Man, Human || 31 || 2 || Medinan |- | 77 || Al-Mursalat || Those Sent Forth, The Emissaries, Winds Sent Forth || 50 || 2 || Meccan |- | 78 || An-Naba || The Great News, Tidings, The Announcement || 40 || 2 || Meccan |- | 79 || An-Naziat || Those Who Tear Out, Those Who Drag Forth, Soul-snatchers || 46 || 2 || Meccan |- | 80 || Abasa || He Frowned || 42 || 1 || Meccan |- | 81 || At-Takwir || The Folding Up, The Overthrowing || 29 || 1 || Meccan |- | 82 || Al-Infitar || The Cleaving Asunder, Bursting Apart || 19 || 1 || Meccan |- | 83 || Al-Mutaffifin || The Dealers in Fraud, Defrauding, The Cheats, Cheating || 36 || 1 || Meccan |- | 84 || Al-Inshiqaq || The Rending Asunder, The Sundering, Splitting Open || 25 || 1 || Meccan |- | 85 || Al-Burooj || The Mansions Of The Stars, Constellations || 22 || 1 || Meccan |- | 86 || At-Tariq || The Night-Visitant, The Morning Star, The Nightcomer || 17 || 1 || Meccan |- | 87 || Al-'Ala || The Most High, Glory To Your Lord In The Highest || 19 || 1 || Meccan |- | 88 || Al-Ghashiya || The Overwhelming Event, The Pall || 26 || 1 || Meccan |- | 89 || Al-Fajr || The Break of Day, The Dawn || 30 || 1 || Meccan |- | 90 || Al-Balad || The City, This Countryside || 20 || 1 || Meccan |- | 91 || Ash-Shams || The Sun || 15 || 1 || Meccan |- | 92 || Al-Lail || The Night || 21 || 1 || Meccan |- | 93 || Ad-Dhuha || The Glorious Morning Light, The Forenoon, Morning Hours, Morning Bright || 11 || 1 || Meccan |- | 94 || Al-Inshirah || The Expansion of Breast, Solace, Consolation, Relief || 8 || 1 || Meccan |- | 95 || At-Tin || The Fig, The Fig Tree || 8 || 1 || Meccan |- | 96 || Al-Alaq || The Clinging Clot, The Clot, Recite || 19 || 1 || Meccan |- | 97 || Al-Qadr || The Night of Power or Honor, The Night of Decree, Power, Fate || 5 || 1 || Meccan |- | 98 || Al-Bayyina || The Clear Proof, Evidence || 8 || 1 || Medinan |- | 99 || Az-Zalzala || The Earthquake || 8 || 1 || Medinan |- | 100 || Al-Adiyat || The Courser, The Chargers || 11 || 1 || Meccan |- | 101 || Al-Qaria || The Striking Hour, The Great Calamity, The Stunning Blow, The Disaster || 11 || 1 || Meccan |- | 102 || At-Takathur || The Piling Up, Rivalry in World Increase, Competition || 8 || 1 || Meccan |- | 103 || Al-Asr || The Time, The Declining Day, Eventide, The Epoch || 3 || 1 || Meccan |- | 104 || Al-Humaza || The Scandalmonger, The Traducer, The Gossipmonger || 9 || 1 || Meccan |- | 105 || Al-Fil || The Elephant || 5 || 1 || Meccan |- | 106 || Quraysh || Quraysh || 4 || 1 || Meccan |- | 107 || Al-Ma'un || The Neighbourly Assistance, Small Kindnesses, Almsgiving, Have You Seen || 7 || 1 || Meccan |- | 108 || Al-Kawthar || Abundance, Plenty || 3 || 1 || Meccan |- | 109 || Al-Kafirun || Those Who Reject Faith, The Disbelievers, The Kafirs || 6 || 1 || Meccan |- | 110 || An-Nasr || The Help, Succour, Divine Support, Victory || 3 || 1 || Medinan |- | 111 || Al-Masadd || The Plaited Rope, The Palm Fibre || 5 || 1 || Meccan |- | 112 || Al-Ikhlas || Purity of Faith, The Fidelity || 4 || 1 || Meccan |- | 113 || Al-Falaq || The Daybreak, Dawn || 5 || 1 || Meccan |- | 114 || Al-Nas || Mankind || 6 || 1 || Meccan |}

Notes:

The last two suras (chapters), Al-Falaq and An-Nas, are also known by the name Al-Mu'awwidhatayn.

The 96th chapter, SūratSūrat^u l-‘Alaq is considered to be the first to have neen revealed and transcribed to the “messenger” (الرَسُول) Muhammad.

The second chapter, Sūrat^u l-Baqara, is the longest, with 286 “āyāt” (verses), while the 108th, Sūrat^u l-Kawthar is the shortest, with 3 āyāt.

References

External links

Detailed list of verses in each Rukus

Read all Surah line by line in both in Arabic and English

List of all Suras of the Qur'an

Quran Sura Statistics A comprehensive study of frequency of letters and words of the entire Qur'an and its Suras by Intellaren Articles.

Qur'ān Verses in Chronological Order

Maududi's introductions to Quran chapters (a small concise of the 6 volumes The Meaning of the Qur'an at Compendium of Muslim Text, University of Southern California).">The Meaning of Quran Maududi's introductions to Quran chapters (a small concise of the 6 volumes The Meaning of the Qur'an at Compendium of Muslim Text, University of Southern California).

Category:Qur'an