Who Arranged the Chapters of the Quran in Their Current Order?
Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa
Question
Who arranged the chapters of the Quran in the order we see today?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.
Short Answer
The arrangement of the chapters of the Quran is a matter of scholarly debate. Some scholars say that the order was set by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), while others assert that it was arranged by the Companions. However, the majority opinion among scholars is that it was arranged by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).
Detailed Answer
Before addressing who arranged the Quran’s chapters as they appear in today’s copies, some key facts must be established:
The Quran’s Arrangement vs. Revelation Order
The arrangement of the Quran’s chapters and verses is not based on the order in which they were revealed to the heart of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Rather, it is arranged differently from the sequence of revelation. The first revelation was the opening verses of Surat al-‘Alaq:
“Read (O Prophet) in the Name of your Lord Who created—created humans from a clinging clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous—Who taught by the pen—taught humanity what they knew not.” [Quran, 96:1-5]
However, Surat al-‘Alaq is found in the 30th part, the last part of the Quran, and it is the 96th chapter out of 114. ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) clarified that the beginning of Surat al-‘Alaq was the first part of the Quran revealed when she described the beginning of the revelation to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace):
“The angel came to him and said: Read. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) replied: ‘I am not a reader.’ He (the angel) took hold of me and embraced me tightly until I reached my limit, then he released me and said: Read. I said: ‘I am not a reader.’ He took hold of me and embraced me tightly a second time until I reached my limit, then he released me and said: Read. I said: ‘I am not a reader.’ He took hold of me and embraced me tightly a third time until I reached my limit, then he released me and said: ‘Read (O Prophet) in the Name of your Lord Who created—created humans from a clinging clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.’” [Quran, 96:1-3] [Bukhari]
The last verse revealed, however, was Allah’s saying:
“Be mindful of the Day when you will all be returned to Allah, then every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and none will be wronged.” [Quran, 2:281]
Ibn ‘Abbas said: “The last thing that was revealed from the Quran was: ‘Be mindful of the Day when you will all be returned to Allah’” [Quran, 2:281] [Nasa’i]
As we know, this verse is found in Surat al-Baqara, which is located in the first part of the Quran, and it is the second chapter in order.
Based on this, if the Quran’s chapters and verses were arranged according to their revelation order, the beginning of Surat al-‘Alaq would be the first chapter in the Quran, and verse 281 of Surat al-Baqara would be the last. This clearly shows that the chapters and verses of the Quran are not arranged according to the order of their revelation to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). [See: Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan; Daraz, al-Naba’ al-‘Azim; ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Disagreement over the Arrangement of the Quranic Chapters
The disagreement over the arrangement of the Quranic chapters can be summarized into two main opinions:
- First Opinion: The arrangement of the Quranic chapters is based on ijtihad (personal reasoning):
- Second Opinion: The arrangement of the Quranic chapters is divinely ordained by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and cannot be changed.
First Opinion: Ijtihad (Personal Reasoning)
Supporters of this view present the following evidence:
1. The Strongest Evidence for This Opinion:
One of the strongest pieces of evidence cited by those who hold this view is a narration from Yazid al-Farsi from Ibn ‘Abbas, who said:
“I said to ‘Uthman, ‘What made you place Surat al-Anfal, which is among the Mathani, next to Surat al-Tawba (also known as Bara‘a), which is among the Mi’in, without writing a line between them saying “Bismilla al-Rahman al-Rahim,” and then you put them in the group of the long Suras (al-Sab‘ al-Tuwal)? What motivated you to do this?’
He said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to receive revelations of different chapters, and when something was revealed to him, he would call one of those who wrote for him and say: “Place these verses in the chapter where such-and-such is mentioned.” And when verses were revealed to him, he would say: “Place these verses in the chapter where such-and-such is mentioned.” And when a verse was revealed, he would say: “Place this verse in the chapter where such-and-such is mentioned.” Surat al-Anfal was one of the first revelations in Madina, while Surat al-Tawba was one of the last parts of the Quran to be revealed. Their content was similar, so we assumed they were part of the same chapter. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) passed away without clarifying that they were not. Therefore, I combined them, and I did not write between them “Bismilla al-Rahman al-Rahim,” and I placed them among the long Suras (al-Sab’ al-Tuwal).’” [Ahmad]
Some have questioned the authenticity of this narration, which will be discussed later.
2. Further Evidence for This Opinion:
Supporters of this view also argue that it is well-known among scholars that the companions’ personal copies of the Quran differed in their arrangements before the Quran was compiled during the caliphate of ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan. If the arrangement was divinely mandated and transmitted from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), the companions would not have neglected or deviated from it, nor would there have been such differences as recorded in historical reports.
For instance, the mushaf of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib was reportedly arranged according to the order of revelation, starting with “Iqra’” (Surat al-‘Alaq), then “al-Muddathir,” “Qaf,” “al-Muzzammil,” “Tabbat” (Surat al-Masad), and “al-Takwir,” and so on through the Meccan and Madinan chapters.
The mushaf of Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b is reported to have started with “al-Fatiha,” followed by “al-Baqara,” “al-Nisa’,” “Al ‘Imran,” and “al-An‘am.”
The Quran of Ibn Mas‘ud started with “al-Baqara,” followed by “al-Nisa’,” “Al ‘Imran,” and so on, with significant differences in the order of chapters. It is known that Ibn Mas‘ud witnessed the final presentation of the Quran, yet his personal copy differed greatly in chapter arrangement from the current order. [See: Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan; al-Muqaddimat al-Asasiyya fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
3. Further Support:
A narration from ‘Alqama Ibn Qays al-Nakha‘i and al-Aswad Ibn Yazid al-Nakha‘i states:
“A man came to Ibn Mas’ud and said, ‘I recite the Mufassal (the shorter Suras) in one rak‘a.’ Ibn Mas’ud replied, ‘This is like poetry recited hastily, and scattered dates. However, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to recite pairs of chapters in a single rak‘a: “al-Najm” and “al-Rahman” in one rak‘a, “Iqtarabat” and “al-Haqqa” in one rak‘a, “al-Tur” and “al-Dhariyat” in one rak‘a, “Itha Waqa‘t” and “Nun” in one rak‘a, “Sa’al Sa’il” and “al-Nazi‘at” in one rak’a, “Wailul lil Mutaffifin” and “Abasa” in one rak‘a, “al-Muddathir” and “al-Muzzammil” in one rak‘a, “Hal Ata” and “La Uqsimu bi Yawmil Qiyama” in one rak‘a, “Amma Yatasa’alun” and “al-Mursalat” in one rak‘a, and “al-Dukhan” and “Itha Shamsu Kuwwirat” in one rak‘a.’”
Abu Dawud commented: “This was the arrangement in Ibn Mas‘ud’s mushaf.” [Abu Dawud]
This narration indicates that Ibn Mas‘ud—who witnessed the final presentation of the Quran—had an arrangement of chapters in his personal copy that differed from the order in today’s Quran.
Second Opinion: Divinely Ordained
Supporters of this view present the following evidence:
1. Compilation of the Quran During the Caliphates of Abu Bakr and ‘Uthman:
When the Quran was compiled during the time of Abu Bakr and then later during the caliphate of ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan, it was compiled according to the arrangement left by the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). This same order is what is found in the copies of the Quran used by Muslims today, dating back to the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).
2. Narration by Qurtubi from Abu Bakr Ibn al-Anbari:
Qurtubi reports from Abu Bakr Ibn al-Anbari that:
“Allah (Most High) sent down the Quran in its entirety to the lowest heaven, and then it was revealed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) over twenty years. The chapters were revealed in response to specific events, and verses were revealed in answer to specific questions. Gabriel (peace be upon him) would guide the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) to the place of each chapter and verse. Thus, the order of the chapters is like the order of the verses and letters, all transmitted by Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets (Allah bless him and give him peace), from the Lord of the Worlds. Whoever delays a chapter that is meant to be earlier, or advances a chapter meant to be later, is like one who has corrupted the order of the verses, and changed the letters and words, and there is no valid argument for those who question the placing of Surat al-Baqara before Surat al-An‘am, despite al-An‘am being revealed before al-Baqara, because this arrangement was taken from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), who would say, ‘Place this chapter in such and such a position in the Quran.’ Gabriel (peace be upon him) would then guide him to the place of the verses.” [See: Qurtubi, al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Quran; al-Muqaddimat al-Asasiyya fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Tayyar, al-Muharrar fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
3. Belief in the Mutawatir Nature of the Quran’s Arrangement:
Proponents of this view argue that belief in the Quran being mutawatir (mass-transmitted) requires that its arrangement be mutawatir as well. They provide several pieces of evidence to support this:
Mention of successive Quranic chapters in hadith:
Numerous hadiths mention chapters of the Quran in the same order as found in the Quran today, with no contrary evidence except in one narration, which does not contradict the view that the arrangement is divinely ordained. For instance, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“Recite the two bright ones, al-Baqara and Ali ‘Imran, for they will come on the Day of Judgment as if they were two clouds or two shades.” [Muslim]
Nightly recitation of specific suras by the prophet:
It is reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) would gather his hands every night before sleeping, blow into them, and recite in them Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq, and Surat al-Nas, and then wipe over his body what he could, starting with his head and face and the front of his body. He would do this three times. [Bukhari]
These three chapters are arranged in this exact sequence in the Quran today.
4. Evidence from the Companions Confirming the Prophetic Arrangement:
The companions themselves provided evidence for the divine arrangement of the chapters. For example, Ibn Mas‘ud (Allah be pleased with him) said,
“Bani Isra’il, al-Kahf, Maryam, Taha, and al-Anbiya’ are among the early revelations, and they are part of my treasures.” [Ibid.]
Ibn Mas‘ud mentioned these chapters in the same sequence as they are arranged in the Quran today. [See: ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran al-Karim]
5. Rational and Analytical Evidence:
Supporters of the divinely ordained arrangement argue that the way the chapters are arranged and their order clearly indicate that it was set by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and not by personal reasoning. For example, the sequential arrangement of the chapters starting with “Ha Mim” and “Ta Sin” chapters, which are grouped together, differs from the arrangement of the chapters starting with “Alif Lam Mim,” where there is no consecutive grouping.
Furthermore, the “Ta Sin” of Surat al-Naml is placed between the “Ta Sin Mim” of Surat al-Shu‘ara’ and Surat al-Qasas, even though Surat al-Naml is shorter. Had the arrangement been based on personal reasoning, the chapters starting with “Sabih” would have been grouped together, and Surat al-Naml would have followed Surat al-Qasas.
6. The Lack of Chronological Arrangement Indicates a Divinely Ordained Order:
The fact that the chapters are not arranged according to the order of revelation, where the Makki chapters would precede the Madani ones, suggests that the arrangement is divinely ordained and not subject to human reasoning. [See: ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran al-Karim; Tayyar, al-Muharrar fi ‘Ulum al-Quran; Zurqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan]
7. Zarkashi’s Statement in “Al-Burhan Fi ‘Ulum Al-Quran”:
Zarkashi, who supported the view that the arrangement of the chapters is divinely ordained, stated:
“Some have interpreted the verse ‘…and recite the Quran (properly) in a measured way.’ [Quran, 73:4] to mean that one should recite it in this exact order, without any advancing or delaying. It is frowned upon for anyone to recite it in a reversed order, and if someone swore to recite the Quran in order, they would be obliged to follow this order. If the Quran had been revealed all at once, as some had requested, it would have been revealed in this order.
