| Part of a series on the |
| Quran |
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| Mus'haf |
| Sura · Ayah |
| Central figures |
| Adam · Noah · Abraham · Joseph · Moses King David · King Solomon · Mary Jesus Christ · Muhammad |
| Quran reading |
| Tajwid · Hizb · Tarteel · Quranic guardian Manzil · Qari' · Juz' · Rasm · Ruku' · Sujud |
| Translations |
| List of translations · English translations |
| History |
| Meccan suras · Medinan suras |
| Tafsir |
| Persons related to verses · Justice Asbab al-nuzul · Naskh · Biblical narratives Tahrif · Bakkah · Muqatta'at Esoteric interpretation |
| Quran and Sunnah |
| Literalism · Miracles · Science Female figures |
| Perspectives |
| Shia · Criticism · Desecration Surah of Wilaya and Nurayn · Tanazzulat Qisas Al-Anbiya · House of the Quran |
A sura (also spelled surah, surat; Arabic: سورة sūrah) (pl. suwar) is a division of the Quran, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura (Al-Kawthar) has only three ayat (verses) while the longest (Al-Baqara) contains 286 ayat. Of the 114 suras in the Quran, 86 are classified as Meccan while 28 are Medinan - this classification is only approximate as regards location of revelation - in fact, any sura revealed post-Hijrah is termed Medinan and any revealed before that event is termed as Meccan. The Meccan suras generally deal with faith and scenes of the Hereafter, while the Medinan suras are more concerned with organizing the social life of the (then) nascent Muslim community.
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According to the theory of Nazm-e-Quran promulgated by the Farahi school, each sura has a central theme (umud) around which the ayahs of the sura revolve.[1] Notable scholars like Irfan Ahmad Khan and Mohammed al-Ghazali have also supported this view.[2][3]
Ayat and suras are believed to be divinely determined in the text of the Quran, and hence carry special meaning. Ruku (division of sura comprising several ayat) is a later arrangement created for the ease of readability of later generations of Muslims.
Suras are recited during salah while in the position of Qiyam (standing upright). Sura Al-Fatiha is recited in every unit of prayer followed by another sura (or part of it). In an obligatory salah, after two units, only sura Al-Fatiha is recited.
Islamic tradition holds that there are some suras, or parts thereof, that have certain benefits when recited. For example, reciting sura Al-Fatiha is said to be a cure for illness.
Suras in the Quran 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.[4] Regarding the names of various suras, it is widely believed that this naming scheme is meant for the purpose of identifying different suras.
The verses and suras when revelead to Muhammad in the Quran did not come with a label attached to them. Muhammad, as we find in many hadith, used to refer to shorter suras not by name, rather by their first verse. For example: Abu Hurairah quoted Muhammad as saying, "Al-Hamdu Lillahi Rabb il-`Aalameen is the Mother of the Qur'an, the Mother of the Book, and the seven repeated Ayat of the Glorious Qur'an." (Tirmidhi). We also find hadith in which Muhammad used to refer to them by their name. For example, 'Abdullah bin Buraydah narrated from his father, "I was sitting with the Prophet and I heard him say, 'Learn Surat ul-Baqarah, because in learning it there is blessing, in ignoring it there is sorrow, and the sorceresses cannot memorize it."' (Ahmad ibn Hanbal)
Arab tradition, similar to other tribal cultures of that time, was to name things according to their unique characteristics. They used this same method to name suras. Most sura names are found in hadith. Some suras were named according to their central theme, such as Al-Fatiha (The Opener) and Yusuf (Joseph), and some were named for the first word at the beginning of the sura, such as Qaf, Ya Sin, and ar-Rahman. Some suras were also named according to a unique story or topic within the sura, such as al-Baqara (The Cow), An-Nur (The Light), while other suras were named according to a unique word used in them, such as Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold), Al-Hadid (The Iron), and Al-Ma'un (The Small Kindness).
Most names of the suras are still used to this day. Several are known by multiple names: sura Al-Masadd (The Palm Fibre) is also known as al-Lahab (The Flame). Sura Fussilat (Explained in Detail) is also known as Ha-Meem Sajda ("...it is a surah that begins with Ha Mim and in which a verse requiring the performance of sajdah (prostration) has occurred.")[5]
The Miracle of 19: unveiled by Rashad Khalifa Ph.D. in the Quran revealed by God to last Prophet Muhammad is characterized by a unique phenomenon never found in any human authored book. The suras are mathematically structured based on the number 19, few of the facts that Dr. Khalifa proved are: