Who Set the Order of the Suras Found in the Quran Today?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

Who Set the Order of the Suras Found in the Quran Today?

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate.

There is no disagreement that the arrangement of the verses (ayas) of the Quran was fixed by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), as he would recite it to his companions day and night, and no one among them ever reported a disagreement regarding the arrangement of any verse.

However, scholars have differed regarding the arrangement of the chapters (suras) of the Quran, and this disagreement can be summarized into two opinions: Is it divinely fixed (tawqifi) or based on scholarly effort (ijtihadi)? Both views have their evidence, and most scholars have opined that the arrangement of the chapters is fixed. Here are the arguments of each group.

Evidence for Order of Surahs being Tawqifi

The first group holds the arrangement of the Quran’s chapters was fixed by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). When Abu Bakr and then Uthman compiled the Quran, they did so according to this arrangement left by the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), as it is in the Mushafs of the Muslims from the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace).

Al-Qurtubi reported from Abu Bakr al-Anbari: “Allah Almighty sent down the Quran in its entirety to the lowest heaven, then it was revealed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) over twenty years. Each chapter was revealed concerning an event, and each verse in response to an inquiry. Jibril (peace be upon him) would instruct the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) on the placement of the chapter and verse. Therefore, the sequence of the chapters is like the sequence of the verses and letters, all from Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon him), from the Lord of the Worlds.

Anyone who places an earlier chapter later or a later chapter earlier is like one who corrupts the arrangement of the verses and changes the letters and words. There is no evidence against the people of truth in placing al-Baqara before al-An’am, even though al-An’am was revealed before Al-Baqara, because the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) received this arrangement, and he used to say, ‘Place this chapter at such and such a place in the Quran.’ Jibril (peace be upon him) would indicate the place of the verses.” The proponents of the fixed arrangement of the chapters believe that the Quran’s mutawatir nature requires it to be mutawatir even in its chapter arrangement. [al-Jamiʿ li-Ahkam al-Quran]

They presented other evidence as well:

Numerous hadiths specify the sequential chapters of the Quran as they appear in the Mushaf, with no disagreement except in one hadith, which does not contradict the fixed arrangement. For example, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Read the two bright ones, al-Baqarah and Ali ‘Imran, for on the Day of Resurrection they will come like two clouds or two flocks of birds.” [Muslim]

Another evidence is that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to gather his palms every night when he went to bed, blow into them, recite the chapters, “Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad,” “Qul A’udhu bi Rabbil-Falaq,” and “Qul A’udhu bi Rabbin-Nas,” and wipe as much of his body as he could with them, starting with his head and face and the front of his body. He did this three times. [Bukhari]

The companions also confirmed the fixed arrangement, as Ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) said: “al-Baqarah, Al-Imran, An-Nisa, Al-Ma’idah, and Al-An’am are from the early revelations. They are among my treasures.” [Bukhari] Ibn Mas’ud mentioned the chapters in the sequence as they are established. [Nur al-Din Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran]

They also argued from understanding and reasoning; the manner and reality of the chapter arrangement are clear to the observer that they are fixed and taken from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). The arrangement of the Ha-Meem chapters, the Ta-Sin series, and the distinction from the Musabbihat, and the chapters starting with (Alif, Lam, Meem) where they are not sequential, but are separated between their chapters, indicates a deliberate arrangement.

If the arrangement was based on scholarly effort, the Musabbihat would have been mentioned consecutively, and (Ta-Sin) of al-Naml would have been placed after (Ta-Sin-Mim) of al-Qasas despite being shorter. Likewise, the lack of arrangement according to the order of revelation, where the Meccan chapters are not placed before the Medinan ones, indicates a fixed arrangement. [Nur al-Din Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran; Musa’id al-Tayyar, al-Muharrar; Zarqani, Manahil al-‘Irfan]

In Al-Burhan fi Ulum al-Quran, Imam Zarkashi advocates the fixed arrangement; he explains: “Some interpreted the verse, ‘and recite the Quran ˹properly˺ in a measured way’ [Quran, 73:4] to mean recite it in this order without any alteration. There was disapproval for those who recited it in reverse, and if one swore to recite the Quran in order, it would only be binding in this sequence.