However, its chapters and verses were revealed gradually to meet the needs of the people over time, because of the presence of abrogating and abrogated verses, which could not have been revealed simultaneously. One of the profound wisdom in its gradual revelation is what Allah (Most High) said:
‘(It is) a Quran We have revealed in stages so that you may recite it to people at a deliberate pace. And We have sent it down in successive revelations.’ [Quran, 17:106]
This is a fundamental principle upon which many issues are based.” [Zarkashi, al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
8. The Prophet’s Occasional Deviation from the Chapter Order in Prayer:
The Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) deviation from the usual chapter order in one of his prayers—when he recited Surat al-Baqara, followed by Surat al-Nisa’, and then Surat Ali ‘Imran—has a different interpretation from the view that this implies a non-ordained arrangement. Instead, this act demonstrated the permissibility of reciting chapters out of order during prayer and other instances. This practice continues among Muslims, as seen in schools where children often learn the Quran starting from the last chapters. [Tayyar, al-Muharrar fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
9. Response to the Hadith Narrated by Yazid al-Farsi from Ibn ‘Abbas:
Those who argue for a divinely ordained arrangement have refuted the earlier mentioned hadith narrated by Yazid al-Farsi from ‘Ibn Abbas, where Ibn ‘Abbas questioned ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan about placing Surat al-Anfal after Surat a-Tawba without separating them with the basmala. [See: Ahmad, Musnad]
This hadith is considered weak due to the unreliability of Yazid al-Farsi, who was criticized by Imam Bukhari. Additionally, it is unlikely that ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan, who was knowledgeable about the Quran, would have been ignorant of such a matter. [See: ‘Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran; Tayyar, al-Muharrar fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
10. A Report from Tarikh al-Madina by Ibn Shabbah:
‘Umar Ibn Shabba reported in Tarikh al-Madina that Sulayman Ibn Bilal heard Rabi‘a (Ibn Abi Abdur-Rahman, known as Rabi‘a al-Ra’y) being asked:
“Why were Surat al-Baqara and Ali ‘Imran placed at the beginning when more than eighty chapters were revealed in Makkah before them, and they were only revealed in Madina?” He responded, “They were placed at the beginning, and the Quran was compiled by those who had knowledge of it and with the consensus of those who were with them. This is something to be accepted and not questioned.” [Ibn Shabbah, Tarikh al-Madina]
Notes
The majority of scholars suggest that adhering to the current order of the Quranic chapters—beginning with Surat al-Fatiha and ending with Surat al-Nas—is preferable. Scholars have found miraculous aspects and profound wisdom in this order, leading to the composition of specialized books on the subject by figures like Imam Biqa‘i and Imam Suyuti, among others.
Those who argue that the arrangement of the Quranic chapters was based on ijtihad (personal reasoning) do not deny that some chapters were arranged during the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), such as the seven long chapters (al-Sab‘ al-Tuwal) or some chapters from the Mufassal section (from Surat Qaf to the end of the Quran). However, they do not see this as definitive proof of a fully divinely ordained order. Ibn Wahb reported that he heard Malik say: “The Quran was compiled based on how they used to hear it being recited by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).” [See: Dani, al-Bayan fi ‘Add Ay al-Quran; Sakhawi, Jamal al-Qurra’ wa Kamal al-Iqra’; Ghanim Qadduri, Muhadharat fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
Some scholars believe that the arrangement of the chapters is divinely ordained except for Surat al-Anfal and Surat al-Tawba, based on the aforementioned hadith of ‘Uthman, which could be considered a third opinion.
The view that the chapter arrangement was based on ijtihad does not contradict the concept of the Quran being mutawatir (mass-transmitted). The Quran was certainly transmitted in its entirety from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and rearranging the chapters does not affect its authenticity, as belief in the exact order of the chapters is not a requirement of faith.
The fact that Gabriel used to review the Quran with the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) does not necessarily imply that this was done in the current order; it could have been reviewed according to the order of revelation. [al-Muqaddimat al-Asasiyya fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]
It is crucial to note that there is no disagreement among scholars that the arrangement of the Quranic verses was divinely ordained by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). He would recite it to the Companions day and night, and none of them is reported to have deviated from the order of the verses. Therefore, the disagreement pertains only to the order of the chapters, not the verses.
Conclusion
Many scholars have dedicated their research to explaining the relationships between each chapter and the one preceding it. Among these scholars are Shaykh Biqa‘i in his book “Nazm al-Durar fi Tanasub al-Ayat wa al-Suwar,” Suyuti in his book “Tanasuq al-Durar fi Tanasub al-Suwar,” and Gharnati in his book “al-Burhan fi Tanasub Suwar al-Quran”.
This has even become a field of study known as ’Ilm al-Munasabat (the study of links and connections within the Quran). Numerous scholars have also presented evidence highlighting the miraculous nature of the Quran’s chapter arrangement, most notably Shaykh Muhammad Abdullah Daraz (Allah have mercy on him) in his valuable book al-Naba’ al-‘Azim.
The presence of such a disagreement over the order of the Quranic chapters is of little significance; it is a natural occurrence for those who lived through the period of revelation and understood the nature of that era. Many scholars have even considered this to be merely a verbal disagreement. What is crucial and impactful is that the Quran, by the grace of Allah, is preserved from distortion, alteration, or corruption, as Allah (Most High) said:
“It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it.” [Quran, 15:9]
And Allah knows best.
May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.
[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa
Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.
He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.
He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.
Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.