If the Quran had been revealed all at once as they suggested, it would have descended in this order. Its chapters and verses were separated in revelation to meet people’s needs at different times and because it contains abrogating and abrogated verses, which could not have been revealed simultaneously. The most profound wisdom in its separation is what Allah 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 foundation upon which many issues are based.”

When the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) recited chapters differently than in their usual order in one of his prayers, when he recited al-Baqara, then al-Nisa, then Ali ‘Imran, it can be understood in a way that does not conflict with the divinely set order of the suras. This action of his indicates the permissibility of reciting the chapters in a different order during prayer and otherwise. This practice is followed by Muslims, as seen in the teaching of children from the end of the Quran in religious schools. [al-Muharrar]

The scholars who hold this view responded to the hadith reported by Yazid al-Farisi from Ibn Abbas, when he asked Uthman ibn Affan about joining suras al-Anfal and Al-Tawba without separating them with Bismillah, and placing them in the seven long chapters; they pointed out that it is a weak hadith due to the weakness of Yazid al-Farisi, whom Bukhari weakened. It is unlikely for Uthman ibn Affan, knowledgeable about the Quran, to be ignorant of such a matter. [Itr, ‘Ulum al-Quran; al-Muharrar]

Umar ibn Shabba reports in the History of Madinah that Sulaiman ibn Bilal said, “I heard Rabia (Rabia ibn Abi Abdul-Rahman, known as Rabia al-Ra’i) being asked, ‘Why were al-Baqarah and Ali ‘Imran placed first when eighty-something chapters were revealed in Mecca before them, and they were revealed in Medina?’ He replied, ‘They were placed first, and the Quran was compiled based on the knowledge of those who compiled it, and their agreement on their knowledge of it is where this matter ends and should not be questioned.’”

Evidence for the Order of Surahs being Based on the Deliberation of the Companions

The second group holds that the arrangement of the Quran’s chapters was based on the scholarly effort of the companions.

The strongest evidence they present is what was reported from Ibn Abbas: “I said to Uthman, ‘What made you place al-Anfal, which is from the early revelations, next to Bara’a, which is from the last revelations, and not write Bismillah between them, but place them in the seven long chapters?’

He replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) would receive chapters with many verses during his life, so when something was revealed, he would call someone to write for him and say, “Place this in the chapter which mentions such and such,” and when verses were revealed, he would say, “Place these verses in the chapter which mentions such and such,” and when a verse was revealed, he would say, “Place this verse in the chapter which mentions such and such.”’

He continued, ‘al-Anfal was one of the first revelations in Medina, and Bara’a was one of the last revelations of the Quran. Its story was similar to that of Al-Anfal, so we thought it was part of it. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) passed away without clarifying that it was part of it, so for that reason, I combined them and did not write Bismillah between them, and placed them among the seven long chapters.’” [Ahmad]

They also argue that it is well-known among scholars that the Mushafs of the Companions differed in their arrangement before the Quran was compiled during Uthman’s time. If this arrangement was fixed and transmitted from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), they would not have neglected it and differed in it as the reports suggest.

For example, Ubayy ibn Ka’b’s Mus’haf began with al-Fatihah, then al-Baqarah, then Al-Nisa, then Ali ‘Imran, then al-An’am. Ibn Mas’ud’s Mus’haf began with Al-Baqarah, then Al-Nisa, then Ali ‘Imran, and so on, showing significant differences. It is well-known that Ibn Mas’ud was among those who witnessed the last review of the Quran, yet his Mus’haf was one of the most differing in terms of the arrangement of the chapters. Ali’s Mus’haf was arranged according to the order of revelation, beginning with Iqra (Al-Alaq), then Al-Muddaththir, then Qaf, then Al-Muzzammil, then “Tabat Yada,” then Al-Takwir, and so on, up to the last of the Meccan and Medinan chapters.

Alqama ibn Qays al-Nakha’i and al-Aswad ibn Yazid al-Nakha’i reported that a man came to Ibn Mas’ud and said, “I recite the Mufassal in one rak’a.” Ibn Mas’ud replied, “Is this like reciting poetry? Or scattering it like scattering dates? The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to read similar chapters in one rak’a – Al-Najm and Ar-Rahman in one rak’a, Iqtarabat (Al-Qamar) and Al-Haqqah in one rak’a, al-Tur and al-Dhariyat in one rak’a, Idha waqa’at (Al-Waqi’a) and Noon (Al-Qalam) in one rak’ah, Sa’ala Sa’il (Al-Ma’arij) and al-Nazi’at in one rak’ah, Waylun lil-Mutaffifin (al-Mutaffifin) and ‘Abasa in one rak’ah, al-Muddaththir and al-Muzzammil in one rak’ah, Hal Ata (al-Ghashiya) and La Uqsimu (al-Qiyama) in one rak’ah, Amma Yatasaa’aloon (al-Naba) and al-Mursalat in one rak’ah, and Al-Dukhan and Itha ash-shamsu kuwwirat (al-Takwir) in one rak’ah.”

Abu Dawud said, “This is the arrangement of Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah have mercy on him.” [Sunan Abi Dawud] Thus, Ibn Mas’ud, who was among those who witnessed the last review of the Quran, still had a different arrangement of chapters in his Mushaf compared to the current Mushaf.

The view that the arrangement of the chapters is based on scholarly effort does not contradict the continuous transmission of the Quran. It is decisively transmitted in its entirety from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), and such an arrangement does not affect it, as altering the order of chapters does not impact the core of the Quran. Also, believing in this particular arrangement is not among the essentials of Iman.

Furthermore, the reports that Gabriel reviewed the Quran with the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) do not specify that it was in this particular order; it could have been in the order of revelation. [al-Muqaddimat al-Asasiyya fi ‘Ulum al-Quran]

Important Notes

A – Those who believe the arrangement of the Quran’s chapters is based on scholarly effort do not deny that some chapters were arranged during the Prophet’s time (Allah bless him and give him peace), such as the seven long chapters or some chapters of the Mufassal from Surah Qaf to the end of the Quran. However, they do not see this as conclusive evidence for a fixed arrangement.

Ibn Wahb reported hearing Malik saying, “The Quran was compiled as they heard it recited by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).” [Dani, al-Bayan fi ‘ad Aiy al-Quran]

B – Some believe that the arrangement is fixed except for Al-Anfal and Bara’a, based on the aforementioned hadith of Uthman, thus forming a third opinion.

Finally,

Many scholars in their research have focused on demonstrating the coherence between each chapter and the preceding one. Among them are Sheikh Burhanuddin al-Baqa’i (d. 885H) in his book Nazm ad-Durar fi Tanasub al-Ayat wal-Suwar, Suyuti (d. 911H) in Tanaseq al-Durar fi Tanasub al-Suwar, and Ibn Zubair al-Gharnati (d. 708H) in Al-Burhan fi Tanasub Suwar al-Quran, developing a field of study known as the Science of Quranic Coherence (Munasabat).

Additionally, numerous scholars have provided ample evidence affirming the Quran’s miraculous nature through its chapter arrangement, among whom is Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah Darraz, may Allah have mercy on him, in his valuable book Al-Naba’ Al-Azim.

To the inquirer, I say: The existence of such a disagreement regarding the arrangement of the Quran’s chapters is not of great consequence. It is a natural matter for those who experienced the revelation and understood that stage. Many scholars lean towards considering it a semantic disagreement.

However, what is significant and impactful is that the Quran, by the grace of Allah, is preserved from distortion, change, and alteration, thereby fulfilling the word of Allah Most High: “It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it.” [Quran, 15:9]

May Allah send blessings upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.